The Divorce (TV series)

Television series

The Divorce

Soundtrack cover art

Genre| Comedy
Opera
Written by| Joanna Murray-Smith
Directed by| Dean Murphy
Composer| Elena Kats-Chernin
Country of origin| Australia
Original language| English
No. of series| 1
No. of episodes| 4
Production
Executive producer| Christopher Gist
Producer| Andrea Denholm
Cinematography| Roger Lanser
Running time| 4×30 minutes
Production companies| Princess Pictures
Opera Australia
Original release
Network| ABC
Release| 7 December (2015-12-07) –
10 December 2015 (2015-12-10)

The Divorce is an Australian comedy opera miniseries which was broadcast on ABC TV on four successive nights from 7 to 10 December 2015. The four-part series is written by Joanna Murray-Smith with music by Elena Kats-Chernin. Based on an original idea by Lyndon Terracini, it was developed by Opera Australia and directed for television by Dean Murphy.[1] Outside filming took place at Werribee Park Mansion west of Melbourne.[2] The work was shown again in 2017 in a single 95-minute broadcast on Sky Arts and ABC TV.

## Plot

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Wealthy couple Iris (Marina Prior) and art critic Jed (John O'May) are happily getting a divorce and throwing an elaborate party. By the end of the evening, Iris and Jed's divorce has triggered a renegotiation of all certainties and the characters are set on an unanticipated course.[3] Louise (Lisa McCune), the younger sister of Iris is secretly in love with art critic Jed. Toby (Hugh Sheridan) is an aspiring artist, hired to work as a waiter at the party. William (Matthew McFarlane) is Iris' young and handsome lover, an accountant who lacks charisma. Caroline (Kate Miller-Heidke) is Jed and Iris' personal assistant who is in trouble with loan sharks Alfie and Ludo. Patrick (Peter Cousens) and Ellen (Melissa Madden Gray) are the best friends of Jed and Iris.[4]

## Cast

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* Lisa McCune as Louise
* Marina Prior as Iris
* Hugh Sheridan as Toby
* Kate Miller-Heidke as Caroline
* John O'May as Jed
* Matthew McFarlane as William
* Peter Cousens as Patrick
* Melissa Madden Gray as Ellen
* Christopher Kirby as Dre
* Bob Franklin as Alfie, a loan shark
* Dom Phelan as Ludo, a loan shark
* Nick Capper, the courier

## Soundtrack

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The Divorce

Soundtrack album by

soloists as above, Opera Australia Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Vanessa Scammell

Released| 31 March 2016
Label| Universal Music Australia[5]

Universal Music Australia partnered with the production company, Princess Pictures, to release the soundtrack to The Divorce.[6] Elena Kats-Chernin's score was nominated for the 2016 AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score in Television and for ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2016.[7]

### Track listing

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1. Overture
2. Goodbye My Love – Marina Prior, John O'May
3. They Had Perfection – Chorus
4. Chilling Champagne – Kate Miller-Heidke
5. Greetings – Chorus
6. Other Ships – Marina Prior, Kate Miller-Heidke
7. Love and Fear – Melissa Madden Gray, Peter Cousens
8. Cosmopolitan Penguin – Hugh Sheridan[8]
9. Tick Tock – Lisa McCune
10. Have you Lost All Love for Jed – Lisa McCune, Marina Prior
11. Sister, Sister – Lisa McCune
12. Company, Canapés, Drinks – Chorus
13. Love Love Bitter – Chorus
14. At Last – Lisa McCune
15. Dismemberment – Kate Miller Heidke, Matthew MacFarlane
16. Appetites – Kate Miller-Heidke[9]
17. Old Friend, Congratulations – Melissa Madden Gray, Peter Cousens
18. The Proposal – Marina Prior
19. Cradle Snatchers – Chorus
20. What's Going On, What Did She Say – Chorus
21. No More Notes/I Cannot Wait – Lisa McCune
22. What's Going On With Caroline – Chorus
23. Grizzly Remains – Kate Miller-Heidke
24. I've Told Lou – John O'May
25. The Way the Light Plays – Lisa McCune, Hugh Sheridan
26. As a Child – Matthew MacFarlane
27. The Key – Melissa Madden Gray, Matthew MacFarlane
28. The Waiter – Lisa McCune
29. No Gentle Way – Lisa McCune
30. Hail Jehovah! – Melissa Madden Gray, Peter Cousens, Matthew MacFarlene, Marina Prior, Lisa McCune, Kate Miller-Heidke, Hugh Sheridan, Chorus
31. The Fitting Glove – Hugh Sheridan
32. A Charismatic Force – Marina Prior, John O'May
33. You Laughed, You Kissed – Chorus

## References

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1. ^ "ABC set to sing with TV opera, The Divorce". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
2. ^ "The Divorce is a comedic opera, and unlike anything else on Australian TV" by Paul Kulina, The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 2015
3. ^ "Lisa McCune sings the praises of opera soap". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
4. ^ TV Week, 5–11 December 2015
5. ^ The Divorce soundtrack, ABC Shop
6. ^ "The Divorce – The Soundtrack". abc.net.au. Retrieved 3 May 2016., Cat. 4784394
7. ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 16 July 2022.
8. ^ "Cosmopolitan Penguin" on YouTube, Hugh Sheridan
9. ^ Appetites" on YouTube, Kate Miller-Heidke

## External links

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* The Divorce, production details
* The Divorce, ABC TV
* The Divorce, Opera Australia
* "The Divorce: Putting the Opera into the Soap" by Andrew Aronowicz, Limelight, 1 December 2015
* The Divorce at IMDb
* Extended trailer on YouTube
* "It's TV! It's opera! What to make of ABC's The Divorce", review by Michael Halliwell, The Conversation, 9 December 2015

Portal:

* Opera

*[No.]: Number