Swanning out of 2023

The year begins with a free, all ages event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Thousands of audience members brave the Melbourne weather to enjoy an evening of live music and ballet. The program features a sneak peek into the 2023 season with an excerpt from Don Quixote alongside some of our favourite pieces of repertoire including Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, I New Then and The Vow.

We pay homage to our rich history and delve into the archives to carefully restore Rudolf Nureyev’s 1973 film Don Quixote. Originally filmed in an airplane hangar in Melbourne and featuring The Australian Ballet dancers, the film changed how ballet was presented on film.

To compliment Nureyev's choreography, set designer Richard Roberts went back to Barry Kay's vivid designs from the 1970s to bring the luscious and vivid colours of Spain to the stage.

World-renowned dancer Sylvie Guillem joined The Australian Ballet as a Guest Coach on Don Quixote in her first official engagement since retiring at the stroke of midnight on 1 January 2016. Sylvie returns later in the year to offer her wisdom and artistic guidance for Swan Lake.

After an incredible career spanning 22 years, Adam Bull takes his final bow at the closing performance of Paragon, gleefully throwing his ballet shoes into the audience!

In July, we continued our tradition of sharing our stage with exceptional international guests, welcoming The Tokyo Ballet to Australia for the first time. Under the artistic direction of Yukari Saito, the company performed Leonid Lavrovsky's hauntingly beautiful Giselle to mesmerised Melbourne audiences.

For the first time in 35 years, The Australian Ballet performed on the hallowed stage of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Sold out audiences filled the theatre for five performances of George Balanchine’s Jewels, culminating in a grand finale and 60th anniversary gala celebration featuring some of our favourite repertoire.

The centrepiece of our 60th anniversary season, the beloved version of Anne Woolliams’ Swan Lake under the direction of Artistic Director David Hallberg, is brought to life thrilling audiences across Australia. The production is the hottest ticket in town, and the entire season sells out across Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney prior to opening night!

The Education and Outreach team delivered over 400 dance workshops to five states and territories, and over 30 workshops of Romeo & Juliet and The Story of Pomi and Gobba to over 13,000 participants.

The company performs a Frederick Ashton double bill. We revisit Fairyland in The Dream and perform Marguerite and Armand for the very first time.