Sydney Opera House slow to honour Barry Humphries

The Sydney Opera House is yet to make a public tribute to Barry Humphries since the entertainer’s death on Saturday.

Barry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage.

Australia’s best-known cultural venue and most-visited tourist landmark, the Sydney Opera House, is yet to make a public tribute to Barry Humphries since the entertainer’s death on Saturday.

The Opera House regularly illuminates its sails with special displays at moments of national import, but so far has not given Humphries such an honour.

Humphries died at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney at the age of 89, following complications from surgery.

In his home town, Arts Centre Melbourne noted his death with messages on social media, but to date has not made a substantial tribute.

Both the Opera House and the Arts Centre say they are planning commemorations.

The Arts Centre is to mount a display of costumes from its ­Australian Performing Arts ­Collection, including outfits for Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, which Humphries himself ­donated.

While controversy has ­surrounded the Melbourne International Comedy Festival over its treatment of Humphries and initial refusal to commemorate him, other arts organisations have recognised the honour that is due to one of Australia’s most globally recognised stars.

In Brisbane, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre used its large outdoor digital screen to honour the entertainer.

The screen displayed an image of Humphries as Dame Edna, sitting on a swing gar­landed with gladioli, and the message “Vale Barry Humphries 1934-2023”.

QPAC chief executive John Kotzas said the centre often ­acknowledged national arts ­identities in such a way, ­especially if they had performed at QPAC throughout their ­career.

In Adelaide, flowers have been placed at Her Majesty’s Theatre where Humphries first performed in 1953 as a 19-year-old actor in The Wind of ­Heaven. He would eventually appear in 11 separate seasons at the theatre, which he said was one of his favourite venues.

Humphries in 2015 was also artistic director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

The Adelaide Festival Centre, which manages both Her ­Majesty’s Theatre and the ­cabaret festival, issued a statement on Sunday night to mark his death.

“We have lost a great Australian artist,” said Adelaide Festival Centre artistic director Douglas Gautier.

In a statement, the Sydney Opera House said it acknowledged Humphries’ “extraordinary life and career as one of Australia’s greatest comedians and entertainers”.

“We are having several discussions about how the Opera House might pay tribute to Mr Humphries’ legacy and hope to be able to provide further details soon,” a spokesperson said.

The Melbourne Internat­ional Comedy Festival, which dropped Humphries’ name from the Barry award in 2019, has said it is planning a “fitting tribute to his comic genius”.