PRESS RELEASE - BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ANNOUNCE AMERICAN DATE IN ORLANDO

[Jan McNulty]

PRESS RELEASE

12 September 2023
 

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL
2023 AMERICAN DATE IN ORLANDO
 

• BRB TO PERFORM AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND DANCE AT ORLANDO’S DR. PHILLIPS CENTER WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA ON
  TUESDAY 3 OCTOBER 
   
• ORLANDO DATE ANNOUNCED IN ADDITION TO PERFORMANCES AT NEW YORK CITY CENTER’S 20TH FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL ON THURSDAY 5 & FRIDAY 6 OCTOBER

Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) has today announced it will perform at the Steinmetz Hall in Orlando in 2023. The Steinmetz Hall, which opened in 2022 at the Dr. Phillips Center was recently ranked by Architectural Digest as one of the top eleven most beautiful theatres in the world.

 

On Tuesday 3 October 2023, BRB will perform An Evening of Music and Dance in Orlando - this special one night only performance is accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Principal Conductor, Paul Murphy. 

 

An Evening of Music and Dance will include pieces hand-picked by BRB’s Director, Carlos Acosta, in a performance that includes both the classical and the contemporary. Highlights include excerpts from Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote and Interlinked - commissioned in 2022 as part of the festival surrounding Birmingham hosting the Commonwealth Games. 

 

Following Orlando, the Company will then travel to New York to perform Interlinked by young Brazilian choreographer, Juliano Nunes. The performances will take place on Thursday 5 & Friday 6 October at New York City Center as part of the 10 day Fall for Dance Festival. Now in its 20th year, Fall for Dance showcases an international array of dance artists and companies in a programme that aims to build new dance audiences with tickets priced at just $20. 

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director, Carlos Acosta said: “It is a  privilege for me to announce that Birmingham Royal Ballet will be visiting Orlando as part of our American dates this Autumn, continuing to build upon the international reputation of this renowned Company.

 

“In Orlando, we will collaborate with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in an evening that will demonstrate the full breadth of BRB’s repertoire  - from classic pas de deux to contemporary work.”

 

For more information on the American tour visit brb.org.uk. Birmingham Royal Ballet’s sold-out production of Black Sabbath - The Ballet begins performances at Birmingham Hippodrome from Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 September before touring to Theatre Royal Plymouth and London’s Sadler's Wells. 

 

Listings: 
 

An Evening of Music and Dance
Steinmetz Hall, Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Tuesday 3 October 2023
drphillipscenter.org

 

Fall for Dance Festival
New York City Center 

Thursday 5 & Friday 6 October 2023
nycitycenter.org

 

Full programme for An Evening of Music and Dance:

Rossini Overture Barber of Seville

Luke Howard Interlinked 2 movements 

Danced by: Chou, Singleton, Anderson, Bejarano, Rojas, Wu,

Pinto Cata, Monaghan, Gittens, Shang, Waine, Rodrigues,

Linares, Parma, Mizutani, Kurihari, Fuchigani

Tchaikovsky Danse Espagnole from Swan Lake.

Minkus Don Quixote. Pas de Deux 

Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Op. 43: Variations No 17

Allegretto & No 18, Andante cantabile). Pas de deux 

Granados Intermezzo from Goyescas 

Pugni Diana and Acteon PDD

 

INTERVAL 

 

De Falla Jota from The Three-Cornered Hat. 

Bizet Carmen March 

Carmen Pas de deux 

Tchaikovsky Black Swan Pas de deux

Albeniz arr. Arnold Tango 

Drigo Le Corsaire Pas de Deux

Rimsky Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol 

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 around 100 shows a year nationally and internationally.

[SheilaC]

Lucky Orlando! But what I would like to know is what and where BRB will be dancing after next April. Normally there is a short season in Birmingham in June, often, like last year, with more than usually interesting rep. This year they have not announced a summer season at their home theatre, which is presumably why the Ballet Association has been encouraged to do their annual visit in February (to see Sleeping Beauty) instead of the customary June slot. The Birmingham Hippodrome has announced a Carlos Acosta show  (On Before) in early May (6, 7); but it is not with BRB but is a Norwich Theatre and Valid Productions event, part of a short regional tour.

 

The last date I can find for BRB is 20 April in Bristol, at the end of their Sleeping Beauty tour.  One can only wonder if BRB is trying to organise another international tour, although I'm sure both Carlos Acosta and BRB would expect him to be with the company to front tours abroad, and the regional tour of his autobiographical show would preclude that. The BRB2 tour, a 'gala' of ballet bits and pieces mostly with young inexperienced dancers, not full ballets like the regional split tours used to have, and in a limited geographical area, scarcely compensates for the lack of the full company performing.

 

So what's going on?

[San Perregrino]

21 minutes ago, SheilaC said:

Lucky Orlando! But what I would like to know is what and where BRB will be dancing after next April. Normally there is a short season in Birmingham in June, often, like last year, with more than usually interesting rep. This year they have not announced a summer season at their home theatre, which is presumably why the Ballet Association has been encouraged to do their annual visit in February (to see Sleeping Beauty) instead of the customary June slot. The Birmingham Hippodrome has announced a Carlos Acosta show  (On Before) in early May (6, 7); but it is not with BRB but is a Norwich Theatre and Valid Productions event, part of a short regional tour.

 

The last date I can find for BRB is 20 April in Bristol, at the end of their Sleeping Beauty tour.  One can only wonder if BRB is trying to organise another international tour, although I'm sure both Carlos Acosta and BRB would expect him to be with the company to front tours abroad, and the regional tour of his autobiographical show would preclude that. The BRB2 tour, a 'gala' of ballet bits and pieces mostly with young inexperienced dancers, not full ballets like the regional split tours used to have, and in a limited geographical area, scarcely compensates for the lack of the full company performing.

 

So what's going on?

perhaps they’re waiting for the reaction to Black Sabbath… its sold out before it opens on the basis of pre-publicity.

A good reception by the audiences to the actual ballet would suggest an early revival in 2024. 

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, SheilaC said:

Lucky Orlando! But what I would like to know is what and where BRB will be dancing after next April. Normally there is a short season in Birmingham in June, often, like last year, with more than usually interesting rep. This year they have not announced a summer season at their home theatre, which is presumably why the Ballet Association has been encouraged to do their annual visit in February (to see Sleeping Beauty) instead of the customary June slot. The Birmingham Hippodrome has announced a Carlos Acosta show  (On Before) in early May (6, 7); but it is not with BRB but is a Norwich Theatre and Valid Productions event, part of a short regional tour.

 

The last date I can find for BRB is 20 April in Bristol, at the end of their Sleeping Beauty tour.  One can only wonder if BRB is trying to organise another international tour, although I'm sure both Carlos Acosta and BRB would expect him to be with the company to front tours abroad, and the regional tour of his autobiographical show would preclude that. The BRB2 tour, a 'gala' of ballet bits and pieces mostly with young inexperienced dancers, not full ballets like the regional split tours used to have, and in a limited geographical area, scarcely compensates for the lack of the full company performing.

 

So what's going on?

 

Exactly Sheila!

 

A friend was at the season announcement earlier in the year and reported back to me about what had been announced.  There is no June season as (hopefully?) the company will be raising its international profile.

 

What also worries me is that the interminable articles leading up to Black Sabbath all mention Acosta's oft stated desire is to see it go global.  Does that mean a Matthew Bourne style tour of the ballet lasting a couple of years so there are slim or no pickings for UK-based BRB fans?

[SheilaC]

Yes, it is potentially a very worrying development. The amount of touring, especially to the North West and North East, has reduced significantly in recent years; yet the company is supported by tax payers across the country (admittedly the level of public support has reduced in recent years and in the present economic climate BRB may face further cuts).

But it is a national company and as such should prioritise national audiences, however much the company needs extra funds or the dancers enjoy the glamour of touring overseas.

[San Perregrino]

On 12/09/2023 at 14:02, Jan McNulty said:

Full programme for An Evening of Music and Dance:

Rossini Overture Barber of Seville

Luke Howard Interlinked 2 movements 

Danced by: Chou, Singleton, Anderson, Bejarano, Rojas, Wu,

Pinto Cata, Monaghan, Gittens, Shang, Waine, Rodrigues,

Linares, Parma, Mizutani, Kurihari, Fuchigani

Tchaikovsky Danse Espagnole from Swan Lake.

Minkus Don Quixote. Pas de Deux 

Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Op. 43: Variations No 17

Allegretto & No 18, Andante cantabile). Pas de deux 

Granados Intermezzo from Goyescas 

Pugni Diana and Acteon PDD

 

INTERVAL 

 

De Falla Jota from The Three-Cornered Hat. 

Bizet Carmen March 

Carmen Pas de deux 

Tchaikovsky Black Swan Pas de deux

Albeniz arr. Arnold Tango 

Drigo Le Corsaire Pas de Deux

Rimsky Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol 

 

Is this the programme that was presented earlier in the year at Birmingham Symphony Hall and was it Northampton?

 

If not, perhaps we can look forward to seeing it in February 2024. I see the Symphony Hall is currently dark on Saturday 17th February…. 

[Odyssey]

But how else are they to raise funds in this current climate? It’s certainly not going to be from Birmingham City Council. I’d prefer them to try to secure their immediate future and still be around when (if) the economic situation eases. 

[Tango Dancer]

19 hours ago, PeterS said:

Is this the programme that was presented earlier in the year at Birmingham Symphony Hall and was it Northampton?

 

If not, perhaps we can look forward to seeing it in February 2024. I see the Symphony Hall is currently dark on Saturday 17th February…. 

 

It's broadly similar to the music and dance event at symphony hall.  That had Le Corsaire and I think a different bit of Swan Lake but had most of the rest was the same.  

 

I hope they run a music and dance event again in 2024 as the one in February was really impressive and showcased the dancers very well. 

[Jan McNulty]

32 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

 

It's broadly similar to the music and dance event at symphony hall.  That had Le Corsaire and I think a different bit of Swan Lake but had most of the rest was the same.  

 

I hope they run a music and dance event again in 2024 as the one in February was really impressive and showcased the dancers very well. 

 

Symphony Hall is always one of my annual highlights and I'm just hoping against hope that the event hasn't been ditched.

[Emeralds]

I think Symphony Hall/B Music are going to need some income too so please don’t ditch the Evening of Music & Dance event, Carlos! (We want to travel up for it this season and I know my Birmingham friends would love to come along.)

Edited September 15, 2023 by Emeralds

[northstar]

Quote

Yes, it is potentially a very worrying development. The amount of touring, especially to the North West and North East, has reduced significantly in recent years

Thanks SheilaC for noting this. At this time of year I was just thinking how I used to enjoy BRB's annual September visit to Salford. It last happened in 2018 I think (Fille Mal Gardee?), and since then they have only come to Salford once a year, in spring.

I am trying to accept that things change with the times. Economic conditions, artistic approaches, and many other features of life, will of course change as the years go on. But hard for us BRB fans, especially in the north as you mention (and especially fans of traditional, classical ballet) to be completely philosophical about these changes. I wish BRB good luck with their Orlando performance, but can't help feeling a little sad/worried, as others have indicated above, about other implications. The company is just a superb artistic jewel in the crown of the country, and I'm so glad I've been able to see their work so near my home since I've been ballet fan for ~ 25 years. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by northstar