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The Date For Olivia Newton-John's State Memorial Service Has Been Confirmed

Mary Varvaris

Fans can honour the iconic singer at a beautiful Melbourne venue.

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The state memorial service for music and film legend, Dame Olivia Newton-John, has been revealed. At 4 pm on Sunday, 26 February, Newton-John's life will be honoured at Hamer Hall. The service will also be live-streamed via the Victorian Government's website.

Doors will open an hour before the event begins, with tickets available from next Friday, 10 February, at noon. This is a free event. However, bookings are essential. A limit of two tickets per booking applies. Make your booking through Arts Centre Melbourne.

Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away, aged 73, in August 2022. A global stage and screen icon, Newton-John passed away following a lengthy fight with breast cancer.

The English-born, Melbourne-raised Newton-John rose to worldwide fame following a star-making performance as Sandy Olsson in the 1978 movie musical Grease.

A singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and activist, Newton-John was a multiple-time Grammy Award-winner with a legacy of hits including Physical, and I Honestly Love You. Her 1981 single Physical was a worldwide smash hit. Accompanied by one of the most instantly recognisable video clips ever made, for which it received the Grammy for video of the year, Physical is a cornerstone of early '80s pop.

Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, Newton-John dedicated much of her time to supporting efforts and raising funds to find a cure for cancer. Newton-John's work in that space includes the establishment of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne and the Olivia Newton-John Foundation.

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In a tribute, Molly Meldrum said: “Tonight, the stars will shine a little brighter, and I am heartbroken! Livvy, as I call her, was one of those rare people who had a profound effect on the world and the people in it. Her purity was real, her passion for life was unwavering.  

"A Grammy Award-winning recording artist, an extraordinary wife, mother and humanitarian, Liv’s tireless work has changed millions of lives, and her legacy will live on forever. To me, Liv is family. My heart is broken. There simply will never be another like her.”