MELBOURNE — AUSTRALIA
Victorian Opera is the state opera company of Victoria: a not-for-profit dedicated to bringing opera to a broader audience through innovative live performances.
They approached Release The Zebra to create the key art for The Lyrebird’s Voice, a new production developed by Peter Rutherford and six youth participants of the New Work Opera Studio 2023. Our goal was to translate the playful, distinctly Australian spirit of the show into a captivating artwork that could carry the campaign.
Set in the Australian bush, The Lyrebird’s Voice tells the story of a cheeky trickster lyrebird who loses their own voice and learns the value of individuality and belonging. Filled with humour, heart, and a strong Australian spirit, this family-friendly opera celebrates the power of self-expression and proudly finding one’s place in the world — all told through a vibrant cast of native animals and a touch of larrikin magic.
Client: Victorian Opera
Year: 2025
Services:
Campaign Art Direction
Illustrations
Poster Design
DL Flyer
Colouring-In Sheet
Programme
Animation
Digital Banners
Creative team:
Art Direction & Design — Anaïs Lobmeyer
Motion Design — Simon Caudal
Mood board
Early Sketches
Concept Ideas
Our early sketches placed the lyrebird centre stage, performing before layered scenes of native flora and fauna. As the concept evolved, we introduced instantly recognisable Australian plants (wattle, waratah, and bottlebrush) framing the lyrebird as though the vegetation itself opened to reveal the star performer. Using native flora helped firmly situate the story in the Australian bush and gave the artwork an immediate sense of place for local audiences.
Once the sketch was approved, we refined it into a final illustration that felt enchanting, memorable, and distinctly local. The lyrebird was rendered in earthy, grounded tones, reflecting both its natural colouring and its role as a bird of the forest floor. In contrast, the supporting birds were illustrated using brighter, more vibrant colours inspired by Australia’s native birdlife, such as rainbow lorikeets and crimson rosellas, bringing energy and visual hierarchy to the composition. Textural details were added to give the artwork a tactile quality that echoed the production design, while subtle musical notes woven through the illustration referenced the central themes of voice and mimicry.
Chosen Concept
Final Art
The final artwork became the visual cornerstone of the campaign and was rolled out across posters, digital banners, programmes, and social media. Its warmth and playfulness captured the spirit of the show and resonated strongly with family audiences.
To extend the experience beyond the stage, the illustration was also adapted into a colouring-in sheet for children to enjoy in the foyer before the performance — a simple yet meaningful way to engage younger audiences with the world of the opera.
Photography — Charlie Kinross
“Release The Zebra created an incredibly charming campaign art and collateral for Victorian Opera's production, The Lyrebird's Voice. The design immediately conveyed the production’s family friendly nature, its setting in the Australian bush, and subtly echoed the felt-like textures featured throughout the production design. Thank you, Anaïs!“
— Scott Whinfield, Head of Marketing
A great show deserves more than a generic poster.
Let’s create something people can’t ignore.
Ready to release the zebra?