Opera Australia announces changes to Indigenous musical Bran Nue Dae 30th anniversary tour

Opera Australia has today regrettably announced the cancellation of the Melbourne and Geelong seasons of the Indigenous musical Bran Nue Dae due to the government restrictions in place to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The cancellation follows the announcement last month that the return Sydney season would also not go ahead in April.

The closure of the Geelong Arts Centre until the end of June, along with the ban on mass gatherings and the domestic travel and social distancing restrictions, have made it impossible to continue with these two legs of the show’s 30th anniversary national tour.

The production was due to open at the Geelong Arts Centre 4 June before moving to the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne from 12 June.

Opera Australia CEO Rory Jeffes said it was yet another sad day for the Company and the arts industry on the whole.

This is, of course, difficult for everyone involved in Bran Nue Dae, all the performers, creatives and crew, but the government restrictions leave us with no choice but to cancel and ensure the health and well-being of staff and the community is the first priority.

I want to thank all our staff, patrons, sponsors and the wider community for their ongoing support through these trying times, said Mr Jeffes.

Patrons who have purchased tickets will receive an email from the official ticketing provider outlining details on the refund process for cancelled performances and other options.