Cast Sheet

ACT I

Scene 1: Harlequin and Columbine are in love, but Columbine’s father, Cassandre, disapproves of the penniless Harlequin and is determined to marry his daughter off to the wealthy Léandre. 

Scene 2: To keep the young lovers apart, Cassandre locks Columbine in the house and instructs his loyal servant Pierrot to keep watch and guard the key. 

Scene 3: However, Pierrot’s wife, Pierrette, is sympathetic to Columbine and, at Columbine’s urging, attempts to steal the key.

Scene 4: In the square, a band of masked dancers celebrate the end of another hectic week. As they depart, Harlequin arrives with his friends to serenade Columbine. 

Scene 5: With Pierrette’s help, Columbine escapes from her father’s house and shares a tender scene with Harlequin. Pierrot observes them from the balcony and dashes off to warn Cassandre, who sends his henchmen in pursuit. 

Scene 6: In the melee, Harlequin is pushed from the balcony onto the street below. Realizing that he is dead, the henchmen attempt to conceal the body, and a group of passing soldiers fail to notice that anything is amiss. 

Scene 7: Cassandre tries to silence the guilt-ridden Pierrot until Harlequin miraculously comes back to life and chases the men away.

Scene 8: The Good Fairy, protector of lovers, reveals herself to Harlequin, who thanks her for bringing him back to life and asks for her help to marry Columbine. She gives him a magical slap stick that will grant his wishes.

Scene 9: The pompous Léandre arrives at the house to woo Columbine. He attempts to serenade her but is abruptly beaten by a band of little Harlequins. Cassandre and Pierrot discover the injured Léandre and are convinced that Harlequin masterminded the attack.

Scene 10: Harlequin returns and uses his slap stick to reunite with Columbine. The happy couple departs while Cassandre and Pierrot, trapped by Harlequin’s magic, look on in vain.

Intermission

ACT II

Scene 1: Many have gathered to celebrate the wedding of Harlequin and Columbine. 

Scene 2: The Good Fairy officiates, disguised as a notary. Cassandre interrupts the ceremony to demand that Columbine return home to marry Léandre. 

Scene 3: She refuses, and Cassandre orders his henchmen to attack Harlequin, who escapes with the help of his slap stick. 

Scene 4: The Good Fairy intervenes and urges Cassandre to relent. Cassandre objects, insisting that Harlequin is in no position to support his daughter. 

Scene 5: The Good Fairy draws his attention to Harlequin, who waves the slap stick to reveal an abundance of riches. Cassandre yields and agrees to bless the union.

Scene 6: Pierrot begs Pierrette to forgive him, and the festivities culminate with a grand divertissement depicting Columbine as a young lark and Harlequin as a hunter determined to win her heart. 

Scene 7: As it comes to a close, all join together in a dance of joyous celebration.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Benedicte Bemet

Harlequin 

Brett Chynoweth

Pierette

Sharni Spencer

Pierrot

Callum Linnane

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Jarryd Madden

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Columbine

Jill Ogai

Harlequin 

Marcus Morelli

Pierette

Robyn Hendricks

Pierrot

Adam Bull

Cassandre

Brodie James

Léandre

George-Murray Nightingale 

Pierette's Partner

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Melissa Chominsky

Columbine

Benedicte Bemet

Harlequin 

Brett Chynoweth

Pierette

Sharni Spencer

Pierrot

Callum Linnane

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Jarryd Madden

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Yi Wang

Principal Cello Rosanne Hunt

Columbine

Jill Ogai

Harlequin 

Marcus Morelli

Pierette

Robyn Hendricks

Pierrot

Adam Bull

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

George-Murray Nightingale 

Pierette's Partner

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Melissa Chominsky

Columbine

Sharni Spencer

Harlequin 

Chengwu Guo

Pierette

Amy Harris

Pierrot

Jarryd Madden

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Melissa Chominsky

Columbine

Sharni Spencer

Harlequin 

Chengwu Guo

Pierette

Amy Harris

Pierrot

Jarryd Madden

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Nathan Brook

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Simon Thew

Concertmaster Yi Wang

Principal Cello Rosanne Hunt

Columbine

Jill Ogai

Harlequin 

Marcus Morelli

Pierette

Robyn Hendricks

Pierrot

Adam Bull

Cassandre

Brodie James

Léandre

George-Murray Nightingale 

Pierette's Partner

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Melissa Chominsky

Columbine

Benedicte Bemet

Harlequin 

Brett Chynoweth

Pierette

Sharni Spencer

Pierrot

Callum Linnane

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Jarryd Madden

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Simon Thew

Concertmaster Yi Wang

Principal Cello Rosanne Hunt

Columbine

Jade Wood

Harlequin 

Lucien Xu

Pierette

Valerie Tereschenko

Pierrot

Jarryd Madden

Cassandre

Luke Marchant

Léandre

George-Murray Nightingale

Pierette's Partner

Nathan Brook

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Rosanne Hunt

Columbine

Sharni Spencer

Harlequin 

Daniil Simkin (Guest Artist)

Pierette

Amy Harris

Pierrot

Jarryd Madden

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Nathan Brook

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Melissa Chominsky

Columbine

Benedicte Bemet

Harlequin 

Brett Chynoweth

Pierette

Sharni Spencer

Pierrot

Callum Linnane

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Jarryd Madden

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Simon Thew

Concertmaster Yi Wang

Principal Cello Rosanne Hunt

Columbine

Jade Wood

Harlequin 

Lucien Xu

Pierette

Valerie Tereschenko

Pierrot

Jarryd Madden

Cassandre

Luke Marchant

Léandre

George-Murray Nightingale

Pierette's Partner

Nathan Brook

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

Conductor Nicolette Fraillon AM

Concertmaster Sulki Yu

Principal Cello Melissa Chominsky

Columbine

Sharni Spencer

Harlequin 

Daniil Simkin (Guest Artist)

Pierette

Amy Harris

Pierrot

Jarryd Madden

Cassandre

Steven Heathcote

Léandre

Timothy Coleman

Pierette's Partner

Nathan Brook

Good Fairy

Ingrid Gow

Artists of The Australian Ballet

The children in the Corps de Ballet appear thanks to ballet schools from across Victoria.

This production of Harlequinade is a co-production of American Ballet Theatre and The Australian Ballet.

Choreography
Marius Petipa

Staging and additional choreography
Alexei Ratmansky

Assisted by
Tatiana Ratmansky

Music
Riccardo Drigo

Scenery and costume designs
Robert Perdziola

Inspired by
Orest Allegri and Ivan Vsevolozhsky

Lighting Designer
Brad Fields

Reproduced in 2022 by
Graham Silver

Harlequinade is generously supported by The Margaret Ellen Pidgeon Fund.

ACT I - 40 minutes  / Interval - 20 minutes  / ACT II - 44 minutes

Total run time: 104 minutes