Photo album: Opening night at The Royal Ballet includes premiere of Liam Scarlett’s Symphonic Dances
The latest mixed-programme from The Royal Ballet was unveiled last night and will run until the end of this month. “Virtuoso dance from The Royal Ballet in a programme that includes Forsythe and Balanchine classics and Wheeldon’s 2016 narrative ballet” also saw the world premiere of Liam Scarlett‘s new creation for the Company, Symphonic Dances.
The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
William Forsythe’s ballet to the last movement of Schubert’s ‘Great’ Symphony is an exhilarating celebration of virtuoso dance.
Choreography
William Forsythe
Music
Franz Schubert
Costume designer
Stephen Galloway
Lighting designer
Tanja Rühl
with
Marianela Nuñez, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Akane Takada, Vadim Muntagirov and Steven McRae
Tarantella
George Balanchine‘s exuberant pas de deux is full of swagger, charm and ballet brilliance.
Choreography
George Balanchine
Music
Louis Moreau Gottschalk
Orchestration
Hershy Kay
Costume designer
Karinska
Lighting designer
Simon Bennison
with
Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé
Strapless
This one-act narrative ballet from Christopher Wheeldon spins a tale of ambition and hypocrisy around John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X, to an original score by Mark-Anthony Turnage.
Choreography
Christopher Wheeldon
Scenario
Christopher Wheeldon and Charlotte Westenra after Deborah Davis
Music
Mark-Anthony Turnage
Designer
Bob Crowley
Lighting designer
Natasha Chivers
with
Amélie Gautreau: Natalia Osipova
John Singer Sargent: Edward Watson
Dr Samuel-Jean Pozzi: Federico Bonelli
Albert de Belleroche: Matthew Ball
[rehearsal photos]
Symphonic Dances
The Royal Ballet’s Artist in Residence creates a new one-act ballet for the Company, to Rachmaninoff’s great final work.
Choreography
Liam Scarlett
Music
Sergey Rachmaninoff
Designer
Jon Morrell
Lighting designer
David Finn
with
Zenaida Yanowsky
Conductor
Koen Kessels
Concert Master
Peter Manning
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
Dear Graham, thank you so much for sharing these photos – it was truly an outstanding night and I will treasure these as a memento. Where would we be without you? and thanks too Bob Crowley.
Noelle-Virginia