Australians of a certain generation know all about the fractious debate surrounding the worth of abstract contemporary art. There was a national conniption when the Whitlam government cleared the then-record-breaking $1.3 million purchase of Jackson Pollock’s ‘Blue Poles’ for the National Gallery of Australia in 1973.
Two years later, after a double dissolution election, Governor-General John Kerr notoriously dismissed the Whitlam government on November 11, 1975.
The vanquished Prime Minister took an immortal swipe at his political executioner on the steps of Old Government House: “Well may we say, ‘God save the Queen,’ because nothing will save the Governor-General.”
With ‘Blue Poles’ now valued at around $350 million, you might say that Whitlam had the last laugh on that front. But the spiritual battle for the arts continues apace, with some of Australia’s most vital institutions subject to savage budget cuts that endanger their very existence and the cultural wealth of our nation.
This raging debate around artistic worth is captured on a much more intimate scale in French playwright Yasmina Reza’s 1994 work, Art. Translated by Christopher Hampton, it receives a rollicking Australian production at the Comedy Theatre directed by Prima Facie’s Lee Lewis.
What’s Art all about?
Art is a ferociously funny chamber piece in which three so-called best mates come to metaphorical blows over a plain white painting.
Only it’s not plain white, according to Damon Herriman’s arty...
If 2015 was the Australian Ballet’s ‘year of beauty’, then 2016 delves into darker (yet no less ambitious) territory, with classic and contemporary works depicting turbulent romances, supernatural forces and a tortured genius. “Ballet has the ability to transform,” says McAllister. “This is a richly dynamic and diverse season which I am proud to present.”
An anticipated highlight of the season will be the Australian premiere of Nijinsky (Sep 7-17) an emotional tribute to the Ballets Russes prodigy, lauded as one of the greatest dancers and choreographers of the 20th century. Created by master choreographer John Neumeier and first performed by the Hamburg Ballet in 2000, Nijinsky tells the story of the dancer’s meteoric rise to fame, the controversy around his sensual choreography, and his battle with mental illness that eventually saw him pass away in a mental institution in 1950.
Following the huge success and critical acclaim of 2015’s 20:21, contemporary ballet will again come to the fore with Vitesse (Mar 11-21), which will featuring new works by three world-famous choreographers: Christopher Wheeldon, Jiří Kylián and William Forsythe.
On the other end of the spectrum are lavish productions of ballet classics. Stephen Baynes’ traditional staging of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (Jun 7-18), created by the resident choreographer for the Australian Ballet’s 50th anniversary in 2012, will return for an encore run, complete with Edwardian set design by the masterful Hugh Coleman.
The talented Stanton Welch, who is both a resident choreographer with the Australian Ballet and artistic director of Houston Ballet, will bring his much-loved production of Romeo and Juliet (Jun 30-Jul 9) exclusively to Melbourne. Rounding out the season will be the family favourite fairytale Coppélia (Sep 23-Oct 1).
