London Tour: Jewels and 60th Anniversary Celebration
The Australian Ballet brings the Balanchine masterpiece, Jewels, to the Royal Opera House alongside a 60th anniversary celebration.
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Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Jewels: 2 - 5 August 2023
SOLD OUT
60th Anniversary Celebration: 6 August 2023
SOLD OUT
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Duration
Jewels: 120 mins / 2 Interval
60th Anniversary Celebration: 145 mins / 1 Interval -
Ticket Price Range
£4 - £115
In what promises to be the most glamorous event on London’s cultural calendar, The Australian Ballet are thrilled to be returning to the Royal Opera House in London this August for the first time in 35 years.
Encompassing five performances of George Balanchine's masterpiece Jewels, our grand finale performance will be a one-night-only 60th Anniversary showcase of the company’s expansive repertoire of classical favourites and contemporary works.
A highlight of our 60th anniversary celebrations, the 2023 London Tour will be our first international tour under the leadership of Artistic Director David Hallberg and marks our return to international touring since 2019.
Jewels
George Balanchine’s masterpiece, Jewels, reveals three unique periods in the history of ballet and of George Balanchine’s life and career. Through the motif of the gemstone, Jewels is a journey through the romanticism of France through Emeralds, New York City’s jazz age through Rubies and the majesty of Imperial Russia though Diamonds.
The individual sections of Jewels are underscored by strikingly distinct music by three different composers; Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to accompany George Balanchine’s unique style.
Created in 1967 by George Balanchine, The Australian Ballet will premiere this production in 2023 in Sydney and Melbourne. The company is delighted to be bringing this beloved masterpiece to UK audiences as part of their 60th anniversary celebrations.
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60th Anniversary Celebration
The Australian Ballet’s London season closes on Sunday August 6 with a special 60th Anniversary Celebration performance. Showcasing the strength and versatility of the company, the program features excerpts from Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina, Marius Petipa’s Harlequinade, Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto and George Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, alongside contemporary works from Johan Inger, Alice Topp, Justin Peck and Pam Tanowitz.
ACT 1
Harlequinade Larks (Including solos and coda)
Alexei Ratmansky after Marius Petipa
Concerto Pas de Deux
Kenneth MacMillan
Little Atlas
Alice Topp
I New Then "Madame George"
Johan Inger
(World Première 23 February 2012, Lucent Danstheater, The Hague, the Netherlands, Nederlands Dans Theater 2)
Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux
George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
ACT II
Everywhere We Go Funeral March/High Style/King’s Speech
Justin Peck
Anna Karenina Italy pas de deux
Yuri Possokhov
Watermark
Pam Tanowitz
Don Quixote Fandango, Bridesmaids, Grand pas de deux
Rudolf Nureyev, after Marius Petipa
60th Anniversary Celebration
The Australian Ballet’s London season closes on Sunday August 6 with a special 60th Anniversary Celebration performance. Showcasing the strength and versatility of the company, the program features excerpts from Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote, Yuri Possokhov’s Anna Karenina, Marius Petipa’s Harlequinade, Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto and George Balanchine’s Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, alongside contemporary works from Johan Inger, Alice Topp, Justin Peck and Pam Tanowitz.
“ The 60th year is the diamond... it's such a huge, regal celebration for our 60th, for our diamond anniversary. ”Artistic Director, David Hallberg
Watch the trailer
David's insight
"The Royal Opera House was a special place for me during my career as a dancer and I am so excited to bring The Australian Ballet back to this storied theatre after an absence of 35 years, reinforcing the company’s reputation for excellence on the world stage."
Synopsis and cast sheets
Select a performance to view synopsis and cast sheets
Artists of The Royal Ballet in ‘Emeralds’, The Royal Ballet ©2017 ROH
Photo Alastair Muir
Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae in ‘Rubies’, The Royal Ballet ©2017 ROH Photo Alastair Muir
©2022 ROH Photo Andrej Uspenski
Artists of The Royal Ballet in ‘Emeralds’, The Royal Ballet ©2017 ROH
Photo Alastair Muir
Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae in ‘Rubies’, The Royal Ballet ©2017 ROH Photo Alastair Muir
©2022 ROH Photo Andrej Uspenski
Dimity Azoury
Photo Simon Eeles
Amy Harris
Photo Simon Eeles
Benedicte Bemet
Photo Simon Eeles
Production credits
Jewels
Choreography George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Music Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
Costume design Barbara Karinska
Set design Peter Harvey
Staging Sandra Jennings
Original lighting design Ronald Bates, reproduced in 2023 by Perry Silvey
The performance of Jewels, a Balanchine® Ballet, is
presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been
produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine
Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
World Première Thursday 13 April, 1967 New York City Ballet, New York State Theater.
Jewels has been entirely funded by the generous donors of The David Hallberg Fund.
60th Anniversary Celebration
Harlequinade Larks (Including solos and coda)
Choreography Marius Petipa
Staging and Additional Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, assisted by Tatiana Ratmansky
Composer Riccardo Drigo
Set and costume design Robert Perdziola
Lighting design Brad Fields
Inspired by Orest Allegri and Ivan Vsevolozhsky
Concerto Pas de Deux
Choreography Kenneth MacMillan
Composer Dmitri Shosta
Set and costume design Jürgen Rosekovich
Lighting design William Akers
Little Atlas
Choreography and Costume Design Alice Topp
Music Ludovico Einaudi, “Fly” and “Experience” Published by Chester Music
Original Lighting Design Jon Buswell
I New Then "Madame George"
Choreography Johan Inger
Composer Van Morrison, "Madame George"
Original Lighting Design Tom Visser
Costume Design Bregje van Balen
(World Première 23 February 2012, Lucent Danstheater, The Hague, the Netherlands, Nederlands Dans Theater 2)
Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux
Choreography George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Composer Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
Original Costume design Barbara Karinska
Original Lighting design Jack Owen Brown
ACT II
Everywhere We Go Funeral March/High Style/King’s Speech
Choreography Justin Peck
Composer Sufjan Stevens
Costume design Janie Taylor
Original lighting design Brandon Stirling Baker
Set design Karl Jensen
Anna Karenina Italy pas de deux
Choreography Yuri Possokhov
Composer Ilya Demutsky
Costume Design Tom Pye
Watermark
Choreography Pam Tanowitz
Composer Caroline Shaw "Watermark"
Costume and Set Design Reid & Harriet
Original Lighting Design Jon Buswell
Don Quixote Fandango, Bridesmaids, Grand pas de deux
Choreography Rudolf Nureyev, after Marius Petipa
Composer Ludwig Minkus, orchestrated by John Lanchbery
Costume and Set Design Barry Kay
Music
With Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Jewels has been entirely funded by the generous donors of The David Hallberg Fund.