The Royal New Zealand Ballet's final production for 2019 ventured into the dark, fantastical realms of Hansel & Gretel. Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, the national company is offering free broadcasts of recent performances via Facebook Premiere.

First up will be the classic fairytale filmed live onstage at the Opera House Wellington with accompaniment from a live orchestra. The production takes inspiration from the old-fashioned magic of silent movies and music hall vaudeville as two hungry children wander the forest and come across an irresistible gingerbread house. It features choreography by Loughlan Prior and a specially commissioned score by Claire Cowan.

The production will be broadcast three times over the weekend: Friday, 3 April at 7.30pm, Saturday, 4 April at 1.30pm, and Sunday, 5 April at 10.30am. The performance lasts one hour and 45 minutes, plus a brief interval between the two acts to make a cup of coffee and grab a slice of gingerbread.

Alongside full productions, RNZB Education is putting together a wealth of digital resources for people of all ages staying at home, including online workshops and balletic exercises.

Image: Stephen A'Court.