Canberra Theatre Centre will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2025. It first opened its doors in 1965 – making it Australia’s first performing arts centre (by contrast, Adelaide Festival Centre opened in June 1973, Sydney Opera House in October 1973, Arts Centre Melbourne in 1984, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in 1985 and Darwin Entertainment Centre in 1986).
A range of special events will help commemorate the Centre’s Diamond Anniversary, with full program details yet to be announced.
One special event has been announced in advance, however, to mark the diamond jubilee.
The Australian Ballet opened Canberra Theatre Centre on 24 June 1965 and return 60 years later with Swedish choreographer Johan Inger’s award-winning production of Carmen, which transplants Georges Bizet’s 19th century opera into the modern world. The Canberra season runs from 20 to 25 June 2025.
“We are thrilled to welcome back The Australian Ballet, 60 years to the day that they opened the Canberra Theatre Centre to great fanfare in 1965. Much has changed over the decades; however, the national ballet company has remained one of the nation’s great arts organisations,” says Alex Budd, Director, Canberra Theatre Centre.
“I am so delighted that the company will bring Carmen to our theatre – it is a work that genuinely celebrates the great traditions of ballet while simultaneously helping us boldly imagine the next 60 years of our future. We can’t wait to celebrate our 60th with our audiences at the exquisite Carmen,” he adds.
Read: ACT Hub, Canberra’s home of indie theatre, reveals 2025 season
A special post-performance celebration will follow the opening night on 20 June 2025, with ticket details available via Canberra Theatre Centre’s website.
Capturing memories
As part of the Centre’s 60th year of celebrations, Canberra Theatre Centre is embarking on a memory capture project, with the intention of connecting with its community to hear their stories and share their photos, videos and memories of time spent at the theatre over the last 60 years.
Did you once work at the theatre? Have you performed on its stages? What’s the best show you’ve attended over the years? Were you at the opening night back in 1965?
An online portal has been launched where community members can submit their memories, including attaching files.
Outcomes of the memory capture project will be shared publicly next year.
A new citation
In related news, Canberra Theatre Centre was named the region’s favourite entertainment venue at the Canberra Region Tourism Awards on Friday 29 November.
A spokesperson for the Centre said: “The Canberra Theatre Centre is honoured to have been named ‘Favourite Entertainment Venue’ at tonight’s Canberra Region Tourism Awards.
“The award, presented by Out in Canberra, is part of the ‘People’s Choice’ category – as voted by the people.
“Every venue in Canberra was eligible and we’re humbled by the fact Canberrans cast their votes for the Canberra Theatre Centre. Thank you Canberra!” the spokesperson said.
