0 8 ), ▁and ▁Festival ▁Director ▁and ▁Chief ▁executive ▁of ▁Sydney ▁Festival ▁( 2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 5 ). ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Melbourne ▁Festival ▁announced ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁Joseph ine ▁R idge ▁as ▁cre ative ▁director ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁festival ▁and ▁beyond . ▁Prior ▁to ▁her ▁appointment ▁Joseph ine ▁was ▁general ▁manager , ▁then ▁executive ▁director ▁and ▁co - CE O ▁with ▁four ▁art istic ▁direct ors ▁at ▁Sydney ▁Festival . ▁Joseph ine ▁appointed ▁several ▁high - profile ▁arts ▁workers ▁to ▁her ▁cre ative ▁team , ▁including ▁Louise ▁N eri ▁( Cre ative ▁Associ ate ▁– ▁Visual ▁Arts ) ▁and ▁Richard ▁T og net ti ▁( Cre ative ▁Associ ate ▁– ▁Music ). ▁ ▁Melbourne ▁Festival ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁significant ▁festiv als ▁in ▁Australia ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁Sydney ▁Festival ▁and ▁the ▁Ad ela ide ▁Festival ▁of ▁Arts . ▁As ▁such , ▁it ▁hosts ▁performances ▁by ▁established ▁art istic ▁companies ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁more ▁independent ▁acts . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Melbourne ▁Festival ▁hosted ▁a ▁production ▁of ▁Ng ap art ji ▁Ng ap art ji ▁with ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁dialog ue ▁in ▁the ▁Pit j ant j at j ara ▁Ab original ▁language . ▁Melbourne ▁Festival ▁premier ed ▁the ▁univers ally ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed ▁produ ctions ▁from ▁The ▁Black ▁Arm ▁Band , ▁mur und ak ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁H idden ▁Republic ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁dir ts ong