Last year the Fugard Theatre, in the heart of District Six, was furnished with state-of-the-art digital cinema and surround sound equipment and The World Opera and Ballet screenings are presented in full high definition, with 5.1 digital Dolby surround sound.
To date, well-known ballets such as Swan Lake, Giselle and Coppélia have been screened to large audiences, as well as iconic operas including Tosca and Don Giovanni featuring the biggest stars in the opera and ballet world.
Ballet productions that will be screened over the next five months will be The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty and Manon featuring top dancers. In the title roles in Don Quixote, the Bolshoi's prima ballerina Natalia Osipova stars opposite Ivan Vasiliev. As Kitri and Basilio, Osipova and Vasiliev have been described as dancers at their absolute peak who deliver unforgettable and breathtaking performances.
Opera fans can look forward to Il Trittico, Macbeth, Cosi Fan Tutte and Cinderella (Cendrillon). The latter boasts Jules Massenet's score with enchanting fairytale-like sets and costumes. In the production, Joyce DiDonato takes the title role, with Alice Coote as her Prince Charming and the fairy godmother played by Eglise Guttiérez.
Tickets cost R100 per person, per screening, and include a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival. Friends of the Fugard benefit from generous discounts through the theatre's box office. Screenings are at 4pm unless otherwise stated, with bookings via Computicket and the Fugard Theatre Box Officeon +27 (0)21 461 4554. There is secure parking in the Harrington Street car park located at the corner of Caledon and Harrington Streets and is available for the use of theatre patrons.
21 and 22 January: Cendrillon (Opera ROH: Massenet)
28 and 29 January: The Nutcracker (Ballet: Bolshoi)
10 and 11 February: Don Quixote (Ballet: Bolshoi)
25 and 26 February: Il Trittico (Opera ROH: Puccini)
10 and 11 March: The Sleeping Beauty (Ballet: Bolshoi)
17 and 18 March: Manon (Ballet RBC: Macmillan)
14 and 15 April: Macbeth (Opera ROH: Verdi)
20 and 27 May 2012: Cosi Fan Tutte (Opera ROH: Mozart)
