Heather Fairbairn
Director
Heather Fairbairn is an Australian-based theatre and opera director with a practice spanning classical texts, new writing, opera and interdisciplinary performance. She has worked on over 60 productions across Australia and internationally.
Directing highlights include Biographica (Lyric Opera of Melbourne); Twelfth Night (Bell Shakespeare); The Merry Wives of Windsor and Ariadne auf Naxos conducted by Simone Young (LGNOP, Queensland Conservatorium); Elektra/Orestes (Metro Arts); Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (NIDA); Silk Moth (Grimeborn Opera Festival); The Magic Flute (Luxembourg, Lisbon, Madrid, Brussels); and Sunnytown (La Boite).
As Associate and Revival Director, Heather’s credits include Ariadne auf Naxos (Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Finnish National Opera, Royal Danish Opera); Alcina (Festival d’Aix); Lucia di Lammermoor and Il Trovatore (Royal Opera House); and Ophelias Zimmer (Royal Court Theatre & Schaubühne Berlin). Since 2015, Heather has collaborated extensively with director Katie Mitchell. In Australia, she has worked with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, Bell Shakespeare, Sydney Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, and La Boite.
Heather holds a Master of Fine Arts (Directing) from the National Institute of Dramatic Art.