Alondra Passed The Ballet Baton For Royal Assignment

Acclaimed Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) Music Director, Alondra de la Parra will conduct select performances of The Winter's Tale by The Royal Ballet at Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

The Royal Ballet will arrive in Brisbane, direct from London for an exclusive residency at QPAC from Thursday 29 June to Sunday 9 July 2017, presenting two ballets; Woolf Works and The Winter's Tale as part of QPAC's International Series.

Regarded as one of the most compelling conductors of her generation, Alondra will conduct the QSO for five performances of The Winter's Tale. She will share the baton with The Royal Ballet's long-standing guest conductor Tom Seligman who will conduct two performances of the production.

Music Director of The Royal Ballet, Koen Kessels will conduct all performances of The Royal Ballet's Woolf Works from 29 June to 2 July 2017.

QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas looks forward to welcoming these conductors to QPAC's Lyric Theatre and said a key element that underpins the QPAC International Series is the opportunity for artist to artist collaboration; in particular, enabling our locally based artists to work with International Artists.

"Historically the QPAC International Series has provided opportunities for artists based in Queensland to engage with our company guests from abroad. Including our team here at QPAC through to our state companies, education institutions and local businesses, the Series has delivered a memorable and lasting legacy of artistic sharing and development," said Mr Kotzas.

"The music from both Woolf Works and The Winter's Tale is something to behold in particular under the baton of three internationally renowned conductors," said Mr Kotzas.

Woolf Works, choreographed by The Royal Ballet's Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor, is composed of three acts inspired by three of Virginia Woolf's landmark novels; Mrs Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves, as well as a selection of her autobiographical writings that echo aspects of her famously eventful life. Renowned for his ground-breaking style and cross-discipline collaborations, McGregor's choreography reflects Woolf's modernist rejection of neatly ordered narrative, in favour of heightened, startling and poignant perspectives.

The Winter's Tale, choreographed by The Royal Ballet's Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon, is the Company's first three-act adaptation of William Shakespeare's work first since Kenneth MacMillan's 1965 production of Romeo and Juliet. The story follows the destruction of a marriage through consuming jealousy, the abandonment of a child and a seemingly hopeless love. Yet, through remorse and regret, the ending is one of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The Royal Ballet's Woolf Works and The Winter's Tale arrive at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane from 29 June to 9 July 2017. To book go to qpac.com.au or phone 136 246.

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