Friday, October 05, 2012
RNZB celebrates 60 years with 2013’s stunning line-up
Award-winning international and local choreographers, an icon of New Zealand dance, a collaboration with Te Radar, a tour of heartland NZ, and a five city tour to China make up the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2013 programme: a year-long celebration of the RNZB’s 60th birthday.
The line-up was revealed on 4 October at an event held at
Premier House with distinguished guests including the Minister for
Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Hon. Christopher Finlayson.
"I'm delighted to be with the RNZB and to
celebrate its 60th birthday. I hope that audiences will share my
enthusiasm for what I believe is a festive year of
programming. To honour the company's significant
milestone we will revisit works that have helped elevate the RNZB
to its current place in people's hearts and present new works which
keep us moving forward," says Ethan Stiefel, Artistic
Director.
WORLD PREMIERES
The 2013 season opens on 27 February with Made to Move:
three brand new dance works that celebrate the joy of dance.
The triple bill will see Ethan Stiefel create his first original
work for the RNZB: a spirited comedy set in a Bavarian beer hall.
Former RNZB dancer, turned choreographer Andrew Simmons creates the
eagerly awaited follow-up to 2010's haunting A Song in the
Dark, a hit with NZ audiences and dance lovers in the UK and
France during the company's 2011 tour. Lastly, award-winning
Venezuelan choreographer Javier de Frutos returns to create a new
piece inspired by the Pacific. In the ten years since his
first work with the RNZB (Milagros), he has continued to
make dance works to both critical and popular acclaim around the
world, including a recent collaboration with Pet Shop Boys.
DANCE ICON
The TelstraClear Season of Swan Lake takes pride of
place as the centrepiece of the 60th birthday
year. Dance icon Russell Kerr's stunning production of
one of the greatest of all classical ballets is the perfect
synthesis of music and dance with opulent designs by the late
Kristian Fredrikson. Tchaikovsky's sweeping score will
be played live by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Wellington,
the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in Auckland, and the Southern
Sinfonia in Dunedin.
HEARTLAND NZ TOUR
The RNZB closes 2013 with a 46 centre tour of heartland New
Zealand, sharing the celebration of the company's rich past and
lively present. TOWER Tutus On Tour will
include a selection of highlights and hits from the company's
repertory including excepts from Flower Festival at
Genzano, Ihi FrENZy,Through to You and
Don Quixote. RNZB dancers turned choreographers
Brendan Bradshaw and Catherine Eddy create a sparkling new version
of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf which will feature
narration byTe Radar.
INTERNATIONAL TOUR
An international tour (in April) will see the company take its
upcoming production ofGiselle,co-produced by Ethan Stiefel and The
Royal Ballet's Johan Kobborg, to China (Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin,
Guangzhou and Suzhou).
RECORD AUDIENCES IN 2012
"I'm very proud of how far the company has come in 60
years. The ever-increasing interest and support of New
Zealanders of all ages is by far our greatest measure of
success. Already in 2012 we have connected with over 100,000
kiwis, with the highly anticipated TelstraClear Season of
Giselle still to come. I would like to thank all who
have been with us on this stellar journey - especially our Friends,
funders and sponsors who enable us to take dance into communities
throughout New Zealand," says Amanda Skoog, Managing Director.