THE POWER TO TRANSFORM
2016 SEASON
WELCOME TO 2016 The power to transform
I am excited to present the passionate and tragic story of the ballet legend Nijinksy, one of the greatest dancers the world has ever seen, brought to life through the creative vision of master choreographer John Neumeier. We are also thrilled to welcome the acclaimed Houston Ballet to our stages for a rare Australian premiere season, exclusive to Melbourne in June – Stanton Welch’s production of the immortal classic Romeo and Juliet.
Ballet is transformative. Ballet creates a special space where time stands still and possibility flourishes. You’re taken to new worlds of sweeping movement, blossoming colour and spinetingling scores. The moment our dancers step onto the stage, they become fearless and extraordinary storytellers, bringing the art form into the present. For over 50 years, The Australian Ballet has inspired audiences inside the theatre and beyond to reach for their wildest dreams. As we step into 2016, I invite you to experience our full season of ballets, rich with legendary classics, fairytale comedy and explosive movement. Our year begins with the mind and bodybending transitions of our contemporary bill Vitesse, and ends with the magical family favourite Coppélia, with its life-like, mischief-making doll.
Such a diverse and challenging year can only happen with generous support. We thank our Principal Partner Telstra for their shared commitment to innovation, along with our Lead Partners Qantas and Samsung, who enable us to connect more Australians with the power of ballet. Our Government Partners help us fund our creative and artistic endeavours, while the passionate support of our many loyal donors allows us to stage extraordinary productions and keep the art form alive and relevant. Finally, I thank you – for your support and your part in the electrifying exchange between performers and audience.
Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake gives us the transformation of the fragile White Swan Odette into the fatally attractive Black Swan Odile, one of the great fables of classical ballet. George Balanchine’s elegant tutu piece Symphony in C shares the stage with a pair of world-premiere works choreographed by two of our own talented dancers.
I hope you will join us in 2016 as we set out to transform, transcend and inspire through the magic of ballet.
David McAllister AM Artistic Director
Principal Partner
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2016 SEASON
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VITESSE
“Here are rigour, purpose, choreography as hope for the future, dance as stimulus rather than sleeping pill.” –––––– FINANCIAL TIMES ON IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED
VITESSE Ballet without borders
MELBOURNE 11 MARCH – 21 MARCH Arts Centre Melbourne State Theatre
SYDNEY 26 APRIL – 16 MAY Joan Sutherland Theatre Sydney Opera House
Faster, louder, deeper – in this stirring triple bill, three of the world’s greatest contemporary choreographers take you on a visceral ride.
William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated famously exploded and extended ballet technique. Chic, sleek and dangerous, the dancers prowl the stage like panthers before hurling themselves into ultra-stretched poses, punctuated by the electronic collisions of the score.
Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV ©: Danse à Grande Vitesse takes its title and its thrilling momentum from Michael Nyman’s MGV: Musique à Grande Vitesse, composed for the inauguration of France’s fast train, TGV. With the mastery of pas de deux and pattern shown in After the Rain©, Wheeldon hurtles his dancers through a high-speed journey.
DGV© Choreography Christopher Wheeldon, Music Michael Nyman MGV: (Musique à Grande Vitesse), Costume and set design Jean-Marc Puissant, Lighting design Jennifer Tipton FORGOTTEN LAND Choreography Jiří Kylián, Music Benjamin Britten Sinfonia da Requiem, Costume and set design John F Macfarlane, Lighting design Joop Caboort
Jiří Kylián’s Forgotten Land, with its haunting seascape and swirling dresses, is like a Edvard Munch painting come to life. Set to Benjamin Britten’s powerful Sinfonia da Requiem, the fluid movement speaks of yearning, mourning and escape.
IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED Choreography William Forsythe, Music Thom Willems, Costume, set and lighting design William Forsythe Media Partner
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2016 SEASON
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SWAN LAKE
“An absolute must for any ballet fan, Swan Lake will haunt you long after you have left the theatre, in the most pleasant of ways” –––––– AUSTRALIAN STAGE ONLINE
SWAN LAKE Luminous beauty. Transcendent love.
SYDNEY 1 APRIL – 20 APRIL Joan Sutherland Theatre Sydney Opera House
ADELAIDE 26 MAY – 31 MAY Festival Theatre Adelaide Festival Centre
MELBOURNE 7 JUNE – 18 JUNE Arts Centre Melbourne State Theatre
Hugh Colman’s magnificent designs pit Edwardian splendour against the spectral beauty of the white acts. This is a timeless Swan Lake that will tingle your spine and stir your soul.
From the first yearning bars of Tchaikovsky’s score, Swan Lake beckons you to another world. With its bewitched Swan Queen, its doomed Prince, its glittering villainess and its drifts of white tutus, this is the ultimate night at the ballet.
If you enjoyed Giselle, you’ll enjoy Swan Lake.
Stephen Baynes’ traditional production, commissioned in 2012 for The Australian Ballet’s 50th anniversary, combines grand scale and psychological intimacy. His lost, forlorn Siegfried is drawn to the lake and its secret realm of mystery and enchantment, where he falls in love with the Swan Queen Odette. Tricked and betrayed by the seductive Black Swan Odile, he can redeem himself only in death.
Choreography Stephen Baynes, Music Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Costume and set design Hugh Colman, Lighting design Rachel Burke, Projections designed and directed by Domenico Bartolo (21-19)
Supporting Partner
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Media Partner
2016 SEASON
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SYMPHONY IN C
“Arms frame faces, limbs circle the body like constellations of stars around a beautiful and radiant sun.” –––––– THE AGE ON SYMPHONY IN C
SYMPHONY IN C Ballet to take your breath away SYDNEY 29 APRIL – 14 MAY Joan Sutherland Theatre Sydney Opera House
In addition, new works by Alice Topp and Richard House, company dancers whose pieces for the Bodytorque choreographic showcase have won acclaim from both audiences and critics, will stretch ballet’s dimensions in new directions.
Spins, leaps and lifts: Symphony in C is dance at its most exhilarating. This all-thrills double bill offers George Balanchine’s tutu extravaganza alongside a gala program of glittering party pieces and two new works from The Australian Ballet’s emerging choreographic stars.
Symphony in C is a sensational mélange of dance that will leave you breathless.
Regal in its black-and-white symmetry, both firecracker-fast and meltingly slow, Balanchine’s Symphony in C is a stunning tribute to the golden era of classical ballet.
SYMPHONY IN C Choreography George Balanchine© School of American Ballet, Music Georges Bizet Symphony No. 1 in C major, Costume and set design Tom Lingwood, Original lighting design William Akers
Our gala program of divertissements pulls out all the stops – a wow-worthy series of perfect moments that shows the art of the pas de deux at its most radiant.
GALA DIVERTISSEMENTS NEW WORK Choreography Alice Topp, NEW WORK Choreography Richard House
Media Partner
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2016 SEASON
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NIJINSKY
“… a stunning homage to a great experimentalist and a compelling theatrical achievement in its own right.” –––––– CHICAGO TRIBUNE
NIJINSKY
The soaring rise and tragic fall of a ballet legend MELBOURNE 7 SEPTEMBER – 17 SEPTEMBER Arts Centre Melbourne State Theatre
ADELAIDE 14 OCTOBER – 19 OCTOBER Festival Theatre Adelaide Festival Centre
Celebrity, visionary, muse: Vaslav Nijinsky changed dance forever with his explosive leap and his shockingly sensual choreography, before a dark descent into madness ended his career.
SYDNEY 11 NOVEMBER – 28 NOVEMBER Joan Sutherland Theatre Sydney Opera House
will transport you inside the mind of a genius – and to extremes of anguish and ecstasy. If you enjoyed Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, you’ll enjoy Nijinsky.
John Neumeier, one of the greatest living choreographers of the story ballet and director of the acclaimed Hamburg Ballet, charts Nijinsky’s rise and fall through the vivid memories unfolding in the dancer’s mind during his last performance in a Swiss hotel. He recalls his troubled family, his ill-starred romances and the transcendent performances that brought him fame.
Choreography John Neumeier, Music Frédéric Chopin Prelude No. 20, Robert Schumann “Carnival” Op. 26, 1st Movement, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov “Schéhérazade” Op. 35, 1st, 3rd and 4th movements, Dimitri Shostakovich Sonata for Viola and Piano Op. 147, 3rd movement “Eleventh Symphony” Op. 103, Costume, set and lighting design John Neumeier, based partly on original sketches by Léon Bakst and Alexandre Benois
The ballet is a tour de force for the whole company, but especially the male dancers, who are given the opportunity to evoke Nijinsky’s distinctive style amid sets and costumes inspired by the exotic glamour of the Ballets Russes. Both a moving tribute and a spectacular piece of theatre, Nijinsky
Supporting Partner
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Media Partner
2016 SEASON
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COPPÉLIA
“Kristian Fredrikson's costumes and sets are sumptuous, the dancing is neat and engaging, and children in particular will enjoy the story.” –––––– SUNDAY HERALD SUN
COPPÉLIA
Comedy, intrigue and fantasy made real MELBOURNE Special Melbourne Season 23 SEPTEMBER – 1 OCTOBER Palais Theatre
SYDNEY 2 DECEMBER – 21 DECEMBER Joan Sutherland Theatre Sydney Opera House
Lovingly revived by The Australian Ballet’s founding Artistic Director Peggy van Praagh and Theatre Director George Ogilvie, exquisitely dressed by master designer Kristian Fredrikson, Coppélia brims with lively dancing and 19th-century charm. Sorcery and masquerade, romance and high jinks – this is the funniest, sunniest ballet you’ll see all year.
This sparkling tale of magic and mischief romps along to Delibes’ lilting score. It’s amusing fun for the whole family – but its playful confusion of girl and doll packs a contemporary punch in the “uncanny valley” of the modern era. Swanilda and Franz are in love … until a beautiful stranger appears in town. But Dr Coppelius’ haughty daughter is not what she seems, and Swanilda must rescue Franz from the magician’s sinister doll-filled lair – with the help of some fancy footwork!
If you enjoyed The Nutcracker, you’ll enjoy Coppélia. Production devised and directed by George Ogilvie, Original choreography Arthur Sain-Lèon, revised by Marius Petipa and Enrico Cecchetti, reproduced with original choreography by Peggy van Praagh, Music Léo Delibes, Costume and set design Kristian Fredrikson, Original lighting design William Akers
Production Partner
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Media Partners
2016 SEASON
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ROMEO AND JULIET
“Rhythmic sword fights, crowd scenes that vibrate and ravishing partnering that captures the essence of the love story” –––––– DANCE AUSTRALIA
HOUSTON BALLET PRESENTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET IN
ROMEO & JULIET AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE Exclusive Melbourne Season 30 JUNE – 9 JULY Arts Centre Melbourne State Theatre
First love, age-old hate: with its primal passions and timeless themes, Romeo and Juliet has inspired ballet’s greatest choreographers. Now, for the first time, Stanton Welch brings his acclaimed production to Australia.
Houston Ballet, one of the USA’s top companies, is renowned both for its technical precision and its artistry. Welch’s emotionally charged, sensual choreography will show them at their finest. A rare opportunity to see this renowned company take on ballet’s greatest love story.
Artistic Director of Houston Ballet and Resident Choreographer of The Australian Ballet, Welch is a master of story and spectacle. His Romeo and Juliet is a traditional production to Prokofiev’s heart-rending music, with drama at its core. Its swordplay, bawdy humour, romance and tragedy unfold in a stunningly rich design inspired by Renaissance Italy.
If you loved Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère, you’ll enjoy his Romeo and Juliet. Choreography Stanton Welch, Music Sergei Prokofiev, Costume and set design Roberta Guidi di Bagno, Lighting design Lisa J Pinkham
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2016 SEASON
STEP INSIDE Join us for Behind The Scenes Events and Talks in 2016
BEHIND THE SCENES
Discover a world of pointe shoes, pirouettes and life-long passions; a world of unwavering discipline, elite training and dedication; a world of intense physical power and transformative grace. In 2016, we’re bringing you special events and talks that take you behind the curtain to meet our talented artists and rising stars.
Get an insider’s look at and exclusive access to the world of elite ballet dancers. From your theatre seat see our dancers up close, taking class on stage, followed by a rare opportunity to see the coaching session of a principal artist. In just one hour you’ll see what it really takes to prepare for a performance.
BLACK SWAN PROGRAM
ONCE UPON A TIME
Odile is the dark and bewitching mirror-image of the fragile Odette in Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake. In this fascinating 45 -minute event, learn about the villainous Black Swan and how she tempts the Prince away from his true-love vow in a thrilling pas de deux. Includes a special introduction from Artistic Staff.
Enjoy this special one-hour version of a fairytale story ballet, performed to live music and narrated by one of the characters. Perfect for children, it’s fun, interactive and will have everyone twirling for joy!
IN THE MIDDLE PROGRAM
Becoming a principal artist takes exceptional talent and years of hard work. Join Artistic Director David McAllister for an insightful conversation with one of our principal artists before the show.
McALLISTER IN CONVERSATION
Elevate your heartrate with this 45 -minute, fully staged performance of William Forsythe’s groundbreaking In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated. See the full electrifying work from start to finish (no breaks!) with costumes, lights and our dancers at the top of their technique. Includes a special introduction from artistic staff.
Step inside the ballet. You can now add these events to your 2016 Season Package and save.
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2016 SEASON
THE MUSIC OF 2016 Explore the scores and musical highlights of our season
From masters Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev to trailblazing composers Britten and Nyman, the scores of 2016 are a journey through passion and longing to levity.
SYMPHONY IN C Georges Bizet composed Symphony in C ( 1855), the inspiration for George Balanchine’s ballet of the same name, when he was only 17. It lay hidden amongst his papers in the library of the Paris Conservatoire until its discovery in 1933. Balanchine famously said that “making a ballet is a choreographer’s way of showing that he understands the music”, and his Symphony in C shows him in perfect accord with the young Bizet.
VITESSE Edgy realism simmers just below the surface of our 2016 triple bill, which opens with Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse©. The ballet is inspired by Michael Nyman’s score, MGV (Musique à Grande Vitesse), composed for the inauguration of the north European line of the French Train à Grande Vitesse, or TGV. The composer envisaged his score as a series of imaginary journeys, and its bustling vitality mimics the speed of modern travel.
ROMEO AND JULIET Composed under difficult conditions (life under Stalin and then the Nazi invasion of Russia), Prokofiev’s score for Romeo and Juliet brings to the ballet stage fully developed characters with genuine emotions. From the breezy allegro giocoso of the opening market place scene to the soaring adagio funebre of the final scene in the crypt, it is not simply a story told to music – it is a story told in music.
Jiří Kylián’s Forgotten Land is set to Benjamin Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 ( 1940). The music, which Britten dedicated to the memory of his parents, takes its inspiration from the rugged, storm-battered East Anglian coastline of Britten’s youth. In Kylián’s hands this becomes an essay on what he calls the “eternal ebb and flow of life”.
NIJINSKY The score for John Neumeier’s Nijinsky is a musical collage, framed around the two major works that dominate the two acts, respectively: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s symphonic poem Schéhérazade (movements 1, 3 and 4), and Dmitri Shostakovich’s eleventh symphony, subtitled “The Year 1905”. It also features the music of Chopin, Schumann and Shostakovich.
William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated is set to a classic piece of 1980s electronica created by the Dutch-born Thom Willems, an edgy, percussive soundscape reminiscent of the best 1980s synth rock. SWAN LAKE
COPPÉLIA
Although Tchaikovsky’s score for Swan Lake ranks as one of the milestones in the evolution of music for ballet, at the time it was found undanceable. For perhaps the first time, music led ballet, and today’s dancers relish the nuances, complexity and drama of this magnificent score.
Arguably one of the more successful 19th-century light comedy ballets, Léo Delibes’ Coppélia was the composer’s first fulllength ballet. Delibes studied under Adolphe Adam – of Giselle fame – but his witty, light score excels that of his mentor.
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2016 SEASON
OUR ARTISANS When the curtain goes up at the ballet you’re transported to another world, where bodies move with weightless grace and the wildest fables seem real. Behind that curtain there’s a hive of tireless activity, turning the everyday into the extraordinary. Our teams of artisans hand-make tutus, wigs and tiaras, hand-paint vast pieces of scenery, and create props ranging from poison bottles to puppets. Without our makers, we could not create ballet’s enchanted realms.
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2016 SEASON
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2016 SEASON
SUPPORT BALLET FOR CHILDREN This is your special opportunity to create a brand-new ballet program for children
BECOME A PART OF THE MAGIC
In 2016 The Australian Ballet will be specially creating ballet for children, based on fairytale story ballets.
Make a gift with your 2016 Season Package. We invite donors, both new and long-standing, to join us in building magical experiences and creating the next generation of audiences and artists.
AN INVITATION FROM LIBBY CHRISTIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET
Become a Fairy Godparent and align your gift with the Fairy Godparent’s Gifts from the ultimate fairytale, The Sleeping Beauty.
“As for so many of you, it was my mother who introduced me to the ballet and helped to create special lifelong memories. Now, as a new grandparent, I have the chance to give the same gift of ballet to my grandchildren at a time when their imagination is most vibrant and creative.
—— Enchantment $20,000 + —— Magic $15,000 – $19,999 —— Beauty $10,000 – $14,999
After careful review, and with the dedication and support of the Board, our company will create its first ballet production for children in 2016. I invite you to take an important role in creating unforgettable and magical experiences for children.”
—— Inspiration $5,000 – $9,999 —— Wonder $1,000 – $4,999 —— Friendship $100 – $999
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM MADELEINE EASTOE, FORMER PRINCIPAL ARTIST OF THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET
Your support will be recognised on our website, in our annual report and in our souvenir program. With your help, we can create the productions and tour them nationally, capturing children’s imaginations and inspiring their creativity. We will leave them with a memory so powerful they’ll be dancing down hallways across the country for months.
“I will never forget my first ballet at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Perth. I remember being captivated by the music and costumes, and dancing down the hallway at home after the show. The vision of The Australian Ballet for this project is not to redefine ballet, but to present the narrative beautifully, simply and in a way that will inspire children – some of whom, perhaps, will become the dancers of tomorrow.”
Kenneth Watkins Director of Philanthropy 03 9669 2780 kennethw@australianballet.com.au We celebrate the magnanimity of our donors, which inspires and encourages others to give; however, we respect your privacy. Please advise if you wish to remain anonymous. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. ABN 57 004 849 987.
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