An evening of music and dance, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Symphony Hall - review
It was a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Brexit – offering the best of British music and dance along with some renowned works from European composers and choreographers.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet's An Evening of Music and Dance with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia was the perfect antidote to a chilly Saturday night.
Bringing a cacophony of dramatic, energetic sound and choreography recognising ballet's complex international history, the show was a perfect annual preview, showcasing the talent of both the dancers and the musicians.
From the thunderous, intriguing and quintessentially British, Richard Rodney Bennett's 'Murder on the Orient Express' to Ralph Vaughan Williams's 'Fantasia on Greensleeves' and Carl Davis' Aladdin:Wedding pas de deux, the show gave us space to be patriotic as well as acknowledge the diversity and continental influences that continues to evolve ballet today.
The first half was comprised entirely of British composers, celebrating the rich musical heritage of the country while the second demonstrated the impact and significance of European and Eastern influences.
Overall then, the show gave us a glimpse into a season to look forward to at the Royal Ballet. Complete with the endearing Chinese dragon in Aladdin, to the homage to Queen Victoria in the first dance, it was a production that gave us a hint of all the company has to offer and the distinct ancestry of the ballet that continues to shape it today.
The preview event was a one-night only performance. However, the 2017/18 programme of the Birmingham Royal Ballet will see the full production of Coppélia and Pineapple Poll take to the Hippodrome stage in June and Aladdin performed in the first week of September.
