Kylie Minogue’s iconic gold hot pants, Rob Hirst’s drum kit and a vest worn by Archie Roach during one of his last performances are among the objects featured in a new exhibition at Melbourne’s Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA).
Olivia Newton-John, Hugh Jackman and Baz Luhrmann also feature in ENCORE! 50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection., which has opened at Arts Centre Melbourne and runs until May 9th, 2027.
Marking the Australian Performing Arts Collection’s 50th anniversary, the exhibition draws on over 875,000 costumes, instruments, props, sets, models and photographs. Its 50 selected objects span 170 years of Australian performing arts history across six themed galleries.
For Midnight Oil fans, the exhibition offers the first public display of Hirst’s Ludwig drum kit. Last year, the band’s fan group, the Powderworkers, crowd funded its purchase at auction and donated it to the collection.
A recorded performance by Gunditjmara and Bundjalung singer-songwriter Roach opens the ‘Time & Place’ gallery, alongside his custom-made vest.
Minogue’s gold ruched hot pants feature alongside the gown Newton-John wore while performing beside ABBA, Jackman’s costume from the 2006 The Boy from Oz arena tour, and Dame Nellie Melba’s gold silk satin cloak, praised by the Russian tsarina in 1891.
Elsewhere, visitors can see the original neon red L’Amour sign Luhrmann and Catherine Martin created for Opera Australia’s La Bohème. The design was later referenced in their films, including Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom. The Spectacle on Stage gallery also includes the Ossie Ostrich puppet.
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Arts Centre Melbourne’s Dance and Opera Curator Ian Jackson said selecting just 50 objects was a near-impossible task.
“All 50 objects displayed in ENCORE! have extraordinary stories to tell. They speak to us of the creativity, inspiration and commitment of the amazing people who have made us laugh, cry, and call for more.”
Entry will be free on October 10th and 11th to celebrate the reopening of the Ian Potter State Theatre, which has been closed for refurbishment since March 2024 as part of the Melbourne Arts Precinct transformation.
ENCORE! is on display exclusively at Arts Centre Melbourne until May 9th, 2027. For more information and tickets, visit artscentremelbourne.com.au.
