Cast Sheet

“All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” – Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Prologue | Moscow
Train Station of the St Petersburg Railway
An old station guard walks, forcing himself against a strong wind. Walking through the snow, the guard leaves behind a foot trail. A faceless crowd emerges from the shadows. The old man accidentally falls on the tracks and is crushed by an oncoming train. Among the horrified crowd are Anna Karenina and Alexei Vronsky. Anna and Vronsky meet and sense an immediate attraction.

Act I Scene 1 | Moscow
Shcherbatsky House, Salon
Countess Nordston, the young Princess Kitty Shcherbatskaya and her parents and friends gather at the Shcherbatsky home. Kitty is anticipating the arrival of Count Vronsky. A long-time family friend, Constantine Levin, enters the salon. He is clearly in love with Kitty and makes a proposal, but she does not share the same feelings and declines with a heavy heart. Vronsky arrives and is greeted by Kitty, but he is distracted by a brief glimpse of Anna, who was leaving the house as he entered. Vronsky shows Kitty polite affection. Countess Nordston invites everyone to participate in a séance. During the séance, Vronsky has a vision of Anna.

Scene 2 | Moscow
A Ballroom
Guests dance at a ball in Moscow. Kitty arrives looking for Vronsky. Kitty and Vronsky dance. She has high expectations of him proposing tonight. Anna arrives and steals Vronsky’s attention. They dance. Kitty watches in despair: Vronsky loves another.

Scene 3 | St Petersburg
Train Station/Karenin House/A Hotel
Alexei Karenin waits for his wife alone on the platform at St Petersburg train station. Anna arrives, followed by Vronsky, whom she has to introduce to her husband. At home with her husband and son, Seryozha, Anna acknowledges a void in her life. She departs the house in search of her new love. Anna and Vronsky’s affair begins.

Scene 4 | St Petersburg
A Racecourse
Spectators take their places in the stands at the racecourse. The Karenins meet Anna’s friend Betsy Tverskaya. A group of jockeys, including Vronsky, start to race. Vronsky takes a fall and his horse is badly injured. Anna’s reaction reveals her feelings and affection for Vronsky to Karenin and the crowd. Vronsky retrieves a gun and shoots his horse.

INTERMISSION

Act II Prologue | St Petersburg
Karenin House: Delirium

Anna lies ill in bed with a fever. She has a vision of the old station guard and imagines a life lived happily with both her husband and her lover.

Scene 1 | St Petersburg
Karenin House: Reality
Karenin, in total despair, is at the foot of Anna’s bed. Anna is on the verge of dying. Vronsky, devastated and lost, standing at her side, asks forgiveness from her husband and runs away in shame. Karenin calls on the doctor, who administers morphine to Anna. She is hallucinating.

Scene 2 | St. Petersburg
Parliament
Karenin takes a stand in Parliament, presenting his proposal of a new law on immigrants residing in Russia, but it is not received well by the other members.

Scene 3 | Italy/Russia
Anna and Vronsky have a new life in the Italian countryside. Meanwhile, in Russia, Levin dares to propose to Kitty again and she gratefully accepts. Anna and Vronsky’s relationship shows signs of discord. Vronsky leaves Anna and she falls into despair.

Scene 4 | St Petersburg
Karenin House
Anna secretly comes to visit her dear son, Seryozha. Karenin finds her in their son’s room. They fight over Seryozha and Karenin makes Anna leave, separating the mother and the son forever.

Scene 5 | St Petersburg
Betsy Tverskaya’s Salon
Betsy is hosting friends at her home. Kitty and Levin arrive and announce their engagement. The guests extend their congratulations. In the course of the evening, Vronsky has another vision of Anna: a foreboding premonition.

Scene 6 | St Petersburg
Obiralovka Train Station
Anna takes morphine to dull her misery. She recognises a simple way to end her suffering. She throws herself beneath an oncoming train.

Epilogue | Russia
Field in the Countryside
Kitty and Levin enjoy a simple country life. Levin reflects on the people who have influenced him. On one hand, he feels tragic loss. On the other, happiness. He finds contentment in understanding the purpose of his life.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Amy Harris

Alexei Karenin Matthew Bradwell

Alexei Vronsky Nathan Brook

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Sharni Spencer

Konstantin Levin Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Ingrid Gow

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Robyn Hendricks 

Alexei Karenin Adam Bull 

Alexei Vronsky Callum Linnane 

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Nicola Curry

Tolstoy/Doctor Marcus Morelli

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Valerie Tereshchenko

Alexei Karenin Brodie James

Alexei Vronsky Ty King-Wall

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Jade Wood

Konstantin Levin Chengwu Guo

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Ingrid Gow

Tolstoy/Doctor Yichuan Wang

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Amy Harris

Alexei Karenin Matthew Bradwell

Alexei Vronsky Nathan Brook

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Sharni Spencer

Konstantin Levin Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Ingrid Gow

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Imogen Chapman

Alexei Karenin Cristiano Martino

Alexei Vronsky Jarryd Madden

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Yuumi Yamada

Konstantin Levin Chengwu Guo

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Dana Stephensen

Tolstoy/Doctor Geroge-Murray Nightingale

Members of Russian Society, Peasants

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Robyn Hendricks 

Alexei Karenin Adam Bull 

Alexei Vronsky Callum Linnane 

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Nicola Curry

Tolstoy/Doctor Yichuan Wang

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dominica Matthews

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Amy Harris

Alexei Karenin Matthew Bradwell

Alexei Vronsky Nathan Brook

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Ingrid Gow

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Valerie Tereshchenko

Alexei Karenin Brodie James

Alexei Vronsky Ty King-Wall

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Jill Ogai

Tolstoy/Doctor Yichuan Wang

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Imogen Chapman

Alexei Karenin Cristiano Martino

Alexei Vronsky Jarryd Madden

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Dana Stephensen

Tolstoy/Doctor George-Murray Nightingale

Members of Russian Society, Peasants

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Valerie Tereshchenko

Alexei Karenin Brodie James

Alexei Vronsky Ty King-Wall

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Sharni Spencer

Konstantin Levin Mason Lovegrove

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Ingrid Gow

Tolstoy/Doctor George-Murray Nightingale

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Katherine Lukey

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Robyn Hendricks 

Alexei Karenin Adam Bull 

Alexei Vronsky Callum Linnane 

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Nicola Curry

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Amy Harris

Alexei Karenin Matthew Bradwell

Alexei Vronsky Nathan Brook

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Jill Ogai

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Imogen Chapman

Alexei Karenin Cristiano Martino

Alexei Vronsky Jarryd Madden

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Jade Wood

Konstantin Levin Marcus Morelli

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Dana Stephensen

Tolstoy/Doctor George-Murray Nightingale

Members of Russian Society, Peasants

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Katherine Lukey

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Imogen Chapman

Alexei Karenin Cristiano Martino

Alexei Vronsky Jarryd Madden

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Jade Wood

Konstantin Levin Marcus Morelli

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Dana Stephensen

Members of Russian Society, Peasants

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dominica Matthews

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Robyn Hendricks 

Alexei Karenin Adam Bull 

Alexei Vronsky Callum Linnane 

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Nicola Curry

Tolstoy/Doctor George-Murray Nightingale

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Amy Harris

Alexei Karenin Matthew Bradwell

Alexei Vronsky Nathan Brook

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Jill Ogai

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Robyn Hendricks 

Alexei Karenin Adam Bull 

Alexei Vronsky Callum Linnane 

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Nicola Curry

Tolstoy/Doctor Marcus Morelli

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Valerie Tereshchenko

Alexei Karenin Joseph Romancewicz

Alexei Vronsky Ty King-Wall

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Jade Wood

Konstantin Levin Drew Hedditch

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Jill Ogai

Tolstoy/Doctor Marcus Morelli

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Katherine Lukey

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Imogen Chapman

Alexei Karenin Cristiano Martino

Alexei Vronsky Jarryd Madden

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Yuumi Yamada

Konstantin Levin Marcus Morelli

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Dana Stephensen

Tolstoy/Doctor Marcus Morelli

Members of Russian Society, Peasants

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Robyn Hendricks 

Alexei Karenin Adam Bull 

Alexei Vronsky Callum Linnane 

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Benedicte Bemet

Konstantin Levin Brett Chynoweth

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Nicola Curry

Tolstoy/Doctor Marcus Morelli

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Conductor Simon Thew
Concertmaster Huy-Nguyen Bui

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Amy Harris

Alexei Karenin Matthew Bradwell

Alexei Vronsky Nathan Brook

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Yuumi Yamada

Konstantin Levin Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Ingrid Gow

Tolstoy/Doctor Drew Hedditch

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet 

Mezzo-Soprano

Dominica Matthews

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM
Concertmaster Jun Yi Ma

With Opera Australia Orchestra

Anna Karenina Valerie Tereshchenko

Alexei Karenin Joseph Romancewicz

Alexei Vronsky Ty King-Wall

Kitty Shcherbatskaya Jade Wood

Konstantin Levin Chengwu Guo

Countess Nordston/Betsy Tverskaya Jill Ogai

Tolstoy/Doctor Yichuan Wang

Members of Russian Society, Peasants 

Artists of The Australian Ballet

Mezzo-Soprano

Dimity Shepherd

Choreography Yuri Possokhov
Guest Repetiteurs Adam Blyde and Suzanne Lopez
Composer Ilya Demutsky
Libretto Valerly Pecheykin based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy
Costume and set design Tom Pye
Lighting design David Finn
Projection design Finn Ross

With Opers Auatralia Orchestra

Anna Karenina is a co-production of The Joffrey Ballet and The Australian Ballet.