Graeme Lloyd Murphy AO (born 2 November 1950) is an Australian

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

r and

choreographer Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A chor ...

. With his fellow dancer (and wife since 2004) Janet Vernon, he guided Sydney Dance Company to become one of Australia's most successful and best-known dance companies.

Biography

Murphy was born in Melbourne, and grew up in

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, where he took dance classes with Sir Kenneth Gillespie in Launceston. He began his career as a student at the

Australian Ballet School The Australian Ballet School is the premier ballet training facility in Australia, located in Melbourne. History The Australian Ballet School was founded in 1964 as the primary training facility for The Australian Ballet by Dame Margaret Scot ...

at the age of fourteen. In 1968 he became a dancer with

The Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet (TAB) is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur a ...

where he had opportunities to choreograph. He toured America with the Australian Ballet in 1970–1971 and created his first ballet, ''Ecco le Diavole'' (Ecco). Ecco was presented at Melbourne's Princess Theatre in July 1971. The piece was set to music by Nino Rota and featured dancers Roslyn Anderson, Roma Egan, Janet Vernon, and Wendy Walker. Later, Murphy danced with the

Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) is one of the five major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside The Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet. Founded as the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, the co ...

(now Birmingham Royal Ballet), and Les Ballets Félix Blaska in France. In 1975 he worked as a freelance choreographer. He rejoined The Australian Ballet in the early months of 1976 as both a dancer and as a resident choreographer. He was appointed as artistic director of the Dance Company of New South Wales in November 1976, renamed as Sydney Dance Company in 1979. Murphy has been compared to the dancer and choreographer

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

on account of the way he and his company marketed dance to a wider audience, bringing

contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of Concert dance, dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly stron ...

into a more commercial arena. Aside from his work in ballet, Murphy has also completed choreography for Torvill and Dean. On 18 December 2004, after almost 40 years together as artistic and life partners, he an
Janet Vernon
married on their rural property outside Launceston. In 2016 and 2017, Martin Portus (former Director of Marketing and Communication at the Australia Council for the Arts) conducted a number of interviews with Australian choreographers including Graeme Murphy. In the interview, Murphy discusses the highlights of various aspects of his career as a dancer and choreographer: his teenage training at The Australian Ballet School and early work as a classical dancer with the Australian Ballet; his developing interest in choreography and contemporary dance in the early 1970s; the beginnings of his lifelong creative partnership with Janet Vernon; the formation of the Sydney Dance Company and his appointment as artistic director in 1976; his signature productions involving theatrical spectacle, powerful storytelling, collaboration with Australian composers, and innovative set and costume designs; his constant touring overseas and work with Australian ballet; the financial disasters which prompted him to leave the Sydney Dance Company after 31 years; his work and aspirations.

Honours

On 26 January 1988, Murphy was named a member of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

for "his service to ballet." On 1 January 2001, he was awarded the

Centenary Medal The Centenary Medal is an award which was created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the centenary of the Federation of Australia and to recognise "people who made a contribution to Australian society or g ...

for "service to the development of dance in Australia and Tasmania". On 11 June 2012, Murphy was named an Officer of the

for "distinguished service to the performing arts, both nationally and internationally, particularly ballet and contemporary dance, as a choreographer and director, and to the enhancement of Australia's cultural environment."

Helpmann Awards

The

Helpmann Awards The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical theatre ...

is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group ''Live Performance Australia'' (LPA) since 2001. In 2002, Murphy received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance. , - ,

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, , Himself , , JC Williamson Award , , , -

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. (wins only) , - , 1999 , Graeme Murphy , Male Dance Performer/ Choreographer of the Year , , -

List of works

* ''After Venice'' (1984; set to

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

's '' Turangalîla-Symphonie'' and

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

's 5th Symphony: ''Adagietto'')Sydney Dance Company: Complete Repertoire
* ''Afterworlds'' (1987) * ''Aida'' (2009; for

Opera Australia Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, New South Wales, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with t ...

) * ''Air and Other Invisible Forces'' (1999; Michael Askill and Giya Kancheli) * ''Bard Bits'' (1991;

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Hitching; 28 October 1927) is an English singer and actress known for her scat singing. She is the widow of jazz composer and musician Sir John Dankworth and the mother of bassist Alec D ...

and John Dankworth) * ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1993; Carl Vine, Phil Buckle and Jack Jones) * ''Berlin'' ( Iva Davies and Max Lambert, based on material by

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...

Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. He became known as the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also launched a solo career. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established ...

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

David Byrne David Byrne (; born May 14, 1952) is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New wave music, new wave band Talking Heads. Byrne has ...

and others) * ''Beyond Twelve'' (1980; set to

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

's Piano Concerto in G) * ''Body of Work'' (2000) * ''Boxes'' (1985; with Bob Kretschmer; music by Iva Davies and Kretschmer) * ''Daphnis and Chloé'' (1980; Ravel) * ''Deadly Sins'' (1984; Lambert) * ''The Director's Cut'' (2006; Paul Healy, Huey Benjamin, Margaret Sutherland) * ''A Doll's House Story'' (Istvan Marta) * ''Drill'' ( Steve Martland) * ''Ecco le Diavole'' (1971; Nino Rota) * ''Ellipse'' (2002; Matthew Hindson) * ''Embodied'' (1996;

Alfred Schnittke Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (24 November 1934 – 3 August 1998) was a Russian composer. Among the most performed and recorded composers of late 20th-century classical music, he is described by musicologist Ivan Moody (composer), Ivan Moody as a ...

) * ''An Evening'' (1981) * ''Evening Suite'' (1989) * ''Ever After Ever'' (2007; Carl Vine, Giya Kancheli, Graeme Koehne, Matthew Hindson, Iva Davies, Max Lambert, Linda Nagle) * ''Fire Earth Air Water'' (1977;

John Tavener Sir John Kenneth Tavener (28 January 1944 – 12 November 2013) was an English composer, known for his extensive output of choral religious music, religious works. Among his best known works are ''The Lamb (Tavener), The Lamb'' (1982), ''The ...

) * ''Flashbacks'' (1983) * ''Fornicon'' (1995; Martin Armiger) * ''Free Radicals'' (1996; Michael Askill) * ''Glimpses'' (1977; Margaret Sutherland) * ''Grand'' (2005; Scott Davie) * ''Hate'' (1982; Carl Vine) * ''Homelands'' (1982:

Leoš Janáček Leoš Janáček (, 3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928) was a Czech composer, Music theory, music theorist, Folkloristics, folklorist, publicist, and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian folk music, Moravian and other Slavs, Slavic music, includin ...

) * ''Hua Mulan'' (2005; Michael Askill) * ''In the Company of Women'' (1990; with

Paul Mercurio Paul Joseph Mercurio (born 31 March 1963) is an Australian actor, choreographer, dancer, TV presenter and politician. Mercurio is best known for his lead role in the 1992 film ''Strictly Ballroom'' and his role as a judge on TV series ''Danci ...

) * ''King Roger'' (1990;

Karol Szymanowski Karol Maciej Szymanowski (; 3 October 188229 March 1937) was a Polish composer and pianist. He was a member of the modernism (music), modernist Young Poland movement that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th century. Szymanowski's early w ...

) * '' Kraanerg'' (1988; Iannis Xenakis) * ''Late Afternoon of a Faun'' (1987) * ''Limited Edition'' (1982; Graeme Koehne) * ''Mythes'' (Szymanowski) * ''Mythologia'' (2000; Carl Vine) * ''Nearly Beloved'' (1986; Graeme Koehne) * ''Nutcracker: the Story of Clara'' (2009–1992

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popula ...

; for the

Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet (TAB) is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur an ...

) * ''Papillon Duet'' (1977;

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''The Tales of Hoffmann''. He was a p ...

) * ''Party'' (1998: Michael and Daniel Askill) * ''Piano Sonata'' (1992; Carl Vine) * ''Poppy'' (1978; Carl Vine) * ''The Protecting Veil'' (1993; John Tavener) * ''Radical Study'' (1996) * ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

'' (2011

Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...

; for the

) * ''Rumours'' (1978–1979; Barry Conyngham) * ''Salome'' (Michael Askill) * ''Scintillation'' (1977; Carlos Salzedo) * ''The Selfish Giant'' (1983; Graeme Koehne) * ''Sensing'' (1994; Ross Edwards) * ''Sequenza VII'' (1977;

Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental music, experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia (Berio), Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled ''Seque ...

) * ''Shades of Gray'' (2005) * ''Shéhérazade'' (1979; Ravel) * ''Shining'' (1986; Szymanowski) * ''Signatures'' (1979; Alexander Scriabin) * ''Sirens'' (1985; with 4 other choreographers) * ''Soft Bruising'' (1990; with Steve Martland; music by

Gavin Bryars Richard Gavin Bryars (; born 16 January 1943) is an English composer and double bassist. He has worked in jazz, free improvisation, minimalism, Musical historicism, historicism, Avant-garde music, avant-garde, and experimental music. Early lif ...

) * ''Some Rooms'' (1983;

Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd (jazz musician), Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, he has also be ...

Joseph Canteloube Marie-Joseph Canteloube de Malaret (; 21 October 18794 November 1957) was a French composer, musicologist, and author best known for his collections of orchestrated folksongs from the Auvergne (province), Auvergne region, ''Chants d'Auvergne''. ...

, Francis Poulenc,

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

Samuel Barber Samuel Osmond Barber II (March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981) was an American composer, pianist, conductor (music), conductor, baritone, and music educator, and one of the most celebrated composers of the mid-20th century. Principally influenced ...

) * ''Song of the Night'' (1989; Szymanowski) * ''Suite Synergy'' (2011; with Michael Askill) * ''Swan Lake'' (Tchaikovsky; for the Australian Ballet) * ''Synergy with Synergy'' (1992; Michael Askill,

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

Elliott Carter Elliott Cook Carter Jr. (December 11, 1908 – November 5, 2012) was an American modernist composer who was one of the most respected composers of the second half of the 20th century. He combined elements of European modernism and American " ...

, Ross Edwards, Istvan Marta and Nigel Westlake) * ''Third Conversation'' (1977;

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

) * ''Tip'' (1977; Carl Vine) * '' Tivoli'' (2001; Graeme Koehne) * ''The Trojans'' (1994;

Hector Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...

) * ''Turandot'' (

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...

; for

) * ''Up'' (1977;

György Ligeti György Sándor Ligeti (; ; 28 May 1923 – 12 June 2006) was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music. He has been described as "one of the most important avant-garde music, avant-garde composers in the latter half of the ...

) * ''Vast'' (1988; Barry Conyngham) * ''Viridian'' (1980; Richard Meale) * ''Volumina'' (1977; Ligeti) * ''Water'' (2009; for The Shanghai Ballet) * ''Wilderness'' (1982; Bartók)

References

External links

*
Graeme Murphy's Heritage CollectionDocumentaries about Graeme Murphy's workVideos about Graeme Murphy's work
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Graeme 1950 births Australian Ballet School alumni Australian choreographers Australian male ballet dancers Ballet choreographers Graeme Murphy Helpmann Award winners Living people Officers of the Order of Australia People from Launceston, Tasmania