The Australian Ballet in Adelaide: a dazzling Beauty

The Fairies in the Prologue of David McAllister's The Sleeping Beauty

Rina Nemoto as the Lilac Fairy with The Australian Ballet in The Sleeping Beauty

Yuumi Yamada as Florine and Cameron Holmes as Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty

Jill Ogai as Princess Aurora and Marcos Morelli as Prince Desiré in The Sleeping Beauty

By Ruth Ridgway, 24 July 2025

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“she was a sparkling and engaging Princess Aurora, with a sense of fun peeping through”

Reviewed at Adelaide Festival Centre, Festival Theatre, Adelaide on 22 July 2025

The Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa, David McAllister)

The Australian Ballet

Jonathan Lo, Conductor

Gabriela Týlešová, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Jon Buswell, Lighting Designer

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

Jill Ogai, Dancer

Marcus Morelli, Dancer

Katherine Sonnekus, Dancer

Yuumi Yamada, Dancer

Cameron Holmes, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a feast of excellent dancing

Naomi Mori, 25th April

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a gem in the repertoire, despite shortcomings in the plot. Lavish production designs, stunning classical choreography and excellent dancers makes this a ballet lover's heaven.

*****

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****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

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Ruth Ridgway

Ruth, from Brisbane, Australia, has been writing about dance since 2000. Music and dance are her most abiding passions. She learned classical ballet in her youth, and later attended adult classes for many years. She also became a committed Latin and Argentinian tango dancer. Currently, she sings alto in a chamber choir. After a long career in publishing and communications as a writer and editor, Ruth studied archaeology and now works in a completely different field as a technical officer in the Queensland Museum.