It’s a kaleidoscope of colour and drama worthy of the Bollywood silver screen… so there’s little surprise a ballet classic, was always set in mystical India.
Australian choreographer Stanton Welch has returned from his international role in the US and reimagined La Bayadere as colourful spectacle.
Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet, David McAllister describes the production as a 21st century version of the tragic love story.
“It’s from an original work back in 1877, which was choreographed by a Frenchman in Russia, with music by a Viennese person, set in India, so it’s very cross-cultural!”
“Because there's so much more interest now in Bollywood and the whole Indian aesthetic, I think this ballet has really come into its own.”
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And some home grown Bollywood star power has also been brought in for the Australian premiere.
Perth-born Melburnian Pallavi Sharda now calls Mumbai home, after cracking the lucrative Indian movie industry in 2010.
“It's been a lifelong dream, probably a strange one, but I think when you're growing up outside of India, Bollywood becomes a centre point and form of education about your culture.”
And she’s thrilled to be La Bayadere’s guest of honour.
“As a dancer, I've always been interested in fusion and with classical Indian dance there was only so much you could do, in terms of taking it outside that traditional sphere, so I'm so glad that in Melbourne there are things like this happening and it's great because we live in multicultural Melbourne and just seeing different elements and different cultures coming together like this is amazing.”
La Bayadere revival premieres in Melbourne on August 28, then Sydney in November.
