National Theatre, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
The National Theatre is a 783 seat Australian theatre and theatrical arts school located in the Melbourne
bayside suburb of St Kilda
, on the corner of Barkly and Carlisle Streets. The building was constructed in 1921 as The Victory Theatre (3000 seat cinema), rebuilt as 2550 seat cinema in 1928, finally converted to a live venue 1972/4 with 783 seats.
The original National Theatre Movement (current owners) was established in 1935 by soprano
Gertrude Johnson
. After returning from an overseas career that included performing at Convent Garden
, Miss Johnson was dismayed at the lack of training and performing opportunities for Australian artists in their own country. To that end the National Theatre included an opera school(1935), drama school(1936) and ballet school (1939). Production Companies (three Arts Festivals) ran through the 1940s and 1950s.
The National Theatre Movement had previously occupied the Village Theatre in Toorak
(destroyed by fire in April 1962) and then purchased (but not occupied)the Empress Theatre in Prahran
, destroyed by fire in June 1971.
The building now occupied by the National Theatre was built in the Beaux Arts style as a 3000 seat cinema
and opened in 1920 as the Victory Theatre. In 1971 Hoyts
(a company that operates movie theaters) offered the company the Victory Theatre for conversion to a live theatre and rehearsal spaces. The current theatre consists of the original Victory dress circle extended with the addition of a sizeable stage and a fly tower. The original stalls were converted into five studios for drama
, opera
and ballet
. One of the studios is itself a theatrette. The theatre opened in its current guise in August 1974, while the schools and administration moved there in September 1972.
The National Theatre drama school dates from 1936, while the ballet school dates from 1939 and is the oldest in Australia. The ballet school currently conducts Royal Academy of Dance
examinations and has ballet performances in the middle of the year and in December. The opera school merged with the Victorian College of the Arts
in 1980. It was closed by the VCA in 2006 but the National Theatre now supports the new Opera School (Melbourne) established independently in 2008.
The current artistic director (ballet) of the National Theatre is Beverly Jane Fry
and of drama is Ken Boucher. Other dance artistic directors have included Kathleen Gorham
and Gailene Stock.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
bayside suburb of St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, on the corner of Barkly and Carlisle Streets. The building was constructed in 1921 as The Victory Theatre (3000 seat cinema), rebuilt as 2550 seat cinema in 1928, finally converted to a live venue 1972/4 with 783 seats.
The original National Theatre Movement (current owners) was established in 1935 by soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
Gertrude Johnson
Gertrude Johnson
Gertrude Emily Johnson OBE was an Australian coloratura soprano and founder of the National Theatre in Melbourne.- Early life :...
. After returning from an overseas career that included performing at Convent Garden
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Miss Johnson was dismayed at the lack of training and performing opportunities for Australian artists in their own country. To that end the National Theatre included an opera school(1935), drama school(1936) and ballet school (1939). Production Companies (three Arts Festivals) ran through the 1940s and 1950s.
The National Theatre Movement had previously occupied the Village Theatre in Toorak
Toorak, Victoria
Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district located on a rise on the south side of a bend in the Yarra River. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington...
(destroyed by fire in April 1962) and then purchased (but not occupied)the Empress Theatre in Prahran
Prahran, Victoria
Prahran , also known colloquially as "Pran", is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Prahran had a population of 10,651. It is a part of Melbourne with...
, destroyed by fire in June 1971.
The building now occupied by the National Theatre was built in the Beaux Arts style as a 3000 seat cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and opened in 1920 as the Victory Theatre. In 1971 Hoyts
Hoyts
The Hoyts Group is an Australian company consisting of Hoyts Exhibition, Hoyts Distribution and Val Morgan.Hoyts Exhibition manages 450 screens across 40 Australian and 10 New Zealand cinema complexes; making it Australia's second largest cinema chain. Val Morgan, the cinema advertising arm of the...
(a company that operates movie theaters) offered the company the Victory Theatre for conversion to a live theatre and rehearsal spaces. The current theatre consists of the original Victory dress circle extended with the addition of a sizeable stage and a fly tower. The original stalls were converted into five studios for drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
. One of the studios is itself a theatrette. The theatre opened in its current guise in August 1974, while the schools and administration moved there in September 1972.
The National Theatre drama school dates from 1936, while the ballet school dates from 1939 and is the oldest in Australia. The ballet school currently conducts Royal Academy of Dance
Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance is an international dance education and training organization, and examination board that specialises in the teaching and technique of Ballet. The RAD was established in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, and received its...
examinations and has ballet performances in the middle of the year and in December. The opera school merged with the Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
in 1980. It was closed by the VCA in 2006 but the National Theatre now supports the new Opera School (Melbourne) established independently in 2008.
The current artistic director (ballet) of the National Theatre is Beverly Jane Fry
Beverly Jane Fry
Beverly Jane Fry is an Australian ballerina.Beverly Jane Fry trained with Australian Prima Ballerina, Kathleen Gorham and then continued her studies at both the Stuttgart Ballet School and the Australian Ballet School. She joined the London Festival Ballet now the English National Ballet after...
and of drama is Ken Boucher. Other dance artistic directors have included Kathleen Gorham
Kathleen Gorham
Kathleen Gorham OBE was an Australian ballerina.Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, she lived much of her life in Melbourne...
and Gailene Stock.