Australian composer and festival director Sir Jonathan Mills has been named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the King’s Birthday Honours List for 2024.

Sir Jonathan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2011. He received the Companion – which is the highest honour – “for eminent service to international cultural leadership and diplomacy, to the performing arts, to philanthropic ventures and to tertiary education”.

Sir Jonathan Mills. Photo supplied

He is known for his directorship of the Edinburgh International Festival from 2006–2014. Between 1998 and 2003, he was the Artistic Director of a number of Australian festivals including the Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Melbourne Federation Festival and the Brisbane Biennial International Music Festival. In 2011, he was appointed international artistic adviser for Arts Centre Melbourne till the end of 2012.

Sir Jonathan’s new opera Eucalyptus, based on Murray Bail’s award-winning novel, has its world premiere at the 2024 Brisbane Festival in September, directed by Michael Gow. Co-produced by Brisbane Festival, Opera Australia, Perth Festival and Victorian Opera, Eucalyptus was first staged in a concert version at this year’s Perth Festival...