The Australian Ballet

Prism

Three distinct works. One electric experience.

A bold new triple bill, Prism brings together three distinct artistic journeys in one unforgettable program. Pairing visionary choreographers with iconic composers, Prism is an ambitious contemporary ballet performance unlike any other.   

Experience three short works from internationally renowned choreographers Jerome Robbins and William Forsythe, alongside Australia’s own contemporary dance powerhouse Stephanie Lake. Paired with compositions by Philip Glass, James Blake, and J.S. Bach reimagined by Peter Brikmanis, Prism promises a striking and electrifying experience. 

A triple bill – William Forsythe / Jerome Robbins / Stephanie Lake

View performance times
  • Sydney / Warrang

    7 – 15 November 2025

  • Content Advisory

    Prism features the use of theatrical haze, lights shining into the audience and implied nudity.

  • Duration

    1 hour and 53 minutes including 1 interval
    Please note there is a 3-minute pause between Glass Pieces and Seven Days.

  • Ticket Price Range

    adult $70-$327
    30 and under $66-$276

Buy tickets for Prism

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From the theatre steps

Hear what audiences have to say about this triple bill that unites the choreographic voices of Stephanie Lake, Jerome Robbins and William Forsythe.

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  • “Three strikes of the highest quality. Go see it while you can” Syd­ney Morn­ing Herald
  • “Colour and charm collide in a night of three ambitious works” The Age
  • “a thrilling exploration of what the company’s dancers can do and what the artform is capable of” Arts Hub

The three works of Prism

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Principal Artist Robyn Hendricks and Maxim Zenin, The Australian Ballet, Glass Pieces (Robbins)
Photo Kate Longley

Glass Pieces

Choreography by Jerome Robbins

Music by Philip Glass

Dancer, choreographer and storyteller Jerome Robbins captured the world’s attention with his ground-breaking choreography on the hit Broadway musicals West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof.

Known for his evocative style, Robbins spoke his truth through his ballets. With Glass Pieces, Robbins extends across genres, fusing slick urban movement with traditional ballet to create a style that is uniquely its own.

Accompanied by Philip Glass’ music from Glassworks and the opera Akhnaten, Glass Pieces is an expansive work of art that moves at an electrifying pace, embodying the pulsing heartbeat of New York City.

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Yaru Xu and Benjamin Garrett, The Australian Ballet, Seven Days (Lake)

Photo Kate Longley

Seven Days (World Premiere)

Choreography by Stephanie Lake

Music by J.S. Bach reimagined by Peter Brikmanis

Following the success of Circle Electric in 2024, The Australian Ballet’s Resident Choreographer Stephanie Lake returns with a striking new world premiere that marks a bold creative departure. Featuring Peter Brikmanis’s reimagining of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variation and performed by an intimate cast of seven dancers, this work embraces emotional immediacy and razor-sharp precision.

In contrast to Lake’s typically large-scale productions, this performance strips back to focus on the dancers’ physicality and nuanced movement. The Goldberg Aria loops, and seven wildly different versions of the same dance unfold. Sharply lit by long-time collaborator Bosco Shaw and costumed in distinctive designs by Kate Davis, the piece explores the quiet drama of form, rhythm and human connection, delivered with Lake’s signature explosive physicality and wit.

The Robert & Elizabeth Albert Music Fund will support Peter Brikmanis’s reimagining of J.S. Bach’s 'Goldberg Variations' for Stephanie Lake’s Seven Days

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Lilla Harvey, The Australian Ballet, Blake Works V (The Barre Project) (Forsythe)

Photo Kate Longley

Blake Works V (The Barre Project)

Choreography by William Forsythe

Music by James Blake

The Barre Project was conceived at the height of the pandemic as an homage to the legions of dancers who, while holding on to any available piece of domestic furniture, attempted to sustain their professional abilities with at-home barre exercises.

The project’s choreography contains no traditional arrangement of academic barre sequences. Rather, it is a rigorous display of the winding and unwinding kinetic logic that underlies the most fundamental elements of classical ballet’s vocabulary.

Traditionally, the musical accompaniment for barre work has consisted of regularly metered excerpts of classical music repertoire. The composer, James Blake, also uses familiar time signatures to frame diverse facets of classic composition in his densely counterpointed structures. Blake’s musical erudition allows him to navigate between traditional compositional conventions and contemporary genres with sophisticated ease, delighting and exciting performers and audiences alike.

Explore the Program

Stories, Insights & More

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Dancers reveal what this electrifying triple bill is about

Step into the studio with our dancers as they reflect on the three works featured in Prism

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An Interview with William Forsythe

During his visit to our Melbourne studios we sat down with legendary choreographer William Forsythe to discuss his creative process and the inspiration for his work Blake Works V (The Barre Project). 

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David Hallberg and Stephanie Lake on Prism

Artistic Director David Hallberg and Resident Choreographer Stephanie Lake dive into our Season 2025 triple bill, Prism. This fresh program unites three visionary choreographers, blending technique with experimentation. Experience Blake Works V (The Barre Project) by William Forsythe, Glass Piece by Jerome Robbins, and a captivating new work by Stephanie Lake.

Prism Cast and Synopsis

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Artists of The Australian Ballet, Glass Pieces (Robbins)
Photo Kate Longley

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Artists of The Australian Ballet, Glass Pieces (Robbins)
Photo Kate Longley

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Principal Artist Robyn Hendricks and Maxim Zenin, The Australian Ballet, Glass Pieces (Robbins)
Photo Kate Longley

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Artists of The Australian Ballet, Glass Pieces (Robbins)
Photo Kate Longley

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Samara Merrick and Adam Elmes, The Australian Ballet, Seven Days (Lake)
Photo Kate Longley

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Artists of The Australian Ballet, Seven Days (Lake)
Photo Kate Longley

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Artists of The Australian Ballet, Seven Days (Lake)
Photo Kate Longley

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Elijah Trevitt and Benjamin Garrett, The Australian Ballet, Seven Days (Lake)
Photo Kate Longley

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Samara Merrick, The Australian Ballet, Blake Works (Forsythe)
Photo Kate Longley

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Elijah Trevitt, The Australian Ballet, Blake Works (Forsythe)
Photo Kate Longley

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Lilla Harvey, The Australian Ballet, Blake Works (Forsythe)
Photo Kate Longley

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Benedicte Bemet, The Australian Ballet, Blake Works (Forsythe)
Photo Kate Longley

Production credits

Glass Pieces
Choreography Jerome Robbins
Music Philip Glass, Glass Pieces (‘Rubric’ and ‘Façades’ from Glassworks, and excerpts from Akhnaten)
Costume design Ben Benson
Lighting design Jennifer Tipton
 

Seven Days
Choreography Stephanie Lake
Music Peter Brikmanis, after J.S. Bach ‘Goldberg Variations’
Costume design Kate Davis
Lighting design Bosco Shaw

The Robert & Elizabeth Albert Music Fund will support Peter Brikmanis’s reimagining of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variation for Stephanie Lake’s Seven Days.

Blake Works V (The Barre Project)
Choreography William Forsythe
Staged by Jodie Gates and Noah Gelber 
Music James Blake, 
‘Lindisfarne I’, published by Concord Music Publishing, recording courtesy of Universal Music Group.
‘Buzzard & Kestrel’, published by Concord Music Publishing, recording courtesy of Hessle Audio.
‘Lullaby for My Insomniac’, published by Sony Music Publishing (Australia) Pty Limited, recording courtesy of Universal Music Group.
‘200 Press’, published by Sony Music Publishing (Australia) Pty Limited, recording courtesy of Buzzard And Kestrel Ltd.
Lighting design (Prologue) Tanja Rühl
Lighting design (The Barre Project) Tanja Rühl, based on original design by Brandon Stirling Baker
Stage design William Forsythe
Costume design William Forsythe
Sound Supervisor Niels Lanz

Premiere: 10 May 2023, Ballet Company Teatro alla Scala, Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy. 

Originating from The Barre Project (Blake Works II), created and filmed in 2020 for its first broadcast on March 25 2021, on the CLI Studio Digital Platform www.clistudios.com

Music

Melbourne
With Orchestra Victoria
 

Sydney
With Opera Australia Orchestra

We thank our production partners

Season 2025

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