OBSERVER: My Fair Lady


My Fair Lady remains one of the world’s most enduring and loved musical treasures, and a lavish recreation based on the 2016 Australian production which was directed by Julie Andrews, will be the first musical to return to Melbourne’s rejuvenated and beloved Ian Potter State Theatre in Melbourne.
In keeping with the anniversary milestones, Opera Australia is also marking its platinum 70th anniversary this year, making it an extra special double celebration with My Fair Lady in 2026.
Opera Australia CEO Alex Budd said: “When it premiered in 1956 My Fair Lady was hailed as ‘wise, witty and winning’, a musical that felt nothing short of miraculous and set a new standard for the art form, and 70 years on, its brilliance continues to shine.
“To once again present this beloved work with Producer John Frost in Opera Australia’s platinum anniversary year, is to honour a landmark of musical theatre that has delighted generations and continues to enchant audiences today.”
Produced by John Frost for Crossroads and directed by Karen Johnson Mortimer, My Fair Lady, the heartwarming story of identity and change, brims with razor sharp wit, unforgettable characters, and a stunning score including Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?, I Could Have Danced All Night and Get Me to the Church on Time.
When Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe premiered their adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion in 1956, it became an instant classic — hailed as “the perfect musical” and winning six Tony Awards.
This production broke box office records when it premiered at the Sydney Opera House for its 60th anniversary in 2016.
A 20-year-old Julie Andrews was catapulted to superstardom when she originated the role of Eliza Doolittle — an irrepressible Cockney flower girl who transforms into a lady of society. The man attempting to remake her? The appealingly arrogant phoneticist Henry Higgins, who may just be the one who is transformed.
Casting announcements will be made in the coming weeks.
Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre
Dates: From November
Cheryl Threadgold