Stars celebrated and record breaking votes for Adelaide Festival Centre’s Walk of Fame

Adelaide Festival Centre’s star-studded Walk of Fame will feature three new names of accomplished performers in recognition of their artistry and hit shows presented in 2019.

The recipients are ARIA award-winning didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton, Malaysian pop star Siti Nurhaliza and Helpmann award-winning choreographer Frances Rings.

They will join more than 130 names of the great artists who have graced the stages of Adelaide Festival Centre since it opened in 1973 and whose names shine bright on the walkway overlooking the River Torrens.

Receiving a record-breaking number of online votes, Siti Nurhaliza won the public choice vote for her first-ever Australian concert at Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival last year.

The best-selling singer-songwriter, who has sold more than 6 million records and won almost 300 Malaysian and international music awards, attracted audiences from interstate and overseas for one night only in Festival Theatre.

First Nations Kokatha woman, choreographer and dancer Frances Rings received the critics’ choice award and rave reviews for her choreographic masterpiece, Unaipon – Bangarra: 30 years of Sixty-Five Thousand.

The dance piece was part of Bangarra Dance Theatre’s landmark 30^th anniversary season and was an absorbing portrait of the great Aboriginal inventor, philosopher, writer and storyteller, Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon, who features on the Australian $50 note.

Acclaimed composer and musician, William Barton won the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust vote for his powerful performance with Australian String Quartet at Space Theatre in July 2019.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Douglas Gautier said:

We were so impressed by the calibre of our Season 2019 performers and artists. It was a pleasure to review their work and select the nominees and winners, particularly at the end of this challenging year. It cements the value of artists and the arts in uplifting audiences and bringing people together while entertaining and contributing to the wider community. I think audiences will agree that these three accomplished artists are worthy of the recognition and we’re proud to have their names on our Walk of Fame.

Each year three stars are added to the walkway – in addition to the public choice, two more stars are selected by Adelaide Festival Centre Trust and a panel of arts critics. Past recipients include Roy Orbison, Cold Chisel, Olivia Newton-John, Dame Edna Everage, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Tim Minchin, Paul Kelly, Guy Sebastian and Kate Ceberano.

The 11 nominees for Walk of Fame 2019 included star of stage and screen Miranda Tapsell, Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby, Broadway sitcom icon Megan Mullally and drag queen and LGBTQ+ activist Sasha Velour.