JUNE / JULY 2017 | WWW.DANCEAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
16 /FEATURE
Apart from their newness, however, these
unfamiliarworkscomewithgoodboxoffice
potential. They have received the almost
universalpraiseofcriticsandaudiencesback
home. They have foolproof credentials: the
literarysourcesofVirginiaWoolfand
Shakespeare,noless,aswellaschoreographers
and creative artists of international renown. And
theyarebothfulllength“story”ballets.
When the present artistic director Kevin
O'HaretookthereinsoftheRoyalin2012,he
hadafirmplantocommissionmajorevening
works.Whilethecompanywasalreadyrichly
endowedwitharepertoireofballetsbysuch
greats as the late Kenneth MacMillan and
Frederick Ashton, O'Hare was aware of the need
to create more equally enduring works that had
thepotentialtobecometheMacMillansofthe
future. His predecessor, Monica Mason, had
already commissioned Christopher Wheeldon's
AliceinWonderland,whichpremieredafterher
departure, butTheWinter'sTaleandWoolf
Works,whichpremieredin2014and
respectively, are O'Hare's babies.
“I'm thrilled that they are presenting those
twoworks,”O'HaresaysoftheBrisbaneseason.
“WehadquiteafewconversationsandIdid
suggesttheseballetsbecauseIthinktheyare
veryrepresentativeRoyalBallettoday.It'sthe
firsttimetheRoyalBallethaspresentedbothof
thoseballetsoutsidetheRoyalOperahouse.
“Ithinkit'sareallypositivethingthattheyare
notgoingtodotheobvious,abigclassical
ballet, but to bring these very contemporary
classical works.” He qualifies: “They're not
completely out there, as in not using theclassical technique. They are real ballets.”
One couldn't get more quintessentially English
thanShakespeare.Theideaformakingaballet
of hisWinter's Talewas originally proposed to
O'HarebyNicholasHynter,thethenartistic
directoroftheNationalTheatreinLondon.Itis
thefirstadaptationofaShakespeareplaybythe
companysinceMacMillan's1965productionof
Romeo and Juliet.
"TheWinter'sTaleis one of those Shakespeare
playsthatyouthinkyouknowandthenrealise
you don't,” O'Hare says. It is sometimes
regardedasoneofShakespeare's“problem
plays”,withacomplicatedfiveactplotthat
movesfrompsychologicaldramathroughto
comedy and romance.
Wheeldon takes liberties with the story –
whatchoreographerhasn'twhenitcomesto
Shakespeare? –simplifyingtheplotand
distillingthecastofcharactersintofiveunique
andrichroles.Theballet“movingly,takesuson
a great arc of emotion and experience,
capturingtheplayersthemesofdeathand
regeneration”, according to Alistair McCauley
ofThe New York Times.
Wheeldon's ballet is an example, says O'Hare,
ofanold-fashionedstylenarrativeballetmadeto
look fresh and contemporary. While many have
predicted the death of the full-length story ballet,
companiesintheUKneverseemedtolosefaith.
Choreographers such as David Nixon, David
Dawson and Matthew Bourne have built their
verysuccessfultheircareersonthem,withLiam
Neeson more recently accelerating up the ranks.
Their works are now being taken up by
Australian companies and elsewhere.The big names
Australian audiences will be treated to the full
pantheon of Royal Ballet stars. Casting for the
tour includes principalsFederico Bonelli,
Alexander Campbell, Lauren Cuthbertson,
Francesca Hayward, Ryoichi Hirano,
Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera,
Marianela Nuñez, Natalia Osipova,
Thiago Soares, Akane Takada,
Edward Watson and Zenaida Yanowsky.
Alessandra FerriandMara Galeazzireturn to
dancetherolesofMrsDallowayandVirginia
Woolf inWoolf Works.
Australian company members
include principalsSteven McRae and
Alexander Campbell,first artist
Benjamin Ella, and artistsHarry Churches
andCalvin Richardson.OPPOSITE: Steven
McRae, Sarah Lamb
Lauren Cuthbertson
andEdwardWatson
in ‘A Winter’s Tale’.
RIGHT; The cast in
‘Woolf Works’.
BELOW: Artistic
director Kevin
O’Hare.‘I’mthrilled
thatthey are
presenting those
two works.’
PHOTO: TRISTRAM KENTON