A TASTY TREAT OF A BALLET - The Royal New Zealand Ballet
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SEASON SPONSOR SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL TOURING
PARTNER
A TA S T Y T R E AT O F A B A L L E T
R OYA L N E W Z E A L A N D B A L L E T CLICK TO EXPLORE
Artistic Director Patricia Barker
Executive Director Lester McGrath
Ballet Masters Clytie Campbell, Laura McQueen Schultz,
Nicholas Schultz, Michael Auer (guest)
Building a ballet Once upon a time
Principals Allister Madin, Paul Mathews, Katharine Precourt,
Mayu Tanigaito, Nadia Yanowsky
Soloists Sara Garbowski, Kate Kadow, Shaun James Kelly,
Fabio Lo Giudice, Massimo Margaria, Katherine Minor,
Joseph Skelton
Choreography Loughlan Prior Artists Cadence Barrack, Luke Cooper, Rhiannon Fairless,
Kiara Flavin, Madeleine Graham, Kihiro Kusukami, Minkyung
Music Claire Cowan
Lee, Yang Liu*, Nathan Mennis, Olivia Moore, Clare
Set and costume design Kate Hawley
Schellenberg, Kirby Selchow, Katherine Skelton, Laurynas
Assistant set designers Miriam Silvester and Seth Kelly Vėjalis, Leonora Voigtlander, Caroline Wiley, Wan Bin Yuan
Lighting Jon Buswell Todd Scholar Teagan Tank
Creating a fairy-tale world Magical Music
Visual effects POW Studios Apprentices Georgia Baxter, Ella Chambers, Lara Flannery,
Conductor Hamish McKeich Vincent Fraola, Calum Gray, Kaya Weight
Orchestra Orchestra Wellington Guests Jamie Delmonte, Tristan Gross, Levi Teachout
*On parental leave.
Grimm Beginnings Biographies Dancers
Biographies
Supporting
Love to Love to Love to
cast and
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R N Z B S TA F F & AC K N OW L E D G E M E N T S
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Building Hansel and Gretel drive our story and their
relationship reflects the ups and downs of
any good sibling bond. Hansel can usually be
‘ Above all, the story is about
overcoming difficult obstacles
found with his head in the clouds and big that block your path, growing up,
sister Gretel is always there to get him out of navigating the world and using a
trouble. Both children go on an epic journey level head to rise above adversity’.
and come out the other side stronger and
wiser - bringing the family unit back beautiful, glamorous hostess to a menacing,
together. Our primary protagonist Gretel is a predatory child catcher. She’s a mash-up: a
fearless female leader and a wonderful role cabaret performer, Kylie Minogue showgirl
model for young girls and boys alike. meets Leigh Bowery, vampiric Nosferatu.
Hansel and Gretel’s parents are both loving and I would like to thank Patricia Barker for
supportive but have fallen on hard times and entrusting Claire, Kate and myself with this
struggle to make ends meet. We have done special story and supporting our creative
away with the cliché trope of the evil vision. It is our goal to have audiences
stepmother, creating greater sympathy for the pirouetting out of theatres with an orgy of
a ballet
parents in their financial struggles and lumping stunning visuals emblazoned in their minds
the Witch with the job of primary antagonist. and humming tunes which they won’t be able
The character of the Witch is an amalgam of to get out of their heads for weeks. Hansel &
so many influences. She has a dual personality Gretel is a show for everyone.
The story of Hansel and Gretel instantly conjures up visions of witches, and gives rise to the term ‘looks can be L O U G H L A N P R I O R | October 2019
deceiving’ as she transforms from a
lost children, a trail of breadcrumbs and a glowing gingerbread house.
Our production brings together all the fantastical elements you remember
from your childhood, while presenting the story in a wholly unique way.
onstage at Soundings Theatre, Te Papa. Photograph by Stephen A’Court.
Caught inside a black and white 1920s silent The most important part of building any great
rehearse the King and Queen of the Dew Fairies with Loughlan Prior,
F ROM L EF T / RNZB Principals Allister Madin and Mayu Tanigaito
film the look, sound and feel of the production production is the team you surround yourself
harkens back to the times of old celluloid. with. I am very privileged to be working with
Audiences will experience the story through collaborators Kate Hawley and Claire Cowan to
Designs for Gretel (L) and Hansel (R) by Kate Hawley.
the eyes of Hansel and Gretel in an bring this fantastical story to the stage. Together
expressionistic landscape where trees we have spent countless hours designing the
manifest as a forest of forks, the moon is treatment for the show and building a world
made of cheese and the Witch rides around that is familiar yet full of surprises.
on a steampunk bicycle, luring children to The themes of underprivileged children,
her Gingerbread House. bullying and stranger danger are prevalent
Hansel & Gretel has been a production two throughout the tale and speak directly to issues
years in the making and is the largest single facing Kiwi kids today. Above all, the story is
project I have yet had the pleasure to work about overcoming difficult obstacles that block
on. In terms of scenic scale and cast there your path, growing up, navigating the world
are six large set changes and over seventy and using a level head to rise above adversity.
different characters.
Once upon a time
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CHARACTERS ACT ONE ACT TWO WHAKAMIHI
Once upon a time... Dinner is served! Inside the Gingerbread House Hansel We are honoured to thank the donors who have
Gretel • Feisty, resourceful and just a little bit bossy
Hansel and Gretel live with their mother and father in a and Gretel are treated to an enormous banquet as the helped us make Hansel & Gretel magnificent by
– the perfect big sister
tiny little house. The family have fallen on hard times and Witch and her troupe of pink-iced gingerbread men supporting our creative talents and bringing the
Hansel • Dreamy and easily led. provide a cabaret. Hansel and Gretel gorge themselves characters and props to the stage:
the children’s parents struggle to make ends meet.
Thank goodness he can rely on Gretel!
on every food imaginable until they can no longer move
Every morning, their father ventures into town to sell his
Father • Ground down by poverty but working hard and fall asleep at the table. Once the children are asleep Loughlan Prior • Ballet Foundation of New Zealand
homemade brooms while their mother scrounges rations for
to look after his family the Witch reveals her true, terrifying self.
dinner. Hansel and Gretel are always hungry, and their Kate Hawley • in memory of Kate Meares
Mother • Devoted to her family, but at her wits’ end clothes are ragged and worn. The other children tease Back in the forest Mother and Father search frantically.
The Gingerbread House • Dr Tom and Mrs Ann Morris
them when they play in the streets. They are beside themselves with worry until the Sand Man
The Ice Cream Witch • A sugar-coated Pied Piper,
and the Fairies arrive to explain what has happened. The Moon • Sarah and John Singleton
luring children with magical treats One day an enchanting woman appears, riding a magical
Together they continue their quest to find and save their
The Transformed Witch • The Witch in her
bicycle and selling delicious ice-creams! Penniless, Hansel The Mother • Elizabeth Whyte
children from the Witch.
true form and Gretel watch jealously as the other children buy giant
The Queen of the Dew Fairies • Friends of the RNZB
ice-cream cones. All is not as it seems however as the Meanwhile, the Witch prepares disgusting concoctions to
The Sand Man • Guardian and guide in the fatten Hansel. She is going to cook him in her giant oven The King of the Dew Fairies • Douglas Higgins
mysterious woman is an evil witch in disguise and she has a
enchanted forest
taste for naughty children… and then eat him. Gretel tries in vain to free Hansel from his
Food People • Bruce Rae and Margaret Mabbett
Queen of the Dew Fairies • Queen of the cage. She passes Hansel a scrawny chicken bone so when
That night, Hansel and Gretel start to quarrel at the table.
enchanted forest the witch asks Hansel to stick his finger out of the cage Dew Fairies (corps de ballet) • Sarah and Tim Bartlett,
They are scolded by their parents, who are at their wits’ Steven and Catherine Fyfe, Heather Gribble
King of the Dew Fairies • Her consort
so she can feel how plump he is getting he can present
end. Feeling hard done by and desperate for food, Hansel
the chicken bone instead and the short-sighted Witch The Chorus of Witches • Steven and Catherine Fyfe,
Gingerbread men • Enslaved by the Witch and Gretel decide to steal the last loaf of bread and run
will think he is still too skinny. Elizabeth and Geoffrey Lee, Mrs Diana Marsh and
to do her every bidding away. A magical forest begins to grow from the ground.
Justice Francis Cooke QC
Hansel and Gretel venture inside, laying a trail of As the Witch takes a nap, Gretel sneaks up to steal the keys
Food People • Anthropomorphic dancing desserts to Hansel’s cage. Just as she is about to grab them the Birds (child extras) • Peter Bertram, Shanwen Tan
breadcrumbs to mark their way back home.
Witch wakes up. In a terrible rage, and fed up with waiting and Family
Townspeople • Wealthy inhabitants strolling A squabble of noisy birds makes quick work of the crumbs
the street so long, the Witch decides she will cook Hansel and tells Gingerbread Boogiemen • Frances and Bill Bell, Mrs
and the children are lost and alone. They run from the
Gretel to prepare the oven! Gretel finds some bellows by Diana Marsh and Justice Francis Cooke QC
Ghost children • Lost souls in limbo shadows and ghosts that appear in the forest until they
the fire and pretends not to know how to use them, tricking
meet a friendly face, the Sand Man. He tells the children he Gingerbread Waiters • Chris Kiddey and Bryna
Boogie Men • Oversized rabbits the witch, who snatches them from her hands. As the
will protect them while they sleep and introduces them to O’Brien-Kiddey, Elizabeth and Geoffrey Lee,
Birds • Cleaners who sweep the forest floor
witch fans the flames Gretel runs behind her. She shoves Peter and Juliet Rowe, Frances Turner
the Man in the Moon and the beautiful Fairies who live
the Witch head first into the oven and slams the door.
Dew Fairies • A clan of magical sprites amongst the stars. Ghost Child • Leanne Arker
Hansel and Gretel are free, and the Witch’s evil magic is
Worn out, Hansel and Gretel fall asleep. They wake to the
destroyed! Their parents arrive with the Sand Man and 1920s Street Characters • Anonymous (2)
smell of gingerbread and see a delicious looking house
Fairies to find the children safe and well. All is forgiven Additional support for costumes and sets provided by
covered in chocolate and sweets. The door of the house
and there is a wonderful celebration. Alison Buchanan and Eric Johnston, Monica Liu,
creaks open and the children go inside.
Penelope Ryder-Lewis and Hugh Rennie, Stephanie
Intermission The End
and Allan Tattersfield, and all donors to the 2019
Annual Appeal for Hansel & Gretel.
Title graphics by POW Studios.
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Creating a
fairy-tale world
‘We’re obsessed with food’ is how Loughlan Prior and designer Kate
Hawley introduced their production concepts for Hansel & Gretel back in
March 2019. The sense of an all-pervasive hunger, of the need to eat being
(as it were) all-consuming, and of food and eating having a genuine
presence and power, is there in every element of the production.
Food may be omnipresent, but the world in Kate Hawley’s costumes are heavily influenced ‘ Once on her home ground, the Once on her home ground, the Witch’s colourful
which the tale unfolds has many layers of by the 1920s, with Act I showing clearly the persona, together with the lavish banquet of food
Witch’s colourful persona, together
inspiration. Chief among them is film – but not ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ of Hansel and Gretel’s that she offers to the starving Hansel and Gretel,
the digital wizardry of our own era. Rather, it is home town in sharp tailoring, top hats and fox with the lavish banquet of food conspire to create sensory overload. There is too
the flickering, grainy charm of early films such furs, versus the children’s much-patched and that she offers to the starving much colour, too much food, too many people:
as Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902), shabby garments. The 1920s were also one of Hansel and Gretel, conspire to everything is bright, sparkling and delicious.
with beautiful typography and magic achieved the earliest periods when children were Hansel and Gretel are swept along and are
create sensory overload’.
in monochrome, and projections and animations dressed as children, rather than miniature powerless to resist. However, on closer inspection,
adding mystery and sometimes, menace. adults. The smart children who taunt Hansel boys or stewards on a classic ocean liner, perhaps the food is not as delicious as it seems?
The design also plays with scale, from the and Gretel wear crested blazers, but Hansel though thickly iced in a vivid shade of pink. The revelation of the Witch as her true self –
tangled forks which sprout to create the and Gretel are simply and practically clad, sweet no more – is a return to the world of film
Colour in the ballet is always associated with
enchanted forest, to the two very different though perhaps not warmly enough: rompers and especially to classic early horror movies such
food: magical, desirable, seductive. The
‘buildings’ which appear onstage. Hansel and and a middy blouse for Gretel; shorts and a as Nosferatu (1922). The grasping menace of her
Witch enchants children like a Pied Piper
Gretel’s tiny home, a single apple crate, vividly nod to lederhosen braces for Hansel. presence, first seen in shadow and then
showgirl, albeit one with a slight edge of
shows the stresses of a family on hard times, The 1920s aesthetic extends to the fantasy Weimar-era cabaret tawdriness. The hideously revealed, returns the children all too
literally on top of each other. The gingerbread realm of the forest, where the Sand Man has ice-creams she sells to mesmerised children brutally to the real world. It’s no longer a dream,
house which is constructed at the end of Act I an air of Buster Keaton, with blazer and boater, are intensely coloured, exotic and but a nightmare.
seems small and almost innocent in its childlike and the Dew Fairies are flappers, illuminated hallucinogenic in their power, while she CLOCKWI S E F ROM L EF T / the Chorus of Witches,
construction but, Tardis-like, reveals the full by electric light. The Witch’s gingerbread herself is a riot of candy-coloured fun. Gingerbread Men, the Witch’s Bicycle, designs by Kate Hawley.
scope of the Witch’s diabolical world in Act II. servants wear tunics in the manner of bus
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Magical Music
When I started to write the ballet, I decided that I wanted a distinctive theme
for Hansel & Gretel that would run through all the various scenes in various
renditions. To find this theme, I thought about all the elements of the ballet
and how they could be reflected in a simple melody. ‘Lullaby theme’ was one
of the first melodies I composed. It’s a simple melody that sits over two chords. IM AG E / Claire Cowan and Loughlan Prior. Photograph by Garth Badger, make-up by Kiekie Stanners for M.A.C.
Rhythmically, the first five notes spell out all the Hansel and Gretel’s Mother and Father have ‘Raindrop Theme’ as the opening street
syllables of ‘Hansel and Gretel’. The other notes their own love theme, and this is a very simple scene is a rainy evening, and I imagined
sound like a little bird call, with several ‘chirping’ melody which begins on the harp, and then Gretel jumping in puddles with Hansel
grace-notes. It was obvious to me that layers to build stronger chords with the close behind, and the hustle and bustle of
bird-like melodies would be present throughout addition of strings and then a suspended the townspeople around them. It is light,
the ballet because of the forest setting. clarinet above. This feels to me like the way agile and playful, like Gretel herself. You
Forest theme Mother and Father
The melody flips between major and minor, in which they comfort each other, building will hear it played on the celeste. It returns
echoing the children’s struggle with poverty, trust and stability from very basic means. It in Act II when Gretel is planning to
but also the strong bond they have with each also feels like an innocent melody, and one of outsmart the witch and save her brother.
other and the love they have as a family. You hope and happy memories, something they The orchestra includes some unusual
can find this melody in almost every scene, must cling to in hard times. instruments in addition to the standard
flipped, stretched, distorted, fragmented. When it comes back in Act II, they are searching orchestral lineup. We have a baritone and
The other main inspirations for the music were for their lost children through the night, so tenor saxophone player which adds a smoky The Witch’s Bike
the 1920s era of the ballet, early jazz music the harmony is darker and more troubled. jazz flavour to the woodwind section, and a
and early Broadway. The Witch and her This is one of my favourite musical moments harpsichord and organ alongside the
gingerbread house world embody this most in the ballet, with Mother clinging to Hansel’s celeste. In the percussion section we also
strongly, with an extended over-the-top display lost toy rabbit, and Father losing hope. It have instruments you may find in your own
of excess food and gluttony in stark contrast to feels like the emotional climax of the ballet. kitchen: pots and pans and assorted metal Sand Man
the children’s reality. The harmony grotesquely The Witch’s ice-cream bicycle theme was sounds. Also, the percussion section
lurches from one direction to the next, with all inspired by a cross between Mr Whippy and features an unusual instrument - the
the grace and elegance of the Witch herself. old German organ grinders (complete with musical bones! These sounds you will hear
cymbal playing monkeys!) The waltz melody in Act II once we arrive at the Witch’s house.
The forest, and its magical mysteries are
swirls around with lots of deliberate clashing The finger cymbals are also a feature of the
represented by a simple repeated quaver
and fanfare type figures. The Witch never entire ballet, and you will hear them on the
pattern. Every other beat the harmony lands Lullaby Theme
quite pulls off elegance or grace, despite first beat of the overture and then
on a minor seventh, creating a constant sense
trying. The simple oom-pah-pah motif returns throughout. They represent an element of
of unease: the feeling of being lost. The strings
in Act II, but distorted into four beats and magic and they’re one of my favourite
most often play this sul ponticello, which is
wrangled into a Charleston. sounds in the orchestra.
playing near the instrument’s bridge to produce
a slithering, glassy tone. The effect is to send Gretel, being the heroine of our story CLAIRE COWAN
shivers down the spine! deserved her own theme. I have called it the October 2019
Gretel’s Raindrop Theme
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Grimm
Beginnings
‘The Brothers Grimm’ – was there
ever a more aptly named pair of
brothers, forever synonymous with
the wildest and darkest of fairy-tales?
THE STORY OF HANSEL AND GRETEL
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were the second
and third (and the first to survive infancy) of
the eight sons and one daughter born to
Philipp Wilhelm Grimm, a lawyer and court
official, and his wife Dorothea, née Zimmer,
in Hanau, Hesse, now part of Germany.
Hanau, now a major railway hub within
commuting distance of Frankfurt-am-Main is
today best known as the birthplace of the
brothers, but in their day, it was a centre for
goldsmiths and makers of luxury goods.
Jacob Grimm was born in 1785, with Wilhelm
following a year later. In 1791, the family, by
then including six children, moved to Steinau,
where Philipp Grimm had been born and where L EF T / Haunted forest path image by Homegrown Creative
his father, Friedrich, had been a Protestant ABOV E / Hacob and Wilhelm Grimm, daguerrotype by
Hermann Blow, 1847.
minister. Philipp Grimm served as Amtmann
(clerk) in Steinau until his death in 1796. The Wunderhorn (‘The Boy’s Magic Horn’) was a
eldest sons, Jacob and Wilhelm, then moved major influence on German Romanticism and
to Kassel, their mother’s birthplace, where nationalism in the early 19th century and was
they lived with an aunt while completing popular across the German-speaking world.
their secondary school education. In 1802 Dorothea Grimm died in 1808, at the age of
and 1803 respectively, the brothers entered 52, leaving the family with meagre resources.
the University of Marburg to study law. In order to support his younger brothers and
In 1806, while still students, the brothers sister, Jacob Grimm took a position as a
began to collect folk tales. They were inspired librarian at Kassel. Wilhelm soon followed. In
by the folk poetry anthology Des Knaben 1812, the brothers published the first volume
Wunderhorn, the first volume of which had of Kinder-und Hausmärchen (Children’s and
been published by Clemens Brentano and Household Tales), which has become known
Achim von Arnim in Heidelberg in 1805. With as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The modestly printed
a romantic and heroic view of Germanic collection of 86 stories sold reasonably well,
history and mythology, Des Knaben and was followed in 1814 by a second volume,
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with a further 70 stories. Six further editions constitutional violation by Ernst August, King ‘folk tale’ than ‘fairy tale’, with the children
followed during the Grimms’ lifetime, of Hannover (formerly the Duke of saved from the witch’s clutches by their
eventually containing 200 numbered stories Cumberland, uncle of Queen Victoria). All simple Christian faith, common sense and
as well as ten ‘Children’s Legends’. In 1816 seven professors, ‘Die Göttinger Sieben’, Gretel’s resourcefulness. Rather than fairies
and 1818 the brothers published two were fired. The brothers were offered and the Sand Man, birds appear as motifs
volumes of Deutsche Sagen, a collection of positions throughout the German-speaking throughout the original tale: gobbling up the
585 German legends. world, but eventually chose to take up breadcrumbs dropped by Hansel to guide
While they continued to be employed as professorships at the University of Berlin. them home; a snow-white songbird which
librarians, the brothers were increasingly In Berlin, the brothers continued both their leads them to the witch’s cottage; and a
feted for their work in linguistics, folklore academic studies and teaching as well as their white duck which carries them across the
and medieval studies. In 1819 they were political activities, before retiring (Jacob in river on their way home.
awarded honorary doctorates from the 1848, Wilhelm in 1852) to devote themselves Stories of cannibalistic witches and giants and
University of Marburg and in 1830 they to their own studies. Wilhelm Grimm died in resourceful children abound throughout
resigned from their positions at Kassel to December 1859, at the age of 73, while Jacob Northern Europe and the source of Hansel
take up professorships at the University of died in September 1863, at the age of 78. and Gretel is unclear; with the brothers only
Göttingen. In 1837 – 42 they, together with Together with well-known tales such as stating that it is based ‘on various stories from
five of their eminent colleagues, were Rapunzel, The Musicians of Bremen, Hessen’. It seems likely that the brothers
involved in a protracted protest against a Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin and The Elves and heard the story – or several elements which L EF T / The Ice Cream Witch, design by Kate Hawley
the Shoemaker, the story of Hansel and they then combined into a satisfying narrative ABOV E / The Sand Man (detail), design by Kate Hawley
Gretel appears in the first volume of Kinder- – in the home of the Wild family; Wilhelm
und Hausmärchen, published in 1812. The Grimm married Dortchen Wild in 1825 and it part of re-tellings of the tale, including the
early editions of most of the stories appear is known that many of their stories were Sand Man (the Sleep Fairy) and the Dew
quite dour and at times bloodthirsty. Over influenced by the tales told at the Wilds. Fairy. The Witch is attended by gingerbread
time, the brothers romanticised their stories, Like many folk and fairy-tales, Hansel and children who, when the spell is broken, are
making them more appealing for children Gretel has inspired new works of art over the set free. Ballet versions are less common –
(and perhaps their parents) while at the same years. Chief among them is the opera, Hänsel perhaps because of the perceived difficulty
time emphasising their moral lessons. und Gretel, by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854 of adult dancers portraying child characters
- 1921) which was premiered in Weimar in 1893 – but the story has recently been staged by
In Hansel and Gretel the brothers made
and is often performed at Christmas time. A both Scottish Ballet (2013), with
substantial changes to the 1812 version, with
Märchenoper, or fairy-tale opera, Hänsel und choreography by Christopher Hampson and
the most significant being the change from
Gretel combined the rich, polyphonic designs by former RNZB Artistic Director
the children’s mother in the first edition to
orchestration and leitmotifs (the use of Gary Harris, and The Royal Ballet (also 2013),
the (wicked) stepmother of later versions.
recurring musical themes depicting characters, with a very dark and contemporary take on
The character of the father also undergoes a
things or ideas) popularised by Richard the tale by Liam Scarlett.
change, becoming milder and less able to
stand up to his domineering wife, who, Wagner, with simple, folk-like melodies.
during a famine, plots to save herself and her Humperdinck’s version includes the
Thanks to Ulrike Rosenfeld of the Goethe-Institut
husband by abandoning his children in the characters which, although not part of the New Zealand for assistance with information about
woods. Overall, the original story is more Grimms’ original tale, are now frequently the Brothers Grimm.
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Children
PERFORMING IN HANSEL & GRETEL
A special welcome – and our heartfelt Our young dancers come from the
thanks – to the young dancers from following schools:
around Aotearoa, and their families, W E L L I N G T O N / Chilton Dance Centre, Dreams
who join us for The Ryman Healthcare Academy of Performing Arts, Extreme Dance, Fiona
Haines Dance Academy, GH Dance, Instep Dance
Season of Hansel & Gretel.
Studio, Tarrant Dance Studios, Wellington Ballet,
W E L L I N G T O N / Amy Glover, Anouk
Wellington Dance and Performing Arts Academy.
Verscheuren, Blake Russell, Charlotte Kennach,
PA L M E R S T O N N O R T H / DanceWorks
Elizabeth Longhurst, Ewan Riches, Isabelle Montague,
Studios, Dance Unlimited, Kate Martin School of
Jade Tufele, Jayden Salla-Haines, Matilda Wallace,
Dance, Maximum Dance Zone, The Rose Academy,
Mio Denize, Olivia Hardgrave, Peyton Luamanu,
Whanganui Ballet and Dance Academy.
Ruby Taylor.
N A P I E R / Dance Central Taupo, Diana Shand
PA L M E R S T O N N O R T H / Aily Abdollahi, Alex
Dance Studio, Heather Brunsdon School of Dance,
Pedley, Amber Auret, Chelsea Callaghan, Harriet
K Studio.
Jackson, Malaya Hinks, Sofia Leong.
C H R I S T C H U R C H / Agape Dance Academy,
N A P I E R / Amelia McDade, Bethan Renew, Emily
Anna Lee School of Dance, Convergence Dance
Ede, Maggie Thompson, Piper Golds, Sofia
Studios, Levings School of Dance, Linda Simons
Montaperto-Wells, Star Absolom.
School of Dance, Silhouette Studios NZ, Southern
C H R I S T C H U R C H / Abigail Flemmer, Annie
Ballet, St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy, The
Young, Carlos Miller, Charlotte Bobichon, Freya
Ballet Academy.
Hall, Juliet Hsu, Keira Conyers, Luca Maxwell,
I N V E R C A R G I L L / La Muse
Malakhi Dunn, Pixie Clark, Poppy Brown, Sienna
Currie, Summah Hooper, Xavier Eveleigh. D U N E D I N / Dance Wanaka, Dunedin School of
Ballet and Dance, MLB Ballet School.
I N V E R C A R G I L L / Hannah Forsyth, Haylee
Springford, Kaitlyn Madden, Matilda Stevens, A U C K L A N D / Dance Avenue (Tauranga), Gayle Thank you to those ballet schools
Natalie Smith, Paige Baxter, Sophie Wylie. Prescott Dance Studio, Limelight Dance Academy,
and teachers who have assisted
Mount Eden Ballet Academy, Philippa Campbell
D U N E D I N / Bronte Beker, Gus Carr, Hermione
School of Ballet. with rehearsal facilities for our
Sparks, Holly Weatherall, Lucy Wellington,
Savannah-Lee Dennison, Vincent Vickers. Hansel & Gretel children:
A U C K L A N D / Aliza Song, Amelia Tapsell, Ana Bennett School of Ballet and Jazz (Dunedin)
Tubberty, Ayawa Sotome, Caitlin Caird, Effie Evans, R IGHT / Flapper (Act I), design by Kate Hawley Heather Brunsdon School of Dance (Napier)
Eloise Marshall, Ethan Bygrave, Isabella Goff,
La Muse (Invercargill)
Jasmyn McMillan, Snowey Yeung, Sophie Van den
Maximum Dance Zone (Palmerston North)
Borst, Sophie Wood, Tatianna Curtis.
Philippa Campbell School of Ballet (Auckland)
Southern Ballet (Christchurch).
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Biographies C L A I R E COWA N | COMPOSER
Claire Cowan is at the forefront of composition in
New Zealand. Her talent was acknowledged early
on in her career by significant commissions and
awards from orchestras such as the Auckland
Philharmonia Orchestra and the NZSO National
LO U G H L A N P R I O R | C H O R E O G R A P H E R Youth Orchestra whilst still a student at University.
She graduated top of her class and has since gone
Described by Dance Aotearoa New Zealand as ‘A
from strength to strength as an extremely versatile
creative tour de force’, Loughlan Prior is an award-
composer for stage and screen, winning a prestigious
winning Aussie/Kiwi choreographer and film maker
Silver Scroll for her first television series soundtrack
based in Wellington.
Hillary and being awarded the APRA Professional
After graduating from the New Zealand School of
Development Award for Film and Television Music
Dance he joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2010
in 2017. In 2019, Hansel & Gretel will be the first full
and began creating small works for the company,
length ballet score ever commissioned from a
becoming the first recipient of the Ballet Foundation
female composer in New Zealand. Her classical
of New Zealand’s Harry Haythorne Choreographic
concert work is unique in that it seamlessly merges
Award in 2015 for his ballet Eve. He received Creative
art music and popular idioms in a way that is both
New Zealand’s Tup Lang Choreographic Award in
natural and accessible. As a result, her music offers
2016 and travelled to Toronto to stage his work
a very strong connection to audiences.
Curious Alchemy at the Assemblée Internationale.
As a performer, Cowan’s expertise lies in strings
Prior was appointed to the position of Choreographer
and keys, often incorporating percussive and folk
in Residence at the RNZB in 2018 and has been the
techniques into her classical string scores. She
Creative Director of Prior Visual, a project-based film
directs the Blackbird Ensemble - a vagabond
collective, since 2014.
chamber orchestra who create highly visual and
His stage work has premiered in Australia, Germany, theatrical musical experiences in non-traditional
Canada and the United States, and he has presented spaces. Recent highlights include the violin
work for a diverse range of Kiwi companies and creative concerto Stark for Amalia Hall, commissioned by
partners, including iD Fashion Week, Te Papa National Orchestra Wellington, music for the World of
Museum, WGT LUX Light Festival, Tempo Festival, WearableArt and an orchestral collaboration with
Zambesi ‘Show’ Wellington and TV3’s Dancing with singer Marlon Williams (A star is born).
the Stars.
Claire would like to thank her orchestration
His dance films have enjoyed screenings at the assistants Louisa Nicklin, Lewis McCallum, Mark
New Zealand International Film Festival, the Film Baynes and Rachel Grimwood, together with music
Society of Lincoln Centre, #60secondsdance engraver Andreas Häberlin.
Denmark, San Francisco Dance Film Festival and
the Short Film Corner of the Cannes Film Festival. I M AG E / Photograph of Loughlan Prior and Claire Cowen
This year Loughlan will premiere The Appearance of by Garth Badger. Make-up by Kiekie Stanners for M.A.C.
Colour, a new commission for Queensland Ballet’s
innovative contemporary programme Bespoke, as well
as Hansel & Gretel, his first full length production, for
the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
In 2020 he is set to create an exciting new ballet for
Singapore Dance Theatre as part of the company’s
international Passages programme.
Loughlan has been supported
at the RNZB byBIOGRAPHIES GO BACK GO BACK
K AT E H A W L E Y | D E S I G N E R POW STUDIOS JON BUSWELL | LIGHTING DESIGN
The feature film credits of costume designer Kate Hawley’s designs have also been presented at POW Studios is a sound editorial house and Jon Buswell has designed lighting for well over 100
Hawley recently include The Call of the Wild, numerous exhibitions. Her costumes for both production studio located in Wellington, the heart of productions in the UK, Europe and Australia. A
directed by Chris Sanders for Fox, and Chaos Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim featured in Guillermo New Zealand’s creative industry. POW works across graduate of Croydon School of Art in the UK,
Walking for Doug Liman. She also designed the Del Toro’s At Home with Monsters, which was a wide range of genres and productions, from shorts Buswell initially worked for the Royal Shakespeare
costumes for Guillermo del Toro’s gothic romance exhibited at LACMA, AGO Toronto and Mexico. Her and television to documentary and large-scale Company before becoming a freelance designer in
Crimson Peak, Suicide Squad for Warner Brothers, costumes have also been exhibited at FIDM, Los feature films. 1997, working across all disciplines of the
Doug Liman and Christopher McQuarrie’s Edge of Angeles. Designs for her theatre and opera work Under the direction of costume and set designer performing arts.
Tomorrow designs for Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and have been exhibited as part of the Motley Theatre Kate Hawley, POW created the visual effects and Jon was Technical Director of West Australian
Bill Paxton through Warner Brothers. Kate also Design Exhibition at the Royal National Theatre in animation for the projections in Hansel & Gretel. Ballet from 2008 – 2015 and is currently the
collaborated with Guillermo del Toro on the Warner London, the František Zelenka Exhibition at Central Technical Director at The Australian Ballet. He
POW is committed to providing sustainable
Bros / Legendary action / sci-fi production Pacific St. Martins (London), the International Scenofest designed set and lighting for the Helpmann
employment for film professionals in Wellington and
Rim and again with him on Warner Bros / New Line Exhibition in Prague and at The Barbican in London. Award-winning Aurum for The Australian Ballet.
advocating for diversity in post-production. POW
Cinema’s production of The Hobbit. She concepted Her awards include nominee for Best Costume Recent lighting designs include The Nutcracker
has found success partnering with international film
with Peter Jackson on his untitled Squeaky Wheels Design for Crimson Peak, Saturn Awards, Empire and Romeo and Juliet for the Royal New Zealand
clients on large projects while remaining in staunch
project and design on his 2009 film, The Lovely Awards, UK, Gold Derby Award, Costume Designers Ballet and Dracula, The Nutcracker, La Bayadère,
support of the local screen industry, putting their
Bones. Her other motion picture credits include Guild Awards for Excellence in Period film. Kate has and La Sylphide for West Australian Ballet.
expertise behind emerging local talent.
director George Miller’s Justice League (as Costume also been given the Gold Key Award from the His most recent engagement with West Australian
Supervisor), Gaby Delall’s On A Clear Day with Peter Břetislav Film Festival for her designs for the Ballet for La Bayadère was described in Limelight
Mullan and Brenda Blethyn and The Ride. Channel 4/BBC production of T Dance, the Queen magazine as ‘a backdrop of a seemingly three-
Her extensive theatre and opera credits include Elizabeth II Arts Council Award for Opera Studies; dimensional sunset through which light bursts out
productions of The Trial of the Cannibal Dog for the the Prague Quadrennial 99 Award for Emerging into the theatre – is indescribably beautiful’.
New Zealand International Arts Festival; Lucia di Young Artists; and the Television New Zealand
This year, in addition to his commitments as
Lammermoor at New Zealand Opera; The Love of Young Achievers Award. Hawley was educated at
Technical Director, Jon returns to the Royal
the Nightingale for West Australian Opera; The the Wellington School of Design where she earned a
New Zealand Ballet to light Hansel & Gretel
Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead for degree in Graphic Design, attended London’s Motley
and re-designs lighting for Sir Peter Wright’s
Auckland Theatre Company; Alice in Wonderland, School of Theatre Design on a Television New
The Nutcracker for The Australian Ballet.
presented at Venice, Italy’s The Danielli; Blithe Spirit Zealand scholarship award and completed training in
at the Salisbury Playhouse; and La boheme, at the stage drafting at the Royal Opera House in London.
Wexford Opera Festival. Additionally, Hawley served Kate Hawley would particularly like to thank Miriam
as costume and production designer for La Tête, Silvester (POW Studios) and Seth Kelly for their
presented at the Royal National Theatre Studio and creative contributions to Hansel & Gretel together
as production designer for Albert Herring, at the with RNZB Head of Costume Donna Jefferis.
Aldeburgh Festival.BIOGRAPHIES GO BACK GO BACK
ORCHESTRA WELLINGTON
H A M I S H M C K E I C H | CONDUCTOR | WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND
New Zealand-born conductor Hamish McKeich has Philharmonic Orchestra, Queensland Symphony, Orchestra Wellington have been performing for the
forged an impressive international conducting West Australian Symphony, 175 East, Elision Wellington region for more than 70 years. They
career alongside a passionate loyalty for developing Ensemble, Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch present a six-concert season at the Michael Fowler
the repertoire of contemporary and experimental Symphony, Dunedin Symphony and the EX Centre in Wellington each year, as well as great
music. He has established an acclaimed partnership Orchestra, amongst others. concerts for children and families. And of course,
with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and is Hamish McKeich studied conducting with legendary they also accompany the Royal New Zealand Ballet
currently their Associate Conductor. Among the teacher and pedagogue Professor Ilya Musin and and New Zealand Opera in their world-class
many projects he has curated, the NZSO Shed also prominent conductors Valery Gergiev, Sian productions. To truly be Wellington’s orchestra, they
Series’ featuring a redefined way orchestras interact Edwards and Peter Eötvös. McKeich was a finalist of take the music out of the concert hall and into the
with the audience, has met with critical acclaim for the Gergiev Festival Conductors Masterclass, under streets, performing in iconic Wellington locations
its concept and innovative programming. the guidance of Professor Ilya Musin and Valery such as Cuba Street, the waterfront, the Botanic
McKeich has performed in New Zealand, Australia, Gergiev. He started his career as bassoonist and at Gardens and Government House. Orchestra
China, the Netherlands, Italy, England, Germany, aged 19 became Associate Principal Bassoon with Wellington has a comprehensive Music-to-Schools
Austria, Switzerland, France, Armenia and Lebanon. the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and thereafter programme that brings lively and engaging music
Working regularly in Europe, and with all the major working with orchestras in Britain and Holland. programmes to thousands of children who have
orchestras in New Zealand and Australia, he has Highlights of Hamish McKeich’s immediate upcoming little access to quality live music. And they are proud
given over 100 world premieres of new works and is engagements include concerts and recordings with to continue their partnership with Arohanui Strings
also chief conductor of the contemporary ensemble the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Royal New – Sistema Hutt Valley, a visionary movement which
Stroma. He has worked with many orchestras and Zealand Ballet, New Zealand Opera and Stroma, transforms the lives of children through music.
chamber ensembles, including the New Zealand Auckland Philharmonia, Sydney Symphony, Adelaide Orchestra Wellington’s final concert of 2019’s EPIC
Symphony Orchestra, Asko Ensemble of Holland, Symphony, Tasmanian Symphony and the Season HOUSTOUN/TRIUMPH! will take place on
Metropole Orkest, Tasmanian Symphony, Stroma Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. In 2012 Hamish the 30th November, featuring a new work by
Ensemble, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra McKeich was awarded a Douglas Lilburn Trust taonga pūoro artist Rob Thorne, Michael Houstoun
Filarmonica Italiana, Adelaide Symphony, Armenian citation for services to New Zealand music. performing Barber’s Piano Concerto, and
Philharmonic, Melbourne Symphony, Lebanese Hamish was appointed as the Royal New Zealand Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8 all ahead of the
Ballet’s Principal Conductor in October 2019. Orchestra’s recently announced 2020 Season ‘The
Great Romantic’.
Keep up to date with all things Orchestra Wellington
at orchestrawellington.co.nz
R I G HT / Madeleine Graham and Kihiro Kusukami
(obscured) in rehearsal with Loughlan Prior.
Photograph by Stephen A’Court.BIOGRAPHIES GO BACK GO BACK
PAT R I C I A B A R K E R | A R T I S T I C D I R E C T O R L E S T E R M C G R AT H | E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R
Patricia Barker was born in Richland, Washington, dynamic repertoire ranging from full length Under Barker’s direction, Grand Rapids Ballet Lester is one of New Zealand’s most experienced
USA, where she received her early ballet training. classical ballets such as Petipa’s Swan Lake and renewed its commitment to touring nationally by performing arts managers, having worked in New Zealand,
She later studied on scholarship at Boston Ballet Sleeping Beauty, to neo-classical masterworks performing in Detroit, Saint Louis and Seattle. In Australia and the UK in a career that spans over thirty years.
School and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. At age including Balanchine’s Serenade and Four addition, Barker led the Grand Rapids Ballet School From 2007 – 18 he was General Manager and then Chief
17, she joined Pacific Northwest Ballet, under the Temperaments, Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs and with an enrolment of nearly 400 students; an Executive of Auckland Theatre Company. During this time
directorship of Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, Taylor’s Company B. expansion of two additional campuses, planned for the company grew to become a flagship cultural
and quickly rose to the rank of Principal Dancer. Barker also commissioned several full-length the 2017-18 season, will double the student body. organisation for Auckland. He also spearheaded the
During her 27 year career, she performed classical world premieres including Bruce Wells’ She also oversaw the Outreach Programme serving campaign to build the 675-seat ASB Waterfront Theatre,
extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and Cinderella and Val Canaparoli’s The Nutcracker with over 600 public school students annually, the which now welcomes over 120,000 patrons annually.
North America in many of the great full-length sets and design by award-winning children’s book Dancing with Parkinson’s Disease programme, the While most of his career has been in theatre, he has also
classical ballets and contemporary works by author Chris Van Allsburg and Emmy award Explorer Dance for children with Down Syndrome presented and toured dance, concerts and commercial
renowned choreographers. She appeared as a guest winning set designer Eugene Lee. classes, and the Open Division Adult Ballet classes. entertainment in venues across Australasia, and into the
artist with national and international ballet Contemporary full-length commissions include Barker staged several works for the Balanchine United Kingdom and United States. He was Theatre
companies and performed in many galas throughout A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Olivier Wevers, Trust and is an active educator. She has adjudicated Development Manager at The Edge (now Auckland Live)
the world. Barker danced the lead role of Clara in Dangerous Liaisons by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Alice faculty, is a frequent guest teacher and lecturer, from 1996 to 2001, and worked on the re-opening
Nutcracker the Motion Picture, and starred as in Wonderland by Brian Enos and Luis Grane, and and judges at competitions, most notably at Youth programmes for the Auckland Town Hall and The Civic
Titania in the BBC’s film, A Midsummer Night’s Black & White, Beethoven and Romeo and Juliet by America Grand Prix over the last ten years. She is a after they were refurbished. He also worked with the major
Dream in a celebratory re-opening of the Sadler’s Mário Radačovský. member of numerous boards including Pointe performing arts hirers of these facilities including the New
Wells Theatre in London. She graced the covers of Magazine and the Tateuchi Center, a performing Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia
In 2011, Barker conceived the contemporary dance
Dance Magazine, Danser, Pointe Magazine, Dance arts centre in Bellevue, Washington State. Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and New Zealand
series MOVEMEDIA for which over 30 works have
Australia, Dance Teacher, Dance Pages, Ballet Opera. While at The Edge he also managed and promoted
since been commissioned from some of the leading Barker was appointed as the Royal New Zealand
Review and Dance International. performances by a range of international artists including:
contemporary chorographers. Notable choreographers Ballet’s Artistic Director in June 2017, taking on the
Barker, along with Jiří Kylián, was co-artistic advisor Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra,
include Brian Enos, Olivier Wevers, Robert Dekkers, role from Francesco Ventriglia. She is the RNZB’s
to the Slovak National Ballet from 2006 to 2010. She soprano Kathleen Battle, The Australian Ballet’s production
Sagi Gross and Mário Radačovský. MOVEMEDIA’s 12th Artistic Director and the second woman to
has staged works for the Balanchine Trust for of Manon, and the London Symphony Orchestra.
dual purpose was also to prominently feature works hold this position in the RNZB’s 65 year history,
companies including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Slovak by female choreographers such as Annabelle Lopez after Una Kai first held the position from 1973 - 75. Between 2001 and 2006 he was Senior Producer at
National Ballet and Hungarian National Ballet. Ochoa, Andrea Schermoly, Susan Jaffe, Gina International Concert Attractions Pty Ltd (Melbourne) and
Barker became Artistic Director of Grand Rapids Patterson, and Princess Grace Award winners Robyn managed tours for Soweto Gospel Choir, the Treorchy Male
Ballet and Director of the Grand Rapids Ballet Mineko Williams and Penny Saunders, Grand Rapids Welsh Choir, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Pete
School in 2010. She curated a compelling and Ballet’s resident choreographer since 2014. Postlethwaite in Scaramouche Jones and Amanda
Muggleton in Masterclass.BIOGRAPHIES GO BACK GO BACK
C LY T I E C A M P B E L L | B A L L E T M A S T E R L A U R A M C Q U E E N S C H U LT Z | B A L L E T M A S T E R
Clytie Campbell joined the RNZB in 2005, returning in Don Quixote, roles in Dear Horizon and Laura McQueen Schultz was born in Grand Rapids, many other iconic classic works. Laura has also
from eight years dancing in Europe. Starting at the Passchendaele, and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Michigan, where she started her ballet training at worked with contemporary choreographers such as
age of five, her entire ballet training was at her Dream. In 2016, her last year as a performing age seven at the Grand Rapids Ballet School. She Robyn Mineko Williams, Penny Saunders, Mário
mother’s school, the Philippa Campbell School of member of the company, she performed with was a member of both the Junior and Senior Radačovský and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.
Ballet in Auckland. At 17, Clytie joined the Deutsche distinction in William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Professional Trainee programmes at Grand Rapids Laura has often appeared as a guest artist in the
Oper Ballet in Berlin, where she danced for more than Somewhat Elevated, took on solo roles in Francesco Ballet in which she performed alongside the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia for companies
six years, before moving to Vienna’s Staatsoper Ballet. Ventriglia’s The Wizard of Oz, including Glinda, professional company. She also studied on including Ballet Bratislava, Long Beach Ballet,
Clytie danced many lead roles with the RNZB Good Witch of the North and appeared as both scholarship with the Houston Ballet Academy, San Farrell Ballet Theatre, Whim W’Him, and Olympic
including Kitri in Don Quixote, the Sylph in La Myrtha and Bathilde in Giselle. Her last appearances Francisco Ballet School, and the National Ballet Ballet Theater. Laura has also staged works for
Sylphide, Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis in Giselle, the onstage were as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s School of Canada. She joined the Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Ballet as well as with the National
grand pas de deux in The Nutcracker, and Carabosse Dream, in Hong Kong and Wellington. Ballet as an apprentice for the 1999-2000 season Ballet of Brno. Laura was the Associate Artistic
and the Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, as well Clytie joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s artistic and spent the following year dancing under Lindsay Director of Young People’s Ballet Theatre in Flint,
as solos in many contemporary works. staff in January 2017. In addition to her role at the Fischer at the National Ballet of Canada in the Michigan from 2012 until 2016. From 2012 until
RNZB she has recently undertaken secondments to postgraduate training programme. 2017, Laura and her husband Nick were the
Clytie received critical acclaim for her lead roles in
2011’s European tour of From Here to There. Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Royal In 2001, Laura was invited to join the St. Louis Choreographers and Stage directors for Children’s
Highlights include the Fairy Godmother and the Tall Winnipeg Ballet, working alongside former RNZB Ballet under Gen Horiuchi. She returned to Grand Opera Workshop, during which they taught and
Step Sister in Christopher Hampson’s Cinderella Ballet Master Greg Horsman to stage a new Rapids Ballet in 2003 where she danced numerous created all the stage direction and choreography
(2012), and the Ghost of Christmas Past and the production of La Bayadère. leading and principal roles in such ballets as Four for each opera. Laura joined the Royal New Zealand
Nephew’s Wife in A Christmas Carol (2014). On the Temperaments, Who Cares?, Alice in Wonderland, Ballet as Ballet Master in January 2018. Together
RNZB’s 2014 US tour, critics praised her ‘technically Black and White, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda Pas with Nick she staged the RNZB’s recent production
and expressively strong and appealing’ performance de Dix, Giselle, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and of Black Swan, White Swan.
in Javier De Frutos’ Banderillero. 2015 saw Clytie Clytie is supported by
perform as the Queen of the Dryads and MercedesBIOGRAPHIES GO BACK GO BACK
N I C H O L A S S C H U LT Z | B A L L E T M A S T E R MICHAEL AUER | GUEST BALLET MASTER
Nicholas Schultz grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. choreographers such as Olivier Wevers, Annabelle Michael Auer, born in Vienna, Austria, studied ballet behind MOVEMEDIA working closely with
He began his dance studies at Grand Rapids Ballet Lopez Ochoa, Mário Radačovský, Penny Saunders, at the Vienna State Opera Ballet and on scholarship choreographers such as Mário Radačovský, Annabelle
School, under the direction of Charthel Arthur and Robyn Mineko Williams, and Sagi Gross to name a few. at the School of American Ballet. During his dance Lopez Ochoa, Penny Saunders, Robyn Mineko
Robert Estner, when he was seven. He was a From 2012-2016 Nick was also the Artistic Director for career, he performed with the North Carolina Dance Williams and Olivier Wevers. He created projection
member of both the Junior and Senior Trainee Young People’s Ballet Theatre in Flint, Michigan, where Theater, Eliot Feld Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet and designs for full-length productions of Dracula, Black
divisions, performing numerous productions he staged and choreographed many works for the Pacific Northwest Ballet. In 1984, he created the Swan, White Swan, Romeo and Juliet and The Happy
alongside Grand Rapids Ballet. Nicholas also studied company. Nick was also responsible for teaching and role of the Nutcracker Prince in Pacific Northwest Prince as well as stage production designs for
with the Joffrey Ballet for three summers, as well cultivating many young dancers, of which some have Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker by Kent Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. In
as under the direction of Sergio Stefanski at the continued on to professional careers. Stowell and Maurice Sendak (Where The Wild 2014, he was instrumental in GRB’s production of
National Ballet of Canada for a summer. Things Are). Retiring from the stage, he pursued a The Nutcracker with choreography by Val Caniparoli
Nick has taught for numerous schools, including the
In 2002, Nick joined Grand Rapids Ballet an as career in technology as a software developer and (Lambarena, Lady of the Camellias) with design by
Grand Rapids Ballet School. He, alongside his wife
apprentice and was promoted to full company entrepreneur working with Fortune 500 companies Chris Van Allsburg (Polar Express, Jumanji) and
Laura, have served as the choreographer and stage
member in 2003. During his tenure with the such as Microsoft, Boeing and McCaw Cellular, later Eugen Lee (Wicked, Candide, Saturday Night Live). In
director for Children’s Opera Workshop from
company, he danced numerous leading and principal to be known as AT&T Wireless. 2016, he collaborated with choreographer Brian Enos
2012-2017. Nick joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet
roles in ballets such as Giselle, Romeo and Juliet, The In 2010 he joined Grand Rapids Ballet as Creative and designer Luis Grane (Ratatouille, Hotel
as Ballet Master in January 2018. He performed
Sleeping Beauty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Director overseeing all creative production Transylvania) on Alice in Wonderland.
onstage with the RNZB as Herr Drosselmeier in
Cinderella, and many more. Nick has danced many Val Caniparoli’s The Nutcracker and together with elements. In 2011 he became the creative force
works by iconic choreographers such as George Laura, staged the RNZB’s recent production of
Balanchine, Jose Limon, Paul Taylor, Val Caniparoli, Black Swan, White Swan.
and Davis Parsons. During his time at Grand Rapids
Ballet, he also worked with contemporaryGO BACK P R I N C I PA L S GO BACK
Dancers
A L L I S T E R M A D I N | Supported by Ann-Louise and Campbell Gower
Born in the Basque country of France and of French and Spanish ancestry, Allister Madin has
joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet as a Principal dancer for 2019. For the past 14 years Allister
has enjoyed an extensive performing career with the Paris Opera Ballet, first studying at their
prestigious School, and joining the company when he was 19.
O F T H E R OYA L N E W Z E A L A N D B A L L E T
Allister was promoted to Soloist with the Paris Opéra Ballet in 2011. He has danced a wealth of
classical and contemporary roles, including working with noted living choreographers such as
Wayne McGregor, Crystal Pite, Alexander Ekman and Benjamin Millepied. His classical repertoire
The Royal New Zealand Ballet gratefully acknowledges the generosity includes Nureyev’s Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, Swan Lake and La Bayadère, as well as works
of those individuals, companies and trusts who support the company by Maurice Béjart, Roland Petit, Jiří Kylián, Kenneth MacMillan and Pierre Lacotte.
With the Paris Opéra Ballet, Allister has performed in leading venues worldwide, including the
through our Partner a Dancer programme.
Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, and in Novosibirsk, Beijing, Singapore and Tokyo. As a guest artist
he has performed leading roles with Saitama Dance Arts Theatre (Japan), the Estonian National
If you would like to join them, please contact Susannah Lees-Jeffries,
Opera, 3me étage / 3rd Floor (Canada and Argentina), at Jacob’s Pillow in the USA and with
Director of Marketing and Development, +64 4 381 9019 / susannah@rnzb.org.nz Incidence Chorégraphique in Greece and Russia.
Allister has created works for young choreographers’ evenings at the Opéra Bastille and the
Opéra Garnier, and for the International Dance Festival at Andros in Greece. He has also appeared
in several short films. In 2016 he completed his degree in ballet teaching, and has subsequently
taught in many intensive ballet programmes.
PA U L M A T H E W S | Supported by the Dress Circle and is an Ambassador for Vodafone
In his 13 years with the RNZB, Paul Mathews has excelled in contemporary and classical works, as
well as creating some memorable characters onstage. Paul’s performances in 2018 highlighted
his versatility as an artist, beginning with the tormented Alastair Stewart in The Piano: the ballet
and continuing with striking performances in Corey Baker’s The Last Dance and Kylián’s Petite
Mort. Paul appeared as one of the ‘sons’ in Danielle Rowe’s Remember, Mama, and ended the year
performing the roles of Drosselmeier, the Mouse King, the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier and Herr
Stahlbaum in Val Caniparoli’s The Nutcracker.
In 2017, Paul received critical acclaim from reviewers around New Zealand for his portrayal of
Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. He also performed in Alexander Ekman’s Episode 31 as part of the
Three by Ekman triple bill, and appeared as the Toreador in Roland Petit’s Carmen.
Since joining the RNZB from the New Zealand School of Dance in 2006, as the Todd Scholar, Paul has
performed a wide variety of leading roles, including Scrooge and Young Scrooge in A Christmas
Carol, Hilarion in Giselle, Von Rothbart in Swan Lake, the Leading Man in Who Cares?, Tybalt in
Christopher Hampson’s Romeo and Juliet, the Blackamoor in Petrouchka, and Hook in Peter Pan.
Paul has also performed many works by international and New Zealand choreographers including
Christopher Hampson, Javier De Frutos, Andrew Simmons, Jorma Elo, Benjamin Millepied, George
Balanchine, Larry Keigwin, Ethan Stiefel, David Dawson, and Liam Scarlett.
In 2014, Paul travelled to Tokyo to guest with Ballet Chambre Ouest for the creation and world
premiere of Jo Funaki’s Counter-Heartbeats. 2015 roles included Gamache and the Don in Don
Quixote, appearing in the original casts of both Dear Horizon and Passchendaele, and Demetrius
and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2016, Paul performed in Andonis Foniadakis’s Selon
désir, as part of the RNZB’s acclaimed Speed of Light programme, and as both the Lion and the
Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. He ended the year reprising both Hilarion in Giselle and Demetrius
and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in both Hong Kong and Wellington.
Paul is also active as a teacher, teaching masterclasses in his home
town of Auckland alongside his wife Mayu Tanigaito.
L EF T / RNZB dancers Cadence Barrack, Katherine Skelton, Laurynas Vėjalis. Photograph by Ross Brown.You can also read
