Endnotes 1 C. Cummins, ‘Review: Sun Music, The Australian Ballet’, The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, 9 October 1968. Introduction 2 M. Cook, Swan Lake. The Making of a Ballet, Golden Press, Sydney, 1978, pp. 65, 75. Time in Motion: 50 Years of The Australian Ballet celebrates the enduring style, strength 3 E.H. Pask, Ballet in Australia: The Second Act 1940–1980, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1982, p. 287. and passion of The Australian Ballet and its creative output over fifty years. Drawn primarily 4 E. Westwood, The Australian Ballet, Giselle programme, 2006, p. 10. from Arts Centre Melbourne’s Performing Arts Collection and the archives of The Australian Time in Motion Ballet, this exhibition re-visits some of the company’s most memorable works, illustrating its 5 Marilyn Rowe quoted in The Australian Ballet, The Merry Widow programme, 2011, p. 22. dynamic rise to the heights of international success. 6 Vicki Attard quoted in The Australian Ballet, Madame Butterfly programme, 2011, p. 18. 50 Years of The Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet debuted as the nation’s first government-subsidised, professional 7 M. Potter, A Passion For Dance, National Library of Australia, Canberra, 1997 p. 135. ballet company in 1962. The prospect of full-time employment for Australian dancers and the subsequent establishment of The Australian Ballet School in 1964 were instrumental in 8 David McAllister quoted in The Australian Ballet, Edge of Night programme, 2010, p.4 Arts Centre Melbourne developing a strong framework for the development of dance in this country. Under the 9 June –23 September 2012 guidance of Peggy van Praagh, the company was soon well established on the world stage, attracting the support and active participation of leading international artists and State Library of New South Wales mounting highly successful tours overseas. The company’s repertoire grew to encompass Acknowledgements the great full-length classics as well as contemporary ballets created by major Australian 12 November 2012 –10 February 2013 Free events This exhibition would not have been possible without the support and international choreographers, and now includes over 380 works. and assistance of The Australian Ballet. My thanks are extended to Arts Centre Melbourne David McAllister and Nicolette Fraillon for their valuable input to the Set design by Anne Fraser for Swan Lake, Thursday 21 June 2012 development of the exhibition and related public programs. I would Borovansky Ballet, 1957; also used by also like to acknowledge Yvonne Gates for overseeing The Australian The Australian Ballet, 1962 Colin Peasley, Artist in Residence, The Australian Ballet Ballet’s substantial contribution to the exhibition and for her assistance Gift of Anne Fraser, 1996 discusses the works that helped shape with the process of copyright clearance. I appreciate the efforts of Arts Centre Melbourne, The Australian Ballet in its formative years. Barbara Langley, Angela Embleton and Michael Williams who allowed Performing Arts Collection Wednesday 18 July 2012 me to access material in storage and I am also grateful to Hugh Colman, Colin Peasley and Stephen Baynes for their involvement in Hugh Colman, Designer, discusses the creative process exhibition floor talks. of designing costumes for The Australian Ballet. The exhibition has benefitted from the beautiful film work of Lily Coates Thursday 16 August 2012 and Gavin Youngs from The Apiary and I am sincerely grateful to The David McAllister, Artistic Director and Nicolette Australian Ballet for making this happen and thank all those who took Fraillon, Chief Conductor and Music Director, part in the filming. My thanks are also extended to the photographers The Australian Ballet discuss 50 years of and copyright holders who have given permission for the reproduction Australian Ballet performance. of their works in the exhibition. Thanks are also extended to the State Library of New South Wales Wednesday 29 August 2012 for hosting this exhibition from November, 2012. We value the Stephen Baynes, Resident Choreographer, opportunity to work with them to celebrate The Australian Ballet’s 50th The Australian Ballet discusses the creative process Anniversary and to provide further access to Arts Centre Melbourne’s of making a ballet. Performing Arts Collection. Bookings essential Finally I would like to thank Diana Dzelalija for designing the exhibition Phone 03 9281 8754 or email and Rowena Craick for spearheading the development of the [email protected] exhibition’s website. I would also like to thank my colleagues at Arts Centre Melbourne for their continued support and willing assistance, Time 1pm to 2pm Margaret Marshall, Steven Tonkin and Elyse White among them. In the beginning Venue Gallery 1 I would particularly like to thank Project Manager Kathryn Kiely for her patience, diligence and ongoing support throughout the making of Scheduled events are correct at the time of printing. The Australian Ballet took its first steps with the courtship rituals of the male lyrebird, Helpmann this exhibition. For further details and updates visit artscentremelbourne.com.au nineteenth-century classic Swan Lake at Her explored the brutal perception of the Australian Majesty’s Theatre in Sydney on 2 November male in this one act work. Featuring a score Margot Anderson 1962. The audience for this long awaited debut by Malcolm Williamson and décor by Sidney State Library of New South Wales Curator, Dance and Opera was a discerning one, cultivated over decades Nolan, The Display proved to be a suitably by the visits of leading international dancers, home-grown showpiece for the company’s first Wednesday 14 November 2012 such as Adeline Genée, Anna Pavlova and major international tour in 1965. Colin Peasley, Artist in Residence, The Australian Ballet cover photo: members of the Ballets Russes companies. By this time The Australian Ballet had benefitted Natasha Kusen, The Australian Ballet discusses the works that helped shape The Australian Ballet The sets and costumes for this production had from van Praagh’s world-wide connections, Serenade in its formative years. previously been commissioned by Edouard playing host to such famous names as Erik Choreography G Balanchine Borovansky for his company’s first full-length ©The George Balanchine Trust. Bruhn, Sonia Arova, Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Tuesday 27 November 2012 version of Swan Lake in 1957. Photograph Justin Smith 2004 Nureyev. Its profile hit new heights overseas David McAllister, Artistic Director and Nicolette Fraillon, The success of The Australian Ballet’s early when van Praagh unveiled her new production Chief Conductor and Music Director, The Australian Ballet performances owed much to the Borovansky of Giselle in Birmingham,England, on 10 discuss 50 years of Australian Ballet performance. Ballet and the classic European repertoire it November 1965. With Fonteyn and Nureyev Tuesday 4 December 2012 had made popular with Australian audiences. in the lead roles, and sets and costumes Peggy van Praagh had led the Borovansky designed by Kenneth Rowell, the production Stephen Baynes, Resident Choreographer, Ballet in its final years and was well positioned was an instant success, going on to win the The Australian Ballet discusses the creative process to take on her new role of Founding Artistic Grand Prix of the City of Paris when it was of making a ballet Director with The Australian Ballet. The works performed there a week later. Time 6pm to 7pm she selected for the company’s early Kenneth Rowell designed many of The seasons set the scene for years to come and Bookings essential Australian Ballet’s most popular works in those included popular classics from the Borovansky formative years. His designs for Coppélia Phone (02) 9273 1770 or email repertoire, with more recent ballets by leading [email protected] were originally commissioned by van internationa l choreographers and brand Praagh for the Borovansky Ballet in 1960. This new Australian commissions from a pool of production became a firm favourite with immerging local talent. Australian audiences and remained active in Costume design by Kenneth Rowell for the Rex Reid’s Melbourne Cup was the first work the company’s repertoire until 1979. Rowell’s title role of Giselle, The Australian Ballet, c.1965 to be commissioned. Based on the inaugural designs for Sun Music were considered a Gift of The Australian Ballet, 1998 running of the legendary horse race in 1861, ‘magnificent achievement by critics when the Arts Centre Melbourne, Performing Arts Collection Melbourne Cup’s place in The Australian Ballet’s ballet premiered in 1968’.1 Choreographed by first season fulfilled van Praagh’s wish to present Helpmann, Sun Music’s abstract themes of soil, Marilyn Jones as Odette in Swan Lake, new repertoire featuring Australian themes. Two mirage, growth, energy and destruction were The Australian Ballet, 1968 Exhibition Partners years later audiences were introduced to the drawn from Peter Sculthorpe’s avant-garde Photograph by Geoffrey Hales darker aspects of Australian culture through score and gave the company its first non- Gift of Geoffrey Hales, 2001 Robert Helpmann’s The Display. Using the narrative success. Arts Centre Melbourne, Performing Arts Collection artscentremelbourne.com.au In production In the studio The Australian Ballet’s presentation of large­ premiere took place at the newly built Sydney Sleeping Beauty with designer Hugh Colman The Australian Ballet has continued to process, a recurring