The magical Sylvie Guillem has announced her retirement. After 35 years on the stage, fans must bid goodbye to Guillem as a performer. If you’re going to be in Sydney this August, you’re in luck, though. Australian fans will have one more chance to see this legendary dancer in action at the Sydney Opera House.
Guillem’s farewell tour is called “Life in Progress”. The bill includes new works from Akram Khan and Russell Maliphant. Khan’s work, techne, is a solo, while Maliphant’s, Here & After, is a duet which will be danced with Italian Emanuela Montanari from La Scala. William Forsythe’s Duo will also be presented, with guest dancers Brigel Gjoka and Riley Watts, as well as Mats Ek’s Bye.
Guillem has deliberately chosen to retire whilst still at the top of her game. “I have loved every moment of the last 39 years, and today, I am still loving it in the same way,” she remarks. “So why stop? Very simply, because I want to end while I am still happy doing what I do with pride and passion.”
You can catch Sylvie Guillem for the last time, 19-25 August at the Sydney Opera House sydneyoperahouse.com