Creative Alliances

Circa

2020 saw two projects between the MSO and Circa, Australia’s premier contemporary circus company, come to fruition; Wild Swans, and the Season Opening Gala: Beethoven 9, Circa and Cheetham. Behind the scenes of the world premiere performance of Wild Swans were lead Circa creatives, award-winning Artistic Director, Yaron Lifschitz, and choreographer Libby McDonnell. Lifschitz and McDonnell worked with the MSO and e.motion21 to imagine a choreography which brought together the unique worlds of symphonic performance and of dance by young people experiencing Down Syndrome. For Beethoven 9, Circa and Cheetham, the MSO and Circa performed what is believed to be the first acrobatic staging of the Ninth in the world. Ten Circa performers contorted, tumbled, and flew between each other, employing choreographic styles across ballet, contemporary dance, and acrobatics.

“Under the always sure hand of Benjamin Northey, [the MSO] received a lengthy standing ovation at the conclusion of the performance. It is hard to say whether this was in recognition of the music or the circus, for both were masterfully intertwined, and each element was made all the more exciting and, indeed, imaginative, by the other.”

– Limelight, 24 February 2020

e.motion21

At the Sidney Myer Free Concert on Saturday 8 February, the MSO presented the results of a unique two-year collaboration with e.motion21, a not-for-profit organisation working to enhance lives and change perceptions of Down syndrome within society through dance, fitness and performance. The spectacular Australia-first event featured the sumptuous sounds of the MSO performing Elena Kats-Chernin’s Wild Swans with renowned soprano Katie Noonan. Leading up to the concert, more than 20 rehearsals and workshops were held across Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong with more than 60 dancers from across the state. The final performance in front of a capacity crowd of more than 10,000 featured 44 dancers from metropolitan and regional areas. MSO musicians and conductor Benjamin Northey worked alongside Artistic Director, Yaron Lifschitz, and choreographer, Libby McDonnell from Circa to create the visual and musical masterpiece on stage. This project was supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

“The e.motion21 partnership with the MSO is truly exciting and progressive. We are bringing together two creative worlds and two important organisations in this Australia-first collaboration.”

– Cate Sayers, Founder and Director of e.motion21