School of Arts Theatre, Townsville, July 24. I WAS much taken by the concept for Abandon. The word can mean to cut loose in a negative sense, to rid oneself of something or someone; or it can mean a surrender to ecstatic states. Dancenorth’s website promised heightened emotions – euphoria, jealousy, fury, madness and so…
Lucy Green, RNZB, in profile
WHEN Lucy Green stepped on to the stage at Wellington’s St James Theatre on July 21 it was in front of the toughest crowd imaginable. Dancers from every era of Royal New Zealand Ballet’s history were in town for the company’s 60th anniversary celebrations and they’d come en masse to a special matinee performance of…
Swan Lake, RNZB, change of cast
St James Theatre, Wellington, July 19 A SECOND viewing of Russell Kerr’s Swan Lake for Royal New Zealand Ballet introduced two new young leads and further illuminated its strengths and a few weaknesses. Last night the mature, high-octane opening night pairing of Gillian Murphy and Pacific Northwest Ballet guest Karel Cruz gave way to the…
Swan Lake, Royal New Zealand Ballet
St James Theatre, Wellington, July 18 TO mark its 60th anniversary – the first public performance was on June 30, 1953 – Royal New Zealand Ballet is offering graceful tribute to its oldest surviving former artistic director, Russell Kerr, by reviving the Swan Lake he made for the company in 1996. (Company founder Poul Gnatt…
Aurelien Scannella, West Australian Ballet
Aurielen Scannella was announced as West Australian Ballet’s artistic director in August of last year and took up his post in Perth at the beginning of 2013. He succeeded Ivan Cavallari, who is now artistic director of Ballet du Rhin in France. Born in Belgium, Scannella has been a dancer, ballet master and rehearsal director…
Michael Griffiths; Bernadette Robinson
Michael Griffiths, Sweet Dreams: songs by Annie Lennox. Slide Lounge, Sydney, June 1. Bernadette Robinson, Slide Lounge, June 4. HOW many times have you said how much you love a particular artist, but in reality you’ve stopped listening? Not stopped hearing, but stopped listening. Much of the time perhaps. The music does its job of…
Horrible Histories; Random Musical
Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians; Random Musical, Sydney Opera House, July 4. CHILDREN’S theatre is usually expected to have some educational value. Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians certainly had that for me. Before yesterday I had never heard of Horrible Histories! I was a complete and utter novice among the eager group of initiates crowding out the…
Li Cunxin and Queensland Ballet, one year on
LI Cunxin arrived at Queensland Ballet as artistic director-designate on July 16, 2012. He took full control of the company’s reins this year and has made significant changes already with more in store. When I was in Brisbane to review QB’s Giselle, which closes this weekend, I took the opportunity to talk to Li about…
Go Your Own Way, the Story of Christine McVie
Slide Lounge, June 27. TOMORROW – June 29 – Fleetwood Mac will be performing in Spokane, Washington, as part of its 2013 Live tour, a huge international event lasting eight months. Singer-songwriter Christine McVie won’t be there, just as she won’t be in Australia when the band spends the best part of a month here…
Ballet Revolucion
State Theatre, Sydney, June 25. IT’S not revolutionary and it’s most certainly not ballet, even though there is some pointe work and many of the dancers in Ballet Revolucion were classically trained in Cuba. This means they were very well trained indeed, as is evident when impressive pirouettes and jetes make a break for it…
deborah jones: FollowSpot 