The Happy Prince

“High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince …”

Oscar Wilde’s lyrical story of a statue who gives his all to help humanity is full of poetic beauty, heartbreak, sly humour and sharp social commentary. In 2019, Graeme Murphy, who created The Australian Ballet’s acclaimed modern interpretations of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, turns his flair for transformative storytelling to Wilde’s moving tale.

The possibilities for dance in Wilde’s characters – the golden Prince, his loyal friend the Swallow, the seductive Reed, the pitiful Match Girl – will be fabulously realised in Murphy’s distinctive choreographic style.

This all-Australian world premiere will feature a specially commissioned score from the renowned composer Christopher Gordon, who composed the scores for the films Mao’s Last Dancer, Ladies in Black and Master and Commander, alongside the work of award-winning artist and director Kim Carpenter, who adapted the story and created the colourful design for the ballet.

Playful and poignant, The Happy Prince will capture children’s imagination with its vivid spectacle and adults’ attention with its timely message: a kind heart shines brighter than gold.