The Wilds
Sidney Myer Music Bowl| June 1 - June 19|
Part of the Rising festival, features fluoro,constantly evolving sculptures,soundscapes and digital movement-responsive art. Try the ice-skating rink,where you’ll be spurred on by a choir belting out hits from the ’80s and ’90s. Once skating’s tired you out,choose between dining at the glasshouse bistro or a range of pop-up kitchens from Melbourne’s iconic food venues,including Piccolina Gelato and vegan haven Smith&Daughters.
Heffernan Lane Night Market
Heffernan Lane| June 3 - June 12|
Inspired by the great street food cities across Asia,the Heffernan Lane Night Market will include street stalls with a range of dishes from many of Chinatown’s popular restaurants.
The Melbourne Magic Festival
Multiple venues| June 27 - July 9|
Rabbits appearing out of top hats is only the beginning at the Melbourne Magic Festival,which features more than 130 performances over 30 shows. Whether you’re a budding magician or sleight-of-hand aficionado,enjoy magic shows,masterclasses,and even a magic bar.
Rising Festival
Multiple venues|June 1 - June 12|
Bringing together many of this month’s events is Victoria’s. Rising is three years in the making to bring together a range of art,performance and events across Melbourne.
Kunstkamer
Arts Centre| June 3 - June 11|
Featuring 40 dancers,Kunstkameris to date. Inspired by the 18th century cabinet of curiosities,this Nederlands Dans Theatre commission features music from Janis Joplin to Beethoven. Choreographed by Paul Lightfoot,,Marco Goecke and Crystal Pite.
Harlequinade
Arts Centre| June 17 - June 25|
Marius Petipa’sHarlequinadeis brought to life by former director of the Bolshoi Ballet,Alexei Ratmansky. A lively love story scored by Riccardo Drigo,Harlequinadeis a loving and humorous revival of the commedia dell’arte-based classic.
Ferruccio Furlanetto
Melbourne Recital Centre| June 1|
As one of opera’s most sought after singers,Ferruccio Furlanetto is renowned for his vast range and vocal power. Accompanied by pianist Natalia Sidorenko,Furlanetto’s two-hour recital features the work of Brahms,Mussorgsky and Rachmaninov,as well as bass arias fromThe Marriage of Figaro,Don Giovanni,Boris GodunovandDon Carlo.
21 Pornographies
Meat Market| June 1 - June 4|
A one-woman performance exploring power,submission and observation through on a LED-lit set. The 70-minute performance inspects all facets of pornography,from its violence to its titillation to its humour.
Hamilton
Her Majesty’s Theatre| March 16 - September 18|
The ubiquitous Tony-,Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical tells. The sung-and-rapped musical pulls its sound from a blend of hip-hop,jazz,R&B and Broadway.
Come Rain or Come Shine
Southbank Theatre|June 20 - July 23|
Adapted from Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro’s wildly comic short story,Come Rain or Come Shineis a musical about music,memory and lifelong friendship. Directed by Simon Phillips,Gillian Cosgriff (Vivid White),Angus Grant (Cock) and Chris Ryan (Shakespeare in Love).
Cruel Intentions:The ’90s Musical
Athenaeum Theatre| May 25 - June 19|
Based on the film starring Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar,the iconic thriller from the ’90s featuring hits from the Verve,Britney Spears,Christina Aguilera,*NSYNC,and more.
Cinderella
Regent Theatre| May 20 - July 17|
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic fairytale comes to life at the Regent Theatre in from the creators ofThe Sound of Music. Starring,Cinderellais a contemporary take on a classic tale.
The Picasso Century
NGV| June 10 - October 9|
Tracking the career of Pablo Picasso,The Picasso Century features over 80 works from the artist himself,as well as over 100 works of the artists,poets and intellectuals he interacted with during the 20th century. Created exclusively for the NGV by the Centre Pompidou and Musee National Picasso-Paris, alike.
Light:Works from Tate’s Collection
ACMI| June 16- November 13|
Head over to ACMI to experience this exhibition curated from London’s Tate collection. See how the element of light has been captured by artists over 200 years through painting,photography,sculpture,drawing,installation and the moving image.
Kaleidoscope
Arts Centre Melbourne,Forecourt|June 1 - July 10|
Weave through a 700-square-metre installation of glass,steel mirrors and moving prisms at the Arts Centre Forecourt. The premiere solo project of artist Keith Courtney,Kaleidoscope distorts motion and gravity,and fuses sound,light and colour in an immersive mirror maze.
Sampa the Great
The Forum| June 1|
Aria Award-winning will headline two live performances at The Forum,performing with a 15-person band of musicians and dancers,and special guests Kye,Mwanje and C.Frim.
Lucy Dacus
The Forum| June 8|
Lucy Dacus heads to The Forum off the success of her critically acclaimed 2021 albumHome Video,which includes tracks such asHot&Heavy,ThumbsandTriple Dog Dare.
The Kid Laroi
Rod Laver Arena| June 3 and 4|
The Kid Laroi is for the Australian leg of hisEnd of the World Tour,performing tracks from his award-winning debut album,.
The Wombats
John Cain Arena| June 10|
The beloved Liverpool rock band of the noughties,The Wombats are back on Aussie shores to perform their hits off their latest studio album,Fix Yourself,Not the World.
Emerging Writers’ Festival
Multiple venues|June 15 - June 25|
The Emerging Writers’ Festival returns to Melbourne with an array of events over 11 days. With many free in-person and digital events,from panels to masterclasses to lunchtime readings,there’s something for every writer.
Willy Lit Fest
Williamstown Town Hall| June 17 - June 19|
Since 2013 the Willy Lit Festival in Williamstown has brought ideas,writers and readers together for a chock-full program of panels,interviews,author talks and workshops. The festival’s guests include Kyoko Imazu,Peter Doherty,Brian Nankervis,Andy Griffiths,Maxine Beneba Clarke,Smokie Dawson and Leigh Hobbs.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Arts Centre Melbourne| June 5 - July 17|
Oscar Wilde’s Gothic classic takes centre-stage at the Arts Centre in the theatrical adaption ofThe Picture of Dorian Gray.Directed by Kip Williams,audiences will experience Wilde’s novel as a one-person show,with transforming into all 26 of the show’s characters.
The Sound Inside
Arts Centre Melbourne| May 20 - July 2|
Nominated for six 2020 Tony Awards, makes its Australian premiere at the MTC. Described byNew York Stage Review as a play that “consistently challenges us to wonder and think”,it follows the unlikely relationship between two intellectuals faced with an impossible choice.
Dirt
Chapel on Chapel| May 24 - June 5|
The queer thrillerDirt makes its Victorian debut. Starring Wil King and Patrick Livesey,Dirttakes audiences through a night in Moscow,.
Lightscape
Royal Botanic Gardens| June 24 - August 7|
Created in partnership with Sony Music,Lightscape takes visitors after dark through a 1.8-kilometre journey of light and sound. The gardens will be transformed with large-scale light installations,glowing tunnels,luminous walkways and light-filled tree canopies.
Winter Night Market
Queen Victoria Market| Wednesdays from June 1 - August 31|
The return of the Winter Night Market will feature over 35 street food traders,a bustle of artisanal stalls and entertainers,and even a silent disco. Rug up and head to the Queen Victoria Market every Wednesday this winter.
Golden Square
Chinatown| June 1 - June 12|
An art car park sounds so very Melbourne,doesn’t it? In the middle of Chinatown you’ll find exactly that:a car park with three levels of art,performance,parades and rooftop bars. Grab a drink and wander through the exhibition themed around ritual,mythology and digital spirituality.
Good Food and Wine Show
Convention&Exhibition Centre| June 3 - June 5|
Warm up with hundreds of food and drink exhibitors at the Good Food and Wine Show. Enjoy whisky tasting sessions,wine and cheese pairing masterclasses and live on-stage cooking sets from celebrity chefs.
A cultural guide to going out and loving your city..