QUEENSLAND'S GERMAN CONNECTIONS - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

The QPAC International Series dramatically expanded in 2012, offering not only a world renowned company, The Hamburg Ballet, but also associated visits by the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and artists of the Hamburg State Opera. The Hamburg Ballet is led by choreographer John Neumeier, the man who has shaped its repertoire and style and kept it at the forefront of world dance for four decades. Audiences will experience two major examples of Neumeier’s work. Nijinsky , an intense, dramatic, at times confronting work based on the life, meteoric career and descent of legendary Russian dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. This is choreographed to powerful music by Chopin, Schumann, Rimsky-Korsakov and Shostakovich. The ‘Hamburg Season’

a midsummer night’s dream foto: holger badekow

It has been seen several times in Hamburg, most recently in February of 2012, and Australian Wagnerites will get a taste of her interpretation in two concert performances of Das Rheingold , the opera that opens the Ring Cycle . In 2000 in Vienna, Ms Young made musical history when she became the first woman ever to conduct a complete Ring Cycle . Ms Young’s presence on this tour was with the support of Griffith University. As well, she and the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra will give a single performance of Mahler’s mighty Symphony No. 2 , Resurrection . QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas said that the QPAC International Series would not only feature nationally exclusive main stage performance seasons from the world’s best performing artists, but also will include a curated program of special events, classes, talks and related activities. He added that the 2012 presentation of the Hamburg’s state performance companies was timely as Australia and Germany celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations.

nijinsky foto: holger badekow

Neumeier’s second work is his luminous, ethereal, and at times hilariously funny version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream . Set to music by Mendelssohn and Ligeti, and based on the great comedy by Shakespeare, Neumeier’s ballet is a ravishing version of this great classic tale of magic, mistaken identity and lovers’ quarrels. The orchestra for A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of young Brisbane-raised conductor Simon Hewett, Hamburg Ballet’s resident ballet conductor and recently been appointed Music Director of Stuttgart Opera. Neither the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra nor the Hamburg State Opera have performed in Australia before. The impetus for the visit was the appointment of the Australian conductor Simone Young to the dual posts of Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestra and General Manager of the opera company. Over the past four years Simone Young has led a new production of Wagner’s mighty Ring Cycle .

qpac.com.au

simone young foto: eric fabricius

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