Highlights for Melbourne as the seasons shift
Touted as the greatest exhibition of all time, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs comes to the Melbourne Museum on 8 April after attracting over seven million visitors in the U.S. and Europe. This will be the exhibition’s one-and-only stop in Australia marking the first visit of King Tutankhamun’s treasures to our shores.
Love Never Dies is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-anticipated continuation of The Phantom of the Opera, one of the world’s most successful theatre productions – ever. Melbourne’s Regent Theatre plays host to the Australian premiere of this massive show that hits the stage in May.
The five-time Tony Award nominated Broadway musical, Rock of Ages, makes its way to Melbourne, opening on 9 April at the Comedy Theatre. This feel-good love story is told against the hit songs of rock bands from the ‘80s like Foreigner, Journey, Poison, Starship and Pat Benatar.
This year’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition at the NGV International brings in some 240 famous Viennese and French artworks rarely seen outside Europe. Vienna: Art & Design, Klimt, Schiele, Hoffmann – on from 18 June to 9 October – offers a glimpse into the explosion in creativity of Viennese art, architecture and design at the turn of the 20th century.
With autumn comes a rollcall of festivals, and Melbourne gets an extra burst of energy. First off the rank are the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (4 to 14 March) and L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (14 to 20 March), followed closely by one of the ‘big three’ comedy festivals in the world, Melbourne International Comedy Festival (30 March to 24 April). As we head into winter, those with a design eye get to enjoy the State of Design Festival (20 to 31 July) while ‘cinemaniacs’ come together for the Melbourne International Film Festival (21 July to 7 August).
While in the city for a show, film or runway event, consider trying one of the many new dining establishments that are sending tongues wagging and stomachs rumbling, such as Guy Grossi’s Merchant, Philippe Mouchel’s PM24, Atlantic at Crown, Byblos at WTC Wharf, and Hare and Grace.
Cap off the night with a post-show drink at one of the hidden laneway bars for which Melbourne has become famous. Cumulus Inc (Flinders Lane), Section 8 (Tattersalls Lane) and Sister Bella (Sniders Lane) are some of the city’s least-kept secrets, but the real fun comes in making your own discovery.
For more information: www.visitvictoria.com
Media contact: Lisa Hunt, Tourism Victoria Ph: (03) 9653 9745
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