Royal NZ Ballet Presents The Firebird & My Brilliant Career

Loughlan Prior’s The Firebird – a fairytale of a desert world where water is infinitely precious – was a huge hit for the RNZB in 2021. The national tour, which enjoyed sell-out performances in Wellington and Auckland, was cut short due to Covid restrictions, so 2025 is the first time that The Firebird has been seen in the South Island. Tracy Grant Lord’s stunning designs, coupled with immersive projections by POW Studios, provide the backdrop for Prior’s expressive choreography, all built on the foundation of Stravinsky’s epic score.
The Firebird will be paired with one-act ballet My Brilliant Career, based on the novel by Miles Franklin, and familiar to many through the 1979 film starring Judy Davis and Sam Neill. The ballet was created in 2023 for Queensland Ballet by UK choreographer Cathy Marston, in demand throughout the ballet world for her imaginative and emotionally compelling storytelling. We are delighted to bring Marston’s work to Aotearoa New Zealand for the first time, and to share her fiercely intelligent, character-driven choreography with audiences who love dance, theatre and a classic coming-of-age story.