Melbourne City Ballet unveils 2019 Season

2019 Company SeasonArtistic Director Michael Pappalardo has now announced Melbourne City Ballet’s sixth season. 2019 will bring “A Touch of Magic” – featuring some of the company’s most popular repertoire, two new ballets for the organisation, an international tour and its largest national tour to date.

 

Pappalardo’s vision for the year is to bring magic to the stage, fill audiences with joy and showcase classical dance to the far reaches of Australia.

 

“2019 is set to be MCB’s biggest year. My aim was to add a touch of magic to each season, inspire young dancers and entertain audiences both across the country and internationally,” Pappalardo said.

 

Beginning the year with a new collaboration between Pappalardo and Artistic Associate Brendan Bradshaw, Alice in Wonderland will tour nationally to over 40 locations and for the first time will take MCB across the Tasman touring to 15 locations in New Zealand. From Darwin to Dunedin this will be the company’s longest tour and is sure to become another favourite ballet across the country and with our audiences. 

 

Melbourne City Ballet will then click its heels together again with its critically acclaimed production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After its sold-out season in 2017 this classical favourite will tour NSW, VIC and Queensland in 2019. The company’s largest touring production to date, this ballet features extravagant costumes and sets and will take audiences on a classical journey down the yellow brick road. 

 

A bold new production will grace the stage for MCB’s third program. Pappalardo takes on another Shakespearean classic with Taming of the Shrew. Inspired by the movement of the times his interpretation is set in the 1930’s. This classical fusion with a new score and live band will be an exciting, fresh work for the company and is not to be missed. 

 

Now an annual event, MCB’s The Nutcracker will enjoy its third year. However, it will not only tour suburban Melbourne in 2019, but also across Tasmania. From 2019 this annual production will also be accompanied by a live orchestra in Melbourne venues. 

 

“MCB continues to grow and adding an orchestra to The Nutcracker production for Melbourne was a natural progression. Having a live band for Taming of the Shrew and an orchestra for The Nutcracker are just the first steps. I envisage that all our Melbourne performances in the near future will feature live music,” Pappalardo explained. 

 

The company will continue its focus on bringing ballet to the community in 2019. Continuing to deliver its extensive community participation and workshop programs, young dancers across the county will be invited to audition for roles in Alice in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Nutcracker

 

With the continued growth of the organisation’s touring network, new partnerships, larger community engagement, extensive outreach and a commitment to building on classical art, MCB is set to launch into another exciting year in 2019. 

 

See the full Season 2019 schedule below. Visit www.MelbourneCityBallet.com.au for more information.

 

SEASON 2019

 

Alice in Wonderland New Zealand Tour


  •  Turner Centre, Kerikeri, 27 March
  •  Forum North, Whangarei, 28 March
  •  The Pump House, Takapuna, 29 March
  •  Raye Freedman Arts Centre, Auckland, 30 March 
  •  The Plaza, Putarura, 31 March 
  •  Napier Municipal Theatre, Napier, 1 April
  •  The Gisborne War Memorial Theatre, Gisborne, 3 April 
  •  Royal Wanganui Opera House, Wanganui, 5 April
  • Carterton Events Centre, Carterton, 6 April
  • Hannah Playhouse, Wellington, 7 & 10 April
  • Whirinaki Arts and Entertainment Centre, Upper Hutt, 11 April
  • Regent Theatre, Dunedin, 12 April
  • Invercargill Civic Theatre, Invercargill, 13 April
  • Queenstown Memorial Centre, Queenstown, 14 April

 

 

Alice in Wonderland National Tour

 

  • Clock Tower, Moonee Ponds, 15 – 17 March
  • Redcliffe Cultural Centre, Redcliffe, 27 April
  • Byron Community Centre, Byron Bay, 28 April
  • Ipswich Civic Centre, Ipswich, 30 April
  • Gladstone Entertainment and Convention Centre, Gladstone, 2 May
  • Capella Cultural Centre, Capella, 3 May
  • Burdekin Theatre, Ayr, 5 May
  • The World Theatre, Charters Towers, 11 May
  • Broken Hill Entertainment Centre, Broken Hill, 23 May
  • Morundah Theatre,  Morundah, 25 May
  • Potato Shed, Drysdale, 31 May
  • La Trobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon, 1 June
  • The Wedge, Sale, 2 June
  • Cardinia Cultural Centre, Date TBA
  • Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, Wangaratta, 8 June
  • TAS Hoskins, Armidale, 28 June
  • Roxy Theatre, Bingara, 29 June
  • Civic Hall, Gunnedah, 6 July
  • The Capitol Theatre, Tamworth, 7 July
  • The Crossing Theatre, Narrabri, 10 July
  • Inverell Town Hall, Inverell, 11 July
  • School of Arts, Tenterfield, 12 July
  • The Chapel Theatre, Glen Innes, 13 July
  • Jette Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour, 14 July
  • Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Blue Mountains, 19 July
  • Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, 20 July
  • Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin, 1 August
  • Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Cultural Centre, Katherine, 2 August
  • Desert Harmony Festival, Tennant Creek, 4 August

 

Taming of the Shrew

 

  • Clock Tower, 30 August – 1 September

 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

 

  • Laycock Theatre, Gosford, 4 October
  • Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, 5 October
  • TBA, Sydney, 6 October
  • Chaffey Theatre, Renmark, 9 October
  • Middleback Theatre, Whyalla, 10 October
  • Northern Festival Centre, Port Pirie, 11 October
  • Robert Helpmann, Mount Gambier, 13 October
  • Redcliffe Cultural Centre, Redcliffe, 19 October
  • Civic Theatre, Townsville, 23 October

 

The Nutcracker

 

  • Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston, TBC
  • Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong, 12 December
  • Darebin Arts Centre, Melbourne, 13 – 15 December
  • Burnie Arts and Function Centre, Burnie, 18 December
  • Devonport Entertainment Centre, Devonport, 19 December 
  • Theatre North, Launceston, 20 December
  • Theatre Royal, Hobart, 22 December