‘One of the top artists in the country’: Li Cunxin reveals his leading lady

Li Cunxin has named her one of the best ballerinas in the country and now Queensland Ballet’s Mia Heathcote is about to have her moment in the sun.

Mia Heathcote smoking a cigar? I can’t see it, I really can’t.

But this is what you do when you visit Cuba, apparently, a country world famous for its cigars as well as its decaying architecture and retro cars.

We’re chatting about her forthcoming star turn in Queensland Ballet’s production of Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon which comes to the Lyric Theatre at QPAC from September 28.

Mia Heathcote, 27, is playing Manon in the first cast alongside Cuban Patricio Reve. Heathcote’s beau happens to be another Cuban in the company, 29-year-old Victor Estevez.

Cuba has been a happy hunting ground, talent wise, for Queensland Ballet under artistic director Li Cunxin who has been at the company for a decade now. Cuba has a world famous national ballet company and produces some amazing dancers.

Mia Heathcote and partner Victor Estevez. Picture: John Gass

“There’s something in the water there,” Heathcote offers.

She visited Cuba just before Covid hit with Estevez and her parents and older brother Sam, to meet the Estevez family.

Mia’s dad, Steven Heathcote is a ballet legend still working in the field as ballet master for The Australian Ballet and mum Kathy (nee Reid) was also a dancer with The Australian Ballet. So Mia Heathcote is part of a burgeoning ballet dynasty.

The family trip to Cuba was a bonding experience for the Heathcote and Estevez families and was fun, she says.

“We loved Cuba and my brother Sam especially loved it,” Mia Heathcote tells me between rehearsals for Manon.

“We felt so immersed in the culture. It was the first time I had visited but Dad had guested there as a dancer. And yes we smoked cigars. I have photographic proof of me smoking a cigar.”

It’s not what I expected to hear but maybe I have unreal expectations. Like a lot of people I see Mia in aesthetic terms but the fact is she’s a very down to earth person from a pretty grounded family and if they want to smoke a cigar or two, what the hell.

Mia Heathcote will perform in Queensland Ballet's Manon. Picture: David Kelly

But as a dancer she is quiet ethereal, a crowd favourite whose stage presence is special. Whenever we are at the ballet in Brisbane when Mia comes on it is a moment.

Her role in Manon is a little less ethereal though. Manon is a beautiful ballet in many ways but it is also a tad gritty at times.

Everyone loves a fairytale ballet but Manon certainly isn’t one. It’s a romantic tragedy following the tale of a young French peasant girl conflicted by love and yearning to be free from poverty. There are no swans, no princes and princesses, no fairies.

It’s an adults only affair too with Queensland Ballet (QB) advising that their forthcoming production is not suitable for younger audiences.

Best you find that out now really.

According to QB’s artistic director Li Cunxin, this is the ballet event of the year.

“This is the big one, Li says. “It will be the biggest ballet we have done. It’s very special. They don’t give this ballet to everyone.”

Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s widow, Lady Deborah MacMillan, oversees a trust that strictly controls the dissemination of the famed choreographer’s works. She has entrusted QB with his work before, notably his Romeo and Juliet.

Mia Heathcote with Li Cunxin. Picture: David Kelly

Now QB has the imprimatur to perform Manon and Lady MacMillan is coming to Brisbane to oversee final preparations for the staging of the ballet.

The story takes place in 1700s Paris. The beautiful Manon (Mia Heathcote) is on her way to enter a convent, when the old and wealthy Monsieur GM makes an intriguing offer for her hand to her brother Lescaut. Left outside while the arrangement is finalised, Manon meets and falls in love with the handsome Des Grieux (Patricio Reve) and they flee Paris.

Later found and tempted by Monsieur GM’s extravagant wealth, she leaves with him as his courtesan, however all is not lost in this compelling love story, as Des Grieux will appear again. From seduction, ambition and greed to the persuasive power of love, this sumptuous story has been captivating audiences for more than two centuries. Li Cunxin says he is chuffed to be able to present it in Brisbane.

Mia Heathcote. Picture: David Kelly

“It is an honour to be performing one of Kenneth MacMillan’s blockbuster masterpieces,” Li says.

“Queensland Ballet is one of only a handful of companies across the world with permission to perform Kenneth MacMillan’s version of Manon.”

It’s such an occasion that Li couldn’t resist the opportunity to step on to the stage again in it. He and wife Mary, his former dance partner back in the days when they were both international stars, will be appearing in select performances.

But wait, there’s more. Romanian-born prima ballerina Alina Cojocaru is coming to Brisbane as a guest star in the lead role for a couple for performances in early October. Former principal of the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet she is widely considered to be one of the world’s top ballerinas.

Meanwhile Li says Mia was hand-picked for the lead cast.

“She possesses a rare artistry and that’s what Lady Deborah MacMillan and stager Julie Lincoln have seen in her,” Li says.

Mia Heathcote and Patricio Reve will perform in Queensland Ballet's Manon. Picture: David Kelly

“That’s why she and Patricio Reve were chosen for first cast in Romeo and Juliet and again why they were chosen to do the opening night of Manon.

“Even when she first auditioned at the age of 17, Mia possessed an incredible quality and musicality as a student. There is no doubt in my mind that she is one of the top artists in the country at the moment. Both Mia and Patricio could be described as stars on the rise.”

It’s certainly not overnight success though for Mia who has spent her life steeped in ballet and grew up meeting famous dancers such as Lucinda Dunn and Damien Welch when she was a girl.

“Ballet was part of my life growing up and I was surrounded by it and there was always this drive in me,” Mia says.

“There’s just something about moving to music that really got me. But when I told my parents I wanted to make ballet my career they said … ‘Are you sure?’

“They never pushed me to do anything I didn’t want to do for myself though,” she says. “They said it had to come from me. My relentless passion for ballet was so strong.

“When I decided that ballet was my future they backed me 100 per cent. I’m grateful for them, I couldn’t ask for two more wonderful, grounded people as my parents.”

Her folks intend to come to Brisbane to see her in Manon and that will be special.

Mia and Steven Heathcote.

Steven Heathcote and his daughter have been talking a bit lately about Manon, a ballet in which he played several roles over the years and knows well.

“We’ve been talking a bit about it and have chatted about the story and the characters,” Steven Heathcote says.

“It’s an interesting ballet but one that is definitely not for the littlies. It’s a moral fable and MacMillan delves into some dark areas in it. I know Mia has read the book it is based on and she is always very thorough with her research.”

Steven Heathcote says he and wife Kathy, who live in Melbourne where The Australian Ballet is based and where Mia grew up, are happy that Mia has found a home at QB.

“She’s in very good hands there,” he says. “I’m thrilled for her. It’s a long journey for a dancer but it was a great fit for her heading to Queensland. There were a lot of well meaning expectations that she might magically find her way into The Australian Ballet but people have to find the place that suits them and where they will grow most.”

Steven, Kathy and Mia Heathcote.

Steven Heathcote has memories of visiting Brisbane in his dancing days and recalls that it was a different city then, a place where you couldn’t get a meal late after a show.

“But Brisbane is now thriving culturally and it’s wonderful that the ballet has a new home at the Thomas Dixon Centre. Mia did send me a sneaky video when they did a tour before it opened and it looked breathtaking.”

Mia describes the ballet’s new home after a refurbishment that cost more than $100m as “phenomenal”.

“Walking in there now, it’s like a dream,” she says.

And like QB’s artistic director, Mia is content to stay put for the moment.

“I want to continue doing what I am doing and I want to savour every minute and try to keep evolving,” she says.

“I’m enjoying my career and at the end of it I want to say I’m proud of what I’ve done.”

Manon is at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC from September 28 to October 8.

queenslandballet.com.au

Originally published as ‘One of the top artists in the country’: Li Cunxin reveals his leading lady