Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB) is set to dazzle audiences once again as it welcomes four exceptional international dancers to its company ahead of the highly anticipated production of Coppélia, opening this Friday 17 October, at the Artscape Opera House.
The limited season will feature live accompaniment by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
The new dancers bring a wealth of training and stage experience from leading ballet institutions in the UK, Brazil and Australia.
Luke Wragg, originally from London, trained at The Royal Ballet School’s White Lodge before completing his studies at the English National Ballet (ENB) School. During his time at ENB he also performed with the company in The Nutcracker.
Gil Zuntini joins from Brazil, bringing extensive classical and contemporary experience. A graduate of the Bolshoi Theatre School in Brazil and the Dutch National Ballet Academy, his repertoire includes Giselle, Don Quixote and La Bayadère as well as works by Jiří Kylián and Kenneth MacMillan.
Zachary Healy, from Australia, arrives from Singapore Ballet, where his credits include Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and contemporary works by choreographers such as Kinsun Chan and Alice Topp. A graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance, he previously appeared with CTCB in its sold-out Swan Lake season earlier this year.
Also from Brazil, Tayssa de Sousa trained at the Bolshoi Theatre School for eight years, performing in Les Sylphides, The Golden Age and Don Quixote. In 2024, she worked under the legendary Vladimir Vasiliev during his staging of Swan Lake.
Three shows only
Audiences can catch these rising stars alongside the full CTCB company in the enchanting ballet Coppélia.
This spirited classic is one of the most charming of all the classical ballets — a perfect mix of romance, mischief and magical illusion.
Set in a quaint village, Coppélia tells of young Franz who becomes inexplicably fascinated by a mysterious girl he spies reading a book on the balcony of eccentric toymaker Dr. Coppelius.
Unbeknownst to him, the beautiful girl is actually a mechanical doll — named ‘Coppélia’ — the inventor’s prized creation.
Franz’s fiancée, Swanilda, somewhat annoyed by her beloved’s infatuation, uncovers the truth about the mannequin and sets about winning back her distracted lover and all manner of hilarious shenanigans ensue.
Performances run for one weekend only: Friday 17 October at 19:00, and Saturday 18 October at 14:00 and 19:00, at Artscape Opera House.
*Book at Webtickets or Artscape Dial-A-Seat on 021 421 7695.
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