Royal New Zealand Ballet Unveils A Mesmerising Double Bill For Autumn

THE FIREBIRD returns with MY BRILLIANT CAREER (30 April - 1 June)

The Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) is set to ignite stages across the country with two stunning and thought-provoking ballets – the powerful The Firebird and the evocative My Brilliant Career, presented in association with AVIS. Created by two of the ballet world’s star choreographers – Loughlan Prior (named one of ‘25 to Watch’ in 2025 in the prestigious US publication Dance Magazine) and the award-winning Cathy Marston – this season promises to be a tour de force of storytelling, movement and theatrical spectacle.

April sees the return of Loughlan Prior’s The Firebird, a dazzling reimagining of the Russian fairytale set in a dystopian desert world where water is more valuable than gold. Originally premiering in 2021 to sold-out audiences in Wellington and Auckland, the production was cut short due to Covid restrictions. Now, in 2025, it finally makes its long-awaited debut in the South Island.

Prior’s expressive choreography, set against Tracy Grant Lord’s striking costume and set designs enhanced by immersive projections from POW Studios, brings to life a world both magical and perilously real. With Igor Stravinsky’s sweeping score performed by a live orchestra in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch, under the baton of Hamish McKeich, The Firebird is set to be one of the most visually and emotionally captivating productions of the year.

Complementing this grand spectacle is the New Zealand premiere of My Brilliant Career, choreographed by the internationally acclaimed Cathy Marston for Queensland Ballet in 2023 and now performed by the RNZB for the first time. Based on Miles Franklin’s iconic novel and familiar to many through the 1979 film starring Judy Davis and Sam Neill, this one-act ballet explores the fierce independence and passion of a young woman determined to carve her own path in life. Marston, known for her deeply intelligent and character-driven choreography, brings Franklin’s timeless heroine to life in a powerful and intimate portrayal that will resonate with modern audiences.

“With our first main stage season for 2025, we are delighted to be bringing to audiences across the motu a pair of contrasting, but equally thought-provoking and emotionally charged narrative works which demonstrate the immense storytelling capacity of ballet,” says RNZB artistic director Ty King-Wall.

“It is wonderful to be presenting for the first time in New Zealand, a work by Cathy Marston. Cathy is a choreographer at the peak of her powers, and My Brilliant Career demonstrates perfectly her skill at adapting literary sources for the stage. It is a privilege for us to be performing one of her works. We are also so excited to be returning to Loughlan Prior’s The Firebird and to be sharing it with a wider audience this time, after receiving such an enthusiastic response to its premiere four years ago.

“We are incredibly grateful to our friends at AVIS for their investment in this season, which has helped us bring these powerful performances on tour from Auckland to Invercargill and connect with our audiences’ love of dance. With their support we look forward with great anticipation to bringing this thrilling programme to some of our country’s most beautiful theatres in April and May.”

The Firebird is a visual feast, a ballet of scale and spectacle, while My Brilliant Career is an intricate and deeply personal exploration of ambition and self-discovery. Together, they make for an unforgettable evening of dance. With a national tour from April 30 to June 1, this season is poised to be a landmark event in New Zealand’s cultural calendar.

The Firebird with My Brilliant Career

in association with AVIS season information

Wellington

St Jame’s Theatre, 30 April-3 May

Auckland

Aotea Centre, 7-10 May

Palmerston North

Regent on Broadway, 14 May

Invercargill

Civic Theatre, 21 May

Dunedin

The Regent, 24-25 May

Christchurch

Isaac Theatre Royal, 29 May-1 June

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