Graeme Murphy
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox person Graeme Lloyd Murphy AO (born 2 November 1950) is an Australian dancer and choreographer. With his fellow dancer (and wife since 2004) Janet Vernon, he guided Sydney Dance Company to become one of Australia's most successful and best-known dance companies.
BiographyEdit
Murphy was born in Melbourne, and grew up in Tasmania, where he took dance classes with Sir Kenneth Gillespie<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in Launceston. He began his career as a student at the Australian Ballet School at the age of fourteen. In 1968 he became a dancer with The Australian Ballet where he had opportunities to choreograph. He toured America with the Australian Ballet in 1970–1971 and created his first ballet, Ecco le Diavole (Ecco). Ecco was presented at Melbourne's Princess Theatre in July 1971. The piece was set to music by Nino Rota and featured dancers Roslyn Anderson, Roma Egan, Janet Vernon, and Wendy Walker.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Later, Murphy danced with the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet (now Birmingham Royal Ballet), and Les Ballets Félix Blaska in France. In 1975 he worked as a freelance choreographer. He rejoined The Australian Ballet in the early months of 1976 as both a dancer and as a resident choreographer. He was appointed as artistic director of the Dance Company of New South Wales in November 1976, renamed as Sydney Dance Company in 1979.
Murphy has been compared to the dancer and choreographer Jerome Robbins on account of the way he and his company marketed dance to a wider audience, bringing contemporary dance into a more commercial arena. Aside from his work in ballet, Murphy has also completed choreography for Torvill and Dean.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On 18 December 2004, after almost 40 years together as artistic and life partners, he and Janet Vernon married on their rural property outside Launceston.<ref>Jane Albert, Couple to wed... after dancing around it for 40 years, Weekend Australian, 18–19 December 2004</ref>
In 2016 and 2017, Martin Portus (former Director of Marketing and Communication at the Australia Council for the Arts) conducted a number of interviews with Australian choreographers including Graeme Murphy. In the interview, Murphy discusses the highlights of various aspects of his career as a dancer and choreographer: his teenage training at The Australian Ballet School and early work as a classical dancer with the Australian Ballet; his developing interest in choreography and contemporary dance in the early 1970s; the beginnings of his lifelong creative partnership with Janet Vernon; the formation of the Sydney Dance Company and his appointment as artistic director in 1976; his signature productions involving theatrical spectacle, powerful storytelling, collaboration with Australian composers, and innovative set and costume designs; his constant touring overseas and work with Australian ballet; the financial disasters which prompted him to leave the Sydney Dance Company after 31 years; his work and aspirations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
HonoursEdit
On 26 January 1988, Murphy was named a member of the Order of Australia for "his service to ballet."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 1 January 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for "service to the development of dance in Australia and Tasmania".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 11 June 2012, Murphy was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to the performing arts, both nationally and internationally, particularly ballet and contemporary dance, as a choreographer and director, and to the enhancement of Australia's cultural environment."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Helpmann AwardsEdit
The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001.<ref name=lpa>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2002, Murphy received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance.<ref name="Helpallwinners">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Awards table |- | 2002 || Himself || JC Williamson Award || Template:Yes2 |-
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Mo AwardsEdit
The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Awards table (wins only) |- | 1999 | Graeme Murphy | Male Dance Performer/ Choreographer of the Year | Template:Won |-
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List of worksEdit
- After Venice (1984; set to Olivier Messiaen's Turangalîla-Symphonie and Gustav Mahler's 5th Symphony: Adagietto)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=rep>Sydney Dance Company: Complete Repertoire Template:Webarchive</ref>
- Afterworlds (1987)<ref name=rep/>
- Aida (2009; for Opera Australia)<ref name=rep/>
- Air and Other Invisible Forces (1999; Michael Askill and Giya Kancheli)<ref>Sydney Dance Company: Air and Other Invisible Forces Template:Webarchive</ref>
- Bard Bits (1991; Cleo Laine and John Dankworth)<ref name=rep/>
- Beauty and the Beast (1993; Carl Vine, Phil Buckle and Jack Jones)<ref name=rep/>
- Berlin (Iva Davies and Max Lambert, based on material by Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry, David Bowie, David Byrne and others)<ref>Kyle, Janine. Berlin. (Sydney, Australia).</ref>
- Beyond Twelve (1980; set to Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Body of Work (2000)<ref name=rep/>
- Boxes (1985; with Bob Kretschmer; music by Iva Davies and Kretschmer)<ref name=rep/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Daphnis and Chloé (1980; Ravel)<ref name=rep/>
- Deadly Sins (1984; Lambert)<ref name=rep/>
- The Director's Cut (2006; Paul Healy, Huey Benjamin, Margaret Sutherland)<ref name=rep/>
- A Doll's House Story (Istvan Marta)
- Drill (Steve Martland)
- Ecco le Diavole (1971; Nino Rota)<ref name=graeme>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Ellipse (2002; Matthew Hindson)<ref name=rep/>
- Embodied (1996; Alfred Schnittke)<ref name=rep/>
- An Evening (1981)<ref name=rep/>
- Evening Suite (1989)<ref name=rep/>
- Ever After Ever (2007; Carl Vine, Giya Kancheli, Graeme Koehne, Matthew Hindson, Iva Davies, Max Lambert, Linda Nagle)<ref name=rep/>
- Fire Earth Air Water (1977; John Tavener)<ref name=rep/>
- Flashbacks (1983)<ref name=rep/>
- Fornicon (1995; Martin Armiger)<ref name=rep/>
- Free Radicals (1996; Michael Askill)<ref name=rep/>
- Glimpses (1977; Margaret Sutherland)<ref name=rep/>
- Grand (2005; Scott Davie)<ref name=rep/>
- Hate (1982; Carl Vine)<ref name=rep/>
- Homelands (1982: Leoš Janáček)<ref name=rep/>
- Hua Mulan (2005; Michael Askill)<ref name=rep/>
- In the Company of Women (1990; with Paul Mercurio)<ref name=rep/>
- King Roger (1990; Karol Szymanowski)<ref name=rep/>
- Kraanerg (1988; Iannis Xenakis)<ref name=rep/>
- Late Afternoon of a Faun (1987)<ref name=rep/>
- Limited Edition (1982; Graeme Koehne)<ref name=rep/>
- Mythes (Szymanowski)
- Mythologia (2000; Carl Vine)<ref name=rep/>
- Nearly Beloved (1986; Graeme Koehne)<ref name=rep/>
- Nutcracker: the Story of Clara (2009–1992 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky; for the Australian Ballet)
- Papillon Duet (1977; Jacques Offenbach)<ref name=rep/>
- Party (1998: Michael and Daniel Askill)<ref name=rep/>
- Piano Sonata (1992; Carl Vine)<ref name=rep/>
- Poppy (1978; Carl Vine)<ref name=rep/>
- The Protecting Veil (1993; John Tavener)<ref name=rep/>
- Radical Study (1996)<ref name=rep/>
- Romeo and Juliet (2011 Sergei Prokofiev; for the Australian Ballet)
- Rumours (1978–1979; Barry Conyngham)<ref name=rep/>
- Salome (Michael Askill)<ref name=rep/>
- Scintillation (1977; Carlos Salzedo)<ref name=rep/>
- The Selfish Giant (1983; Graeme Koehne)<ref name=rep/>
- Sensing (1994; Ross Edwards)<ref name=rep/>
- Sequenza VII (1977; Luciano Berio)<ref name=rep/>
- Shades of Gray (2005)<ref name=rep/>
- Shéhérazade (1979; Ravel)<ref name=rep/>
- Shining (1986; Szymanowski)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Signatures (1979; Alexander Scriabin)<ref name=rep/>
- Sirens (1985; with 4 other choreographers)<ref name=rep/>
- Soft Bruising (1990; with Steve Martland; music by Gavin Bryars)<ref name=rep/>
- Some Rooms (1983; Keith Jarrett, Joseph Canteloube, Francis Poulenc, Benjamin Britten, Samuel Barber)<ref name=rep/>
- Song of the Night (1989; Szymanowski)<ref name=rep/>
- Suite Synergy (2011; with Michael Askill)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky; for the Australian Ballet)
- Synergy with Synergy (1992; Michael Askill, John Cage, Elliott Carter, Ross Edwards, Istvan Marta and Nigel Westlake)<ref name="graeme"/>
- Third Conversation (1977; Béla Bartók)<ref name=rep/>
- Tip (1977; Carl Vine)<ref name=rep/>
- Tivoli (2001; Graeme Koehne)<ref name=rep/>
- The Trojans (1994; Hector Berlioz)<ref name=rep/>
- Turandot (Giacomo Puccini; for Opera Australia)
- Up (1977; György Ligeti)<ref name=rep/>
- Vast (1988; Barry Conyngham)<ref name=rep/>
- Viridian (1980; Richard Meale)<ref name=rep/>
- Volumina (1977; Ligeti)<ref name=rep/>
- Water (2009; for The Shanghai Ballet)<ref name=rep/>
- Wilderness (1982; Bartók)<ref name=rep/>
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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