Lydenburg’s Brendan McLaren to perform in highly acclaimed La Traviata – The Ballet
The professional dancer was part of the original cast in 1990.
Brendon Mclaren’s dancing talent was evident from a very young age. In addition to his professional credentials at the Royal Academy Ballet of London, the rest of his dancing career and as an international instructor is widespread.
As a boy and young adult, he trained with Rosemarie Middleton at her studio in Johannesburg until he started his studies in performing arts at the University of Cape Town. That is why Rosemarie and Kim Middleton were so excited when he joined Rosemarie Middleton Dance Academy in Lydenburg as an instructor in 2021.
“Ballet has always been more than a passion for me. The opportunity to dance again in La Traviata – The Ballet is a full-circle moment for me. I was part of the original cast in 1990. I was cast as Gaston then and also danced as part of a gypsy couple with Mandy Whittle. And now, 33 years later, I will be dancing the part of the baron,” said McLaren.
He said he is very excited to be working with choreographer Veronica Paeper again. Paeper was the creator and choreographer of the original ballet.
After finishing school, McLaren proceeded to dance with the Cape Town Ballet Company. He quickly became a soloist and is a certified professional dancer, choreographer and instructor. McLaren was employed as a corps de ballet member after his studies and promoted to the first soloist under Paeper’s directorship. Some of his experience stretches from both soloist and principal roles in Israel and well-known productions, such as Crassus in Spartacus, Basilio in Don Quixote, Franz in Coppelia, the prince in The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake.
La Traviata – The Ballet is in celebration of the Johannesburg City Ballet Company’s 21st anniversary. Eight performances will take place from Friday July 1 to 10. The ballet was last presented in Johannesburg in 2017.
To purchase tickets, visit www.joburgthreatre.com.
Photo: Lauge Sorensen, Source. Joburg Theatre.
The Joburg Theatre gave the following information about La Traviata:
The Cape Town-based Veronica Paeper is South Africa’s leading choreographer working in the classical style. She has created an extensive repertoire of ballets and is particularly admired for her full-length story ballets, among which La Traviata -The Ballet is one of her most popular works.
Originally created in Cape Town in 1990, the ballet is based on the 19th century story of the Lady of the Camellias. A deeply moving portrait of a woman who sacrifices all for the man she loves, the ballet is set to the unforgettable music of Verdi’s famous opera La Traviata, arranged and adapted for the ballet by composer and conductor Allan Stephenson.
In addition to performances in South Africa, La Traviata -The Ballet has been presented in the UK where critics admired it as “outstanding”, “graceful, passionate and ravishingly romantic” and “an utterly compelling production”.
Commenting on the return of La Traviata -The Ballet, Joburg Ballet artistic director Iain MacDonald said, “We are delighted to be able to give our audiences the opportunity to see this magnificent ballet and privileged that Veronica will be in Johannesburg to restage one of her finest works. The leading roles demand dramatic power and technical precision and I know Joburg Ballet will meet these challenges with flair and brilliance. La Traviata – The Ballet is a theatrical tour de force not to be missed.”
