Diamonds are forever: polished Jewels from The Australian Ballet

The Australian Ballet in Diamonds

Benedicte Bemet in Diamonds

Callum Linnane and Sharni Spencer in Emeralds

Ako Kondo and Brett Chynoweth in Rubies

Callum Linnane and Sharni Spencer in Emeralds

Isobelle Dashwood in Rubies

By Mark Pullinger, 03 August 2023

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“Sharni Spencer almost weightless as she floated in tiny bourrées across the stage”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 2 August 2023

Emeralds (George Balanchine)

Rubies (George Balanchine)

Diamonds (George Balanchine)

The Australian Ballet

Jonathan Lo, Conductor

Peter Harvey, Set Designer

Barbara Karinska, Costume Designer

Perry Silvey, Lighting Designer

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Sharni Spencer, Dancer

Callum Linnane, Dancer

Valerie Tereshchenko, Dancer

Mason Lovegrove, Dancer

Ako Kondo, Dancer

Brett Chynoweth, Dancer

Isobelle Dashwood, Dancer

Andrew Dunlop, Piano

Benedicte Bemet, Dancer

Joseph Caley, Dancer

Mira Nadon’s sparkling debut in Firebird with New York City Ballet

Ivy Lin, 25th April

A triple bill comprising Balanchine's Symphony in C, Agon and Firebird could not have been more inspiringly danced by New York City Ballet.

*****

Ballet for cowboys and soldiers at Kansas City Ballet

Hilary Stroh, 20th March

Kansas City Ballet celebrate the USA’s 250th anniversary with three American ballets. Balanchine's Stars and Stripes, de Mille's Rodeo and a new work by Caili Quan, A Home Away.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

A spectacular triple bill lifts ABT’s spring season in New York

Leigh Donlan, 13th March

A finely curated triple bill from American Ballet Theatre included works from Balanchine, Jiří Kylián and Alexei Ratmansky.

****1

Understatement and spectacle at New York City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 26th February

Jerome Robbins' Dances at a Gathering and George Balanchine's Diamonds make a study in contrasts. With lots of debuts in the former and seasoned leads in the latter.

*****

Fast Forward: Hamburg Ballet’s mixed bill proves a mixed success

Vikki Jane Vile, 22nd February

All that glistens... the world premiere of Xie Xin’s The Moon in the Ocean is the highlight of a mixed bill programme spanning 90 years of choreography.

***11

More reviews...

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Diamonds are forever: polished Jewels from The Australian Ballet at Covent Garden