Editing Robert Helpmann (section)

===1980s===
In 1981 Helpmann staged another revival of his ballet ''Hamlet'', this time featuring [[Anthony Dowell]]. The production was given first at Covent Garden and was later taken to New York.<ref name=sw442/> In Sydney, Helpmann directed and choreographed [[Handel]]'s opera ''[[Alcina]]'', and in the US he directed [[Lilli Palmer]] in a one-woman show about [[Sarah Bernhardt]], ''Sarah in America''.<ref name=sw442/>

In New Zealand, Helpmann supervised the 1981 world premiere of the musical ''Aloha'' he had co-authored with Hawaiian composer Eaton Magoon Jr, staged by the Hamilton Operatic Society at the [[Founders Theatre]] directed by Robert Young, with [[Derek Williams (musician)|Derek Williams]] as orchestrator and musical director.<ref>(27 October 1981). "Author [Robert Helpmann] full of praise". ''[[Waikato Times]]'', New Zealand.</ref><ref>Day, Paul. (19 October 1981). Review: ''Hamilton Says Aloha To Musical''. [[Founders Theatre]]. ''[[The New Zealand Herald]]''.</ref><ref>[[Cryer, Max]]. (25 October 1981). "Hamilton produces ambitious musical" and "Kitsch Aloha goes down a real treat". p.9. ''[[Sunday Star-Times|New Zealand Times]]''</ref><ref>[https://heritage.hamiltonlibraries.co.nz/objects/14710/aloha Aloha]. Hamilton Heritage Collections.</ref> A [[cast recording]] produced by [[Carl Doy]] was made of the show at [[Mandrill Studios]].<ref> Magoon, Eaton, Jr, 1922-2018, [[Derek Metzger|Metzger, Derek]], 1962-, [[Derek Williams (musician)|Williams, Derek]], 1952-, Robert Helpmann, 1909-1986. (1981). [https://natlib.govt.nz/records/45278135 ''Aloha : a spectacular new musical / music and lyrics by Eaton Magoon Jnr'']. Musicals > Excerpts > Anthony Norton Collection, ATL-Group-00433: [[National Library of New Zealand]].</ref><ref>[http://castalbums.org/recordings/Aloha-1981-New-Zealand-Cast/1293 'Aloha > New Zealand Cast']. Vinyl. 1981. Producer: [[Carl Doy]].</ref> In 1983 there was a Hawaiian production of the show, followed in 1985 by a [[Michael Edgley]] revival production at His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland,<ref>[https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/42379/his-majestys-theatre-1988 His Majesty's Theatre]</ref> directed by [[Joe Layton]] with Derek Williams rehired as Musical Director.<ref>'The Arts'.  (12 June 1985).  'Teacher Continues Aloha Association'.  Page 24.  ''[[The Daily Post (New Zealand)|The Daily Post]]'' (Rotorua, New Zealand)</ref> New Zealand-born singer [[Derek Metzger]] starred in all ''Aloha'' productions.

The following year Helpmann appeared with [[Diana Rigg]] in [[Harvey Schmidt]]'s musical, ''Colette'', which opened in [[Seattle]] but folded before reaching Broadway.<ref name=sw442/> He then made his last British appearance in an acting role, playing Cardinal Pirelli in a revival of [[Sandy Wilson]]'s ''[[Valmouth (musical)|Valmouth]]'' at the [[Chichester Festival]]. [[Irving Wardle]] wrote in ''The Times'', "It is not a large part, but Helpmann's hooded smiles and baleful oeuillades, his capacity to express elegant corruption to his beringed finger-tips, lodge one imperishable image."<ref>Wardle, Irving. "Theatre", ''The Times'', 20 May 1982, p. 13</ref>

In 1983 Helpmann directed [[Gounod]]'s opera ''[[Roméo et Juliette]]'' in Sydney, and later in the year appeared there as the elderly [[Lord Alfred Douglas|Bosie]] in [[Justin Fleming (author)|Justin Fleming]]'s play about [[Oscar Wilde]], ''The Cobra'', with [[Mark Lee (Australian actor)|Mark Lee]] as Bosie's young self.<ref name=sw442/> In 1984, together with [[Googie Withers]] and [[John McCallum (actor)|John McCallum]], he toured in [[Ted Willis]]'s play ''Stardust'', and joined his sister Sheila to record two episodes of the Australian soap opera ''[[A Country Practice]]'', which were shown in 1985.<ref name=sw442/> Early in that year he was in the US directing a revival of the operetta ''The Mery Widow'' for the [[San Diego Opera]]. In June, at the [[Sydney Opera House]], he directed [[Joan Sutherland]] in [[Vincenzo Bellini|Bellini]]'s ''[[I Puritani]]''. His last stage appearances were as the Red King in ''Checkmate'', with the Australian Ballet, in Melbourne and Sydney in May 1986.<ref name=sw442/>