BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET AUTUMN SEASON
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s autumn season features a fitting balance of classical and contemporary ballet including Giselle and a Mixed Bill including the World Premiere of the latest Ballet Now commission and a partnership with Ballet Black.
Autumn 2019 could be described as a ‘bridge season’ during which Birmingham Royal Ballet moves towards the arrival of Carlos Acosta as Director in January 2020. The season is also classic BRB with its balance of classical and contemporary works: a three-date autumn tour of Giselle and a Mixed Bill featuring the latest Ballet Now commission plus a partnership with Ballet Black before a Christmas revival of Sir Peter Wright’s glorious The Nutcracker at Birmingham Hippodrome and the Royal Albert Hall to end the year.
Mixed Bill: A Brief Nostalgia; The Suit; Nine Sinatra Songs: 19 September – 30 October
The fourth commission from BRB’s ground-breaking Ballet Now initiative is A Brief Nostalgia by rising young choreographer and Queensland Ballet dancer Jack Lister. Featuring a new score by award-winning Scottish (and first-time ballet score) composer Tom Harrold, this world premiere will open the exciting and eclectic mixed bill before Ballet Black – fresh from their staggering performance with Stormzy at Glastonbury – will take to the stage to perform Cathy Marston’s critically acclaimed The Suit, inspired by Can Themba’s South African fable. BRB’s dancers return to close the programme with Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, a glamorous portrait of seven couples that traces the arc of romantic relationships. Nine Sinatra Songs is one of Tharp’s most frequently performed works and has become an international, crowd-pleasing favourite.
Giselle: 25 September – 2 November
David Bintley’s BRB legacy takes immediate effect with a UK tour of his, and Galina Samsova’s, production of Giselle this autumn. First staged 20 years ago in 1999, and featuring Adolphe Adam’s original score performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, BRB Principals Momoko Hirata and César Morales will star on the opening night as the eponymous heroine and her anti-hero Count Albrecht. The revival of this exquisite and heart-wrenching staging opens at Birmingham Hippodrome before travelling to Plymouth ahead of a two-date London run at Sadler’s Wells. Full casting to be announced.
Cassa Pancho MBE, Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Black, said: “I’m thrilled that Ballet Black will be joining Birmingham Royal Ballet for their exciting mixed programme in autumn 2019. It’s a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with one of the most established British ballet companies, and for our own brilliant dancers to work alongside the world-class talent at BRB.”
The end of the year also sees the now annual revival of Sir Peter Wright’s acclaimed production of The Nutcracker which returns to Birmingham Hippodrome for the festive season (22 November – 14 December), transporting the audience beyond the theatre to a realm of giant Christmas trees and dancing snowflakes. The magic continues at the Royal Albert Hall for a third year with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s spectacular reimagined version of The Nutcracker (28 – 31 December), complete with projections from 59 Productions and Simon Callow as the voice of Drosselmeyer.
Further Autumn Announcements
September will also see the announcement of the programme for Carlos Acosta’s summer festivalwhich will take place at Birmingham Hippodrome and Sadler’s Wells in June to end the 19/20 season. Carlos’s first (20/21) season for Birmingham Royal Ballet will be announced in February 2020.
Listings Information
Mixed Programme
A Brief Nostalgia | The Suit | Nine Sinatra Songs
September – October 2019
A Brief Nostalgia
Choreography: Jack Lister Music: Tom Harrold
Designs: Thomas Mika Lighting: Alexander Berlarge
The Suit
Choreography: Cathy Marston Music: Philip Feeney
Designs: Jane Heather Lighting: David Plater Dramaturgy: Edward Kemp
Nine Sinatra Songs
Choreography: Twyla Tharp © 1992
Songs sung by: Frank Sinatra
Scenic Design originally by: Santo Loquasto Original costumes by: Oscar de la Renta Lighting originally by: Jennifer Tipton
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB; 0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome.com
Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 September
Sadler’s Wells, London
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN; 020 7863 8000 sadlerswells.com
Tuesday 29 – Wednesday 30 October
Giselle
September – November 2019
Choreography: Marius Petipa, Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, David Bintley Music: Adolphe Adam
Production: David Bintley, Galina Samsova
Designs: Hayden Griffin
Lighting: Mark Jonathan
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB; 0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome.com
Wednesday 25 – Saturday 28 September
Plymouth Theatre Royal
Royal Parade, Plymouth, PL1 2TR; 01752 267222 theatreroyal.com
Wednesday 23 – Friday 25 October
Sadler’s Wells, London
Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN; 020 7863 8000 sadlerswells.com
Friday 1 – Saturday 2 November
Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker
November – December 2019
Choreography: Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Production: Peter Wright
Designs: John F. MacFarlane
Lighting: David A. Finn
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB; 0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome.com
Friday 22 November – Saturday 14 December On sale now
Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Albert Hall present The Nutcracker
December 2019
Choreography: Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon Additional choreography: David Bintley, Marion Tait Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Designs: Dick Bird
Lighting: Peter Teigen
Projections Design: 59 Productions Sound Design: Bobby Aitken
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP; 020 7589 8212 royalalberthall.com
Saturday 28 – Tuesday 31 December