Birmingham Royal Ballet returns to Gala on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 May with an illuminating mix of works that showcase the range and beauty of ballets inspired by William Shakespeare.
This production, which is performed at 7.30pm on both days as well as 2.30pm on Wednesday afternoon, forms part of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s exceptional season of seven works, which commemorates 400 years since the death of arguably the world’s most prolific playwright.
The programme starts with Jessica Lang’s Wink, a new one-act ballet that captures the poetry of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Then comes a series of excerpts from best-loved ballets including Romeo and Juliet (the romantic balcony pas de deux), The Dream (pas de deux), and The Taming of the Shrew (the fiery fight pas de deux).
Lastly, The Moor’s Pavane distils the passion and drama of Shakespeare’s Othello into a thrilling one-act tragedy, tightly focussed on four characters whose relationships are distorted by jealousy.
This thrilling programme showcases the versatility of the Company’s world-class dancers and features live accompaniment from the acclaimed Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Company Director, David Bintley said: “With Shakespeare you start with the story and those amazing characters. The fantasy pieces and the love stories translate really well into dance, most famously of course Romeo and Juliet – it’s made for dancers. That’s what ballet does so well without words. You can fall instantly in love – which doesn’t happen very often in life, but in the ballet it’s something we can create with the language of the body.”
On Wednesday 11 May at 10.45am members of the public are invited behind closed doors as the Company of dancers open up their daily class. Take a peek behind the scenes to witness the preparation and dedication needed to be part of the UK’s leading touring classical ballet company. Tickets for this rare and fascinating opportunity cost £10.
Prior to the evening performance on Wednesday 11 May, Birmingham Royal Ballet will be holding a free 30-minute talk. Audience members will learn more about the pieces in the show from the people behind the scenes and on the stage.
Tickets for the production cost £20 full price, £18 concessions and £16 for Gala Friends. To book please call Gala’s box office on 03000 266 600 or visit www.galadurham.co.uk.