The Australian Ballet Teams McGregor, Ratmansky, & Duato In CONCORD, Opens Tonight!

A Russian, a Spaniard, and an Englishman walk up to a barre...

This August, the Australian Ballet gathers together three of the most exciting choreographers in the world to present CONCORD, a triple treat that brings together the globe's best in choreography, composition and design. The evening opens in Melbourne tonight, August 21 at the Arts Centre.

It features two world-premiere works from two of the most in-demand choreographers today: British luminary Wayne McGregor and St. Petersburg's Alexei Ratmansky. The program is perfectly rounded off with the welcome return to the Australian stage of a much-loved ballet by Spain's Nacho Duato.

Artistic Directore David McAllister said, "The Australian Ballet has always had a commitment to new work. To have choreographers of such caliber working with our dancers, bringing to the stage something our audiences have never seen before, is a real coup," he said.

"We're now in a creative process that we'll look back on for the rest of our lives - to be working with Wayne and Alexei is the equivalent of seeing John Cranko and George Balanchine in our Melbourne studios - it's simply mind blowing."

In creating his new work with The Australian Ballet, Wayne McGregor will forge movement, music, and design. Michael Gordon from Bang on a Can will create a new orchestral and electronic score while McGregor's long-time collaborator Lucy Carter will create the stage and lighting design, setting the dancers against eye-popping projections.

Alexei Ratmansky will bring his deft comedic touch to a new production of Scuola di ballo (the school of ballet), originally created by Leonide Massine in 1933. In this work, the high drama of the ballet studio threatens to eclipse the dancing, and talent is no match for nepotism. To the existing score by Luigi Boccherin, Ratmansky will team with Australian designer High Colman to bring this comic ballet to life.

The final work on this creative triple bill is the poignant and passionate Por vos meuro (For thee I die) from Spain's national living treasure Nacho Duato. Por vos meuro entered The Australian Ballet's repertoire in 1998 to great critical and audience acclaim. In 2009, The Australian Ballet welcomes Australian repetiteur Kim McCarthy to stage this beautiful ballet.

McGregor, Ratmansky, and Duato each use the language of classical ballet in a bracingly modern way to create works that are rich in drama and beauty.

For more information, visit www.australianballet.com.au.

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