The Australian Ballet was founded in 1962. Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The ballet's first performance was at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney. This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ...

Today the company, based in Melbourne, regularly tours to all the major cities within Australia, with lengthy seasons in Melbourne at the Victorian Arts Centre and in Sydney at the Sydney Opera House. When in Brisbane, The Australian Ballet performs at the Lyric Theatre at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. The company also occasionally tours, by invitation, internationally at prestigious venues such as the Royal Opera House, London, United Kingdom. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... The Victorian Arts Centre spire The Victorian Arts Centre is a complex of theatres and concert halls in the Southgate precinct of Melbourne, Australia. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ... For other uses, see Brisbane (disambiguation). ... Performing Arts Centre, South Bank, Brisbane, Queensland Part of the Queensland Cultural Centre, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, also known as QPAC, is situated at South Bank, Queensland, Australia, , near the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD). ...

The Australian Ballet works in close cooperation with The Australian Ballet School, of which many of the company’s dancers are graduates. Giving over 200 performances a year, The Australian Ballet is the busiest ballet company in the world. With a vast repertoire which includes the major classical and heritage works as well contemporary productions, it follows its artistic vision of ‘Caring for Tradition, Daring to be Different’. Each year, the company also presents an extensive national education programme, run by Colin Peasley a former principal dancer with the company, to further inspire and educate its audiences.

Box office sales, derived from its strong and loyal audience base, are the foundation of the company’s income stream. The Australian Ballet Company also receives funding from the Australian Government, the Victorian and New South Wales state government bodies, corporate sponsors, private donors and bequests. The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional monarchy, a federation, and a parliamentary democracy. ... The form of the Government of Victoria is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1855, although it has been amended many times since then. ... The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then. ...

The company's current Artistic Director is David McAllister, who was a Principal Dancer until being appointed artistic head of the organisation in 2001. The company’s previous Artistic Directors were: Ross Stretton (1996-2001); Maina Gielgud (1983–96); Marilyn Jones (1979-82); Anne Wooliams (1976-77); Sir Robert Helpmann (1965-76) and the founding Artistic Director, Dame Peggy van Praagh (1962-74; 1978). David McAllister, born in Western Australia, was a principal dancer with the Australian Ballet until he was appointed Artistic Director of the company in 2001. ... Ross Stretton (6 June 1952 - 16 June 2005) was an Australian ballet dancer and artistic director. ... Robert Helpmann Sir Robert Helpmann (April 9, 1909 – September 28, 1986), Australian dancer, actor and choreographer, was born in Mt Gambier, South Australia. ... Dame Margaret Peggy van Praagh, DBE, OBE (b. ...

The company's Music Director and chief conductor is Nicolette Fraillon.

Don Quixote

In 1973 the Australian Ballet released a film version of the ballet Don Quixote with music by Ludwig Minkus, starring Rudolf Nureyev as Basilio, Lucette Aldous as Kitri and Sir Robert Helpmann as Don Quixote along with artists of the Australian Ballet. Future artistic director Ross Stretton staged the stage production during his artistic directorship of The Royal Ballet. Svetlana Zakharova as Kitri in the Entrance of Kitri from the Bolshoi Ballets production of the Petipa/Gorsky/Minkus Don Quixote, Moscow, 2006 The ballet Don Quixote is based on the famous Miguel de Cervantes novel Don Quixote de la Mancha. ... Maestro Ludwig Minkus, Paris, circa 1870. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Lucette Aldous (born 1938) is an Australian ballet dancer and ballet teacher. ... Look up sir in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE (April 9, 1909 – September 28, 1986) was an Australian dancer, actor, director and choreographer, Born Robert Murray Helpman he added the extra n to avoid there being 13 letters in his name. ... Poster for the Royal Ballet performance of Swan Lake at the Lyric Theatre in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Australia The Royal Ballet, is based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England, and is the leading ballet company in the United Kingdom. ...

The Merry Widow ballet

The Franz Lehár ballet "The Merry Widow" was created by Sir Robert Helpmann and choreographed by Ronald Hynd especially for The Australian Ballet. The designer was Desmond Healey. The orchestrations, from operetta score to ballet score, were done by John Lanchbery (then musical director of The Australian Ballet) and his colleague Alan Abbot. The ballet premiered on 13 November 1975 at the Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Dame Margot Fonteyn, who was guesting with The Australian Ballet, danced the leading role of Hanna Glawari in 1976. Lehár Franz Lehár (30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austrian composer of Hungarian descent, mainly known for his operettas. ... Australian ballet star Sir Robert Helpmann obtained permission from the Léhar Estate to create a ballet based on The Merry Widow operetta. ... Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE (April 9, 1909 – September 28, 1986) was an Australian dancer, actor, director and choreographer, Born Robert Murray Helpman he added the extra n to avoid there being 13 letters in his name. ... Ronald Hynd a British choreographer, (born 22 April, 1931). ... John Lanchbery (May 15, 1923–February 27, 2003) was an English composer, famous for his ballet arrangements. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Margot Fonteyn in 1948. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Company

Principal Artists

Senior Artists

Soloists

Coryphees

Corps de Ballet

External links

• The Australian Ballet
• The Australian Ballet School
• The Australian Ballet Education Programme
• The Creation of The Merry Widow Ballet
• The Merry Widow Ballet