Celebrity, visionary, muse: Vaslav Nijinsky changed dance forever with his explosive leap and his shockingly sensual choreography, before a dark descent into madness ended his career.

John Neumeier, one of the greatest living choreographers of the story ballet and director of the acclaimed Hamburg Ballet, charts Nijinsky’s rise and fall through the vivid memories unfolding in the dancer’s mind during his last performance in a Swiss hotel. He recalls his troubled family, his ill-starred romances and the transcendent performances that brought him fame.

The ballet is a tour de force for the whole company, but especially the male dancers, who are given the opportunity to evoke Nijinsky’s distinctive style amid sets and costumes inspired by the exotic glamour of the Ballets Russes.

Both a moving tribute and a spectacular piece of theatre, Nijinsky will transport you inside the mind of a genius – and to extremes of anguish and ecstasy.

Introductory music
Chopin Prelude Op.28 No.20
Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op.26 (I)
Shostakovich Viola Sonata Op.147 (III)
Shostakovich Symphony No.11 Op.103
Laurence Matheson, piano/celeste

Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade Op.35 (I, III, IV)

Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra
Nicolette Fraillon, conductor

W | https://australianballet.com.au/the-ballets/nijinsky-2016