Artistic Directors Collection and from Other Retain Free General Admission but Make Ready-Made Villains

THE AUSTRALIAN, FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 www.theaustralian.com.au ARTS 15 Kelly’s gang exits In the company’s engine room in a blaze of glory CANBERRA’S National revenue,’’ Sayers says. ‘‘Free entry There’s much more to Museum of Australia will draw encourages greater visitation.’’ the artistic director’s the shutters this Sunday on the Unlike the leading museums role than just ordering most successful paid exhibition it in Sydney and Melbourne, has mounted, Not Just Ned; A admission to Canberra’s cultural the pink tutus True History of the Irish in institutions, including the Australia. National Portrait Gallery, VALERIE LAWSON More than 70,000 visitors National Gallery of Australia and have seen the display, which the War Memorial, has IN movie melodramas from The features hundreds of artefacts traditionally been free. Red Shoes to Centre Stage and from the museum’s own The National Museum will Black Swan the artistic directors collection and from other retain free general admission but make ready-made villains. The collections across the world. all significant temporary dancers are the heroes but the ‘‘We’re really pleased with the exhibitions will now be paid. bosses are the bullies, strutting way Not Just Ned has been One exception is an upcoming around their backstage domain, received,’’ says museum director China exhibition, a cultural abusing their fragile victims. Andrew Sayers. exchange show from which the Such cartoon characters had Anouk van Dijk Not Just Ned is not the most museum is contractually some real-life counterparts. popular show in the institution’s prevented from charging Sergei Diaghilev, for one, could O’Hare will be supported on the 10-year history. admission. excommunicate a dancer, as senior artistic team by two of the That honour went to its In the absence of international Nijinsky discovered, while world’s most successful choreo- Yiwarra Kujo: The Canning Stock shows, exhibitions will now be Antony Tudor and Jerome Rob- graphers, Wheeldon and Wayne Route exhibition, which attracted bins were specialists in the art of McGregor. 121,000 visitors in the six months humiliation. In the same way, American from July 2010. The museum can But the reality is more mun- Ballet Theatre’s artistic director It does, however, mark a no longer afford to dane. A true depiction of today’s KevinMcKenzieisnowsupported significant juncture in the artistic director would be that of a by Russian Alexei Ratmansky, ap- museum’s history as the first big stage international multi-tasking, over-worked and pointed artist-in-residence in paid exhibition to draw on blockbusters. Self- driven man or woman, often im- 2009. His contract has recently artefacts from the museum’s own curated exhibitions prisoned in tedious meetings been extended until 2023, which collection. will become central when they yearn to be in the stu- raises the question: How long is In the past, exhibitions drawn dio, always juggling dozens of de- too long for an artistic leader? from the museum’s collection mands and sudden emergencies. The longest serving dance have been free while the museum curated in-house. The burden is too great for company artistic director in the has generally charged admission Sayers says: ‘‘This is a shift, but some. Earlier this year, Chris- world is Alicia Alonso, who is 90 for big shows from overseas. if the National Museum of topher Wheeldon told me that be- and almost blind, but still refuses Sayers says the museum can Australia can’t be confident ing an artistic director ‘‘is not just a to budge as head of the Ballet no longer afford to stage so- about our own culture then creative commitment, it’s an enor- Nacional de Cuba. The most re- called international blockbusters. there’s a serious problem.’’ mous managerial commitment’’. markable, successful stayer is Self-curated exhibitions will The next exhibition drawn Wheeldonwasconsideredafront- John Neumeier, artistic director instead become central to its from its own collection to attract runner for the artistic directorship and chief choreographer of operations. an entry fee will be 1913: Year of of the Royal Ballet. But he is not Hamburg Ballet since 1973. ‘‘Charging admission for Not Dreams , in 2013. It’s a look back yet ready for that double commit- KATRINA TEPPER ‘‘The whole feelingof Hamburg Just Ned set it up as special, and at a year that marked a turning ment and the considerable risks Artistic director Rafael Bonachela works with the dancers of Sydney Dance Company. Bonachela has just extended his contract Ballet is very much about John’s people recognise that a lot of point in Australia’s history but that come with it. aesthetic and ideas,’’ McAllister work [went] into it,’’ he says. which is often overlooked There is, however, no shortage McAllister introduced a flatter cessful team in action if we can be- says. ‘‘He is very devoted to the The $8-$10 entry fee also because war broke out the of men and women who are. In organisational structure he says is lieve the BBC’s recent company and they’re very de- contributed about $600,000 to following year. Moscow, the Bolshoi Ballet — al- ‘‘not just about me and what I documentary The Agony and the voted to him’’. the $1.5 million cost of staging the ‘‘A model might be the Vienna: ways a crucible of politics and tur- want’’. He has also learned that Ecstasy, which shows its artistic While some stayers pass their exhibition. art and design exhibition at the bulence—hasanewartisticdirec- listening to others can ‘‘give you a director Wayne Eagling as highly use-by date but carry on — Yuri The museum recently National Gallery of Victoria tor, and new artistic leaders will much better understanding and stressed and blaming all around Grigorovich’s two-decade iron weathered 20 voluntary because it builds on their soon take over at the Royal Ballet inspire different ideas.’’ him for shoddy work. grip of the Bolshoi was too long — redundancies to accommodate collection and has a real (Kevin O’Hare), New Zealand In terms of directness, Monica Few artistic directors can be all others give themselves a ticket to reduced funding. curatorial input from the gallery,’’ Ballet (Ethan Stiefel) and the Mason, the outgoing artistic things to all people, but then they leave, such as Ratmansky, who ‘‘We’ve had to look very hard Sayers says. Scottish Ballet, whose board is director of the Royal Ballet in Brit- don’t always have to be. As quit the Bolshoi after a productive at all of the ways of increasing MICHAELA BOLAND finalising the choice of a successor ain, was ‘‘a fantastic mentor’’. Graeme Murphy points out, their five years, and Jiri Kylian at to Ashley Page. ‘‘I remember talking with her at particular skills will depend on the Nederlands Dans Theatre. In Australia as well, it’s a time of a couple of artistic conferences,’’ kind of director they are or are Not so at the Australian Ballet, churn. At Sydney Dance Com- McAllister says. ‘‘Her experience asked to be. ‘‘Are they a where four artistic directors were pany, Rafael Bonachela’s contract was vast. We talked about how do choreographer-artistic director, giventheirmarching ordersbythe has been renewed for three years, you deliver difficult information or management based, or a whiz board. So it’s no wonder McAllis- Francois Klaus, the Queensland or decisions and how you have to kid ideas person?’’ ter says he is ‘‘always mindful of Ballet’s artistic director for 13 pretty much say it as it is, not be Since its formation in 1962, the the fact that I don’t think a pos- years, has resigned, although he cruel, but to be absolutely clear.’’ Australian Ballet has been led by a ition like this is tenured’’. He keeps will remain at the company for STUART McEVOY McAllister admires artistic dir- former dancer who does not an ear to the ground, ‘‘making sure two more years, while Chunky David McAllister will stay with AB until ‘at least’ 2014 ectors who remember what it was choreograph (Robert Helpmann Ipickupon anyonegoing‘oh,ah,a Move’s board has just appointed like to be a dancer, as so often they was an exception) and for 15 years bit dull’, or ‘all a bit the same’. I Dutch choreographer Anouk van great leader of a dance company next year, believes the first quality forget what it’s like to be on stage, ithas maintainedresidentchoreo- want to be aware of the thinking Dijk to succeed Gideon Obarzan- needs many skills: intelligence — anartisticdirector needsisagenu- to be tired and to face casting deci- graphers. the board has about succession.’’ ek, who co-founded the company of course — empathy, integrity, ine interest in people, ‘‘whether it’s sions thathave not gonetheir way. ‘‘Personally I take my hat off to And van Dijk, who is quitting 16 years ago. charisma, stamina, a thick hide, people in your company or people These are all lofty ambitions anyone who is a choreographer her own dance troupe in The This month, the Australian imagination, the ability to multi- in the audience’’. but, in practice, many artistic dir- who also directs a company,’’ says Netherlands, says: ‘‘It’s important Ballet’s artistic director David task and delegate and, above all, a ‘‘You should be really inter- ectors have been just as successful McAllister. ‘‘Looking at Stanton that you keep challenging your- McAllister celebrates a decade in firm vision. ested in dancers and what kind of by taking a ruthless approach, [Welch] in Houston, I’m amazed self artistically, ask what is the the job following the renewal of Red flags include too much environment is important for the such as former English National at his capacity to create work and next step,the right thing todo, and his contract until the end of 2014.

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