Hong Kong Ballet Announces 2016/17 Season
Highlights include the Asian première of Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias
and two popular productions in
Yuen Long and Shatin
[Hong Kong – 13th May 2016] Hong Kong Ballet announces today its exciting 2016/17 season line-up, including the Asian première of Lady of the Camellias by one of today’s most sought-after American choreographers, Val Caniparoli; the timeless masterpiece Swan Lake, the Company’s full length adaptation by John Meehan based on Petipa/Ivanov’s original; the world’s favourite festive ballet The Nutcracker by Terence Kohler; the comedic family-friendly tale Coppélia by Ronald Hynd; a diverse mixed bill programme featuring Carmen, created by the Company’s own choreographers Yuh Egami and Ricky Hu; as well as Choreographers’ Showcase, which unleashes the creative talent of emerging local dance-makers; and the return of the fun and educational Ballet Classics for Children: Cinderella, retold by Yuri Ng.
Actively bringing the joy of ballet to audiences across the city, Hong Kong Ballet will perform at Yuen Long Theatre with four performances of Swan Lake, while Coppélia will entertain fans at Shatin Town Hall. The other performances will be held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Subscribe now to enjoy such benefits as the best price and best seats. Subscription period is open until 17th June 2016. For more details, please download the Season Brochure or visit: hkballet.com/201617.
Artistic Director Madeleine Onne enthuses: “Every new season is exciting with new dancers, new challenges as well as new productions. We will have something for everyone, from first-time visitors to longtime classical ballet lovers and of course, families. Each time we do the amazing masterpiece Swan Lake, I find new parts to develop for the dancers, and The Nutcracker, Coppélia and Ballet Classics for Children are all part of our efforts in grooming next generation of ballet and dance audiences. I am thrilled to have the pleasure of presenting Val Caniparoli's Lady of The Camellias, which will not only show off the whole company but will also be a fantastic opportunity for our more experienced dancers to share their artistry in the demanding principal roles. I am also extremely proud to present a world première with two of our own company dancers who have developed from novices in the yearly Choreographers’ Showcase to professionals during the past seven years. It is essential for each company to find and develop new choreographers, and Yuh Egami and Ricky Hu are the proof that we have succeeded. After their very personal interpretation of Boléro, I am excited for their version of Carmen.”
Additionally, to illustrate the creativity, flexibility and unlimited possibility of its dancers and repertoire, the Company reveals a new set of photographs of its dancers in special makeup, hairdo and clothes styled by Aeri Yun, a renowned Korean fashion stylist based in New York. Choreographed by Ricky Hu and shot by fashion photographer Tim Wong, the photographs captured the artistry, beauty and vibrancy of the exceptional dancers from various angles so that audiences can experience ballet from different perspectives, explore its many facets, and most importantly, be inspired. These photos are prominently featured throughout the Season Brochure.
China Everbright Ltd. Proudly Presents: Swan Lake
19-21.8.2016
Fri 7:30pm | Sat 2:30pm & 7:30pm | Sun 2:30pm
Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre
$300, $200, $100
4 performances with recorded music
26-28.8.2016
Fri 7:30pm | Sat & Sun 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,000 (VIP tickets) $680, $480, $280, $140
5 performances with live accompaniment
Suitable for ages 6 and above
Guest Appearance
Jurgita Dronina (Guest Principal Dancer, Hong Kong Ballet / Principal Dancer, The National Ballet of Canada)
27 & 28.8.2016 7:30pm
Often called the ‘ballet of all ballets’, Swan Lake is one of the most complex theatrical productions in the Company's active repertory with its drama, romance and intrigue. Especially staged for Hong Kong Ballet by John Meehan based on Petipa/Ivanov’s original choreography, Swan Lake inspires awe for its mystery and magic with exquisite swan-maiden ensembles and lyrical pas de deux. The focus is on the prima ballerina who performs the dual roles of the radiant White Swan Odette and the scheming, duplicitous Black Swan Odile, which require extreme athleticism, vigor and grace. Filled with technically demanding choreography, Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous music, and lavish sets and costumes by Peter Farmer, Swan Lake’s thrilling story of good and evil has entranced audiences since its dèbut.
Original Choreography Marius Petipa & Lev Ivanov
Additional Choreography John Meehan, Carlo Pacis, Selina Chau
Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Set & Costume Design Peter Farmer
Additional Costume Design Harvey Santos
Lighting Design Leo Cheung
Live Accompaniment Hong Kong Sinfonietta#
Conductor Benjamin Pope#
#Only for performances at Hong Kong Cultural Centre
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Choreographers’ Showcase
23-25.9.2016
Fri & Sat 8:00pm | Sun 3:00pm
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$280, $180
3 performances
Suitable for ages 6 and above
Ballet, the grand and classical art form, is made unpredictable, yet exciting and modern, with new works and choreographers emerging from the ranks of Hong Kong Ballet as well as the local choreographers’ community. Committed to unleashing the creative talent of and showcasing new works by rising dance-makers, the annual Choreographers’ Showcase series has fast attracted a loyal following which resulted in two sold-out showcases in 2014 and 2015. There’s much to look forward to from Hong Kong choreographers in the 2016/17 edition, and we are excited to play a role in developing the future of Hong Kong dance. Don’t miss this opportunity to see how the boundaries of ballet are pushed, and experience the versatility and energy of our dance artists up close and personal!
Lady of the Camellias (Asian Premiere)
4-6 & 11-13.11.2016
Fri 7:30pm | Sat 2:30pm & 7:30pm | Sun 2:30pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,000 (VIP tickets) $680, $480, $280, $140
8 performances
Suitable for ages 6 and above
Adapted from Alexandre Dumas’ French novel of the same name (1848), Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias, a powerful tale of forbidden love between renowned Parisian courtesan Marguerite Gautier and provincial bourgeois Armand Duval, finally makes its Asian première this November!
One of the greatest love stories of all time, the literary gem has sparked Verdi’s opera, La Traviata, and films such as Baz Lurhmann’s blockbuster Moulin Rouge (2001) and George Cukor’s Camille (1936) starring Greta Garbo, which Caniparoli turned to for inspiration.
Lady of the Camellias is a deeply romantic and tragic story of self-sacrifice and class divides. High drama ensues at a soiree at the height of the Paris social season when Armand, forced by his father to renounce his love to safeguard the family’s honor, angrily confronts a seemingly indifferent Marguerite with her escort, Baron de Varville, who then challenges him to a duel.
Performed to critical acclaim by companies like the Boston Ballet and San Francisco Ballet since its debut in 1994, Caniparoli’s inspirational choreography is showcased in the lovers’ rapturous pas de deux and is perfectly complemented by Chopin’s romantic music. Accompanying some of the most passionate scenes are lilting piano solos and soulful vocal performances by a trio of guest pianist and vocalists, alongside Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
Choreography Val Caniparoli
Libretto, Concept and Score Norbert Vesak and Robert Glay de La Rose (adapted by Val Caniparoli)
Music Frederic Chopin
Set Design (Act I) David Gano; (Act II) Robert Glay de La Rose
Costume Design Robert Glay de La Rose
Lighting Design Alice Kwong
Assistant to the Choreographer Charla Whiteley
Live Accompaniment Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Conductor Benjamin Pope
Guest pianist and vocalists to be announced
The Nutcracker
16-18 & 20-25.12.2016
Tue to Fri 7:30pm | Sat & Sun 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,000 (VIP tickets) $680, $480, $320, $180
13 performances
Suitable for ages 3 and above
Although Christmas is still months away, who can resist the temptation of making early festive entertainment plans for their favourite holiday season? Join Clara and Fritz as they get swept up in a fantastic Christmas Eve journey in an astonishing world of wonder filled with a mischievous army of rats and their arch-rivals, the toy soldiers, and a host of colorful, magical characters, graceful snowflakes and playful dolls, as well as a super-sized doll house and a glittering Christmas tree. But the final question remains: can they help the heroic Nutcracker to defeat the villainous Rat King and reunite with his beautiful Ballerina?
Acclaimed Australian choreographer Terence Kohler retains all the elegance and charm of this famous ballet but re-interprets it in his own new visual style, making it a stand-out production from the others. Set to Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score containing some of the best-known melodies in ballet, this grand adventure intermingled with sparkling sets and costumes and scintillating dancing has fast become a favourite for Hong Kong audiences.
Choreography Terence Kohler
Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Dramaturge Clair Sauran
Set & Costume Design Jordi Roig
Lighting Design David Bofarull
Painters Jordi Castells & Quique Conde
Live Accompaniment Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Conductor Graham Bond
Repetto Proudly Presents: Ballet Classics for Children: Cinderella
20-22.1.2017
Fri 7:30pm | Sat 2:30pm & 5:00pm | Sun 5:00pm
4 performances with narration in Cantonese
21-22.1.2017
Sat 7:30pm | Sun 12:00nn & 2:30pm
3 performances with narration in English
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$280, $180
Best for ages 5 and above
Person below the age of 3 will not be admitted
By popular demand, Ballet Classics for Children: Cinderella will return to bewitch you this season. The second installment from the wildly popular series of one-hour introductions to ballet classics masterminded by choreographer Yuri Ng, this abridged, interactive adaptation of the classic fairytale Cinderella sees heartbreak turn to joy as the power of young love conquers all. Meet the Fairy Godmother, the comical Stepsisters, and the handsome Prince as Cinderella’s triumphant rags-to-riches story comes to life with the help of an engaging story-teller. In the world of ballet, fantasies really do come true. So get your tickets before the clock strikes 12, or you just might turn into a pumpkin too!
Artistic Curator & Additional Choreography Yuri Ng
Original Choreography David Allan
Music Sergei Prokofiev
Set Design Leocampo Yuen
Lighting Design Alice Kwong
Sound Design Kester Lee
Narrator to be announced
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Coppélia
24-26.3.2017
Fri 7:30pm | Sat & Sun 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall
$300, $200, $100
5 performances
Suitable for ages 3 and above
One of the rare and greatest comic ballets, Coppélia tells “a fairy tale without any fairies”. Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s light-hearted story “The Sandman”, Coppélia follows the fantastic story of a mysterious inventor, his life-sized doll, and an inquisitive young couple. Franz falls madly in love with Coppelia, a beautiful mechanical doll he has seen at Dr. Coppelius’ workshop, a place of mysteries and enchantment. Feeling mischievous, his fiancee Swanilda decides to impersonate the doll in order to play a prank on Franz, and chaos ensues! The charming scenes of frivolity and playful deception eventually result in a joyful celebration of the lovers’ wedding.
While this sparkling tale of magic and mischief is an endearing comedy of errors, full of warmth, romance, and laughter, Hynd’s delightful yet virtuosic choreography is a showcase for the dancers’ classical technique as well as their comedic and acting skills. With gorgeous sets and costumes by the award-winning Roberta Guidi di Bagno and enchanting music by Delibes, Coppélia will surely entertain fans of all ages.
Choreography Ronald Hynd
Music Leo Delibes
Set & Costume Design Roberta Guidi di Bagno
Lighting Design Leo Cheung
Carmen and More
26-28.5.2017
Fri 7:30pm | Sat 2:30pm & 7:30pm | Sun 2:30pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,000 (VIP tickets) $680, $480, $280, $140
4 performances
Suitable for ages 6 and above
Love, passion, fear, anger and all of life’s journeys can be shown through the art of dance. Hong Kong Ballet proudly presents Carmen and More. This collection of ballet gems — featuring several one-act bal lets varying in style, origin and mood — showcases something for everyone. A highlight will be an original one-act creation of Carmen, set to Bizet’s famous music, by Hong Kong Ballet dancers Yuh Egami and Ricky Hu, which centres around a woman who has captured the imaginations of audiences worldwide. This programme will also feature Jorma Elo’s innovative Shape of Glow created especially for the Company and other ballets from famous choreographers and offers an exciting opportunity to see the Company’s talented and athletic dancers perform up close!
Carmen
Choreography Yuh Egami and Ricky Hu
Shape of Glow
Choreography Jorma Elo
Other programmes to be announced
DOWNLOAD PRESS PHOTOS
[Click on the photo to download full image]
Photo 1: Dancer: Yu-yao Liu | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 2: Dancer: Zhi-yao Chen | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 3: Dancers (from left): Yui Sugawara, Jessica Burrows, Xue-ning Zhang, Vanessa Lai, Peggy Lai, Rui-xue Dong | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 4: Dancers (from left): Shunsuke Arimizu, Lin Li, Chun-long Leung, Ryo Kato, Luis Cabrera, Jonathan Spigner | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 5: Dancers: Miao-miao Liu | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 6: Dancers (from left): Xin Jiang, Jun Xia | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 7: Dancers: Vanessa Lai, Luis Cabrera | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 8: Dancers (from left): Lin Li, Xue-ning Zhang, Luis Cabrera | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 9: Dancer: Jie Shen | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 10: Dancer: Wei Wei | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 11: Swan Lake | Hong Kong Ballet Dancers | Photographer: Wai-lok Cheung
Photo 12: Choreographers’ Showcase | Enlightening by Yui Sugawara | Hong Kong Ballet Dancers | Photographer: Conrad Dy-Liacco
Photo 13: Lady of the Camellias | Dancers: Yao Jin, Jia-bo Li | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 14: The Nutcracker | Dancers (from left): Wei Wei, Yao Jin | Photographer: Conrad Dy-Liacco
Photo 15: Ballet Classics for Children: Cinderella | Dancer: Yu-yao Liu | Photographer: Yi-Chun Wu
Photo 16: Coppélia | Dancers (from left): Yu-yao Liu, Ricky Hu | Photographer: Gordon Wong
About Hong Kong Ballet
An eclectic mix of talent, a balance of classical and contemporary works, and a unique repertoire are the trademarks of Hong Kong Ballet, Asia’s premier ballet company. Internationally recognised and acclaimed for its creativity, talent and artistry, the Company, led by Artistic Director Madeleine Onne, is committed to providing captivating experiences that delight and inspire audiences from all walks of life, both at home and abroad.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Chan
Director of Marketing
T: 2105 9716
M: 9728 1777
[email protected]
