QPAC

Queensland Performing Arts Centre has announced a free program of community events to reach more Queenslanders than ever as part of this year’s QPAC International Series – an exclusive Australian season of Ballet Preljocaj’s Swan Lake in the Lyric Theatre from Saturday 31 May to Saturday 7 June 2025. 

Founded in 1985 by maverick French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj, the Aix-en-Provence-based Ballet Preljocaj last wowed audiences at QPAC in 2016 with the sell-out season of Snow White as part of the International Series and is world renowned for warping the experience of ballet. 

Famed for his iconoclastic deconstruction of great story ballets, Preljocaj’s Swan Lake has leaned on some elements of Marius Pepita and Lev Ivanov’s original choreography but has reimagined it with ‘audacity and respect’. 

On Monday 2 June, in association with Alliance Française de Brisbane, QPAC will present a free exclusive screening of Valérie Müller’s documentary La Force de l’âge (The Prime of Life) in the Lyric Theatre, followed by a panel discussion with Film Director Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj. 

The uplifting documentary follows more than 300 individuals over the age of 65 as they audition for a chance to perform onstage at the prestigious Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris in a daring new dance production by Preljocaj.

Dance for Parkinson’s Australia Director and Founding Teacher Erica Rose Jeffrey and Queensland Ballet Director, Van Norton Li Community Health Institute Zara Gomes will also join the discussion hosted by Rebecca Levingston. 

The behind-the-scenes insights continue after select performances of Swan Lake in the Lyric Theatre, when audiences are invited to attend free panel discussions with speakers from Ballet Preljocaj and the fields of dance, orchestral music and academia.  

These conversations will take place after the performances on 1.30pm Saturday 31 May, 6.30pm Tuesday 3 June and 7.30pm Friday 6 June. 

To extend the reach of the Australian premiere season, between Friday 13 and Sunday 15 June, 17 venues around the state will host special screenings of Ballet Preljocaj’s Swan Lake, with music by Queensland Symphony Orchestra, performed and recorded in Brisbane. 

The broadcast will be free to attend at Brolga Theatre (Maryborough), Dalby Players Little Theatre, Forest View Residential Aged Care (Wondai), Gladstone Entertainment Centre, Kingaroy Performing Arts Centre, Leichhardt Centre (Miles), HOTA Cinema (Gold Coast), Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, Moncrieff Entertainment Centre (Bundaberg), Mount Isa Civic Centre, Nanango Cultural Centre, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, Redland Performing Arts Centre (Cleveland), Roma Cultural Centre, Studio 188 (Ipswich), The Clink Theatre (Port Douglas) and The J (Noosa). 

QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy said more Queenslanders than ever before would experience Ballet Preljocaj’s unique style and cultural impact. 

“When we bring companies like Ballet Preljocaj to QPAC, which are the best in the world at what they do, we want to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to experience their work,” Ms Healy said. 

“Angelin and Ballet Preljocaj completely throw out the rules of ballet, and whether you are witnessing their magic in the theatre or on the big screen, I am confident audiences will be challenged and inspired by this new interpretation of a masterpiece. 

“We couldn’t reach such broad audiences without the collaboration of our partner venues across Queensland; and we’re incredibly grateful for their shared passion for the arts and applaud their commitment to ensuring their communities can experience this internationally acclaimed company.”  

Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the acclaimed International Series would reach far and wide with delivery through 17 regional venues and communities across the state.

“Since its inception in 2009, the International series has engaged almost 185,000 people and injected more than $32 million into Queensland’s economy,” Minister Langbroek said.

“QPAC’s free program of community events will support audiences across the state to come together to engage with Ballet Preljocaj’s spectacular interpretation of Swan Lake.

“The Crisafulli Government is committed to ensuring all Queenslanders have access to the very best arts and cultural experiences, particularly as we continue to build up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

To further encourage cultural exchange during the QPAC season, Queensland dance groups will participate in masterclasses held by Ballet Preljocaj dancers. 

For further information about the free Queensland broadcasts of Ballet Preljocaj’s Swan Lake, visit each venue’s website. Additional Queensland venues interested in hosting a screening are invited to submit expressions of interest here. 

Ballet Preljocaj’s Swan Lake runs in QPAC’s Lyric Theatre from 31 May to 7 June and is an exclusive Australian season as part of the QPAC International Series and QPAC's 40th anniversary celebrations. 

Since its inaugural presentation in 2009, the QPAC International Series has welcomed some of the world’s finest performing arts companies – including Bolshoi Ballet, The Royal Ballet and Teatro alla Scala – exclusively to Queensland, with many making their Australian debuts. 

The QPAC International Series is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.