West Australian Ballet unveils Season 2018

Perth Dance Company announces 2018 SeasonWest Australian Ballet (WAB) has announced its 2018 programming and promises it will be a season of creativity. It will explore the extremes of sweet life and seductive death.

 

In his sixth season, Artistic Director Aurélien Scannella has created a program exemplifying the short distance between pain and pure joy.

 

“Season 2018 will be a raw and pure experience for the audiences that will emotionally have highs and lows. It will be beautiful and honest. I’m excited for the audience to come on this artistic journey with the company,” Scannella said.

 

Season 2018 commences with Milky Way: Ballet at the Quarry. Presented as part of the Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF), the four short works will feature the world premiere of Milngia, Milky Way – River of Stars, a groundbreaking collaboration between WAB and the Gary Lang NT Dance Company. This innovative work tells the story of the coming together of two Indigenous nations through Lang’s adoptive mother. Her original Yolngu story is about two fishermen whose spirits journey from sea to sky. Traditional Indigenous music will be used in the work. It will be presented by renowned Australian Opera Singer Deborah Cheetham AO.

 

The Australian premiere of Les Indomptés, brought to Western Australia by highly acclaimed French choreographer Claude Brumachon, will follow this historic work. Les Indomptés is an energetic duo for two men requiring the dancers to rediscover their animal instincts and find ecstasy within the moment.

 

Another renowned choreographer from France will also collaborate with WAB for the first time. Patrick Delcroix has created over 25 works for 20 companies worldwide and will create a magnificent piece for this season.

 

Last but not least, WAB’s Demi-Soloist Christopher Hill will create a stunning duet for two women entitled Ghost Gum.

 

Sets for Milky Way: Ballet at the Quarry are being designed by renowned Australian artist Gav Barbey, and lighting will be designed by Melbourne-based Joseph Mercurio.

 

Following Ballet at the Quarry one of the world’s oldest surviving ballets and a cornerstone of romantic ballet, La Sylphide, will take to His Majesty’s stage. Originally performed in Copenhagen in 1836, this luminous fairytale tells the story of an impossible love between a human and a spirit, and man’s inherent temptation of the unknown.

 

The ballet will feature fantastically colorful costumes from Lexi George, and will remain true to August Bournonville’s original version under the direction of Bournonville specialist Dinna Bjørn. Bjørn will also feature in WAB’s first Vernissage event, which will allow audiences to listen and interact with the Danish director. La Sylphide will be performed with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

 

In June, the company will again host Genesis at its heritage-listed Maylands Ballet Centre. Genesis is an experimental mini-season of short works designed to show the raw and pure talent the WAB dancers possess in both dance and choreography. This popular summation of works gives a rare up-close and personal ballet experience.

 

The company’s second season at His Majesty’s Theatre will see a giant of the ballet world, choreographer Krzysztof Pastor, return to Perth to create a new world premiere, Dracula. This neoclassical adaption of Bram Stoker’s classic novel sees the title character, a lonely vampire, initiate a reign of terror in order to reunite with his lost love, Mina. Dracula will take the audience on an emotional journey illustrating the battle between darkness and love.

 

Pastor is a highly awarded choreographer, having created over 50 works worldwide while also currently holding the position of Artistic Director with the Lithuanian National Ballet and the Polish National Ballet.

 

“It’s always very exciting and special to choreograph a new work, and to work with a young, dynamic group of dancers led by their inspiring Artistic Director Aurelien Scannella,” commented Pastor, who will also feature at Vernissage.

 

Also returning to Perth for the creation of this bespoke ballet are renowned set and costume designers Phil R. Daniels and Charles Cusick Smith, who created sets and costumes for WAB’s 2016 season of The Nutcracker. Daniels and Smith will be working closely with Lighting Designer Jon Buswell. Dracula will be performed with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

 

The Christmas tradition continues in 2018 when The Nutcracker will once again delight. Performed to a sell-out audience of 21,000 in 2016, Perth will be enchanted as Clara sets out on a journey filled with colorful characters and majestic scenery. This spellbinding story has proven to enthrall audiences of all ages and create a truly magical start to the holiday season. The Nutcracker will be performed at His Majesty’s Theatre with the West Australian Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

In addition to the main-stage performance seasons, WAB aims to enrich people’s lives through dance in many ways – such as ensuring those with limited access to the arts in their community have the opportunity to experience these performances, to taking the beautiful art form to those in regional Western Australia and engaging with dance schools across the state.

 

WAB will also present a wide suite of public offerings including Vernissage, Open Fridays, Great Leaps, along with philanthropy events, education and outreach programs, and adult ballet classes for all skill levels.

 

For more information, visit www.waballet.com.au.

 

Photo courtesy of WAB.