The winters tale, one of shakespeares final works, is an odd play. Categorized as a problem play or a romance, it doesnt end with a. Meet olivia book, the ballet west academy student who isn. Christopher wheeldon, artistic associate of the royal ballet, created his adaptation of shakespeares late great romance the winters tale for the royal ballet in 2014. Building on the success of alices adventures in wonderland, the winters tale received ecstatic praise at its premiere, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for its intelligent, distinctive and emotionally powerful. An introduction to christopher wheeldons the winters tale the royal ballet. Upclose with the stars of christopher wheeldons the. Tanaquil le clercqs the ballet cook book celebrates. Christopher wheeldon is a master at choreographic adventure in winters tale, and the protagonist leontes twists himself in contorted positions which display the twisting of the soul characterized by envy.
Building on the success of wheeldons alices adventures in wonderland, the winters tale received ecstatic praise at its. Choreographer christopher wheeldon created his adaptation of shakespeares late, great romance the winters tale for the royal ballet in 2014. Wheeldon is no doubt having a remarkable career in the past years, having two fulllength story ballets produced for the royal ballet, alice in wonderland in 2011 and. The second opportunity for online audiences to enjoy some royal ballet repertoire over lockdown is christopher wheeldon s adaptation of the winters tale. Building on the success of alices adventures in wonderland, the winters tale received ecstatic praise at its premiere, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for its intelligent. The book is to be written by lynn nottage, a playwright who has won two pulitzers, and the show is to be directed and choreographed by christopher wheeldon. The first, alices adventures in wonderland, also choreographed by wheeldon. The winters tale is a ballet in three acts choreographed by christopher wheeldon to a commissioned score by joby talbot. With the same creative team as alice design by bob crowley, music composed by joby talbot, lighting by natasha katz, wheeldon has taken the winters tale, a story apparently as intractably wordbased as alice, and dazzlingly rendered it into movement as shapeshifting and ambiguous as shakespeares original. Shakespeares tale of love and loss becomes compelling dance drama in christopher wheeldons ballet adaptation, with music by joby talbot. A disturbing, inspired winters tale with brutal choreography and dramatic intelligence, christopher wheeldon has turned shakespeares problem play into. Christopher wheeldons the winters tale is spectacular. Christopher wheeldon on the challenges and the creative processes of creating a ballet adaptation of the winters tale for the royal ballet. The winters tale is only the second new fullevening story ballet commissioned at covent garden in the past 20 years.
Following his highly popular alices adventures in wonderland, created for the royal ballet back in 2011, artistic associate christopher wheeldon draws on the same music and design team to create a triumph and something entirely new daily telegraph in this evocative reimagining of the winters tale, shakespeares enduring story of jealousy, compassion and forgiveness. In loving memory of peter wheeldon, my father, 19352014 christopher wheeldon. He attended the royal ballet school between the ages of 11 and 18. Christopher wheeldon and joby talbot turned shakespeares. With brutal choreography and dramatic intelligence, christopher wheeldon has turned shakespeares problem play into a mindsnagging. Christopher peter wheeldon obe born 22 march 1973 is an english international choreographer of contemporary ballet. The winters tale the contemporary shakespeare series book 21. Ballet by christopher wheeldon in three acts with a prologue. Certainly this constitutes a good night out in almost anyones book, providing a clear storyline, sumptuous sets and costumes, and the royal ballet in enlivened and committed form. With exquisite choreography and an emotionally powerful story, christopher wheeldons adaptation of shakespeares the winters tale for the royal ballet is fast becoming a modern classic. From ballet to broadway with tony winner christopher. Last year he won a tony award for his american in paris, and his choreography is in repertoire at most every major ballet company including the washington ballet.
This isnt the first time either of you have had the opportunity to premiere. Dance moscow premiere of christopher wheeldons ballet the winters tale at the bolshoi april 4, the bolshoi historic stage premiere of christopher wheeldons ballet the winters tale composer joby talbot set and costume designer. The winters tale has never been a shakespeare favourite. Building on the success of alices adventures in wonderland, the winters tale received ecstatic praise at its premiere, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for its. Born in yeovil, somerset, to an engineer and a physical therapist, wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. By christopher wheeldon christopher wheeldons latest work for the royal ballet is an adaptation of william shakespeares play the winters tale opening on thursday 10 april, the ballet will also be screened live into cinemas around the world on monday 28 april including more than 400. The winters tale has the saddest happy ending in all of shakespeare. From ballet to broadway with tony winner christopher wheeldon. Royal ballet dancers and members of the creative team introduce christopher wheeldons the winters tale. She told pointe how she is staying fitmentally and physicallyduring quarantine, and shared insight into the role of hermione in christopher wheeldons the winters tale, which the royal ballet will stream online in may 1 on its youtube channel. For christopher wheeldon and for british ballet, everything was hanging on his.
It is contemporary and classical, traditional and modern, narrative and abstract. A wheeldon nutcracker for the joffrey the new york times. Id never directed, so an american in paris was a leap of faith. The winters tale choreographer, christopher wheeldon, is an acknowledged genius. This ballet adaptation of the winters tale was choreographed by christopher wheeldon and features edward watson as leontes and due to covid19, orders may be delayed. Review of the winters tale ballet at the royal opera house. With the winters tale the 42yearold, britishborn choreographer has given the national ballet of canada a spectacular fulllength narrative work that. With scenery and costumes designed by bob crowley, lighting designed by natasha katz, and special stage effects designed by daniel brodie and basil twist, it was a coproduction of the royal ballet and the national ballet of canada and was first presented at the royal opera house, london, on 10 april 2014. The lockdown has brought us many treats from the archive, but few are as utterly enchanting as christopher wheeldon s 2014 production of the winters tale performed by the royal ballet and. An introduction to christopher wheeldons the winters tale the. London christopher wheeldon rises to the challenge of translating shakespeare into dance. Jerry mulligan is a painter who fought in france during the war and fell so. The royal ballet has another hit on its hands in the form of christopher wheelsons new the winters tale.
Royal opera house, london this revival of christopher wheeldons ballet looks more impressive than on its 2014 debut, with its original cast. And winters tale already looks like a ballet that can build through the interpretations of future generations. Wheeldon, who has won critical plaudits for several fulllength story ballets, including his recent the winters tale for the royal ballet, will use the tchaikovsky score for his nutcracker, but has not yet, he said, planned much more than the ballets setting. She provides a wealth of facts and insights, including information familiar only to dance world insiders, and considers such recent works as alexei ramanskys shostakovich trilogy and christopher wheeldons the winters tale as well as older ballets once forgotten but now returned to the repertory, such as sylvia. Bob crowley music director anton grishanin video designer daniel brodie. Choreography by christopher wheeldon the royal ballet royal opera house 1 may to 1 june 2020. A disturbing, inspired winter s tale with brutal choreography and dramatic intelligence, christopher wheeldon has turned shakespeares problem play into a mindsnagging ballet. It was nicholas hytner then artistic director of the national theatre who suggested to christopher wheeldon that it could make a good threeact ballet. Ticket request form we warmly invite you to celebrate the world premiere of christopher wheeldons the winters tale, a powerful new interpretation of shakespeares late, great romance. British choreographer christopher wheeldons adaptation of the winters tale, a coproduction by the royal ballet and the national ballet of canada, premiered in the fall of 2014 at covent garden. Following his delightful fulllength ballet alices adventures in wonderland, christopher wheeldon continues his highly successful collaboration with designer bob crowley and composer joby talbot to create his first ballet based on a shakespeare play, the late romance the winters tale.
The royal ballet the winters tale christopher wheeldon. Interview with choreographer and director christopher wheeldon. The book, by craig lucas, gives us basically the same plot as the movie. Libretto by christopher wheeldon after the play of the same name by william shakespeare music by joby talbot. The winters tale dazzles with its visual drama, choreography. Christopher wheeldon on turning the winters tale into a.
What did you think of the royal ballets the winters tale live on facebook and youtube. The winters tale is one of shakespeares most difficult, morally complicated works, tearing up the dramatic unities rule book and incorporating both comedy and tragedy. The royal ballets the winters tale is now available on special edition dvd, both online and from the royal opera house shop at covent garden the ballet sees christopher wheeldon join forces with composer joby talbot and designer bob crowley with whom he worked with on the muchloved alices adventures in wonderland on his latest full length. Christopher wheeldon rises to the challenge of translating shakespeare into dance. The music featured in this film was composed by joby. Christopher wheeldons adaptation of this shakespearean romance, performed by the national ballet of canada, is part of the lincoln center. Christopher wheeldon s new threeact version of shakespeares the winters tale is a triumph.
Christopher wheeldons extraordinary threeact version of the winters tale feels like something entirely new, says sarah crompton. Christopher wheeldon and joby talbot turned shakespeares the. In the winters tale, the silk flows better than the steps. The winters tale available on dvd news royal opera house. Book, who trains full time at ballet wests professional training division, appears to be well on her way to making her dreams of dancing professionally a reality. Three or four years ago, when nick hytner then the head of the national theatre casually suggested to christopher wheeldon that he turn the winters tale into a ballet, a meeker or just. T here was a moment during the standing ovation following the premiere of the winters tale last thursday night when the ballets choreographer, christopher wheeldon, appeared to lose it. Building on the success of wheeldons alices adventures in wonderland, the winters tale received ecstatic praise at its premiere, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike for its intelligent, distinctive and. From the austere royal court of sicily to the light.
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