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Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney
Subjects
Culture and Customs
Performing Arts

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Performing Arts

Subject

National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association

The Australasian Art Review

The Recruiting Officer

Garcia Centre for Performing Arts

Newtown High School of Performing Arts

Old Darlington School

Sydney Olympic Arts Festival 2000

Arts NSW

Australia Council

Gang 364

Gordon Frost Organisation

HMMG Pty Ltd

National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association

Newtown High School of Performing Arts

Opera Australia

PACT

Connors, Mike

Coombs, H C (Nugget)

Garling, Jean

Gibson, Mel

Hibberd, Lily

McPherson, Elle

Shields, Ella

Back cover of guide to 1978 Festival of Sydney events

Crowd watching La Traviata at the first Opera in the Park concert in the Domain 1982

Dame Joan Sutherland performing in La Traviata at Opera in the Park 1982

Lea Sonia, Tivoli, July 1941

Madame Franzina, bicycle performer 1876

Playbill for performance of 'The Recruiting Officer' at the Theatre, Sydney, on 8 March 1800

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Circus Dance Entertainment and Spectacle Music Musicals Opera Theatre

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Performing Arts

National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association

From its foundation in 1975, NAISDA has played a fundamental role in training Indigenous dancers and bringing together traditional and contemporary dance styles.

The Australasian Art Review

Monthly journal of art, music and drama published by George de Cairos.

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The Recruiting Officer

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Popular Restoration comedy by Irish dramatist George Farquhar that was first produced in London in 1706 and was performed in Sydney's first theatrical production on 4 June 1789. It was performed by convicts in a 'convict-built hut', in honour of the birthday of King George III. The Governor, Captain Arthur Phillip and other officers were in the audience. The event inspired author Thomas Keneally to write the novel, The Playmaker in 1987.

Garcia Centre for Performing Arts

Four terraces bought by the Sisters of Charity before they were completed and converted to a school of singing and music.

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Newtown High School of Performing Arts

Public school buildings which have been extended for over a century to accommodate the changing needs of education.

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Old Darlington School

Gothic Revival style brick school building designed by George Allen Mansfield built in 1878. In use as part of the Darlington Public School until 1975 when the land was transferred to University of Sydney. Surrounding buildings, including the Town Hall, were demolished. The building is now used by the University as a performance space.

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Sydney Olympic Arts Festival 2000

Cultural festival showcasing Australia's creative and performing arts, held in conjunction with the Sydney Olympics in Aug-Sept 2000.

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Arts NSW

State government arts policy and funding body.

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Australia Council

Arts council responsible for funding arts projects, policy implementation and arts promotion in Australia, providing advice on cultural matters to the Commonwealth Government through the Minister for the Arts.

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Gang 364

Group of waterside workers considered cultural activists within the union. They comprised actors, musicians and artists, many of whom had returned from World War I and been unable to find work in their chosen field.

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Gordon Frost Organisation

Entrepreneurial organisation founded as a sales and marketing consultancy to the entertainment industry.

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HMMG Pty Ltd

Formerly Harry M Miller Group, the company specialises in the management of high profile and emerging media, literary and producer talent. It was established by the celebrity agent and publicist Harry M Miller.

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National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association

Training college for Indigenous dancers which was based in Gosford's Mount Penang Gardens. Graduates have worked in arts management, dance, music, theatre and film, both at the elite and community level. The Bangarra Dance Theatre developed from NAISDA.

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Newtown High School of Performing Arts

Public high school which specialises in training in the performing arts.
Operating as a technical and commercial school from 1930 then a junior boys high school, it merged with Petersham Girls High in 1989 to form the school of performing arts.

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Opera Australia

Formed by the merger of the Australian Opera and the Victoria State Opera (VSO) companies in 1996.

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PACT

Performing arts company that was founded in 1964 in response to the need for more Australian work in the performing arts. The company focuses on work with experimental and emerging artists. PACT originally stood for Producers Authors Composers and Talent but became the PACT (Producers Artists Curators Technicians) Centre for Emerging Arts. The organisation was originally based in the old Corn Exchange building on Sussex Street in the city before moving in January 1988 to to the PACT Theatre, a converted warehouse at 107 Railway Parade, Erskineville.

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Connors, Mike

Actor, comedian and theatre entrepreneur, who appeared with Roy Rene (Mo).

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Coombs, H C (Nugget)

Economist who became the first Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia. He was also a strong supporter of the arts. In 1967 he persuaded Prime Minister Harold Holt to legislate to create the Australian Council for the Arts (Australia Council) as a body for the public funding of the arts. He helped found the Australian National University and helped secure funding for the Australian film industry. He was also a supporter of the rights of Australia's Indigenous people.

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Garling, Jean

Dancer, author, critic and strong supporter of the performing arts and the State Library.

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Gibson, Mel

American actor, director and producer who lived and studied in Sydney before pursuing his career in Hollywood.

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Hibberd, Lily

Visual artist and writer practicing in performance, painting, photography, video and installation. She works in collaboration with communities and artists to tell old and new stories based on places, memories and histories.

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McPherson, Elle

Model, businesswoman and actress renowned around the world as 'The Body'.

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Shields, Ella

Vaudeville singer and male impersonator who toured Australia from England in the 1920s and 1930s.

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Back cover of guide to 1978 Festival of Sydney events

full record »

Contributed By

National Library of Australia

[The Australian Women's Weekly, 28 December 1977, p43 via Trove]

Crowd watching La Traviata at the first Opera in the Park concert in the Domain 1982

full record »

Contributed By

City of Sydney Archives

[017\017850]

Dame Joan Sutherland performing in La Traviata at Opera in the Park 1982

full record »

Contributed By

City of Sydney Archives

[017\017851]

Lea Sonia, Tivoli, July 1941

full record »

By

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[ON 388/Box 035/Item 245]

Madame Franzina, bicycle performer 1876

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[a837002 / PXA 362/v3/28r]

(Mitchell Library)

Playbill for performance of 'The Recruiting Officer' at the Theatre, Sydney, on 8 March 1800

full record »

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[M SAFE 1/ 107a]

(Mitchell Library)

Culture and Customs

Circus

Dance

Entertainment and Spectacle

Music

Musicals

Opera

Theatre