Woolf Works
{{Short description|2015 ballet by Wayne McGregor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox ballet
| name = Woolf Works
| italic title = yes
| image =
| image_size =
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| caption =
| native_name =
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| choreographer = Wayne McGregor
| composer = Max Richter
| librettist =
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| premiere = {{Start date|2015|05|11|df=y}}
| place = Royal Opera House
| ballet_company = The Royal Ballet
| characters =
| designer = Moritz Junge
Ciguë
We Not I
Wayne McGregor
| setting =
| created_for = Alessandra Ferri
| genre = Contemporary ballet
| type =
| url =
}}
Woolf Works is a full-length contemporary ballet choreographed by Wayne McGregor, composed by Max Richter, and inspired by Virginia Woolf's novels, letters, essays and diaries. The premiere took place on 11 May 2015 at the Royal Opera House. It was McGregor's first full-length ballet for The Royal Ballet, and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.{{cite news|url=https://www.roh.org.uk/productions/woolf-works-by-wayne-mcgregor|title=Woolf Works|work=Royal Opera House|accessdate=20 June 2020}}
Production
{{external media
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| video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD9NHyW39lc Woolf Works – Orlando pas de deux (Natalia Osipova, Edward Watson; The Royal Ballet)], YouTube video
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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, who was 52, was invited by McGregor to star in Woolf Works, as he believed her age was suitable for the role.{{cite news|url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/wayne-mcgregor-raven-girl-2622278826.html|title=Wayne McGregor's First Full- Length Ballet for The Royal|work=Pointe Magazine|last=Cappelle|first=Laura|date=9 April 2015}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://dancetabs.com/2017/02/interview-mara-galeazzi-on-woolf-works-her-wider-career-and-dancing-on/|title=Interview – Mara Galeazzi on Woolf Works, her wider career and dancing on…|work=DanceTaps|last=Parry|first=Jann|date=12 February 2017}}
The music, composed by McGregor's frequent collaborator Max Richter, featured both classical and electronic sounds.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/may/02/royal-ballet-virginia-woolf-works-wayne-mcgregor|title=Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Not the Royal Ballet|work=The Guardian|last=Mackrell|first=Judith|date=2 May 2015}} A recording of Woolf reading her essay "On Craftsmanship" was used in "I now, I then."{{cite news|url=https://www.gramilano.com/2019/04/woolf-works-at-la-scala-mcgregor-richter-ferri-and-bonelli-talk-about-making-the-ballet/|title=Woolf Works at La Scala – McGregor, Richter, Ferri and Bonelli talk about making the ballet|work=Gramilano|date=1 April 2019}} Actress Gillian Anderson provided a voice recording of reading Woolf's suicide note, which is played in the beginning of "Tuesday."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/15/arts/dance/review-woolf-works-by-the-royal-ballet.html?_r=0|title=Review: ‘Woolf Works’ by the Royal Ballet|work=New York Times|last=Sulcas|first=Roslyn|date=14 May 2015}} The music was released as an album titled Three Worlds: Music from Woolf Works.{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/max-richter-three-worlds/|title=Max Richter: Three Worlds – Music From Woolf Works|date=27 January 2017|publisher=Pop Matters}}
A 2017 revival was filmed and relayed in cinemas. The film was later broadcast by BBC 4 and released on a DVD.{{cite news|url=https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/podcast/bbc_four_woolf_works/9689|title=BBC Four - Wayne McGregor, Woolf Works, The Royal Ballet|work=Culture Whisper|last=Guerreiro|first=Teresa|date=29 June 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8538895--woolf-works|title=Woolf Works|work=Presto Classical|accessdate=20 June 2020}} The Royal Opera House released the recording online in response to the impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on the performing arts.{{cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/uk-regional/article/Royal-Opera-House-Announces-WOOLF-WORKS-and-LA-BOHEME-as-Part-of-OurHouseToYourHouse-20200613|title=Royal Opera House Announces Woolf Works and La Boheme as Part of #OurHouseToYourHouse|work=Broadway World UK Regional|date=13 June 2020}} 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."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/oct/07/the-royal-ballet-edward-watson-interview-wayne-mcgregor|title=The Royal Ballet's Edward Watson: 'It’s not normal to do this to your body – but it is possible'|work=The Guardian|date=7 October 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2020/oct/11/royal-ballet-back-on-stage-review-gala|title=The Royal Ballet: Back on Stage review – freedom to soar again|work=The Guardian|date=11 October 2020}}
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.gramilano.com/2019/05/mcgregors-woolf-works-thrills-and-enthralls-at-la-scala/|title=McGregor’s Woolf Works thrills and enthralls at La Scala|work=Gramilano|date=1 May 2019}}
Woolf Works made its North American debut on April 11, 2024 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California and was danced by American Ballet Theatre, Segerstrom's official dance company.[https://www.ocregister.com/2024/04/11/american-ballet-theatre-debuts-piece-in-costa-mesa/ "American Ballet Theatre debuts piece in Costa Mesa"]. The Orange County Register. 11 April 2024.
Principal casts
- Original cast: Alessandra Ferri, Federico Bonelli, Edward Watson, Tristan Dyer, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Francesca Hayward, Gary Avis, Sarah Lamb, Natalia Osipova, Melissa Hamilton, Akane Takada, Steven McRae, Paul Kay, Eric Underwood, Matthew Ball{{cite web|url=https://waynemcgregor.com/productions/woolf-works|title=Woolf Works|work=Studio Wayne McGregor|accessdate=19 June 2020}}
- 2017 filmed version cast: Alessandra Ferri, Federico Bonelli, Edward Watson, Calvin Richardson, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Francesca Hayward, Gary Avis, Sarah Lamb, Natalia Osipova, Akane Takada, Steven McRae, Paul Kay, Eric Underwood, Matthew Ball{{cite web|url=https://www.roh.org.uk/showings/woolf-works-live-2017|title=Woolf Works (2017)|work=Royal Opera House|accessdate=19 June 2020}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Organisation !Award !Work !Result !{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| rowspan="3" |2015
| rowspan="3" |Critics Circle National Dance Awards |Best Classical Choreography |Woolf Works |{{won}} |
| Outstanding Female Performance (Classical)
|Alessandra Ferri |{{nom}} |
| Grishko Award for Best Female Dancer
|Alessandra Ferri |{{won}} |
| rowspan="2" |2016
| rowspan="2" |Laurence Olivier Award |Woolf Works |{{won}} |
| Outstanding Achievement in Dance
|Alessandra Ferri{{#tag:ref|Alessandra Ferri was awarded for both Woolf Works and Chéri|group= n}} |{{won}} |
Notes
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References
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External links
- [https://www.roh.org.uk/ Royal Opera House]
- [https://waynemcgregor.com/ Studio Wayne McGregor]
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Category:Ballets by Wayne McGregor
Category:Ballets created for The Royal Ballet