THE AUSTRALIAN 1 2 2 2018 SEASON 28 APRIL – 19 MAY | OPERA HOUSE 25 – 30 MAY | CANBERRA THEATRE CENTRE 7 – 16 JUNE | ARTS CENTRE

Cover: Adam Bull and Amy Harris. Above: Amy Harris. Photography Justin Ridler

Government Production Lead Principal Partners Partner Partners Partner Kirsty Martin with artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby

4 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

On behalf of all of us at The Australian Ballet, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we ; to recognise their living with this place; and to pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

In each decade of The Australian Ballet’s 56-year history, there have been productions that have defined our company. In the , that work was the extravagantly romantic spectacle that is The Merry Widow. It was the first original full-length ballet created for The Australian Ballet, and it was a triumphant success from its very first performance in 1975. Conceived by Sir during his tenure as artistic director and choreographed by the esteemed Englishman , this work was to become the company’s calling card on tours around the globe. ’s adaptation of the Franz Lehár score made the movements sing, and Desmond Heeley’s design was an alluring Art Nouveau fantasy. It was a ballet that truly glowed, thanks to the combined genius of its creative collaborators, and one that continues to sparkle today. This season we especially acknowledge designer Desmond Heeley, whose journey came to an end in 2016 after a lifetime of creativity on the world stage.

It is a delight to welcome back Colin Peasley, who is in his 43rd year as Baron Zeta, and is our link to the ballet’s premiere. He continues to light up the stage with his unique talent. Alongside Colin will be Franco Leo as his trusty secretary Njegus. We also welcome former Principal Artist Kirsty Martin, returning to stages in Sydney and Melbourne as Hanna Glawari, the role she danced in her farewell performance.

It has been wonderful to have the original Hanna, Marilyn Rowe, sharing her knowledge of this important work as we bring this ballet back for our all-‘Australian Made’ season. Mark Kay, choreologist and repetiteur, has taught the ballet from the Benesh notation score, ensuring it remains true to the original production. We also are looking forward to having Maestro Paul Murphy from joining Nicolette Fraillon and Simon Thew in Sydney to conduct his first ‘all-dancing’Widow . I hope that all of you who, like me, have grown up with this ballet, rediscover special memories of seeing The Merry Widow. For those of you who are falling under her spell for the first time, may it be a night to remember and inspire you to back to the ballet many times in the future.

David McAllister AM

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 5 NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Australian Ballet is delighted to bring you our glamorous, romantic ballet The Merry Widow. While we know that our audiences enjoy our new productions each year, we are also committed to celebrating our historically significant works. In 2018, a season in which we present created especially for our company, The Merry Widow takes pride of place. It is a tribute to all who played such an important part in establishing The Australian Ballet as a world-class company.

The story of The Merry Widow is a real trip back into history and a Who’s Who of The Australian Ballet. It premiered on 13 November 1975 at the in Melbourne, with Marilyn Rowe as Hanna, as Danilo, as Valencienne, as Camille, Colin Peasley as Baron Zeta and Ray Powell as Njegus. In 1976, Dame performed the role of Hanna as a guest artist with The Australian Ballet and continued performing it, alternating with Marilyn Rowe, when the company toured the production to and the United States.

Our Widow has also become very popular with international companies and has been performed by the National Ballet of Canada, the , , , the and .

It is a privilege for the dancers of The Australian Ballet to perform this great favourite for you.

As always, we are extremely grateful to our partners, whose support makes it possible for us to develop new talent, showcase our artists and creative collaborators, and perform around and internationally. Our wonderful Principal Partner has supported the company for more than 30 years and is a part of our family in every sense. We also thank our Lead Partners Aqualand and Qantas for their support of and passion for the company. Our Production Partner for The Merry Widow is Bloch, with whom we have enjoyed a wonderful long-term partnership. Thanks also to our Media Partners Vogue Australia and News Corp Australia for their invaluable support. Special thanks to The Margaret Ellen Pidgeon Fund, whose generosity allowed us to restore this beloved production to the splendour you see on stage.

The Australian Ballet is most fortunate to have a very large family of generous patrons and donors. To each and every one of you, thank you for your incredible passion for your national and our talented dancers. You inspire us all.

We hope that you enjoy tonight’s beautiful production of The Merry Widow.

Libby Christie

6 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON Lana Jones with artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 7 These seasons of The Merry Widow are dedicated to the memory of Desmond Heeley (1931 – 2016). He was a world-renowned theatre designer, and his ebullient, elegant sets and costumes for The Merry Widow are an integral part of the ballet's magic.

Design for Hanna Glawari's Act III costume by Desmond Heeley

8 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON THE MERRY WIDOW

THE MERRY WIDOW Synopsis ACT II

Scenario The action takes place in Paris in the year 1905. Scene: The garden of Hanna’s villa Robert Helpmann Hanna is holding a Pontevedrian soiree at her villa and the guests celebrate with their national Ronald Hynd ACT I . As they all go into supper, Zeta, Danilo, Scene 1: An ante-room in the Pontevedrian and Njegus agree to meet at eight o’clock in Guest repetiteurs the pavilion for a small diplomatic discussion on Mark Kay Embassy Danilo’s progress with Hanna. All is going well and Marilyn Rowe Minor officials and the French Attaché (Camille they are growing closer to each other, despite a de Rosillon) are finishing work prior to the ball Music slight mutual distrust. Franz Lehár to be given in the Embassy that evening. The Ambassador’s secretary (Njegus) enters with a Valencienne and Camille sneak into the Based on the by fresh heap of bills and all lament their country’s deserted garden and as she finally succumbs to Victor Léon and bankruptcy. his persuasive passion, they withdraw into the darkness of the pavilion – observed, however, Arranged and orchestrated by The Ambassador (Baron Zeta) and his young by Njegus. As the Baron and Danilo approach, John Lanchbery French wife (Valencienne) enter with a telegram Njegus panics and locks the pavilion door. Looking announcing that a recently widowed Pontevedrian through the keyhole, the Baron sees all. In the Costume and set design (Hanna Glawari) is to attend the ball. She is worth Desmond Heeley ensuing scuffle to wrest the key from Njegus, 20 million francs and seeks a new husband. Hanna appears and realises the situation. She Lighting design However, should she marry a foreigner, Pontevedro releases Valencienne through a side door and Francis Croese will lose the benefit of her wealth and the country takes her place inside. will be left penniless. The First Secretary (Count Presented by arrangement with Glocken Verlag Ltd Danilo) is considered a prospective suitor. The Baron unlocks the door and orders the guilty These seasons of The Merry Widow are generously couple to emerge. To his amazement, Camille supported by The Margaret Ellen Pidgeon Fund Camille and Valencienne are left alone. He is comes out with Hanna, who dumbfounds everyone passionately in love with her, and she with him, but by announcing their engagement. The astounded she clings to her marriage vows. Njegus interrupts guests offer frigid congratulations and depart. the lovers and they leave as Danilo enters – more Danilo is the last to leave and, in a frenzy, throws than a little intoxicated. Njegus informs him of the at her feet the handkerchief with which she had, marriage plan. He is amused at the suggestion and a moment ago, retied their union. She picks it up lapses into an alcoholic slumber. The Baron returns knowing that he truly loves her. and orders Njegus to ensure that Danilo is sober before the ball begins. ACT III

Scene 2: The ballroom in the Pontevedrian Scene: Chez Maxime Embassy The Pontevedrians have come to drown their Hanna Glawari arrives and Danilo is presented to sorrows and spend their last francs at Chez her. They are dumbfounded, having met when she Maxime. Gaiety prevails until Camille unwisely was a peasant girl in Pontevedro ten years ago. appears – hoping, of course, to meet Valencienne. Danilo had put an end to the affair at the insistence The Pontevedrians, led by Valencienne, jeer at him. of his aristocratic parents. He is amazed at the Her mockery, however, is more emotional than transformation of Hanna and, in his confusion, patriotic. mops his forehead with a handkerchief which Hanna suddenly appears and accepts Camille’s Hanna recognises as a keepsake she gave him unwillingly offered arm. This is too much for when they parted. He tells Hanna that he has Danilo who advances to challenge him to a duel, always loved her, but she, thinking that he is only but Hanna and Valencienne intervene. The Baron interested in her money, rejects him. perceives, from his wife’s protection of Camille, The Baron bids Hanna choose a partner for the that his fears are not without foundation and dance. Hanna regrets her coldness and chooses resignedly accepts the inevitable. Danilo, but he, still smarting, refuses, and waltzes All have left and Hanna stands forlornly alone. with another guest. Danilo quietly returns and folds her into a loving Valencienne urges Camille to prevent a ‘situation’. embrace that turns into an ecstatic waltz. Hanna accepts his arm and they dance together. In the course of changing partners, Hanna finds herself alone with Danilo. She continues to resist his attentions but cannot really disguise her love for him.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 9 John Meehan and Marilyn Rowe. Photography David Parker

10 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON THE WIDOW’S FIRST WALTZ

MARILYN ROWE AND JOHN MEEHAN, THE ORIGINAL HANNA AND DANILO, RECALL THE MAKING OF AN AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC. BY VALERIE LAWSON

There was a hush as the orchestra played the last John Meehan and Marilyn Rowe notes of the Merry Widow Waltz and the curtain Photography David Parker came down at the Palais Theatre. What happened next was one of those rare moments. The audience rose to their feet and, as John Meehan recalls, “They went crazy. It was totally thrilling. I’ve never had such an exciting night in the theatre as that opening night.”

The buzz began even before the end of the show. During the last pas de deux, when Meehan wrapped his arms around Rowe and began to waltz around the stage, the dancers heard singing. It didn’t come from the small chorus in the pit, but from the audience, who hummed and then sang the lines they knew so well from times they had listened to ‘Our Glad’ () or June Bronhill singing the Vilja Song and the Merry Widow Waltz. “It was amazing,” says Rowe, “all that nostalgia.” As the house lights went up after the last curtain call, the humming continued as the audience left the theatre and walked out into the summer night.

“I don’t think any one of the dancers expected the response that happened,” says Meehan. “Most of us didn’t know the history of The Merry Widow. We didn’t understand that the audience knew the operetta so well, and what an impact it would have on them … it really stunned us”.

Perhaps only Robert Helpmann, the ultimate showman, knew how much his ballet would capture audiences with its sing-along music, tear-jerking moments, luscious costumes and Belle Époque settings. Helpmann’s role went further than commissioning an impressive trio of collaborators and securing the rights to Lehár’s music. When Marilyn Rowe, his choice as the Widow, was in agony with an injury to her foot, he found the solution, sending her to Denmark to see Professor Eivind Thomasen, an acclaimed orthopaedic surgeon whose speciality was the treatment of dancers. By mid-September, two months after the surgery, Rowe was rehearsing The Merry Widow in the Melbourne studio. Meehan had a close call as well. Before rehearsals Ronald Hynd, the choreographer of The Merry Widow, watched the company’s class. “I was pointed out to him as a possible Danilo but I was having a very bad day and I was a bit surly and a bit pouty and what the tempo … but I ended up loving him. Under Helpmann’s direction the designer went maybe I wasn’t finishing exercises.” Hynd apparently If he believed something was correct he would all the way as well. When the Act III sets were said, “I wouldn’t touch that one. I wouldn’t want push you until you did what he wanted.” revealed to the cast and crew, Heeley told Meehan, anything to do with him.” But when he saw Meehan “I’ve never gone this far out on a limb in my life.” dancing with Marilyn Jones in Romeo and Juliet, During rehearsals Hynd always emphasised that Although the sets were redesigned a few times – “he cast me as Danilo based on that performance. Meehan and Rowe should look in one another’s bigger staircase, bigger mirrors – Meehan believes So I kind of lost the role and got it back.” eyes – and they did. Rowe had danced with nothing matches the way the prologue moves Meehan before, in Gemini, and the Balcony Helpmann was seldom in the studio. Sometimes into the ballroom. “That was magical theatre. Pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, “and we he watched rehearsals with his designer, Desmond The chandeliers lit up and all the women in those just clicked. John was a wonderful partner, he Heeley, and John Lanchbery, who arranged the fabulous dresses walked down the stairs.” had the masculinity, he was careful and he had music; but he didn’t direct the dancers and left all the emotion that one could react to. That Rowe remembers the first fitting of the Widow’s Hynd to take control in the studio. Hynd formed a makes such a difference, you just become part dramatic black dress. “It looked beautiful if one close rapport with the dancers; he knew exactly of the character.” So much so that on stage, in just stood still but it was massive, so huge, I felt what he wanted from Rowe and Meehan and the final act ofThe Merry Widow, she cried when like a grand piano. And the train was so long. I made them work hard, not in a harsh way but with Meehan wrapped her sumptuous cloak around her couldn’t dance in it so it kept getting snipped humour and kindness. He was a perfectionist, often shoulders. Meehan understood that when Rowe shorter and shorter until we were able to use it. stubborn, and his choreography could be tricky. “went dramatically with you she went all the way, Even today you can get your legs tangled up in “Ronnie wanted his choreography to the right and so I went with her all the way too and it taught the lace frill. The most comfortable dress was the also the left”, says Meehan, “in the air then on the me a great deal – the focus that we had together white one in the third act. The cloak, make of tulle, knee; a shoulder lift from an arabesque under the dramatically was very special.” was like a great big ruffle of feathers. It stuck to arm and with all the precise no matter your earrings, but we didn’t have to dance in it.”

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 11 During the last pas de deux, when Meehan wrapped his arms around Rowe and began to waltz around the stage, the dancers heard singing. It didn’t come from the small chorus in the pit, but from the audience …

Meehan rates his Act I costume as the most Margot Fonteyn and John Meehan. flattering of his career. “Desmond took all the Photography Martha Swope© flaws in my body and covered them up! It was wonderful. He gave me boots so that my calves looked bigger and he gave my jacket a kind of high neck; I have a long thin neck, so he made that look bigger, and he covered up my rear end, which was really a good thing.”

The year after the premiere, The Australian Ballet took the Widow to the United States. Sol Hurok, the American entrepreneur, decided the company must have a guest artist: either , who would partner Rowe, or Margot Fonteyn, who would partner Meehan. On opening night in Washington Meehan danced with Fonteyn. In rehearsal, he had wrapped an old warm-up cardigan around her shoulders, as a stand-in for the glamorous cloak. When Fonteyn’s back began to shake Meehan thought she was laughing. He stopped the rehearsal: “I said, ‘You might not think much of this ballet but we take it very seriously in Australia.’ And she turned around and she was crying. It was so real to her.” Meehan enjoyed the glamour of the opening-night after party, sitting between Fonteyn and Jacqueline Onassis, but Rowe also had her day, For her first performance in Washington, Fonteyn sent her a scarf and a card, written on Watergate Hotel stationery, with the words “To the first and most beautiful Merry Widow, with admiration, good wishes and Love from Margot”. Both Rowe and Meehan danced their Widow roles for many years; Meehan danced it 50 times with Fonteyn, both in the US and Australia.

Rowe’s most poignant comeback was in December 1981, when she returned to The Australian Ballet 14 months after the death in a plane crash of Marilyn Rowe and Paul De Masson. her husband, Christopher Maver, The Australian Photography Branco Gaica Ballet's stage director and lighting designer; soon after his death, she had given birth to their son. The audience, she says, was “wonderful. Everyone knew the story. I think there were a lot of tears in the audience that night. The fact that it was The Merry Widow was hard because we were at the Opera House and that’s where Chris had done the lighting and he wasn’t there”.

In 1985, the Widow returned to Meehan’s life. He helped Hynd stage the ballet for the National Ballet of Canada and also danced it with Karin Kain, now the company’s artistic director. Since then he has staged the ballet for American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet and The ; he re-staged it for The Australian Ballet in 2011. Next year he will return to the National Ballet of Canada to re-stage it there.

So how does he coach dancers when he travels the world with the Widow? “I tell them it’s a little bit like an old Hollywood movie where the characters should be together but circumstances keep coming up and dragging them apart. So there’s a kind of glamour and that’s part of it, but the other thing I say to them is that they’re really like two big spoiled children. They pout, throw a little dramatic fit, stamp the heel, look the other way and say ‘I’ll never speak to you again’. But I think they know they are destined to be together even in their moment of drama.”

Valerie Lawson is an author and dance historian

12 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON Marilyn Rowe. Photography Gregory McCloskey

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 13 LA BELLE WIDOW

THE VOLUPTUOUS EXCESS OF THE BELLE ÉPOQUE, REFRACTED THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE 1970s: KATE SCOTT LOOKS AT THE INIMITABLE STYLE OF THE MERRY WIDOW.

Light as meringue and effervescent as is young, charming, impetuous, full of fun and replicate. However, refurbishments can allow the champagne, the Belle Époque was a truly beautiful never still: it’s all there in the jaunty ruffles, the team to execute parts of the designer’s vision age for fashion. Dresses mirrored the emerging bare shoulders, and the yellow ribbons trailing that weren’t possible at the time of premiere. freedoms of women, revealing the natural curves fetchingly down her arms. “Originally, as a last-minute thing, Desmond was and softness of the body. The era’s voluminous racing down to the ballet with a glue gun and The Merry Widow is the product of two bygone up-do exposed both the neck and opulent glueing the plastic flowers on the ball dresses,” eras: the Belle Époque of its setting, and the necklaces. Whole species of bird, meanwhile, says Williams. “It was that close to curtain-up. mid-1970s, when it premiered; the first refracted were said to have become endangered in the But those flowers stayed for many, many years. through the prism of the second. Like other mania for lavishly feathered hats and fans. In The dry cleaning loosened the glue, and melted great works The Australian Ballet created and this time of relative wealth and stability, excess the plastic, so in the last year of refurbishing, performed in that decade (Rudolf Nureyev’s reigned: more frippery, more frills, more fizz. It we actually remade the flowers in fabric, and , ’s Coppélia, John was, as quipped, “an orgy the wardrobe did a beautiful job on those. The Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet), The Merry Widow is of gorgeousness”, and a particularly ripe period whole purpose of refurbishment, the total aim, is awash with the rich, earthy tones fashionable at of inspiration for designers. to be faithful to the original design, so you’re not the time: burnt siennas, harvest yellows, buttery actually changing anything. The colour palettes It’s little wonder, then, that Desmond Heeley’s creams, mossy greens, velvety browns, peachy and styles of the costumes are so important in costumes for The Merry Widow, set squarely in tangerines, jewel-box reds, and a great profusion maintaining the integrity of the production.” La Belle, remain some of the most cherished in of golds. In the soft glow of the Widow’s Art The Australian Ballet’s repertoire. Forty-three Nouveau lights, it’s the height of sophistication Molyneaux agrees. “There's a lot of research that years after their debut, they continue to delight: and glamour: a velvety cave from which you goes into refurbishing,” she says. “We understand the gasp moment of the Swan Cloak, the dapper never want to emerge. the responsibility.” Recently, Molyneaux was stiffness of the velvet vests, the intoxicating swirl lucky enough to meet with Mel Drummond, the Molyneaux describes The Merry Widow’s of the can-can skirts. “The Merry Widow takes designer who created the jewellery and millinery costumes as being very “intentionally” designed, you into another world, and it does it in a very for the original production. He came armed with representative of a period in ballet in which the relatable way,” says Musette Molyneaux, the head beautifully hand-drawn references from the meaning behind costumes, and the theming of of The Australian Ballet’s costume workshop. “It’s mid-1970s, a priceless resource. “So often, by colours and design motifs within larger costume elegant and inspiring: all the ladies are beautiful the time different generations touch a costume, groups, became increasingly important. “And not and the men look so suave and formal. The Belle especially something like Merry Widow, which was Époque is such a romantic period, but not fluffy; it’s full of character, full of substance. You can’t help but come out feeling positive.” The Merry Widow is awash with the rich, earthy tones fashionable

Michael Williams, who was the head of the in the 1970s: burnt siennas, harvest yellows, buttery creams, mossy costume workshop from 1985 to 2016, has a greens, velvety browns, peachy tangerines, jewel-box reds, and a special relationship with The Merry Widow. As a young production manager, he toured with great profusion of golds. the ballet to and the United States while Margot Fonteyn wowed audiences in the title in a fussy way,” she says. “Everything in The Merry been around for 40 years, it can be quite hard role. He has overseen two major restorations Widow is very clear and beautifully pared back, to determine exactly what the original design of the costumes, as well as regular tune-ups but the costumes look so rich and tell the story was like,” says Molyneaux. “Things get damaged to keep them at their sparkling best. very well.” The Swan Cloak, as it’s affectionately and replaced very quickly.” For the first time, the known, is a good example of this. Desmond “The Merry Widow is very romantic, very lush,” workshop had a blueprint for the jewellery, setting Heeley was inspired by Marlene Dietrich’s swan- he says. For Williams, the genius of the costumes out the precise size of the , the distance down coat, a richly undulating confection the is right there in Desmond Heeley’s original between them, and exactly how sequins should actress commissioned in 1957 and wore during sketches. “When you see the design for the Baron, graduate to pale stones. The team was able to performances well into the . Heeley wanted and Njegus, and even Camille de Rosillon, there's make a note-perfect reproduction of Hanna’s a statement piece just as singular and striking to a distinct impression of what the character is statement necklace, exact to the millimetre. announce Hanna’s entrance at Chez Maxime. But like. The military men were all very upright and Dietrich’s coat was made from the feathers of Such pains over fashion might seem frivolous, but very formal-looking, as they were intended to be, over 300 swans – much too fragile and expensive for the women of the Belle Époque fashion was because they’re aristocrats in the court. Desmond for the ballet stage. Eventually, Heeley happened serious business, a way to express new freedoms understood character and was able to give you a upon a pile of tulle off-cuts in the workroom, and autonomy (even if it was through parasols and sense of that character through design.” leftover from tutus, and decided this was his slippers). Inspired by the hedonistic lifestyle of You see this in the sketches for the gown Hanna magic cloth. Layers of net were sewn on a satin King Edward VII, and fuelled by that new temple wears to the embassy ball. Here is a widow, in base and finished with an outsized black velvet of earthly pleasures, the department store, fashion black widow’s weeds. But a fashionable widow, bow. Gasp indeed. “It looks intricate, certainly, but was a very visible harbinger of prosperity and evidenced by the thrust of her S-bend corset, it’s basically put together the same way as a tutu optimism. The invention of the motor car and the which pushes the chest forward and the hips skirt,” says Williams. “It just needed the amazing implementation of the vote for women made it back in a way that was most à la mode in the Belle skills of the costume makers to put it all together.” feel like the future had truly arrived. The enduring Époque. She’s a woman of means (the expensively appeal of The Merry Widow rests on how perfectly The cloak is just one of the many pieces lovingly trimmed dress, the luxuriantly feathered fan), a it captures this time, how expertly the outsized restored and remade in The Merry Widow’s woman who is still very beautiful (her black velvet personalities of its heroines – their passions, lifespan. Over the decades laces rot, metallic choker emphasising white décolletage), and a their joie de vivre, the commitment to their own threads tarnish, and dancers become ever taller, woman who is just the right amount of frivolous destinies – is expressed through dress. That this more muscular, and more diverse in their sizing, for her time (the jaunty angle of the champagne period was so brief makes The Merry Widow setting constant challenges for the costume glass; the celestial twinkle of that Hedy Lamarr- all the sweeter. workshop. (“It used to be the tall men like Dale esque headpiece). Baker and Kelvin Coe were 5’10”,” says Williams. Kate Scott is the editor of Luminous: Celebrating Similarly, the yellow dress for Valencienne, the “Now the tallest are more like 6’4”. And the feet!”) 50 Years of The Australian Ballet. ambassador’s mettlesome wife, communicates a Certain fabrics, like the draylon velvet popular in novel’s worth of character traits. Like the Gibson the 70s that was used for the Pontevedrian men’s Girl, the fictional It Girl of the time, Valencienne vests, were discontinued, and proved difficult to

14 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON Designs for Hanna Glawari (Act I) and Pontevedrian Man (Act II) by Desmond Heeley

Artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 15 Adam Bull and Amy Harris. Photography Justin Ridler

16 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON CREATIVES

SIR ROBERT HELPMANN CBE RONALD HYND DESMOND HEELEY FRANCIS CROESE

Scenario Choreographer Designer Lighting design

Robert Helpmann was born in 1909 in Mt Born in London, Ronald Hynd trained with Desmond Heeley began his career in the Newcastle-born Francis Croese began his Gambier, . By the 1930s he Marie Rambert and later made his performing theatre as an apprentice in the workshops dance studies with Tessa Maunder before was alternately dancing and acting to packed debut with Ballet Rambert. In 1951, he joined of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in attending the inaugural year of The Australian houses in London. By the late 1940s, he had the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (now The Royal Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. His practical Ballet School in 1964. During his twelve-year appeared on the cinema screen. By the 1950s Ballet) where he rose to the rank of principal aptitude with costumes, properties and dancing career Francis achieved the rank of he was an international celebrity as dancer, dancer, performing an extensive range of painting was noticed by . As senior soloist and partnered many ballerinas actor and producer. classical and dramatic roles. His first ballet,The Brook’s assistant at Stratford-Upon-Avon, including Margot Fonteyn, Marilyn Jones, Fairy’s Kiss, was choreographed in 1967 for Heeley designed the costumes and properties Marilyn Rowe, Lucette Aldous, Antoinette He was a key founding dancer in the company the and was later taken for the now legendary production of Titus Sibley and Kathleen Gorham. that became , and was into the repertoire of London Festival Ballet Andronicus with Sir and unique in being simultaneously a leading (now ). Between two . Francis was appointed The Australian Shakespearean actor, playing opposite the likes directorships of the Munich Ballet, Hynd has Ballet’s assistant stage manager in 1976, its of Vivien Leigh. He joined The Australian Ballet enjoyed an international career and created In London, he designed the original stage manager the following year and its as joint artistic director with Peggy van Praagh many works. He is one of the few 20th-century productions of several new plays by leading stage director in 1983. During this time he in 1965, and in his ten years with the company choreographers who created three-act ballets, British writers, as well as designing for Ballet worked closely with the company’s director proved himself to be a master of luring press including The Merry Widow, Rosalinda, Papillon, Rambert, Sadler’s Wells, and of productions, William Akers, on all aspects coverage and reaching audiences. His invitation Le Diable a Quatre, , Hunchback . In Canada he designed for the of production and lighting design, and in to Rudolf Nureyev to make a film ofDon of Notre Dame, King Ludwig II and Coppélia. theatre and for the National Ballet of Canada. 1982 he created the lighting for the Kozlovs’ Quixote with The Australian Ballet in 1972 Many of these productions have entered the In the USA he designed for the Guthrie production of The Nutcracker. In 1995, Francis put the fledgling company on the map. repertoires of such companies as Houston and the Met, and for both the original and was appointed technical director. During his Ballet, The Royal Ballet, The Australian Ballet, the Broadway version of Tom Stoppard’s technical career he worked with many of the As a choreographer, Helpmann did much to PACT Ballet (South Africa), Santiago Ballet of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. world’s leading set and lighting designers and build a contemporary, local ethos, with works Chile and . Ronald is currently a in some of the world’s great opera houses. like , Sun Music and Yugen. He His most recent ballet designs were The freelance choreographer and lives in England. At the end of 2007, Francis retired from The was also the mastermind behind one of The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty and The Australian Ballet. Australian Ballet’s most enduring successes, Snow Maiden for Houston Ballet, Coppélia The Merry Widow (1975). for the London Festival Ballet and The Merry He has created lighting designs for The Widow and La Sylphide for the National Ballet Australian Ballet, The , Helpmann’s last performances, for which he of Canada. The Dancers Company, ’s left hospital, were in 1986, as the Red King in UNited We Dance Festival, Houston Ballet and The Australian Ballet’s production of Ninette His extra-theatre activities ranged from book Japan Ballet Association. In 2013 he lit West de Valois’ ; de Valois had recently illustrations, including a special folio edition Australian Ballet's production of Onegin. bequeathed him the rights to the work, in of Shakespeare, to designing the pavilion at In 2014 he recreated his 2010 lighting design recognition of all he and Australian dancers Caernarvon Castle for the Investiture of Prince for 's La Bayadère at The had done to establish The Royal Ballet. It was Charles as the Prince of Wales. Australian Ballet. a fitting end to this extraordinary career.

This biography is an adapted version of an article by Blazenka Brysha, taken from the program for The Australian Ballet’s 2000 production of The Merry Widow.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 17 CREATIVES GUEST ARTISTS

MARK KAY MARILYN ROWE OBE KIRSTY MARTIN COLIN PEASLEY OAM

Guest repetiteur Guest repetiteur Hanna Glawari Baron Zeta

Mark Kay took up the profession of choreology Marilyn Rowe joined The Australian Ballet in Kirsty was accepted into The Australian Ballet Sydney-born Colin Peasley is a founding after studying Benesh Movement Notation at 1965, graduating from The Australian Ballet School under the direction of member of The Australian Ballet and during The Australian Ballet School. In 1986 he went to School after only twelve months. In 1969 she was and graduated in 1995 with a Diploma of his distinguished career with the company he London to complete the notation course at the promoted to principal artist, the first student Dance. In 1996 Kirsty was offered a position attained great personal success, particularly Benesh Institute and while there worked with from the School to rise to ballerina status. at The Australian Ballet, where she performed in an extraordinary variety of character roles, the choreographer , notating the a wide range of and contem- many of which he has created. musical The Phantom of the Opera. He joined In 1971 Rudolf Nureyev coached Rowe and porary works before being promoted to soloist The Royal Ballet as a freelance notator in 1987 Kelvin Coe for their New York debut in his in 1998, and to senior artist in 1999. In 2000, Invited onto the ballet staff of The Australian and worked on Wayne Eagling’s Beauty and production of Don Quixote. In 1973 they won she joined in Den Ballet in 1975, he became the company’s the Beast and ’s Swan Lake. individual silver medals, and the prize for Haag, where she worked with the renowned teacher and ballet master, responsible for the the Most Outstanding Couple at the Second choreographer Jirˇí Kylián and performed an reproduction of ballets from repertoire and the After a stint in Australia, Mark returned to International Ballet Competition in Moscow. extensive range of contemporary ballets, daily scheduling of rehearsals. London in 1988 to work for English National They were also the first Australians to be working with choreographers such as Johan Among the many awards Colin has received is Ballet. During his five years with the company invited to dance with the Bolshoi, Riga and Inger, William Forsythe, , Paul a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to he performed, notated, staged and worked ballet companies. Lightfoot and Ohad Naharin. with many choreographers and directors, dance in the 1996 Queen’s Birthday honours including Peter Schaufuss, Ronald Hynd, Marilyn has had many leading roles created for Kirsty returned to The Australian Ballet in list, and his admittance to the Ausdance Hall Kenneth MacMillan, Nicholas Beriozoff, Ben her, including Igor Moiseyev’s Last Vision, Glen 2002 and the following year was promoted to of Fame in 2005. He is also a Fellow of the Stevenson and Ivan Nagy. Tetley’s Gemini, Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow principal artist. She has performed many of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. and Andre Prokovsky’s Anna Karenina. She has traditional classical ballets and contemporary In 1997 Colin retired as a principal artist and In 1993 The Australian Ballet’s then artistic worked with some of the greatest choreog- works, and has had many roles created established The Australian Ballet’s Education director invited Mark to join raphers and dancers of the 20th Century. on her throughout her career. In 2009 she Program. He was named artist in residence the company as its choreologist. As well as was awarded the prestigious Benois de la In 1980 Marilyn Rowe was awarded the Order of in 2011. Colin retired from The Australian notating and staging ballets he performed Danse award for her performance in Kenneth the British Empire, OBE, for services to dance. Ballet in 2012, the year of the company’s many character roles. After 19 years with The MacMillan's Manon and was invited to perform 50th anniversary and his 50th year with it. Australian Ballet, Mark left his full-time position in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theatre. During her After the dancers’ strike in 1981, at the He continues to perform character roles with and now returns for occasional engagements. career Kirsty became a mother to two children insistence of the dancers and the board, and the company as well as maintaining a busy and returned to the stage each time, continuing As a freelancer, Mark has staged Peter as part of the terms of settlement, Marilyn international schedule as a repetiteur, coach, for several years as principal artist. Kirsty Schaufuss’s The Nutcracker for the Graz Oper Rowe was appointed to the position of artistic teacher and adjudicator. decided to retire from the stage in 2011, after Ballet in Austria (1992); Rudolf Nureyev’s advisor and ballet director and headed the a successful and fulfilling career. Don Quixote for the company until the appointment of Maina Gielgud. She was director of The Dancers (1994), The Royal Ballet (2001) and La Scala In 2013 Kirsty took up a position at The Company from 1984 until 1990. Theatre Ballet (2014); ’s Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School Continuum© for Dutch National Ballet (2005) In 1986 she was chosen by Lord Lichfield to be as a classical teacher and remained there for and Zurich Ballet (2006); and Ronald Hynd’s photographed for his collection of Australia’s two years. The Merry Widow for The Hong Kong Ballet most beautiful women. She is the recipient of (2013). In 2015 Kirsty commenced a full-time teaching two Green Room Awards and an ADAMS Award. position at The Australian Ballet School under In 1982 Marilyn was appointed to the Australian the direction of Lisa Pavane, and is currently Government’s Immigration Review Panel. She is the Level 6 Female Artistic Teacher and Coach. a Life Governor of Berry Street. In 2016 Kirsty completed her Teacher Training course through The Australian Ballet School Marilyn was a director of The Australian Ballet’s and graduated with a Graduate Diploma In Elite board from 1994 to 2009 and appointed Dance Instruction. director of The Australian Ballet School in 1999, a position she held for 16 years. In 2003 she Some repertoire highlights include: Jirˇí was included in the First Victorian Honour Roll Kylián's Stepping Stones and Bella Figura, for Women, which honours her contribution to William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat and the Nation. Elevated, 's La Bayadère, Kenneth MacMillan's Manon, Ronald Hynd's The In 2013 Marilyn received the Lord Mayor’s Merry Widow, Andre Prokovsky's The Three Certificate of Commendation, presented by the Musketeers, 's Swan Lake and City of Melbourne. In 2015 The Australian Ballet Stanton Welch's Velocity. School’s residence was named Marilyn Rowe House in her honour and she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the .

Marilyn has been a jury member for the ballet world’s most prestigious international competitions and is currently a member of the jury for the Asian Grand Prix.

18 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON

PLAYBILL ADS 19

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 19 PLAYBILL ADS 20

20 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON GUEST ARTISTS

STEVEN HEATHCOTE AM TRISTAN MESSAGE

Baron Zeta Baron Zeta

DAVID MCALLISTER AM FRANCO LEO

Njegus Njegus

Adam Bull and Olivia Bell. Photography Jeff Busby

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 21 LOSING THEIR HEADS FOR A HAT

IT STARTED AS AN OPERETTA AND ENDED UP AN EDWARDIAN SENSATION. MAURA EDMOND TRACES THE EXPLOSIVE EFFECTS ON CULTURE OF THE MERRY WIDOW.

The girls who have a passion For following the fashion Now carry all their burdens on their heads. You see them out parading So gaily promenading; With hats about the size of folding beds. “The Hat Song”, Follies of 1908 The outrageously oversized Merry Widow hat – featuring a dramatic black brim that stretched wider than its wearer, festooned with towering blooms and exotic feathers – is one of the most famous silhouettes in modern fashion.

The woman responsible for designing the gravity-defying hat, Lady Duff Gordon (aka Lucile) was no less sensational. A divorcee who later married a Scottish Baronet, Lucile was an aristocrat and Titanic survivor (the two were not unrelated), a celebrated couturier, an in-demand costumier for stage and screen, a successful businesswoman, and a liberator of women’s waists with her diaphanous, empire-line gowns and matching barely-there lingerie. Among her many accomplishments and notorieties, Lucile Artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby is perhaps best known as a pioneer of fashion PR, pairing fabulous couture with theatrical entertainment in ways we now take completely for granted. Theatre managers and unauthorised opportunists alike were keen

Lucile’s fashion shows were no mere salon to cash in on ‘Merry Widow fever’, producing sheet music, cigars, presentations with frocks displayed perfunctorily perfumes, chocolates, ice-cream sundaes, cocktails and corsets, on timber mannequins. Hers were extravagant most with only the slimmest of connections to the operetta. events featuring lovely young girls sashaying softly down a little platform in front of a society crowd of the rich and connected. A prototype of premiere featured the Lucile-designed hat. In a stunt to prolong interest in the show and give the the modern-day catwalk, Lucile’s fashion parades gushing review by a fashion columnist for the West box office another boost. Trading on the fame combined theatre, music, glamour, eroticism and End theatre rag The Play Pictorial, it’s described as of both Lucile and The Merry Widow, Savage exoticism. As she writes in her 1932 autobiography, “an immense black crinoline hat, banded round the promised one Widow-style hat direct from she gave her working class models more fabulous crown with silver and two huge pink roses nestling for each coupon-bearing theatregoer. On the day names so that, for example, ‘Susan’ became under the brim”. Like Lucile’s salon fashion shows, of the show 1300 otherwise “respectable middle- ‘Gamela’. And she gave her dreamy designs the London performance of the operetta blended class women” stormed the New explicitly lascivious titles, such as ‘The Sighing music, sex, spectacular gowns and that hat, and Theatre on Broadway, overwhelming attendants Sound of Lips Unsatisfied’ or ‘A Frenzied Song according to theatre historian Marlis Schweitzer in a mad scramble for the giveaway hat that had of Amorous Things’. The intention was to create it “sent female audiences and fashion columnists been promised. a dramatic, sexually charged atmosphere. into a state of rhapsodic consumer ecstasy”. When the operetta opened in New York in 1908, the As it migrated from the stage to everyday wardrobes, Lucile’s Merry Widow hat took on Lucile was acutely aware of the power of celebrity, question was not whether The Merry Widow would designing as much for society women as for stars be a success stateside (that much was a given) but a life of its own, with the original proportions of the stage and screen, comfortably moving just how much could be wrung from what was now rapidly ballooning in size. As with so many between what were at the time very different a global entertainment franchise. sartorial trends, the wider and more excessive the layers of society. Her designs could be found at hat, the more fashionable the wearer. It quickly the exclusive Maison Lucile salons in the fashion Advances in telegraphy and steam ships meant became an object of derision and moralising, capitals of Paris, London and New York, and on that the latest news of Paris fashions and Austrian featuring in all manner of parody songs and jokes any number of pretty young Ziegfield showgirls. musical blockbusters could make its way across (which, in their own way, cashed in on the trend). Lucile also wrote regular fashion columns for the the Atlantic at radically faster speeds. Even before It is easy to think of Merry Widow fever as just likes of and the show had opened in the United States, there Good Housekeeping Harper’s Bazaar. one in a long line of silly Edwardian fads, but the And she near-enough invented the notion of the were advertisements for all manner of goods legacy is richer and more interesting than that. It ‘It Girl’. badged with Merry Window branding. Theatre managers and unauthorised opportunists alike heralded the arrival of the global theatre mega-hit It was all part of a broader trend in the Edwardian were keen to cash in on ‘Merry Widow fever’, with its lucrative tie-in merchandising, cementing period, which saw high-stakes fashion move producing sheet music, cigars, perfumes, cross-promotional synergies between the fashion from being the sole domain of a wealthy elite chocolates, ice-cream sundaes, cocktails and entertainment industries. It also signalled to something that catered equally to a popular and corsets, most with only the slimmest of the importance of the sartorially edgy It Girl for audience. This new mass audience for fashion connections to the operetta. The sundaes – helping to sell fashion’s more outré designs to a consisted primarily of middle-class women who there were several – typically involved inordinately broader public. But most of all, it hinted at the in reality could never afford to buy the couture large scoops of chocolate ice-cream under a increasing significance of street style, with the hat sold in Lucile’s salons, but could nonetheless take precarious tower of extravagant toppings; the taking on its most iconic and fabulous dimensions pleasure and inspiration from it. And of course, Merry Widow cocktail is a gin martini dressed when it escaped the stage and the salon, crossing their consumer value elsewhere was immense. up with Bénédictine and absinthe. barriers of race, class and country.

The Merry Widow had been an instant success But the star of the tie-in merchandise was of Maura Edmond is an arts writer, a hat lover and a in Austria on its debut in 1905. Within two years course the hat. As Marlis Schweitzer recounts, lecturer in media and cultural studies at Monash there were performances taking place across after a record run in New York, theatre manager University. Europe, including in London, where the 1907 Henry Savage came up with a new promotional

22 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON Cover for sheet music of The Merry Widow. Image courtesy of Sheridan Libraries/Levy/Gado/Getty Images

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 23 MERRY MEMORIES

IN THIS SEASON OF THE MERRY WIDOW, THREE LEGENDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET RETURN TO THE STAGE IN CHARACTER ROLES: COLIN PEASLEY, A FOUNDATION MEMBER OF THE COMPANY; ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DAVID MCALLISTER; AND BELOVED FORMER PRINCIPAL ARTIST (NOW THE COMPANY’S BALLET MASTER) . THEY LET KATE SCOTT IN ON THE HIGH POINTS AND HIGH JINKS OF THEIR LONG JOURNEYS THROUGH THE BALLET: STANDING OVATIONS, ONSTAGE PROPOSALS, WARDROBE MALFUNCTIONS AND ALL.

COLIN PEASLEY DAVID McALLISTER STEVEN HEATHCOTE

We opened The Merry Widow at the Palais The first time I was on stage inThe Merry My role, Baron Zeta, has been immortalised by Theatre in Melbourne, which was glorious. Widow was in 1985, the tenth anniversary of Mr Colin Peasley. I'll be watching Colin carefully No matter where we went, we always had an the production. John Meehan and Marilyn Rowe in the studio, gleaning any special tips I can. incredible reaction. The , danced that season, so it was like a revival of the the Elizabethan Theatre in Newtown, Her Majesty's original cast. I did the Lead Pontevedrian boy, and What’s so enjoyable about the Baron is the Theatre – everywhere we would have people lining I loved it, because when I was in The Australian manipulation he undertakes in order to save up at stage door. There was one woman who’d Ballet School I used to stick my face up against the the country from bankruptcy. His motives are mortgaged her house to see every performance crack of the door to watch everyone waltz across less than pure, although they are patriotic. It's much more akin to a straight acting role. There of The Merry Widow! the studio. Being able to actually dance in The is less choreography to concern yourself with, Merry Widow was a dream come true. You’ll notice that Hanna doesn't do any jumps. but like any dancing role, you’ve got to be in It's all turns and bourrés. The reason for this is We'd all heard about Margot Fonteyn and the opening your character and telling that story the entire that although Marilyn Rowe was the first Hanna, in New York in 1976. Jackie Onassis was there; duration of the performance. And as with any it was also designed to be danced by Margot everyone who was anyone was there. There’s so much role that lends itself to humour, you do have to be Fonteyn, who was, at that stage, late in her career. glamour around this work. Every time we performed really careful that it doesn't tip over into slapstick Although The Merry Widow was first performed it, I felt like I grew up a bit: I did Pontevedrian, then – humour is so much funnier when the person here in Australia, there was always an eye to add the Act I Waltz, and then I got to do Camille. You involved in producing it doesn't think what's New York, Washington and London seasons. In a felt like you were part of ballet history. going on is funny. way, Hanna’s choreography is very simple, but, my God, it's a star role. I've seen dramas happen. In 1990, Adam Marchant Danilo, of course, was a super-fun role. He's the was cast to perform Danilo. He was so excited he bulletproof guy, the dashing one who gets all the We went to Uris Theatre in New York [now the left class early to go and put his make-up on, fell girls and drinks champagne all day. But I think one Gershwin Theatre]. Fonteyn made that wonderful down the stairs, and broke his fifth metatarsal, so of the lovely things about the production is the entrance when everybody on stage turns and the whole season's casting had to change because way Ronald Hynd takes Danilo down a peg or two: looks up to her, this glittering woman in a beautiful we were one Danilo down. when it comes to Hanna, he's forced to eat humble black dress and jewels. The entire audience stood pie. The usual magic that he wields around women The Can-Can ladies have these huge, big heavy and Jack Lanchbery, who was conducting the isn’t working. orchestra, had to stop for at least a minute to let hats, with little wiglettes stuck on the side for the audience die down so he could start the dance extra curl. Often someone would lose a wiglette – Even though you reach a certain age where again. She hadn't done anything! She hadn't even Hanna would do that big entrance in her beautiful obviously you can't perform as a dancer anymore, walked on the stage! She just stood there in that white cloak and there'd be what looked like poo I still love the whole atmosphere of being involved beautiful dress and looked like a million dollars. in the middle of the stage, and the maitre d’ in a production, being on stage and being a cog would have to very surreptitiously kick it away. in the wheel. Is there a danger I’ll leap back into After that opening-night performance we went to The Pontevedrian dresses have these metres and Danilo’s role when I’m up there? Well, certainly, a night club, the place everyone would go after a metres of lace that are attached to the under-skirts, because it’s so ingrained from dancing Widow for show. We all sat there and drank and ate: I think and the dancers have these little heeled shoes … so many years. It's amazing how the brain locks on Margot's bill, certainly I didn't pay anything. In I’ve seen many performances where someone’s away movement sequences. When you hear that New York the notices were written straight after petticoat unravels and you've just got metres of music, somewhere, deep down in the hard drive the performance, ready for the next morning’s red lace running after them like a long serpentine of your brain, that file is reached into and brought paper, which went on sale about 1am. We all sat tail. And I remember [then principal artist] Miranda forth. And yet, I can't remember what I had for there waiting, getting thoroughly sozzled and Coney being proposed to by [then music director] lunch yesterday. It's quite extraordinary. feeling like stars. Charles Barker after a performance, onstage with a microphone – she said yes! Why is the work so enduring? I think the answer's When we were in the Uris Theatre a lot of simple – romance never goes out of fashion. It's entrepreneurs came to us and said, "We'd like to This season, Steven Heathcote is going to do the got all the great elements of a love story: boy and take you to San Francisco. We'd like to take you Baron and I'm going to do Njegus, so it's going to girl meet, they part, they meet again later in life, all around America. We'd like to form a company be like the old days like when he did Onegin and and there’s a spark. Is it gonna happen? Is it not? and use your principals and we'll pick up a corps I did Lensky, or he did Romeo and I did Mercutio. And then you’ve got all the political maneuvering de ballet.” And the alarm bells rang, because the We're getting the team back together. And Colin's that goes around the periphery of this relationship. ballet wasn’t copyrighted – you can’t copyright coming back for this season, which continues that In a way, a very simple story, but a very clever what’s not written down. So we quickly got it link back to the original. story. A great romance is always going to have notated to stop anyone pinching it. This was eternal appeal. all because of Margot and New York. It's an opportunity to exercise that performer muscle. You get so used to watching other people Kate Scott is the editor of Luminous: Celebrating I've been Baron Zeta since the very beginning; perform, and you can be very analytical about their 50 Years of The Australian Ballet, and the director I was the original Baron. What keeps me coming performance, but it’s much harder to step outside of marketing and communications at Bangarra back to the role? I’m a performer. I was a member your own. The fear and the ecstasy of being Dance Theatre. of The Australian Ballet for 50 years. If you put onstage is something that I wanted to feel again. I down the number of performances I've done with got a bit of a taste of it in Nijinsky [David stepped The Australian Ballet it'd be millions! You can see into Steven Heathcote’s guest role when he was ill] how contagious it is, because David McAllister's and it was really fun – I got quite addicted. Steven coming back on stage too. had to wrestle his costume back off me.

Once performing gets in your blood, it's very hard There are certain ballets that you think, “Oh gosh, to get it out. There's nothing nicer. You can be if I could just go back and do that one more time really depressed when you walk into the theatre, …” Camille was a role that I loved, and I had some but eventually, after you put your makeup on, it’s fantastic Valenciennes. You feel a million bucks Njegus or the Baron looking back, it’s not you. You in The Merry Widow. The costumes are really get to escape everything and become the person flattering, the story's really fun, and you get to be you’re playing. And that's really a wonderful thing. that romantic person having an illicit affair. I’ll love watching the young Camilles and Valienciennes do their part this season, but I'll be concentrating on my new role to do it justice as well.

24 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON Madeleine Eastoe and Colin Peasley. Photography Jeff Busby

Steven Heathcote, Lisa Pavane and David McAllister. Photography Jim McFarlane

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 25 MUSIC NOTE

CONDUCTOR ORMSBY WILKINS TALKS TO CHLOE GORDON ABOUT THE MERRY WIDOW’S HARMONIOUS TRANSITION FROM OPERETTA TO BALLET.

The Australian conductor Ormsby Wilkins began his career as a rehearsal pianist for The Australian Ballet in 1973, under the leadership of Principal Conductor John Lanchbery. Wilkins played piano for all of the rehearsals for the premiere season of The Merry Widow, and went on to conduct the production in later years. He became The Australian Ballet’s resident conductor in 1982, and has also held the positions of conductor with Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now the Birmingham Royal Ballet) and of music director and principal conductor at the National Ballet of Canada. He became music director of American Ballet Theatre in 2005.

John Lanchbery arranged the score for The Merry Widow from the operetta of the same name by Franz Lehár. How did he translate the score in order to make it appropriate for dance? An operetta is a dialogue with musical numbers in between. It wouldn’t generally have enough music for a full-length ballet, because of course a ballet has no dialogue, it’s all music. There are dance-like pieces in The Merry Widow operetta: for instance, a polonaise, and so-called ‘Pontevedrian’ music, Artists of The Australian Ballet. Photography Jeff Busby which is Central Hungarian-style music. Lehár came out of the tradition of Johann Strauss Jr. from the 19th century, and Viennese music is filled at all. The lights go down, the desk disappears, the repertoire there too. I've done it many times with waltzes and and dance music, even and the score moves into this slightly mysterious and I always feel very comfortable conducting it. in the arias. Jack had to make these small pieces music to start with, a little like the waltz that's It's beautiful music and always takes me back to much larger, turning them into a full dance for coming up soon, although you don't know that yet. my early days, and to all these steps I took towards the corps de ballet, or a big waltz number like He goes through a whole series of keys, with more becoming conductor for ballet. It was a very the one at the beginning of the second scene in crescendo and crescendo and crescendo, and then central part of my becoming a conductor. I feel the first act. He wouldn’t alter the melody or the the curtains and lights go up. The success of that very close to it. harmony, but he extended the music. He would moment is not just in what you see, but in what Are there particular moments in the ballet that move it to another key. He had lush, Mantovani- you hear. you especially enjoy conducting? type strings supporting the choreography. Jack Did the score change a lot from the rehearsal just understood how to synthesise the two forms. I love Camille and Valencienne’s pas de deux. studio to the stage? He knew how to take an operetta and translate all It is just one beautiful melody after another, and those wonderful tunes into a ballet. I've worked on other full-length ballets since I never tire of it. It is also the most beautiful duet The Merry Widow, and usually the score changes in the operetta. In an opera you have a voice and then you have a lot from the original ideas. This score was an accompanying orchestra, but in a ballet, the barely changed: what Jack produced was How did Lanchbery’s work as a conductor orchestra is not just accompanying. It is the almost the form that it ended up in at the first inspire you? music. So you have to embellish the sound of the performance. He was so clever and such a genius I learned so much from him. He could just make orchestra to support the choreography and make at understanding what worked, and how to the music pop out of the pit. He brought rhythmic it balletically interesting, rather than just having a contribute to an overall dramatic piece. vitality to his work. Obviously in dance you need soprano sing. Jack was excellent at that. to have rhythm, and he brought something very One change was that there were actually voices special to the performances in that way, even I should note that Alan Abbott orchestrated a in the first seasons ofThe Merry Widow. It was a though he may not have given the dancers a lot of The Merry Widow. He was a great friend condition of using the operetta that we include perfect tempo. He could push the dancers more and colleague of Jack's, and could be trusted to voices, and so there was a chorus, just at two or than they might feel comfortable with, but I produce work that wouldn't seem out of place. A three moments in the whole ballet: during the folk think they knew deep down that the way he was big part of how you go from the operetta to the dancing, and some humming during a short strain accompanying them was actually helping to ballet is in the orchestration. How do you make the of the Merry Widow Waltz. The voices had been showcase them. orchestra fizz when you don't have singers? dropped by the time I conducted it. I wouldn't be what I am today without Jack. He You once mentioned (in an interview on The Subsequent to The Merry Widow debut season, gave me my first job and he was an inspiration. Australian Ballet blog) that Lanchbery was you became a conductor, and have conducted I have a huge amount of respect for him. If I can especially good at managing the transitions this ballet many times since. What place does the inject a small percentage of my performances with between scenes, giving those moments their own ballet hold in your own career? dramatic weight, rather than just performing the energy in the way Jack did, I will be very happy. function of moving into the next piece. I began conducting in 1976, and the first full- Chloe Gordon is a freelance copywriter and length ballet I conducted was The Merry Widow in Jack totally understood how to get from one piece . I think that Jack was confident enough communications specialist with a zest for the arts. Her website is chloegordon.com.au to the next. A wonderful example of this ability is to have me conduct because I knew The Merry the transition from the first scene of the ballet to Widow really well. The orchestra could feel that Thank you to our Official Piano Partner Kawai, the second. Design-wise, it's the most fantastic I knew it, so that was very helpful. I performed who supplies the pianos we use in rehearsals and moment: the first scene takes place at the front it with The Australian Ballet many times. When I performance of the stage where there's a big desk, then the became music director at the National Ballet of curtains go up to reveal that incredible ballroom. Canada, they had presented it before, and it came How do you match that, musically? Jack does it back into the repertoire during my time there. through transition music that is actually not Lehár When I went to American Ballet Theatre, it was in

26 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON CONDUCTORS

NICOLETTE FRAILLON AM SIMON THEW PAUL MURPHY

Music Director & Chief Conductor Conductor Guest Conductor

Nicolette Fraillon began her music studies on violin and piano Simon Thew has undertaken conducting studies in Sydney, Paul Murphy is principal conductor of the Birmingham Royal at an early age. At 16 she conducted her first concert with the Vienna, Berlin, and with mentors including Sebastian Ballet and its orchestra, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. In addition to Victorian Junior Symphony Orchestra. She graduated on viola Weigle, Nicolette Fraillon, Harry Spence Lyth, Richard Bonynge, an extensive touring schedule both in the UK and abroad, their from Melbourne University in 1982, gaining an equal first place and John Hopkins. work together includes concerts and recordings. in her year in Performance. From 1984–87 she furthered her instrumental studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna and In 2007 Simon was awarded the Dame /Richard Paul has been a regular guest conductor with The Royal Ballet, from 1987–88 in Hannover. During her time in Germany and Bonynge Travel Scholarship, which enabled further study in Covent Garden since 1994, working with the Orchestra of Austria Nicolette toured with many orchestras, including the Europe, culminating in his position as musical intern at the House, and has been the conductor for The Salzburger Chamber Ensemble and the Chamber Orchestra of Bayreuth Festival in 2008. Annual Performance since 2005. He has Bassano, and was a member of the Haydn Quartet, based at the conducted many of the UK’s finest ensembles, including the In 2010 he was awarded the Hephzibah Tintner Fellowship, which Esterhazy Palace in Eisenstadt. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, the Royal Liverpool gave him performance and mentoring opportunities with The Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, In 1990 Nicolette moved to the Netherlands, where she became Australian Ballet, , and the Sydney Symphony. the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the BBC assistant musical director for the 1991–92 season of Les Misérables Simon was The Australian Ballet’s Conducting Fellow in 2011, Concert Orchestra, the Orchestra of Opera North, the City of in Amsterdam and The Hague. In 1992 she was admitted to the and in the same year was awarded a Churchill Fellowship. This Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Manchester Camerata. Netherlands Broadcasting Association’s International Conductors’ enabled him to undertake professional development opportu- Abroad, he has worked with such orchestras as the Bergen Masterclass, resulting in a performance with the Dutch Radio nities with ballet companies, opera houses and orchestras in Philharmonic, the Philharmonic, the Osaka Symphony, Symphony Orchestra in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. London, Birmingham, Vienna, Berlin, and New York across 2012. the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Washington National Opera This led to an invitation to conduct for the Nederlands Dans Orchestra, the Virginia Symphony, the Sofia Opera Orchestra Simon was an assistant conductor with Opera Australia from Theater. She was then invited to become music director and chief and the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo in Sicily. He has also 2007 – 2010. In 2010 he conducted Opera Australia’s Oz Opera conductor of the National Ballet of the Netherlands, working with been a guest conductor for , Ballet du regional tour, and in the same year made his conducting such renowned choreographers as , Toer van Rhin, the Royal Ballet of Flanders, Dutch National Ballet, The debut with The Australian Ballet. In 2012 he acted as assistant Schayk, Rudi van Dantzig and , and conducting Australian Ballet, the National Ballet of Japan and, most recently, conductor on the company’s New York tour. numerous world premieres. During the following five years she BalletBoyz, NDT 1 and Acosta Danza. worked with the North Holland Philharmonic Orchestra, the Simon was a regular guest conductor with The Australian Ballet Paul has made numerous recordings for BBC Radio 3, BBC New Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Noord Nederlands Orchestra, the between 2013 and 2016. He conducted performances in most of Television, Channel 4 and Artsworld, and has released CDs Gelders Orchestra in Arnhem, the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, the company's seasons during that time. In 2017 he accepted an with the Hallé (the complete music for piano and orchestra by the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague, the Kanazawa Chamber invitation to become The Australian Ballet’s assistant conductor. Saint Saens), The Royal Ballet Sinfonia (Paul Reade’s Far from Orchestra in Japan, and the Finnish Ballet. He has also worked as a guest conductor for English National the Madding Crowd, two discs of British Light Music Classics Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Houston Ballet. In 1998 she took up the position of Director at the School and a recent disc of Carl Davis’ Cyrano), the New Queen’s Hall of Music, Australian National University, and continued her He has an active concert-conducting career and is committed to Orchestra (music by Butterworth, Delius and Korngold) and conducting work with the , the West the education of young conductors and instrumentalists. the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (British Light Music). He has Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Youth Orchestra also recorded DVDs of Prokofiev’sPeter and the Wolf with the and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra of The , The Tales of and with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and Aladdin with She debuted with The Australian Ballet in 2002, conducting the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Spartacus, and was then invited by David McAllister to become music director and chief conductor, beginning in January 2003. Forthcoming engagements include return visits to the National Since joining the company, Nicolette has conducted all programs Ballet of Japan, NDT 1, concerts with the Osaka Symphony for The Australian Ballet, including all of its overseas tours, and has Orchestra and debut performances with been a guest conductor for San Francisco Ballet. Following The in Autumn 2018. Australian Ballet’s 2005 tour to the UK, Nicolette was, in 2006, invited back to conduct The Sleeping Beauty with Birmingham He studied conducting at the with Colin Royal Ballet. In 2007 she guested with New York City Ballet. In Metters, John Carewe, George Hurst and Sir Colin Davis. He was 2008 she returned to the Birmingham Royal Ballet for a season made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 1997. of The Nutcracker, then finished the year with a New Year’s Gala in Skopje with the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra. In early 2011 Nicolette guested with San Francisco Ballet, conducting their production of ; in 2014 she guested with New York City Ballet. In 2016 she conducted the opening night of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of ’s The Nutcracker, which was also the choreographer’s 90th birthday.

Since 2014, Nicolette has also been artistic director of , establishing new concert series, education programs and two regional music festivals.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 27 Bringing the world closer

Andrew Stead, Qantas Dreamliner Pilot Qantas Dreamliner, now flying Melbourne to and to London non-stop.

Book at qantas.com

28 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON CLOSE UP: ADAM BULL

PRINCIPAL ARTIST ADAM BULL IS DANCING AT THE PINNACLE OF HIS CAREER. HE LOOKS BACK AT THE GOOD TIMES AND THE HARD TIMES, AND SHARES A VERY SPECIAL MERRY WIDOW MOMENT WITH CHLOE GORDON.

What do you love about The Merry Widow? It’s just so much fun. The characters are great and all the pas de deux are beautiful. The score is incredible – it feels like the audience almost sings along with the music. It’s a really joyous, luscious production, and I can’t wait to get back on stage with it.

What memories stand out from the company’s last season of The Merry Widow in 2011? The first time I performed Danilo, Olivia Bell was my Hanna. About 15 minutes before the curtain went up for our debut show in Melbourne, I went into her dressing room to give her a good luck present. I said, “Good luck Liv, have a great show.” And she said, “Chookas Adam! Oh by the way, I’m pregnant.” It all made sense then because there’s so much waltzing in the production – we’re waltzing around in circles for hours – and in the rehearsal studio she was always getting sick. I’d think, “Oh my god Livs, toughen up, we’re only waltzing around.”

Those first shows with Olivia were quite special because we were dancing for three.

That must have affected your performance that evening! It just made me a bit more careful. The girls are happy to be dancing at that stage of pregnancy, but it does make you feel a little anxious.

The Merry Widow opens this year in Sydney, which is your current hometown. What are some of your favourite things to do when you’re there? I love being by the water in Manly. We have a morning ritual where my partner swims from Shelly Beach to Manly and back again, and I meet him afterwards and we go to Fairy Bower for a coffee. It’s the perfect start to the day. Then I catch the beautiful ferry over to the Opera House. Every year it gets harder to leave, but it’s always Adam as Count Danilo. Photography Justin Ridler nice going back. Bringing the world closer The Melbourne season of The Merry Widow will danced this beautiful pas de deux, and at the end in a studio by yourself and it’s lonely. You learn a coincide with the ten-year anniversary of your she just broke down. She had this moment of lot about yourself and your own patience. It’s the promotion to principal artist. How does that feel? realisation about how much hard work there is hardest part of the job, but people who go through in what we do, and what it means to everyone. that experience come out the other end, and it’s Ten years is quite a milestone and I’m proud of She had the whole room in tears and I was just really rewarding – like with Bene. You put so much that. I’m really happy with how I’m dancing at the holding her. It was one of those moments that effort into ballet, and when your body says you Andrew Stead, Qantas Dreamliner Pilot moment, and looking forward to the next few I’ll always treasure. can’t do it anymore, you have to break yourself years. I know a dancer’s life can’t last forever, so down and you build yourself back up again. But I’m cherishing each moment, putting them in the Those emotional highs and lows have been before you know it you’re back out on stage. Qantas Dreamliner, now flying Melbourne to Los Angeles treasure box in my brain to keep forever, because scattered throughout my career. Sharing them it will all be over in the blink of an eye. with this family we have at the Ballet is amazing. Chloe Gordon is a freelance copywriter and They see you at your best and they see you at communications specialist with a zest for the arts. and Perth to London non-stop. What are some of those memories you’ll treasure? your worst. Her website is chloegordon.com.au We had an amazing moment recently with What have been the most challenging moments? Benedicte Bemet, who has been off injured for almost a year. I was partnered with her for Graeme Injuries are hard. In rehabilitation, you take yourself Book at qantas.com Murphy’s Grand [in the Murphy program]. It was out of the day-to-day life of the company and you the first full call in front of the company, and we become quite removed. You’re not on tour; you’re

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 29 PRINCIPAL ARTISTS

ADAM BULL CHENGWU GUO ROBYN HENDRICKS

“Tender and self-deprecating … a true “explosive energy” “Serene beauty” danseur noble” The Age Arts Writer Deborah Jones The Observer, UK

Adam Bull's principal artist position is generously Growing up in China, Chengwu Guo began dance classes at South African-born Robyn Hendricks began ballet classes aged supported by Lachlan & Sarah Murdoch the age of eleven. He was accepted into the Beijing Dance eight after her grandfather observed her dancing on her toes Academy where he was able to combine his ballet training with all the time. Growing up in an academic family, Robyn was the Adam Bull was born in 1981 and began training at Dance World academic studies. Chen’s talent for ballet was soon evident first family member to pursue a creative passion. Training in 301 with Brian Nolan before joining The Australian Ballet School. when he received a gold medal at the Tao Li Bei of China the Cecchetti Syllabus, Robyn travelled to Melbourne in 2001 In 2000, he represented Australia in the Paris International Ballet Competition, and also at the Beijing International Competition. to participate in the annual Cecchetti International Competition. Competition, before graduating from The Australian Ballet School In 2006 Chen became a prize winner at the prestigious Prix de During the competition, she was approached by The Australian with honours in 2001. Adam joined The Australian Ballet in 2002, Lausanne competition in Switzerland, receiving a full scholarship Ballet School and was asked to audition formally for entrance going on to dance in many leading roles. After just six months as a to complete his vocational ballet training. He chose to take up into the prestigious national school. During her time at The senior artist, Adam was promoted to principal artist in June 2008, this scholarship at The Australian Ballet School. During his time Australian Ballet School, Robyn was one of four students capping off a string of critically acclaimed lead performances. at the School Chen toured regional Australia with The Dancers selected to participate in a student exchange to Canada, where Adam has danced a vast range of the male classical repertoire; Company, and received glowing reviews for his roles in The she studied for four weeks with the National Ballet School in he has a fondness for works by , Sir Kenneth Sleeping Beauty, Graduation Ball and Coppélia. Chen joined Toronto. She joined The Australian Ballet in 2005; she was MacMillan, Graeme Murphy, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher The Australian Ballet in 2008 and was promoted to principal promoted to soloist in 2011, to senior artist in 2016, and to Wheeldon and Wayne McGregor. Performing in principal lead artist in 2013. principal artist the same year. roles on the company’s tours to Paris, London, New York, Los Angeles and Japan have been career highlights. Repertoire highlights Repertoire highlights — Albrecht in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 — Gamzatti in Stanton Welch's La Bayadère 2014 Repertoire highlights — Puck in ’s 2015 — Wayne McGregor's Chroma 2014 — Albrecht in Maina Gielgud's Giselle 2015, 2006 — Solor in Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère 2014 — Jirˇí Kylián’s Petite Mort 2014, 2005 — Prince Siegfried in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2008 – 2015 — The Prince in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker 2014 — Cigarette solo in Serge Lifar’s Suite en blanc 2014 — des Grieux in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014, 2008 — Basilio in Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote 2013 — Second Ballerina in George Balanchine's Ballet Imperial 2014 — The Prince in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker 2014, 2010, 2007 — Principal Man, Mazurka, in Harald Lander's Études 2012 — Black Swan Pas de deux 2012 — James in La Sylphide 2013, 2005 — Mercutio and Tybalt in Graeme Murphy’s Romeo & Juliet 2011 — Principal Lady in 2014 — The Prince in Alexei Ratmansky’s , 2013 — First Red Knight in ’ Checkmate 2011 — Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain© 2011 — Prince Siegfried in ’ Swan Lake 2013, 2012 — Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto 2011 — Wayne McGregor's Dyad 1929 2009 — Onegin in ’s Onegin 2012 — Graeme Murphy’s Firebird 2009 — 's Por vos muero 2009 — Bedroom Pas de deux from Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon with American Ballet Theatre’s Julie Kent, The Australian Guest appearances Guest appearances Ballet 50th Anniversary Gala, 2012 — The Dancers Company tour 2008 — Fall for Dance Festival 2014, 2012 — Danilo in Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow 2011 — The Dancers Company tour 2014, 2008 Awards Guest appearances — Green Room Award nomination for Don Quixote Awards — Cinderella Pas de deux, Sapphire Gala 2015 and La Sylphide 2013 — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee 2015, 2011, 2009, 2007 — Prince Siegfried in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake, — Maurice Sullivan Scholarship 2013 Shanghai Ballet 2014 — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award and Telstra People’s You may not know ... — 1st Chinese International Ballet Gala 2013 Choice Award 2011 Robyn is interested in the horse-breeding industry — Fall for Dance Festival, New York 2011 and owns a horse with her husband Charles Thompson, — Ballet 50th Anniversary Gala 2011 You may not know ... a former member of The Australian Ballet. — The Dancers Company tour 2006 Chengwu likes to watch Japanese anime in his spare time.

Awards — Green Room Award 'Year’s Work' nomination 2009 — Benois de la Danse Best Male Dancer nomination for Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2009 — Khitercs Hirai Foundation Scholarship 2009 — Green Room Award nomination for Albrecht in Giselle 2006

You may not know ... “I have ticked off a lifelong dream of visiting the Antarctic continent, doing so in our summer break at the end of 2009. Landing at the same site as the famous Australian explorer Sir Douglas Mawson was an awe-inspiring and life-changing experience.”

30 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON KEVIN JACKSON LANA JONES ANDREW KILLIAN

“Jackson is a delightfully impulsive Romeo, “Mesmerising in execution” “Immaculate and debonair” all boyish charm and passion” media-culture.org.au Dance Australia The West Australian

Kevin Jackson’s principal artist position is generously Lana Jones’ principal artist position is generously supported Melbourne-born Andrew Killian, a student of The Australian supported by Lynnette Harvey by The Dorothy Hicks Fund Ballet School, joined The Australian Ballet in 2000 and was promoted to principal artist in 2011. During his time with The Born in Perth, Kevin commenced his dance training at the age Lana Jones was born in Coffs Harbour but moved soon after Australian Ballet Andrew has thoroughly enjoyed performing of seven with the Shirley Farrell Academy of Dance. In 2002 to Canberra, where she commenced her ballet training at the leading roles in the company’s extensive classical repertoire he graduated from The Australian Ballet School; he joined Canberra Youth Ballet School. She moved to Melbourne in 1999 including Lescaut in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon, the Prince The Australian Ballet in 2003 and was promoted to principal to attend The Australian Ballet School, graduating dux to join in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker, Prince Siegfried in Stephen artist in 2010. In his time with the company, he has performed The Australian Ballet in 2002. In 2005 she was promoted to Baynes’ Swan Lake and the Cavalier in George Balanchine’s many lead roles in both classical and contemporary works by coryphée and won the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award, the highest Ballet Imperial. Andrew has also been involved in the creation choreographers including , Alexei Ratmansky, accolade of its kind for Australian ballet dancers. Lana’s dancing of many new works including Stephen Baynes’ Constant Wayne McGregor, Jirˇí Kylián and Graeme Murphy. Kevin enjoys has been critically acclaimed as “joyous and effervescent”, with Variants and Tim Harbour’s Wa, and has performed in most of the technique and artistry demanded by many different works one writer declaring her performance in George Balanchine’s The Australian Ballet’s Bodytorque seasons. He enjoys working but holds the story ballet closest to his heart. as “supernatural”. Lana was promoted to principal artist closely with choreographers and offers a unique versatility in 2010. that places him in high demand. Andrew has toured with The Repertoire highlights Australian Ballet to , Tokyo, Shanghai, New York, — Vaslav Nijinsky in John Neumeier's Nijinsky 2016 Repertoire highlights Los Angeles, London and Paris. — Prince Désiré in David McAllister's The Sleeping Beauty 2015 — Aurora in David McAllister’s The Sleeping Beauty 2015 — Albrecht in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 — Odette and Baroness von Rothbart in Graeme Murphy’s Repertoire highlights — Oberon in Frederick Ashton’s The Dream 2015 Swan Lake 2015, 2012 — Prince Siegfried in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2015, 2014 — Onegin and Lenksy in John Cranko’s Onegin 2012 — Giselle in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 — Wayne McGregor’s Chroma and Dyad 1929 2014, 2013 — des Grieux in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014, 2008 — Manon in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014 — Lescaut in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014, 2008 — Prince Siegfried in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2014, 2013, — George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial 2014 — Jirˇí Kylián’s Petite Mort and Bella Figura 2014, 2013 2009 — Odette/Odile in Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake 2013 — Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain© 2011, 2007 — Romeo in Graeme Murphy's Romeo & Juliet 2011 — Kitri in Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote 2013 — The Prince in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker 2010 — ’ A Suite of Dances 2008 — Cinderella in Alexei Ratmansky’s Cinderella 2013 — Jerome Robbins’ A Suite of Dances and The Cage 2008 — George Balanchine’s Apollo 2007 — Jirˇí Kylián’s Bella Figura 2013 — ’s Rites 2008 © — Pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain 2011 — Jirˇí Kylián’s Stepping Stones 2005 and Forgotten Land Guest appearances 2016, 2005 — The Prince in Stanton Welch's The Nutcracker, Houston Ballet Guest appearances 2016 — Cinderella Pas de deux, Northern Ballet Sapphire Gala 2015 Awards — des Grieux in Kenneth MacMillan's Manon, American Ballet — Don Quixote Pas de deux, 25th — Green Room Award Year’s Work nomination 2012 Theatre (exchange artist) 2014 Anniversary Gala 2013 — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee 2009, 2006 — Lucas Jervies' Human/Abstract, JACK Productions, 2010 — Fall for Dance Festival, New York 2011 — George Balanchine’s Rubies, Hong Kong Ballet 2011 Guest appearances Awards — Grand pas classique, West Australian Ballet 40th Anniversary — Fool’s Paradise with Morphoses 2009 — Nomination for the Benois de la Danse award for Gala 2010 — The Nutcracker with Houston Ballet 2007 Jack/Knave in Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland©, 2017 Awards You may not know ... — Helpmann Award for Best Male Dancer, Nijinsky, 2017 — Lissa Black Scholarship 2010 Andrew is still struggling to learn how to cook and — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award 2008 — Khitercs Hirai Foundation Scholarship 2009 cried like a baby at his best friend’s wedding. — Khitercs Hirai Foundation Scholarship 2007 — Australian Dance Award for outstanding performance by a female dancer in Firebird 2009 Choreographic works — Green Room Award for best female dancer in Firebird 2009 — Encomium for Bodytorque.Muses 2011 — Helpmann Award for best female dancer in Firebird 2009 — Enter Closer for Bodytorque.2.2 2009 — Helpmann Award for best female dancer in Forgotten Land 2006 You may not know ... — Freda May Irving Scholarship 2006 Kevin holds a Vocational Graduate Diploma in Elite Dance Instruction from The Australian Ballet School, and has a keen You may not know ... interest in teaching the next generation of dancers. Lana loves photography, jet skiing and the beach, and has two dogs, Chloe and Rico.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 31 PRINCIPAL ARTISTS

TY KING-WALL AKO KONDO AMBER SCOTT

“Attains impressive heights” “Poised and elegant” “Alluring calmness and superb artistry” New Zealand Theatre Review The Age Fjord Review

Born in Waihi, New Zealand, Ty King-Wall started dancing at Ako was born in Nagoya, Japan in 1991. At three years old she Amber Scott’s principal artist position is generously the age of seven. He received his early ballet training at the began her training at Shiho Kanazawa Ballet Studio. In 2005 supported by Barbara Duhig Dance Education Centre in Tauranga. A Junior Associate of Ako won second prize at the Japan Grand Prix and in 2006 the New Zealand School of Dance, he left New Zealand at 16 to she studied at The Royal Ballet School’s International Summer Amber Scott joined The Australian Ballet School at age eleven. study full-time at The Australian Ballet School. Upon graduating School. In 2007 she was awarded The Australian Ballet School After graduating as dux, she joined The Australian Ballet in dux with honours, Ty was accepted into The Australian Ballet Tuition Scholarship, which was announced at the Youth America 2001. In 2003 she spent four months on a dancer exchange in 2006. Since joining the company, Ty has danced numerous Grand Prix. Ako toured with The Dancers Company in 2008 and at the Royal Danish Ballet, giving her the opportunity to learn principal roles, and had the role of Ceyx created on him in Tim in 2010 she joined The Australian Ballet. She was promoted to the Bournonville technique firsthand. Amber was promoted to Harbour’s Halcyon. He was promoted to soloist in 2010, to principal artist in April 2015 following her debut as Giselle. principal artist in 2011 after performing the Second Movement senior artist in 2011, and to principal artist in 2013. from Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto. Career highlights include Repertoire highlights working with Wayne McGregor on Dyad 1929 and Chroma; Repertoire highlights — Titania in Sir Frederick Ashton’s The Dream 2015 dancing with Robert Tewsley during the 2008 Manon season, — Albrecht in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 — Giselle in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 Damian Smith in Christopher Wheeldon’s After the Rain© Pas — Solor in Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère 2014 — Baroness von Rothbart in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2015 de deux in 2012 and in Alexei Ratmansky’s — Basilio in Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote 2013 — Lescaut’s Mistress in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014 Cinderella in 2013. — Principal Man in Harald Lander’s Études 2012 — Nikiya and Gamzatti in Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère 2014 — Prince Siegfried in Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake 2012 — Sugar Plum Fairy in Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker 2014 Repertoire highlights — Lensky in John Cranko’s Onegin 2012 — Kitri in Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote 2013 — Swanilda in Peggy van Praagh’s Coppélia (with David Hallberg — Pinkerton in Stanton Welch’s Madame Butterfly 2011 — Principal Lady in ’s Paquita 2013 of American Ballet Theatre) 2016 — The Prince in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker 2014, 2010 — The Sylphide in La Sylphide 2013 — Aurora and the Lilac Fairy in David McAllister’s The Sleeping — Franz in Peggy van Praagh’s Coppélia 2010 — Glen Tetley’s Gemini 2012 Beauty 2015 — Prince Florimund in Stanton Welch’s The Sleeping — Giselle in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 Beauty 2015 Guest appearances — Nikiya in Stanton Welch’s La Bayadère 2014 — The Dancers Company tour 2012 — The Sugar Plum Fairy in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker 2014, Awards 2010 — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award 2010 Awards — Odette/Odile in Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake 2013, 2012 — Nomination for the Benois de la Danse award for Alice in — Khitercs Hirai Foundation Scholarship 2013 — Odette in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2004 – 2015 Christopher Wheeldon's © — Lissa Black Scholarship 2011 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , — Manon in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014, 2008 — Silver Medal, Asia Pacific International Ballet 2017 — Tatiana in John Cranko's Onegin 2012 Competition 2005 — Australian Dance Award for Best Female Dancer, — Hanna in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow 2011 — PACANZ Young Performer of the Year Award 2002 Coppélia, 2017 — Susan Morgan Scholarship 2013 Awards Guest appearances — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee 2015, 2012 — Helpmann Award nomination for Stephen Baynes’ — Prince Siegfried in Russell Kerr’s Swan Lake with Swan Lake 2013 2013 You may not know ... — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award and Telstra People's Choice — and Aurora’s Wedding, The Dancers Company Ako is currently learning her third language, Chinese, Award 2004 tour 2008 and plans to learn more languages in the future. — First Place Junior Asian Pacific Competition, Tokyo 1999 — Adeline Genée Awards, bronze medal 1998 You may not know ... Ty is an avid follower of cricket, rugby union and AFL. Guest appearances He is also a long-time fan of Hergé’s The Adventures of — Odette/Odile in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake with the Shanghai Tintin comics, and wants to start brewing his own beer. Ballet 2014 — International Gala 2013 — Odette/Odile in Russell Kerr's Swan Lake with Royal New Zealand Ballet 2013 — Fall for Dance Festival, New York City (Glen Tetley's Gemini) 2011 — The 's 50th Anniversary Gala (Molto Vivace Pas de deux) 2011

You may not know ... Amber first danced with David Hallberg, principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre, in The Australian Ballet’s 2013 Sydney season of Alexei Ratmansky’s Cinderella. In 2016, she again partnered David in the company’s Sydney season of Coppélia, his first performances after a two-and-a-half-year break recovering from injury.

32 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON PRINCIPAL ARTISTS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY LES ÉTOILES

LEANNE STOJMENOV

“Flawless” The Australian

Leanne was born and raised in Perth, where she began dancing NSW/QLD at the age of three with Helen Mckay and Norma Atkinson. Her Mrs Barbara Bedwell full-time training began in 1993 under the direction of Terri Susan Chisholm Charlesworth. Leanne joined The Australian Ballet in 2001 after spending two years dancing with West Australian Ballet. Her Mrs Bar Cohen career highlights include working with Alexei Ratmansky on Mrs Shanny Crouch Cinderella and dancing the title role on opening night of The Mrs Gordon Douglass AM Australian Ballet's 2016 London tour; sharing the stage with her Jane Freudenstein husband Marc Cassidy in the pricipal roles of Rudolf Nureyev's Bozena Gawart Don Quixote in 2007; and dancing Odette/Odile in Stephen Mrs Lynnette Harvey Baynes' Swan Lake alongside Kevin Jackson in 2016, her first role after returning to the stage from maternity leave. Leanne was Frances Ingham promoted to principal artist in 2011. Sarah Ingham Loraine McLaren Repertoire highlights Mrs Helen O'Neil — Odette/Odile in Stephen Baynes’ Swan Lake 2016, 2012 — Swanilda in Peggy van Praagh's Coppélia 2016, 2010 Mrs Roslyn Packer AC — Cinderella in Alexei Ratmansky’s Cinderella 2016, 2013 Dr Valmai Pidgeon AM — Odette in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake 2014, 2009 Mrs Nancy Reardon-Fonseca — Kitri in Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote 2013, 2007 Mrs Kelly Wyborn — Manon in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon 2014, 2008 VIC — Jirˇí Kylián’s Petite Mort 2014, Bella Figura 2013, Forgotten Mrs Joy Anderson Land and Stepping Stones 2005 — Wayne McGregor’s Dyad 1929 2013, 2009 Tania Austin — Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto 2011 Mrs Mary Barlow — Ballerina Doll in Petrouchka 2009 Mrs Di Bertalli Lisa Bolte Awards — Australian Dance Award for outstanding performance by a Ms Natasha Bowness female dancer in Cinderella 2014 Mr David Brownell — Green Room Award nomination for Cinderella 2013 Ms Robin Campbell — Green Room Award Year’s Work nomination 2009 Angie Carter — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee 2009, 2007, 2005 Mrs Maureen Crawford — Friends of the Ballet NSW Scholarship 2004 Mrs Annette Davis Guest appearances Alane Fineman — Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Houston Ballet 2014 Prue Gillies AM — Miami International Dance Festival 2010 Ms Val Harding — Morphoses 2009 — Royal Swedish Ballet 2008 Ms Linda Herd Rosie Lew You may not know ... Ms Jodie Maunder Leanne has acrobatic skills. Lady Potter AC CMRI Linton Soderholm Mrs Christine Smedley Regine Szmulewicz

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 33 34 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON SENIOR ARTISTS

DIMITY AZOURY BRETT CHYNOWETH AMY HARRIS JARRYD MADDEN VALERIE JADE WOOD TERESHCHENKO

" ... deliciously precise ...” “A very special artist” “Flawless technique” “Superb” “Magnificent” “Graceful strength”

Simon Parris: Man in Chair Arts writer Deborah Jones The Daily Telegraph The Border Mail Dance Australia

Dimity Azoury began dancing Brett Chynoweth was born Amy Harris was born in Encouraged by his dance Valerie Tereshchenko was Jade Wood was born in at the age of four in her in Melbourne. At age five, Ararat, Victoria and began teacher mother, Jarryd born in Kiev, Ukraine. She Cairns, Queensland, and home town of Queanbeyan, he began training at a local jazz and tap classes at her Madden started dancing at immigrated to Australia with started dancing at the age NSW. She studied for ballet school. He soon moved local ballet school at the the age of three at his local her family when she was six of three at the Jillanne eleven years at the Kim to The Australian Ballet age of three. From the age dance school in Wauchope, years old and a year later Reynolds School of Dance. Harvey School of Dance in School, where he received, of ten, Amy trained in the NSW. He remained there took her first ballet class. After moving with her family Canberra before moving to among other awards, the Cecchetti method with the until 2005 when, age 16, he Valerie's talent for movement to Portugal for a year when The Australian Ballet School Dr HC (Nuggett) Coombes Carole Oliver School of Ballet joined Melbourne’s National was nurtured at a number she was ten, she returned in 2005. She was accepted Travelling Scholarship, which in Ballarat, and as a Cecchetti Theatre Ballet School. of Melbourne-based dance to Cairns and joined The into The Australian Ballet enabled him to train in New scholar she won bronze After a guest stint with The schools, including West Australian Ballet School’s in 2008, where she had the York and Toronto, and the and silver medals. In 1999, Australian Ballet during Point Ballet Academy, Interstate Junior Programme, opportunity to travel to prestigious Graeme Murphy aged 15, Amy successfully the 2007 season of Peter Ballet Theatre of Victoria, traveling to Melbourne a few Paris, London, New York, Award for Excellence in auditioned for The Australian Wright’s The Nutcracker, and the Australian Interna- times per year. In 2004, Jade Japan, San Francisco and . Brett Ballet School. She joined The Jarryd officially joined the tional School of Coaching. relocated to Melbourne to Los Angeles. She has loved has been on five Dancers Australian Ballet in 2002 and company at the beginning of Valerie later joined The attend The Australian Ballet working with many choreog- Company tours between was promoted to coryphée 2008; he was promoted to Australian Ballet School. School. She toured with The raphers including Nicolo 2003 – 08. He graduated dux in 2007, soloist in 2011 and coryphée in 2011, to soloist In 2008 she participated in Dancers Company in 2009 Fonte, Graeme Murphy, Tim from The Australian Ballet senior artist in 2012. in 2015 and to senior artist a school exchange in North and 2010 and joined The Harbour, Stephen Page and School with honours to join in 2017. A versatile artist, America and that same year Australian Ballet in 2011. She Stephen Baynes. Dimity The Australian Ballet at the Repertoire highlights Jarryd has performed in every performed with The Dancers has toured internationally was promoted to soloist in beginning of 2009, and was — The Queen of Hearts in Bodytorque season since Company tour for the second with the company to New 2015 following her debut as promoted to senior artist at Christopher Wheeldon's joining the company. time. In 2009 she joined The York, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Baroness von Rothbart in the end of 2015. Since joining Alice's Adventures in Australian Ballet; she was Beijing, Shanghai and © Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, The Australian Ballet, Brett Wonderland 2017 Repertoire highlights promoted to coryphée London. She was promoted and to senior artist in 2017. has performed a variety of — Wayne McGregor’s Infra — Jack/Knave of Hearts, Mad in 2015, to soloist in 2017 and to coryphée in 2015, to soloist classical and contemporary 2017 Hatter and Caterpillar in to senior artist in 2018. in 2017 and to senior artist Repertoire highlights works by choreographers such — Aurora and the Lilac Fairy Christopher Wheeldon's in 2018. — Alice in in Christopher as Acosta, Duato, Harbour, in David McAllister's The Alice's Adventures in Repertoire highlights © — The Lilac Fairy in David Wheeldon's Alice's Kylián, McGregor, Murphy Sleeping Beauty 2017 Wonderland 2017 Repertoire highlights McAllister’s Adventures in and Ratmansky, and danced — The Stepmother in Alexei — Doctor/Beloved Officer The Sleeping © 2017, 2015 Wonderland 2017 principal roles in works by Ratmansky's Cinderella in Graeme Murphy's Beauty — Alice in Christopher — Wayne McGregor’s — Aurora in David some of the greats - Ashton, 2016 Nutcracker – The Story of Infra Wheeldon's Alice's 2017 McAllister's The Sleeping Balanchine, Lifar, MacMillan, — Baroness von Rothbart in Clara 2017 Adventures in — Lead Swan in Stephen © Beauty 2017 Wheeldon and Wright. Graeme Murphy's Swan — Wayne McGregor's Infra Wonderland 2017 — Clara in Graeme Murphy's Lake 2016 2017 Baynes' Swan Lake 2016 — Giselle in The Australian Nutcracker – The Story of Repertoire highlights — William Forsythe's In — Franz in Peggy van — Viktor Gvosky's Grand pas Ballet's Regional Tour of Clara 2017 — Franz in Peggy van the Middle, Somewhat Praagh's Coppélia 2016 classique 2016 Giselle, 2017 — Wayne McGregor's Infra Praagh's Coppélia 2016 Elevated 2016 — William Forsythe's In — William Forsythe's In — Viktor Gvosky's Grand pas 2017 — Viktor Gvosky's Grand pas — Swanilda in Peggy van the Middle, Somewhat the Middle, Somewhat classique 2017 — Swanilda in Peggy van classique 2016 Praagh’s Coppélia 2016 Elevated 2016 Elevated 2016 — 4th Movement Principal Praagh's Coppélia 2016 — Prince Désiré in David — Romola in John Neumeier's — 's In the Upper — Russian Dancer in Stephen in George Balanchine's — Baroness von Rothbart in McAllister's The Sleeping Nijinsky 2016 Room 2015 Baynes' Swan Lake 2016, 2017 Graeme Murphy's Swan Beauty 2015 — Twyla Tharp's In the Upper — Jirí Kylián’s Bella Figura 2012 — Dawn in Peggy van Lake 2016, 2015 — Puck in Frederick Ashton's Room 2015 2013 — Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis Praagh's Coppélia 2016 — Tim Harbour's Filigree and The Dream 2015 — Hanna in The Merry Widow — Wayne McGregor's Dyad in Maina Gielgud’s Giselle — Agrippina Vaganova's Shadow 2015 — The Prince in Peter Wright's 2011 1929 2013, 2009 2015 Diana and Actéon Pas de — Twyla Tharp's In the Upper The Nutcracker 2014 — Nacho Duato's Por Vos — Guardian Swan in Graeme deux 2016 Room 2015 — Lescaut in Sir Kenneth Guest appearances Muero 2009 Murphy’s Swan Lake 2015 — Red Pas de deux in Jirí — Myrtha in Maina Gielgud's MacMillan's Manon 2014 — Principal Lady in Paquita — Nicolo Fonte’s Possibility — Stepmother in Alexei Kylián’s Forgotten Land Giselle 2015 — Wayne McGregor’s and Odile in Swan Lake, Space 2008 Ratmansky’s Cinderella 2016 — Jirˇí Kylián's Bella Figura Chroma and Dyad 1929 The Dancers Company 2014 – 2016 — Princess Florine, the 2013 2014, 2013 tour 2013 Awards Fairy of Musicality and — Telstra People's Choice Awards Awards — Mazurka in Serge Lifar's the Duchess in David Awards Award 2016 — Telstra Ballet Dancer — Telstra Ballet Dancer Suite en blanc 2014 McAllister's The Sleeping — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award 2017 Award, 2014 — Mercutio in Graeme — Telstra Ballet Dancer Beauty 2015 Award 2012 Award nominee 2012 — Telstra Ballet Dancer — Telstra Ballet Dancer Murphy’s Romeo & Juliet — "Bomb Squad" Ballerina in — Telstra People’s Choice Award nominee 2013 Award nominee 2012, 2011 Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Award 2008, 2010 You may not know ... 2012 — Nacho Duato’s Por vos Room 2015 Jarryd is an avid comic Guest appearances — Susan Morgan Scholarship muero 2009 — Peasant Pas de deux in You may not know ... book collector, movie — Paquita and Swan Lake Act 2012 Maina Gielgud’s Giselle Amy is married to fellow buff and music lover. III, The Dancers Company Awards 2015 dancer Jarryd Madden, He is a first-time parent tour 2015 You may not know ... — Walter Bourke Scholarship Dimity loves animals, 2013 and they have a daughter, to beautiful daughter You may not know ... Awards especially wombats, giant — Telstra Ballet Dancer Willow Ava Madden. Willow with fellow — Telstra Ballet Dancer dancer Amy Harris. Valerie speaks fluent anteaters and draft horses. Award Nominee 2011 Russian. Award nominee 2016, 2014 — Maurice Sullivan Memorial Scholarship 2011/12 You may not know ... Jade and her fiancé are You may not know ... proud owners of two Constantly curious, Brett long-haired miniature is undertaking several dachshunds named short courses on the arts Bentley and Winter. and creative management, philosophy and theatre.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 35 SOLOISTS

BENEDICTE BEMET NICOLA CURRY BRODIE JAMES NATASHA KUSEN

Benedicte Bemet was born Nicola Curry grew up in Brodie James was born Philanthropy Ambassador in Mackay in 1994, and Colorado Springs, USA. At in Perth and began his started ballet at the age of the age of 14, she moved to dance training with jazz Born in Sydney, Natasha three. She grew up on the Toronto to train at Canada’s and acrobatics at the Jody Kusen began dancing at the Gold Coast and began her National Ballet School, where Marshall Dance Company age of four. She trained with training at the Ransley's she received the Erik in 2001. He trained at The Nicholina Kuner’s Academy Ballet Centre. When she Bruhn Memorial Award for Graduate College of Dance Ballet in Randwick. In 2001 was ten her family relocated Excellence in Ballet. At the from 2005 under the Natasha won a scholarship at to Hong Kong, where she age of 18, Nicola moved direction of Dawn Weller. He the to study continued her ballet training to New York City to join was offered a scholarship to at The Royal Ballet School in at the Jean M. Wong School American Ballet Theatre, attend The Australian Ballet London. While still a student, of Ballet. She was accepted where she danced for ten School in 2008; while there she toured with The Royal into The Australian Ballet years. While at ABT, she he spent time studying at Ballet to Australia in 2002 School at age 14. In her time performed featured roles Canada’s National Ballet and Russia in 2003. Upon at the school she received such as Hermia in Frederick School as an exchange graduation in 2003, Natasha the Award for Excellence in Ashton’s The Dream, a Big student. He toured with The came home to Australia Level 6; in 2009 she was sent Swan in Kevin McKenzie’s Dancers Company in 2011 to join The Australian to New York and Canada to Swan Lake, Her Stepsister in and joined The Australian Ballet. In 2006 she was the represent the school in the James Kudelka’s Cinderella, Ballet in 2012. In 2014 he recipient of the George student exchange program. Lady Capulet in Sir Kenneth participated in a dancer Garratt Scholarship, which Benedicte toured with The MacMillan’s Romeo and exchange, performing with enabled her to gain valuable Dancers Company in 2010 Juliet, and Tall Pas d’Action the Royal Ballet of Flanders in experience visiting European and 2011. She joined The in Natalia Makarova’s La Antwerp. He was promoted ballet companies. Natasha Australian Ballet in 2012; she Bayadère, along with a variety to coryphée in 2017, and to was promoted to soloist was promoted to coryphée in of other featured roles in soloist in 2018. in 2013. 2013 and soloist in 2016. ballets by George Balanchine, Repertoire highlights Twyla Tharp, John Neumeier Repertoire highlights — Frederick Ashton’s Repertoire highlights and Alexei Ratmansky. She — Albrecht in Giselle Monotones II and The — Swanilda in Peggy van has toured with American (Regional Tour) 2016 Dream 2015 Praagh's Coppélia 2016 Ballet Theatre to Moscow, — Viktor Gsovsky's Grand pas — Jirˇí Kylián's Petite Mort, —  William Forsythe's In the Muscat, Oman, Abu Dhabi, classique 2016 Sechs Tänze, Bella Figura Middle, Somewhat Elevated London, Paris, Tokyo, Beijing, — ‘White Couple’ in Jirˇí and Stepping Stones 2014, 2016 Seoul, Taipei and numerous Kylián's Forgotten Land 2013, 2005 — Viktor Gvosky's Grand pas US cities. Nicola joined The 2016 — Third Shade variation and classique 2016 Australian Ballet in 2015. — Frederick Ashton’s Ajah in Stanton Welch’s — Second Region Pas de Monotones II 2015 deux in Christopher La Bayadère 2014 Repertoire highlights — Garuda the Dream God © — Snow Fairy and Arabe Wheeldon's DGV : Danse — in John in Stanton Welch’s La in Peter Wright’s The à grande vitesse 2016 Neumeier's Nijinsky 2016 Bayadère 2014 Nutcracker 2014 — Third Movement Principal — Lead Swan and Spanish — Lead Swan in Stephen in George Balanchine's Dancer in Stephen Baynes' Guest appearances Baynes’ Swan Lake 2012 Symphony in C 2016 Swan Lake 2016 — Paquita and Swan Lake Act — Suzuki in Stanton Welch’s — Aurora in David — William Forsythe's In III, The Dancers Company Madame Butterfly 2011 McAllister's The Sleeping the Middle, Somewhat tour 2015 — Prayer in Peggy van Beauty 2015 Elevated 2016 Praagh’s Coppélia 2010 — Princess Florine in David — The Lilac Fairy and Fairy of You may not know ... — Nacho Duato’s Por vos McAllister's The Sleeping Grace in David McAllister's Brodie is an avid tennis fan muero 2009 Beauty 2015 The Sleeping Beauty 2015 and plays in his spare time. — Calliope in George — Peasant Pas de deux in — ‘Stomper’ in Twyla Tharp's Balanchine’s Apollo 2009 Maina Gielgud’s Giselle In the Upper Room 2015 2015 — Christopher Wheeldon’s

— Clara in Peter Wright’s Continuum© 2004 Guest appearances The Nutcracker 2014 — Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis Awards — Sérénade Variation in in Giselle, The Australian — Telstra Ballet Dancer Serge Lifar’s Suite en blanc Ballet Regional Tour 2016 Award nominee 2013, 2010 2014 — George Garrett Scholarship — Soloist in Paquita 2013 Awards 2006 — Telstra Ballet Dancer Guest appearances Award nominee 2016 You may not know ... — Paquita and Swan Lake Act Natasha curates her own III, The Dancers Company style blog, Studio to Street tour 2015 You may not know ... Nicola is a qualified Pilates (studiotostreet.com.au), an Awards instructor. She can also additional creative outlet — Telstra Ballet Dancer be seen performing in the where she combines her Award 2015 ballet class scenes in the two passions, dance and — Khitercs Hirai Foundation 2010 Oscar Award-winning fashion, through creative Scholarship 2014 filmBlack Swan. writing and photography. — Green Room Award nomination for Clara in The Nutcracker 2014 — Telstra People’s Choice Award 2013

You may not know ... Benedicte loves baking and cooking anything involving chocolate!

36 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON CRISTIANO MARCUS MORELLI KAREN NANASCA RINA NEMOTO JILL OGAI CHRISTOPHER MARTINO RODGERS-WILSON

Cristiano Martino was born in Marcus Morelli was born in Karen Nanasca was born Rina Nemoto was born in Jill Ogai was born in Sydney Christopher Rodgers-Wilson Adelaide and began ballet at Melbourne and started dance in Auckland, New Zealand. Tokyo, Japan, and began in 1993, and grew up on Bondi was born in England but the age of ten, after copying classes at the age of ten. He Hailing from an athletic dancing at the age of three. Beach. At the age of four grew up in Melbourne, his sister until his mother took studied at the Jane Moore family, she followed in their At the age of 15, she travelled she and her twin brother, starting ballet classes at the him to dance classes too. He Academy of Ballet and The footsteps by studying ballet to Paris for two years of after watching a ballet video, age of six. He trained at the trained at the Barbara Jayne Australian Ballet School, and from the age of seven. classical ballet training with surprised their parents by Camberwell District Ballet Dance Centre in Adelaide toured with The Dancers Her natural talent was Daini Kudo and Dominique asking if they could start School before moving to until 2009, when he moved Company in 2013. He joined immediately noticed and Khalfouni. In 2009, Rina was ballet classes. She began at London to study at The Royal to Melbourne to join The The Australian Ballet in 2014; nurtured by her teachers at awarded a Prix de Lausanne The Ballet Class Rose Bay. Ballet School, where he won Australian Ballet School. he was promoted to coryphée the Mt Eden Ballet Academy. scholarship and joined The When her family moved the Charles Wall scholarship Cristiano graduated as dux in 2015, and to soloist in 2017, She won the New Zealand Royal Ballet as an apprentice to Adelaide she continued and the Kenneth Macmillan from The Australian Ballet after dancing the Bluebird in National Ballet Award in dancer. She joined The training with Sheila Laing Trust Scholarship, and toured School in 2012. He joined The The Sleeping Beauty. 2004, followed by a placing Australian Ballet in 2011; she and Elayne Cherry before to Germany and Dubai. Australian Ballet in 2013; he in the semi-finals of the Prix was promoted to coryphée in moving to Melbourne at age Chris joined the Birmingham was promoted to coryphée Repertoire highlights de Lausanne in 2005. In 2016 and to soloist in 2018. 14 to begin full-time studies at Royal Ballet in 2007. Career in 2015 and to soloist in 2017. — Stanislav Nijinsky in John 2006 she was the recipient The Australian Ballet School. highlights included the pas de Neumeier's Nijinsky 2016 of the Elizabeth McDonald Repertoire highlights Jill toured with The Dancers quatre in Peter Wright’s The Repertoire highlights — Actéon in Diana and Scholarship, allowing her to — Alice in Christopher Company in 2010 and 2011 Sleeping Beauty, the pas de — Oberon in Frederick Actéon Pas de deux 2016 cross the Tasman and join Wheeldon's Alice's and joined The Australian six in Swan Lake, Rose Fairy Ashton’s The Dream 2015 — The Bluebird in David The Australian Ballet School. Adventures in Ballet in 2012. She was Cavalier in Peter Wright’s The © — Frederick Ashton’s McAllister's The Sleeping Karen became a member of Wonderland 2017 promoted to soloist in 2018. Nutcracker, First Seminarian Symphonic Variations 2015 Beauty 2015 The Australian Ballet's corps — Fairy of Grace and Fairy in David Bintley’s Carmina — Jirˇí Kylián’s Petite Mort — Puck in Frederick Ashton’s de ballet in 2009 and was of Generosity in David Repertoire highlights Burana, the Mandolin Dance 2014 The Dream 2015 promoted to coryphée in McAllister's The Sleeping — Fairy of Temperament and in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s — Peasant Pas de deux in 2012; she was promoted to Beauty 2017, 2015 Princess Florine in David Romeo and Juliet, Grosse Awards Maina Gielgud’s Giselle soloist in 2018. — Pas de trois from Stephen McAllister's The Sleeping Fugue by Hans van Manen — Telstra Ballet Dancer 2015 Baynes' Imaginary Masque Beauty 2017, 2015 and In the Upper Room by Award nominee 2014 — Earl’s Equerry in Graeme Repertoire highlights 2017 — Tim Harbour's Squander Twyla Tharp. He toured with Murphy’s Swan Lake 2015 — Giselle in Giselle (The — Pas de deux from Stephen and Glory 2017 You may not know ... the BRB to Japan, China — Trepak in Peter Wright’s Australian Ballet's Regional Baynes' Molto Vivace — Diana and Actéon Pas de Cristiano loves tossing and the USA. He joined The The Nutcracker 2014 Tour) 2017, 2016 (Ballet Under the Stars deux 2017, 2016 the Frisbee around with Australian Ballet in 2011; he — Agni the Fire God and — Fairy of Temperament 2017) — The Duchess in Stephen friends. Growing up, he was promoted to coryphée Fakir in Stanton Welch’s in David McAllister’s The — La Sieste in Serge Lifar's Baynes' Swan Lake 2016 wanted to be a marine in 2013 and soloist in 2016. La Bayadère 2014 Sleeping Beauty 2017, 2015 Suite en blanc (Adelaide — William Forsythe's In biologist. — Pas de cinq in Serge Lifar’s — Diana and Actéon Pas de Gala Spectacular 2017) the Middle, Somewhat Repertoire highlights Suite en blanc 2014 deux 2017 — 2nd Movement Soloist Elevated 2016 — Franz in Peggy van — 3rd movement Soloist in George Balanchine's — Tim Harbour’s Filigree and Praagh's Coppélia 2016 Awards in George Balanchine's Symphony in C 2017 Shadow 2015 — The Bluebird in David — Telstra Ballet Dancer Symphony in C 2017 — Dawn in Peggy van — Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper McAllister’s The Sleeping Award nominee 2015 — Wayne McGregor's Infra Praagh's Coppélia 2017 Room 2015 Beauty 2015 2017 — Countess, Lead Swan and — Dumpy Stepsister in Alexei — Peasant Pas de deux in You may not know ... — Red Pas de deux in Jirˇí Russian Dancer in Stephen Ratmansky’s Cinderella Maina Gielgud’s Giselle Marcus enjoys playing Kylián’s Forgotten Land Baynes' Swan Lake 2016 2015, 2014 2015 video games, watching TV, 2016 — Moth in Frederick Ashton’s — Earl in Graeme Murphy’s and skateboarding in his — Stomper in Twyla Tharp's Awards The Dream 2015 Swan Lake 2015 spare time. In the Upper Room 2015 — Telstra Ballet Dancer — First Shade variation — Frederick Ashton’s — Cygnet in Graeme Award nominee 2014 in Stanton Welch’s La Symphonic Variations and Murphy’s Swan Lake 2012 - Bayadère 2014 The Dream 2015 2015 You may not know ... — Wayne McGregor's — Clara in Peter Wright’s The Rina is interested in Guest appearances Chroma 2014 Nutcracker 2014 pottery, and would like to — Expressions Dance — Jirˇí Kylián’s Petite Mort — Wayne McGregor’s Dyad explore it when she has Company Solo Festival 2014 1929 2013, 2009 more time. of Dance, Tim Harbour’s — Pas de trois in George Extro 2 Balanchine's Ballet Imperial Awards 2014 — Telstra Ballet Dancer You may not know ... — The Adolescent in Graeme Award nominee 2011 Jill paints, draws and Murphy's Beyond Twelve makes her own clothing. 2012 You may not know ... In 2015 Karen participated Awards in an exchange with the — Telstra Ballet Dancer Royal Swedish Ballet Award 2013 and performed in Rudolf Guest Appearances Nureyev's production of — Swan Lake Act III and Don Quixote. Paquita, The Dancers Company tour 2014, 2013

You may not know ... In addition to dancing and his family and friends, Chris has a passionate love for all kinds of breakfast foods.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 37 SOLOISTS

BRETT SIMON SHARNI SPENCER DANA STEPHENSEN ANDREW WRIGHT

Philanthropy Ambassador Sharni Spencer was born in At the age of three Dana Melbourne-born Andrew Lismore NSW and grew up Stephensen began her Wright began dancing at Born in Adelaide, Brett in Tamworth and Newcastle. training in ballet, jazz, tap Christine Waters School Simon began dancing at She began dance classes and singing with Davidia Lind of Dance in 1990 before an early age at the Sheila when she was three years in her hometown of . completing his VCE and Laing Dance Centre and old and studied at Sally She later trained with Mary secondary dance training completed his training at The Kefts School of Dance and Heath and Sandra Ashley. In at the Victorian College of Australian Ballet School in Marie Walton Mahon Dance 2001 she obtained her Royal the Arts. In 2001 Andrew 2003. His professional career Academy before joining New Academy of Dance Solo was accepted into The began with West Australian Zealand School of Dance. Seal from the Queensland Australian Ballet School and Ballet, where he received Sharni joined The Australian Dance School of Excellence. during his time there had a nomination for Best Male Ballet at the beginning of Dana joined The Australian the opportunity to study Dancer at the 2005 Helpmann 2008 and was promoted Ballet School in 2002. In her with Canada's National Awards for his performance to coryphée in 2012 and to graduating year she was Ballet School and the School as Valmont in Simon Dow’s soloist in 2017. She was the seconded to The Australian of American Ballet as an Dangerous Liaisons. In 2006 recipient of the Khitercs Hirai Ballet to perform in various exchange student. After Brett appeared as a guest Foundation Scholarship in seasons before joining the graduating as dux, Andrew artist with Hong Kong Ballet; 2012, and used it to spend company full-time in 2005. She joined The Australian Ballet he returned to the company three months rehearsing and has since enjoyed interna- in 2004. In 2007 he travelled in 2007 as a soloist. During performing Giselle with Dutch tional tours to Los Angeles, to Europe on a scholarship his time there, Brett danced National Ballet. New York, UK, Auckland, from the company. In 2010 principal roles in ballets such Shanghai, Tokyo, and Paris. he guested in the USA at as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker Repertoire highlights Her Khitercs Hirai Scholarship the Oregon Ballet Theater’s and Coppélia as well as — The Fairy of Generosity enabled her to gain invaluable gala. He was promoted to Romeo in Rudi van Dantzig’s in David McAllister’s The experience training with coryphée in 2008 and to Romeo and Juliet. Brett Sleeping Beauty 2017, 2015 numerous ballet companies in soloist for the 2011 season. joined The Australian Ballet in — Tim Harbour’s Squander Europe. Dana was promoted Andrew is currently studying 2009 and was promoted to and Glory 2017 to coryphée in 2010 and later towards a Vocational soloist in 2011. — The Countess in Stephen that year won the Telstra Graduate Diploma of Elite Baynes' Swan Lake 2016 Ballet Dancer Award. Dana Dance Instruction at The Repertoire highlights — 'White Couple' in Jirˇí was promoted to soloist for Australian Ballet School. — Diaghilev and Petruschka Kylián's Forgotten Land the 2013 season. in John Neumeier’s Nijinsky 2016 Repertoire highlights 2016 — Fourth Movement Soloist Repertoire highlights — Frederick Ashton’s — Christopher Wheeldon’s in George Balanchine's — Dawn in Peggy van Monotones II and © DGV : Danse à grande Symphony in C 2016 Praagh's Coppélia 2016 Symphonic Variations 2015 vitesse 2016 and After the — Lead Wili in Maina — Giselle in Giselle 2015 — Wayne McGregor’s © Rain 2011 Gielgud’s Giselle 2015 — Lescaut's Mistress in Chroma and Dyad 1929 — Third Principal in George — Cygnet in Graeme Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s 2014, 2013 Balanchine’s Symphony in Murphy’s and Stephen Manon 2014 — Jirˇí Kylián's Petite Mort and Three Movements 2015 Baynes’ Swan Lake 2012 - — Rose Fairy in Peter Wright’s Sechs Tänze 2014, 2005 — Twyla Tharp’s In The Upper 2015 The Nutcracker 2014 — Principal Man in Paquita Room 2015 — Soloist in Paquita 2013 — Wayne McGregor’s 2013 — Wayne McGregor’s Chroma — Stephen Baynes' Requiem Chroma and Dyad 1929 — Gurn in ’s 2014 2011 2014, 2013 La Sylphide 2013 — Jirˇí Kylián’s Petite Mort — Stepmother in Alexei — Phlegmatic in George 2014 and Bella Figura 2013 Awards Ratmansky’s Cinderella 2013 Balanchine’s The Four — Lescaut and The Gaoler — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award — The Duchess in Stephen Temperaments 2013 in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s nominee 2013 Baynes’ Swan Lake 2012 — Glen Tetley’s Gemini 2012 Manon 2014 — Khitercs Hirai Foundation — Guardian Swan in Graeme — Prince Gremin in John — Glen Tetley’s Gemini 2012 Scholarship 2012 Murphy’s Swan Lake Cranko’s Onegin 2012 — Count Danilo in Ronald 2008 – 2010 — Camille in Ronald Hynd’s You may not know ... Hynd’s The Merry Widow — Pas de cinq in Serge Lifar’s The Merry Widow 2011 Sharni has swum with 2011, 2007 Suite en blanc 2014, 2009 — Christopher Wheeldon’s manta rays in Hawaii. — Stephen Baynes’ At the — Mazurka in Les Sylphides After the Rain© 2011 Edge of Night 2010 2009 Guest appearances Awards Guest appearances — Basilio in Don Quixote, — Helpmann Award — Kitri in Don Quixote, The The Dancers Company nomination for Best Male Dancers Company tour tour 2011 Dancer 2005 2010 Awards — Telstra Ballet Dancer You may not know ... Awards Brett completed a — Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominee 2008 Bachelor of Business Award 2010 — Freda May Irving through online study — Khitercs Hirai Foundation Scholarship 2006 while dancing full-time. Scholarship 2008 You may not know ... You may not know ... Andrew loves to travel. His Dana is studying nutrition favourite city is New York. and combines her passion for dance and nutrition on her blog The Balance Point(e) (thebalancepointe.com).

38 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON PLAYBILL ADS 39

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 39 PLAYBILL ADS 40

40 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON CORYPHÉES

NATHAN IMOGEN JOE JACQUELINE INGRID DREW COREY FRANÇOIS-ELOI BROOK CHAPMAN CHAPMAN CLARK GOW HEDDITCH HERBERT LAVIGNAC

CALLUM JAKE LUKE AMANDA ALICE LINNANE MANGAKAHIA MARCHANT McGUIGAN TOPP

CORPS DE BALLET

SHAUN MATTHEW DANIEL TIMOTHY LISA SARANJA ISOBELLE JASMIN ANDREWS BRADWELL BRYNE COLEMAN CRAIG CROWE DASHWOOD DURHAM

EVIE ROHAN SERENA ELLA RICHARD DANIEL SEAN EMMA FERRIS FURNELL GRAHAM HAVELKA* HOUSE IDASZAK KILEY KOPPELMAN

MASON COCO ALEXANDRA SOPHIE GEORGE-MURRAY RICCARDO JOSEPH MONTANA LOVEGROVE** MATHIESON MOORE MORGAN NIGHTINGALE RODIGHIERO ROMANCEWICZ RUBIN

EDWARD KATHERINE KELSEY SARAH YICHUAN AYA JESSICA LUCIEN SMITH SONNEKUS STOKES THOMPSON WANG WATANABE WOOD XU

*Corps de Ballet position supported by The Susan and Sam Chisholm Fund YUUMI **Corps de ballet position supported by The Ross Trust YAMADA

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 41 ARTISTIC STAFF

FIONA TONKIN TRISTAN MESSAGE STEVEN HEATHCOTE MEGAN CONNELLY PAUL KNOBLOCH ELIZABETH TOOHEY AM

Artistic Associate Ballet Master & Ballet Master & Ballet Mistress & Ballet Master Ballet Mistress & & Principal Coach Planning & Stategy Regional Touring Rehabilitation Regional & Repetiteur Associate Associate Specialist Storytime Tours

Fiona Tonkin began her Tristan Message was born Born in , Megan Connelly joined The Paul Knobloch was born Elizabeth Toohey was career at the Royal New and raised in Melbourne. Steven Heathcote took up Australian Ballet in 1991 in Canberra and began born in Newcastle and Zealand Ballet in 1979. At the He graduated from The ballet lessons at the age of under the direction of Maina his dance training at the joined The Australian Ballet invitation of Marilyn Jones, Australian Ballet School ten. He was accepted into The Gielgud, and performed in Canberra Dance Development after graduating from The Fiona joined The Australian in 1999 and joined The Australian Ballet School at the many works including The Centre before graduating Australian Ballet School in Ballet in 1980. By 1987 she Australian Ballet in 2000. He age of 16 and was offered a Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, from The Australian Ballet 1979. She remained with the had become a principal artist, was promoted to soloist in contract with The Australian Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, School with honours in 1997. company until 1990. In 1985 renowned for her interpre- 2005. Tristan was known as Ballet in 1983. The Merry Widow, La Fille she and David McAllister tative artistry, classicism a strong dancer, a sensitive mal gardée, The Taming of Paul joined The Australian entered the 5th International and technical versatility. partner and a compelling Steven experienced a rapid the Shrew and Symphony Ballet in 2002 and rose to Ballet Competition in Moscow. artist. He performed soloist rise to the rank of principal in C. She was appointed the rank of soloist before Following this, they were Career highlights include and principal roles including artist, a position he sustained assistant to the ballet staff embarking on an international invited to perform Don dancing Aurora at the Jean de Brienne in Stephen for 20 years. He was invited before taking up the position career. In 2009 he took up Quixote with the Royal Opera House London, Baynes’ and the to perform as guest artist of principal teacher at the the invitation to join Béjart in 1986 and the Kirov Ballet in Juliet at the Kirov Theatre lead roles in Spartacus and with some of the world’s Christine Walsh Dance Centre. Ballet Lausanne as a premiere 1988. They performed Walter St Petersburg, Flavia and The Sentimental Bloke. He major ballet companies, In 1999 she was appointed danseur and has performed all Bourke’s Grand Tarantella Giselle at the Metropolitan also danced works by Graeme including American Ballet ballet mistress on the Year over the world as a member in galas around the former Opera House New York, and Murphy, Stanton Welch, Glen Theatre, Birmingham Royal 2000 project for the Sansouci of distinguished companies Soviet Union, cementing an opening the company’s 1992 Tetley, Christopher Wheeldon Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet Music Festival, Berlin. She including English National enduring partnership. London season as Giselle. and Jirˇí Kylián. During and the . has performed with Victoria Ballet, West Australian Ballet, She appeared as a guest Tristan’s dancing career he State Opera and Opera Alonzo King LINES Ballet USA Elizabeth’s performance After retiring from the artist with the Kirov Ballet in toured with The Australian Australia; her choreographic and Sydney Dance Company. highlights include Kitri in Don dance stage in 2007 as The Swan Lake and on the Rudolf Ballet to China, Japan, New works include Between Space Quixote, Lise in La Fille mal Australian Ballet’s longest Paul has danced many Nureyev Farewell Tour, and Zealand, the UK and France. for the 2000 Australian gardée, Swanilda in Coppélia, serving principal artist, Steven principal and soloist roles danced the title roles in the Dance Awards, and Voices, Olga in Onegin and Kate in appeared in the 2009 feature in the works of celebrated ABC Television broadcasts While still dancing Tristan accompanied by Melbourne ; filmMao’s Last Dancer and choreographers and has of La Fille mal gardée and began teaching at The Bulgarian Women’s Choir. she also danced featured has been actively engaged performed on the most Romeo and Juliet. Fiona Australian Ballet and The She has been a guest teacher roles in contemporary works in specialised coaching for illustrious stages in the world received Green Room Australian Ballet School and at Sydney Dance Company, by choreographers such as dancers, public speaking, including Palais Garnier, Awards in 1988 and 1989. studying for the Vocation , Victorian Sir Kenneth MacMillan and presenting and acting. London Coliseum and Graduate Certificate in Elite College of the Arts, Ballet Jirˇí Kylián, and created the During her 14 years with the Ballet Instruction through Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. role of Rose in Robert Ray’s In 2010 Steven conceived Philippines, Royal Flemish company Fiona performed in The Australian Ballet School. The Sentimental Bloke. She and directed a new production Opera Ballet School, He has built a strong identity over 70 ballets including all Tristan joined the School full has been a guest artist with of Handel’s Julius Caesar, Staatheatre St Gallen, as both a leading artist and the major classics as well as time as a classical teacher Norwegian National Ballet and for Victorian Opera. In 2012 Michael Clark Company choreographer and has a ballets such as Onegin, Song in 2009 and was invited a resident guest principal with he returned to opera as and Cecchetti Society. string of accolades to his of the Earth, Monotones, by Artistic Director David English National Ballet. Career choreographer and assistant name. Paul has caught the Suite en blanc, Serenade, McAllister to rejoin The At the invitation of David highlights include dancing the director to John Bell for eye of many renowned Symphony in C, Ballet Australian Ballet as ballet McAllister, Megan returned Peasant Pas de deux in Maina the Victorian Opera’s new choreographers and has had Imperial, Four Temperaments, master and repetiteur to The Australian Ballet in Gielgud’s Giselle at New York’s production of Stravinsky’s numerous roles created on , Return to the in 2012. 2001 as assistant to the House and The Rake’s Progress. him as a dancer; he has also Strange Land, Forgotten artistic director, and soon the Bluebird Pas de deux in forged his own choreographic Land and Pillar of Fire. after added the work of ballet Maina Gielgud’s The Sleeping In 2013, Steven performed voice, creating works for coach to the role. During this Beauty at London’s Covent Fiona graduated with a the title role of Don Quixote The Australian Ballet, Ballet time, Megan co-authored Garden before the Queen, Bachelor of Arts in 1998 in The Australian Ballet’s Victoria and leading schools Bodywise for ABC books and both with David McAllister. while guest-teaching in New production of the ballet, and and institutions across was assistant director to John qualified as an APMA Pilates Zealand and Australia. In 1999 Australia, Canada and Following her retirement, Bell for Opera Australia's new Instructor. she completed The Australian the USA. Elizabeth completed an Arts production of Tosca. Ballet School’s Teachers In 2009 Megan was He has had professional Administration apprenticeship Course and was awarded appointed ballet technique Steven lives in Melbourne teaching appointments at with English National Ballet; the Australian Multicultural & rehabilitation specialist for with his wife Kathy; they companies including Sydney she is also an internationally Foundation Scholarship. The Australian Ballet and have two adult children. Dance Company, Bangarra certified Stott Pilates returned to the stage as the Instructor. In 2000 Artistic Director Dance Theatre, and Hong In 2014, at the invitation of Mother in Alexei Ratmansky’s Matz Skoog appointed her Kong Ballet. David McAllister, Steven Scuola di ballo. In 2010 she In 2008 she joined the Royal Rehearsal Director of the returned to The Australian joined the teaching staff of Swedish Ballet’s rehabilitation Royal New Zealand Ballet. Ballet as a ballet master and The Australian Ballet School, team; under the directorship She continued to work with regional touring associate. in addition to her work with of Johannes Öhman, she was Skoog in London as assistant the company, and in 2012 ballet mistress and rehearsal artistic director of the English completed a Vocational director. National Ballet in 2002. Fiona Graduate Certificate in Elite returned to The Australian She has taught at several Dance Instruction. In 2014 Ballet in 2003 at the international summer schools she was awarded a Churchill invitation of David McAllister, and was a guest teacher with Fellowship. and celebrated 25 years with Estonian National Ballet in the company in 2013. 2015. In 2016, she returned to The Australian Ballet as a guest teacher and in 2017 accepted David McAllister’s invitation to become a ballet mistress with the company. Katie Ripley_Grand_Photo Jeff Busby.eps

42 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON Our Step Inside program is your chance to take a class with us, see the atelier where our tutus are sewn, find out what it’s like to conduct a ballet or watch as our dancers take their morning class. Join us!

australianballet.com.au/stepinside

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 43 PHILANTHROPY

LIFETIME COMMITMENTS

We celebrate the individuals and foundations whose gifts have had a transformative impact on The Australian Ballet.

$1,000,000 PLUS Mr Robert Albert AO RFD RD & Mrs Elizabeth Albert The Late Betty Amsden AO The Australian Ballet Society Mr William Bowness AO Joan and Peter Clemenger Trust Mr Jim Cousins AO & Mrs Libby Cousins Mrs Barbara Duhig Friends of The Australian Ballet (NSW) Ltd Frances Gerard Estate of Anne Gluyas Estate of Reginald Edward Gregory Mrs Lynnette Harvey Mr Ian Hicks AM Lachlan & Sarah Murdoch Mrs Roslyn Packer AC Dr Valmai Pidgeon AM The Ian Potter Foundation Lady Potter AC CMRI James & Diana Ramsay Foundation Mr Kenneth R Reed AM Sandra Taylor-Bowman Zambelli Family

$500,000 PLUS Robyn Hendricks and Kevin Jackson. Photography Mark Clinton Mrs Mary Barlow Mrs Jennifer Brukner & The Late Mr John Brukner A NOTE FROM EDWINA McCANN Ms Robin Campbell & Mr Bruce Parncutt AO Mr & Mrs Sam Chisholm Estate of Keith M Christensen As I look across the 2018 season, comprised of works that showcase The Colonial Foundation Limited Australian Ballet’s history, I think it is wonderful that we revisit much loved Ethel Margaret Ewing Cutten Foundation and revered works like The Merry Widow, which have formed the bedrock Friends of The Australian Ballet (SA) Inc of what you see on stage today. Similarly, it is timely to acknowledge and The Glendonbrook Foundation celebrate our extraordinarily generous Annual Giving supporters, whose In memory of Mrs J J Holden contribution underpins everything that we do, both on and off stage. Mrs Susan Morgan Every year more than 3,000 ballet lovers from around Australia support Mrs Helen O'Neil the company. Some of our current patrons were there when we first The Late Lady (June) Porter performed The Merry Widow! There are many opportunities to support The Ross Trust the creation of new ballets, regional touring and in-school activities, all of which the company undertakes every year, and the Foundation Board Estate of Peter & Barbara Shearer is very aware of the crucial role that our Annual Giving supporters have Peter & Christine Smedley played, and will continue to play, in the life of dance in this country. Mr Dick Smith AC & Mrs Pip Smith AO Lady Southey AC & The Late Sir Robert Southey AO CMG On behalf of my fellow Foundation Board members, and all of the company, thank you for your unwavering spirit of generosity. Talbot Family Foundation Ray Wilson OAM With best wishes, $300,000 PLUS Mr John A Calvert-Jones AM & Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones AO Ms Laurie Cowled Estate of Melba Cromack

Edwina McCann Craig Dunn & Bozena Gawart Chair Mr & Mrs Henry Greenfield Foundation Board Ms Val Harding Ian & Jeannie Johnson Mr Peter Reilly & Mr Linton Soderholm FOUNDATION BOARD Renaissance Tours Chair Arun Abey Suellen Enestrom Thyne Reid Foundation Edwina McCann Mary Barlow Frances Ingham Hayley Baillie Sarah Ingham Italics denotes this commitment includes a bequest to The Australian Ballet Co-Chairs Di Bertalli Gail Marshall We also wish to acknowledge and thank those individuals who have chosen to remain anonymous Bill Bowness AO (VIC) Natasha Bowness Jodie Maunder Jane Freudenstein (NSW) Prue Brown Robert McCormack AM Robin Campbell Karen Morrison Colin Carter AM Maria Pannozzo Georgina Curran Lynne Wright

44 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON FOUNDATION ESTATES

The Australian Ballet Foundation incorporates specific-purpose The Australian Ballet acknowledges with great appreciation major gifts, grants and endowments created by individuals the bequests that it has received from the estates of the and bequests for the benefit of The Australian Ballet. following benefactors. These bequests have been invaluable in the achievement of the company's objectives. FUNDS WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET FOUNDATION

MAJOR GIFT Mr Allan Myers AC QC & Mrs SCHOLARSHIPS Mr Reginald Edward Gregory William F Wells Melba Alma Cromack MBE & Mrs Gregory The Ian Potter Foundation Maria J Myers AC The Lissa Black Award for Mrs Thora Pearce Patricia Cameron-Stewart Robert Southey Fund for Classical Ballet Patricia Marie Smit Miss Ann Williams Canon Albert McPherson ACCESS & OUTREACH Australian Choreography, The Walter Bourke Prize Patricia Hope Willis Mr Ian Berkeley Small Charles Ross Adamson Margaret May Attwood endowed by The Sidney endowed by his friends Colin Robert Marshall Nola Joan Hassall Miss Sheila Scotter AM MBE Colonial Foundation Limited Fund The George Garratt Fund Hazel Graham Jean Hammond Harold Bruce Cadell Crown Resorts Foundation Dame Peggy van Praagh The Freda Irving Memorial Ethel Margaret Ewing Cutten Mr A S Leslie Mrs Rosemary Campbell William Arthur Hugh Gordon Fund for Choreography Scholarship Fund Robert J Shipsides Mr Laurie Davies OAM Fund - Perpetual Trustees CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE The Christine Marie Johnson E M Black Esther Primrose Lucy Pauline Marie Johnston Graf Family Foundation GENERAL FUND Maple-Brown Scholarship Paul Sinclair Gertrude Poelman Peter & Barbara Shearer Packer Family Foundation Bowness Family Foundation Memorial Mrs M M C Djordjevic Dame Joyce Margaretta Mary Sylvia Joyce Jones The Colin Peasley OAM Fund Scholarship Fund Pty Ltd Dr George Garratt Daws Peter Langford AM for Education Khitercs Hirai Foundation Ms Robin Campbell & Mr Robert Salzer AO Lady Nancy Fairfax AM OBE Norman Stevens Thyne Reid Foundation Bruce Parncutt AO The Susan Morgan Fund Betty Gleeson-White Ernest Spinner Dr Lynn Harvey Joseph David Crawford AO & The James Slater Memorial REGIONAL TOURING FUND Clifford Burgess Margery I Pierce Janet Fischer Maureen Crawford Fund Mr John A Calvert-Jones AM Keith M Christensen Barbara Bishop Hewitt Dr Diana Tolhurst Henry & Miriam Greenfield The Dick & Pip Smith & Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones William Arthur Hugh Gordon Mrs Sylvia Box Dr Richard Vesey Mr Christopher Knoblanche Scholarships AO Freda Eileen Spicer Dr Donald Wright AM & Mrs Anne Knoblanche The Maurice Sullivan Mrs Anne Gluyas The Glendonbrook Mrs Sally Sinisoff Memorial Scholarship Fund Asle Noel Chilton Ronda Anne Chisholm Foundation Mrs Susan Maple-Brown AM Betty June Drabsch The Antony Williams & Gwendolyn Letitia Tennant Mrs Dorothy (Deri) Saunders Rene Macrae Fund for Mrs Beth Millar & The Late Joseph Hand Australian Sir Robert Southey AO CMG Marianne Martin Mr Wilfred John Stanton Education and Regional Fred Millar AO CBE Ballet Scholarship Mr Norman Drogemuller Activity Mr Brian Nebenzahl Brenda June McGowan Jacques Spira OAM & Edith OAM RFD & Mrs Jocelyn Mr Will Noble OAM Spira MUSIC BALLET PRODUCTIONS Nebenzahl Norma Lucas Payne Jean M Negus Mr George Foster The Robert and Elizabeth The Maina Gielgud Fund Perini Family Foundation Dr Dawn Meryl Thew Albert Music Funds Mrs Ila Leland Massy Corel Garling William Arthur Hugh Gordon Lady (June) Porter Fund Burnside Judith Gwen Newberry Robert and Elizabeth Albert Janice Petterson Fund - Perpetual Trustees Duncan Elphinstone Queensland Friends of The Fellowships (conductor and Gay John Therese Clarke Mr Antony Williams The Arthur & Roma Norcott McBryde Leary Australian Ballet pianist) Gwendoline I Tregear Patricia Speher Vanderwal Fund for Classical Ballet Miss Ruth Margaret Davidson The Robert Salzer John Lanchbery Fund Lesley Morgan Sperry Mr Arthur L Norcott The Frank & Thora Pearce Foundation Dr Alf Howard The Will Noble, Joyce Sproat Gwen Hunt & Mrs Roma Norcott Fund Mr Dick Smith AC & Janet Cooke Music Fund Mrs Patricia McSpeerin Ms Jane D Crawford Paula Jacqueline Swain The Margaret Ellen Pidgeon & Mrs Pip Smith AO Mr Noël Pelly AM Mr Harold G Marshall AM Anonymous (28) Fund for Classical Ballet ADMINISTRATION Peter & Frieda Thornhill Muriel Leadbeater endowed by Dr Valmai Lady Snedden AM Mr Richard Warburton AO The Richard & Barbara Allert Pidgeon AM & Mrs Susan Warburton Fund The James & Diana Ramsay The Melba Alma Cromack Fund DANCERS' ENDOWED Fund PRIMROSE POTTER AUSTRALIAN BALLET CENTRE REDEVELOPMENT The Kenneth R Reed Fund POSITIONS The Kathleen Gorham Fund Kevin Regan Fund endowed The Susan & Sam Chisholm established in her memory Fund by Max Johnston The Neil Hopkins Fund The Barbara Duhig Fund Dame The Ian McRae AO Fund This transformational project has been generously supported Fund for Choreographers The Lynnette Harvey Fund The Nöel Pelly AM Fund by members of the ballet family, and we gratefully endowed by: The Dorothy Hicks Fund The Marigold Southey Fund Mrs Mary Barlow The Lachlan & Sarah acknowledge those leading individuals whose ongoing Mrs Jennifer Brukner Murdoch Fund INTERNATIONAL GUEST generosity will be celebrated in the new spaces of the Lauraine Diggins & Michael ARTIST Blanche DANCERS' RE-TRAINING Joan and Peter Clemenger Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre. Mr John C. Higgins & Ms Bowness Family Foundation Trust Pty Ltd Jodie Maunder We are also grateful to those Dave Poddar & Angela LEADERSHIP GIFTS GOLD PATRONS McLaren Family Neil & June Jens individuals who have made Flannery The Ian Potter Foundation Ruth Armytage AM Tony Osmond & Fiona Avner Klein & Maria Pannozo donations of $20,000 or less Lisa Ring to these funds Zambelli Family Studio Bowness Family Foundation Griffiths Endowed by the Zambelli Colin & Angie Carter Mrs Sue Perini INTERNATIONAL Family Family Faithfull Mr Peter Reilly & Mr Linton Susan Morgan Pointe Shoe Mrs Lynnette Harvey Soderholm Room Diana McLaurin Mrs Mary Ann Wright Endowed by Susan Morgan Christine & Peter Smedley Ian & Primrose Potter International touring continues to be a vital component of Mr Dick Smith AC & Mrs Pip BRONZE PATRONS Physiotherapy Suite Smith AO Hugh Hallard Endowed by Lady Potter AC The Australian Ballet’s performance schedule. Established in Peter & Anne White Mrs Catherine Harris AO PSM CMRI 2005, the International Touring Fund has strengthened our Mrs Sally White OAM James & Diana Ramsay SUPPORTERS touring program, enabling our dancers to perform regularly Pilates Studio SILVER PATRONS Dr Lorraine Baker James & Diana Ramsay Suite on the world stage. Phil & Laurel Bendrey for Artists of The Australian Brian Abel Ballet Barbara Bedwell Marilyn Burton INTERNATIONAL TOURING FUND SUPPORTERS Endowed by James & Diana Annabelle Chaplain & Mr Jim Cousins AO Ramsay Foundation Andrew Willink & Mrs Libby Cousins Derek & Ann Braham Lachlan & Sarah Murdoch Fund endowed William & Joanne Crothers Libby Christie & Peter James Mr Ronald G Kaiser Marilyn Burton Mrs R H O'Connor by Bee Fletcher Medical Consulting Suite Suellen & Ron Enestrom Graham Matheson Ms Laurie Cowled Mrs Roslyn Packer AC Talbot Family Foundation Ms Linda Herd Dave Poddar & Angela Mrs Mary Ann Wright PLATINUM GIFTS Frances Gerard Dr Valmai Pidgeon AM Joan Lyons Flannery In memory of Mrs J J Holden Mr Kenneth R Reed AM Craig Dunn & Bozena Gawart David McAllister AM E Xipell Dale & Ian Johnson Renaissance Tours Edwina McCann Mr Robert W McCormack AM

Current as at 13.03.2018

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 45 PHILANTHROPY

PLANNED GIVING ANNUAL GIVING

Peter F Fleming Mr Richard O'Dwyer At the heart of Philanthropy at The The Late Rita Fletcher Diane O'Flaherty & Verna Barrie I Follows AM JP & Oakley Australian Ballet is our Annual Giving Margaret Gail Follows The Late Kathleen O'Hara program. Generous donors underpin Mrs Geraldine Fox-Penglis Catherine L Osborne Jennifer Fulton Di Palmer & Stephen our everyday activities and these gifts Frances Gerard Rodgers-Wilson directly impact what you see on stage. Anthea Gilbert Mrs Sue Perini Suzanne Gleeson Mrs M M Peters Ms Margo Graham Margaret Phillipps PRINCIPAL PATRONS Derek and Joan D E Pidd Gifts over $20,000 The Late George W. Gregson The Late Lady (June) Porter Mr Robert Albert AO RFD RD Lyn Grigg Mario Proto & Mrs Elizabeth Albert Mr Leonard Groat The Late Mrs Diana Ramsay Mrs Ruth Armytage AM AO DSJ Colin Gunther The Late Mrs R D Bridges Louis J. Hamon OAM Penelope S Rawlins OBE Kenneth R Reed AM Louise Hamshere Andrew & Hiroko Gwinnett Rhonda & Peter Roga Mrs Lilian Hardy The Stuart Leslie Foundation Richard Ross Sue Harlow & Merv Keehn Mr Steven Lowy AM Caroline J Ross-Smith Vivien & Christopher Hart & Mrs Judy Lowy Ms Ros Russell Miss Carol Hay John & Karen Morrison Jennifer R Hay Mrs Margaret Sault Mr & Mrs Geoff O'Conor Robert B Haynes Margot Seeley Mrs Sue Perini Hilary A Hazledine Rhonda Sheehy Neil Thomas & Joy Anderson Mrs Jean Healey Mr & Mrs Charles Sheldon Christopher Hector & Ros Mr Michael Short NATASHA BOWNESS E Xipell Your support of The Australian Ballet will Neave Stephanie Shwabsky in President Anonymous Kathy Hirschfeld memory of Betty Shwabsky Annual Giving give you … “the satisfaction of knowing Sara J Simpson Ms Dianne Hodge SENIOR ARTIST PATRONS that you are bringing something of great Ms Claire Houston Gary Singer and Geoffrey Smith Gifts $15,000-$19,999 beauty into other people’s lives.” Dr & Mrs Ken Hoyle Elvira Sinicins LES ETOILES Mr John R Fullerton Dr Irene Irvine Dame Peggy van Praagh Mr Alan Smith & Mr Daryl Supporting the Mr Ronald G Kaiser Lilla Ito Founding Artistic Director Anderson Principal Artists Joan Lyons Michael & Jennifer James Prof Nerida A Smith Gifts of $25,000 Ms Sybella Morris Cmr L. A. T. Johns OAM Lady Southey AC Max Johnston Mr Robert Peck AM Ms Miranda Starke NSW/QLD & Ms Yvonne Von Hartel AM Mr Paul Jones & Ms Suzanne Annie Stephens Mrs Barbara Bedwell THE DAME PEGGY VAN PRAAGH Swensson peckvonhartel architects Ms Juanita Stockwell LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Mr Ronald G Kaiser Susan Chisholm Mr Kenneth R Reed AM Miss Pat Sutherland Marlene Kavanagh Mrs Bar Cohen Mrs Margaret S Ross AM 296 members have confirmed a bequest to The Australian Deb Sutton Dawn V Kelly Mrs Shanny Crouch Mrs Anne Symons Ballet, totalling $51,736,500. The impact of making a gift to Elizabeth Swanton The Australian Ballet in your will is transformational over the Marion J Kelly Mrs Gordon Douglass AM Susanne Sweetland Sandy Michell Legacy long term. Gifts from estates in the last twenty years have helped Dr Judith Kinnear Regine Szmulewicz Jane Freudenstein Anonymous shape the company we are today. It is with these generous gifts Mrs Valda Klaric Ms Susan Taylor Bozena Gawart that the board can have the confidence to grow the company Lisa Kokegei Sandra Taylor-Bowman Mrs Lynnette Harvey SOLOIST PATRONS into the future. The Australian Ballet gratefully acknowledges our Simon Lambourne Dr Christine Thevathasan Frances Ingham Gifts $10,000-$14,999 generous and committed planned giving donors. Francine Lancaster Shirley A Tink Sarah Ingham Mavis Lance Brian Abel in memory of the Michele & Mario Topcic Late Ben Gannon AO Mrs Carlean Langbein Loraine McLaren Dr Sally Townsend Richard Laslett Mrs Helen O'Neil Mrs Ruth Armytage AM Miss Ruth Trait Mr L Kevin Adair Miss Beverley F Clark Mrs Judy Lee Mrs Roslyn Packer AC John & Meredith Baldwin Patricia Tyler Alexandra Adams Janet Cliff & Jenny Turnbull Lilian Leighton Dr Valmai Pidgeon AM Rob Brown Mrs Jean Upton Mrs Sheila Adams Joyce Clothier OAM Daniel-Francois Lemesle Mrs Nancy Reardon-Fonseca Mrs Jennifer Brukner John & Susan Vanderstock Richard Allert AM FCA & Patricia Concannon in Dr C S Loader Hon Rosemary Varty Mrs Kelly Wyborn Mr John A Calvert-Jones AM Barbara Allert memory of Ruby Concannon The Late Mrs Patricia & Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones AO The Late Betty Amsden AO Judy Connor Loughhead Ms Jill Vaughan Peter Vaughan VIC The Cory Charitable Patricia Anders Dr Margaret Cook Pamela & David Luhrs Foundation Ms Greta Archbold Caroline Cooper MVO Chris Mackay Mrs Jacqueline Wallace Mrs Joy Anderson Mrs Barbara Duhig Lorelei Anne Bache Ms Joanne Coughlin Geoff & Margaret Markham Kenneth W Watkins Mrs Mary Barlow Mr Andrew Guild & Ms Ai-Gul Dr Lorraine Baker Mr Jim Cousins AO & Mrs Leonor Marrone in memory Pamela Whalan Mrs Di Bertalli Gaisina Mrs Mary Barlow Libby Cousins of Romina Dinah Whitaker in memory of Lisa Bolte Emma Toussaint Mrs Jill M Hinrichsen Dr Rosemary Barnard Judith Cowden Patsy Martin Ms Natasha Bowness Brenda White Ms Jennifer Barnes Miss Katrina Cowen The Late Mr Edward J Mason Joanna Horgan Margaret Amery White Mr David Brownell Lesley M Bawden Mrs Joan Cowie Graham Matheson Mr Aron Kleinlehrer OAM Barry & Megan Willcox Ms Robin Campbell Philip & Laurel Bendrey Laurie Cowled David McAllister AM Anne Lazberger Deb Williams Angie Carter Mr Ken Bloxsom Adam & Donna Cusack-Muller Mr Robert W McCormack AM Mr & Mrs Anthony Jan Williams Mrs Maureen Crawford Tamara & Mark Boldiston Mrs Maree D'Alterio Sandra McCullagh Maple-Brown Leonard J Wilson Mrs Annette Davis Patricia Boyle John Daly Ann McFarling Mrs Susan Maple-Brown AM Ray Wilson OAM Alane Fineman Ann & Derek Braham Ann Darby in memory of Kath D J McGregor Diana McLaurin Ms Sallyann Wilson Donna Brearley & Jim Darby Del and Andrew McGuiness Prue Gillies AM Josie Woodgate OAM Bruce Parncutt AO Patricia A Breslin Mrs Merawyn Davies Mr Michael McKenzie & Mr Ms Val Harding David de Verelle-Hill Neil Jones Yvonne Yendell Mrs Patricia H Pitman Mrs Margaret Broeks Ms Linda Herd Miss Patricia Downes Judithe & John McKindley Damian Young Marilyn Seidel Beverley A Brown OAM Rosie Lew Victor & Christine Zemancheff Peter & Frieda Thornhill Jannie Brown George Drew Heather McNicol Mrs Ruth Zionzee Ms Jodie Maunder Dr Roger Brown Mrs Lorraine Drogemuller Dr Toni Meath Jill Thorpe Anonymous (71) Lady Potter AC CMRI Jennifer Brukner & The Late Mrs Jill Duck Roger Menz Mrs Mary Ann Wright Mrs Christine Smedley John Brukner Edrina Dunstan & The Late Prudence Menzies Dr Michael & Mrs Lynne Ms Deborah Buckett David Dunstan Desmond B Misso Esq Current as at 13.03.2018 Linton Soderholm Wright Betty Eastgate Dr Sheena L Burnell Carolyn & Ian Mitchell Regine Szmulewicz Emma Zuber Carol & Ted Edwards Ken Mitchell Trish Byrne Anonymous (3) Pam Caldwell Jo Edwards Susan Morgan Mr John Calvert-Jones AM & Lyn Edwards Mary Murphy Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones AO The Late Mrs Joan Daphne TJ Nakasuwan The Late Dr Brian T Carey Evans Simon & Meredith Nettleton Robert E A Carli Richard Evans Miss Shirley Neville Rowena Catchatoor Ross Fairhurst Dr Jennifer M Newton Frank & Danielle Chamberlin Mrs Jacqueline Farrar Dr Kersti Nogeste Ron and Luci Chambers The Late Jim Finch Kathleen Y Nowik

46 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON ANNUAL GIVING

CORYPHÉE PATRONS Ken & Christina Marks Mrs Felicity Demediuk Mrs Dinah Krongold Tim & Lynne Sherwood SUPPORT FROM Gifts $5,000-$9,999 Mr Robert W McCormack AM Sandra & Stephanie Denman Mr Tom Kudelka Mrs Dorothy Short TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS Mr Arun Abey & Ms Mr Barry P Murphy Ms A Dickschen & Mr W. Brind Mrs Nicholina Kuner Charlie & Sandy Shuetrim Australian Decorative & Fine Bernadette Bolger A.M. Nash Zichy-Woinarski QC Beatrice Lang Dr John Sime Arts Society Sydney Inc. Ross Adler AC & Mrs Fiona Geoff & Jan Phillips Kay Dowling Mrs Elizabeth Laverty Mr Nev Simpson The Calvert-Jones Foundation Adler Joan and Peter Clemenger Mr Nicholas Glenning & Dr Lorraine Drogemuller Prof Bruce R Lawford Ms Sara J Simpson Antoinette Albert Trust Jenny Proimos Patricia Duffy & Dr Susan Shadforth Gary Singer & Geoffrey Smith Miss Catherine Alston Colonial Foundation Limited Ms Sandra Rowlands Christopher Dunkley of Dr Joan M Lawrence AM Mrs Jocelyn Smith Ms Kirsty Bennett Men+Co The Copland Foundation Mrs Josephine R Strutt Mary Jane M. Lawrie Prof Nerida A Smith Maxine Bowness Mrs Edrina Dunstan The Cory Charitable Mrs Susan Wakil AO Delysia Lawson Mr Sam Smorgon AO Mrs Roslynne Bracher AM Foundation Mrs Suzanne A Waterhouse Dr Lyn Edwards & Prof Robert Mr Ross Liebmann & Mrs Minnie Smorgon Ms Jannie Brown Bryce Crown Resorts Foundation Danny & Barbara Watson Airdrie Lloyd Eeskay Investments Pty Ltd Marilyn Burton Eeskay Investments Pty Ltd Ethel Margaret Ewing Cutten Donna Woodhill Elizabeth H Loftus Katerina Spurway Foundation - Equity Trustees Peter James & Libby Christie Judy Eyre & Tony De Ruth Zionzee Mr Richard Longes In memory of Susan Steele- Domenico Sir Andrew & Lady Fairley Mrs David Darling taylor Anonymous (2) Dr Carolyn Lowry OAM Foundation Mr & Mrs Barry Fagg Mr John Downer AM The Honourable Brian Sully Mrs Barbara Maidment Gandel Philanthropy & Mrs Rose Downer Caroline Fazakas AM QC Gifts $1,000-$2,999 Lyn Maloney The Glendonbrook Mr Greg Egan Isaac & Judi Feldman Swann Family Foundation Mrs Nikki Abrahams Louise & Robert Manifold Foundation Mr Adam Elder & Dr Joanne Charles & Patricia Galluccio Ms Suzanne Swensson Mrs Alexandra Adams Mr & Mrs J N Mann William Arthur Hugh Gordon Hart Mrs Kylie Ganko & Mr Paul Jones Mrs Lenore Adamson Nikolas Margerrison Fund (Perpetual) Mr & Mrs Ronald Enestrom Kingsley Gee Mr James Syme Aldridge Family Endowment Carolyn Marlow The Duncan Leary Charitable Family Faithfull Mr Neil R Gill & Mr Lee Robyn Tamke Janet Allen Mr & Mrs John Mason Trust David Fite & Danita Lowes Christofis Mildred Teitler Jane Allen Judy Matear Lee MacCormick Edwards Mr & Mrs Chris Fullerton Mrs Joan Gillespie Mr Douglas Thirkell Charitable Foundation For Ian & Ila Anderson Mr Graham H Matheson Dr Robert Gillett & Mrs Susan Jennifer & Sarah Goddard Peter & Lesley Thomas Marian & E.H. Flack Trust Gillett Therese & Richard Armstrong Sam McCardel Mr Charles Goode AC Mr Allan Thorne McCusker Charitable Jaclyn Grant Jeremy Arnott & Mrs Cornelia Goode Ruth McColl AO Sue Thrower Foundation Mr Louis J Hamon OAM Dr Lorraine Baker Mrs Julie Goold Carole McCormick Miss Ruth Trait Sandy Michell Legacy Beverley Harvey & The Late Mr Rebbell Barnes Mrs Christine Gorrie Mrs Jane McGregor Daphne & Ross Turnbull Packer Family Foundation Richard Harvey Mrs Carole Beaumont Mrs Susan V Grant Malcolm & Sandy McLachlan Rosslyn J Turner Pierce Armstrong Trust Hayden Attractions Pty Ltd Amanda Bennett Mrs Beatrice Gray Mr Garry McLean Ms Patricia Tyler The Ian Potter Foundation Michael & Stacey Hill Smith Ms Christine Bishop Lyn Grigg Mrs Ann McNamara Mrs Jean Upton The Profield Foundation Mr & Mrs Ervin Katz Bodycentric Adelaide Jennifer Grimwade Dr Pam McQueen & Mr Ms Catherine Valsinger James & Diana Ramsay Dr Judith Kinnear Miss Catherine Boag & Ian Cashion Andrew McQueen Georgina Vanden Foundation Mrs Judy Lee Michael & Christine Bosnar Mrs Felicity Gunner OAM Ian McRae AO & Ms Asa Rowe Vinta Investment The Ross Trust Martin Family in memory of Ms Patricia Boyle & Mr Perry Gunner Ms Toni E Meek Management Pty Ltd Dick and Pip Smith Lloyd Martin AM Mrs Alix Bradfield Mrs Jenny Gust Ian Merrylees Mrs Prudence M Wagner Foundation Pamela M Marx Caroline & Stephen Brain Mr Hugh Hallard David Minns Mr & Mrs Gary Walker Thyne Reid Foundation Mr & Mrs John M McArthur Ms Elizabeth Bray Wendy & Andrew Hamlin Desmond B Misso Esq Stan & Judy Wallis Mr & Mrs Paul McCullagh Jacqueline Brooks Louise Hamshere Marie Morton Rosemary Walls SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS Mr & Mrs John Morrison Dr William Brooks Ms Sue Harlow & Mr Mervyn Mr Michael Mount AND SOCIETIES Mr Peter George Mr Winston Broadbent & Mr Alasdair Beck Keehn Mr Richard O'Dwyer & Ms Diana Wang The Australian Ballet & Ms Nanette Moulton Kim Burnett Mrs Catherine Harris AO PSM Dr M L Murnane AM Society Inc Mrs Carolyn Ward Dr Eileen Ong Mrs Nancy Butler Mr Haskins OAM Irena Nebenzahl Interim President Judith Mrs Margaret Ward Ms Lynn C Rainbow Reid AM Trish Byrne & Mrs Haskins Simon & Meredith Nettleton Rhodes The Shirley Ward Foundation Mr Ronald B Raines Mrs Nancye E Cain Nick Hays Mrs Christina G Nicholas Friends of The Australian Mr Kenneth Watkins Ballet (NSW) Ltd Rella Consultants Ms Clea Caisley Mrs Sarah F Hayward Janette O'Keefe Mrs Hazel Watson Chairman Greg Khoury Professor Ruth Rentschler Pam Caldwell Mrs Jean M Healey Catherine L Osborne Dr Peter Wearne & Ms Polly Friends of The Australian OAM Ruth Higgins June Cameron Dr Diane Palmer & Dr Stephen Shaw Ballet (SA) Inc Lyne Sedgman Mrs Dianne Hodge Rodgers-Wilson Janet Campbell Mr Tim Weisheit President Lorraine Irving The Sheridan Family John Hodges Mrs Mary Parry Mr Michel-Henri Carriol Miss Pamela Whalan Mrs Janice Steele & Mrs Julie Carriol OAM Dr & Mrs Darryl Hodgkinson Mrs Yvonne R Penny Current as at 13.03.2018 Mrs Anne Wharton Duncan Stewart Mrs Frances Cattell Mr Peter Holbeach Margie Phillipps Mrs Marjorie White In memory of Mrs Joan Swan Dr David & Mrs Caroline Lisa & Daryl Holmes Dr Richard K S Phoon Mr Morris Willcoxson Mrs Susan Thomas Champion Mr Robert A Hook Norman & Carolyn Pinder Judith Williams Tindale Foundation Dr Joanna Cheung Mr Doug Hooley Paul M Pinel Ms Josie Woodgate OAM Mr & Mrs Leigh Virtue Diana Choquette & Robert Mrs Robyn Hopkins Pinpoint Pty Ltd Milliner Helen Wright Mrs Susan Warburton Caroline Howard Diana Polkinghorne Dr Margaret Cook Yvonne Yendell Mrs Anne D. White Dr Judith Humberstone Kerryn Pratchett Amanda Coombs Mark & Krista Zielezna Mrs Sally White OAM Gillian Hund Mrs Anne Prior Dr Raelee Sharon Coppe Anonymous (35) Mrs Betty Wilkenfeld Mrs Marilyn Jacka Beverley & John Purdey In memory of Joyce Cordony Mr Ray Wilson OAM & the Dr Alastair Jackson Mary Rayner G Coss DEVOTEES Late James Agapitos OAM Mrs D Jackson Miss Jennifer Rhodes Mr Tim K Cox AO & Mrs Gifts $250-$999 Anonymous (3) Miss Kathryn James Chris Richardson Bryony Cox (302) Owen James Mrs Susan Rigg Ms Kay Cranwell CORPS DE BALLET PATRONS Susan Jennison OAM Judy Roach Mrs Elinor Crossing SUPPORTERS GIFTS Gifts $3,000-$4,999 Helen & Boyd Johnson Judi & Jeffrey Rogers Mrs Gweneth Cundy $25-$249 Phil & Laurel Bendrey Ms Michelle Johnson John & Helga Rose Mr Charles P Curran AC (314) Charles G Clark Max Johnston Mrs Pamela Saunders Mrs Katherine S Damm Associate Professor John Mr Jason Jones & Mr Brem Ms Diana Saw Collins & Mrs Mandy Collins Ms Anthoula Danilatos Jones Judge Stephen Scarlett OAM Miss Ann Darby Dr Anne Colman & Prof Peter Mrs Rhonda Keene RFD Colman AC Jenny Darling & Emma Marion J Kelly Max & Jill Schultz The Greatorex Foundation Darling T A Kennedy Douglas & Elisabeth Scott Pty Ltd Mrs Mary Davidson & Mr Patricia & Alun Kenwood Household Alan & Marion Grundy Frederick Davidson AM Mr Paul Keogh Mrs Christine Searcy Dale & Ian Johnson Mr Ernest Dawes OBE & Mrs Christine Kirby & Christopher Prof Ron Sekel OAM Mrs Sylvia Lavelle Nola Dawes Waldock & Mrs Margaret Sekel Mr Hugh MacLachlan & Mrs Tracey & Veronica De Poi Mr Stephen Knapik Dr Robyn Sharp Fiona MacLachlan OAM

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 47 PHILANTHROPY

GLOBAL AMBASSADOR NETWORK PHILANTHROPY TEAM

The Australian Ballet’s global network of Ballet Ambassadors connects individuals FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT PHILANTHROPY who are passionate about promoting The Australian Ballet. PLEASE CONTACT:

Natalie & Brian Hamersfeld Luke Harris & Sandra Cabrera Francesca Packer Barham Kenneth Watkins Lisa Bolte* Melissa Hartman Lucas Partington Philanthropy Director Liedeke Bosma Andrew Hartwell Joshua Penn 03 9669 2780 Sanchia Brahimi Karen Healey Jodi Pettersen* [email protected] Prue Brown Hannah Hesse Danielle Poli Louise Bryant* Miranda Hodge Philippa* & Josh Pomeranz Kate Cannon Alexandra Hodgkinson Mrs Katherine Pontifix Annie & Mike Cannon-Brookes Katrina & Simon Holmes a Court Carli Ratcliff Nick Hays Wendy Carter* Frances Ingham Michael Robertson Philanthropy Manager – Annual Giving Emily Chambers Sarah Ingham* Cecilia Rosenberg 03 9669 2732 Alexandra Champion de Fiona Jamieson Nadine Rosham [email protected] Crespigny Shareen Joel Vanessa Sanchez-Levy Claudine Clarke* Jinah Johnston Kaylene Savas Lucy Clemenger* Maggie Joye Penelope Scott Amanda Coombs Nicky Joye Jane Shaw Rachel Gelis Veronica Corrigan Zena Kaddour Matt Shelmerdine* Patrons Manager VIC/TAS Carolyn Creswell Donna-Marie Kelly Camilla Speer 03 9669 2735 Sarah Murdoch Mrs Prue Crookes Mem Kirby Alisa St John* [email protected] Global Ambassador Sophie Crowe Marissa Knies Lanier Helen Stewart BALLET AMBASSADORS Bernard & Georgie Curran* Samantha Lambert Valentina Stojanovska* Gifts $1,000+ Mark & Anji Davis Gillian Larkins Dominique Stokes Sarah Dawson Nina Aberdeen* Regina Levine* Trang Trinh Jane Diamond Ellie* & Charlie Aitken Natalie Deague Melanie Listorti Meg Tudehope Patrons Manager NSW/ACT The Aitken Family Marie Doyle Brooke Lockett* Maggie Wang 02 9253 5316 Juliet Anderson* & Denham Erica Stellablu D'Silva Andrew Low Hoda & Tom Waterhouse [email protected] Schiff Kristin Edmonds* Michael & Monika Malone Victoria & Justin Webb Shauna Anderson Anna Findlay* Helen Mantzis Laura Weston Ms Angelique Andrews Alethea Flynn Alyssa Maple-Brown Chloe White Sophie Gannon Nikki Andrews Edwina McCann* Jemima Whyte Heather McNicol Michelle Gardiner Dr MP Anthony Gina McNamara* Anna Wilson Planned Giving Manager D M P C J Giannarelli Josie Ashton* Sarah Meers Melinda Wright 02 9253 5313 Vanessa Gilbert* & Marshall Hayley Baillie Christopher Melck Kelly Wyborn [email protected] Maximilian Bak* Hunwick Jacqui Melck David Wynne Scott and Alina Barlow* Kimberley Gire Jill Meyers Evelyn Yong* David Barlow Joakim Apostolas & Kirra Alice Moore Liza Zeigler Givanni Penny Barlow Sybella Morris Anonymous (9) Alexandra Gordon Megan Beale & Zach Kutlow Emma Morrison Kate Elizabeth Griffiths *Ballet Ambassador Board Sharon Bennie Christopher Mulcahy Sara Kirby As at 13.03.2018 Kirsty Berger Lachlan & Sarah Murdoch* Brian Hamersfeld Julie Bertalli John Jerome Myers Major Partner Charles Hardman + 100th Leah Bischoff* Justine and Carl Nicholls Gallery Louisa Nicola Mrs Elizabeth Harris Susie Nugan* SPARTACUS

Your philanthropic support enables The Australian Ballet to Anna and Peter Findlay Mrs Anne M Lazberger Probuild Constructions Alane Fineman Rosie Lew Australia draw on the world’s best creative talent to create innovative, Mrs Holly Fletcher Rosalind Lilley Dr Jenny Proimos uniquely Australian works. We greatly appreciate the generosity Jane & Richard Freudenstein Catherine Livingstone AO & Mr Nicholas Glenning Yvonne Frindle & Michael Satterthwaite Paul Rein of the donors listed below, who together, have contributed over Mr Eric Gale Joan Lyons Susan M Renouf 75% of the production costs of our new Spartacus. Charles & Patricia Galluccio Mrs Eileen Mackley Dr Peter Rigg-Smith Diana Gerstman M&D Fuels Judith & Michael Robinson Kon & Helen Mantzis Sylvia Rosenblum PRINCIPAL GIFTS Ms Jodie Maunder STRENGTH Susan & Robert Gillett Anthony & Suzanne Maple- Mrs Margaret S Ross AM Principal Gifts will be recognised McLaren Family Gifts of $1,000 - $4,999 Elizabeth Gipps Brown Denis Savill & Anne Clarke for the life of the production with Angela & Don Mercer Mrs Catherine F Abbott Daniel Goodfellow & Matthew Burgess Davis Zucco Lawyers Max Schultz The Australian Ballet alongside Mr Dick Smith AC & Mrs Pip Nina Aberdeen artistic credits. Julie and Bill Goold Mr Graham H Matheson Mrs Margaret Sekel Smith AO Alexandra Adams Mr Kristian Downing & Dr Ruth McColl AO Matt Shelmerdine Anne Symons Antoinette Albert Mr Kenneth R Reed AM, Kirsten Gormly Alison McEvoy Gary Singer & Geoffrey Smith Mrs Philippa Warner Tania Austin Spartacus Mrs Beatrice Gray Mrs Kathleen McLean Lousje Skala & Steven Skala AO Anonymous Mr Philip Bacon AM Malcolm, Tonya & Carolyn Lyn Grigg John McMurrick Peter & Christine Smedley Hayley Baillie McCusker, Flavia Alan & Marion Grundy Mrs Ann McNamara Mrs Jocelyn Smith UNITY Dr Lorraine Baker Friends of The Australian Hugh Hallard Jacqui & Chris Melck Lady Southey AC Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999 Phil & Laurel Bendrey Ballet (NSW) Ltd, Crassus Louise Hamshere Dr David Millons AM Mrs Heather May Spencer Lisa Bolte & Graeme Uthmeyer Di Bertalli, Neville Bertalli, Mrs Roslyn Packer AC, Tertulla Mrs Roush Hargraves Ms Niq Morcos & Ms Morgaine Nicola Stanford Maxine Bowness Cameron Bertalli, Julie Bertalli The Australian Ballet Society, Jill Hawker Williams Paul Jones & Sue Swensson Batiatus Ms Jannie Brown Caroline & Stephen Brain Mrs Jean M Healey Sue Morphett & Charles Sitch Regine Szmulewicz The Dame Margaret Scott The Calvert-Jones Foundation Mrs Annabel M Brown Linden D Hearn OAM Sybella & Christian Morris Robyn Tamke Fund for Choreographers Mr Michel-Henri Carriol & Mrs Marilyn Burton Mr Ian Hicks AM & Ms Susie John & Karen Morrison Ms Victoria Taylor supporting Lucas Jervies Julie Carriol OAM Mrs Nancy Butler Grant Dr M L Murnane AM Peter & Frieda Thornhill Mr Peter Frost Mr A & Mrs S Calabro Carrie Howard News Corp Monika Tu, Black Diamondz BALLET CHAMPIONS Geoff & Lorrainne Ms Josephine Cardale Mrs Patricia Ilhan Mrs Kathleen Nowik Property Concierge VALOUR Frances Gerard Angie & Colin Carter Karen Inge & Dr George Janko Mrs Rachel O'Conor Janet Cliff & Jenny Turnbull Gifts of $20,000 and above Jennifer Grimwade John & Mandy Collins Susie Israel Deborah Ogilvie The Valda Klaric Foundation Ballet Ambassadors Mrs Robin Grimwade Dr Anne & Prof Peter Colman AC Craig & Toni Joel Catherine L Osborne Dung (Brian) Vo Mrs Mary Barlow Joanna Horgan Andrew Connolly Cmr Leigh Johns OAM Tony Osmond & Fiona Griffiths Mr & Mrs Gary Walker Ms Robin Campbell Mrs Pat Howell Annette Cook Dale & Ian Johnson David Owen & Henry Ruge- Mrs Carolyn Ward Anonymous Mr Ronald G Kaiser Dr Veronica Corrigan M. Johnson Rojas Ralph & Barbara Ward-Ambler Hon Diana Laidlaw AM G Coss Marion J Kelly Bruce Parncutt AO Mrs Sally White OAM HONOUR Dr Joan M Lawrence AM Angela Crammond T A Kennedy Mrs Mary Parry Janet Whiting AM & Phil Lukies Gifts of $10,000 - $19,999 Madeleine & Josephine Liger Kay Cranwell Greg Khoury Mr Robert Peck AM & Ms Donna Woodhill Kevin & Colleen Bamford Mr & Mrs Anthony Maple-Brown Paul & Samantha Cross Avner Klein & Maria Pannozzo Yvonne Von Hartel AM Mr & Mrs C & A Wyke Bill Bowness AO & Natasha Mr & Mrs John Marshall Ms Anthoula Danilatos Patricia & George Kline Andrew Penn & Kallie Blauhorn Yvonne Yendell Bowness Susan Morgan Miss Ann Darby Dr Louise Kornman Mrs Yvonne R Penny Igor Zambelli & Jenny Lee R W Brown Mrs Nancy Reardon-Fonseca Craig Dunn & Bozena Gawart Dr Johanna Kovats OAM D. E. Pidd Ms A Dickschen & Mr W. Brind Gena Culley Mr Peter Reilly & Mr Linton Mr Greg Egan Mrs Patricia H Pitman Zichy-Woinarski QC Mrs Wendy Dimmick Soderholm Prof Bruce R Lawford & Dr Ross W Ferguson Susan Shadforth Lady Potter AC CMRI Anonymous (37) Ms Linda Herd Ezekiel Solomon AM Anonymous (6) As at 13.03.2018 48 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 49

40917VCAEG_ZIP Ludo NECKLACE_AU Ballet_330x240w_May 18_p_Inc.indd 1 8/3/18 3:14 PM SYDNEY

OPERA AUSTRALIA ORCHESTRA

PICCOLO Colin Grisdale Head of Music ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT Diane Berger Principal Melanie McLoughlin Tahu Matheson Proud Performance Partner of The Australian Ballet General Manager, Orchestra Nicola Crowe Chris Moran General Manager Gérard Patacca Technical Services Orchestra Manager OBOE TROMBONE Clif Bothwell CONCERTMASTER AND VIOLA Emma In der Maur Conall McClure Principal ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR Virginia Comerford Principal Gregory van der Struik Executive Producer Jun Yi Ma Matthew Tighe Assoc. Principal Deputy Orchestra Manager Tara Houghton Acting Touring and Commercial Principal Ella Howard Assistant Principal Brett Favell Assoc. Principal Alex Budd ASSOCIATE Mark Bruwel William Farmer Orchestra Operations Magda Kruszynska Human Resources Director CONCERTMASTER Manager Jonathan Ryan Nigel Crocker Mahua Das Huy-Nguyen Bui Amanda Murphy Rhonda Jones Roslyn Jorgensen Charlotte Fetherston CLARINET Finance Director VIOLIN Assistant Orchestra Greg Ford Peter Jenkin Principal Helen Lindsay Katherine Lukey Deputy BASS TROMBONE Manager—Production Concertmaster Georgina Price Philip Green Assoc. Principal Brett Page Principal Executive Director, Valérie Morgan-Pertus Philanthropy Catalin Ungureanu Principal Neil Thompson Richard Rourke Assistant Orchestra Manager TUBA Liz Nield 1st Violin Alex McCracken Anna Bennett CELLO Edwin Diefes Principal Tony Gault Principal 1st Violin General Manager, Orchestra Orchestra Coordinator Teije Hylkema Principal BASS CLARINET Matthew Walmsley Gérard Patacca Airena Nakamura Tom Farmer Principal Ezster Mikes-Liu Assoc. John Lewis Principal Executive Producer 2nd Violin Principal TIMPANI In Theatre Mark Fitzpatrick BASSOON David Clarence Principal Andrew Hines Acting Georgia Rivers Assoc. Principal 2nd Violin Assistant Principal Douglas Eyre Principal Allan Watson Assoc. Principal Executive Producer Virginia Blunt Pierre Emery Matthew Ockenden Assoc. PERCUSSION Major Projects Thomas Dundas Margaret Iddison Principal Shaun Trubiano Principal Louisa Robertson Rachel Easton Minah Choe Melanie Woodroffe Acting Kevin Man Assoc. Principal Yu-Qing Rebecca Irwin Assistant Principal Heather Lindsay OPERA AUSTRALIA Gillian Hansen Josh Hill Adrian Keating Victoria Parkin BOARD OF DIRECTORS Long Nguyen Tim Paillas Marek Kruszynski Samuel Payne David Mortimer AO Daniel Rosenbaum Andrew Wilson HORN HARP Chairman Robert Sek Bourian Boubbov Acting Jane Rosenson Principal Lesley Alway DOUBLE BASS Jaroslaw Talar Principal Natalie Wong Guest Principal Philip Bacon AM Brett Berthold Principal Rachel Westwood David Thompson Guest Emily Granger Guest Principal Brian Benjamin Andrew Meisel Assoc. Anna Albert Principal David Epstein Principal Julia Broom Victoria Chatterley OPERA AUSTRALIA Jonathan Feder The Opera Australia Orchestra Edmund Bastian is assisted by the Australian Belinda Jezek Lisa Wynne-Allen MANAGEMENT Tim McFarlane AM Government through the Australia Bonita Williams Reafen Liu Milen Boubbov Chief Executive Officer Council for the Arts, its arts funding Alison Pert and advisory body, the NSW Jennifer Druery Rory Jeffes Yuhki Mayne Sebastian Dunn Deena Shiff Government through Create NSW Katy Grisdale Artistic Director and the Victorian Government Bridget O'Donnell FLUTE Andrew Sisson through Creative Victoria. Lyndon Terracini AM Ben Smith Elizabeth Pring Principal Lee Wadenpfuhl Josephine Sukkar AM Kelly Tang Amanda Hollins Assoc. Alice Yang Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Taylor Principal John Horn TRUMPET Tracy Wan Kate Rockstrom Corporate Affairs Director Joshua Clarke Principal Stephanie Zarka Katie Zagorski Yvonne Zammit Craig Ross Assoc. Principal Brian Evans Principal 3rd

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

Sydney Opera House Sydney Opera House Trust EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT Director, Building Ian Cashen Bennelong Point Mr Nicholas Moore Chair Chief Executive Officer GPO Box 4274 Ms Anne Dunn Louise Herron AM Director, Performing Arts Sydney 2001 NSW Kate Dundas Mr Michael Ebeid AM Deputy CEO – Operations Administration Mr Matthew Fuller General Counsel Director, Visitor Experience (02) 9250 7111 Jade McKellar Ms Kathryn Greiner AO Michelle Dixon Box Office Mr Chris Knoblanche AM Director, People & Culture (02) 9250 7777 Ms Deborah Mailman AM Fatima Abbas Facsimile Ms Kylie Rampa Chief Financial Officer (02) 9250 7666 Ms Jillian Segal AM Jon Blackburn Website Mr Phillip Wolanski AM sydneyoperahouse.com

CANBERRA

Director ADMINISTRATION CANBERRA TICKETING CULTURAL FACILITIES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Bruce Carmichael Telephone Telephone CORPORATION Canberra Theatre Centre is (02) 6243 5711 (02) 6275 2700 Chair administered by the Cultural Ms Louise Douglas Facilities Corporation, Facsimile Facsimile which receives funding (02) 6243 5721 (02 6230 1098 Board members assistance through the ACT admin@ canberraticketing.com.au Ms Robyn Hendry Ms Virginia Haussegger AM Government's Minister for canberratheatrecentre. the Arts. com.au Mr Raoul Craemer

Website Chief Executive Officer canberratheatrecentre. Ms Harriet Elvin com.au Chief Finance Officer Mr Ian Tidy

50 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON

MELBOURNE

ORCHESTRA VICTORIA (MELBOURNE AND CANBERRA PERFORMANCES)

MANAGEMENT PHILANTHROPY AT ANNUAL GIVING Artistic Director ORCHESTRA VICTORIA The Conductor's Podium Nicolette Fraillon ENDOWMENT FUNDS Mr Robert Albert AO RFD RD & Mrs Elizabeth Albert General Manager EDUCATION Sara Pheasant The Judith & Alasdair The Concertmaster's McCallum Fund Ensemble Head of Orchestra CONCERTMASTER FLUTE TUBA Management Lesley & Bob Qualtrough Mr Richard Guy OAM & Ms Roger Jonsson* Section Principal Principal Angela Chilcott Bequest Claire Guy Yi Wang* Lisa-Maree Amos Karina Filipi+ Operations Manager Hamilton and Western Ms Linda Herd Associate Principal Fiona Boundy District Fund DEPUTY CONCERTMASTER TIMPANI Avner Klein & Maria Pannozzo Karen Schofield Erica Kennedy* Section Principal Project Manager Geoff and Helen Handbury The Hon. Howard Nathan Principal Piccolo Guy du Blêt Elise Lerpiniere Foundation AM QC VIOLIN Vacant Principal 2nd Violin Deputy Orchestra Manager Trusts and Foundations Principal Patrons PERCUSSION Monica Naselow* OBOE Harriette Blanden Gandel Philanthropy Gaye & John Gaylard Section Principal Section Principal Administration Coordinator Associate Principal 1st Vacant The William Buckland Hans & Petra Henkell Violin Tomomi Brennan Stephen Robinson Megan Steller Associate Principal Foundation Dr Alastair Jackson Associate Principal Associate Principal Orchestra Project Coordinator Vacant Besen Family Foundation Dr Peter A Kingsbury Violin Alyssa Conrau* Joshua de Graaf Laura Message Principal Cor Anglais Gwen & Edna Jones Judith & Alasdair McCallum Associate Principal HARP Operations Coordinator Dafydd Camp Foundation Violin Jenny Khafagi* Section Principal Mark Lowrey Don & Angela Mercer Rebecca Adler Delyth Stafford* Celestial Investment Donors Mrs Margaret S Ross AM CLARINET Operations Assistant Con Grazia Binny Baik Section Principal Key Rachel Owen Gifts $25,000+ Patrons Rachel Gamer Paul Champion *Acting David and Cindy Abbey Orchestra Librarian Lady Southey AC Matthew Hassall +Guest Associate Principal Glynn Davies Matthew and Joanne Angus Rachael Hunt Justin Beere **On Leave Con Vivo Marketing Specialist ***Courtesy of Opera Gifts $10,000-$24,999 Marc Besen AC & Eva Besen Philip Nixon Principal Bass Clarinet Melissa Ray Australia Orchestra AO John Noble Andrew Mitchell Ms Linda Herd Orchestra Accountant Tom Bruce & Beth Brown Martin Reddington Con Brio BASSOON ORCHESTRA VICTORIA Senthil Radha Christine Ruiter Gifts $5,000-$9,999 Peter and Ivanka Canet Section Principal is a wholly owned subsidiary Government Relations & Lucy Warren Lucinda Cran of The Australian Ballet. Strategic Communications Dr Alastair Jackson Mr Jim Cousins AO & Mrs Libby Cousins Tony Zhai Associate Principal T: (03) 9694 3600 Manager Don & Angela Mercer www.australianballet.com.au Dana Moran G. Croft Vacant Matthew Ockenden*** Igor Zambelli & Jenny Lee Principal Contrabassoon External Relations Peter Griffin & Terry Swann Con Moto Timothy Murray Foundations Manager VIOLA Gifts $1,000-$4,999 Mrs Barbara Hamer Section Principal Jo McEniery HORN Hans & Petra Henkell Louis J. Hamon OAM Paul McMillan Corporate Partnerships Section Principal Orchestra Victoria is assisted by Ian & Michelle Moore Russell and Jenni Jenkins Associate Principal the Commonwealth Government Account Manager Jasen Moulton Jason Bunn* through the Australia Council, its Fiona Gosschalk Mrs Margaret S Ross AM Peter & Carmel Johnson Associate Principal arts funding and advisory body Catherine Bishop Sydney Braunfeld* Acting Patrons Manager Dr Victor Wayne & Dr Karen Peter McLennan & John Nadine Delbridge Roxy Kavanagh Wayne OAM Lander Principal Third Horn (03) 9669 2776 Vacant Linda Hewett Gaye & John Gaylard Michelle and Ian Moore [email protected]. Vacant Rachel Shaw au Elizabeth & Hank Van Herk Marie Morton FRSA

Vacant Anonymous (1) Prof David Penington CELLO Orchestra Victoria is supported by Section Principal TRUMPET the Victorian Government through Con Amore Lady Potter AC CMRI Melissa Chominsky Section Principal Creative Victoria. Gifts to $999 Kerryn Pratchett Mark Fitzpatrick Associate Principal Helen Lovass Adrienne Shaw Diane Froomes Associate Principal Prof Greg Reinhardt Libby Smith Sarah Cuming Anthony Pope Principal Regional Partner Vacant Peter & Ivanka Canet P & J Spark Philippa Gardner Ms Kerryn Pratchett Bruce & Leona Sterling Tania Hardy-Smith TROMBONE Miss Megan Steller Andrea Taylor Section Principal Elizabeth & Hank Van Herk Scott Evans Ms Sarah Monaghan Dr Victor Wayne & Dr Karen DOUBLE BASS Associate Principal Ms Rosmarie O'Connell Wayne OAM

Section Principal Tony Gilham Stuart Riley Planned Giving Anonymous (7) Principal Bass Trombone G C Bawden & L de Kievit Associate Principal Benjamin Anderson Kylie Davies* Lesley M Bawden Supporters Matthew Thorne Vacant Cusack-Muller Bequest (35) Estates Correct as at 13.03.2018 Mrs Neilma Baillieu Gantner

Arts Centre Melbourne Victorian Arts Executive Team Fiona Poletti Conditions of Entry PO Box 7585 Centre Trust Claire Spencer Executive Director, Arts Centre Melbourne External Engagement welcomes everyone to visit St Kilda Road James MacKenzie Chief Executive Officer Melbourne Vic 8004 (President) Melanie Smith our spaces and experience Deirdre Blythe the performing arts. Telephone Frankie Airey Executive Director, Executive Director, Conditions of Entry are (03) 9281 8000 Performing Arts Paul Barker Operations and Chief available on our website Facsimile Warwick Bray Financial Officer Richard Zimmermann www.artscentremelbourne. (03) 9281 8282 Catherine McClements Sarah Hunt Executive Director, com.au Philanthropy Website Andrew Myer AM Executive Director, artscentremelbourne.com.au Audience Engagement Ian Roberts Arts Centre Melbourne extends heartfelt thanks to our Arts Nora Scheinkestel Leanne Lawrence Angels, whose generosity, loyalty and commitment ensure Helen Silver AO Executive Director, as many Victorians as possible can experience the joy of the Human Resources performing arts here in Melbourne.

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 51 COMPANY AND DIRECTORS

MELBOURNE Peter Smedley Dance Development Officer Costume Administrative Digital Specialist Patrons Manager Dr Valami Pidgeon AM Jasmine Dwyer Coordinator Maeve Ashby - Orchestra Victoria The Primrose Potter Lynnette Harvey Hannah Beer Roxy Kavanagh Australian Ballet Centre, Dance Education Presenters Mrs Roslyn Packer AC Recording & Broadcast 2 Kavanagh St, Southbank Yhale Fien Wardrobe Production Planned Giving Manager Graeme Murphy AO Recording & Broadcast Victoria 3006 Yvette Sauvage Coordinators NSW/ACT/QLD Janet Vernon AM Manager Telephone 1300 369 741 Chantelle van der Hoek Jenny Howard Heather McNicol Peter Clemenger AO Robyn Fincham [email protected] Ben Obst Ross Hall Joan Clememger AO Philanthropy Services Manager australianballet.com.au Content Creator Prof John Rose AO Education Administrator and Senior Gentlemen's Cutter David Ward Adam Santilli Content Coordinator Marsia Bergh SYDNEY Diana Ramsay AO Ballet Ambassador Sophia Bender Lady June Porter Senior Ladies’ Cutter Program Specialist The Australian Ballet Julie da Costa OAM Ruth Bartel Public Relations David Wynne Level 4 10 Hickson Road, Medical Kenneth R Reed AM Public Relations Manager The Rocks Sydney 2000 Principal Physiotherapist Cutters Philanthropy Services David Crawford AO Kate Muir Telephone (02) 9253 5300 & Medical Team Manager Sophia Cameron Coordinator – Christopher Knoblanche AM The Australian Ballet Susan Mayes Etai Alves Publicists Donations & Events Barbara Duhig ABN 57 004 849 987 Natalie Silber Diana Chatfield Marilyn Jones OBE Physiotherapists Costumiers Anthea Waller Sophie Emery Ruth Owen Patrons Coordinator PATRON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Peta Steller Katherine Manson Customer Experience Philippa Clement - Levin His Excellency General David McAllister AM Bridy White Lillian Hull & Ticketing the Honourable Sir Peter BUSINESS SERVICES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Myotherapist Jessie Dole Manager, Ticketing & Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d), Libby Christie Stuart Buzza Karine Larche Customer Experience Finance Governor-General of the Bridie Wilkinson Steven Payne Chief Financial Officer Commonwealth of Australia MUSIC DIRECTOR Body Conditioning Specialist Christie Milton Customer Knowledge Manager & Director of & CHIEF CONDUCTOR Paula Baird Colt Rhiannon Irving BOARD Richard Laslett Business Operations Nicolette Fraillon AM Ellen Figgis Strength & Conditioning Sally Underwood Chair Executive Assistant Instructor Alice Mere Customer & Ticketing Analyst Craig Dunn Shannon Toyne Executive Assistant to Artistic Director Sakis Michelis Wigs Supervisor Kate Longley Michelle Saultry Directors Consultant Sports Alison Kidd Database Coordinator Olivia Bell – Executive Assistant to & Exercise Physician Jatin Maniar Finance Manager TAB Production & Design Dancers’ Director Carolyn Dryley the Executive Director Dr Andrew Garnham Production Design Customer Experience Annabelle Chaplain Sarah Monaghan Consultant General Coordinator Team Leader Orchestra Accountant John W.H. Denton AO Practitioner Kat Chan Perry Hingston Senthil Radhakrishnan John Ellice-Flint ARTISTIC Dr Vicki Higgins Customer Experience Financial Accountant Penny Fowler Production Centre Ballet Assistants Diana Bedoya Catherine Harris AO PSM Artistic Associate Facilities Manager STAGE Emily Klug Catherine Livingstone AO & Principal Coach Avon Kilcullen Payroll Administrator Director Production Rose McNeill-Young Edwina McCann Fiona Tonkin Production Centre Elena Davydova & Artistic Operations – VIP Ticketing Tony Osmond Costume Coordinator Ballet Master & Planning Chris Yates Sara Klug Accounts Administrator Bruce Parncutt AO Penelope Bjorksten & Strategy Associate Mary Grul Feliana Limarta Global Ambassador Tristan Message Company Management Collections Program Manager Natalie Howe Accountant Director of Artistic Planning Sarah Murdoch Ballet Mistress & Repetiteur Rebecca Tripp Gabrielle Monaghan Stephanie Cornish Helen McCormack Jonathan Gormann Elizabeth Toohey Collections Registration Assistant Accountant FOUNDATION BOARD Company Managers Ballet Master Regional & Assistants Reception Thilini Siriwardana Chair Edwina McCann Jasmine Moseley Storytime Tours Mercedes Gallego Lynne McDougall Arun Abey Jess Jellie Information Technology Paul Knobloch Tessie Scott Mary Barlow Assistant Company Manager Alison Finch Technology Manager Ballet Master & EXTERNAL RELATIONS Hayley Baillie Hannah Denison David Cooper Regional Touring Associate Production Facilities Storeman Director of External Relations Di Bertalli IT Manager Steven Heathcote AM Artistic Planning Coordinator Andrew Nish Penny Waitsman Bill Bowness AO Damien Calvert Noeleen King External Relations Partnership Natasha Bowness Ballet Mistress & MARKETING, Prue Brown Managers Web Developer Rehabilitation Specialist Associate Producer Regional COMMERCIAL AND Robin Campbell Fiona Gosschalk Daniel Lukas Megan Connelly Touring and Storytime Ballet AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Colin Carter AM Sarah Vick Resident Choreographers Tessa Kay Building Management Georgina Curran Director Marketing, Stephen Baynes External Relations Building Projects and Ballet Suellen Enestrom Technical Commercial & Timothy Harbour Development Manager Centre Manager Jane Freudenstein Technical Director Audience Development Stanton Welch AM Matthew Henry Tracy Hosier Frances Ingham Jon Buswell Penny Rowland External Relations Account Sarah Ingham Guest Teacher Stage Manager Executive Assistant Building Maintenance Officer Executive Gail Marshall Johnny Eliasen Deborah Whiteley Melanie Swieconek Stephen Reddrop Kristy Anderson Jodie Maunder Cleaners Music Assistant Stage Managers Robert McCormack AM Marketing External Relations Coordinator Lance Humphries Executive Assistant to Music Drew Cipollone Karen Morrison Senior Marketing Manager Hannah Fulker John Athinis Director & Chief Conductor Christabel Fry Renee Colquhoun Maria Pannozzo External Relations Casey McCormack Alexandra McKnight Master Technician Lynne Wright Marketing Specialists Foundations Manager David Day Bart Kendall Assistant Conductor Stephanie Corne Jo McEniery Honorary Life Members Simon Thew Head of Lighting Siobhan Ion HUMAN RESOURCES Government Relations & Past & Present Graham Silver Melissa Ray Director of Human Resources Principal Pianist Strategic Communications Dame Peggy van Praagh DBE Angela Kelly & Music Librarian Wardrobe Master Marketing Coordinator Manager NR Sneddon AO CBE Stuart Macklin Geoffrey Harman Angelica Olszak Dana Moran correct as 20.03.18 Sir Ian Potter Pianist & Associate Assistant Wardrobe Master Head Graphic Designer Sir Robert Helpmann CBE Music Librarian Ian Martlew Ashleigh Hills PHILANTHROPY Sir Robert Southey AO CMG Duncan Salton Philanthropy Director Noël Pelly AM Head Mechanist Graphic Designers Kenneth Watkins Dr HC Coombs Pianist Tom Cole Lucy Brown Brian Cousins Stephen Wood Executive Assistant Ila Massy Burnside Deputy Head Mechanist Philanthropy John McCallum AO CBE The Hephzibah Tintner Tom Paine Audience Engagement Elizabeth Albert Foundation, and the Robert Sharyn Gilham Head Electrician Audience Engagement Robert O Albert AO RFD RD and Elizabeth Albert Philanthropy Manager Adrian Siggs Manager John Calvert-Jones AM Conducting Fellow Annual Giving Viviana Sacchero Timothy KF Cox AO Patrick Burns PRODUCTION Nick Hays Maina Gielgud AO Artistic Management Digital Patrons Manager FW Miller AO CBE Production Director Senior Artistic Coordinator Digital Manager (NSW, ACT) Colin Peasley OAM Darren Conway Alex Wyatt Joanna O'Connor Jane Diamond Lady Potter AC CMRI Production Wardrobe Artistic Coordinator Content Expert Patrons Manager Dame Margaret Scott AC DBE Head of Costume Workshop Eloise Fryer Rose Mulready (VIC, TAS) Lady Southey AC Musette Molyneaux Rachel Gelis Josephine Woodgate OAM Education Social Media Specialist Marilyn Rowe OBE Head of Education Hannah Leane Ian McRae AO Katy McKeown

52 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW

WITH THANKS

PRINCIPAL PARTNER

LEAD PARTNERS LEARNING PARTNER

Official property partner Official airline partner

MAJOR PARTNERS

Official pointe shoe Official legal Official piano Official vitamin Official cruise Official jewellery partner partner partner partner partner partner

MEDIA PARTNERS

SUPPORTING PARTNERS

GOVERNMENT PARTNERS INDUSTRY PARTNER

The Australian Ballet is The Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet is assisted by the Australian is supported by the supported by the NSW Government through the Victorian Government Government through Australia Council, its arts through Creative Victoria Create NSW funding and advisory body

SUPPORTING OUR EVERY STEP

In business, as in dance, the right partner is If you would like to learn more about our everything. Our corporate partners provide much- corporate partnerships program, please contact needed funds that help us realise our artistic Penny Waitsman on 02 9253 5308 vision, from producing exciting new ballets and or email [email protected] staging iconic works to making a splash on the world stage. They also assist us behind the scenes, giving us product and in-kind support, which allows us to achieve excellence on both sides of the curtain.

Importantly, sponsors bring us closer to you. They help us to keep ticket prices affordable, visit communities across Australia and broadcast our ballets. We’d like to acknowledge the generosity of our current partners, whose support enables us to care for tradition, while daring to be different.

53 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 53 scholarship awards 2018

8 to 10 June 2018

Masterclasses & Preliminaries Primrose Potter Australian Ballet Centre Finals Arts Centre Melbourne State Theatre PLAYBILL AD 55

Department of Communications and the Arts

BLOG INSTAGRAM TWITTER FACEBOOK PINTEREST YOUTUBE australianballet. @ausballet @theausballet theaustralianballet behindballet theaustralianballet com.au/blog

Costumes Additional soft Additional Program edited by The cast for this performance is available manufactured by scenery painted millinery by Rose Mulready on the nightly cast list which is issued free the Production by Scenic Art Phillip Rhodes of charge to patrons. The Australian Ballet Division Services Graphic Designer reserves the right to cancel or alter any of The Australian Additional Jasmin Tulk detail of this season, or any performance Ballet Specialist fabric footwear forming part of this season, as it considers painting and Steppin’ out The Australian necessary. Scenery and dyeing Ballet portrait properties Lynn Munro Wigs and photography by maintained by hairpieces by Daniel Boud Show Works Alison Kidd

This is a PLAYBILL / SHOWBILL publication. OPERATING IN SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, CANBERRA, BRISBANE, ADELAIDE, PERTH, HOBART & DARWIN Playbill Proprietary Limited / Showbill OVERSEAS OPERATIONS: This publication is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, New Zealand: Wellington: Playbill (NZ) Limited, Level 1, 100 Tory Street, Wellington, New Zealand 6011; (64 4) 385 8893, Fax (64 4) 385 8899. be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s consent in writing. It is Auckland: Mt. Smart Stadium, Beasley Avenue, Penrose, Auckland; (64 9) 571 1607, Fax (64 9) 571 1608, Mobile 6421 741 148, Email: admin@playbill. Head Office: Suite A, Level 1, Building 16, 9449 6053 co.nz. Fox Studios Australia, Park Road North, E-mail: [email protected] UK: Playbill UK Limited, C/- Everett Baldwin Barclay Consultancy Services, 35 Paul Street, London EC2A 4UQ; (44) 207 628 0857, Fax (44) 207 628 7253. Moore Park NSW 2021 Website: www.playbill.com.au Hong Kong: Playbill (HK) Limited, C/- Fanny Lai, Rm 804, 8/F Eastern Commercial Centre, 397 Hennessey Road, Wanchai HK 168001 WCH 38; (852) 2891 PO Box 410 Paddington NSW 2021 6799; Fax (852) 2891 1618. Telephone: +61 2 9921 5353 Fax: +61 2 Malaysia: Playbill Malaysia Sdn Bhn, C/- Peter I.M. Chieng & Co., No.2-E (1st Floor) Jalan SS 22/25, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul All enquiries for advertising space in this publication should be directed to the above company and address. Entire concept copyright. Reproduction without permission in whole or in part of any material contained herein is prohibited. Title ‘Playbill’ is the registered title of Playbill Proprietary Limited.

54 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON PLAYBILL AD 55

THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET THE MERRY WIDOW 55 28 APRIL – 19 MAY | SYDNEY 25 – 30 MAY | CANBERRA 7 – 16 JUNE | MELBOURNE

56 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET 2018 SEASON