The Australian Ballet
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The Australian Ballet | |
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General information | |
Name | The Australian Ballet |
Predecessor | Borovansky Ballet |
Year founded | 1962 |
Founding artistic director | Dame Peggy van Praagh |
Principal venue | Level 6 2 Kavanagh Street Southbank Victoria, Australia |
Website | www |
Artistic staff | |
Artistic Director | |
Resident Choreographers |
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Other | |
Associated schools | Australian Ballet School |
Formation |
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The Australian Ballet (TAB) is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur and director Dame Peggy van Praagh as founding artistic director. Today, it is recognised as one of the world's major international ballet companies and performs upwards of 150 performances (both in Australia and overseas) a year.
History
The roots of the Australian Ballet can be found in the
In 1961, J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust received federal subsidy towards the establishment of a national ballet company. These organisations established the Australian Ballet Foundation to assist with the establishment of a new company, which in 1962 became the Australian Ballet. Peggy van Praagh, who had been kept on a retainer by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd through the intervening year between the disbanding of the Borovansky Ballet and the establishment of the Australian Ballet,[citation needed] was invited to become the founding artistic director of the company.[2] The majority of the dancers employed by the fledgling company were drawn from former members of the Borovansky Ballet.[citation needed] The company was founded with a charter to use Australian choreographers and produce Australian work.[2]
The first performance by the Australian Ballet was
In 1964, the first fully Australian performance, Helpmann's The Display was performed.[2] In the same year, van Praagh established the Australian Ballet School, which was formed specially to train dancers for the company. Dame Margaret Scott was the founding director of the school, followed by Gailene Stock, Marilyn Rowe, and then Lisa Pavane, all three former company principal artists.[citation needed]
Choreographers including Graeme Murphy, Meryl Tankard, and Natalie Weir rose to prominence at TAB from the 1970s to the 1990s.[2]
Former artistic directors
The company's previous artistic directors were:[1]
- Dame Peggy van Praagh (1962–74; 1978)
- Sir Robert Helpmann (1965–76)
- Anne Woolliams (1976–77)
- Marilyn Jones (1979–82)
- Maina Gielgud (1983–96)
- Ross Stretton (1996–2001)
- David McAllister (2001-2021)[2]
Description and governance
The Australian Ballet (TAB
The Australian Ballet works in close cooperation with the Australian Ballet School, of which many of the company's dancers are graduates. Giving approximately 200 performances a year, the Australian Ballet claims to be the busiest ballet company in the world. Its artistic vision is "Caring for Tradition, Daring to be Different". Each year, the company also presents an extensive national education and outreach programme.
The company's income is derived from
People
Since 2021 and as of 2023[update] the company's artistic director is David Hallberg,[2] who was a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre until 2020.[6]
In December 2022, Lissa Twomey[7] was appointed as Executive Director of the Company. An arts industry leader with extensive experience domestically and internationally in management of top tier performing arts organisations.
The music director and chief conductor of The Australian Ballet appointed in 2022 is Jonathan Lo, replacing Nicolette Fraillon, the world's only woman chief conductor of a ballet company.[8]
Telstra Ballet Dancer Award
The Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards have been made annually since 2003, in support of the aspirations of The Australian Ballet's elite young dancers. It is the biggest prize available specifically to a dancer in Australia, with a cash prize of $20,000 to the winner. The Telstra People's Choice Award is made to the most popular of the nominees in that year, using internet and SMS voting. The winner of the People's Choice receives a cash prize of $5,000.
Notable performances
In 1964, Robert Helpmann's work The Display was the first TAB production in which the music, designer, theme, and choreographer were all Australian; included were Australian rules football, lyrebirds, and a picnic in the bush.[2]
In 1992, Clara, an adaptation of The Nutcracker by choreographer Graeme Murphy, was a significant work, as he turned it into a story about migration to Australia.[2]
In 1997, TAB commissioned
Orchestra Victoria
Following a period of turmoil, Orchestra Victoria became a wholly owned subsidiarity of The Australian Ballet in July 2014[9][10]
See also
- Australian Archives of the Dance, created by TAB in 1972
References
- ^ a b c "Australian Ballet, The (1962)". Australia Dancing. National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Reich, Hannah (23 June 2023). "The Australian Ballet's Identity sees choreographers Daniel Riley and Alice Topp wrestle with the national identity in groundbreaking collaborations". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Eshel, Ruth (16 August 2005). "Classical Ballet Dancer Caj Lottman Succumbs to Illness". Haaretz. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Australian Ballet Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Australian Ballet Archived 21 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ "Lissa Twomey Australian Ballet". Australian Ballet. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ Jeremy Story Carter, "Australian Ballet music director calls out sexism in classical music world", ABC Radio National, 13 June 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016
- ^ "Australian Ballet takes over Orchestra Victoria". theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "The Australian Ballet and Orchestra Victoria strike a chord". Australian Arts Review. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2023.