Ballet on the small screen

Ballet, a physical art form rooted in centuries-old tradition, seems an unlikely partner for the digital age. As livestreamed productions become more and more commonplace, audiences are given the chance to experience the world’s best live performances right from the comfort of their couch – but is it as new a phenomenon as we might believe?

While it may feel like a COVID-era invention, The Australian Ballet has been broadcasting from the theatre to enraptured audiences at home for nearly as long as we have been performing on stage.

In 1964, to celebrate visiting guest stars Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, a gala called BP Super Show was filmed for television. This meant audiences all around the country had the chance to witness the majesty of these international artists in Australia for the first time, even if they were not able to get their hands on one of the coveted tickets in Melbourne or Sydney. Unlike other ballet specials that were filmed in a controlled studio environment, this was filmed on stage at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda with an eager audience of 3,000 school children and nurses, who were thrilled to see the performance and get a sneak preview of the dancers warming up beforehand. At one point, their enthusiastic clapping and cheering became so disruptive Nureyev had to pause the rehearsal and ask them to calm down.

The Australian Ballet stars Kathryn Gorham, Garth Welch, Marilyn Jones, and Bryan Lawrence all performed pas de deux, before Nureyev and Fonteyn took to the stage to perform Act III of Swan Lake. All was going well until Nureyev made a minor mistake – imperceptible to anyone in the audience, but infuriating to him. He threw what one newspaper colourfully termed a “sensational tantrum”, storming off and refusing to continue. Artistic Director Peggy van Praagh ran from her seat up onto the stage and quietly convinced him to continue while the audience – and television executives – nervously waited to see whether the show would go on. 

“We all had our hearts in our mouths in those terrifying couple of minutes,” one said. “It was near disaster. Thank heavens it went on.”

This was one of many successful collaborations between Nureyev and The Australian Ballet. It may not have reached the fame that the 1973 cinema production of Don Quixote did, but it was perhaps the most nerve wracking for the audience! 

Livestreaming productions allows audiences a front-row seat to extraordinary moments in performance history. In 1984, to mark the official opening of the Arts Centre Melbourne theatres building, The Australian Ballet performed Maina Gielgud’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty to a full house in the State Theatre. The performance was also simulcast by the ABC on both television and FM radio the same night, meaning millions of people around Australia were welcomed into the celebration, far beyond the 2000 guests in the room. 

Streaming a ballet performance is a daunting technical and logistical challenge. Until relatively recently, attempts relied on satellite broadcasts which were costly and complicated and were often in reality a combination of live and pre-recorded footage. Today, thanks to the technological advances of more flexible and accessible digital platforms, livestreams can truly be that – live – and audiences have shown an interest in being part of the moment, even at a distance. The COVID-19 lockdowns increased the appetite for digital innovation as artists sought new avenues to create and connect with audiences. But it also reminded those audiences of the irreplaceable magic of live performance. Over a third of The Australian Ballet's digital ticket holders for 2024 chose to watch the performance live (rather than waiting and watching during the two weeks it was available to stream) in addition to those who chose to watch in real-time in cinemas, or as large groups together in nursing homes, community centres and outdoor screenings. 

The innovation in producing live performances has allowed at home audiences a more immersive experience. You can now hear not only the stirring of the orchestra, but the applause and gasps of the in-theatre audience and the shuffle of pointe shoes. There is also the opportunity to step backstage and watch interviews, catch dancers in the background dashing between the wings, and see behind-the-scenes footage of the production being built. The result is a multi-dimensional experience and insight into the performance that even in-person audiences may not see. 

Access to livestreams are a welcome option for those who are physically unable to attend the theatre in-person due to distance, or financial and accessibility restraints. For those who are new to the art form, it offers a low-risk approachable entry point, and for those who are life-long attendees it can provide new insights and deepen the connection to the story of the productions. 

Ultimately, livestreamed ballets ask us to reimagine what it means to “attend” a performance. Whether sitting on a velvet seat in the theatre, in a cinema, on the couch, or even on a train watching on your phone, everyone is welcome. Livestreams are not a replacement for live performance – just a new kind of invitation.