The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet staged no less than the full-length Swan Lake for its end-of-year season, with three performances at Hamer Hall at the Arts Centre, Melbourne, just before Christmas.
The large contingent of students were augmented by a stellar line-up of guest artists in the leading roles, including Russians Anna Ol and Semen Velichko, American Ballet Theatre’s Joseph Phillips and Australian Ballet senior artist Miwaka Kubata.
Also among the guests were Harry Churches (a former student of Alegria in Sydney now studying at the Royal Ballet School in London); Jessica Allison-Walker (from Prudence Bowen Atelier in Qld) and Caleb Durbin (from the National College of Dance in Newcastle). The latter two were appearing as a result of winning the inaugural ACB Performance Award at the 2013 McDonalds Scholarship in Sydney. Former ACB student Kiely Groenewegen also returned to Australia for the performance – she is now on scholarship at the Royal Ballet School..
The music was supplied by the impressive forces of the Australian Youth Orchestra, conducted by Peter Bandy, which played at the back of the stage, divided from the dancers by a transparent scrim. Hearing the live music in these concert-like conditions rather than in the pit was an added bonus.
Pictured are guest artists Anna Ol and Semen Velichko and (below) the full cast.