Marcel Meyer and Mervyn Williams (photo: Joan Ward)
Debbie Turner, CEO of Cape Town City Ballet, tells Naomi Meyer about Cinderella, the ballet, now taking place at the Artscape in Cape Town.
Cape Town City Ballet is back as if the lockdown never happened. Over the Christmas period, it was The nutcracker, and now it is Cinderella. Please could you tell our readers about the latest production at Artscape?
DT: The lockdown was certainly a difficult journey for everyone. It is heartening to see the arts industry moving beyond it, and audiences hungry for the experience of live performance again. Cape Town City Ballet ended 2022 with 25 051 people attending The nutcracker at Artscape. Our latest production is Veronica Paeper’s Cinderella, the perfect feel-good production for the month of love! We run until 19 February at Artscape with six different casts, including our talented dancers from CTCB as well as international guest artists at select performances.
Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, but not everyone knows Cinderella the ballet. What makes this different – the music, the costumes?
Ballet is another form of storytelling. To share our version of the tale of Cinderella, we have Veronica Paeper’s enchanting choreography, the Prokofiev score that will sweep you along, and the technical brilliance and emotive acting of the dancers, against the backdrop of Peter Cazalet’s sumptuous costumes and set and Wilhelm Disbergen’s evocative lighting. It’s a multi-sensory experience!
Cinderella, Cape Town City Ballet (picture: Joan Ward)
For anyone who knows something about ballet: what types of dances and styles can be seen in this production of Cinderella?
Veronica has retained her original choreography from the first production she staged for CAPAB in the ’70s, with some updates and revisions. It is delicate, gentle and intimate, with wonderful ensemble scenes as well as some romantic grand pas de deux.
For anyone who does not know too much about ballet, but still likes going to the theatre: what can they look forward to when they attend this show?
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Cinderella is the perfect production for first-time ballet-goers. It is a classic, uplifting story that everyone knows. It has the opportunity to combine all the magical elements of live performance – set, costumes, lighting, a live orchestra at select performances and the sheer artistry of our dancers on stage.
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Cinderella is the perfect production for first-time ballet-goers. It is a classic, uplifting story that everyone knows. It has the opportunity to combine all the magical elements of live performance – set, costumes, lighting, a live orchestra at select performances and the sheer artistry of our dancers on stage. Of course, we also have the show-stealing moments from the ugly sisters played by the wonderful Marcel Meyer and Mervyn Williams – they are utterly loathsome and loveable!
To any future (or current) ballet dancers: is there hope for a future in ballet? What do you have to do to stand out and to be able to take part in a show like this one?
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It is no doubt a precarious and challenging industry to work in; however, there is absolutely a future in ballet. It is a centuries-old art form that has survived many things before us and will continue to do so beyond us. You have to be dedicated to honing your craft, putting in the work and being disciplined, professional and continually willing to learn. The resulting feeling of performing art on stage in front of a live audience is an unparalleled emotion and worth all the hours of hard work!
............
It is no doubt a precarious and challenging industry to work in; however, there is absolutely a future in ballet. It is a centuries-old art form that has survived many things before us and will continue to do so beyond us. You have to be dedicated to honing your craft, putting in the work and being disciplined, professional and continually willing to learn. The resulting feeling of performing art on stage in front of a live audience is an unparalleled emotion and worth all the hours of hard work!