SYLVIA To Make Its Australian Premiere As Part of Australian Ballet's 2019 Season

The highly anticipated collaboration between The Australian Ballet and the Houston Ballet will see a brand-new production of Sylvia make its debut to Australian audiences at Arts Centre Melbourne from 31 August to 10 September, and at Sydney Opera House from 8 to 23 November 2019.

This new production of Sylvia was created by Melbourne-born artistic director of Houston Ballet and resident choreographer of The Australian Ballet, Stanton Welch AM. The co-production had its world premiere in Houston in February 2019, achieving rave reviews that marvelled at the stunning interpretation of this classic story, set to the fabled Léo Delibes score.

A world-class team of creatives has delivered a modern edge to this reimagined Sylvia. The sumptuous sets and costumes were created by the renowned ballet and opera designer Jérôme Kaplan, the mastermind behind Lucas Jervies' 2018 production of Spartacus.

Digital pioneer Wendell K Harrington (who worked with Kaplan on The Australian Ballet's Cinderella, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky), has provided the stunning projections. Lisa J Pinkham, who designed the lighting for Welch's Romeo and Juliet (seen by The Australian Ballet's audiences in 2016), gives atmosphere to this lively tale.

After attending the world premiere in Houston, David McAllister, artistic director of The Australian Ballet, says, "We're so pleased to see this co-production come to life; we love being able to bring new and exciting ballets to our Australian audiences.

It will be the first time The Australian Ballet has danced this production and Stanton has created a vibrant and action-packed version I am sure our ballet-loving audience will find enthralling.

In Sylvia, everyone can look forward to Stanton's dramatic choreography, set to music by Delibes that even Tchaikovsky declared to be the perfect ballet score. To dance Welch's version of this story, The Australian Ballet's female dancers will be required to learn sword fighting, so we're very much looking forward to seeing our dancers embody fierce, arrow-wielding nymphs and huntresses."

The story of Sylvia was first staged as a ballet in Paris more than 150 years ago. On its debut in 1876, Tchaikovsky judged the music for Sylvia to be better than his own Swan Lake. Delibes' work was ahead of its time, novel for its expressiveness and its propulsion of the action onstage. Now, with the re-creation of this mythical production, audiences can expect to follow three strong female characters: Sylvia, Artemis and Psyche as

MELBOURNE

31 August - 10 September 2019
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre
with Orchestra Victoria

SYDNEY

8 - 23 November 2019
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
with Opera Australia Orchestra

BOOKINGS
australianballet.com.au

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