Alice Topp could be one of the Australian Ballet’s most exciting new choreographers.
Since creating her first work for 2014’s Bodytorque season, the Bendigo-born coryphée has gone from strength to strength, presenting her first mainstage work, Little Atlas, to wide acclaim in 2016 and choreographing music videos for the likes of Megan Washington and Ben Folds. Her latest work, Aurum, will make its world premiere as part of the Australian Ballet’s new triple bill, Verve, which celebrates the wealth and diversity of choreographic talent within the company and features creations from three generations of Australian Ballet choreographers.
Set to the music of Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi, Aurum is inspired by the Japanese tradition of repairing items with gold to show their story, and features Topp’s trademark emotional intensity and delicate but intricate partnering.
It’s a deliberate contrast to the rest of the program, which includes landmark works by the company’s resident choreographers, Tim Harbour and Stephen Baynes.
Opening the program will be Baynes’s work, Constant Variants. Originally created as part of the company’s 2007 New Romantics season, it’s a showcase for Baynes’ neo-classical style, set to Tchaikovsky’s graceful 'Variations on a Rococo Theme'.
At the other end of the spectrum, the furiously modern Filigree and Shadow established Tim Harbour as one of Australia’s leading choreographers when it premiered in 2015. Described by Harbour as a “catharsis for aggression”, the short, sharp movements are set against a monumental backdrop by architect Kelvin Ho and lighting designer Benjamin Cisterne, with an electronic score by German duo 48nord.
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: For 48 hours only, you can get excellent seats for only $88. This exclusive ticket offer is available from noon Wednesday June 6 to noon Friday June 8 (we recommend putting a reminder in your phone!) Book your tickets from the Australian Ballet website.