Australian Ballet 2001-02 Season

Azlan · **Posted:** Sat Sep 01, 2001 10:53 am

<fontsize=1>David McAllister, new AD</fontsize>David McAllister takes charge: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Ballet changes from head to toeROBIN USHER, The AgeDavid McAllister starts his term as director of the Australian Ballet with big plans for a company happy to have him as its head.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><a href=http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/08/30/FFXNEPKQYQC.html target=_blank>More</a>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited September 01, 2001).]

Azlan · **Posted:** Sat Sep 01, 2001 10:55 am

Other threads on AB:<a href=../../../ubb/Forum4/HTML/000955.html target=_blank>Australian Ballet - Summer 2001</a><a href=../../../ubb/Forum4/HTML/000621.html target=_blank>New Australian Ballet Site</a><a href=../../../ubb/Forum4/HTML/000448.html target=_blank>Australian Ballet</a><a href=../../../ubb/Forum4/HTML/000428.html target=_blank>Justine Summers retires from Australian Ballet</a>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2001 4:20 pm

Two stories about Australian Ballet's new season:Beyond forty, life begins anew By VALERIE LAWSON in The Age <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Yesterday, at the launch of its 2002 season, the AB unveiled another Swan Lake, one to mark the 40th anniversary of the company which is about to embark on a year-long, sentimental journey celebrating its past. At the Melbourne launch, the AB's artistic director, David McAllister, announced the promotion of Lucinda Dunn and Robert Curran as principals of the company. Adrian Burnett and Simone Goldsmith were promoted to senior artists, Matthew Lawrence promoted from coryphee to solo artist, and Annabel Bronner Reid was promoted from the corps de ballet to coryphee.The new Swan Lake, choreographed by Graeme Murphy, is based on a concept by Murphy, Janet Vernon, and designer Kristian Fredrikson, with whom Murphy devised another great Tchaikovsky ballet, Nutcracker.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/09/11/FFXN2LXKGRC.html" TARGET=_blank>more...</A>*****************************************On pointe of turning 40, the Australian Ballet's on its toes By ROBIN USHER in The Age Lucinda Dunn could not contain the tears. She has just reached the pinnacle of her career as a ballerina and the emotion spilt over.She flung herself into a huge hug with fellow dancer Robert Curran and Australian Ballet director David McAllister after he had just promoted both to the rank of principal.The surprise announcement came at the end of the launch of the 2002 program, which will take the company to every capital to mark its 40th anniversary.<A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/09/11/FFXPC3O5FRC.html" TARGET=_blank>more...</A>***********************************And an article about the Australian Ballet School's pre-professional touring CompanyLeap of faith By KATE NANCARROW in The AgeThis month-long tour -16 performances in three states - is the beginning of the young dancers' professional lives. As the regional touring arm of the Australian Ballet, the Dancers Company is made up of graduating students of the the Australian Ballet School who, for the tour's duration, are paid as professionals.The company was formed 21 years ago to give the students a taste of the highs and lows of a professional ballet life and, according to former ballet star and company founder Marilyn Rowe, it is unique in the ballet world. <A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/09/10/FFXYMIO5FRC.html" TARGET=_blank>more...</A>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2001 3:12 am

Giselle: five into one does go By VALERIE LAWSON in The Age <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Take the angst of Hamlet, the fragility of Ophelia, the spirit of Juliet, and mix in the mad scene of Lucia di Lammermoor, and you have the essence of Giselle.Each ballerina who dances Giselle is true to the text, but she must find her own way into the soul of the girl who falls in love, is betrayed, goes crazy, dies, and returns as a spirit, saving her lover from death.During the Australian Ballet's Melbourne season, which begins tonight, audiences will see five interpretations of the part first danced 160 years ago in Paris by Carlotta Grisi.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/09/14/FFXFPA9VKRC.html" TARGET=_blank>more...</A>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sun Sep 16, 2001 11:21 pm

The devil is in the detail HILARY CRAMPTON in The Age reviews 'Giselle' <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>In the title role, Miranda Coney delivered a technically assured performance, carefully maintaining the softly rounded arms and fluid poise of the romantic style, restraining her natural exuberant vivacity in favor of a demure innocence in Act I. She achieves the appropriate unearthly quality in Act II through downcast eyes and the glazed gaze that looks through rather than at the grieving Prince Albrecht. While she accomplished the melting pas de deux with ease, wayward hands that fluttered distractingly marred the mature serenity that Giselle's redeeming love requires.As the philandering Prince Albrecht, Campbell McKenzie struggles with some technical aspects. He can jump well enough, but his landings are heavy, lacking the requisite easy ballon. His manner, however, is boyishly attractive and he demonstrates thoughtful partnering in van Praagh's interpolated Act I pas de deux. He is technically more successful in Act II when Albrecht is compelled to dance to the point of exhaustion.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/09/17/FFXW23CQNRC.html" TARGET=_blank>more...</A>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sun Nov 11, 2001 11:55 pm

Matters of principal By NEIL JILLETT in The Age When Robert Curran joined the corps of the Australian Ballet in 1996, Lucinda Dunn had already been a senior artist, the second highest of the company's six rankings, for a year. And there she stayed for five more years, with her ultimate ambition in sight but apparently out of reach."They were probably the hardest years of my life," she says. "The mental effort of trying to keep up there and prove things and not getting opportunities to do so."<A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2001/11/11/FFXG3UD9UTC.html" TARGET=_blank>click for more</A>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2001 12:24 am

Scene from the Australian Ballet's current production of Requiem, with the State Opera of South Australia. Photo: Bryan Charlton. A surprise from the Sydney Morning Herald - a series of a dozen or so images from Australian Ballet's new productions of 'Carmina Burana' and 'Requiem'. Enjoy!<A HREF="http://]http://www.smh.com.au/news/0111/13/entertainment/snapshot1.html" TARGET=_blank>click for more images</A>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited November 14, 2001).]

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

At 40, let the party begin By Robin Usher February 22, 2002 The Age

The Australian Ballet celebrates its illustrious history with a gala event. The Australian Ballet's artistic director, David McAllister, has few illusions about why the company has made an impact on the national consciousness.``Having a good standing overseas always seems to go down well in Australia,'' he says. ``People seem to know we're here, whether they come to support us or not.''But that international standing and impact at home has been achieved in a relatively short time - the company is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.McAllister is speaking during a break in rehearsals for the season's first performance, Beyond 40, which he describes as a ``best of'' compilation from the company's history.``It is a sort of summer hits for 2002,'' he jokes. ``But it will demonstrate how dancing styles have changed, and how the look of the stage has evolved during that time. At the start, the design is very heritage-looking but everything gets pared down with scenery flying out the window and costumes slimming down.'' <A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/02/22/1013132471532.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Tights and Tutus By Jane Albert The Australian February 22, 2002NOEL Pelly will never forget the sick feeling of coming to work each day fearing it would be his last. More than 20 years have passed since the dancers' strike that threatened to shut down the Australian Ballet following a fierce battle over wages and conditions, but for Pelly, 75, it still feels like yesterday."That was really something," the former administrator and press officer says, shaking his head. "It was the most distressing period. All those cancelled performances . . . it was something unparalleled in the company's history."It was certainly a low point in the AB's colourful history, a history that has seen the company mature into the second largest arts company in the country and a classical ensemble rivalling some of the best on the international stage.This year marks 40 years since the curtain went up on the first AB performance, in Sydney on November 2, 1962. To celebrate the milestone, artistic director David McAllister and senior dancer Adrian Burnett have created Beyond 40, a multimedia gala celebrating the people, productions and events that shaped the company. The production opens in Melbourne tonight before touring nationally.<A HREF="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,3819750%255E16953,00.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Flash Review 1, 2-26: Back to the Future Australian Ballet Gala 40th Looks Back and BeyondBy Simone Clifford Copyright 2002 Simone Clifford' The Dance Insider OnlineMELBOURNE -- Friday night at the State Theatre here, The Australian Ballet premiered Beyond 40, an anniversary gala to celebrate the company's 40-year period of artistic accomplishment. The atmospherics for the occasion were supported by an air of excitement, genuine enthusiasm and pride from the company's biggest supporters, its patrons.This occasion captured TAB's first four decades and summarized them in one performance, with live highlights from the repertoire interspersed with filmed interviews. The presentation was carried off with an innocence and love that comes, I believe, from David McAllister, the artistic director who now steers this large living vessel. Clearly the focus was to make this an evening that celebrated all the people who had participated in the company's evolution, from founder Dame Peggy van Praagh through current company choreographers like Stephen Page, Stephen Baynes and Stanton Welch. Former artistic director Sir Robert Helpmann was present on film, and former AD Maina Gielgud made the trip in person. Binding the evening together was Graeme Murphy's 1980 "Beyond 12."<A HREF="http://www.danceinsider.com/f2002/f0226_2.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Dancing to the best of 40 years By Lee Christofis The Australian February 25, 2002WHAT better way to celebrate the Australian Ballet's 40th anniversary than a retrospective gala touring the mainland capitals? That's what the AB's seventh artistic director, David McAllister, decided. He called on colleagues Adrian Burnett, Greg Barrett and Steve Batty to create a collage of film images and sounds drawn from past performances, rehearsals, interviews and newsreels – to project into Andrew Carter's set.The pillars are three sequences from Graeme Murphy's Beyond Twelve, commissioned in 1980 by director Marilyn Jones. It's a funny, nostalgic ballet highlighting the essentially solitary road to artistic maturity. In between, dances representing all the AB's artistic directors' visions unfold on stage and screen<A HREF="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,3837742%255E16953,00.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Ballet with legs kicks on into night By Valerie Lawson The Age March 7 2002

The big dancers fly as the Australian Ballet marks its 40th birthday at the State Theatre last night. Picture: PAUL HARRIS When you're 40, you either want to hide it or shout about it from the rooftops. The Australian Ballet chose the celebration option last night as it hosted the biggest family party in its history.More than 600 employees and former members of the company cheered, cried, laughed and clapped their way through a celebration of four decades of dance at the State Theatre.After the last night of the Melbourne season of the gala Beyond 40, they partied at the Australian Ballet Centre where three studios were transformed into a nightclub. Guests included three former artistic directors, Marilyn Jones, Maina Gielgud and Ross Stretton, and present artistic director David McAllister.<A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/03/06/1015365717508.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A> ************************************ Stretton intent on great leap forward Valerie Lawson The Age March 8 2002With no checked luggage but a pair of running shoes in an overnight bag, Ross Stretton boarded a plane at Heathrow on Tuesday morning, intent on making the curtain call of the Australian Ballet's Beyond 40 gala at 8.37pm the next day in Melbourne. He made it. Of course he made it. Close calls, timing and Stretton go together.The artistic director of the Royal Ballet admitted yesterday that he had been "criticised left, right and centre" in both Australia and London because "dance in general is resistant to change". But Stretton himself does not change and, in the last decade, has leapfrogged from one great job to another, from the United States to Australia to Britain. How has he adapted to London after five years as artistic director of the Australian Ballet?<A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/03/07/1015365728336.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Birthday party leaves some of the guests looking for the cake BEYOND 40 Opera House, March 14 Reviewed by Jill Sykes, The Age.Happy birthday to the Australian Ballet! By the end of 2002, the company will have completed 40 years of performing a diverse collection of ballets - many of which can be glimpsed on the screen and as live excerpts in its touring anniversary gala, Beyond 40.From 225 ballets by 74 choreographers, of whom 27 are Australian - facts gleaned from a thick commemorative program - 13 have been chosen for the stage. The celebration ranges over 19th-century classics to the refreshing wit of Meryl Tankard's The Deep End, from Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow to Stephen Page's Alchemy, Ninette de Valois' Checkmate to Glen Tetley's Gemini, Stanton Welch's Divergence and Stephen Baynes' At The Edge Of Night.<A HREF="http://www.smh.com.au/news/0203/18/entertainment/entertain15.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

True grit makes the final cut Sydney Morning HeraldA revealing series of ABC programs on the Australian Ballet is not just tears and tiaras, writes Valerie Lawson. In an avalanche of dance on ABC-TV over Easter, the most intimate moment comes when the Australian Ballet dancer Olivia Bell breaks down in tears during a rehearsal for The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude. All dancers know how she felt that day, when, despite her efforts, there was no thrill in the exactitude of the killingly difficult steps. The most surprising moment comes when a former corps de ballet dancer, Jason Duff, explains why life as a drag queen is better than ballet. For one thing, you have a longer career. Drag queens, he explains, look better as they age. Their dress sense improves as well. <A HREF="http://www.smh.com.au/news/0203/18/entertainment/entertain8.html" TARGET=_blank>More</A> [This message has been edited by Malcolm Tay (edited March 21, 2002).]

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Qantas to sponsor Australian Ballet company March 22, 2002 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Qantas had at least one company flying high. The national airline signed a oneyear sponsorship agreement with the Australian Ballet company.The agreement, announced by the airline, means that all 72 dancers, as well as management members, will fly with Qantas to capital cities around Australia as part of their performance schedule.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <A HREF="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/03/21/ballet.htm" TARGET=_blank>More</A>


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Australian Ballet 2001-02 Season

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