Photo: Maja Baska
NIDA opened its doors to a new cohort of bright andenthusiasticstudents for the 2021 academic yearat Orientation Week.In amongst the new faces, NIDA welcomed leading production designer Bob Cousins as Course Leader, Design for Performance.
Newstudentswere welcomedacrossallthefull-time Bachelor’s degrees in Acting, Costume, Design for Performance, Properties and Objects (props), Scenic Construction and Technologies, and Technical Theatre and Stage Management, Master’sdegrees in Cultural Leadership, Directing and Writing for Performance and diploma courses in Musical Theatre and Stage and Screen Performance, withLive Production and Technical Servicesand Specialist Make-up Servicescourses commencing in April.
NIDA CEO Liz Hughes opened the event by welcomingAunty Lola Ryan, from the historic La Perouse Aboriginal community in Sydney,who formally welcomed the school to Country.
Photo: Maja Baska
In addressing the students and staff, Liz Hughes said, ‘AtNIDA,you willexperiencea practice-basedcreativeeducationwhich isclosely engaged with,and aligned to,the performing arts industries.Empowered throughexactlythistypeofeducation,NIDA and its stellar alumni have played a pivotal role in shaping Australia’s culturallife, impacting the global industryas well as creating and bringing to life our stories.
‘As was evidenced in 2020, we are in an era of disruption, which provides both challenges and exciting opportunities for performing arts practicestoinvent new experiencesand platformsfor audiences.As many of you did last year,I urgeall ofyou to take what you learn, be curious,be bold,and becourageous andtocreate the future of performing arts.’
Photo: Maja Baska
A master at unleashing the power and beauty of live theatre and film design, Bob Cousins is a practising artist who will oversee NIDA’s Bachelor of Fine Art coursein Design for Performance,inwhichstudents learndesign, costume design, props and lighting design for live and film productions.
Asked why he has chosen to teach at NIDA at this time, Bob said that ‘I’m a theatre and film designer as much by accident as having followed a traditional pathway. I am hoping that the collective imagination, enthusiasm and energy of the students across the whole school will give me an education that I never had.’
Cousins’ designs have inspired audiences from his extensive productions in Hamburg, Zurich, Salzburg, London, New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Bogata, Berlin, Taipai, Dublin, Utrecht, Los Angeles, San Diego, Vienna and Montreal.
Young designersat NIDA will benefit from his wealth of experience and creative partnerships with the world’s outstanding ensembles, including designing opera sets for Lear and Médée for Salzburg Festspiele; Der Ring der Nibelungen for Opera Australia andOpéra National de Paris. (Read more about Bob Cousins here)
