Yes, Folks, AURORA!
"We're delighted to have secured a star of Stella's calibre to perform In this spectacular production," says RNZB General Manager Amanda Skoog.
The new production, choreographed by RNZB's ballet master Greg Horsman with designs by Gary Harris, has been three years in the making.
Sleeping Beauty will be the first production of the first year for new Artistic Director Ethan Stiefel. Hey, Mr. AD, how about live streaming it on the internet?
Here's a list of performances:
Wellington: 28-30 October & 2-5 November, St James Theatre. Featuring the Vector Wellington Orchestra. Invercargill: 8 and 9 November, Civic Theatre. Dunedin: 12 and 13 November, Regent Theatre. Palmerston North: 22 and 23 November, Regent on Broadway. Napier: 26 and 27 November, Municipal Theatre. Auckland: 30 November – 4 December, ASB Theatre, The Civic, THE EDGE. Featuring the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Rotorua: 7 and 8 December, Civic Theatre. Christchurch: performances scheduled for 16-19 November have been cancelled due to the earthquake.
Congratulations, Stella!
44 responses to “Abrera to dance Aurora in Royal New Zealand Ballet’s brand new Sleeping Beauty”
At last! Thank you, Haglund, for letting us know. I do hope principal roles at ABT will follow. If not, I’ll have to check out the air fare to New Zealand!
At last! Thank you, Haglund, for letting us know. I do hope principal roles at ABT will follow. If not, I’ll have to check out the air fare to New Zealand!
Already checked. Air fares are out of my range.
Already checked. Air fares are out of my range.
Then they’re probably out of mine, too! I wish I could find a way to give you a scholarship. Your reviews are extraordinarily insightful.
Then they’re probably out of mine, too! I wish I could find a way to give you a scholarship. Your reviews are extraordinarily insightful.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Ethan Stiefel has the best ideas! 🙂
Ethan Stiefel has the best ideas! 🙂
Though I just hope her Aurora performances don’t conflict with ABT’s week at City Center….
Though I just hope her Aurora performances don’t conflict with ABT’s week at City Center….
Unfortunately, I suspect it might conflict with City Center. But I’m not going to complain. It’s too big an opportunity for her, and besides, the CC season really sucks except for In the Upper Room.
Unfortunately, I suspect it might conflict with City Center. But I’m not going to complain. It’s too big an opportunity for her, and besides, the CC season really sucks except for In the Upper Room.
Also interesting that it’s Stella not Gillian, since I heard she was going to perform with RNZB when Stiefel took over. Go Stella!
Also interesting that it’s Stella not Gillian, since I heard she was going to perform with RNZB when Stiefel took over. Go Stella!
Happy for Stella, sad she is unable to make her debut with her own company. Good on Steifel.
Happy for Stella, sad she is unable to make her debut with her own company. Good on Steifel.
We need to raise money to send Haglund to New Zealand to see Stella’s debut. I don’t know how many subscribers this blog has, but if we were each to contribute something, wouldn’t it be wonderful to read about it from none other than Haglund? A real grass roots movement in the interest of an international art and one of our most beloved ballerinas!
We need to raise money to send Haglund to New Zealand to see Stella’s debut. I don’t know how many subscribers this blog has, but if we were each to contribute something, wouldn’t it be wonderful to read about it from none other than Haglund? A real grass roots movement in the interest of an international art and one of our most beloved ballerinas!
LOL!!!
Well, it’s a damn safe bet that our city’s mainstream media isn’t going to make the trip to New Zealand to see New York’s Ethan Stiefel’s inaugural directorial debut of his inaugural season starring New York’s Stella Abrera in her debut performance of the company’s premiere performance of its three-years-in-the-making Sleeping Beauty. Nah, not much of a story there at all. What if Stiefel decides to dance in it? Nah, no story whatsoever.
We need to do a prayer dance for a live-stream event. Dance, Angelica, dance!!
LOL!!!
Well, it’s a damn safe bet that our city’s mainstream media isn’t going to make the trip to New Zealand to see New York’s Ethan Stiefel’s inaugural directorial debut of his inaugural season starring New York’s Stella Abrera in her debut performance of the company’s premiere performance of its three-years-in-the-making Sleeping Beauty. Nah, not much of a story there at all. What if Stiefel decides to dance in it? Nah, no story whatsoever.
We need to do a prayer dance for a live-stream event. Dance, Angelica, dance!!
Live stream would be awesome, Haglund! Will petit allegro do it? Having gone back to ballet classes after 37 years of not dancing at all, I’ve lost my 90 degree arabesque, my sustained-in-the-air grand jete, and my promenade, but I can still glissade jete, coupe, ballonne, pas de bourree, changement, changement! I will do a Stream-New-Zealand-Ballet-Live-Prayer-Dance in petit allegro, and we’ll see if it works.
Live stream would be awesome, Haglund! Will petit allegro do it? Having gone back to ballet classes after 37 years of not dancing at all, I’ve lost my 90 degree arabesque, my sustained-in-the-air grand jete, and my promenade, but I can still glissade jete, coupe, ballonne, pas de bourree, changement, changement! I will do a Stream-New-Zealand-Ballet-Live-Prayer-Dance in petit allegro, and we’ll see if it works.
Okay, but don’t go crazy. The gods would probably respond to beautiful Petipa-inspired port de bras, too. 😉
Okay, but don’t go crazy. The gods would probably respond to beautiful Petipa-inspired port de bras, too. 😉
I will use Stella Abrera as my role model.
I will use Stella Abrera as my role model.
Haglund et al — sorry you can’t be here in New Zealand to see Stella Abrera dance Aurora. I’ll be there on opening night and you will find there’ll be plenty of reports from New Zealand dance writers, with reviews in all the main centres included on http://www.theatreview.org.nz
Haglund et al — sorry you can’t be here in New Zealand to see Stella Abrera dance Aurora. I’ll be there on opening night and you will find there’ll be plenty of reports from New Zealand dance writers, with reviews in all the main centres included on http://www.theatreview.org.nz
Raewyn! Thanks so much for letting us know that you will be covering the premiere and for furnishing the link.
To say that we are insanely excited would be an understatement.
Raewyn! Thanks so much for letting us know that you will be covering the premiere and for furnishing the link.
To say that we are insanely excited would be an understatement.
Live streaming would be AWESOME!!!!
Live streaming would be AWESOME!!!!
From your lips to . . .
From your lips to . . .
PS Haglund, I am lookiing forward to seeing the production tonight, and then interviewing Stella Abrera tomorrow morning — after her debut performance as Aurora tonight. Am I right in concluding that this is her first Aurora — not just her first with this company? That has not been mentioned in any of the promotional material here, yet when I tried to find reviews of her in the role I couldn’t. I promise to report back — in about 8hrs time, assuming I can access this hotel computer when I arrive back from the show.
PS Haglund, I am lookiing forward to seeing the production tonight, and then interviewing Stella Abrera tomorrow morning — after her debut performance as Aurora tonight. Am I right in concluding that this is her first Aurora — not just her first with this company? That has not been mentioned in any of the promotional material here, yet when I tried to find reviews of her in the role I couldn’t. I promise to report back — in about 8hrs time, assuming I can access this hotel computer when I arrive back from the show.
Hi Raewyn. Here’s a link to Stella’s biography at American Ballet Theatre:
http://abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=19.
As far as we know, this marks Stella’s debut as Aurora. Her principal role in Sleeping Beauty at ABT is Lilac Fairy which she dances with exquisite grace and poetry.
We’re looking forward to all the reviews and pictures.
Hi Raewyn. Here’s a link to Stella’s biography at American Ballet Theatre:
http://abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=19.
As far as we know, this marks Stella’s debut as Aurora. Her principal role in Sleeping Beauty at ABT is Lilac Fairy which she dances with exquisite grace and poetry.
We’re looking forward to all the reviews and pictures.
Ok so, briefly on a night when I was just there for pleasure (and to inform my interview) — Stella Abrera rules! A beautiful, lissom Aurora, with impeccable technique, split second timing, a mature authority in everything she does, and she utterly charmed the audience. I look forward to seeing how she develops before I see her again on November 30th when I will be reviewing. Sadly the Prince wasn’t in the least convincing — he was another very recent import from the US – Sergio Torrado ex San Francisco Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet Fine in the technique department but cold, autocratic, somehow more like a father figure than a love-smitten hero.
I’ll pointt toreviws online as they become available.
Cheers
-Raewyn
Ok so, briefly on a night when I was just there for pleasure (and to inform my interview) — Stella Abrera rules! A beautiful, lissom Aurora, with impeccable technique, split second timing, a mature authority in everything she does, and she utterly charmed the audience. I look forward to seeing how she develops before I see her again on November 30th when I will be reviewing. Sadly the Prince wasn’t in the least convincing — he was another very recent import from the US – Sergio Torrado ex San Francisco Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet Fine in the technique department but cold, autocratic, somehow more like a father figure than a love-smitten hero.
I’ll pointt toreviws online as they become available.
Cheers
-Raewyn
Thank you, Haglund, for bringing us the good news. If ABT doesn’t make Stella a principal dancer asap, I will never subscribe again and I will certainly tell them why.
Thank you, Haglund, for bringing us the good news. If ABT doesn’t make Stella a principal dancer asap, I will never subscribe again and I will certainly tell them why.