Nominations for the 14th annual Helpmann Awards were revealed last night at special ceremonies held in each Australian capital city. A range of disciplines and performers have been recognised in each of the 41 categories, which were announced by speakers including Lisa McCune, Todd McKenney, Jonathon Biggins and Nancye Hayes.

Most major companies have received a nomination, but Opera Australia has trumped its competition with particular recognition for The Turk in ItalyMadama Butterfly, the Melbourne Ring, and The King and I.

The list of individual nominees is peppered with the cream of the Australian stage, including: Jethro Woodward and Iain Grandage for Best Original Score, Lady Rizo and Tommy Bradson for Best Cabaret Performer, The Australian Ballet and QPAC for Best Dance Work, Cate Blanchett and Zahra Newman for Best Female Actor in a Play and Paul Blackwell and Richard Roxburgh for Best Male Actor in a Play.

The Best Female Performer in an Opera category should be a hot contest with Christine Goerke (for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Elektra) up against Emma Matthews (for Opera Australia’s Turk in Italy), Jessica Pratt (in Victorian Opera’s Traviata) and Kathryn Lewek (in Hobart Baroque’s Orlando). Their male counterparts are Riccardo Massi, Stefan Vinke,...