Image: Storytime Ballet, Cinderella 2026 courtesy of the Festival Theatre
Adelaide is set to become the centre of Australia’s ballet world in 2027, with The Australian Ballet choosing the Festival Theatre for the world premiere of a major new revival of Cinderella.
Running from September 1 to 11, the exclusive Adelaide season will form part of a wider celebration marking The Australian Ballet’s 65th anniversary, bringing performances, free public events, exhibitions, talks, workshops and classes to Adelaide Festival Centre and Festival Plaza.
At the heart of the program is Cinderella, featuring Sir Frederick Ashton’s original choreography and Prokofiev’s score performed live by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. The full company of The Australian Ballet will take to the Festival Theatre stage for the production’s first performances before it tours elsewhere.
The Adelaide connection runs deep. The Australian Ballet’s original Australian premiere of Cinderella in 1972 starred South Australia’s own Sir Robert Helpmann, and that history will also be explored through a major exhibition, Cinderella: Origins of a Fairytale. The exhibition will bring together costumes and rare collection pieces, including the original coach used in the 1972 production.
Beyond the theatre, Festival Plaza will be transformed into a huge open-air dance studio for Ballet en Masse, a free ballet class expected to welcome thousands of people of all ages and abilities. It will give seasoned dancers, complete beginners and families the chance to take part in a large-scale class led by The Australian Ballet.
The celebration will continue inside Adelaide Festival Centre with Talking Ballet, a series of conversations hosted at Quartet Bar and Angry Penguin, alongside further workshops and classes conducted by The Australian Ballet.
Artistic Director David Hallberg said bringing the revival to Adelaide in the company’s anniversary year was particularly meaningful.
“To bring our revival of Cinderella to Adelaide in The Australian Ballet’s 65th anniversary year is incredibly special. We have a deep appreciation for our Adelaide audiences and donors, who have supported us here over many years so I’m delighted to be bringing this dazzling production to Adelaide and celebrate that connection.”
The landmark production has been made possible through The Australian Ballet’s giving community, led by South Australian philanthropists Dr Pamela Wall AO and the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation.
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould said the premiere would be a significant moment for the venue and the state.
“This once-in-a-generation moment showcases Adelaide Festival Centre as a venue where major cultural works are not simply hosted but launched, cementing South Australia’s place in the national touring circuit.”
The season follows the recent $43 million refurbishment of Adelaide Festival Centre, with the 2027 program set to put the venue firmly in the spotlight for ballet audiences around the country.
Cinderella will run at Festival Theatre from September 1 to 11, 2027.
Priority access for Cinderella and Ballet en Masse is available by joining the waitlist through Adelaide Festival Centre.
For more, head to https://australianballet.com.au/
