The Australian Ballet – The Happy Prince

Oscar Wilde’s lyrical story of a statue who gives his all to help humanity is full of poetic beauty, heartbreak, sly humour and sharp social commentary. In The Happy Prince, Graeme Murphy, who created The Australian Ballet’s acclaimed modern interpretations of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, turns his flair for transformative storytelling to Wilde’s moving tale.

The possibilities for dance in Wilde’s characters—the golden Prince, his loyal friend the Swallow, the seductive Reed, the pitiful Match Girl—will be fabulously realised in Murphy’s distinctive choreographic style.

The Happy Prince features a specially commissioned score from the renowned composer Christopher Gordon, who composed the scores for the films Mao’s Last Dancer, Ladies in Black and Master and Commander, alongside the work of award-winning artist and director Kim Carpenter, who adapted the story and created the colourful design for the ballet.

Playful and poignant, The Happy Prince will capture children’s imagination with its vivid spectacle and adults’ attention with its timely message: a kind heart shines brighter than gold.

Credits:
Based on the story by Oscar Wilde
Adapted by Kim Carpenter and Graeme Murphy
Choreography Graeme Murphy
Creative Associate Janet Vernon
Composer Christopher Gordon
Set and costume design Kim Carpenter
Lighting design Damien Cooper
Projection design Fabian Astore

The Happy Prince is generously supported by The Robert and Elizabeth Albert Music Fund, The Dame Margaret Scott Fund for Choreographers and the Barry Kay Memorial Scholarship.

We thank Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image for supporting the creation of The Happy Prince.