Even for a company as flexible as The Australian Ballet, the past couple of years have been a squeeze.
Saturday night sees The Australian Ballet perform at the refurbished - and renamed - Ian Potter State Theatre for the first time since March 2024, with its beloved production of The Nutcracker.
On Friday, Davi Ramos dancing the part of Prince and Amy Ronnfeldt in her debut as Clara, were part of the cast onstage for a dress rehearsal.
With the closure of Melbourne's State Theatre for refurbishment, the national company has been cramming productions into the city's Regent Theatre.
While the two venues have similar audience capacity, several rows of top-notch seating had to be pulled out to accommodate an orchestra, and the Regent Theatre's smaller stage required set modifications with new works commissioned to fit the space.
Fewer shows and a reduced number of premium seats at the temporary venue contributed to an operating loss of $4.7 million for The Australian Ballet in 2025.
The company has a long history at the State Theatre: it officially opened the venue in 1984 with Maina Gielgud's The Sleeping Beauty and its stage has since shaped generations of dancers.
In 2002 The Australian Ballet premiered one of its best-known productions, Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake, on the State Theatre stage.
Extensive renovations at the 200-seat venue include state-of-the-art lighting and sound, new seats and improved disability access, as part of a $1.7 billion revitalisation of the city's arts precinct.