Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and Royal Ballet principals as they discuss the storyline, characters, and choreographer for their production of The Winter's Tale. 

The Winter's Tale: Introduction

Yorke Dance Project's made-for-film production of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Sea of Troubles breathes new life into an acclaimed classic. 

In 1988, MacMillan captivated audiences with his emotionally charged interpretation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. In 2017, Yorke Dance Project revived the work, creating an atmospheric film adaptation that tastefully enhances MacMillan's vision of Hamlet's turbulent world. 

Directed by the documentary director David Stewart (Horizon), this visually stunning production brings MacMillan's original choreography and costumes to the grounds of the moody Hatfield House, an English country estate built in 1611. MacMillan's achingly beautiful dance sequences have a newfound depth as Shakespeare's beloved characters move through the damp halls and misty gardens of the impressive estate.  

Yorke Dance Project's stunning made-for-film production of Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Sea of Troubles.

Sea of Troubles

Set outside of place and time, Graeme Murphy’s Romeo & Juliet is a transcendent ode to the timeless love story. 

Spanning multiple locations, vividly realized by set designer Gerard Manion and fashion designer Akira Isogawa, this striking ballet centers on the universal tale of love overcoming adversity. 

With nuanced performances from principal dancers Madeline Eastoe and Kevin Jackson, this unique take on the classic love story was filmed at the Sydney Opera House.

Graeme Murphy reimagines Romeo and Juliet for a striking ballet filmed at the Sydney Opera House.

Romeo and Juliet

The Dream is Frederic Ashton’s adaptation of Shakespeare‘s riotous comedy in which a forest sprite plays havoc, armed with a love potion.

The Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty stars Marianela Nuñez as Princess Aurora and Vadim Muntagirov as her Prince Florimund.

The Dream

A vast and ambitious project, Midsummer Night’s dream is danced by the Royal Swedish Ballet and set to a music by Mikael Karlsson. Swedish star pop singer Anna von Hausswolff sings through this great production, evidently one of a kind.

The Royal Swedish Ballet presents a contemporary Midsummer Night’s Dream, starring Swedish pop star Anna von Hausswolff.

Midsummer Night's Dream

Shakespeare’s great romance gets a magical reimagining through the power of dance with Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale. 

Released to widespread critical acclaim, the Royal Ballet’s 2014 production is a masterful, modern narrative ballet which includes powerful designs by Bob Crowley and music by Joby Talbot. 

Now widely considered a modern classic, the ballet follows the destruction of a marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet, through remorse and regret – and after a seemingly miraculous return to life – the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Christopher Wheeldon’s critically-acclaimed production of The Winter’s Tale for the Royal Ballet.

The Winter's Tale

The Australian Ballet presents La Sylphide, in a production by Erik Bruhn after August Bournonville’s nineteenth-century original. A ballet in two acts, La Sylphide tells the tale of the Scottish dreamer James, who is fascinated by a woodland sprite and spurns his fiancée to follow her. Intent on capturing the ethereal beauty for his own, he accepts the help of the vengeful witch Madge, who leads him to his downfall.

The Australian Ballet presents La Sylphide, in a production by Erik Bruhn after August Bournonville’s nineteenth-century original.

La Sylphide

The 2016 production of Frederick Ashton’s final works, Rhapsody, features ballet stars Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae. 

Filmed at London’s Royal Opera House, Rhapsody has long been a favorite for ballet fans. First created in 1980 at the request of Mikhail Baryshnikov, the ballet is set to Sergey Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. 

The male Principal’s role is characterized by exceptionally fluent leaps, turns and lightness of movement, inspired by Baryshnikov himself. It is twinned with the strength and grace of the ballerina, a role created for the pure, fleet-footed style of former Royal Ballet Principal Lesley Collier. The first performance of Rhapsody was given in honor of The Queen Mother’s 80th birthday in 1980.

Experience the 2016 production of Frederick Ashton’s Rhapsody, filmed at the Royal Opera House and starring Natalia Osipova.

Rhapsody

Widely lauded by critics, choreographer Jonathan Watkins 1984 is an awe-inspiring retelling of George Orwells masterpiece. Winston Smith lives in a world of absolute conformity, his every action scrutinized by Big Brother. However, when Winston meets Julia, he dares to rebel by falling in love. Danced by Northern Ballet the UKs foremost narrative ballet company to a score by Tony-nominated composer Alex Baranowski, this thoroughly modern take on 1984 will change the way you think about ballet. Batley [Winston Smith] and Leebolt [Julia] are excellent, their bodies as vividly present as their faces are haunted. At the chilling end, we realise not only how intently we have been watching, but also that we too may be watched. (Sanjoy Roy, The Guardian) ""This is gripping storytelling"" (The Stage) ""..an ambitious, compelling and, ultimately, moving new ballet. Even more powerful are the intimate duets for Winston and Julia, verboten lovers who are dancing on a metaphorical razor's edge. Thinking themselves free of the gaze of Big Brother, they give themselves to each other with a genuinely moving passion, which is danced gorgeously by Tobias Batley and Martha Leebolt"" (The Daily Telegraph)

Jonathan Watkins 1984 is an awe-inspiring retelling of George Orwells masterpiece

1984

With choreography by legendary French dancer and ballet master, Marius Petipa, Paquita is a wonderful display of triumphant leaps, intricate footwork and movement at its best. 

Originally choreographed for the Paris Opéra Ballet in 1846 by Joseph Mazilier, the story centers on a Spanish gypsy named Paquita, who saves the life of Lucien, a French aristocrat. When she discovers that she is herself of noble blood, they marry in a big celebration.

This performance acts as a sparkling showcase for the Australian Ballet.

The Australian Ballet presents Paquita, the exuberant ballet featuring choreography by legend Mairus Petipa.

Paquita

Wayne McGregor’s Dyad 1929, made for The Australian Ballet and featuring an electrifying score by Steve Reich, tests the limits of classical movement in a laboratory-white set.

Hailed by critics as a “total work of art”, this unmissable ballet stars promising young dancers like Adam Bull and Amber Scott.

Wayne McGregor choreographed and created Dyad 1929 for the Australian Ballet.

Dyad 1929

The Royal Ballet’s In Her Hands is part of Marquee TV’s free Summer Shorts series, shining light on new and alternative productions, plus hidden gems. 

Starring Natalia Osipova, the production is set in Paris, 1892, and is inspired by the life and work of French sculptors Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin. 

Set to the haunting melody of Fauré’s Elegie in C Minor Op24, the production includes choreography by the Royal Ballet’s Valentina Zucchetti.

The Royal Ballet’s In Her Hands stars Natalia Osipova and reflects on the relationship between French sculptors, Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin.

In Her Hands

The Merry Widow ballet is an adaptation of Franz Lehár's romantic operetta The Merry Widow. Originally commissioned by The Australian Ballet and premiering in November 1975

The Merry Widow ballet is an adaptation of Franz Lehár's romantic operetta The Merry Widow.

Merry Widow

Mayerling is a ballet choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan to the music of Franz Liszt. 

Dealing with dangerous desires, family secrets and political intrigue, the story was inspired by true life events. More specifically, the sexual and morbid obsessions of Crown Prince Rudolf leading to the murder-suicide scandal with his mistress Mary Vetsera.
Set against the backdrop of the oppressive but glamorous Austro-Hungarian court in the 1880s, this production is a masterclass in storytelling through dance.

Mayerling, choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan to the music of Liszt, is inspired by a true story of sex, obsession and tragedy.

Mayerling

The romantic ballet by Coralli and Perrot returns in the revival of Yvette Chauviré

Giselle

Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland burst onto the stage in 2011 in an explosion of color, stage magic and inventive, sophisticated choreography. Joby Talbot’s score combines contemporary soundworlds with sweeping melodies that gesture to ballet scores of the 19th century. Bob Crowley’s wildly imaginative, eye-popping designs draw on everything from puppetry to projections to make Wonderland wonderfully real. 

Alice encounters a cast of extraordinary and instantly recognizable characters, from the highly strung Queen of Hearts – who performs a hilarious send-up of The Sleeping Beauty’s famous Rose Adage – to a playing card corps de ballet, a sinuous caterpillar and a tap-dancing Mad Hatter. But the ballet does not avoid the darker undercurrents of Lewis Carroll’s story: a nightmarish kitchen, an eerily disembodied Cheshire Cat and the unhinged tea party are all here in vivid detail. The delicious result shows The Royal Ballet at its best, bringing together world-class dance with enchanting family entertainment.


Fall down the rabbit hole with the Royal Ballet's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Symphonic Variations was Frederic Ashton’s first work after World War II, and one of the Company’s first to be performed on the huge main stage of the Royal Opera House, in 1946. With six dancers performing a series of quartets, duets, sextets and solos to Franck’s brooding Variations symphoniques, this seminal masterpiece celebrates the pure beauty of movement.

Ashton celebrates movement with six dancers in a series of quartets, duets, sextets and solos to Franck’s brooding Variations symphoniques.

Symphonic Variations

A hundred years later, the Lilac Fairy shows Prince Désiré the sleeping Princess in a vision. He falls in love and sets out to find her. When he kisses her, the spell is broken and she awakes. She chooses him as her husband, and they celebrate their marriage with a lavish masked ball.

In Sleeping Beauty, the Prince kisses Princess Aurora, her spell is broken and she awakes and they celebrate their marriage with a masked ball.

Sleeping Beauty

A sparkling tale of magic and mischief, Coppélia has everything a good story ballet should: a touch of enchantment, a dash of romance and masses of sumptuous costumes.
Swanilda and her merry boyfriend Franz live in a village with Dr Coppelius, a sinister magician and inventor who has created a beautiful doll that he sits on his balcony. One day Franz sees the doll, Coppélia, and becomes infatuated with her. Swanilda and her friends decide to explore Dr Coppelius’ house while he is out to see who the mysterious woman is, but he returns suddenly and Swanilda hides – pretending to be Coppélia. At the same time, the love struck Franz finds a ladder and climbs into Dr Coppelius’ house, so Coppelius, who plans to steal his life force to animate his doll, pours him a drink with a sleeping draught in it. When Franz passes out, Coppelius brings out Coppélia so Swanilda pretends to be a doll coming to life. Coppelius is delighted – until Swanilda manages to wake Franz and they escape from the house and are married, sealing their love with a tender pas de deux.
Sorcery and masquerade, romance and high jinks – this is the funniest, sunniest ballet you’ll see all year.

A sparkling tale of magic and mischief, Coppélia has everything a ballet should: a touch of enchantment, a dash of romance and sumptuous costumes.

Coppélia

The story takes place in Naples where Pulcinella is a local rogue with an eye for the girls. Rosetta, Isabella and Prudenza are infatuated with him, much to the irritation of their boyfriends and Pulcinella's wife, Pimpinella. One night, the boyfriends lie in wait for Pulcinella and beat him soundly. To escape, Pulcinella falls down 'dead' and the men sneak guiltily away, leaving the 'corpse' to be discovered by their girlfriends. Meanwhile, Pimpinella, having caught Pulcinella flirting once too often, persuades her friends to disguise themselves as Pulcinella and pester the girls, to teach them a lesson. When the girls and their boyfriends see the fake Pulcinellas, they are convinced they are seeing ghosts. Pimpinella arrives, the fake Pulcinellas reveal themselves, and the real Pulcinella re-appears. The lovers ask forgiveness, and everyone celebrates.

The story takes place in Naples where Pulcinella is a local rogue with an eye for the girls.

Pulcinella

Recommendations

Although largely humorous with a healthy sense of irony, the ballet tackles a fundamentally serious theme: the search for one’s better half. In a world where authenticity is eroded by convention, finding the perfect partner is no small feat, and Shakespeare’s play remains as relevant as ever. Rejecting male dominance within the couple unit, Jean-Christophe Maillot chose to focus on what’s vital in a romantic relationship.

Although largely humorous with a healthy sense of irony, the ballet tackles a fundamentally serious theme: the search for one’s better half.

Taming of the Shrew

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