Nijinsky

Sydney

Cast and Synopsis

*Casting is subject to change

Synopsis

Choreographer's Note

On January 19, 1919, at five o'clock in the afternoon in a ballroom of the Suvretta House Hotel in St Moritz, Switzerland, Vaslav Nijinsky danced publicly for the last time. He called this performance his "Wedding with God".

My ballet Nijinsky begins with a realistic recreation of this situation. The choreography which follows, however, visualises his thoughts, memories and hallucinations during this last performance. - John Neumeier

Print Synopsis

Part I

Prompted by the imagined appearance of his former mentor, impresario and lover, Serge Diaghilev, Nijinsky recalls images of his sensational career with the Ballets Russes. Dancers, as aspects of his personality, perform fragments from his most famous roles. Harlequin, the Poet from Les Sylphides, the Golden Slave from Schéhérazade and the Spirit of the Rose merge and mingle with characters from his private life.

His sister Bronislava, later a choreographer, his older brother Stanislav, trained also to be a dancer – but marked from childhood by signs of madness – and his mother, the dancer Eleonora

Bereda, who along with his father Thomas were the children's first teachers, also appear in his dreamlike fantasy.

In another scene of the ballet, Nijinsky remembers his search for a new choreographic language. His experiments with movement result in his own original ballets: L’après-midi d’un faune, Jeux, Le Sacre du printemps, and later Till Eulenspiegel.

A woman in red, Romola de Pulszky, who will later become Nijinsky's wife, criss-crosses his confused recollections. He relives their first encounter on a ship to South America and their abrupt marriage – an event that caused the ultimate break with Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes.

Part II

Nijinsky's madness drives him more and more inside himself. Memories of childhood, family, school, and the Mariinsky Theatre blend with nightmare visions of World War I – and his wife's infidelity.

The scandalous premiere of his ballet Le Sacre de printemps appears juxtaposed with the brutality of World War I and his brother Stanislav's death. Romola is with him through difficult and bad times.

In Nijinsky’s eyes, it is the world around him, not "Nijinsky", that has gone mad … The Suvretta House performance and my ballet end with Nijinsky's last dance – the War.

Cast sheets

Select a performance

Vaslav Nijinsky

Callum Linnane

Romola Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Bronislava Nijinska

Jill Ogai

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Ako Kondo

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Benjamin Garrett

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting is subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Romola Nijinska

Mia Heathcote

Bronislava Nijinska

Sara Andrlon

Serge Diaghilev

Brett Chynoweth

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Imogen Chapman

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Chengwu Guo

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Jett Ramsay

Doctor

Jarryd Madden

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Jake Mangakahia

Romola Nijinska

Benedicte Bemet

20260115 BALLET Samarra Merrick 1143 FINAL web

Bronislava Nijinska

Samara Merrick

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Marcus Morelli

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Rina Nemoto

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Chengwu Guo

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Adam Elmes

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Adam Elmes

Romola Nijinska

Ako Kondo

Bronislava Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Isobelle Dashwood

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brett Chynoweth

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Elijah Trevitt

Doctor

Benjamin Garrett

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Romola Nijinska

Mia Heathcote

Bronislava Nijinska

Sara Andrlon

Serge Diaghilev

Brett Chynoweth

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Yuumi Yamada

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Chengwu Guo

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Jett Ramsay

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Jake Mangakahia

Romola Nijinska

Benedicte Bemet

Bronislava Nijinska

Samara Merrick

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Marcus Morelli

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Rina Nemoto

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Adam Elmes

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Callum Linnane

Romola Nijinska

Robyn Hendricks

Bronislava Nijinska

Jill Ogai

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Imogen Chapman

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Benjamin Garrett

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Adam Elmes

Romola Nijinska

Ako Kondo

Bronislava Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Isobelle Dashwood

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Maxim Zenin

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brett Chynoweth

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Elijah Trevitt

Doctor

Benjamin Garrett

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Romola Nijinska

Mia Heathcote

Bronislava Nijinska

Sara Andrlon

Serge Diaghilev

Brett Chynoweth

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Yuumi Yamada

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Henry Berlin

Doctor

Jarryd Madden

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Katherine Lukey
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Virgina Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Callum Linnane

Romola Nijinska

Robyn Hendricks

Bronislava Nijinska

Jill Ogai

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Imogen Chapman

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Benjamin Garrett

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

Vaslav Nijinsky

Jake Mangakahia

Romola Nijinska

Benedicte Bemet

Bronislava Nijinska

Samara Merrick

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Marcus Morelli

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Rina Nemoto

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Jett Ramsay

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Virgina Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting is subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Callum Linnane

Romola Nijinska

Robyn Hendricks

Bronislava Nijinska

Jill Ogai

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Ako Kondo

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Benjamin Garrett

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting is subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Romola Nijinska

Mia Heathcote

Bronislava Nijinska

Sara Andrlon

Serge Diaghilev

Brett Chynoweth

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Yuumi Yamada

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Henry Berlin

Doctor

Jarryd Madden

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Katherine Lukey
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Adam Elmes

Romola Nijinska

Ako Kondo

Bronislava Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Isobelle Dashwood

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Maxim Zenin

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brett Chynoweth

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Elijah Trevitt

Doctor

Benjamin Garrett

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Callum Linnane

Romola Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Bronislava Nijinska

Jill Ogai

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Ako Kondo

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Benjamin Garrett

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Romola Nijinska

Mia Heathcote

Bronislava Nijinska

Sara Andrlon

Serge Diaghilev

Brett Chynoweth

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Imogen Chapman

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Henry Berlin

Doctor

Jarryd Madden

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Huy-Nguyen Bui
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Adam Elmes

Romola Nijinska

Ako Kondo

Bronislava Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Isobelle Dashwood

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Maxim Zenin

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brett Chynoweth

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Elijah Trevitt

Doctor

Benjamin Garrett

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Joel Bass
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Jacqui Cronin
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Jake Mangakahia

Romola Nijinska

Benedicte Bemet

Bronislava Nijinska

Samara Merrick

Serge Diaghilev

Jarryd Madden

Stanislav Nijinsky

Cameron Holmes

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Rina Nemoto

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Yipeng Xu

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Hugo Dumapit

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Luke Marchant

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Adam Elmes

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Imogen Chapman

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Andrew Dunlop
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change

Vaslav Nijinsky

Callum Linnane

Romola Nijinska

Grace Carroll

Bronislava Nijinska

Jill Ogai

Serge Diaghilev

Maxim Zenin

Stanislav Nijinsky

Elijah Trevitt

Tamara Karsavina/The Ballerina

Ako Kondo

Nijinsky as Harlequin/Spectre of the Rose

Marcus Morelli

Nijinsky as Golden Slave/Faun

Jake Mangakahia

Nijinsky as Petruschka

Brodie James

Léonide Massine/The New Dancer

Benjamin Garrett

Doctor

Joseph Romancewicz

Eleonora Bereda

Isobelle Dashwood

Conductor

Jonathan Lo
Concertmaster

Matthieu Arama
Piano Soloist Kylie Foster
Viola Soloist Virginia Comerford
With Artists of The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia Orchestra

*Casting subject to change