Baz Luhrmann - Other Work

Other Work

• 1981: A young Baz Luhrmann can be seen in an early acting role in the film Winter of Our Dreams, directed by John Duigan. Luhrmann has a small part playing opposite Judy Davis.
• 1992: Luhrmann directed a video for John Paul Young's "Love Is in the Air" which was re-released to coincide with the release of Strictly Ballroom, in which the song was featured prominently.
• 1993: Luhrmann staged his interpretation of Benjamin Britten's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, set in colonial India, for the Australian Opera. After successful seasons in Sydney and Melbourne, the production went on to win the Critics' Prize at the Edinburgh Festival. Music extracts can be heard on his album Something for Everybody.
• 1993: Luhrmann assisted in the election campaign of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.
• 1997: The CD Something for Everybody was released. It features music from Luhrmann's films and operas, including his version of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
• 1999: As a music producer, Luhrmann is credited with a UK number one single, "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)".
• 2003: Luhrmann brought his production of Puccini's La bohème to The Broadway Theatre in New York City. Originally produced in Sydney in 1990, once in New York it eventually garnered seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction (Luhrmann), Best Orchestrations (Nicholas Kitsopoulos), Best Costume Design (Catherine Martin) and won Best Set Design (Catherine Martin), Best Lighting Design (Nigel Levings), and the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre for the Principal Ensemble Cast.
• 2004: Luhrmann directed a lavish multimillion-dollar commercial for Chanel N° 5 titled N° 5 the Film, inspired by his Red Curtain trilogy, starring Nicole Kidman and Rodrigo Santoro. Luhrmann told interviewer Charlie Rose on Charlie Rose that he based the commercial on the 1953 film Roman Holiday.
• 2005: Luhrmann was appointed an Ambassador for the Australian Theatre for Young People.
• 2008: Luhrmann was tasked by prime minister Kevin Rudd to make new ads to promote Australia as a tourist destination.
• 2009: At the 81st Academy Awards in February, Luhrmann put together a number dedicated to musicals which consisted of Hugh Jackman, Beyoncé Knowles, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Dominic Cooper, and Amanda Seyfried
• 2009: In September, Luhrmann made an appearance as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars.
• 2010: Luhrmann and painter Vincent Fantauzzo embarked on an art initiative which took them to India, where they created artworks on walls of hotels, in the streets of Rajasthan and on seventeenth century forts.