James Braund
Top Returning home for Swan Lake, Australian Ballet principal artist Ty King-Wall. Above Australian Ballet principal artist Amber Scott.
The Royal New Zealand Ballet has released details of four of its international guest artists for the Vodafone season of Swan Lake, which begins in Wellington on July 18.
Previewed in Lucire last year, Swan Lake has had considerable buzz among followers of the company, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
Guest artists include Ty King-Wall, a New Zealander newly appointed as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. The Royal New Zealand Ballet notes that he found his calling in its 1996 production of Swan Lake.
King-Wall will dance the lead male role of Prince Siegfried, partnering with Amber Scott, also a principal artist at the Australian Ballet, in the role of Odette/Odile.
‘One of the first ballets I ever saw was the Royal New Zealand Ballet performing this very production of Swan Lake, when I was seven years old,’ says King-Wall. ‘Ou Lu was dancing the role of Prince Siegfried and I can remember thinking, “When I grow up I want to be up on stage doing that!” To be coming home and dancing Prince Siegfried in the same ballet, where it all began, will be very special for me.’
Joining King-Wall and Scott are two more famed international performers, Carla Körbes and Karel Cruz from the Pacific Northwest Ballet. They have both stated that they are looking forward to visiting New Zealand and working with the RNZB’s artistic director, Ethan Stiefel.
Körbes and Cruz had previously been paired as Odette/Odile and Siegfried.
The première of the Vodafone season of Swan Lake is at the St James Theatre on July 18, and tours to seven other centres, including Dunedin, Christchurch, Invercargill, Takapuna, Auckland, Palmerston North and Napier.
Ross Martin
Above left Karel Cruz. Above right Carla Körbes.
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