The Australian Ballet

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Instruments of Dance

Sydney Cast Sheet

Cast and Synopsis

Movers of the 21st century

Obsidian Tear

Wayne McGregor created Obsidian Tear in 2016, his tenth year as The Royal Ballet’s resident choreographer. He was inspired by the brooding symphonic poem Nyx by Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, paired in the ballet with Salonen’s virtuoso violin solo Lachen Verlernt. McGregor boldly choreographed the work for an all-male cast – a self-imposed restriction that yielded physical imagery of remarkable invention and expression.

The imaginative world of the ballet is both archaic and futuristic in its exploration of the tribal behaviour of its all-male group. From the ballet’s opening duet, tender and innocent, the dancing becomes darker and more turbulent as the group plays out a dynamic of conflict and challenge, loyalty and rejection. Obsidian Tear was widely praised on its premiere: the New York Times wrote, “with its echoes of narrative and myths, its mysterious gestural language and powerful physicality, [Obsidian Tear is] forcefully resonant.”

Choreography and Set design Wayne McGregor
Composer Esa-Pekka Salonen

Annealing

Vulnerability is a rebellious act of strength. Annealing is the process of heating metal or glass to a temperature below its melting point in order to make it softer.

The heating and gradual cooling change the physical and sometimes also the chemical properties, transforming the material’s hard and brittle quality into something more malleable, workable and ductile. This heat treatment is also used to remove or prevent internal stress, ultimately making the material stronger.

Annealing is a work that relates this process to the human condition. In order to become tough, often our instinct is to harden as we strive to become indestructible, unflappable and infallible. Softening, however, allows us to gain strength by becoming more open and adaptable. Annealing rewrites the script on what strength looks like. It's about dismantling ideals, misconceptions, systems and expectations about what it means to be strong.

Balance, beauty, compassion and vulnerability are all words one might consider as ‘soft’ – they don’t have force, impact or velocity. Pushed to reconfigure in order to survive, we discover that softening is actually a rebellious act of strength. When we challenge templates and structures that no longer serve us, it is here that we find a true tenacity.

Choreography Alice Topp
Composers Bryony Marks

Everywhere We Go

“Everywhere We Go marks my first in-depth, from-scratch collaboration with music savant Sufjan Stevens. Set to an original full-orchestra score, this ballet explores a world where 25 dancers move in a kaleidoscopic grandeur, with moments of wit and humanity filling in all of the open pockets, cracks, crevices.

It is a plotless dance. But a dance not without character; not without atmosphere; not without a kind of arc that takes the dancers and audience on a collective journey. It encourages both dancers and audiences to meet it halfway with their own personal experience, and beckons a kind of self-interpretation and engagement.

Every artistic contribution to this dance — visual, sonic, kinetic — originated at the inception of the work. Therefore, I like to think of this dance as a representation of a very specific time and place. A kind of expression of these artistic collaborators coming together and responding to the world around them to create an experience through a balletic lens. Though it can be looked at as an artefact of this moment in the cosmos, there is new life breathed into it through the present-day dance-artists who interpret the content.

I’m thrilled that this work has been brought to The Australian Ballet (under the visionary direction of David Hallberg) to be explored even further by this incredible generation of dance-artists.”

Choreography Justin Peck
Composer Sufjan Stevens

Cast sheets

Select a performance

  • Obsidian Tear

    Timothy Coleman, Jacob De Groot, Hugo Dumapit, Benjamin Garrett, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Imogen Chapman, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Dimity Azoury, Jill Ogai, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Timothy Coleman, Adam Elmes, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Marcus Morelli, George-Murray Nightingale, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Amy Harris, Adam Bull, Dimity Azoury, Callum Linnane, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Misha Barkidjija, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Jill Ogai, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Timothy Coleman, Jacob De Groot, Benjamin Garrett, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Valerie Tereshchenko, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Dimity Azoury, Jill Ogai, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Timothy Coleman, Hugo Dumapit, Adam Elmes, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Yichuan Wang, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Valerie Tershchenko, Jarryd Madden, Karen Nanasca, Jake Mangakahia, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Misha Barkidjija, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Jill Ogai, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Timothy Coleman, Jacob De Groot, Benjamin Garrett, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Amy Harris, Adam Bull, Dimity Azoury, Callum Linnane, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Joseph Caley, Mason Lovegrove, Dimity Azoury, Dana Stephensen, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Timothy Coleman, Benjamin Garrett, Cameron Holmes, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Imogen Chapman, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Misha Barkidjija, Nathan Brook, Isobelle Dashwood, Jill Ogai, Sharni Spencer, Rina Nemoto, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Brett Chynoweth, Brodie James, Alain Juelg, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Jake Mangakahia, Marcus Morelli, Elijah Trevitt, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Dana Stephensen, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Timothy Coleman, Rohan Furnell, Drew Hedditch, Cameron Holmes, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Lilla Harvey, Benjamin Garrett, Isobelle Dashwood, Joseph Romancewicz, Karen Nanasca, Jake Mangakahia, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Misha Barkidjija, Nathan Brook, Amanda McGuigan, Jill Ogai, Sharni Spencer, Rina Nemoto, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Adam Elmes, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Marcus Morelli, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, Yichuan Wang, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Valerie Tereshchenko, Jarryd Madden, Dimity Azoury, Callum Linnane, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Dimity Azoury, Dana Stephensen, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Adam Elmes, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Marcus Morelli, Yichuan Wang, Brodie James, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Amy Harris, Adam Bull, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Dimity Azoury, Jill Ogai, Amy Harris, Yuumi Yamada and Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Timothy Coleman, Benjamin Garrett, Cameron Holmes, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Isobelle Dashwood, Joseph Romancewicz, Karen Nanasca, Jake Mangakahia, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Dana Stephensen, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Timothy Coleman, Benjamin Garrett, Jake Mangakahia, Elijah Trevitt, Yichuan Wang, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Lilla Harvey, Benjamin Garrett, Valerie Tereshchenko, Jarryd Madden, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Chengwu Guo, Misha Barkidjija, Isobelle Dashwood, Mason Lovegrove, Jill Ogai, Valerie Tereshchenko, Yuumi Yamada, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Adam Elmes, Brodie James, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Marcus Morelli, George-Murray Nightingale, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Amy Harris, Adam Bull, Dimity Azoury, Callum Linnane, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Joseph Caley, Mason Lovegrove, Dimity Azoury, Dana Stephensen, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Hugo Dumapit, Adam Elmes, Brodie James, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, George-Murray Nightingale, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Valerie Tereshchencko, Jarryd Madden, Karen Nanasca, Nathan Brook, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Dana Stephensen, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Timothy Coleman, Benjamin Garrett, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Lilla Harvey, Benjamin Garrett, Amy Harris, Adam Bull, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Amanda McGuigan, Jill Ogai, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Hugo Dumapit, Adam Elmes, Brodie James, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, George-Murray Nightingale, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Isobelle Dashwood, Jospeh Romancewicz, Karen Nanasca, Jake Mangakahia, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Isobelle Dashwood, Jill Ogai, Sharni Spencer, Rina Nemoto, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Timothy Coleman, Brett Chynoweth, Rohan Furnell, Drew Hedditch, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, Elijah Trevitt, Yichuan Wang

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Valerie Tereshchencko, Jarryd Madden, Karen Nanasca, Jake Mangakahia, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Dana Stephensen, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Adam Elmes, Brodie James, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Marcus Morelli, George-Muarry Nightingale, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Samara Merrick, Adam Elmes, Amy Harris, Adam Bull, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Brett Chynoweth, Joseph Caley, Mason Lovegrove, Amanda McGuigan, Dana Stephensen, Yuumi Yamada, Amy Harris, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Obsidian Tear

    Joseph Caley, Jacob De Groot, Timothy Coleman, Benjamin Garrett, Alain Juelg, Jake Mangakahia, George-Murray Nightingale, Elijah Trevitt, Maxim Zenin

  • Solo Violinist

    Katherine Lukey

  • Annealing

    Grace Carroll, Elijah Trevitt, Adam Bull, Amy Harris, Coco Mathieson, Hugo Dumapit, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Misha Barkidjija, Mason Lovegrove, Isobelle Dashwood, Jill Ogai, Sharni Spencer, Valerie Tereshchenko, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Duncan Salton

  • Conductor

    Nicolette Fraillon

  • Concertmaster

    Katherine Lukey

  • Obsidian Tear

    Adam Bull, Brett Chynoweth, Adam Elmes, Brodie James, Callum Linnane, Mason Lovegrove, Marcus Morelli, Yuchuan Wang, Lucien Xu

  • Solo Violinist

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

  • Annealing

    Lilla Harvey, Benjamin Garrett, Valerie Tereshchecko, Jarryd Madden, Karen Nanasca, Jake Mangakahia, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Everywhere We Go

    Drew Hedditch, Joseph Caley, Brett Chynoweth, Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, Dana Stephensen, Benedicte Bemet, Imogen Chapman, Artists of The Australian Ballet

  • Solo Pianist

    Benjamin Kopp

  • Conductor

    Daniel Capps

  • Concertmaster

    Huy-Nguyen Bui

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