Performing arts | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Performing arts

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Two costume designs, one for a man the other for a woman, with annotations. The man's costume features a blue and green shirt with puffy sleeves, a brown vest, boots, a blue hat and an optional blue cloak. The woman's costume is an orange gown with a small headpiece.

Costume and set sketches - Twelfth Night, 1968, from the papers of Kristian Fredrikson, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3139276048

Kristian Fredrikson costume designs for the plays of William Shakespeare

Explore the crossover of two masters of their crafts with these beautiful sketches and designs.

Blog
Four ballet dancers posing with their arms out and leaning in various directions

Bodenwieser Ballet performance of Blue Danube Waltz, with Moira Claux, Elaine Vallance, Nina Bascolo and Biruta Apens, 1953, nla.obj-234841849

Capturing movement: Dance photography and Gertrud Bodenwieser

Explore the dance style of Gertrud Bodenwieser through photographs with 2023 National Library Fellow Wesley Lim.

Blog
A row of men in concert dress holding musical instruments

Reg Lewis and the Prince Edwardians at the Prince Edward Theatre, Sydney, c1945, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147014210

Music performance research guide

The Library has a diverse collection of materials documenting the history of Australian musical performance.

Research guide
Black and white photograph of a row of shopfronts. One facade reads 'Theatre Royal: Open Every Evening'.

Theatre Royal, Sydney, King St. Entrance in 1882, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137238900

Theatre research guide

Our collections document the history and development of dramatic and comic theatre in Australia.

Research guide
A person stands in an empty darkened theatre, illuminated by a single light bulb.

Daniel James Boud, Ange Sullivan, head of lighting, preparing a ghost light at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 2020, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2976573618, courtesy Daniel James Boud

Performing arts research guide

We hold one of Australia’s largest collections of performing arts materials.

Research guide
Photographs spread on a table, of a woman throughout her career in ballet, including photos of her dancing and portraits

Photographs of Laurel Martyn throughout her career from Papers of Laurel Martyn, 1901-1988, nla.cat-vn307525

Re-writing Australian ballet history

See how Yvette Grant used the Library’s collections to revive the memory of four women in the story of Australian ballet.

Blog
Woman with brown hair and eyes, wearing a brown sweater, sitting at a desk in the Special Collection Reading Room, smiling at the camera. On the desk in front of her is an old book of music.
Behind the curtain of Australian classical music

Explore the cultural politics of Australian art music with 2023 National Library of Australia Scholar Stephanie Shon.

Blog
A black and white photograph of a woman in a dress twirling around with her eyes closed.

Margaret Michaelis, Bodenwieser Ballet open air performance featuring Hilary Napier, 1940, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-234841729

Staging nationhood in dance photographs with Dr Wesley Lim

Dr Wesley Lim presented a lecture on his 2023 National Library Fellowship research into the papers of dancer and choreographer Gertrud Bodenwieser.

Event
Video
Sheet music featuring an illustration of a child looking out an open window

Edith Harrhy and Bronnie Taylor, Songs for young Australians [music] / words by Bronnie Taylor ; music by Edith Harrhy, 1941, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-175231656

Music research guide

The Library has the largest collection of sheet music in the country, with over 300,000 items. The bulk of the collection relates to Australian composers, performers and music publishing houses.

Research guide
Video
A person stands in an empty darkened theatre, illuminated by a single light bulb.

Daniel James Boud, Ange Sullivan, head of lighting, preparing a ghost light at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, 2020, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2976573618, courtesy Daniel James Boud

Theatre and performance music

Our theatre and performance music collections showcase the music Australians were listening to throughout the 20th century.

Research guide
To the Reader Shakespeare

Plutarch, The lives of the noble Grecians and Romaines, 1612, (detail), nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2403507

Shakespeare the Reader: An Illustrated Lecture with ANU and Bell Shakespeare

See Dr Kate Flaherty and actors from Bell Shakespeare explore the link between the books that inspired Shakespeare and Shakespeare's own work.

Event
Video
Emma Smith Sitting
Shakespeare’s First Folio: From London to Australia and many points in between

Hear Oxford academic Professor Emma Smith, the world’s leading Shakespeare scholar, discuss Shakespeare’s First Folio as part of its 400 year anniversary.

Event
Video

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