Jan McNulty Posted March 27, 2017 Posted March 27, 2017 CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE ROYAL BALLET TOUR TO AUSTRALIA 2017 Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane, 29 June – 9 July Woolf Works Thursday 29 June – Sunday 2 July The Winter’s Tale Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 July The Royal Ballet tours to Australia this summer for an exclusive residency at Queensland Performing Arts Centre from Thursday 29 June to Sunday 9 July. Two award-winning productions, Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works and Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale will showcase the extraordinary breadth of the Company’s modern repertory, and the virtuosity and theatricality of its dancers. Casting for the tour includes Principals Federico Bonelli, Alexander Campbell, Lauren Cuthbertson, Francesca Hayward, Ryoichi Hirano, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera, Marianela Nuñez, Natalia Osipova, Thiago Soares, Akane Takada, Edward Watson and Zenaida Yanowsky. Alessandra Ferri and Mara Galeazzi return to dance the roles of Mrs Dalloway and Virginia Woolf in Woolf Works. Australian Company members include Principals Steven McRae and Alexander Campbell, First Artist Benjamin Ella, and Artists Harry Churches and Calvin Richardson. Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, comments 'It’s a real privilege for us to be invited to QPAC as part of the International Series which has welcomed so many wonderful companies in recent years. Everyone in the Company is very much looking forward to performing in Brisbane, especially as it is the first time we have taken these two very exciting works outside of the Royal Opera House.’ Woolf Works by Royal Ballet Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor is composed of three acts inspired by three of Virginia Woolf’s landmark novels; Mrs Dalloway, Orlandoand The Waves, as well as a selection of her autobiographical writings that echo aspects of her famously eventful life. Renowned for his ground-breaking style and cross-discipline collaborations, McGregor’s choreography reflects Woolf’s modernist rejection of neatly ordered narrative, in favour of heightened, startling and poignant perspectives. Set to an especially commissioned score by acclaimed British composer Max Richter, the ballet was McGregor’s first full-length work for The Royal Ballet and won the 2015 Critics’ Circle Award for Best Classical Choreography and the 2016 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. The Winter’s Tale by Royal Ballet Associate Artist Christopher Wheeldon was The Royal Ballet’s first three-act adaptation of William Shakespeare’s work since Kenneth MacMillan’s 1965 production of Romeo and Juliet. The story follows the destruction of a marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet, through remorse and regret, the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. Regarded as one of his finest works and with powerful designs by Bob Crowley and an original score by Joby Talbot, The Winter’s Tale was nominated for an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance and won the 2015 Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for Best Classical Choreography. The Company’s first visit to Australia took place in 1958 with a six-month tour covering Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Performances included Swan Lake and Les Sylphides with ballet luminaries, Svetlana Beriosova, Lynn Seymour and Robert Helpmann. The Company’s most recent tour was in 2002. Fifteen years on, The Royal Ballet makes a welcome return with two new masterpieces each receiving their Australian premiere. The residency also includes an extensive outreach project with community groups culminating in a public performance on Sunday 2 July. There will also be a free Royal Ballet exhibition, Made on the Body, focusing on the art of choreography and the works that comprise the lifeblood of The Royal Ballet. Photographs of the Company by Rick Guest will also be on display. Woolf Works29 June 7.30pm / 30 June 7.30pm† / 1 July 1pm & 7.30pm / 2 July 1pmThe Winter’s Tale 5 July 7.30pm / 6 July 1pm & 7.30pm / 7 July 7.30pm† / 8 July 1pm & 7.30pm / 9 July 1pm CREATIVE TEAM Woolf Works Concept, Choreography and Direction Wayne McGregor Music Max Richter Designers Wayne McGregor, Ciguë, We Not I Costume Designer Moritz Junge Lighting Designer Lucy Carter Film Designer Chris Ekers Make-up Designer Kabuki Dramaturgy Uzma Hameed CASTING Woolf Works 29 June / 30 June / Alessandra Ferri, Sarah Lamb, Natalia Osipova, 1 July (eve) Akane Takada, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Francesca Hayward, Federico Bonelli, Steven McRae Edward Watson, Gary Avis, Tristan Dyer, Paul Kay, Eric Underwood, Matthew Ball 1 July (mat) / 2 July Mara Galeazzi, Itziar Mendizabal, Olivia Cowley, Yuhui Choe, Yasmine Naghdi, Mayara Magri, Ryoichi Hirano, Alexander Campbell, Nicol Edmonds, Tomas Mock, Calvin Richardson, James Hay, David Donnelly, Benjamin Ella, Fernando Montano CREATIVE TEAM The Winter’s Tale Choreography Christopher Wheeldon Music Joby Talbot Designer Bob Crowley Lighting Designer Natasha Katz Projection Designer Daniel Brodie Silk Effects Designer Basil Twist The Winters’s Tales is a co-production with The National Ballet of Canada CASTING The Winter’s Tale 5 July / 7 July (eve) 9 July (mat) Hermione Lauren Cuthbertson Leontes Edward Watson Perdita Sarah Lamb, Florizel Steven McRae Paulina Zenaida Yanowsky Polixenes Federico Bonelli 6 July / 8 July (mat) Hermione Claire Calvert Leontes Thiago Soares Perdita Francesca Hayward Florizel James Hay Paulina Christina Arestis Polixenes Ryoichi Hirano 6 July / 8 July (eve) Hermione Marianela Nuñez Leontes Bennet Gartside Perdita Beatriz Stix-Brunell Florizel Vadim Muntagirov Paulina Laura Morera Polixenes Valeri Hristov 1
Ian Macmillan Posted March 27, 2017 Posted March 27, 2017 I don't suppose the dancers will be packing trunks to be sent by sea via Harrod's Depository weeks in advance as happened in 1958. 1
John Mallinson Posted March 27, 2017 Posted March 27, 2017 Do we know anything about other legs of the tour?
capybara Posted March 27, 2017 Posted March 27, 2017 The headline list of Principals for Australia omits Vadim Muntagirov yet he is cast as Florizel in The Winter's Tale. Probably inadvertent but poor nonetheless.
Josephine Posted June 11, 2017 Posted June 11, 2017 An updated cast list is downloadable from this page: https://www.qpac.com.au/event/rnb_woolf_works_17/ 1
nycitybird Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 Good to see that Sarah Lamb's injury wasn't too serious.
capybara Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 1 hour ago, nycitybird said: Good to see that Sarah Lamb's injury wasn't too serious. But, in the latest casting, she has been replaced as Perdita by Francesca Hayward.
Josephine Posted June 18, 2017 Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) Casting for the first two matinées of The Winter's Tale has changed again: Perdita, Florizel and Paulina are now A Takada, A Campbell and I Mendizabal for both performances. Cast information can be downloaded here: https://www.qpac.com.au/the-royal-ballet/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the-royal-ballet&utm_content=retweetsteven Edited June 18, 2017 by Josephine Wrongly spelled name
Jamesrhblack Posted June 18, 2017 Posted June 18, 2017 I like Mendizabal very much but that's a pity for Arestis who was so beautiful as Polina last time (and at relatively short notice too)...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now