Review: RNZB Winter Season
Always a pleasure to find myself at the St James here in Pōneke, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s got something for everyone with their trio of short ballets this winter. Sir Frederick Ashton’s (1904–1988) Birthday Offering is a stellar celebration of classical ballet. First performed in 1956, with seven solo variations for the women in […]
Review: RNZB’s Macbeth
Review contains major spoilers for the RNZB’s Macbeth — the only reason I’m spoiler warning a 400 year old story based loosely off an 1000 year old historical figure is that the RNZB does include some changes in its staging that are more so implied in the text, and there’s also some things you want to […]
Review: The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker’s always been one of ‘the ballets’ I’ve heard about but never seen. Learning about it via reading the The Baby-Sitters Club books as a kid and growing up dancing myself, I’ve always wanted to get the chance to experience it, and finally, thanks to this year’s Royal New Zealand Ballet Kiwi twist on […]
A Once in a Lifetime Ballet Treat this Friday & Saturday
For the first time in fifty years, the Scottish Ballet visits Aotearoa for a dream collaboration. This Friday and Saturday in Pōneke only, the RNZB and the Scottish Ballet will share the stage to present four gorgeous works. Dextera (Scottish Ballet) commissioned to celebrate the Scottish Ballet’s 50th Anniversary in 2019, is created by Franco-British […]
Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Delve into the sublime, surreal and a little bit sexy this Halloween with the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s rebirth of their iconic ballet A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A co-production with the Queensland Ballet and first performed in 2015, this stunning performance combines the late Liam Scarlett’s choreography with Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream score […]
Review: Hansel & Gretel
The RNZB’s Hansel & Gretel is back for an end of year sweet treat. This was my first ever ballet when I moved to Wellington, and it was an utter delight to get a chance to check it out again for this year’s iteration. Choregraphed and composed by my favourite RNZB duo, Loughlan Prior and […]
Review: Lightscapes
Imagery by Stephen A’Court. The Royal New Zealand Ballet is back with another series of four ballets to warm you up this winter. Celebrating the power and possibility of dance, these four ballets range from the classic to the experimental, a wonderful tableau that accurately sums up the RZNB’s 70th anniversary. Opening the show is […]
Review: Romeo & Juliet
Image credit: Stephen A’Court Reviewed by Talia Carlisle What a magical place Wellington is, when you can start your evening with gin and fresh seafood at Cinderella’s for the Wellington on a Plate Launch — and pop down to the St James Theatre, home of the Royal New Zealand Ballet for their opening night of […]
Review: Venus Rising
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is back for their final offering this year, a trio of celestial ballets within the show Venus Rising. I’ve been waiting to see this show for a couple of years now, for it’s been delayed twice by COVID, so it was an absolute delight to finally catch it at its […]
Review: RNZB’s Cinderella
RNZB’s Cinderella is a carnival of excess, packed full of joy and beauty and delight. It shines with queerness, and as a queer dancer myself, this ballet was a revolutionary take on a well-hewn story and hit me right in the chest. Cinderella (Mayu Tanigaito) is the same woman we all know, stuck in a […]