Under the artistic helm of David McAllister, The Australian Ballet was last seen in the UK in 2008; 2016 has seen a two-week season of ballet for the company, with Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake from 13–16 July and Alexei Ratmansky’s Cinderella from 20–23 July at the London Coliseum.
Cinderella has become a signature work for the company, remaining true to tradition but with a few twists along the way to keep the production relevant, a blending of old and new. The classics are not forgotten, and here they are be transported for future audiences too. The Australian Ballet is renowned for producing new versions of the classics with contemporary choreographers and Cinderella is no different. Ratmansky is one of the world’s most sought-after and his production of Cinderella for The Australian Ballet will be the first time it has been performed in Europe.
Commissioned by McAllister in 2013, Ratmansky’s Cinderella is re-imagined as witty, vibrant and romantic full of athleticism and dynamism rather than tradition. Jerôme Kaplan’s vivid designs draw inspiration from Dior, Schiaparelli, the elegance of 1940s Hollywood, and Surrealist art, against Prokofiev’s cinematic score as he charts Cinderella’s journey from rags to riches, transported to the ball by planets and stars. Perfect poise accompanied these agile dancers into the transformation scene: with graphics, fringing and temptors along the way of the Prince’s journey, the company dancers were hugely technical yet did not shy away from the modernity of Ratmansky’s Cinderella. Technique was then matched in artistry and performance, and Leanne Stojmenov’s Cinderella stole the show.
After sell-out seasons in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, this exclusive London season is a true crowd-pleaser. Cinderella, and indeed all the Australian Ballet dancers, moved with huge ease and suppleness. Skinny and Dumpy – two awful yet lovable stepsisters – added a large helping of humour to the production, midway between the classics and the neoclassicism.