It's Macbeth like you've never seen before

It’s arguably Shakespeare’s most famous work and an extraordinary version of it is coming to Kelowna’s Community Theatre later this week.

It's the triumphant return of Ballet Kelowna’s full-length dance adaptation of Macbeth, choreographed by superstar dancemaker, Alysa Pires.

"We really highlight here what dance does so well," Pires told Kelowna10 during one of the final rehearsal sessions. "Action, high stakes emotion...the fight sequences, the big battles, the murders, the party even...we bring the action to life for the audience because we don't have the luxury of talking about it."

Alysa has been working with Ballet Kelowna since 2018 and her choreographic career is on the rise. She most recently became the first Canadian woman to choreograph for the New York City Ballet!

The ballet features an original score by award-winning composer Adam Sakiyama along with atmospheric multimedia visuals from Okanagan landscape artist Jane Everett.

Guest artist Jake Poloz will make his debut as Macbeth while senior artist Desiree Bortolussi is set to reprise her role as Lady Macbeth.

The COVID pandemic allowed for only two shows to be performed in 2022, so it's important for Pires and the dancers to be bringing this back to the Kelowna stage.

Praised for her “clarity and consistency in aesthetic” (The Globe and Mail), Pires brings her signature athleticism and theatricality to this contemporary retelling of Macbeth, exploring the dark side of human nature.

Featuring Ballet Kelowna’s full Company of dancers, the demanding two-act ballet will showcase Ballet Kelowna’s full breadth of technical and artistic prowess, featuring complex pointe work, unconventional groupings, and cinematic staging, bringing the multilayered Shakespearean work to life through deeply expressive movement.

Tickets and information at balletkelowna.ca