''The Divorce'' is an Australian comedy

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

which was broadcast on ABC TV on four successive nights from 7 to 10 December 2015. The four-part series is written by

Joanna Murray-Smith Joanna Murray-Smith (born 17 April 1962) is a Melbourne-based Australian playwright, screenwriter, novelist, librettist and newspaper columnist. Life and career Murray-Smith was born in Mount Eliza, Victoria; her father was the literary editor ...

with music by

Elena Kats-Chernin Elena Davidovna Kats-Chernin (born 4 November 1957) is a Soviet-born Australian pianist and composer, best known for her ballet ''Wild Swans''. Early life and career Elena Kats-Chernin was born in Tashkent (now the capital of independent Uzbek ...

. Based on an original idea by

Lyndon Terracini Lyndon William Terracini, OSI (born 1949), is an Australian operatic baritone and from 2009 to October 2022 artistic director of Opera Australia. Early life Terracini was born in 1949, the oldest of four children born to Shirley and Vita Ter ...

, it was developed by

Opera Australia Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of ...

and directed for television by Dean Murphy. Outside filming took place at

Werribee Park Mansion Werribee Park is the estate of a historical building in Werribee, Victoria, Australia. It includes Werribee Park Mansion, the Victoria State Rose Garden, formal gardens, the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, the Werribee Open Range Zoo, ...

west of Melbourne. The work was shown again in 2017 in a single 95-minute broadcast on

Sky Arts Sky Arts (originally launched as Artsworld) is a British free-to-air television channel offering 24 hours a day of programmes dedicated to highbrow arts, including theatrical performances, movies, documentaries and music (such as opera perfor ...

and ABC TV.

Plot

Wealthy couple Iris (

Marina Prior Marina Prior (born 18 October 1963) is an Australian soprano and actress with a career mainly in musical theatre. From 1990 to 1993, she starred as the original Christine Daaé in the Australian premiere of ''The Phantom of the Opera'', opposit ...

) and art critic Jed (

John O'May John O'May is an American-born Australian actor, best known for his stage performances. O'May grew up in Baltimore and went to Patapsco High School, where he later become a teacher. He came to Australia in 1972, where he replaced John Waters as ...

) are happily getting a divorce and throwing an elaborate party. By the end of the evening, Iris and Jed's divorce has triggered a renegotiation of all certainties and the characters are set on an unanticipated course. Louise (

Lisa McCune Lisa McCune (born 19 February 1971) is an Australian actress, known for her role in TV series ''Blue Heelers'' as Senior Constable Maggie Doyle, and in '' Sea Patrol'' as Lieutenant Kate McGregor RAN. She has won four Gold Logie Awards. McCun ...

), the younger sister of Iris is secretly in love with art critic Jed. Toby (

Hugh Sheridan Hugh Sheridan (born 30 June 1985) is an Australian actor, singer, television presenter who is known for their role as Ben Rafter in the television series ''Packed to the Rafters''. Sheridan is a four-time Logie Award winner, in the Logie Award ...

) is an aspiring artist, hired to work as a waiter at the party. William (Matthew McFarlane) is Iris' young and handsome lover, an accountant who lacks charisma. Caroline (

Kate Miller-Heidke Kate Melina Miller-Heidke (; born 16 November 1981) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Although classically trained, she has generally followed a career in alternative pop music. She signed to Sony Australia, Epic in the US and RCA in the ...

) is Jed and Iris' personal assistant who is in trouble with loan sharks Alfie and Ludo. Patrick (

Peter Cousens Peter Cousens (born 2 November 1955) is an Australian actor and singer born in Tamworth, New South Wales. He is the Artistic Director of the Talent Development Project. He attended The Armidale School in Armidale from 1969 to 1973 and then Go ...

) and Ellen (

Melissa Madden Gray Melissa Madden Gray, stage name Meow Meow, is an Australian-born actress, dancer and cabaret performer who tours internationally. Gray has been particularly active in the UK where she appeared in ''La Clique'' at the Roundhouse (venue), Roundho ...

) are the best friends of Jed and Iris.

Cast

as Louise *

as Iris *

as Toby *

as Caroline *

as Jed * as William *

as Patrick *

as Ellen * Bob Franklin as Alfie, a loan shark *Dom Phelan as Ludo, a loan shark *Nick Capper, the courier

Soundtrack

Universal Music Australia Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd. (UMA) is the largest Australian music corporation. It is a division of the Universal Music Group. Universal Music Australia's corporate headquarters are located in Sydney, Australia. Labels Universal Musi ...

partnered with the production company, Princess Pictures, to release the soundtrack to ''The Divorce''. Elena Kats-Chernin's score was nominated for the 2016 AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score in Television and for

ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album The ARIA Music Award for Best Original Soundtrack / Cast / Show Album is an award presented within the Fine Arts Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres ...

at the ARIA Music Awards of 2016.ARIA Award previous winners.

Track listing

#Overture #Goodbye My Love – Marina Prior, John O'May #They Had Perfection – Chorus #Chilling Champagne – Kate Miller-Heidke #Greetings – Chorus #Other Ships – Marina Prior, Kate Miller-Heidke #Love and Fear – Melissa Madden Gray, Peter Cousens #Cosmopolitan Penguin – Hugh Sheridan #Tick Tock – Lisa McCune #Have you Lost All Love for Jed – Lisa McCune, Marina Prior #Sister, Sister – Lisa McCune #Company, Canapés, Drinks – Chorus #Love Love Bitter – Chorus #At Last – Lisa McCune #Dismemberment – Kate Miller Heidke, Matthew MacFarlane #Appetites – Kate Miller-Heidke,

#Old Friend, Congratulations – Melissa Madden Gray, Peter Cousens #The Proposal – Marina Prior #Cradle Snatchers – Chorus #What's Going On, What Did She Say – Chorus #No More Notes/I Cannot Wait – Lisa McCune #What's Going On With Caroline – Chorus #Grizzly Remains – Kate Miller-Heidke #I've Told Lou – John O'May #The Way the Light Plays – Lisa McCune, Hugh Sheridan #As a Child – Matthew MacFarlane #The Key – Melissa Madden Gray, Matthew MacFarlane #The Waiter – Lisa McCune #No Gentle Way – Lisa McCune #Hail Jehovah! – Melissa Madden Gray, Peter Cousens, Matthew MacFarlene, Marina Prior, Lisa McCune, Kate Miller-Heidke, Hugh Sheridan, Chorus #The Fitting Glove – Hugh Sheridan #A Charismatic Force – Marina Prior, John O'May #You Laughed, You Kissed – Chorus

References

External links

''The Divorce''
production details
''The Divorce''
ABC TV
''The Divorce''

"''The Divorce'': Putting the Opera into the Soap"
by Andrew Aronowicz, ''

Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illumination is created when ...

'', 1 December 2015 * *
"It's TV! It's opera! What to make of ABC's ''The Divorce''"
review by Michael Halliwell, ''

The Conversation ''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Cindy Williams, Frederic Forrest, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr, and Rober ...

'', 9 December 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Divorce, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming 2015 Australian television series debuts 2015 Australian television series endings 2010s Australian television miniseries Australian comedy-drama television series Australian music television series English-language television shows Compositions by Elena Kats-Chernin Operas English-language operas English comic operas Operas set in Australia Operas for television 2015 operas Operas by Elena Kats-Chernin