A new era of ballet

The Australian Ballet has announced its 2022 season as the new era of the company continues to evolve under the guidance of Artistic Director David Hallberg.

This is an important time in The Australian Ballet’s history, as the company returns to the stage resilient, invigorated and strong. The much-anticipated productions that The Australian Ballet was unable to perform due to COVID restrictions in 2021 will be seen in 2022, alongside bold new contemporary works, both international and homegrown, that have yet to been seen in Australia.

The delayed seasons include the epic story ballets Romeo and Juliet and Anna Karenina, which will be performed on Melbourne and Sydney stages in 2022. Harlequinade will be performed in Melbourne exclusively, bringing audiences commedia dell’arte at its most joyful and humorous, but will be live-streamed around the world, and the powerful program of contrasts, Counterpointe, will be performed in an Adelaide-exclusive season.

In keeping with Hallberg’s vision of bringing the best of today’s works from around the world to our audiences and dancers, 2022 will also feature a feast of contemporary work, including the Kunstkamer. Created at Nederlands Dans Theater by four of today’s most in-demand choreographers, this vast work has never been performed by another company.

Instruments of Dance will be performed in Melbourne and Sydney, exploring the relationship between 21st-century music and 21st-century dancemakers and features landmark works by the resident choreographers of The Royal Ballet and New York City Ballet alongside a new commission from The Australian Ballet resident choreographer, Alice Topp.

Justin Peck’s rousing work for 25 dancers, Everywhere We Go, gives refined ballet technique a contemporary zest that pulses with New York energy, and Obsidian Tear by British choreographer Wayne McGregor, known for its deeply intellectual approach that draws from diverse artistic, historical and scientific sources, is a response to two violin works by the renowned Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen.

It’s Artistic Director David Hallberg’s second season with The Australian Ballet. “My second season as Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet is presented with an unwavering belief: there is great power in performance, even in the most challenging of times. With pride, our dancers will return to the stage, where they will show you that their commitment to this art form is stronger than ever before,” he said.

“The past two years have been the most challenging in our history, but today we’re very optimistic as we look ahead to 2022,” Executive Director Libby Christie said. “It gives us immense pride to be revealing a rich, diverse line-up of ballet seasons next year for our patient and loyal audiences.”

“The entire company looks forward to welcoming our audiences back safely into theatres in 2022.”

The Australian Ballet’s 2022 activities will also include a range of participatory and informative events, and the company’s Education and Outreach program will tour to schools across the country. A Storytime Ballet for children will tour across selected cities and the Regional Tour, which will encompass additional community events and engagement, returns to Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

For more information australianballet.com.au

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