World Premiere of The Australia Ballet’s Cinderella & Exciting International Music Acts at Adelaide Festival Centre

Where the World’s Greatest Artists meet Adelaide Audiences – Julian Lage, Benjamin Clementine, AZIZA and TEEKS headline Adelaide Festival Centre in 2026 

Adelaide Festival Centre is cementing its place as a destination for the world’s most exciting musical talent, with four major international artists and ensembles arriving in Adelaide across four performances this spring. The line-up brings together a multi- GRAMMY-nominated guitarist who has performed with Bob Dylan, a Mercury Prize-winning artist, a jazz quartet whose members have shared stages with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, and one of New Zealand’s most celebrated soul artists. 

Julian Lage launched his first Australian tour at Adelaide’s Dunstan Playhouse on 11 Sep. A multi-GRAMMY-nominated guitarist and Independent Music Award winner, Lage has been heralded by Rolling Stone as “one of the world’s greatest guitarists”. His extraordinary career has seen him collaborate with an eclectic array of artists including Bob Dylan, Nels Cline, Béla Fleck, Bill Frisell, Gary Burton and John Zorn, traversing jazz, folk, blues and improvisation.  

Benjamin Clementine (Photo credit: Lucinde Wahlen)

Benjamin Clementine comes to Adelaide for the first time on 15 Oct as part of the Back to Basics Australian Tour. The British-born composer, pianist, singer-songwriter and filmmaker won the 2015 Mercury Prize for his debut album At Least for Now. His performances combine piano, poetry, powerful vocals and theatricality, creating an experience that sits somewhere between a concert and a piece of performance art. 

AZIZA – Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke, Eric Harland

AZIZA will make their Adelaide debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 29 Oct, bringing together four giants of contemporary jazz: Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Lionel Loueke and Eric Harland. The quartet’s collective pedigree is remarkable, with Holland having performed with Miles Davis and the other members having worked alongside figures including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny, Joe Henderson, Charles Lloyd and John Scofield. First brought together around Holland’s 2016 album Aziza, the ensemble combines four highly individual musicians whose improvisational chemistry has made them standout in contemporary jazz.   

TEEKS (Photo credit: Frances Carter)

TEEKS will perform at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 19 Nov, bringing his soulful sound and Māori heritage to Adelaide as part of his Australian tour. Born Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi, the New Zealand singer-songwriter has become one of Aotearoa’s most successful contemporary soul artists. His debut album Something To Feel reached number one in New Zealand and earned three Aotearoa Music Awards, while he was also named Best New Zealand Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards. With his rich, distinctive voice and emotionally direct songwriting, TEEKS has developed a devoted following across Australasia and established a reputation for deeply affecting live performances. 

Stuart Rogers, Head of Curatorial Programming at Adelaide Festival Centre: “It is a real privilege to be able to bring musicians of this calibre to Adelaide. Each has a distinct voice and musical language, but what connects them is their extraordinary ability to create something unique in a live setting. To have Julian Lage, Benjamin Clementine, AZIZA and TEEKS all performing at our venues within a few months is a wonderful opportunity for audiences to experience this level of music right here in Adelaide.” 

Tickets available at adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au  

Adelaide to host world premiere of The Australian Ballet’s Cinderella as a celebration of ballet comes to Adelaide Festival Centre in 2027 

In a world-first, Adelaide-exclusive, ballet lovers and the nation’s best artists will descend on Adelaide for a celebration of ballet from 1 – 11 Sep 2027. 

Cinderella (Ashton) Kelvin Coe, Lucette Aldous (Photo credit: Gregory Weight 1972)

At the heart of the programme, is the premiere of The Australian Ballet’s major revival of Sir Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella at Adelaide Festival Centre, bringing this beloved work to Adelaide as part of an extraordinary week of ballet. 

To mark this milestone, Adelaide Festival Centre and The Australian Ballet have curated an immersive programme of events, inviting audiences to discover and participate in the artistry, music and magic of ballet. Highlights include: 

• Ballet en Masse – Festival Plaza will transform into an open-air dance studio as The Australian Ballet welcomes thousands of participants to a free ballet class for all ages and abilities 

• Cinderella: Origins of a Fairytale, a major exhibition combining costumes and rare collection objects including the original coach from the 1972 Frederick Ashton production 

• Talking Ballet a series of conversations at Adelaide Festival Centre’s Quartet Bar and Angry Penguin restaurant 

• Workshops and classes conducted by The Australian Ballet in the Festival Centre Rehearsal Room. 

Deputy Premier of South Australia, Kyam Maher: “The world premiere of The Australian Ballet’s revival of Cinderella is an incredible opportunity for South Australians to experience ballet at its very best at the newly refurbished Adelaide Festival Centre. Thousands of South Australians of all ages take part in ballet through classes, performances and a love of the art form. Ballet lovers now have a unique chance to take part in a mass ballet spectacle with The Australian Ballet on Festival Plaza. This Labor Government is proud to support a wide range of arts and cultural events in Adelaide and across South Australia, and this is the latest special event to our vibrant arts calendar.” 

The Australian Ballet Artistic Director David Hallberg: “To bring this revival of Cinderella to Adelaide in The Australian Ballet’s 65th anniversary year is incredibly special. Adelaide holds a special place for our company, and we have a deep appreciation for the audiences who have supported us here over many years. I’m delighted to be bringing this dazzling production to Adelaide and celebrate that connection with our audiences.” 

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould: “This once-in-a-generation moment showcases Adelaide Festival Centre as a venue where major cultural works are not simply hosted but launched, cementing South Australia’s place in the national touring circuit.” 

Cinderella features original choreography by Sir Fredrick Ashton. A three-act ballet that brings together a full company of dancers, a full symphony orchestra performing Prokofiev’s score, and elaborate design, Cinderella is one of the largest productions The Australian Ballet presents and one of the five essential full-length ballets in the international repertoire. 

This premiere season will be performed live by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra whose musicians will bring their renowned orchestral depth and virtuosity to the production, creating an experience that stays with audiences long after the final curtain. 

Kristian Frederikson’s exquisite 1972 costume designs will be recreated for the 2027 premiere, alongside new sets by Richard Roberts. This major revival forms part of the Ashton Worldwide Celebration (2024 – 2028). The Australian Ballet is the only company staging a full-length ballet in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Frederick Ashton’s Cinderella premiered at London’s Covent Garden in 1948. Its Australian Premiere by The Australian Ballet in 1972 starred South Australia’s own Sir Robert Helpmann. The last full staging by The Australian Ballet was in 1980. Now, nearly half a century later, this major revival will premiere in Adelaide to celebrate The Australian Ballet’s 65th Anniversary. 

This landmark production of Cinderella has been made possible through the generosity of The Australian Ballet’s giving community, led by South Australian philanthropists Dr Pamela Wall AO and the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation. The broader celebration of ballet, including Ballet en Masse on Festival Plaza and the exhibition Cinderella: Origins of a Fairytale, is supported by the Government of South Australia and Adelaide Festival Centre.