Leap into the unknown
The Australian Ballet is stepping out of its comfort zone at QPAC in January with the premiere of the musical An American in Paris
If the Australian Ballet ever did a musical what would it be? That was always mere speculation until, out of the blue, they announced they were doing a co-production with QPAC and GWB Entertainment of the Broadway hit show An American in Paris, which is coming to the Lyric Theatre in January. Brisbane gets it before Sydney and Melbourne. We love that.
The announcement was one of good news and bad. The bad news is that the
national company, which mostly begins its season in Brisbane wasn’t going to be bringing a ballet next year.
The Australian Ballet’s executive director, Libby Christie, told me she was disappointed that due to the impact of Covid on theatre schedules QPAC was unavailable for the usual February Brisbane season in 2022.
“However, Queenslanders are in for a special treat when The Australian Ballet and GWB present the Australian premiere
of An American in Paris,” Christie says.
“This Broadway sensation, winner of four Tony Awards, is choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, who choreographed Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland presented by The Australian Ballet at QPAC in February 2019 and it features a number of dancers from company in this groundbreaking collaboration.”
This is their first foray into musical theatre and artistic director David
Hallberg, (left) who has been in the job since January, explains that it had to be the right musical. “This one made sense to the company and to me artistically,” Hallberg says. “It’s a fabulous show. Choreographically it’s very dense. I mean, we’re not a musical theatre company, we’re a ballet company but this will show the talent of our dancers in a different way.”
Gene Kelly is renowned as the personification of this story that brings Paris alive with songs by George and Ira Gershwin. I Got Rhythm, But Not For Me, and They Can’t Take That Away From Me, those are just a few of the classics.
Hallberg says Gene Kelly was an inspiration and shares that it was another contemporary dance great, Fred Astaire, that inspired him to become a dancer when he was growing up in America.
The Broadway musical was based on the classic movie and it will star West End leads Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope as the American GI Jerry Mulligan and the young Parisian dancer Lise Dassin.
Two of the Australian Ballet’s leading lights, Cameron Holmes and Dimity Azoury will alternate in the lead roles.
The Australian Ballet will feature five of their dancers in the 33 strong ensemble. The show will also star theatre royalty with Anne Wood as Madame Baurel and David Whitney as Monsieur Baurel and among others former Ten Tenors singer Sam Ward. The musical won four Tony Awards in 2015 including best choreography for Christopher Wheeldon who is a huge star in the world of ballet and a close pal of David Hallberg’s.
“I feel blessed with the choices we have been able to make in casting the show,” Wheeldon says. “We’re just excited that it’s coming.” So the Australian Ballet is not bringing a ballet in 2022 but this musical will be the next best thing.
An American in Paris, January 8 to 30, Lyric Theatre, QPAC; qpac.com.au