Guide to the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia, 1955-1989

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Summary

Collection number:
EPH PROMPT.Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
Language:
English and English
Availability:
Available

Background

Content Summary:

Material in the Australian performing arts programs and ephemera (PROMPT) collection consists of programs and related items of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. Theatre programs are taken as the prime documentary evidence of a performance, the programs are arranged by years

The Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust (AETT) was set up in September 1954 and named to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Australia. The Trust played a key role in establishing high culture in Australia through its involvement in setting up: the Elizabethan Theatre Trust Opera Company (now Opera Australia) in 1956; the Elizabethan Opera Ballet Company, a short lived ballet company set up in 1957; (with J. C. Williamson Ltd.) the Australian Ballet Foundation in 1961; the Australian Ballet School under the direction of Margaret Scott; the Elizabethan Trust Orchestra in 1967; and the Armstrong-Martin Scholarship in 1977, to further the musical education of professional opera singers. In the 1970s, the AETT went into receivership and its operations were scaled back. Its arts promotion role passed to the Australian Council for the Arts (later the Australia Council). By the 1980s the Trust had greatly reduced funding. It continued entrepreneurial activities, such as importing drama and puppet companies. It began supporting artists, administering awards and establishing promotional facilties, and administered a tax-deuctible donation scheme for the performing arts. In the 1990s its operations were scaled down further and it became essentially a Sydney arts organisation, operating a ticketing agency and organising theatre parties

The list is based on imperfect holdings and is updated over time as gaps in the Library's holdings are filled

Access and use

Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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