Joburg Ballet to Present A Major New Ballet Inspired By Roald Dahl's CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
The ballet opens at the Joburg Theatre on Friday 4 October with a further nine performances running through to Sunday 13 October.
By: Blair Ingenthron Aug. 24, 2024
Joburg Ballet has announced that the company will be presenting the world premiere of a full-length ballet based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Joburg Theatre in October, with the opening night of the 10-performance season set for Friday 4 October at 19h00.
Choreographed by Mario Gaglione, with an original music score composed by Mark Cheyne and Andrew Botha as design consultant, Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the first classically based full-length ballet to be created for Joburg Ballet.
Joburg Ballet's Mario Gaglione has already made his mark as an imaginative and inventive choreographer, qualities spectacularly well-suited to breathing balletic life into Roald Dahl's immortal story of Charlie's adventures in Willy Wonka's incredible chocolate factory.
Commenting on the ballet, Mario Gaglione says: “Creating and choreographing this ballet feels like finding my own golden ticket, a rare chance to share something magical! I hope it becomes a golden moment for every child – and grown-up! – in the audience, filling them with joy and wonder they'll never forget.”
In his search for music for the ballet, Mario Gaglione turned to award-winning composer and musical director Mark Cheyne to create an original score which will be performed live by the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra.
“The story is iconic and universally loved by so many people,” says composer Mark Cheyne. “Since this is a direct adaption of the famous book by Roald Dahl, all the music is entirely original, orchestrated in the style of a traditional ballet. Fantasy is an integral part of traditional ballet, and this a ‘fantastical' story, with larger-than-life characters and a plot full of marvels, mystery, magic and, of course, copious amounts of chocolate.”
In the leading roles of Willy Wonka and Chocolate, audiences can look forward to Revil Yon and Monike Cristina, Ruan Galdino and Tammy Higgins, Ivan Domiciano and Ryoko Yagyu and Bruno Miranda and Cristina Nakos. The role of Charlie will be danced by Jayden Samuels, previously a student of the Joburg Ballet School and now at the National School of the Arts.
Joburg Ballet is delighted to welcome as onstage partners for the season of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the dancers of WGRUV Dance Company, the Joburg Ballet Academy and the Joburg Ballet School.
The ballet opens at the Joburg Theatre on Friday 4 October with a further nine performances running through to Sunday 13 October. Booking is exclusively through www.webtickets.co.za, at selected branches of Pick n Pay, or by calling 0861 670 670.
An Open Day will be held at the Joburg Ballet Studios at the Joburg Theatre on Saturday 21 September from 10h00 to 13h00, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creative and rehearsal process. For Open Day bookings email futhi@joburgballet.com or call 011-877 6898.
Joburg Ballet is grateful for support from the South African Ballet Theatre Trust and the Friends of the Ballet towards the production of the ballet of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The ballet of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is presented in association with the Roald Dahl Story Company.
BOOKING INFORMATION
Dates |Times | Prices
Fri 4 Oct at 19h00 (half price opening night): R290, R248, R225, R165, R120
Sat 5 Oct, Sun 6 Oct, Sat 12 Oct, Sun 13 Oct at 14h00: R580, R495, R450, R330, R240
Sat 5 Oct, Fri 12 Oct, Sat 13 Oct at 19h00: R580, R495, R450, R330, R240
Wed 9 Oct, Thu 10 Oct at 11h00: R110 (performances to recorded music)
Discounts: Friends of the Ballet 35%; Pensioners 15%; Groups of 10+ 10%; Children 4-7 50%
Where: Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein (GPS -26.191316, 28.038519)
Book now: At Joburg Theatre Box Office; or tel. 0861 670 670; or online at www.joburgtheatre.com or www.webtickets.co.za
Patrons can also book and pay via the Nedbank app and at selected Pick n Pay stores (full list at www.webtickets.co.za/pnpoutlets.aspx)
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