In association with Ryman Healthcare

Lightscapes

27 Jul - 12 Aug 2023

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Principal Kate Kadow and former dancer Simone Messmer in George Balanchine’s Serenade, 2019. Photo by Stephen A’Court.

We mark the beginning of our eighth decade with a collection of works which celebrate the endless possibilities of light, space and the human body – the essence and wonder of dance.

Created for this special moment, we are honoured to present a new work by Moss Te Ururangi Patterson. Inspired by haka and powered by the strength of the men of the RNZB, this will be a striking, and lasting addition to the RNZB’s repertoire and one which we hope will resonate around the world as well as in Aotearoa.

Serenade (1934) was first staged for the then-New Zealand Ballet by the late Una Kai in 1975 and holds a special place in the hearts of generations of dancers, here, and around the world. Plotless, yet somehow laden with meaning and unspoken narratives, Serenade fills the stage with exquisite movement and deep emotion. We are delighted to restage Serenade, as a celebration of the joy of ballet, to mark this special anniversary.

The second half of this generous programme of dance features two New Zealand premieres by choreographers making waves in the international dance world. Annabelle Lopez Ochoa will stage her Requiem for a Rose, created for Pennsylvania Ballet in 2009 as an exploration of love, romantic and idealized, versus lasting and real. Hearts beat fast as love blooms into intoxicating rapture, but will passion endure?

As a final embodiment of the spirit of dance, the RNZB is proud to offer Logos by company alumna Alice Topp (Aurum, Absence of Light), created for The Australian Ballet in 2020. Logos will transport viewers to a world of pure physicality, borne aloft by mesmerizing music and audacious design. Inspired by the storms that we all weather – fears, fights, darkness and demons – Logos ends with clarity, purpose and hope for the future.

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Single tickets go on sale 28 November 2022.

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Dates and times


Wellington, 27 July - 29 July

St James Theatre


Thursday 27th July 7:30pm
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Friday 28th July 7:30pm Pre-Performance Talk
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Saturday 29th July 1:30pm Post-performance Q&A
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Saturday 29th July 7:30pm Warm Up, Curtain Up!
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Christchurch, 05 August - 06 August

Isaac Theatre Royal


Saturday 5th August 7:30pm Pre-Performance Talk
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Sunday 6th August 1:30pm Post-Performance Q&A
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Sunday 6th August 7:30pm Warm Up, Curtain Up!
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Auckland, 10 August - 12 August

Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre


Thursday 10th August 7:30pm
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Friday 11th August 7:30pm Pre-Performance Talk
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Saturday 12th August 1:30pm Post-Performance Q&A
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Saturday 12th August 7:30pm Warm Up, Curtain Up!
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Credits


New Work - Choreography

Moss Te Ururangi Patteron

New Work - Music

TBC

New Work - Design

TBC

Serenade - Choreography

George Balanchine, copyright The George Balanchine Trust

Serenade - Staging

Patricia Barker

Serenade - Music

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Serenade - Costumes

Barbara Karinska

Requiem For A Rose - Choreography

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

Requiem For A Rose - Music

Franz Schubert

Requiem For A Rose - Design

Tatyana van Walsum

Logos - Choreography

Alice Topp

Logos - Music

Ludovico Einaudi

Logos - Set & Lighting Design

Jon Buswell

Logos - Costumes

Alice Topp

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