''Woolf Works'' is a full-length contemporary ballet choreographed by
Wayne McGregor
Wayne McGregor, CBE (born 12 March 1970) is a multi award-winning British choreographer and director. He is the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. McGregor was appointed Commander of ...
, composed by
Max Richter, and inspired by
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device.
Woolf was born ...
's novels, letters, essays and diaries. The premiere took place on 11 May 2015 at the
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal ...
. It was McGregor's first full-length ballet for
The Royal Ballet
The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...
, and won the
Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.
Production
In the ballet, each act represent one of Woolf's novels. The three acts, titled "I now, I then", "Becomings" and "Tuesday" are inspired by ''
Mrs. Dalloway'', ''
Orlando'' and ''
The Waves'' respectively.
[
]Alessandra Ferri
Alessandra Ferri OMRI (born 6 May 1963) is an Italian prima ballerina. She danced with the Royal Ballet (1980–1984), American Ballet Theatre (1985–2007) and La Scala Theatre Ballet (1992–2007) and as an international guest artist, befo ...
, who was 52, was invited by McGregor to star in ''Woolf Works'', as he believed her age was suitable for the role. Mara Galeazzi, a former principal dancer who left the company in 2013, was asked to cover for Ferri, though Galeazzi did not perform the role until 2017.
The music, composed by McGregor's frequent collaborator Max Richter, featured both classical and electronic sounds.Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress. Her credits include the roles of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the series ''The X-Files'', ill-fated socialite Lily Bart in Terence Davies's film '' The House of Mirt ...
provided a voice recording of reading Woolf's suicide note, which is played in the beginning of "Tuesday." The music was released as an album titled ''Three Worlds: Music from Woolf Works''.
A 2017 revival was filmed and relayed in cinemas.[ The film was later broadcast by BBC 4 and released on a DVD. The Royal Opera House released the recording online in response to the impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on the performing arts. In the first full company performance since the pandemic started, Edward Watson, Akane Takada and Calvin Richardson performed an excerpt from "I now, I then."
La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan debuted ''Woolf Works'' in 2019. Ferri and Federico Bonelli, a Royal Ballet principal, reprised their roles from the original production.
]
Principal casts
*Original cast: Alessandra Ferri
Alessandra Ferri OMRI (born 6 May 1963) is an Italian prima ballerina. She danced with the Royal Ballet (1980–1984), American Ballet Theatre (1985–2007) and La Scala Theatre Ballet (1992–2007) and as an international guest artist, befo ...
, Federico Bonelli, Edward Watson, Tristan Dyer, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Francesca Hayward, Gary Avis, Sarah Lamb, Natalia Osipova, Melissa Hamilton, Akane Takada, Steven McRae
Steven McRae (born 19 December 1985) is an Australian ballet dancer and tap dancer. He is a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, London. , Paul Kay, Eric Underwood, Matthew Ball
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
Royal Opera HouseStudio Wayne McGregor
{{authority control
Ballets by Wayne McGregor
Ballets created for The Royal Ballet
2015 ballet premieres
Ballets based on literature
Virginia Woolf in performing arts