Laura Marling And The Fall Lead Melbourne Festival's Line-Up For 30th Anniversary

Every year the Melbourne Festival brings an array of incredible arts showcases to Melbourne's audiences and this year is no different, with Josephine Ridge curating a first-class program of 74 events from as far reaching as Iceland, Israel, Sweden, Germany and China for its 30th year in 2015.

Josephine Ridge comments, "It is a special honour to be the Artistic Director of Melbourne Festival in its 30th year. Milestones such as this present the opportunity to reflect on the traditions that make this Festival great. They also give us pause to think about the present and our role as a contributor to contemporary Melbourne life."

Kicking off on 8 October, 2015 for 18 days, key arts experiences to catch will include an award-winning theatre adaptation of George Orwell's iconic 1984, receiving an exclusive Australian season as part of the Festival. Married to the production will be a series of related events, including Language, Performance and Power: Reflecting on 1984 in 2015, Aural Contract: The Voice Before The Law with Lawrence Abu Hamdan, George Orwell's 1984: A Live Reading and Eyes Without A Face: Surveillance In Cinema. 

If you're eager to catch some dance, Israel's Batsheva Dance Company will bring two works by Ohad Naharin to Melbourne (Decadence and Last Work), as well as Belgium's 32 Rue Vandenbranden in Peeping Tom. 

Music wise, you'll be spoiled for choice with an exclusive gig by Flight Facilities, combining their electronic music with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. UK folk artist Laura Marling will also be showcasing her acoustic stylings at the Hamer Hall, while Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, Adalita and Gareth Liddiard will bring Patti Smith's Horses to life in celebration of the album's 40th anniversary. You'll also be able to catch English post-punkers The Fall, Swedish producer The Field, Katie Noonan and a ton more.

This is the mere tip of the iceberg for Melbourne Festival 2015 — head to the Festival's website for full details on the program.