Sir Jon Trimmer Memorial

The public is invited to a celebration of the life of Sir Jon Trimmer KNZM MBE on Friday 2 February at the Opera House. This is a free event.

Sir Jon’s life (18 September 1939 – 26 October 2023) will be honoured through performances by members of the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB), alongside speeches and archive footage from his long and distinguished career.

Entry for the public will be limited to the venue’s capacity and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will be monitors in the foyer for any overflow with a live feed of the stage.

The memorial will also be recorded for those unable to attend, which will be posted on the Wellington City Council’s YouTube channel the following week.

This special event is an opportunity for Wellingtonians and the New Zealand dance community to come together and celebrate the life and career of a consummate local artist who performed on the international dance stage and here in Aotearoa for almost the entire life of our national ballet company.

Programme (subject to change):

3pm Doors open
3.30pm Blessing
3.35pm Excerpt from Te Ao Mārama (Moss Te Ururangi Patterson)
3.40pm MC welcome
3.43pm Gisella Carr
3.45pm MP Mana - Barbara Edmonds
3.47pm Jon's early life - documentary
3.55pm James Act I Variation, La Sylphide (August Bournonville)
3.57pm Lousie Hawke
4.05pm Albrecht’s Act II Entrance and first Pas de Deux, Giselle (Johan Kobborg/Ethan Stiefel)
4.14pm Lee Patrice
4.18pm Balcony Pas de Deux, Romeo and Juliet (Francesco Ventriglia)
4.25pm Speakers RNZB
4.30pm Matron and Fritz Dance, The Nutcracker (Gary Harris/Adrian Burnett)
4.32pm Speaker on behalf of Lady Jacqui Trimmer
4.35pm Speaker - Tributes
4.41pm Excerpt from Meeting Karpovsky
4.47pm Roll AV footage compilation

Image: Hook, Sir Jon Trimmer, photography by Maarten Holl.