Her Majesty's Theatre 7:30 pm
Is it getting hot in here? Come on Melbourne, it’s time to head way down, to Hadestown. Seen by 3 million, streamed by more than 350 million and adored by fans all around the world – the acclaimed West End and Broadway musical phenomenon Hadestown will make its Melbourne premiere at Her Majesty's Theatre in May 2025, after having its Australian debut at Theatre Royal Sydney in February.
For the uninitiated, the gist is this: written by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown is a genre-defying musical adaption of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in a dystopian steampunk-esque underworld, set to an evocative score that blends New Orleans-style jazz and blues with modern American folk music – with a live brass band on stage, to boot. The show won eight Tony Awards when it opened in 2019, including Best Musical, and is still playing to packed houses five years later. Hadestown already has a dedicated fandom around the world and here in Australia, and it has an edge that will also appeal to everyone who isn’t already a die-hard musical theatre fan.
The Melbourne premiere of this sensational musical is presented by Jones Theatrical Group and Opera Australia. Jones Theatrical Group's Susan Jones says Melbourne audiences "embrace musicals like no other city".
"In return, musicals delight in performing here due to the rousing receptions and support that they receive. Hadestown will be no exception. Creator and writer Anaïs Mitchell is such an extraordinary talent and her musical is magical, bold, exciting and full of love and promise.”
The cast for this production has now been revealed, headed up by the iconic Christine Anu playing the narrator Hermes. Rising star Abigal Adriano will play Eurydice, alongside Noah Mullins as Orpheus, Adrian Tamburini as Hades and Elenoa Rokobaro as Persephone.
Following two intertwining love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone – Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Anaïs Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and the poetic imagination of her artistic collaborator Rachel Chavkin (who helped take the show from indie theatre project to Broadway sensation) pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience and invites you to imagine how the world could be.
For further information and to sign up to be the first to find out what is going down in Hadestown, visit the website.
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