I am so excited to be writing my first full length ballet. It is called The Brolga and the Star. I have had preliminary meetings with the choreographer and conductor – the story line is developing in the usual organic way, along with my musical ideas. The performance is planned for the end of 2016.
It is such a privilege to work on these larger projects and I especially value the collaborations. There is such a sense of community – that has always been very central to my work as a composer.
I’m now looking at as much footage of the brolga birds as I can find, and especially studying their beautiful dance – such grace. I have been lucky enough to witness this dance in the wild on a couple of occasions; we have many pristine wilderness areas in the Top End of Australia.
Here is a YouTube clip that I found of brolgas dancing near Batchelor, a town about an hours drive south of my home town of Darwin.