Ballet history (modern)

[Sophoife]

As a result of the industrial relations issues at AusBallet, I looked up newspaper archives for 1981 (when the dancers struck for 26 days).

 

This has led me down a fascinating path: reading newspaper archives for stories on the company. After the 1981 strike, then-AD Marilyn Jones resigned in January 1982. Advertisements were placed by a recruitment agency in newspapers, with a closing date in May. Maina Gielgud was appointed in November 1982.

 

I've just read an interview with her from early 1983 informing the readership that Mayerling had been removed from the year's plans due to inadequate rehearsal time (one of the dancers' issues leading to the strike), which she was disappointed about because she and "Kenneth" had felt it would be a good fit on the company.

 

In those days the company used three venues in Sydney: the theatre at the Opera House which they use today, the concert hall at the Opera House (originally intended as the theatre), and the Capitol Theatre (bigger stage).

 

Forty years later and we still haven't got it.

 

SWRB toured in 1982.

 

[DD Driver]

As to the Sydney venues....

The Sydney, Ballet International Gala (BIG) event was held in Sydney yesterday.

I enjoyed the International Convention Centre (ICC) as a venue very much!

 

I particularly enjoyed Alina Cojocaru dancing the Manon bedroom Pas de Deux scene with Victor Estevez (Queensland Ballet)

and Roberto Bolle/Melissa Hamilton, Caravaggio.

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by DD Driver

[Peanut68]

1 hour ago, DD Driver said:

The Sydney, Ballet International Gala (BIG) event was held in Sydney yesterday.

Ooh….yet another event for my fantasy lottery win ballet world tour!! 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Peanut68

[Sophoife]

Where's the ICC @DD Driver?

 

I was lucky enough to see Alina Cojocaru dance Manon as a guest with AusBallet, partnered by in what turned out to be his last Des Grieux, Johan Kobborg 😍 so I can well imagine how wonderful she was.

[DD Driver]

24 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

Where's the ICC @DD Driver?

 

The Intl Convention Centre is in Darling Harbour. A very large venue but it is a wide theatre.  The  Joan Sutherland theatre in the Sydney Opera House,  is narrower and deeper so if your seat is at the back...then you are very very far from the stage.  It's hard to see IMHO.

[Sophoife]

I agree 100% about the JS Theatre, @DD Driver! How they can justify the prices they charge for the views we get I do not understand.

 

I've seen Paris Opéra Ballet's Giselle, the Murphy Swan Lake, and Wheeldon's Alice at the Capitol and would prefer it to be AusBallet's permanent Sydney home for full-length ballets.

[Benjamin]

On 27/08/2023 at 00:24, Sophoife said:

I've just read an interview with her from early 1983 informing the readership that Mayerling had been removed from the year's plans due to inadequate rehearsal time (one of the dancers' issues leading to the strike), which she was disappointed about because she and "Kenneth" had felt it would be a good fit on the company.

Unfortunate, does that mean that if they did they would have been the first company outside the Royal Ballet to have performed it? I wish they did back in the day because then other companies could have performed it too, not when those companies finally did it 20 years later. Wonder if they will do it Under David Hallberg, presumably he performed it but my memory doesn’t serve me well.

[Sophoife]

No idea sorry @Benjamin but I must say I'm pretty sure Mr Hallberg never danced Crown Prince Rudolf.

 

At this date we are told that Lady M will not allow the company to perform Mayerling as they are locked in to using the Sydney Opera House Joan Sutherland Theatre and the stage and particularly backstage space is considered too small.