SYDNEY DANCE CO. FAREWELLS GRAEME MURPHY AND JANET VERNON Sunday, 02 December 2007

Sydney Dance Company Farewells Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon with a recording of Ever After Ever: A Gala Performance, held at the Theatre Royal,Sydney in October 2007.

Hosted by the Hon. Paul Keating, this performance is a tribute to outgoingSydney Dance Company Artistic Directors Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon, andtakes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride through some of the most memorable highlights of their repertoire.

It features a galaxy of Australian musical stars, all long time collaborators of Graeme and Janet, including Geraldine Turner, Iva Davies and iOTA. Pianist Scott Davie performs music from the production Grand, and in a rare performance, composer Carl Vine plays his Anne Landa Prelude #12.

The evening culminates in the presentation of Graeme's new work Short Stories, which unites the dancers with Janet and Graeme in their final performance with Sydney Dance Company.

Choreographer Graeme Murphy was appointed Artistic Director of the Sydney Dance Company in 1976. He has since created a remarkably diverse repertoire of dance works, including thirty full-length productions. His work reflects a discerning interest in the music of a variety of 20th century composers. Yet Graeme remains particularly noted for his work withAustralian music.

Janet Vernon was appointed to work alongside Graeme in 1976. During her career she has danced with The Australian Ballet, Ballets Felix Blaska in France, and Sydney Dance Company. In addition to the demands of combining her performing career with the role of Associate Artistic Director, Janet always works closely with Graeme Murphy in the creation of each new work.

Combined, their works include Nutcracker, Grand, Mulan and the award-winning Swan Lake, which emerged as a major milestone in Janet and Graeme's celebrated creative partnership. In 2001, they created Tivoli for the combined companies The Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company.