Press Release: Carlos Acosta, The Classical Farewell, Royal Albert Hall, 3 - 7 October 2016

[Jan McNulty]

Carlos Acosta 

The Classical Farewell
Royal Albert Hall, SW7
Monday 3 – Friday 7 October 2016 
Performances: Mon – Fri at 7.30pm
Ticket Office: 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com  

 

“Carlos Acosta is the great male ballet dancer of his generation, a virtuoso performer who could – from the moment we first saw him as a gauche 18 year old – soar across the stage as if suspended from the sky” The Telegraph

Carlos Acosta bids farewell to classical ballet with his final performances at Royal Albert Hall for a limited run from Monday 3 - Friday 7 October 2016. The Classical Farewell celebrates highlights from Acosta’s career which led him to become the most famous male dancer of his generation, and marks the final time for audiences to watch the ballet superstar dance classical works.

 

The production follows the popular format of his 2006 show Carlos Acosta with Guests of The Royal Ballet, for which he won an Olivier Award, and A Classical Selection which was performed at London Coliseum in December 2015 to critical acclaim. Acosta also embarks on a UK tour to Nottingham, Birmingham, Southampton and Salford in May 2016. The Royal Albert Hall programme for The Classical Farewell features an all new repertoire, to be announced shortly. 

 

Acosta has thrilled audiences throughout the world with his breathtaking performances, including principal roles in many ballets in the classical repertoire. For The Classical Farewell Acosta has put together a programme featuring some of his closest contemporaries from The Royal Ballet, presenting some of his favourite pieces from the classical repertoire for the final time. The evening’s programme is accompanied by a live orchestra conducted by Paul Murphy.

 

Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba and won the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne (1990). He was a principal with English National Ballet (1991–2), danced with National Ballet of Cuba under Alicia Alonso (1992–3) and was a principal with Houston Ballet under Ben Stevenson (1993–8). He joined The Royal Ballet in 1998 and became a Principal Guest Artist in 2003. Acosta has frequently appeared worldwide with companies including American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Kirov, Bolshoi and Australian Ballet.

 

Acosta’s past productions have played to sell-out audiences and have been lauded by critics and audiences alike. He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2014 for his services to ballet and is passionate about nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers through the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation. The award marked the end of a remarkable year which had seen him stage a new production of Don Quixote at the Royal Opera House, release his debut novel Pig’s Foot, which was subsequently named as one of the Waterstone’s Eleven, an annual list of some of the most promising debut novels. 

 

Acosta choreographed Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Guys and Dolls in 2015. The show is currently playing in the West End and Acosta has been nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement. 

 

For his final Royal Ballet season Acosta choreographed and took the lead role in Carmen which ran at the Royal Opera House from October to November 2015, marking his farewell to the company after 17 years. Acosta is currently working in Havana, Cuba with his new company Acosta Danza. 

Full programme details to be announced. 

 

Co-produced by Sadler’s Wells and Valid Productions 

Presented in association with Como No 

 

 

Notes to editors 

 

Listings information 

 

Carlos Acosta 
The Classical Farewell
Royal Albert Hall, SW7
Monday 3 – Friday 7 October 2016 
Performances: Mon – Fri at 7.30pm
Ticket Office: 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com  

 

2016 TOUR SCHEDULE

Carlos Acosta will also tour the UK with A Classical Farewell in May 2016. To book tickets and for further details please refer to the individual venue websites 

 

Royal Concert Hall Nottingham                                Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 May

www.trch.co.uk

 

Birmingham Hippodrome                                                Thursday 5 - Saturday 7 May

www.birminghamhippodrome.com

 

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton                      Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 May

www.mayflower.org.uk

 

The Lowry, Salford                                                    Friday 13 - Sunday 15 May

www.thelowry.com

 

ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS
Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. 

 

Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and two International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through its New Wave Associates and Summer University programmes, its Wild Card initiative and hosting of the National Youth Dance Company.

 

Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. 

Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England. 

 

ABOUT VALID PRODUCTIONS
Valid Productions has been a promoter of the performing arts in the UK and Europe since 2009. It has always worked closely with Carlos Acosta and is the co-producer of his Classical Farewell Tour throughout the UK and the rest of the world in 2016. 

 

 

[MAB]

When I saw Acosta in 'Elizabeth' at the Linbury, I couldn't help thinking he had no business retiring at all.

[Jan McNulty]

Carlos Acosta 

The Classical Farewell
Royal Albert Hall, SW7
Monday 3 - Friday 7 October 2016 
Performances: Mon - Fri at 7.30pm
Tickets: £20 - £110 + fees
Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com /  020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com  

 

“Carlos Acosta is the great male ballet dancer of his generation, a virtuoso performer who could – from the moment we first saw him as a gauche 18 year old – soar across the stage as if suspended from the sky” The Telegraph

 

Carlos Acosta bids farewell to classical ballet with his final performances at the Royal Albert Hall for a limited run from Monday 3 - Friday 7 October 2016. The Classical Farewell celebrates highlights from Acosta’s career which led him to become the most famous male dancer of his generation, and marks the final time for audiences to watch the ballet superstar dance classical works.

 

The production follows the popular format of his 2006 show Carlos Acosta with Guests of The Royal Ballet, for which he won an Olivier Award, and A Classical Selection which was performed at London Coliseum in December 2015 to critical acclaim. 

 

The farewell production at the Royal Albert Hall includes a number of the most famous pas de deux from the classical and neo-classical canon. The programme features Acosta dancing classical works including Winter Dreams, Mayerling and Requiem by one of the greatest ballet choreographers of the 20th century Kenneth MacMillan, George Balanchine’s story about the Greek God Apollo, Marius Petipa's Don Quixote and Memoria by Rambert’s Miguel Altunaga. The Classical Farewell marks the final opportunity for audiences to see Acosta dance classical ballet repertoire anywhere in the world. 

 

Also part of the evening’s programme is an extract from George Blanchine’s Rubies set to score by Stravinsky alongside an extract from one of Frederick Ashton’s last works, the playful, romantic, and elegant Rhapsody. Completing the bill are Raúl Reinoso’s Anadromous, Manon and Gloria by Kenneth MacMillan and Michel Fokine’s Scheherazade and solo Dying Swan. 

Acosta has thrilled audiences throughout the world with his breathtaking performances, including principal roles in many ballets in the classical repertoire. For The Classical Farewell Acosta has put together a programme presenting some of his favourite pieces from the classical repertoire for the final time. At the Royal Albert Hall, Acosta will be joined on stage by some of his closest contemporaries from The Royal Ballet. The programme features Yuhui Choe, Sarah Lamb, Laura Morera, Marianela Nuñez and Valentino Zucchetto alongside Cuban dancers Gabriela Lugo and Luis Valle.  

 

The evening’s programme is accompanied by a live orchestra conducted by Paul Murphy and features Pegasus Choir, one of London’s most accomplished chamber choirs. Pegasus has previously performed with Acosta in productions at the London Coliseum and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. 

 

Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba and won the Gold Medal at the Prix de Lausanne (1990). He was a principal with English National Ballet (1991–2), danced with National Ballet of Cuba under Alicia Alonso (1992–3) and was a principal with Houston Ballet under Ben Stevenson (1993–8). He joined The Royal Ballet in 1998 and became a Principal Guest Artist in 2003. Acosta has frequently appeared worldwide with companies including American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Kirov, Bolshoi and Australian Ballet.

 

Acosta’s past productions have played to sell-out audiences and have been lauded by critics and audiences alike. He was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2014 for his services to ballet and is passionate about nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers through the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation. The award marked the end of a remarkable year which had seen him stage a new production of Don Quixote at the Royal Opera House, release his debut novel Pig’s Foot, which was subsequently named as one of the Waterstone’s Eleven, an annual list of some of the most promising debut novels. 

 

Acosta choreographed Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Guys and Dollsin 2015. The show is currently playing in the West End and Acosta was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement. 

 

For his final Royal Ballet season Acosta choreographed and took the lead role in Carmen which ran at the Royal Opera House from October to November 2015, marking his farewell to the company after 17 years. Most recently, Acosta has been working in Havana, Cuba with his new company Acosta Danza. 

 

Co-produced by Sadler’s Wells and Valid Productions 

Presented in association with Como No 

Press night: Monday 3 October at 7.30pm
 

Notes to editors 

Listings information 
Carlos Acosta 
The Classical Farewell
Royal Albert Hall, SW7
Monday 3 - Friday 7 October 2016
Performances: Mon - Fri at 7.30pm
Tickets: £20 - £110 + fees
Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com / 020 7589 8212 or www.royalalberthall.com  

 

ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS
Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. 

 

Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and two International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through its New Wave Associates and Summer University programmes, its Wild Card initiative and hosting of the National Youth Dance Company.

Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. 

 

Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 10% of its revenue from Arts Council England. 

 

ABOUT VALID PRODUCTIONS
Valid Productions has been a promoter of the performing arts in the UK and Europe since 2009. It has always worked closely with Carlos Acosta and is the co-producer of his Classical Farewell Tour throughout the UK and the rest of the world in 2016, including Havana, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. It has also started working with a number of very talented emerging dancers from Cuba and has some exciting new productions in development for 2017 and 2018.

[alison]

Sadler's Wells' allocation for tonight is showing as sold out, but seats/standing for tonight are still available from the RAH.