Our staff share what they’re most excited to see at this year’s Melbourne Festival, which kicks off on Thursday 8 October. You can find the full program here.

Bronte Coates’ top pick is Desdemona

My favourite kind of live performance to attend is dance. Since moving to Melbourne a few years ago, I’ve been lucky to attend some previous dance shows as part of Melbourne Festival including Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter’s Sun and Sylvie Guillem’s 6000 Miles Away. I’m always blown away the the sheer talent of the performers and their ability to tell a story simply through movement. This year, I’d love to see Decadance from Israel’s contemporary dance company Batsheva and choreographer Ohad Naharin. First created in 1990, this show presents a selection of memorable moments from the company’s 50-year history and looks terrific.

I’d also LOVE to see Desdemona in which Shakespeare’s Desdemona is re-imagined by Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison, Malian singer and songwriter Rokia Traoré and acclaimed stage director Peter Sellars. While I’m not a big fan of Shakespeare, I am a big fan of adaptations, of Morrison’s writing and Traoré’s stunning voice. This is definitely my top pick of the program.

Finally, my pick for music is film composer Clint Mansell. While you might not remember his name you’ve probably heard his work – he’s created scores for numerous films including Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain and, more recently, Noah. This show presents a retrospective of his film compositions, with a nine-piece band and what the festival has described as ‘haunting visuals’. I think this show will be particularly beautiful.

Stella Charls’ top pick is Decadance

I’m not going to lie, I was not-so-secretly hoping that Josephine Ridge’s third Melbourne Festival as Artistic Director would just be an encore of her second – circus, circus, circus. I really love circus. But I think Melbourne might be after something a little different this year, and luckily the 2015 program does not disappoint.

I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Israeli dance company Batsheva’s Decadance, which has been described as ‘pure, unadulterated joy’. I’ve also booked tickets to the Wheeler Centre’s free live reading of Geoge Orwell’s 1984 in the Legislative Assembly Chamber – one of the many events in the festival program designed to accompany UK theatre renegades Headlong’s adaptation of Owell’s text for the stage.

Chris Gordon’s top pick is 1984

Over 250,000 people have already seen this production, a new adaptation created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan, and the reviews have been outstanding. I am anticipating a great night of theatre: a show with a well-known story, but this time re-imagined into something even more sinister, more alarming and more relevant given today’s search for big data. I’ll keep you posted if I drop all my social media outlets by the time the actors are taking their encore bow.

Emily Harms’ top pick is Patti Smith’s Horses

Spring is in the air and I’m excited! I’m particularly excited that with the change of seasons, Melbourne Festival approaches. This year’s program marks Melbourne Festival’s 30th year. With it is a plethora of joy, wonder and brilliance.

The one-off Australian exclusive event celebrating the coolest woman who lives on this planet – Patti Smith – is my pick of the festival. Not only is Patti Smith’s debut album, Horses, enough to celebrate in its own right, but when it’s reinvigorated by Australia’s highly acclaimed Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, founding Magic Dirt member, Adalita, and The Drones lead man, Gareth Liddiard – it takes the album to a whole new level.

I also absolutely adore anything Laura Marling sings so I’m super looking forward to her concert at Hamer Hall. There’s also the Australian Premiere of Desdemona with text by Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, music by the fabulous Malian singer Rokia Traoré and directed by Peter Sellars. With Tina Benko in the role of Desdemona, this performance will be unmissable. And what can I say about 1984 other than it needs to be seen by us all?

Finally, a Melbourne Festival experience doesn’t feel the same unless there is some dance. I am just yet to decide which Batsheva Dance Company event I see – Decadance or Last Work.

Nina Kenwood’s top picks are Laura Marling and Katie Noonan’s Vanguard

I would love to see British folk singer Laura Marling. I’m a recent convert to her music, and I absolutely adore her voice. I heard her described on a podcast as ‘a cross between Joni Mitchell and Adele’, which gives you a sense of where she falls in the musical spectrum. I imagine she’ll be extraordinary to hear live. Another female vocalist I would love to hear live is Katie Noonan, an Australian singer I’ve long admired.

These two are definitely my picks of the bunch, but the entire music program looks fantastic.