Birmingham Royal Ballet plans for the rest of 2022 and the start of 2023

[SplitSoul]

So what is the BRB doing between 18 March to 19 November? Why are there no shows on? Am I missing something?

[Jan McNulty]

Wouldn’t we all love to know that!
 

When I was in Birmingham for The Nutcracker people were talking about the Commonwealth Games, which are taking place when the company I usually does a Hippo season may well be affecting the summer season as various tie-in events were being talked about.

I’ve got no idea about the Autumn.

 

I’ve moved this post to the News forum and retitled it’s to make it clearer.

[San Perregrino]

Good question. For starters, one would hope that BRB will be a part of the Opening &/or Closing Ceremonies (28/7 & 8/8) for Birmingham 2022, the XXII Commonwealth Games. A great opportunity to raise its global profile.

Similarly, with so many potential incoming visitors, it would be a fantastic time to stage performances in the City. A festival of BRB jewels. 

 

[MaddieRose]

In an email about Swan Lake in Southampton there was this:

 

We're looking forward to announcing full details of the rest of our 2022-23 performances in early February.

 

That doesn't cover March onwards, but may account for Autumn. I'm not sure though. 

 

[capybara]

There is a long letter from the BRB Chair in this month’s edition of THe Dancing Times. But that is more in response to SheilaC’s earlier letter rather than a sign of the company’s schedule ahead.

[MaddieRose]

I think I must've summoned it:

 

https://www.brb.org.uk/post/announcing-our-2022-23-season

[Guest oncnp]

too late for the Links......

 

Carlos Acosta: ‘I will make Birmingham a centre for the arts’ | Times2 | The Times

[SheilaC]

Far from ditching the classics, BRB are going to do Coppelia, in addition to Nutcracker and Swan Lake. They are taking Don Q to Sadler's Wells in July, and even doing a wonderful Kylian ballet (Forgotten Land) in Birmingham in October. Quite a variety of other offerings, things are looking up a bit!

[Jan McNulty]

From the email I have just received:   We're excited to announce our upcoming year of incredible ballet. From a fantastic triple bill inspired by the spirit of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham to the return of fan-favourites Coppélia and Swan Lake. We've even added the opportunity to see Carlos Acosta's wonderful Don Quixote at Sadler's Wells in July. There's something for everyone from Birmingham Royal Ballet over the next 12 months.    And don't forget, we're already selling tickets for the return of Sir Peter Wright's The Nutcracker in his gloriously refurbished and refreshed original production in November, and for our return to the Royal Albert Hall at the end of December with our London production of the show.   Read on to find out what's coming up around the country - including some great multi-buy and early booking offers for the new season. Visit our website for the full announcement details.

Ryan Felix, Yuki Sugiura and Eric Pinto Cata. © Johan Persson.

Music & Dance at Royal Concert Hall Nottingham

We return to Nottingham for performances at the Royal Concert Hall with An Evening of Music and Dance that sees our magnificent Royal Ballet Sinfonia side by side on stage with BRB’s world-class dancers, performing classics such as the famous Bluebird pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty – plus a very special magical journey into ballet and music for ages 4+ with Discover Dance and Music.   Nottingham Royal Concert Hall: 7 May 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 11 February, 11am (Public booking: 18 February)

Click here for details about our return to Nottingham

Residency at Birmingham Rep

BRB returns to The Rep in May for a week of performances aimed at fans of all ages.   We’ll be celebrating 25 years of our landmark talent development scheme Dance Track, showcasing work from young choreographic talent from leading UK ballet companies in New Dance Now, and An Evening of Music and Dance returns to Birmingham, alongside Discover Dance and Music.    Dance Track 25 is generously supported by HSBC UK.

Birmingham Rep: 8–14 May 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 11 February, 11am (Public booking: 18 February)

Find out more about our residency at The Rep

On Your Marks

Lazuli Sky: Yu Kurihara and Tom Rogers. © Johan Persson.

In June we're back at the Hippodrome as part of Birmingham International Dance Festival 2022 with a programme titled On Your Marks. Inspired by the Commonwealth Games, which will take over Birmingham this summer, our triple bill celebrates the gravity-defying athleticism of the company's world-class dancers.   Twenty Four by Jorge Crecis is a ‘dance-sport’ dive into the power of teamwork seeing BRB dancers and Acosta Danza dancers, Carlos’s Cuban company, team up for the very first time, a new work by the young Brazilian choreographer Juliano Nunes and the return of Will Tuckett'sdynamic Lazuli Sky, which premiered to great acclaim in 2020.    Birmingham Hippodrome: 23–25 June 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 11 February, 11am (Public booking: 18 February)

Find out more about On Your Marks

Into the Music

Forgotten Land: Nederlands Dans Theater. © Joris-Jan Bos.

Our autumn triple bill celebrates the marriage of music and movement with two UK premieres and a world premiere curated by Carlos Acosta, with each piece set to a major orchestral score performed live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.   Jiří Kylián’s magnificent Forgotten Land is a gripping journey into memory and loss set to Benjamin Britten’s magnificent Sinfonia da Requiem, choreographer Morgann Runacre-Temple and composer Mikael Karlsson team up for the world premiere of Hotel, and much-missed German choreographer Uwe Scholz brings Beethoven’s vibrant Seventh Symphony to life.   Birmingham Hippodrome: 21–22 October 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 11 February, 11am (Public booking: 18 February)

Find out more about Into the Music

Don Quixote

Don Quixote: Céline Gittens. © Bella Kotak.

As the excitement builds as the first part of our Don Quixote tour gets underway, we're delighted to announce that we'll be taking the production to Sadler's Wells in early July.   For full details of our upcoming Don Quixote tour, including links to book at the other tour venues, please visit our website.   Sadler's Wells: 6–9 July 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 21 February (Public booking: 28 February)

Coppélia

Coppélia: Beatrice Parma. © Manvir Rai and Richard Payne.

BRB's joyous classic returns to the stage for the first time in five years.   Swanilda and Franz are getting ready to marry during their hometown’s upcoming festival, just a few days away. When Franz finds his eye wandering towards the mysterious girl on Dr Coppélius’s balcony, Swanilda takes matters into her own hands – but can she steer her fiancé away from the Doctor’s mechanical doll and back towards the path of true love?    Expect magic, mischief and romance in this fun story for all ages.   Theatre Royal Plymouth: 5–8 October 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: Monday 7 February   (Public booking: 28 February)   Birmingham Hippodrome: 26–29 October 2022 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 11 February, 11am (Public booking: 18 February)

Find out more about Coppélia

Swan Lake

Swan Lake: Momoko Hirata. © Manvir Rai and Richard Payne.

The greatest of all romantic ballets returns in spring 2023 in ‘one of the world’s finest productions’ (The Observer). For a limited run only, Birmingham Royal Ballet revives Peter Wright’s glorious journey into Swan Lake – with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia performing Tchaikovsky’s superb music live alongside BRB’s spectacular dancers.      Southampton Mayflower Theatre: 2–4 February 2023 Booking already open   Birmingham Hippodrome: 15–25 February 2023 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 11 February, 11am (Public booking: 18 February)   The Lowry, Salford: 1–4 March 2023 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 21 February (Public booking: 25 February)    Sunderland Empire: 9–11 March 2023 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: 4 March (Public booking: 10 March)   Theatre Royal Plymouth: 15–18 March 2023 Priority booking Dancers' Circle, Gold Friends and Silver Friends: Monday 7 February (Public booking: 28 February)   Edinburgh Festival Theatre: 29 March–1 April 2023 Booking details to be announced.

Find out more about Swan Lake

Priority booking and early booking offers

As a supporter of our Dancers' Circle or a Gold or Silver Friend you are given priority booking at all venues. Priority booking dates for each venue are listed above.       Dancers' Circle supporters benefit from a concierge ticket booking service. To secure your seats once productions go on sale, please contact Individual Giving Manager Chris Smith on 07774 775 307 or email chrissmith@brb.org.uk.   We will email you again, with full details of how to book as priority booking opens, for each venue you have indicated you would like to hear about. Please check your preferences by visiting your account at brb.org.uk/account.                 Birmingham Hippodrome We're not able to offer subscription packages for the coming season, but we hope to reintroduce them for the 2023/24 season. If you were a subscriber for our 2019/20 season, Birmingham Hippodrome will be emailing you separately today, offering priority booking from 15 February; as a supporter you may book from 11 February as above.            Early booking multi-buy offer - book before 30 May 2022 Buy for 3 productions* & save 20%  Buy for 4 productions* & save 25% *Early booking offer applies to the productions On Your Marks, Into the Music, Coppélia and Swan Lake at Birmingham Hippodrome.                 Theatre Royal Plymouth Early booking multi-buy offer - book before 30 April 2022 Buy for both productions & save 25% Early booking single production offer - book by 31 March 2022 Book early and save 10%                 Sunderland Empire Early booking offer - book by 18 April 2022 Save £20 on two top ticket prices

We hope you're as excited about this new season as we are. We can't wait to welcome you back into the theatre soon.   Birmingham Royal Ballet

[SplitSoul]

I just got the same email! I am looking forward to Forgotten Land and Coppelia, but it's a long wait (October). Don Quixote already booked (Feb).

 

I don't know what to make of the shows in between? Bearing in mind I enjoy the music as much as the dancing, I would like to understand what the music is for On Your Marks. Are the "best of various ballet" evenings any good? Or are they a bit fragmented?

 

Am relatively new to ballet, but a lifelong passionate music lover, so not new to ballet music.

[Jan McNulty]

And the press release:

 

PRESS RELEASE
 

4 February 2022

 

• WEEK-LONG RESIDENCY AT BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE IN MAY 
• ON YOUR MARKS - SUMMER TRIPLE BILL AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME INCLUDING THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A NEW WORK BY JULIANO NUNES 
• THE MAGNIFICENT ROYAL BALLET SINFONIA PERFORMS SIDE BY SIDE ON STAGE WITH BRB’S WORLD-CLASS DANCERS AT ROYAL CONCERT HALL NOTTINGHAM 
• DON QUIXOTE WILL BE STAGED AT SADLERS WELLS IN JULY
• INTO THE MUSIC - AUTUMN TRIPLE BILL AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME INCLUDING WORLD PREMIERE OF HOTEL BY MORGAN RUNACRE-TEMPLE
• COPPÉLIA COMES TO BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME AND PLYMOUTH THEATRE ROYAL THIS AUTUMN
• SWAN LAKE NATIONAL TOUR TO SOUTHAMPTON, BIRMINGHAM, PLYMOUTH, SALFORD, SUNDERLAND AND EDINBURGH IN 2023

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet today announces its programme plans from May 2022 - March 2023. In a big year for the city, the season includes several highlights in Birmingham during the year that it hosts the Commonwealth Games, as well as touring the UK and bringing the new production of Don Quixote to London.

 

Carlos Acosta said: ‘Since the start of this year the company has been hard at work preparing for our biggest tour in two years with my Don Quixote, and the pace will not let up this year! I am so excited to be finally returning to some semblance of normality - though there are still many challenges - and am extremely proud to present this 2022/23 season. It demonstrates BRB’s ongoing commitment to the greats of classic canon whilst also featuring work by artists who are new to the company, world premieres and extremely demanding repertoire. I am also, of course, thrilled that BRB dancers will perform on stage alongside Acosta Danza. We have always been an international company but you will also see that we are performing everything we do in our home city of Birmingham. It’s going to be an amazing year for us - and for our audiences too!’

 

BRB IN RESIDENCE  AT THE REP
Once the current tour of Don Quixote concludes, the company goes straight back into rehearsals for a busy Spring/Summer beginning with a return to The Rep for a week-long residency of performances aimed at all ages. Dance Track 25 (Sunday 8 May) celebrates the 25th anniversary of BRB’s landmark talent development scheme, with BRB Principals Céline Gittens and Brandon Lawrence hosting performances by Dance Track alumni. New Dance Now (Tuesday 10 May) is a showcase of new choreographic talent that features new work by young choreographers from the UK’s leading ballet companies in an audience vote contest. An Evening of Music and Dance (Friday 13 & Saturday 14 May) sees BRB’s world-class dancers perform brilliant ballet repertoire hand-picked by Director Carlos Acosta, including the famous Bluebird pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty and the beautiful Farewell pas de deux  from Kenneth MacMillan’s Winter Dreams with live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Discover Dance & Music (Friday 13 - Saturday 14 May) is a magical journey into ballet for everyone ages 4+, with Shireenah Ingram hosting performances from classic ballets to live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia in an all-round showcase.

 

Sean Foley, Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep said, ‘BRB's first return to live performance since the beginning of Covid was at The REP in October 2021- with the World Premiere of Lazuli Sky; BRB and The REP collaborated on a specially adapted seasons of The Nutcracker and Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella during ‘20 and ‘21, and our first major co-production was City of A Thousand Trades, co-directed by The REP’s Associate Director Madeleine Kludje, which played at The REP and Sadler’s Wells during Summer ’21. We are delighted to have forged such an exciting and dynamic new artistic relationship with Birmingham Royal Ballet over the last year, and now look forward to welcoming our City partners back to our epic and intimate main stage for a season that celebrates some of the very best new work from this magnificent Company.’

 

ON YOUR MARKS - SUMMER TRIPLE BILL
All eyes are on Birmingham this summer for the Commonwealth Games – and to mark the moment, BRB’s Director Carlos Acosta is bringing together three thrilling works for a triple bill presented as part of Birmingham International Dance Festival 2022. On Your Marks (23 - 25 June) celebrates the expressive energy and gravity-defying athleticism of the company’s world-class dancers.

 

Jorge Crecis created the dazzling Twelve  for Acosta Danza. For the first time ever, dancers from BRB and Acosta Danza will be teaming up to premiere a new version of this thrilling dive into the power of teamwork, retitled Twenty-Four. A new work from brilliant young Brazilian choreographer Juliano Nunes, whose recent pieces include commissions for Nederlands Dans Theater 2 and Marie-Agnès Gillot will receive its world premiere; and to close, an ecstatic ode to the power of nature and the glory of movement: Will Tuckett’s Lazuli Sky, set to John Adams’ irresistible Shaker Loops which premiered to great acclaim in 2020, returns to a Birmingham stage. 

 

DON QUIXOTE
As the UK tour of BRB’s new production of Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote begins, BRB is delighted to announce that the production will travel to London’s Sadler’s Wells (6-9 July).

 

INTO THE MUSIC: AUTUMN TRIPLE BILL

BRB’s autumn triple bill celebrates the marriage of music and movement. Two UK premieres bookend a world premiere in this unmissable mixed programme curated by Carlos Acosta, with each piece set to a major orchestral score performed live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia (Birmingham Hippodrome 21 - 22 October).
 

Much-missed German choreographer Uwe Scholz worked regularly with classical repertoire – and never more dramatically than in his setting of Beethoven’s vibrant Seventh Symphony, a work famously described by Wagner as ‘the apotheosis of the dance’. Choreographer Morgann Runacre-Temple and composer Mikael Karlsson team up for the world premiere of Ballet Now commission Hotel, a surreal journey into the secrets and lies that live behind closed doors. And to close, Jiří Kylián’s magnificent Forgotten Land illustrates why Kylián is one of the most revered choreographers of the 20th century with a gripping journey into memory and loss set to Benjamin Britten’s magnificent Sinfonia da Requiem. 

 

COPPÉLIA 
Love conquers all in Sir Peter Wright’s joyous classic brought back to the stage by Birmingham Royal Ballet for the first time in five years, with Léo Delibes’ glorious score performed live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. 

 

When eccentric toymaker Dr Coppélius leaves his greatest creation, the doll Coppélia, on his workshop balcony, she’s soon causing quite a stir in the village. Comic chaos is unleashed as Dr Coppélius tries to bring Coppélia to life in this timeless classic. Coppelia will be performed at the Birmingham Hippodrome and Plymouth Theatre Royal in October.

 

SWAN LAKE - UK TOUR
Ballet’s greatest love story returns in BRB’s lavish production. This romantic fable of ill-fated passion, powerfully illuminated by Tchaikovsky’s legendary score played live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, has bewitched audiences for generations and will tour to Southampton Mayflower, Birmingham Hippodrome, The Lowry, Salford, Sunderland Empire, Plymouth Theatre Royal and Edinburgh Festival Theatre from January - March 2023.
 

 

___________________________________________________________

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

 

NOTTINGHAM CONCERT HALL

Discover Dance & Music Saturday 7 May, 2.30pm 
An Evening of Music & Dance Saturday 7 May, 7.30pm
 

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET IN RESIDENCE AT THE REP
 

Dance Track 25 Sunday 8 May, 2pm & 6pm

New Dance Now Tuesday 10 May, 7.30pm

An Evening of Music & Dance Friday 13 & Saturday 14 May, 7.30pm
 

Discover Dance & Music Saturday 14  May, 2.30pm 

 

ON YOUR MARKS: SUMMER TRIPLE BILL
Birmingham Hippodrome Thu 23 June: 7.30pm (PN); Fri 24 June: 7.30pm; Sat 25 June: 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Twenty-Four

Choreography: Jorge Crecis

Music: Vincenzo Lamagna

Costume Design: Eva Escribano

Lightning: Michael Mannion and Warren Letton

New work (title tbc)
Choreography: Juliano Nunes
Music: Luke Howard
Lighting: Tom Visser

Lazuli Sky 

Choreography: Will Tuckett
Music: John Adams

Designs: Samuel Wyer, Nina Dunn

Lighting: Peter Teigen

 

DON QUIXOTE
Sadlers Wells -  6-9 July.
Choreography Carlos Acosta after Marius Petipa
Music Ludwig Minkus
Production Carlos Acosta
Designs Tim Hatley
Lighting Peter Mumford
Staged by Christopher Saunders

 

INTO THE MUSIC - AUTUMN TRIPLE BILL
Birmingham Hippodrome Fri 21 Oct: 2pm & 7.30pm (PN); Sat 22 Oct: 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Seventh Symphony 
Choreography: Uwe Scholz
Music: Beethoven
Set and Costume Design: Uwe Scholz
Lighting Design: Marc Parent

Hotel 
Choreography: Morgann Runacre-Temple
Composer: Mikael Karlsson
Set and Costume Design: Sami Fendall
Lighting Design: Christopher Ash
Creative Associate: Jessica Wright
Orchestration: Michael P. Atkinson and Mikael Karlsson

Forgotten Land             
Dance production / choreography: Jiří Kylián
Assistants  to the choreographer: Cora Bos Kroese, Shirley Esseboom
Music: Benjamin Britten: Sinfonia da requiem, Opus 20
Set and costume design: John F. Macfarlane
Light design: Kees Tjebbes
Technical supervision (set/decor): Kees Tjebbes     
World premiere: 12 April 1981, Stuttgart Ballet, Stuttgart, Germany

 

COPPÉLIA

Theatre Royal Plymouth: 5–8 October 2022

Birmingham Hippodrome 26 - 29 October
 

Choreography: Marius Petipa, Enrico Cecchetti, Peter Wright

Music: Léo Delibes

Production: Peter Wright

Designs: Peter Farmer

Lighting: Peter Teigen

 

SWAN LAKE

Southampton Mayflower Theatre: 2–4 February 2023

Birmingham Hippodrome: 15–25 February 2023

The Lowry, Salford: 1–4 March 2023

Sunderland Empire: 9–11 March 2023

Theatre Royal Plymouth: 13–16 March 2023

Edinburgh Festival Theatre: 29 March–1 April 2023

Choreography: Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Marius Petipa
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Production: Peter Wright, Galina Samsova
Designs: Philip Prowse
Lighting: Peter Teigen

[alison]

Well, that's certainly not as expected!

 

I don't think I've ever seen Forgotten Land - wasn't it one ENB/LFB did, or am I confusing it with something?

[CCL]

Have just read the press release - very excited to read of the plans. Lots pencilled in that I’d like to see!

[Jan McNulty]

49 minutes ago, alison said:

Well, that's certainly not as expected!

 

I don't think I've ever seen Forgotten Land - wasn't it one ENB/LFB did, or am I confusing it with something?

 

I can't remember seeing LFB/ENB doing any Kylian but they did have Land created for them by Christopher Bruce.

 

In the late 80s and early 90s Bradford Alhambra used to put on some wonderful dance programmes including a very memorable season with 2 programmes by NDT one of which included Forgotten Land.

 

One of my annual highlights pre-pandemic was the Annual Evening of Music and Dance and this year I am gutted that I am already occupied that weekend.  I'm also sad to see that the Lowry's Autumn visit has still not been revived.

[RHowarth]

Very pleased to see BRB return to Edinburgh. I might be wrong but I don't think they have visited since around 2008.

[Blossom]

Thrilled BRB are bringing Don Q to Sadlers. Such a sunny production and offers Londoners (and families) great value vs ROH.
 

However I am also greedy and wish they would bring more, specifically Coppelia.

[Tony Newcombe]

31 minutes ago, RHowarth said:

Very pleased to see BRB return to Edinburgh. I might be wrong but I don't think they have visited since around 2008.

Didn’t they do Beauty and the Beast there about four years ago

[RHowarth]

4 minutes ago, Tony Newcombe said:

Didn’t they do Beauty and the Beast there about four years ago

They might well have done - I must have missed it (not a ballet I'm keen on). I'm remembering a triple bill in around 2008 with Firebird and Petrushka (danced by Alexander Campbell at some performances IIRC). I think the third ballet was Baiser de la Fee or Snow Maiden, possibly by Kudelka - have I made it up?!

[San Perregrino]

33 minutes ago, Blossom said:

Thrilled BRB are bringing Don Q to Sadlers. Such a sunny production and offers Londoners (and families) great value vs ROH.
 

However I am also greedy and wish they would bring more, specifically Coppelia.

These are the current Birmingham Hippodrome Don Q prices. It will be interesting to see how Sadlers Wells is priced.

[alison]

Bear in mind, too, that those aren't the "real" prices - the lower ones are, I think, the rates charged for people with disabilities, or children, or something.  Hence why I'm going to Southampton. 

[Jan McNulty]

PRESS RELEASE

2 November 2022

Royal Ballet Principal Vadim Muntagirov will guest perform with Birmingham Royal Ballet in Swan Lake for two nights only at Theatre Royal Plymouth next March

 

To mark World Ballet Day, Birmingham Royal Ballet is delighted to announce that Vadim Muntagirov, Principal Dancer with The Royal Ballet, will perform the role of Prince Siegfried in the world’s best-loved ballet, Swan Lake, at Theatre Royal Plymouth for two nights only on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th March 2023. Vadim will dance with BRB Principal Dancer Céline Gittens in the role of Princess Odette. This will be a rare chance to see one of the world’s greatest ballet dancers perform outside London and in the South West. Vadim last performed in The Royal Ballet’s Swan Lake in March 2021 to critical acclaim and delighted audiences when he guested with Birmingham Royal Ballet earlier this year in Don Quixote at the Birmingham Hippodrome. 

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director Carlos Acosta said ‘We are so lucky to have one of the greatest dancers in the world today, Vadim Muntagirov, dancing with BRB at Theatre Royal Plymouth next year. It will be an amazing experience for the company and audiences to have him perform with us for the second time.’

 

James Mackenzie-Blackman, CEO and Executive Producer at Theatre Royal Plymouth said: ‘t has been a real pleasure getting to know Carlos since I arrived at TRP. Together, we’re committed to building on the 40 year relationship between BRB and TRP, ensuring we bring the very best dance experiences to the city of Plymouth and the wider South West. We look forward to welcoming Vadim to our venue and our city.’

 

Ballet’s greatest love story returns in BRB’s lavish production of Sir Peter Wright’s Swan Lake. This romantic fable of ill-fated passion, powerfully illuminated by Tchaikovsky’s legendary score played live by The Royal Ballet Sinfonia, has bewitched audiences for generations and will tour to Southampton Mayflower, Birmingham Hippodrome, The Lowry, Salford, Sunderland Empire, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Edinburgh Festival Theatre from January - March 2023.

Prince Siegfried is out hunting one night when he happens upon a flock of graceful swans. When one of them turns into a beautiful woman, the Prince is utterly smitten – but Odette explains that she has fallen under an evil spell cast by the evil Baron von Rothbart, which keeps her in swan form from dawn to dusk. Can Siegfried's love break the spell? Find out in this exquisite production of a true ballet classic.

 

Vadim Muntagirov joined The Royal Ballet from English National Ballet as a Principal in March 2014. His roles with the Company include Basilio (Don Quixote), Albrecht (Giselle), Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake), Aminta (Sylvia), Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty), Prince (The Nutcracker), Colas (La Fille mal gardée), Franz (Coppélia), Apollo, the Girl’s Cousin (The Invitation), Young Man (Two Pigeons), Onegin and Lensky (Onegin), Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Des Grieux (Manon), Jack/Knave of Hearts (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland), Florizel (The Winter’s Tale), Don José (Carmen), Lt Colonel Vershinin (Winter Dreams) and in The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, ‘Diamonds’ (Jewels), The Human Seasons, Symphonic Variations, Asphodel Meadows, The Four Temperaments, Afternoon of a Faun, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Raymonda Act III and Within the Golden Hour.

Muntagirov’s awards include the 2011 Outstanding Male Performance (Classical), 2015 and 2018 Best Male Dancer at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards, the 2013 and 2018 Benois de la danse and the 2021 Dance Europe Outstanding Dancer Award. As a guest artist he has danced with companies including Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky and American Ballet Theatre, in repertory including Solor (La Bayadère), Armand (Marguerite and Armand) and at National Ballet of Japan, Bavarian State Ballet, Mikhailovsky and Cape Town City Ballet.

 

Listings

Choreography: Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Marius Petipa
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Production: Peter Wright, Galina Samsova
Designs: Philip Prowse
Lighting: Peter Teigen

 

Southampton Mayflower Theatre: 2–4 February 2023
Birmingham Hippodrome: 15–25 February 2023
The Lowry, Salford: 1–4 March 2023
Sunderland Empire: 9–11 March 2023
Theatre Royal Plymouth: 15–18 March 2023

Edinburgh Festival Theatre: 29 March–1 April 2023

Notes to Editors: 

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Based at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is the United Kingdom’s leading touring ballet company performing a range of traditional, classical and heritage ballets as well as ground-breaking new works with the aim of encouraging choreographers of the future.

 

The Company’s Director since January 2020 is the internationally renowned Carlos Acosta.

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet standardly performs at Birmingham Hippodrome for approximately ten weeks of the year and the remainder of the year tours throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. On average, the Company performs 175 shows a year nationally and internationally.

 

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Birmingham Royal Ballet’s permanent orchestra, it is also Britain's busiest ballet orchestra. The Sinfonia also plays frequently for The Royal Ballet and other leading ballet companies, including performances withParis Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Kirov, Norwegian Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and La Scala Ballet.

 

[capybara]

I've just had a newsletter announcing that Polina Semionova, now Principal Guest Artist in Berlin, will dance Odette/Odile to Brandon Lawrence's Siegfried in Birmingham on the 17th and 18th February.

[Jan McNulty]

Casting for the full tour of Swan Lake is now on the website:

 

https://www.brb.org.uk/shows/swan-lake-2023

 

(Scroll down)

[SheilaC]

Once again Sunderland misses out. Birmingham and Plymouth get famous guest artists, Sunderland doesn't get BRB stars such as that wonderful danseur noble, Cesar Morales, yet again, nor Celine or Brandon.

[Jan McNulty]

PRESS RELEASE

 

Former American Ballet Theatre Principal Polina Semionova will guest perform with Birmingham Royal Ballet in Swan Lake for two nights only at Birmingham Hippodrome next February

Today Birmingham Royal Ballet is delighted to announce that Polina Semionova, Resident Guest Principal Artist with the Berlin State Ballet and former Principal Artist with The American Ballet Theatre in New York, will guest perform the iconic dual lead role of Odette and Odile in the world’s best-loved ballet, Swan Lake, with BRB next year. This will be a rare chance to see one of the greatest ballerinas of our generation perform in the UK, in BRB’s home city at the Birmingham Hippodrome for two nights only on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 February 2023. 

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director Carlos Acosta said “Polina is a ballerina of such quality and grace, the kind of dancer that makes everything she does so special, a great role model to follow. She has cultivated a string of awards and an extensive career that has led her to perform with the major opera houses of the world. I’m thrilled that she will dance with Birmingham Royal Ballet and that British audiences will have a rare chance to see her dance live. Having her in BRB’s Swan Lake will enrich the perspective of our dancers and ultimately will inspire them.”

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet revives Peter Wright and Galina Samsova’s glorious journey into Swan Lake with this lavish production, with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia performing Tchaikovsky’s superb music live alongside BRB’s spectacular dancers. This romantic fable of ill-fated passion has bewitched audiences for generations and will tour to Southampton Mayflower, Birmingham Hippodrome, The Lowry, Salford, Sunderland Empire, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Edinburgh Festival Theatre from January - March 2023.

 

Prince Siegfried is out hunting one night when he happens upon a flock of graceful swans. When one of them turns into a beautiful woman, the Prince is utterly smitten – but Odette explains that she has fallen under an evil spell cast by the evil Baron von Rothbart, which keeps her in swan form from dawn to dusk. Can Siegfried's love break the spell? Find out in this exquisite production of a true ballet classic.

 

About Polina Semionova

Born in Moscow, Polina Semionova received her ballet education at the Bolshoi Ballet School and was engaged as Principal Dancer at the Ballet of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden immediately after graduating at the age of 17. Since September 2012 she has been Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, Principal Guest at the Mikhailovsky Theater St. Petersburg and at the Bavarian State Ballet Munich.

Polina Semionova dances almost all major parts of classical ballet: Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Nikia (La Bayadère), Marie (The Nutcracker), Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Swanilda (Coppélia), Kitri (Don Quixote), Giselle and Myrtha (Giselle), Tatjana (John Crankos Onegin), Sieglinde and Brünnhilde (Maurice Béjart’s Ring around the Ring), Manon (title role), Julia (in Kenneth MacMillan’s, Leonid Lavrowski’s and Nacho Duato’s versions of Romeo and Juliet), Michail Fokin’s Scheherazade and Les Sylphides, the title roles in Vladimir Malakhov’s Cinderella, Roland Petit’s Carmen or Frederick Ashton’s Sylvia. Her neoclassical repertoire includes Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun, George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial, Diamonds, Apollon musagète (Terpsichore), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tchaikovsky-Pas-de-deux, Theme and Variations and Symphony in C. She also interpreted William Forsythe’s The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude and Herman Schmerman, John Neumeier’s Nutcracker, Lady of the Camellias and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jiří Kylián’s Return to a Foreign Land, Antony Tudor’s The Leaves are fading and Nacho Duato’s White Darkness.

Choreographers such as Mauro Bigonzetti, Nacho Duato, Patrice Bart, Renato Zanella, Uwe Scholz, Alexei Ratmansky, Giorgio Madia, Twyla Tharp and Christian Spuck worked with her and created roles for her. Invitations have led Polina Semionova to the Milan Scala, the American Ballet Theatre, the Bavarian State Ballet, the Mikhailovsky Theater St. Petersburg, the Dresden Semperoper Ballet, the English National Ballet, Tokyo Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Vienna State Ballet, Zurich Ballet, Ballet of the Mariinsky Theater St. Petersburg, Bolschoi Ballet Moscow, Stuttgart Ballet and the Ballet of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.

The appreciation of her work finds expression in numerous awards: In 2001 she was awarded the Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow, in 2002 the First Prize of the Waganowa Ballet Competition St. Petersburg and the Junior Prize of the International Ballet Competition Nagoya Japan. In 2004 she was honored with the Berlin Audience Award Daphne, in 2005 with the Deutschen Kritikerpreis as well as the Deutschen Tanzpreis Zukunft. In 2007 she was named Dancer of the Year by the German ballet magazine tanz and received the Heinz Spoerli Prize in 2008. In 2014 she was awarded the most important prize in the ballet world, the Benois de la Danse. In April 2017 she was finally appointed Berliner Kammertänzerin by the Berlin Senate. In 2013 Polina Semionova was appointed the youngest honorary professor at the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin.

 

Listings

Choreography: Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Marius Petipa
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Production: Peter Wright, Galina Samsova
Designs: Philip Prowse
Lighting: Peter Teigen

 

Southampton Mayflower Theatre: 2–4 February 2023
Birmingham Hippodrome: 15–25 February 2023
The Lowry, Salford: 2–4 March 2023
Sunderland Empire: 9–11 March 2023
Theatre Royal Plymouth: 15–18 March 2023
Edinburgh Festival Theatre: 30 March–1 April 2023

 

Notes to Editors: 

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Based at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is the United Kingdom’s leading touring ballet company performing a range of traditional, classical and heritage ballets as well as ground-breaking new works with the aim of encouraging choreographers of the future.

The Company’s Director since January 2020 is the internationally renowned Carlos Acosta.

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet standardly performs at Birmingham Hippodrome for approximately ten weeks of the year and the remainder of the year tours throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. On average, the Company performs 175 shows a year nationally and internationally.

 

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Birmingham Royal Ballet’s permanent orchestra, it is also Britain's busiest ballet orchestra. The Sinfonia also plays frequently for The Royal Ballet and other leading ballet companies, including performances withParis Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Kirov, Norwegian Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and La Scala Ballet.

[Blossom]

A little disappointed that there are no London plans for BRB this summer as usual, but delighted to get a speedy reply (little over 50 minutes) from Caroline Miller sharing that there is a plan for new work to be shown in London  in autumn ‘23 and ‘a big classical ballet’ for spring ‘24.

 

Unfortunately juggling family and work makes it pretty impossible to get to Birmingham but look forward to hearing from those who can.

[FionaM]

On 19/12/2022 at 18:32, capybara said:

I've just had a newsletter announcing that Polina Semionova, now Principal Guest Artist in Berlin, will dance Odette/Odile to Brandon Lawrence's Siegfried in Birmingham on the 17th and 18th February.

wow!

[Sim]

32 minutes ago, FionaE said:

wow!

See the detailed press release above…

[Sim]

On 19/12/2022 at 18:32, capybara said:

I've just had a newsletter announcing that Polina Semionova, now Principal Guest Artist in Berlin, will dance Odette/Odile to Brandon Lawrence's Siegfried in Birmingham on the 17th and 18th February.

Definitely worth a trip to Brum. Thrilled that she will be dancing with Brandon!

 

Two nights in a row…wow!  

[Emeralds]

I was rather hoping they could bring Swan Lake to London but I could make it to Birmingham as I have time off that month. If the trains work! Haven’t been able to see this production in decades and it was always one of my faves.