Press Release: THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET RETURNS TO ROYAL OPERA HOUSE AFTER 35-YEAR ABSENCE

[Kanangra]

I can vouch for this performance, saw it earlier this year at the Sydney Opera House and it was absolutely brilliant! I've been a subscriber since 2009 and I think was one of the best things they've done. If you can go, you should!

[LinMM]

Yes my friend from Oz has confirmed she really enjoyed it and was impressed with the Company dancing it too. Her only gripe was that when she went with her daughter who had a friend dancing in it there was no programme so they didn’t always know what was going on and she felt she wanted more information about it all and they obviously had no cast list either so felt frustrated trying to identify certain dancers. 
It is one of those works where younger dancers can get as prominent a role as one of the Principal dancers as her daughter’s friend had only recently joined the company ( from RBS) and she was doing a pas de deux in it!! Will have to look out for her in August! 
My friend also thought the Work was good for the Company as it brought in a younger audience and she did describe the usual audience as more on the conservative side so not all were happy but generally it went down well and has been a bit of a coup for Hallberg. She can see now why the Company might be bringing it to UK as hadn’t realised how little even NDT has performed the work so it’s never been seen in London. 
Anyway it definitely looks like this is a modern Work worth giving a go even if the dancers all start singing as a choir at the end!!! 

[DD Driver]

10 minutes ago, LinMM said:

 there was no programme so they didn’t always know what was going on and she felt she wanted more information about it all and they obviously had no cast list either so felt frustrated trying to identify certain dancers.  

 

The theatre provides this info online now i.e. a synopsis and the cast list for each session.  

[Sophoife]

26 minutes ago, DD Driver said:

 

The theatre provides this info online now i.e. a synopsis and the cast list for each session.  

 

The Australian Ballet website has a "cast list" which, for Romeo and Juliet, named Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio, Paris, Lord and Lady C, the Nurse, the Friar/Prince, and we were left to work out the minor roles for ourselves.

 

For Kunstkamer it named I think three dancers. It's no longer accessible so I'm unable to check.

[Kanangra]

9 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

 

The Australian Ballet website has a "cast list" which, for Romeo and Juliet, named Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio, Paris, Lord and Lady C, the Nurse, the Friar/Prince, and we were left to work out the minor roles for ourselves.

 

For Kunstkamer it named I think three dancers. It's no longer accessible so I'm unable to check.

They do sell programmes but they don't list the cast in it. Before covid we would get a printed cast sheet for the night, however now it is accessed via a QR code and all casting is on the website. I don't think they ever list the corp though. 

[Angela]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

She can see now why the Company might be bringing it to UK as hadn’t realised how little even NDT has performed the work so it’s never been seen in London.

 

Kunstkamer was the last work that longtime dancers and house choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot (he was also director of NDT) made for NDT, it premiered in December 2019 and was supposed to go on a big farewell tour in spring/summer 2020 to Paris, London, Madrid and Baden-Baden. All these international venus were cancelled due to the pandemic, and everybody thought the huge piece was lost forever, as the new NDT director Emily Molnar made a rather clean cut. Then David Hallberg came along...  By the way, Paul Lightfoot is a British choreographer returning home with this piece.

 

If you want to listen to the music of Kunstkamer, here is the old NDT website for the piece with a Spotify preview of all music pieces - scroll to the bottom:

https://www.ndt.nl/en/agenda/kunstkamer/

 

[Bluebird]

35 minutes ago, Angela said:

 

Kunstkamer was the last work that longtime dancers and house choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot (he was also director of NDT) made for NDT, it premiered in December 2019 and was supposed to go on a big farewell tour in spring/summer 2020 to Paris, London, Madrid and Baden-Baden. All these international venus were cancelled due to the pandemic, and everybody thought the huge piece was lost forever, as the new NDT director Emily Molnar made a rather clean cut. Then David Hallberg came along...  By the way, Paul Lightfoot is a British choreographer returning home with this piece.

 

If you want to listen to the music of Kunstkamer, here is the old NDT website for the piece with a Spotify preview of all music pieces - scroll to the bottom:

https://www.ndt.nl/en/agenda/kunstkamer/

 

 

Assuming Spotify gives the music in the order used by NDT, I think the items might have been rearranged for the Australian Ballet production. Also, some pieces appear to have been changed. 

 

Before booking, some people might like to explore the music used so I've pieced together the information which was given at the end of last June's stream of the Australian Ballet production and have added extra details found on the Australian Ballet website (https://australianballet.com.au/blog/a-to-z-of-kunstkamer) and have come up with the following:

 

 If anyone who also watched the stream notices any inaccuracies in the following, I'd be grateful if they'd point them out.

 

Part One

I Archive: Purcell arr. Stokowski Dido When I am laid to earth

Film by Sol León and Rahl Rezvani

 

II  Overture: Beethoven Overture to Fidelio Sol León

 

III Near Light: Music Ólafur Arnalds  Sol León

 

IV Janis: Music Willie Mae Thornton, Janis Joplin Ball and Chain. So Sad to be alone. ,Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart  Goecke

 

V  Bartók: String Quartet no 4 Allegretto Pizzicato  Lightfoot

 

VI  Britten: Simple Symphony 2^nd movement Playful Pizzicato  Lightfoot

 

VII Beethoven: 9^th Symphony 2^nd movement molto vivace  (the Australian Ballet website wrongly gives this as The Ode to Joy) Lightfoot and Pite

 

Part Two

I  Que Te Vaya Bonito: Jose Sandoval performed by Chavela Vargas (recording)  Sol León

 

II  Forever a Second Déjà Vu:   Arvo Pärt Fratres for violin,String orchestra and percussion

Sol león 

 

III Forgiveness:  Arvo Pärt  Sol León 

 

IV Gluck:  Orfeo ed Euridice Dance of the Furies Lightfoot

 

V Poland:  Music Ólafur Arnalds  Lightfoot

 

VI Schubert Memory: Schubert Piano Sonata no 21 in B flat D960 2^nd movement andante sostenuto  Pite

 

VII Johann: Johan Strauss Jr  Goecke

 

VIII Öldurót: Music Ólafur Arnalds  Sol León

 

IX Henry: Purcell King Arthur While the cold genius arises. Goecke

 

X See See We Assemble: Purcell See See We Assemble Lightfoot

 

XI Past Present: Talbot Chacony in G minor (after Purcell) Lightfoot

 

[Sim]

Thanks so much for that, Bluebird.  I’m looking forward to listening!  

[Bluebird]

On 12/01/2023 at 09:30, Jan McNulty said:

 

I'm hoping there will be a matinee I can go to.  The school summer holidays are awkward for me with kennelling issues for my dog but I've got my fingers crossed.  Having seen the reviews from Australia, I am desperate to see it.

 

There will be a matinée on August 5.  Here are the dates and prices for the Summer Season.  I just posted them on the Summer Season thread so I hope it's OK to repeat them here:

 

https://media.wordfly.com/roh/2022-23-bp4-pricing-v2.pdf?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023_Jan_Friends_Enews_13&utm_content=version_A&emailsource=70498

[Jan McNulty]

3 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

 

There will be a matinée on August 5.  Here are the dates and prices for the Summer Season.  I just posted them on the Summer Season thread so I hope it's OK to repeat them here:

 

https://media.wordfly.com/roh/2022-23-bp4-pricing-v2.pdf?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023_Jan_Friends_Enews_13&utm_content=version_A&emailsource=70498

 

Thanks Bluebird.

[Emeralds]

5 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

 

There will be a matinée on August 5.  Here are the dates and prices for the Summer Season.  I just posted them on the Summer Season thread so I hope it's OK to repeat them here:

 

https://media.wordfly.com/roh/2022-23-bp4-pricing-v2.pdf?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023_Jan_Friends_Enews_13&utm_content=version_A&emailsource=70498

Bluebird, you’re also our resident Lilac Fairy Godmother! Thank you for the list of music and choreographers who used each piece, and for this- what a Beauty! Very handy to have all the info on one Thread. (Apologies for the Sleeping Beauty puns.....they just appeared. 😁)

[Emeralds]

Interesting that the Celebration mixed bill is on the last day and actually a matinee starting 1.30pm - wonder if that means they think it will overrun....? 😆

 

Wowzer - 5 shows of Kunstkamer. I wonder if that means we might have three casts rather than two? 

Edited January 13, 2023 by Emeralds

[Sophoife]

Unlikely to be more than two casts of Kunstkamer - there were (as far as I remember and I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong) only two casts in both Sydney and Melbourne.

[Lizbie1]

Just had an email saying Kunstkamer will be replaced by Jewels. Quite a switch!

[bridiem]

Email received from ROH:

We’re delighted to announce that The Australian Ballet will present one of George Balanchine’s most loved works, Jewels, as part of its 60th Anniversary Celebration Season at Covent Garden.

The Australian Ballet is thrilled to be able to share this much-loved work with you, which will be replacing Kunstkamer as previously advertised, when they return to Covent Garden for the first time in 35 years this August. George Balanchine’s three-act masterpiece will showcase both the classical precision and stylistic versatility of The Australian Ballet’s dancers.

[ChrisG]

Just had an email from Covent Garden to say that Australian Ballet will no longer be performing Kunstkamer and have replaced it with Balanchine's Jewels. Existing ticket holders are being offered a refund, though I certainly won't be asking for one!

[LACAD]

Well that’s disappointing.

[bridiem]

I'm very pleased by this, though it's a rather huge change (not just changing the whole work, but an entirely different kind of work!). I love Jewels, and it's the kind of work I want to see performed by a ballet company with which I am not familiar.

[Benjamin]

That’s quite shocking! They announced this on Easter Thursday to make sure not many people know about it so no wants to get a refund. I feel like George Balanchine’s ✨ JEWELS ✨ Is a better seller than 💀 Kunstkamer 💀 They performed Kunstkamer last year so they would have to re rehearse it, Where as Jewles is being performed this year. Maybe the critics in London wouldn’t like Kunstakmer, or They lost the rights or there’s still controversy around Marco Gekoe. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Benjamin
I can’t spell Jewels

[Benjamin]

The site for jewels is already up, this has been weeks in the planning…

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/jewels-by-the-australian-ballet-details 
Kunstkamer is nowhere to be found.

Maybe the board is (already) fed up with David Hallberg’s Programming.

[zxDaveM]

"delighted to announce"

"Australian Ballet is thrilled to be able to share"

 

Bah - delight and thrill isn't what I'm feeling at this cop out of an announcement

I love Jewels, but this is so disappointing, as I'd hoped to be seeing something completely new (to me). I will still go, it is Balanchine after all, but still.

[Lizbie1]

6 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

"delighted to announce"

"Australian Ballet is thrilled to be able to share"

 

Bah - delight and thrill isn't what I'm feeling at this cop out of an announcement

I love Jewels, but this is so disappointing, as I'd hoped to be seeing something completely new (to me). I will still go, it is Balanchine after all, but still.

 

That's pretty much where I am, but there are doubtless compelling reasons for the switch.

[Benjamin]

6 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

"delighted to announce"

"Australian Ballet is thrilled to be able to share"

 

Bah - delight and thrill isn't what I'm feeling at this cop out of an announcement

I love Jewels, but this is so disappointing, as I'd hoped to be seeing something completely new (to me). I will still go, it is Balanchine after all, but still.

I saw kunstakmer, Thought it was okay, especially Crystal Pite’s bit but what I will say, It was explosive, Genre pushing and Wild, Jewels is great but it isn’t any of those things.

[zxDaveM]

Must be about 4/7 now, that the RB will do Jewels this autumn....

[Dawnstar]

I'm pleased by the switch personally, as I've not seen Jewels live in full & I had no interest in seeing Kunstkamer. However I can see it's disappointing for those who have seen Jewels many times & wanted to see something new.

[Sim]

I agree.  Very disappointing indeed.   An explanation would have been very welcome. 😡

[Mary]

It is a very major change indeed!

 

However, in a way, if you want to see a new company and suss them out, it's good to see them dance a familiar work and consider their particular style and approach.

 

(To me,   the Pite  would look the same no matter who danced it.)

 

 

[BalletcoForum Moderators]

Posts have been hidden because they contains links to films that have not been posted onto the relevant site by the rights holder.

 

If in doubt please don't link to films or photographs obtained via the internet unless they have clearly been posted into the public domain by the rights holder.

[Jan McNulty]

A short film about Kunstkamer published by Australian Ballet:

 

 

IIRC, Kunstamer was supposed to be toured to Australia by Nederlands Dans Theater but the lockdown rules at the time meant that the tour was cancelled so the forward thinking Mr Hallberg gave Australians the opportunity to see it by having Australian Ballet perform it.

 

Kunstkamer was the one piece that was making me think I might brave the trains to come down to London.  I've seen and loved Jewels but this was something new and I am now quite disappointed (although at least I won't have to brave the trains).

[Benjamin]

I will say when Jewels was announced I checked the website and the tour had a new sponsor that wasn’t there before…

Maybe The Times had something to do with it… 
A bit suspicious to me.

 

[bridiem]

I hadn't registered/had forgotten the involvement of Marco Goecke. Perhaps there was a fear that that incident would be the sole focus of any pre (or indeed post) publicity? Either way, though I personally am pleased with the change I do think an explanation is owing and it's a bit (or very) disingenuous just to say 'we're delighted to announce' etc.

[serenade]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

I'm pleased by the switch personally, as I've not seen Jewels live in full & I had no interest in seeing Kunstkamer. However I can see it's disappointing for those who have seen Jewels many times & wanted to see something new.

Same here, it's very disappointing for everyone looking forward to it but am really looking forward to seeing Jewels.  I saw the Royal Ballet's cinema broadcast of it a few years ago but have yet to see it live. 

[Jeannette]

On 10/01/2023 at 12:45, Jan McNulty said:

 

Press Release   Date of issue: Tuesday 10 January 2023   THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET ANNOUNCES LONDON TOUR IN AUGUST 2023   Returning to the Royal Opera House after 35-Year Absence   2–6 August 2023 / Royal Opera House, London

  

 

 

The Australian Ballet today announced that the company will tour to the Royal Opera House in London in August 2023 as part of its 60^th anniversary celebrations. 

 

The 2023 London Tour will be the first international tour for The Australian Ballet under the leadership of Artistic Director David Hallberg and will see the company perform Kunstkamer - one of the most ambitious contemporary dance productions ever to appear as part of its repertoire. Complementing Kunstkamer will be a one performance only 60^thAnniversary Celebration showcasing The Australian Ballet in some of its signature repertoire.

 

The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David Hallberg said: “As celebrations for our 60th anniversary get underway and we set our sights on the next decade, we look forward to bringing The Australian Ballet back to our audiences in the United Kingdom (UK) and internationally.”

 

“The Royal Opera House was a special place for me during my career as a dancer and I am so excited to bring The Australian Ballet back to this storied theatre after an absence of 35 years, reinforcing the company’s reputation for excellence on the world stage.”

 

The rich tradition of The Australian Ballet performing in the UK began in 1965, with subsequent tours in 1973, 1976, 1988, 1992, 2005, 2008 and 2016.

 

Embarking on the international tour is set to involve a touring party of up to 100 people, including dancers, musicians, wardrobe, medical, technical, production and support staff, along with 3 shipping containers filled with staging and hundreds of costume items.

 

Federal Arts Minister The Hon. Tony Burke said: “As Australia’s national ballet company, The Australian Ballet has a long history of international touring that has taken the company to 37 countries and 88 cities since it was founded in 1962. This tour to London once again presents opportunities to showcase The Australian Ballet’s position as a great cultural ambassador for Australia, highlighting the skill and talent of Australian artists and creative talent.”

 

The London tour will be supported by The Australian Ballet’s Principal Partner Telstra, Official Airline Partner Qantas and Media Partner Times Media Limited.

 

Created for the pioneering dance company Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) in celebration of its 60th anniversary, The Australian Ballet become the first company outside of NDT to perform Kunstkamer in April 2022 with the company’s performances receiving critical acclaim and standing ovations in Sydney and Melbourne.

 

“Kunstkamer showcases the rich diversity of the dancers of The Australian Ballet, while also highlighting the groundbreaking work of four of the most sought-after choreographers working today - Sol León, Paul Lightfoot, Crystal Pite and Marco Goecke,” Hallberg said. 

 

The Australian Ballet – 2023 London Tour

2 – 6 August 2023
Ticketing information will be released in the coming months 

 

ABOUT KUNSTKAMER

Kunstkamer, which translates from the Dutch as ‘chamber of art’ or ‘art cabinet’, draws inspiration from The Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, a 1734 book in four volumes by Dutch pharmacist, zoologist and collector Albertus Seba. At the intersection of science and art, a cabinet of curiosities brings together fascinating objects from around the world, displaying seemingly disparate items in ways that give them new meaning.

 

The result is a two-act contemporary ballet comprising many short movements, woven elegantly together with key dance motifs and recurring characters. This artfully arranged selection of pieces wittily interrogates the possibilities of dance, from the most poetic pas de deux to the mesmerising, intricately choreographed group scenes, involving the entire company of dancers.

 

An eclectic musical roster includes a mix of live orchestral pieces, recorded songs, and works played at an old upright piano stationed onstage alongside the dancers. 

 

Kunstkamer features music by Beethoven, Janis Joplin, Schubert, Arvo Pärt, Joby Talbot and Ólafur Arnalds, among others. Set design by Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot places the action within a vast space enclosed by grand neoclassical-style facades, with dancers entering and exiting through many different doors on two levels. Elements of song, film, and spoken word add further texture to the world of curiosities created in this mysterious hall.

 

PRODUCTION CREDITS

 

Choreography: Sol León, Paul Lightfoot, Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke

 

Composers: Ólafur Arnalds, Béla Bertók, Ludwig van Beethoven, Benjamin Britten, Christoph W Gluck, Lorenz Hart, Janis Joplin, Arvo Pärt, Henry Purcell, Richard Rodgers, Jose Sandoval, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss Jr., Joby Talbot, Willie Mae Thornton

 

Costume design: Joke Visser, Hermien Hollander

 

Original lighting design Tom Bevoort, Udo Haberland, Tom Visser

 

Set Design: Sol León and Paul Lightfoot

Film concept, direction and choreography: Sol León

Filmed and edited by Rahi Rezvani

 

World Première 3 October 2019, Zuiderstrandtheater, The Hague, the Netherlands

Australian Premiere 29 April 2022, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney

Glad that they’re touring. Yet - No classics…no Harlequinade? I would’ve traveled for that or for Ratmansky’s Scuola di Ballo (to Boccherini…based on the comedic 1930s Massine-Ballet Russe work).