Mark the diary for Saturday 6 April next year because this is the date Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) presents Hopelessly Devoted: A Celebration of Olivia Newton-John in the Concert Hall at QPAC, in what will be a magical evening of memories, celebration, love and incredible music
Joining QSO is an incredible lineup of stars of the stage and screen including David Campbell, Jess Hitchcock, Queenslander Georgina Hopson and Christie Whelan Browne to perform the iconic hits of Dame Olivia Newton-John AC DBE including Magic, I Honestly Love You, Make a Move on Me, You’re the One That I Want, and of course – Hopelessly Devoted to You. Conducted by Nicholas Buc, this tribute to one of Australia’s most beloved music legends is THE music event that will soothe the soul in 2024. So, whether Grease is your word, you love to get Physical, or your neon light shines for Xanadu, don’t miss this live musical homage to the one and the only, Olivia Newton-John performed by the one and only Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Singer, actor and television presenter David Campbell first met Newton-John while working on the Johnny O’Keefe musical Shout. The pair collaborated on Newton-John’s first album of duets in 2002 singing I Will Be Right Here and reunited at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2011, when Campbell was Artistic Director. “It’s such an honour to be performing in this wonderful tribute to my beautiful friend Olivia. We are going to sing, dance, cry and celebrate her brilliant life with the QSO.”
Excited to be performing in front of her hometown crowd is Georgina Hopson, winner of the Matilda Award for Best Emerging Talent in 2015, the coveted Rob Guest Endowment in 2017, and a 2020 Green Room Award for her role in Ragtime, she also starred in the acclaimed World Premiere season of the smash hit Bananaland as part of the 2023 Brisbane Festival.
Also joining the program is multi-talented star of stage and screen, Christie Whelan Browne, who played the role of Olivia Newton-John in the 2015 mini-series Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door. Whelan Browne also played the lead in the 2011 stage production of Xanadu, based on the original 1980 film. Representing the next generation of Australian musical talents is Melbourne-based singer-songwriter – and the youngest member of the cast – Jess Hitchcock. Across her relatively short career, Hitchcock has performed with industry heavyweights Kate Miller-Heidke, Paul Kelly, Tina Arena and the late Archie Roach, and stole the show during the recent ABC Classic 100 in Concert show with the MSO and most recently performing at the AFL Grand Final.
FAST FACTS!
With more than 100 million albums sold, Olivia’s successes include four Grammy Awards, numerous Country Music, American Music and People’s Choice Awards, 10 #1 hits and over 15 top 10 singles.
In November 2015, Billboard Magazine listed Physical at #8 on their “Top 100 Songs Of All Time” list and in 2010 listed it as “The Sexiest Song of All Time. The magazine also ranked Olivia #20 on their “Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists” and she was most recently ranked #7 on their “Greatest Of All Time Hot 100 Women Artists.”
As a young Australian performer, Olivia Newton-John shot to global fame playing Sandy opposite John Travolta’s Danny in the 1978 film Grease. The movie soundtrack became one of the best-selling of all time.
Hopelessly Devoted to You was written by John Farrar. The song earned Olivia Newton-John an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 51st Academy Awards. It also received a nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.
Physical in 1981 became one of her biggest hits, topping the charts in multiple countries. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for ten consecutive weeks in the United States and was the #1 single of the ‘80s.
I Honestly Love You released in 1974 won Olivia the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1975.
In 1980 the title track from the movie Xanadu, performed by Olivia and the Electric Light Orchestra, became another chart-topping hit.
Did you know Olivia had country hits? She won the Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for Let Me Be There in 1974 and recognition with hits like If You Love Me (Let Me Know) and Please Mr. Please.
In 1976 her crossover success continued with the release of Don’t Stop Believin’ and in 1980 she teamed up with Sir Cliff Richard on Suddenly which featured on the Xanadu soundtrack – another hit!
In 2019 Her Majesty the Queen named Olivia Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to music, cancer research and charity.
In November 2020, Olivia established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, an independent charity sponsoring global research into plant medicine for cancer.
In February 2021 Olivia and her daughter Chloe reunited for a second single, Window in the Wall which debuted at #1 on the iTunes Music Video Chart and the Amazon A/C Chart. Just a few months later Olivia scored another #1 hit on the Amazon A/C chart with Put Your Head on My Shoulder, a duet with music legend Paul Anka.
2021 marked the 40th anniversary of her mega-hit, Physical.
Olivia Newton-John passed away on August 8, 2022.
Hopelessly Devoted: A Celebration of Olivia Newton-John
Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Nicholas Buc
Creative Director Mark Sutcliffe
Dates: Saturday 6 April 1.30pm & 7.30pm
Venue: QPAC Concert Hall
Tickets: qso.com.au
Tickets on sale now
