A CELEBRATION OF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DAVID NIXON OBE Leeds Playhouse 22 October 2020 Welcome David Nixon OBE Artistic Director David Nixon OBE. Photo Simon Lawson. Cover: Riku Ito and Ayami Miyata in The Three Musketeers. Photo Emma Kauldhar. This season we had planned to perform The Great Gatsby and present the world première of Drew McOnie’s Merlin. However, the restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic have made this impossible. Our dancers have endured months of trying to maintain their fitness from home in the confines of their kitchens and living rooms. For the majority of them, it was the longest time they had been away from a ballet studio since they began classes as children. With the majority of our staff furloughed and watching our planned performances get cancelled week by week, a spark of hope was ignited as restrictions loosened a little and finally allowed our dancers to return to training in small groups. By the summer, the hunger and need the Company has to perform, as well as the community’s desire to regain some sense of normality, was palpable. In the face of numerous challenges, we determined to find a way to return to the stage for live performances. It was impossible for us to stage one of our large-scale productions due to social distancing restrictions and the financial viability of performing to smaller audiences. However, with the support of Leeds Playhouse, we established this programme of three one-act mixed bills and the revival of Dangerous Liaisons. This programme gives us an opportunity to stage work that we would not normally do and work that is rarely staged, alongside excerpts from some of our more recent productions. Again, it has not been possible to stage these works in the way we usually would; we have had to use our Sinfonia made up of less players and cannot feature the sets. But we are committed to maintaining as much production value as we possibly can, whilst prioritising the safety of our dancers, musicians, backstage staff, venue staff and audiences. As I write this, I am fully aware that with the ever-changing situation we find ourselves in this year, there is always a chance that these performances will not be able to go ahead after all. Even if they do, we still find ourselves with an uncertain future ahead as we try to plan our 2021 tour without knowing what the situation will be by then. The arts industry has been badly affected by lockdown and as it stands, the future for many organisations is not guaranteed. If you are in a position to be able to do so, you can help by donating money, or not claiming a refund on cancelled tickets, instead please consider accepting a credit voucher or transferring your ticket to another event. If you would like to donate to Northern Ballet, we would be incredibly grateful. Please see northernballet.com/magic for details of our current appeal. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our audiences, individual and corporate supporters, and trusts and foundations who have continued to support us throughout this time, as well as Arts Council England and Leeds City Council. I would also like to thank every person who works for Northern Ballet. You have all shown tremendous resilience in the face of huge difficulty and anxiety over the last few months, and your determination in making it possible for us to offer these performances just shows the spirit that Northern Ballet has as a community. Thank you for joining us for these performances. Keep well. Stay safe. Production supported by 2Garden Pas de Deux Released from Puck’s mischievous magic, Titania and Oberon move beyond their anger and manipulation and are lovingly reconciled. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by David Nixon OBE Titania and Oberon Pas de Deux Performances A Midsummer Night’s Dream Wuthering HeightsWuthering Heights Cathy’s father has brought home a ragged child known as Heathcliff. As they grow older, Cathy and Heathcliff spend their time together on the desolate moors where the bond between them grows ever closer. Cathy and Edgar are married, but in the midst of the festivities, Heathcliff arrives richly dressed and newly genteel. He and Cathy dance together reawakening their feelings for one another. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Claude-Michel Schönberg Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by David Nixon OBE and Daniel de Andrade Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Claude-Michel Schönberg Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by David Nixon OBE and Daniel de Andrade On the Moors Pas de Deux Wedding Pas de Deux Wuthering Heights Determined to take revenge against Cathy in her happiness, Heathcliff kisses Isabella and is jealously confronted by a melancholy Cathy. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Claude-Michel Schönberg Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by David Nixon OBE and Daniel de Andrade The Little Mermaid At a community gathering of dancing and celebration, time suspends as Marilla dreams of how she would dance with her beloved Prince Adair if only he loved her as she does him. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Sally Beamish Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by Christelle Horna Act II Pas de DeuxThree Preludes An excerpt from the toe-tapping spectacle that is I Got Rhythm, Three Preludes celebrates some of the best music of the roaring 20s. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music George Gershwin Costume Design David Nixon OBE Solo Piano Andrew Dunlop Staged by Daniel de Andrade I Got Rhythm 3The Three Musketeers Performances Act I Pas de Deux A Sleeping Beauty Tale Alone in a beautiful an peaceful garden, Adameter expresses his love for his friend Aurora who must reject her own love for him as she is destined to marry another to save her beloved planet. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by David Nixon OBE and Christelle Horna Act I Garden Duet Initially shy in their feelings for each other, Constance and d’Artagnan are left alone and realise that they are falling in love. Music licenced by Wise Music Group. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Sir Malcolm Arnold Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by Christelle Horna Heavenly Space Pas de Deux The Great Gatsby Reunited with his lost love, Gatsby takes Daisy to his mansion where the two become reacquainted and their old feelings for one another begin to resurface. Music licenced by Wise Music Group. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Sir Richard Rodney Bennett CBE Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by Daniel de Andrade Resentful of the arranged marriage, Korak dances exuberantly with his bride Aurora, seeming to simultaneously mirror and mock her elegance and beauty. Choreography David Nixon OBE Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Costume Design David Nixon OBE Staged by David Nixon OBE and Christelle Horna Rose Adagio Pas de Deux A Sleeping Beauty Tale 4Production credits TechnicalWardrobe Production Manager Steve Wilkins Lighting recreated by Alastair West Company Manager Emily Deller Production Stage Manager Lyndsey Holmes Production Deputy Stage Manager Chun-Yen Chia Production Electrician Chris Alexander Lighting Programmer Abbi Fearnley Production Sound Engineer Kevin Heap Props Northern Ballet Stage Management Lighting Equipment Hawthorn LogisticsStagefreight Dominique Larose and Javier Torres in The Great Gatsby. Photo Emma Kauldhar. Head of Wardrobe Kim Brassley Wardrobe Supervisor Mikhaila Pye Assisted by Julie Anderson Carley Marsh With help from Donna Hardcastle Ellie Kemp Holly Prescott Roxanne Major Hair, Make- Up & Wigs Supervisor Harriet Rogers 5The Dancers - Our Collaborative Artists Premier Dancers Antoinette Brooks-Daw Javier Torres Principal Soloists Ashley Dixon Abigail Prudames Leading Soloists Mlindi Kulashe Ayami Miyata Joseph Taylor First Soloists Sean Bates Sarah Chun Rachael Gillespie Riku Ito Minju Kang Matthew Koon Dominique Larose Kevin Poeung Soloists Jonathan Hanks Matthew Topliss Junior Soloists Filippo Di Vilio Lorenzo Trossello Coryphée Miki Akuta Gavin McCaig Mariana Rodrigues Dancers Harris Beattie Helen Bogatch Alessandra Bramante Wesley Branch Natalia Kerner Sena Kitano Kyungka Kwak Heather Lehan George Liang Harriet Marden Charlotte McKay Aerys Merrill Matthew Morrell Julie Nunès Bruno Serraclara Andrew Tomlinson Apprentices Sara Dos Remedios Albert Gonzalez Orts Leandro Olcese Aurora Piccininni Archie Sherman For dancer biographies visit northernballet.com/dancers 6We extend our deepest thanks to our corporate sponsors, individual supporters and trusts and foundations whose essential support has become even more critical as we try to overcome the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We cannot list everyone here, but we are so grateful for your ongoing support during this difficult time, and please know that we remain committed to ensuring that the company you love will return to the tours and productions you expect, better than ever, as soon as it is permitted and safe to do so. With Grateful Thanks For more information on ways you can support Northern Ballet, please visit northernballet.com/support-us Antoinette Brookes-Daw, Rachael Gillespie and Pippa Moore. Photo Guy Farrow. 1st Violin Geoffrey Allan Helen Boardman Raimonda Koço 2nd Violin Winona Fifield Laura Concar Oliver Morris Viola Rosalyn Cabot Hannah Horton Cello Alexander Volpov Toby Turton Double Bass Gemma Murray Piano Andrew Dunlop Flute/Piccolo Tom Hancox Oboe / Cor Anglais Mary Gilbert Clarinet Joanna Rozario Alan Asquith Bassoon Paul Boyes Horns Nick Wolmark Dave Horwich Trumpet Tracey Redfern Trombone Richard Scoates Timpani Ian Hood Percussion John Melbourne Harp Elinor Nicholson Sinfonia Supporters Nick Lyle & Sheila Nelson Northern Ballet Sinfonia Music Director Jonathan Lo Orchestra Manager Steve Costello 7Find out more about how your donation will help at northernballet.com/magic Rachael Gillespie in Merlin. Photo Guy Farrow. We began this year celebrating 50 years of Northern Ballet with plans to bring two new ballets, Geisha and Merlin, to audiences nationwide. However, in place of celebration, we now find ourselves facing the tremendous strain that the Covid-19 pandemic places upon our ability to create, perform and teach ballet. As a result, our 2020 world première of Merlin has been postponed. We need your help to ensure the magic of Merlin finally becomes a reality for its rescheduled world première in 2021.Next >