Costume for a snowflake in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara. The true australian ballet is graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara, a landmark in the australian ballets repertoire since it premiered in 1992. Rose mulready, nutcracker the story of clara, programme, 2017, 14 graeme murphy, an australian nutcracker, the australian ballet youtube video, may 9, 2017 though i chose to remain within the narrative, it should be noted that the artistry and assurance of stojmenov and. Graeme murphy was born in melbourne and studied at the australian ballet school. Mar 20, 2018 nutcracker the story of clara 1992 murphys first fulllength production for the australian ballet came in 1992. Graeme murphy tells us the origin story of his nutcracker the story of clara and reminisces about kristian fredrikson creating the poetry of the painterly designs. May 18, 2017 since this work, murphy has reinterpreted swan lake, romeo and juliet and firebird, to name just a few, for the australian ballet, cementing his place as one of this countrys most creative and cotemporary choreographers. Detail of tutu for flower maiden in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara by same artist. Graeme murphys australian retelling of the beloved ballet is as touching as ever 25 years on. Graeme murphys interpretation of the classic story of the nutcracker the story of clara is a joyful celebration of ballet, a deeply moving life story, and an affectionately humorous. The story of clara with the ridiculous description of it as the gumnutcracker. Ditching the traditional story of sugar and spice and all things nice, murphy.
The australian ballet is one of the worlds premier ballet companies and has delivered extraordinary performances for over 50 years. In a stunning departure from tradition, graeme murphy transforms nutcracker into a production which is uniquely australian. The ballet is the story of clara, once a famous russian ballerina, who first came to australia in the 1940s. Graeme murphy s acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic with emotional depth and a modern perspective. He had an idea for a stunning overhaul of the nutcracker, but that idea relied on convincing. When graeme murphy first put on his revamped version of beloved classic the nutcracker in 1992, he received hate mail. He is known for his work on maos last dancer 2009, nutcracker. Through choreographic storytelling, murphy has created a ballet masterpiece that strongly lives on 25 years later.
By 2001, mcallister was artistic director of the australian ballet, and his first commission was murphy s swan lake. The story of clara with the ridiculous description of it as the gum nutcracker. For a more conventional take, tab turned to peter wrights 1990 birmingham royal ballet version, giving the australian premiere in 2007. And yet it is full of references to the original version, choreographed by marius petipa in 1892, while celebrating the history of ballet in australia and offering moving observations on the life of a dancer. Graeme murphy reimagined the classic russian ballet to tell a uniquely australian story. May 05, 2017 the true australian ballet is graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara, a landmark in the australian ballets repertoire since it premiered in 1992. This was such an incredible experience to rehearse and dance alongside the artists of the aussie ballet.
Costume for the sugarplum fairy in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara depicts similar person detail of tutu for flower maiden in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara. Graeme murphy s 1992 nutcracker the story of clara is a wonderful memory piece set during a hot melbourne christmas. Tutu for george balanchines ballet imperial soloist. From its first performance in 1992, graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara was recognised as a masterpiece the age graeme murphys acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker, like his swan lake, masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic with emotional depth and a modern perspective. The story of clara friends of the australian ballet. Costume for the sugarplum fairy in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara created around the same time young man posing in an oversized hooded sweatshirt. Murphys radical reframing of the nutcracker ditched all of that.
May 08, 2017 graeme murphy reimagined the classic russian ballet to tell a uniquely australian story of clara. From its first performance in 1992, graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara was recognised as a masterpiece the age graeme murphy s acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker, like his swan lake, masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic with emotional depth and a modern perspective. Its all in kristian fredriksons incomparable designs for graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara fredrikson, who delighted in period detail, excelled himself in this ballet, which takes us from st petersburg at the turn of the century to 1950s melbourne. The late kristian fredriksons set and costume designs are a big part of this productions appeal but its biggest strength is the way in which it blends the historical with the personal telling clara. The dvd is of a 1994 performance of the australian ballet. Murphys nutcracker is designed to give the story more depth and pertinence to a more southern hemisphere mindset. Four ballet pros share their nutcracker resumes dance spirit. Graeme lloyd murphy ao born 2 november 1950 is an australian dance choreographer. The australian ballet performs graeme murphys nutcracker. I have to admit to disliking intensely the dumbing down of graeme murphys nutcracker. But perhaps the greatest sleightofhand in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara is the bejewelled tutus, mariinskyinspired snowflake headpieces, glittering tsarinas and grand duchesses used to tell a tale that delivers an emotional wallop. The nutcracker the story of clara is a graeme murphy and australian ballet production based on tchaikovskyis score.
Clara the ballerina, the beloved officer and the nutcracker prince. Jun 10, 2009 the australian ballet in nutcracker the story of clara. We need australian storytelling in our ballet thats why the aussie. The nutcracker the story of clara creative collections. The work might have strong australian resonances, but it is much more than a story about early developments in australian ballet. Jun 03, 2017 graeme murphys nutcracker does far more than tell the story of clara, celebrating the backstory of vision, passion and talent that formed the bedrock for our modern, 55yearsyoung company the australian ballet. Petersburg, bringing a unique twist to a popular story. Costume for graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara. Graeme murphys nutcrackerthe story of clara opens at sydney opera house. The show is his reimagining of the nutcracker, which fleshes out a back story for the lead dancer. In murphy s radical retelling, clara is an elderly russian emigrant and former prima ballerina, dreaming of her earlier days with love and sadness one feverishly hot australian christmas. Jun 04, 2017 twentyfive years ago, when choreographer graeme murphy first created this aussie nutcracker, he sought to tell the story of one such dancer. Image 1 justine summers and robert curran in graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara.
Nutcracker the story of clara departs from its whimsical forebear to tell a story grounded in realworld events and the history of ballet in australia. May 02, 2017 it was these realworld events that inspired graeme murphys nutcrackerthe story of clara opening at sydney opera house on tuesday may 2. For most people, ballet conjures images of distant european climes, the courts of aristocrats and royals, pine forests and quaint villages. The story of clara graeme murphy, australian ballet at a low price. The story of clara with the ridiculous description of it as.
Graeme murphy s imaginative and touching retelling of the nutcracker is worlds removed from traditional productions of the ballet hence its title nutcracker the story of clara. Nutcracker the story of clara kultur international films. Petipa or murphy, a comparison of the nutcracker shades. Its christmas in june with graeme murphys much loved nutcracker the story of clara back on stage. This is the fourth time i have seen this ballet presented by the australian ballet at the state theatre, arts centre in melbourne. May 03, 2017 when graeme murphy first put on his revamped version of beloved classic the nutcracker in 1992, he received hate mail. Chrissa keramidas as clara the elder in graeme murphy s nutcracker.
The australian ballet in graeme murphys magical nutcracker. The story of clara traces the career of a ballet dancer. As in some musicals, murphy has three dancers to play clara at the different stages of her life as an elderly woman, a prima ballerina and a young girl which makes for some beautiful magical effects as they join togetherswap places. Graeme murphys acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic. He returned to australia in 1975 as a freelance choreographer. I have always been fascinated, too, by the very moving moment in act ii when clara the ballerina danced on this occasion by dimity azoury watches as her lover is killed during a revolutionary battle in russia. Swan lake 2002 on an opening night of nutcracker the story of clara, david mcallister, who had danced the nutcracker prince, asked graeme murphy if hed ever thought of transforming another of the great classical ballets. Story of clara graeme murphy s production of nutcracker. The australian ballet in nutcracker the story of clara. And yet it is full of references to the original version, choreographed by marius petipa in 1892, while celebrating the history of ballet in australia and. For the sake of young dancers, we need more like this. Their performances in this season of graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara have been beautifully crafted artistically and technically and i believe both are in the perfect place in their careers to take on the exciting challenges and responsibilities of a senior artist.
Its 25 years since graeme murphy s inventive reimagining of the nutcracker for the australian ballet premiered in melbourne and, after friday nights opening for its fourth revival, its sure to captivate a new audience with its plethora of evocative scenes, comic aussie touches and in bringing substance to the fascinating background story of ballet in australia. Costume for graeme murphys nutcracker the story of. Graeme murphys acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker, like his swan lake, masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic with emotional depth and a modern perspective. I have just watched a dvd of a wonderful piece of ballet theatre called nutcracker. Nutcracker the story of clara choreographed by graeme murphy is my favourite version of this beautiful christmas story. Graeme murphys acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic with emotional depth and a modern perspective. Humanity revealed in michelle potter, a passion for dance canberra. Graeme murphy on dance and obsession, the nutcracker and. Now regarded as a classic hard to believe it is now 25 years since its first production.
Graeme murphys nutcrackerthe story of clara opens at sydney. Tutu for flower maiden in graeme murphys nutcracker the. Some twenty five years since its creation in 1992, graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara is as fresh and relevant as ever. First created for the australian ballet in 1992, graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara is a beautiful expression of love, life, and friendship. Commissioned in 1992, this unconventional telling of the classic ballet won audiences over with its distinctly australian context and its exciting storytelling. The ballet has returned to the stage for its fourth revival, with this months season at the sydney opera house. Graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara celebrates its quartercentury this year and theres no reason to think it wont be around for another 25 years. Graeme murphys imaginative and touching retelling of the nutcracker is worlds removed from traditional productions of the ballet hence its title nutcracker the story of clara. As in all graeme murphy s ballets, the partnering is spectacular and there are a lot of complicated and demanding lifts, requiring great strength and daring from both the women and men. The nutcracker the story of clara is a fantastic and unique production that cements the australian ballet as a diverse company that represents australia and its history. Photo jeff busby leanne stojmenov is clara as the principal ballerina in her prime, from. Some twenty five years since its creation in 1992, graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara is as fresh and relevant as ever. Costume for the sugarplum fairy in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara. Murphy has used the historical influence of the ballet russes, and the effect of what their arrival to australian shores had on australian ballet and its history.
The story of clara manages to split its time between melbourne and st. Jun 05, 2017 graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara. The nutcrackerthe story of clara follows the back story of the protagonist. Twentyfive years after its debut, graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara remains a rarity a classical ballet set in australia for most people, ballet conjures images of distant. Graeme murphy tells us the origin story of his nutcracker the story of clara and reminisces about kristian fredrikson creating the poetry of. We need australian storytelling in our ballet thats why. Teacher resource kit nutcracker story of clara 2 contents 05 synopsis 08 the creatives 10 spotlight on nutcracker the story of clara with artistic director david mcallister 11 the music 12 invitation to the dance.
Nutcracker the story of clara origins the australian ballet. Costume for the sugarplum fairy in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara created around the same time. The thendirector maina gielgud commissioned him to make a new version of the classic tchaikovsky ballet, but she may have got more than she bargained for. Murphy s nutcracker is designed to give the story more depth and pertinence to a more southern hemisphere mindset. Nutcracker the story of clara, swan lake, firebird, the. Image 1 justine summers and robert curran in graeme murphy s nutcracker the story of clara. Leanne stojmenov is clara as the principal ballerina in her prime, from russian training to world stages and ultimately. Graeme murphys acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker, like his swan lake, masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic.
Twentyfive years after its debut, graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara remains a rarity a classical ballet set in australia. Graeme murphy however has taken the traditional story of the nutcracker and expanded it into something else. A commitment to artistic excellence, a spirited style and a willingness to take risks have defined the company from its earliest days, both onstage. Joan sutherland theatre, sydney opera house, 2 may. My first professional work as a dancer was as a child extra in the australian ballets nutcrackerthe story of clara, by graeme murphy. He has danced with the australian ballet, sadlers wells ballet london and ballets felix blaska france. Young man posing in an oversized hooded sweatshirt. Jun 17, 2017 all quotes from murphy are from graeme murphy. Graeme murphy is ballets fearless leader sydney opera house.
It was these realworld events that inspired graeme murphys nutcracker the story of clara opening at sydney opera house on tuesday may 2. Jun 02, 2017 graeme murphys acclaimed reimagining of the nutcracker, like his swan lake, masterfully weaves together the enchantment and fantasy of the beloved classic with emotional depth and a modern perspective. Its christmas in june with graeme murphy s much loved nutcracker the story of clara back on stage. When the dancers of the famous ballets russes boarded a train for sydney in the 1930s people threw flowers onto the railway track because they didnt want them to leave melbourne after a soldout season. Costume for the fairy coulante in maina gielguds the sleeping beauty created around the same time. Teacher resource kit nutcracker story of clara 7 graeme murphy choreographer graeme murphy was born in melbourne and studied at the australian ballet school. The story of clara was choreographed by graeme murphy with kristian fredrikson as the designer. The australian ballet nutcracker the story of clara murphys radical retelling is an epic aussie vision of ballets favourite tale graeme murphys interpretation of the classic story of the nutcracker the story of clara is a joyful celebration of ballet, a deeply moving life story, and an affectionately humorous depiction. Both dancers have recently received recognition during. I have to admit to disliking intensely the dumbing down of graeme murphy s nutcracker. Graeme murphy on the origins of his nutcracker 15 curricular activities. The australian ballet in graeme murphys nutcracker.
See also the text of a program article i wrote for the australian ballets 2009 season of nutcracker. The australian ballet exists to inspire, delight and challenge audiences through the power of its performances. With his fellow dancer and wife since 2004 janet vernon, he guided sydney dance company to become one of australias most successful and bestknown dance companies. The year was 1992 and graeme murphy had hatched a clever plan. Graeme murphys nutcrackerthe story of clara opens at. Oct 25, 2007 i have just watched a dvd of a wonderful piece of ballet theatre called nutcracker. Nutcracker the story of clara the australian ballet. Commissioned in 1992 to celebrate the companys 30th anniversary, murphy took the classic nutcracker narrative and original russian choreography and reimagined it for australian audiences. Clara, a former star of the ballets russes, has settled in australia. The story of clara by the australian ballet enchants and delights.
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