Yaron Lifschitz

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Yaron Lifschitz is an Australian theatre director most notable for his involvement in the circus arts. He has directed over 50 productions including mainstage theatre, physical theatre, large scale events and opera.

In 1991 he graduated from the Directing course at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, Australia. He is also a graduate of the University of New South Wales.

He was first artistic director of the Australian Museum's Theatre Unit; a position he held for five years. In 1998, the Australian Museum commissioned him to create an exhibition entitled Thirst: reflections on water in Australia. He appointed Genevieve Blanchett, whom he had known at NIDA, as his production designer.

He has been head tutor in directing at Australian Theatre for Young People and regularly teaches at NIDA.

He is the Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Circa (formerly the Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus Ensemble) in Brisbane. In 2002 he was instrumental in founding the Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus Training Centre.

After Stanislav Slavinski said "We [Europeans] are a dead culture. We are finished. What are your stories?" to him during a meeting in Prague he became interested in "telling stories that didn’t end in the way of the stories of European civilisation". Circus provided a means of telling stories with no narrative.

He lives and works in Brisbane.

Contents

[edit] Productions

[edit] 2004

The Space Between – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa; Premiered at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Brisbane on September 10, 2004.

A man engages in marital and extra-marital sex. The effects of this are explored in music, dance and speech.

A Man In A Room Juggling – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and David Sampford; Directed by Yaron Lifschitz; Performed by David Sampford; Premiered at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre on July 14, 2004.

David Sampford juggled, balanced, manipulated and performed magic on a huge grid of juggling balls to the music of a grand piano while photographic images and video of his performance was projected behind him.

A Love Supreme – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa; Premiered at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Brisbane on April 2004.

Four performers improvised with circus skills to two jazz pieces: A Love Supreme by John Coltrane and The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus.

[edit] 2003

Ficklegravity – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa; Directed by Yaron Lifschitz; Premiered at Livid 2003, Sydney on October 11, 2003.

A collection of circus acts.

Anyway I’m Not Alone – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa; Directed by Yaron Lifschitz; Premiered at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Brisbane on June 25, 2003.

A collection of circus acts.

Naked – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa; Directed by Yaron Lifschitz; Premiered at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Brisbane on April 8, 2003.

A collection of circus acts.

Inferno – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; Created by Yaron Lifschitz and Circa; Premiered at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Brisbane on January 2003.

A collection of circus acts.

[edit] 2002

Figaro Variations – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; created by Rock 'n' Roll Circus, Directed by Yaron Lifschitz. Premiered at Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane on November 25, 2002.

A reinterpretation of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro with circus, dance, music and speech.

[edit] 2001

Tango – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; created by Rock 'n' Roll Circus, Directed by Yaron Lifschitz. Premiered at Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane on September 1, 2001.

Circus skills displayed to the sounds of the tango.

[edit] 2000

Sonata for Ten Hands – Produced by Rock 'n' Roll Circus; created by Rock 'n' Roll Circus, Directed by Yaron Lifschitz. Premiered at Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane on June 6, 2000.

Four performers describe the experiences of a one-legged child with three friends and then reunite them thirty years later. The piece features the music of Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.

Opening of Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre – Produced by Jane Trow; Directed by Yaron Lifschitz. Performed at Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane on May 5, 2000 and May 6, 2000.

[edit] 1992

One of six one-act plays in Shorts, September 1992 for the Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney.