The Australian Ballet’s 2024 Season
David Hallberg’s fourth season with The Australian Ballet has been curated with artistic wisdom and integrity. It is fueled by an instinct for evolution that will continue to bring out the best of Australian Ballet’s artists, and create awe-inspiring experiences that will move you beyond words. The 2024 season is full of classical masterpieces and pioneering world premieres, showcasing a company that is breaking new ground and soaring to new heights, driven by a passion for collaboration, connection and creativity.
Beginning the season with a bang, is Johan Inger’s award-winning production of Carmen. Created in 2015, Inger’s contemporary retelling of Prosper Mérimée’s 1845 novella is a darkly compelling story of the dangerously seductive Carmen, whose love affair with Don José ends in brutal tragedy. Broadening its gaze beyond its fiery heroine, Inger’s Carmen is seen through the eyes of a boy bewildered by the ugly manifestations of machismo.
Using Georges Bizet’s famous score, Inger has reimagined the classic opera, transporting it to dance in a fascinating production. Including sublime passages for soloists and duos and ensemble sequences of consummate virtuosity, Carmen brings you the heat of southern Spain in a powerfully unique production. Carmen runs 10-27 April, 2024 at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.
Enjoy a double bill of classical and contemporary works with Études / Circle Electric, running 3-18 May, 2024 in Sydney and 2-9 October, 2024 in Melbourne. In an entrancing double bill that encompasses varying styles of dance, The Australian Ballet is delighted to be presenting Études, a beloved classic that shows you the complexity of ballet technique, alongside a spectacular new contemporary commission, Circle Electric by Stephanie Lake. These two works demonstrate the preparation and dedication of ballet dancers as they advance from the studio to the stage in a thrilling display of talent and emotion.
Two monumental creative forces collide in the world premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Oscar©, a full-length production commissioned exclusively for The Australian Ballet. Known for his innovative, rich and awe-inspiring productions, Wheeldon returns to the company with the fascinating story of history’s famous humourist, Oscar Wilde.
Weaving the playwright’s personal experiences through his beloved stories and characters, Wheeldon brings Wilde’s biting wit and flamboyant style to the stage in a powerful production.
The Australian Ballet last collaborated with Wheeldon on his award-winning musical, An American in Paris. His unique choreography makes him one of the most sought-after and highly regarded choreographers of his generation. Wheeldon will be joined by composer, Joby Talbot who wrote the score for Wheeldon’s smash hit ballet, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland©, and set and costume designer Jean-Marc Puissant.
This story of an infamous dandy and his tales will be a sensational addition to our repertoire. Oscar© will run 13-24 September, 2024 in Melbourne and 8-23 November, 2024 in Sydney.
The enchanting Christmas tale, The Nutcracker, closes out the season from 30 November – 18 December, 2024 at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.
Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker is a magical production of the beloved festive ballet that remains faithful to the 19th-century original and will fill you with the Christmas spirit. Tchaikovsky’s last ballet score, with its famous motifs and melodies, draws us into the story of Clara, a young ballet student celebrating with her family on Christmas Eve. When the clock strikes twelve, we enter the dream realm, where Clara’s Nutcracker doll comes to life, taking her on a thrilling adventure where she encounters the Rat King before being whisked away to the Land of Sweets and into the arms of her Nutcracker Prince.
Veteran designer John F. Macfarlane exquisitely evokes the world of this picture-perfect ballet: whirling snowflakes, crackling fires, band-box soldiers, a Christmas tree that grows until it brushes the ceiling and a Sugar Plum Fairy in luscious candy-floss pink.
Also included in the 2024 Season are Christopher Wheeldon’s extravagant Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (20 February – 5 March in Sydney and 15-26 March in Melbourne), and George Balanchine’s Jewels (12-18 July, 2024 in Adelaide).
To learn more about The Australian Ballet’s 2024 Season, including information on tickets and packages, click here.