Brett Dean talks Infinity

Brett Dean talks Infinity

Brett Dean’s Fire Music is dedicated to the victims of the 2009 “Black Saturday” bushfires in Victoria, Australia. It will be the score for The Narrative of Nothing, Graeme Murphy’s work for the Infinity program. Co-commissioned by The Australian Ballet, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, it premiered in Stockholm in 2011. Here, Brett chats with us about making the work.

Did the knowledge that Fire Music would be used for choreography influence your work?
It did, actually. Graeme said to me quite plainly from the outset: “Write the piece you want to write. Don’t worry about what I might make of it.” But I think the knowledge of it being the motor, the engine, for a piece of dance theatre was in the back of mind, and quite happily so. I felt the piece going in certain rhythmic directions … [it] really takes off in certain moments. It has a high energy. Originally, that was to do with the dynamics and propulsion of fire; I’d spent a bit of time talking with a fire scientist from the CSIRO. But then it took on its own dynamic, and part of that was the knowledge that this would be used on stage.

Did the physics of fire provide you with a system for composition?
[The scientist] showed me maps, diagrams, even videos of fires that they’d tracked … but that was only one part of the story really, and in the end it didn’t correlate closely enough with where I wanted to go. Once the piece started to evolve in terms of sounds and motifs and energy of its own, it took on its own life – a bit like a fire, it just started spreading. [Parts of it] have a manic quality; it’s technically quite challenging, it has a very fast inner life, very fast passage work, but the main pulse of the piece is fairly steady – so it has these big bones, and this relentless pushing forward, all the while darting out in different directions. (more…)

25 January 2012

  • Tutus on top of the world
    Patrick, Amber and photographer Jess Bialek
  • Tutus on top of the world
    Patrick and Amber in the tunnel
  • Tutus on top of the world
    Amber's harness before being cunningly concealed with fabric
  • Tutus on top of the world
    Eli atop the sail

Tutus on top of the world

Our intrepid publicist Eli Wallis reports from THAT Sydney Opera House shoot.

In a moment between shots Amber Scott and Patrick Thaiday look at each other, bewildered and excited, as if to say “How did we find ourselves perched 180 metres in the air, on top of the Sydney Opera House?”

Dancers are often asked to push the limits, physically and emotionally. From the rehearsal studio to the stage, a dancer’s day is one of balanced discipline and adrenalin. So it was no surprise that our Principal Artist Amber Scott and Bangarra Dance Theatre artist Patrick Thaiday leapt at the chance to climb the Sydney Opera House (SOH) sails for a photo to celebrate the beginning of The Australian Ballet’s 50th anniversary year.

A lot of planning went into bringing the beautiful vision to life. Three weeks out from the shoot, Ballet and SOH staff shared ideas of how it could be achieved. Having lived and breathed the ‘House’ for over 20 years, our SOH staff leader knows the tunnels, ladders, hidden doors and hatches that lead to the sails like the back of his hand. We were warned that the “sail climb” is not for the faint-hearted (or the claustrophobic, or anyone afraid of heights) and would require elaborate safety equipment. (more…)

24 January 2012

  • Stephen Page talks Infinity
    Stephen Page. Photo by Georges Antoni
  • Stephen Page talks Infinity
    sketch by Jennifer Irwin

Stephen Page talks Infinity

Next week we will welcome Stephen Page and the dancers of Bangarra Dance Theatre into the studios to resume rehearsals for Warumuk – in the dark night, part of the Infinity program. Here, Stephen tells us about his creative process and how it was inspired by his connections with Yolngu communities.

I’ve always been fascinated with Aboriginal astronomy and the timeless mystery of the night sky. I was in Yirrkala, which is an Aboriginal township in North East Arnhem Land, in November last year and had many conversations with my Yolngu families about the meaning of the constellations. (more…)

20 January 2012

Gideon Obarzanek talks Infinity
Gideon Obarzanek

Gideon Obarzanek talks Infinity

Our dancers are back in the studio today after their summer break, and next week they’ll be resuming rehearsals for the Infinity program, including the Gideon Obarzanek work There’s Definitely a Prince Involved. Here, Gideon tells us a little about how the piece evolved.

So let’s talk about ballet. What can you tell me?

Swan Lake? OK, how does the story go?

… Hmm, that’s an interesting take.

What do you think it’s about?

… Love? So, let’s talk about love.

Although I am very much involved with dance, it has been over 20 years since I worked with ballet. So when David McAllister discussed the idea of making a new work with the company, I found myself talking a lot about ballet with friends and colleagues. Interestingly, most knew very little about it, but when pushed to name a ballet almost all said Swan Lake. When I asked them to tell the story, I received some genuinely interesting variations on this ancient folktale. What was conclusive, however, was that it was very much to do with love, true love. This emerging topic seemed to be an invitation for people to speak more about themselves. Or maybe my discipline to stay on subject easily dissolved as I was seductively drawn to more personal and private stories. (more…)

18 January 2012

Behind the scenes at our Infinity shoot
Lana Jones. Photo Georges Antoni

Behind the scenes at our Infinity shoot

 

Here’s a peek behind closed doors of the shoot we did with design agency 3 Deep for the Infinity program. Three of Australia’s greatest choreographers – Graeme Murphy, Stephen Page and Gideon Obarzanek – are creating brand-new works for the program, which plays in Melbourne from 24 February to 6 March and in Sydney from 5 April until 25 April. Get your tickets today!

16 January 2012

  • Remembering Paul DeMasson
    Fiona Tonkin and Paul DeMasson in rehearsals for Giselle, 1986.
  • Remembering Paul DeMasson
    Paul DeMasson in Romeo and Juliet, 1988

Remembering Paul DeMasson

 

Today we pay tribute to Paul DeMasson, one of the great dancer-actors of the Australian stage. Those who saw his performances with The Australian Ballet will remember his expressive face, his elegant, effortless technique, and his magnetic presence, which made him the perfect interpreter of dramatic roles (Cranko ballets in particular) as well as traditional story ballets.

Artistic Director David McAllister says, “As a young dancer, I had the great fortune to be able to watch and learn from Paul’s masterful interpretation of Mercutio in Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet. He was extraordinary to watch on stage and was an inspiration to many of us.” (more…)

13 January 2012