LET’S not mention pandemics and lockdowns and vaccinations, cancellations and postponements. Let’s forget about the past nearly two years of Covid-19. Companies are returning to the stage, with fabulous programs on which to feast in the year ahead.
To start with our national ballet company. The Australian Ballet’s 2022 season, the second under artistic director David Hallberg, is a mix of both traditional and groundbreaking dance that brings together top choreographic names from around the world. (See interview with Hallberg on p.20.)
It opens with the a new Anna Karenina, which made it onto stage last year in Adelaide before the season was put on hold. A co-production with America’s Joffrey Ballet, choreographed by Russian-born Yuri Possokhov, it was lauded as “a triumph” by Dance Australia critic Maggie Tonkin. Melbourne Feb 25–March 9; Sydney April 5–23.
Next is Kunstkamer, an Australian premiere of a work by the choreographic partnership of Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot originally created for the celebrated Netherlands Dance Theatre. They will share the bill with sought-after Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite and German choreographer Marco Goecke. Sydney April 29–May 14; Melbourne June 3–11.
Another Australian premiere will follow: the much anticipated Harlequinade, a lost Petipa ballet brought back to life by Alexei Ratmansky. Originally staged as Les Millions d’Arlequin in 1900, the ballet has been pieced back together by decoding the original notation. Melbourne June 17–25.
Three ages of dance will be deliberately juxtaposed in “Counterpointe”. The elegantly classical 19th century , the boldly contemporary by William Forsythe and the 20th century classical , by George Balanchine, will show that ballet continues to be a
