Ballerina Delia Mathews Embraces Role of Lise

Described as “the funniest, sunniest English ballet masterpiece”, the curtain comes up on La Fille mal gardée (The Wayward Daughter) at Belfast’s Grand Opera House this week, and it stars principal dancer Rotorua-born Delia Mathews as Lise.

Birmingham Royal Ballet has revived Frederick Ashton’s well-loved tale of an ambitious mother, her resourceful daughter and a handsome farmer next door – not, to mention, the real star of the piece, a super-cute Shetland pony.

For Mathews, her role as Lise is one she embraces with mischievous enthusiasm.

“Lise who is a bit cheeky, a bit naughty, is really fun to play,” says the award-winning dancer. “It’s a really light-hearted, fun ballet for the whole family to enjoy, which is a bit different from the usual storylines. We have a great time playing these roles and I think the audience can feel that.”

Mathews joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2008.

She was born in 1990.

Original article by Gail Bell, The Irish News, November 1, 2018.