Margie Maccoll
World class ballet was enjoyed by Noosa audiences at full house shows at The J Theatre over the weekend when Queensland Ballet and Noosa alive! presented two exclusive ballet performances.
It was a display of vibrancy, skill, strength and colour by young members of the company as they performed Act 1 from Bespoke, choreographed by Head of Academy Paul Boyd, which brought to life of a Caravanserai along the famous Silk Road trading route with all its energy and excitement.
The second performance, Aurora’s Wedding, from Act 1 of Sleeping Beauty was choreographed by the company’s chief ballet master Greg Horsman.
All eyes were on Sleeping Beauty, Aurora, and her Prince, Desire as they dominated the stage with their performances, but the audience was equally enthralled by the other characters and their dazzling costumes as they performed the story of the wedding celebration.
A special treat for the audience was an onstage session with Queensland Ballet’s artistic director Li Cunxin who gave an insight into the behind-the-scene happenings of the company. There was much oohing and aahing from the audience, many aspiring young dancers, as they hung on his every word.
“One of our favourite events each year is coming to perform in Noosa,“ Li said.
“Eight years ago Ian (Mackellar) contacted me saying we’d love you to be part of Noosa alive!“
Initially Li had concerns about the small size of the Noosa stage but agreed and hasn’t looked back, saying it had been “wonderful to be here and perform to such an enthralled audience. We found the staff wonderful to work with and hope it has had a wonderful impact for the community as well“.
After two years of Covid, Queensland Ballet was prepared for a big comeback in 2022 but it did not begin smoothly.
Li said earlier in the year the company had sold out its classic performance of Giselle but two weeks before it opened they had to cancel when the Playhouse Theatre at Queensland Performing Arts Theatre (QPAC) was flooded.
“Since then we have performed most of the season. It’s been wonderful to perform with full audiences,“ he said.
Having just finished Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s spectacular Manon, making them one of only a handful of companies in the world to be given permission to stage the ballet, the company is preparing for a holiday favourite, The Nutcracker, in December.
Celebrating 10 years with Queensland Ballet, Li said the highlights included the opening this year of the redeveloped heritage building that was once a shoe factory into the Thomas Dixon Centre, becoming the home of Queensland Ballet, and containing a theatre with a stage the size of the Lyric but only 300 seats – every seat a premium.
“I’ve travelled the world. All major companies have beautiful homes – our home is the best. It’s going to be such a legacy. I can promise magic for many years to come,“ he said.
And magic is promised in next year’s Queensland Ballet season.
Among the highlights is the return of the ballet, Giselle. There will be a ballet based on the novel, My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin.
And there will be a blockbuster – Strictly Gerschwin – involving 50 musicians, four singers, ballet, tap, ballroom and Latin dancing and Gershwin’s iconic songs of the 20th century.
Li is also proud of the company’s training of the next generation of dancers with regional satellite programs and their premier training combining world class ballet and an academic curriculum at the Queensland Ballet Academy at Kelvin Grove State College.
“I went through that training at the Beijing Dance Company – everything happens at the same place. The dances can be so focused,“ he said.
“We offer a clear pathway for young kids to professional level.“
