2023 Annual Russell Kerr Lecture

​The fifth annual Russell Kerr Lecture in Ballet & Related Arts 2023:
The Life & Career of Patricia Rianne
 The next session in the continuing annual series of the Russell Kerr Lecture will focus on the life and work of Patricia Rianne, New Zealand's celebrated ballet dancer, whose career encompasses performance, choreography and teaching in New Zealand and internationally.

                 Sunday 26 February 2023, 4.00pm - 6.00pm. The Long Hall, Roseneath

You are invited to attend this profile, in conversation format, of Patricia's career. Her magical production of The Nutcracker remains legendary in the Royal New Zealand Ballet repertoire where it stayed for over 12 years. Memorable highlights include her performances of Giselle and La Sylphide.  Patricia was awarded the 1976 London Critics Award for Performance of the Year for her role as Giselle with Scottish Ballet. In 1976 / 77  she was invited by Rudolf Nureyev as his partner in seasons of Giselle, La Sylphide, Sonate à Trois and Flower Festival in Genzano.

There will a special focus on her choreography, Bliss, inspired by Katherine Mansfield's story of that title, for RNZB in 1986.    A tribute to the late Jenny McLeod, whose music Trisha used for her choreography, Summer's End, also for RNZB in 1992, will be included.

Following the conversation, there will be brief presentations of two new books:  
* Michelle Potter's Glimpses of Graeme, Australian choreographer Graeme Murphy
* Ashley Killar, (former artistic director of RNZB 1992 - 95), has just published a biography of John Cranko, choreographer for Stuttgart Ballet where Ashley was a young dancer.
Limited copies of Royal New Zealand Ballet at Sixty, co-edited by Jennifer Shennan and Anne Rowse, with an invaluable repertoire appendix compiled by Keith McEwing, will also be available for sale.
 
Background: 
Commencing in 2018, the inaugural lecture in this series was delivered by Dr.Michelle Potter on her researches into the career of Kristian Frederickson, from which her fine book was subsequently published. [Loughlan Prior's choreography Lark, was performed by Sir Jon Trimmer and William Fitzgerald, with accompaniment by Hamish Robb]
In 2019, Dr.Ian Lochhead spoke about the visits to New Zealand of Russian Ballet companies in 1930s and '40s. [Abigail Boyle danced Fokine's le Cygne, accompanied by Hamish Robb and Inbal Megiddo, and a student from NZSD, performed the Prelude from Les Sylphides].
In 2020, Jennifer Shennan spoke of the life and work of the late Douglas Wright, New Zealand's leading choreographer and dancer. [Anne Rowse & Keith McEwing, with Hamish Robb, performed the menuet à deux  from Kellom Tomlinson's 18thc.notation, which had always interested Douglas in his choreographic researches].
In 2021 Anne Rowse spoke about the performing, choreographic and teaching career of her lifelong friend and colleague, Russell Kerr. [A dance, Journey, had been choreographed by Russell for two Japanese students who had come to Christchurch to study with him. performed by students from New Zealand School of Dance. 

Please RSVP for seating and catering purposes, with names of those wishing to attend, to   jennifershennan@xtra.co.nz  

A confirmation of your reservation will be sent. Koha to ensure the continuation of the Russell Kerr lecture series beyond this year is invited.