Royal New Zealand Ballet’s highly anticipated The Piano: the Ballet premières February 23
Ross Brown/RNZB Above: Abigail Boyle as Ada in The Piano: the Ballet. Arguably the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s most anticipated production of the year, The Piano: the Ballet, will have its world première in Wellington on February 23, presented in association with the New Zealand Festival and the Auckland Arts’ Festival. Inspired by the […]
The grandest graduation programme yet: New Zealand School of Dance celebrates 50 years
Stephen A’Court Above: Hosanna Ball and Saul Newport. The New Zealand School of Dance has traditionally held a highly regarded graduation programme, and this year’s was the grandest we’ve seen, with the school celebrating its 50th anniversary. Held at the St James Theatre, opening night saw Governor-General HE Dame Patsy Reddy attend, along with […]
Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who costume revealed, along with a Tardis makeover
BBC/Steve Schofield The BBC has released its first official image of Jodie Whittaker in her new costume as the Doctor in the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who. Since being announced as the first actress to take on the role, succeeding 12 men (more than that if guest actors, aborted series and the big-screen […]
An evening of Contrast and contemplation
Lovers of contemporary dance in Wellington were spoiled as Footnote New Zealand Dance brought Contrast, its major season for 2017, home. Thanks to earlier crowdfunding, the company was able to travel to Bern to work with New Zealand choreographer Emma Murray, who created Participation, one half of the Contrast double bill, then to Berlin […]
Rinaldy Yunardi wins top honours at World of Wearable Art Awards with Encapsulate
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images for World of Wearable Art Above, from top: WOW Supreme Winner Encapsulate, by Rinaldy Yunardi. Runner-up Refuse Refuge by Grace DuVal. Cube, by British designer Adam McAlavey. Encapsulate, by Indonesian designer Rinaldy Yunardi, has taken the Supreme Award at the International World of Wearable Art Awards (WOW) in Wellington, New Zealand tonight. […]
The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s grandest yet: Romeo & Juliet shoots for the stars with spectacle
Top photo: Stephen A’Court; above: Ross Brown Since announcing he would be leaving the Royal New Zealand Ballet as its artistic director in November 2016, it became evident that Romeo & Juliet, the new ballet that had its world première in Wellington tonight, would be Francesco Ventriglia’s love letter to the company. It takes all […]
Royal New Zealand Ballet promises an ‘epic’ production with Romeo and Juliet, opening August 16
Ross Brown The most anticipated ballet of the year in New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet, set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev and choreographed by the company’s outgoing artistic director, Francesco Ventriglia, has its world première on August 16 in Wellington. The sets and costumes have been designed […]
Three by Ekman: the Royal New Zealand Ballet shows its witty, ingenious side
Stephen A’Court Swedish-born choreographer–director Alexander Ekman, it transpires, was the first person Francesco Ventriglia called when he was first appointed artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Ekman, says Ventriglia, creates choreography that is ‘different, brave, intelligent, witty and fun,’ and he sees the work as being the equivalent of ‘good food’ for the […]
Bringing Confucius’ legend to life
Liu Haidong After Asia, Europe and Australia the dance drama, Confucius, lands in New York. The China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG) returned with a marvellous performance at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. The China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre presented an inspiring feature, directed and choreographed by a 77th-generation descendant […]
Ross Brown Top: The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Carmen, premièring on February 16, 2017. Above: A new version of Romeo and Juliet, premièring on August 16. Royal New Zealand Ballet artistic director Francesco Ventriglia has announced his second full season for the company, kicking off 2017 with Two Ballets by Roland Petit: Carmen with L’Arlésienne, […]
