Piaf wins 9 Helpmanns

The 2015 Perth International Arts Festival has won national acclaim, bringing home nine Helpmann Awards at a ceremony last night.

The headline event of this year’s Piaf, The Incredible and Phenomenal Journey of the Giants to the Streets of Perth won the best special event award.

The Rabbits won in all four of the categories in which it had been nominated, including best presentation for children.

Gabriela Tylesova won the best costume design gong for the production.

Kate Miller-Heidke and Iain Grandage won best original score, and along with librettist Lally Katz, the two also collected best new Australian work.

Best visual and/or physical theatre production went to Davy and Kristin McGuire for The Paper Architect.

Chet Faker’s performance at the festival earned the best Australian contemporary concert trophy, while Les Arts Florissants’ appearance was awarded best chamber and/or instrumental ensemble concert as well as best individual classical musical performance for its musical director William Christie.

Incoming Piaf artistic director Wendy Martin praised the festival’s award winners.

“These awards recognise the talent and hard work of all our artists and performers and I congratulate them all for their unique and remarkable contribution to the 2015 Perth International Arts Festival,” she said.