The story of legendary ballet dancer Nijinsky opens The Australian Ballet's 2025 season, with an acclaimed production by choreographer John Neumeier.
Russian-born Vaslav Nijinsky was the first male dancer to become a superstar of ballet. He was a brilliant artist whose sensual performances caused both euphoria and uproar in Paris theatres in the early 20th century.
But he became increasingly unwell with schizophrenia, and retired from the stage at 29. As his health deteriorated he spent time in and out of asylums.
Neumeier's retelling was originally developed for the Hamburg Ballett, and The Australian Ballet first staged the piece in 2016, to standing ovations at every performance across Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney.
The ballet delves into Nijinsky's personal struggles, and weaves in some of his most iconic roles such as Harlequin, the Golden Slave from Schéhérazade, and the Spirit of the Rose.
Neumeier has returned to Australia to work with the company on its 2025 production, which stars Callum Linnane as Nijinsky and is set to music by Chopin, Schumann, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Shostakovich, performed by Orchestra Victoria.
Nijinsky is at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Friday till March 1 before a run in Sydney in April.
