Tolstoy’s most fascinating character, Anna Karenina clearly fascinates David McAllister who has recently announced his 20th and final season as Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet with a new version of Anna Karenina, a co-production with Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. David McAllister has built relationships with some of the world’s great choreographers, in this case, former Bolshoi dancer Yuri Possokhov. David danced in the 1980 version of Anna Karenina. This new production opened to great acclaim in Chicago earlier this year; it has an original score by Ilya Demutsky with designs by Tom Pye and David Finn.

Another outstanding choreographer with whom David has an enduring relationship is Graeme Murphy, who is creating the 2020 season opener in Brisbane, The Happy Prince. This greatly loved Oscar Wilde story will be staged by Murphy together with artist and theatre director Kim Carpenter and film composer Christopher Gordon. A new triple-bill titled Volt will feature two works by renowned British choreographer Wayne McGregor and a new creation by the company’s newest resident choreographer, Alice Topp. David McAllister’s fourth choice for the season is a further triple-bill titled Molto. And for Melbourne only, there will be a new version of Pepita’s Harlequinade.

The 2020 season is testament to David’s outstanding stewardship of The Australian Ballet. After 20 years, he’ll be a hard act to follow.