A Touch of Magic & Continuing to Bring Ballet to the Community
Melbourne City Ballet’s 2019 Season
Michael Pappalardo, artistic director of Melbourne City Ballet (MCB), has announced the company’s sixth season for 2019, entitled ‘A Touch of Magic’. Next year will include some of MCB’s popular repertoire, 2 new ballets, an international tour and its largest national tour to date.
Pappalardo’s vision for the year is to bring magic to the stage, fill audiences with joy and showcase classical dance to the far reaches of Australia. “2019 is set to be MCB’s biggest year. My aim was to add a touch of magic to each season, inspire young dancers and entertain audiences both across the country and internationally.”
They will start the year with Alice in Wonderland, a new collaboration between Pappalardo and Artistic Associate Brendan Bradshaw, which will tour nationally to over 40 locations and for the first time will take MCB across the Tasman touring to 15 locations in New Zealand. From Darwin to Dunedin this will be the company’s longest tour and is sure to become another favourite ballet across the country and with our audiences.
MCB will then click its heels together again with its critically acclaimed production of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After its sold out season in 2017, this classical favourite will tour NSW, VIC and Queensland in 2019. The company’s largest touring production to date, this ballet features extravagant costumes and sets and will take you on a classical journey down the yellow brick road.
A bold new production will grace the stage for MCB’s third season, as Pappalardo takes on another Shakespearean classic with Taming of the Shrew. Inspired by the movement of the times his interpretation is set in the 1930s. This classical fusion with new score and live band, will be an exciting new work for the company and is not to be missed.
Now an annual event, Melbourne City Ballet’s The Nutcracker will enjoy its third year of performances for the company. This year not only touring suburban Melbourne, but also across Tasmania. From 2019 this annual production will also be accompanied by a live Orchestra in Melbourne venues.
“MCB continues to grow and adding an Orchestra to The Nutcracker production for Melbourne was a natural progression. Having a live band for Taming of the Shrew and an Orchestra for The Nutcracker are just the first steps. I envisage that all our Melbourne performances in the near future will feature live music,” Pappalardo says.
The company will continue its focus on bringing ballet to the community in 2019 by offering extensive community participation and workshop programs for young dancers across the county and inviting them to audition for local roles in Alice in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and The Nutcracker.
With the continued growth of the organisation’s touring network, new partnerships, larger community engagement, extensive outreach and a commitment to building on classical art, Melbourne City Ballet is set to experience another exciting year in 2019.
For more information on Melbourne City Ballet’s 2019 Program please visit www.melbournecityballet.com.au
