IMARA SAVAGE
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​Director

Imara Savage is a director and dramaturg with a cross-disciplinary practice, working across opera, ballet, film, installation, theatre & performance art in both the Australian and international festival market and within State theatre companies.

She directed SUOR ANGELICA by Puccini in IL TRITTICO for Opera Australia. In 2026, Imara directs THE ORESTEIA by Liza Lim for Sydney Chamber Opera.

She is currently undertaking a creative residency with Sydney Chamber Opera focusing on the creation of new work alongside designer Elizabeth Gadsby, lighting designer/director Alexander Berlage and filmmaker Mike Daly.

Imara’s work for Sydney Chamber opera includes the world premiere of ANTARCTICA by Mary Finsterer and Tom Wright, presented by SCO and leading Dutch new music ensemble Asko|Schönberg in the Holland Opera Festival, followed by a second season Sydney Festival; the Australian-first staging of Benjamin Britten’s Canticles, interwoven with the Australian premiere of Sydney-born composer Luke Styles’ response to them, AWAKENING SHADOW, in a co-presentation with Carriageworks; and Kaija Saariaho’s LA PASSION DE SIMONE, described by Time Out as “bold, uncompromising and musically spectacular… extraordinarily rich and rewarding.”

Other work for Sydney Chamber Opera includes the premiere production of Elliott Gyger’s FLY AWAY PETER (adapted from the novel by David Malouf) which was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Opera and toured to Melbourne Festival, Philip Glass' IN THE PENAL COLONY and Benjamin Britten's OWEN WINGRAVE.

Imara was dramaturg for Lucas Jervies’ acclaimed new work with The Australian Ballet SPARTACUS,  which toured to Finnish National Ballet after its world premiere season in Australia.

Imara was the resident director at Sydney Theatre Company between 2016-2018 and the Richard Wherret Fellow in 2014. She was the first Australian woman to have a premiere production of a new work in the Roslyn Packer Theatre with her acclaimed adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s SAINT JOAN. This production featured Sarah Snook in the title role and received multiple Helpmann nominations. Imara directed a new adaptation of THE SEAGULL by Andrew Upton with Sigrid Thornton in the title role for Sydney Theatre Company.
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Other productions for STC include; Caryl Churchill’s TOP GIRLS, Andrew Bovell’s AFTER DINNER, Sophie Treadwell’s MACHINAL, Moira Buffini’s DINNER, Colm Toibin’s THE TESTAMENT OF MARY, and Noel Coward’s HAYFEVER.

Imara’s work with Belvoir and the State Theatre Company of South Australia/ Adelaide Festival includes the Helpmann Award winning production of Anne Washburn’s MR BURNS and Clare Barron’s DANCE NATION.

Imara undertook a director attachment for Season 3 of the television series BUMP with Roadshow Rough Diamond and the ABC.

View Imara’s work at imarasavage.com