Nicolette Fraillon

Nicolette Ella Fraillon (born 29 July 1960) is an Australian conductor, who was chief conductor of The Australian Ballet from 2003 until 2022.

Career Fraillon grew up in Melbourne, a child of immigrant parents of French Huguenot, Sicilian and Austrian Jewish descent. Her family is musical: both grandfathers were cellists, and her great-uncle Guillaume was principal double bass player with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

She started violin and piano studies as a child; her teachers included Brian Buggy (violin) and Ada Corder (piano). She played with the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Youth Orchestra for some time. Her professional conducting debut was with the Nederlands Dans Theater, when she deputised for another conductor who had fallen ill.

In 1995 she was engaged by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first Australian woman to conduct an Australian symphony orchestra. She later conducted the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. In 1998 she commenced at the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. In 2003 she was appointed chief conductor of The Australian Ballet. In November 2021, Fraillon announced that she would leave that position in 2022. In 2023, she was awarded the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award.

Personal life Fraillon has been married three times, and has two sons.