An evening of music and dance at Birmingham Royal Ballet

[Tango Dancer]

I couldn't see a topic for this so wanted to start one as I've had a marvellous evening. It was a mixed programme at Symphony Hall so some works were just orchestral and the BRB orchestra did well. These were interspersed with dance.

 

The high points included a lovely Diana and Actaon pas de deux with Tyrone Singleton and Sophia Lenares. His technique was amazing and she was delightfully engaging. Not every man can pull off a short leather skirt but he looked very good in it. 

 

Brandon Lawrence and Celine Gittens did a lovely Black Swan pdd, great chemistry and some lovely interactions. She was wicked and flirtatious and he acted beautifully.  They really work well together as well as being technically excellent.

 

There was a lovely variation from Rhapsody with Beatrice Parma and Max Maslen. She is so elegant and as always conveys so much in each gesture and he seemed to partner very sensitively.

 

The last piece was from Le Corsaire I didnt catch the names but they were amazing. Some amazing jumping from him and lovely port de bras from her.

 

There was an interesting male pas de deux with Brandon and Tzu Chao. It didn't overwhelm me hugely as choreography. The guys were great but why they put them in sludgy brown dresses I don't know. If you have 2 really handsome guys they should be in flattering colours. I'd put Brandon in red and Tzu Chao in green. 

 

All in all a brilliant evening. I'll be back next year!

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Tango Dancer said:

I couldn't see a topic for this so wanted to start one as I've had a marvellous evening. It was a mixed programme at Symphony Hall so some works were just orchestral and the BRB orchestra did well. These were interspersed with dance.

 

The high points included a lovely Diana and Actaon pas de deux with Tyrone Singleton and Sophia Lenares. His technique was amazing and she was delightfully engaging. Not every man can pull off a short leather skirt but he looked very good in it. 

 

Brandon Lawrence and Celine Gittens did a lovely Black Swan pdd, great chemistry and some lovely interactions. She was wicked and flirtatious and he acted beautifully.  They really work well together as well as being technically excellent.

 

There was a lovely variation from Rhapsody with Beatrice Parma and Max Maslen. She is so elegant and as always conveys so much in each gesture and he seemed to partner very sensitively.

 

The last piece was from Le Corsaire I didnt catch the names but they were amazing. Some amazing jumping from him and lovely port de bras from her.

 

There was an interesting male pas de deux with Brandon and Tzu Chao. It didn't overwhelm me hugely as choreography. The guys were great but why they put them in sludgy brown dresses I don't know. If you have 2 really handsome guys they should be in flattering colours. I'd put Brandon in red and Tzu Chao in green. 

 

All in all a brilliant evening. I'll be back next year!

Thank you for the lovely review, Tango Dancer! I wasn’t free to go this year but should hope to be able to go next year.  I like the variety in the programming and I’d love to hear the orchestra play in Symphony Hall.

[Jan McNulty]

Corsaire was danced brilliantly by Yaoqian Shang and Riku Ito.

[Odyssey]

Thank you Tango Dancer for reporting back on what looks to have been such an enjoyable evening. When Sir David Bintley left, it was uncertain whether this unique, annual event would continue.  So glad it survived COVID too! Who compèred the evening?  

[Tango Dancer]

23 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

Thank you Tango Dancer for reporting back on what looks to have been such an enjoyable evening. When Sir David Bintley left, it was uncertain whether this unique, annual event would continue.  So glad it survived COVID too! Who compèred the evening?  

 

It was excellent, I would definitely go again. I didn't get a programme because I was in a rush and wanted to find my seat. So I don't know who the compere was.

 

She gave her name and said she was on the BRB board. She also said she did a breakfast TV show but I don't watch breakfast television so I didn't recognise her and don't remember the name because I was a bit excited about the dancing to come. Sorry about that. She was good though. 

[Odyssey]

2 hours ago, Tango Dancer said:

 

 

She gave her name and said she was on the BRB board. She also said she did a breakfast TV show but I don't watch breakfast television so I didn't recognise her and don't remember the name because I was a bit excited about the dancing to come. Sorry about that. She was good though. 

I just looked it up, and her name is Marverine Hall , who I haven’t heard of. 

[RMM1]

2 hours ago, Odyssey said:

I just looked it up, and her name is Marverine Hall , who I haven’t heard of. 

Marverine Cole in fact.

[Jan McNulty]

The annual Evening of Music and Dance at Symphony Hall has long been one of my highlights of the year and I am so very glad it has returned to Symphony Hall in 2023.

 

I thought Marvernine Cole was a decent compere but I really did miss the anecdotes we used to get when Alan Titchmarsh and then David Bintley were the comperes.

 

I very much enjoyed the music selections last night.

 

As for the dance ... JUST WOW!!  It was one highlight after another.  It was quite unusual to have 3 of the warhorse party pieces in one of these performances and boy did they fizz and sparkle.

 

I loved Interlinked when I saw it at the Hippodrome last June and Tzu Chao and Brandon danced the duet with beautifully nuanced feeling.  I can't wait to see the full piece again in June this year.

 

I thought Beatrice Parma and Max Maslen were delightful in the duet from Rhapsody and I would love to see BRB tackle the whole work.

 

The final piece in the first half was the Diana and Actaeon duet - oh my goodness me - Sofia and Tyrone deservedly brought the house down.  What a lead into the interval!

 

The first danced piece of the second half was Black Swan performed by Celine and Brandon - oh WOW!!!  What was truly magnificent about their performance was that although they were on a pocket handkerchief in front on an orchestra they acted the roles.  It was enthralling.

 

I very much enjoyed the duet from Acosta's Carmen that Sofia and Lachlan performed with sensuality and emotion.

 

It was lovely to see a group of dancers from Elmhurst performing Two Dances from Estancia.  They danced with enthusiasm and joy and received a rousing reception from the audience.

 

The evening finished with a rip-roaring, heart-stopping performance of Corsaire from Yaoqian and Riku.  They deservedly brought the house down.

 

Of course, the orchestra (augmented for the occasion) were wonderfully conducted by Paul Murphy and sounded fabulous throughout.

 

We came out on a high and I am still buzzing!  I can't wait for next year now!