Photo Album: first look at tonight’s premiere of Medusa with The Royal Ballet
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui new work, Medusa, opens at The Royal Ballet this evening, together with revivals of Christopher Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour and Crystal Pite‘s ballet exploring the refugee crisis, Flight Pattern.
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Medusa is his first work for The Royal Ballet.
Medusa
Choreography: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Music: Henry Purcell
Electronic music: Olga Wojciechowska
Costume director: Olivia Pomp
Lighting designer: Adam Silverman
Set concept and design: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Cast
Medusa
Athena
Olivia Cowley
Perseus
Poseidon
Ryoichi Hirano
Within the Golden Hour
Christopher Wheeldon‘s ballet to a specially written score by Ezio Bosso has been acclaimed as one of his finest works.
Choreography: Christopher Wheeldon
Music: Ezio Bosso and Antonio Vivaldi
Costume designer: Jasper Conran
Lighting designer: Peter Mumford
Cast
Beatriz Stix-Brunell
Ryoichi Hirano
Flight Pattern
Crystal Pite’s ballet is a moving exploration of the refugee crisis, from the plight of millions of displaced people to individual human relationships.
Choreography: Crystal Pite
Music: Henryk Mikołaj Górecki
Set designer: Jay Gower Taylor
Costume designer: Nancy Bryant
Lighting designer: Tom Visser
Cast
Kristen McNally
Marcelino Sambé
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 Italian ballerina 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.
I am extra glad that I booked my seats for next week – these photos hint at exciting costumes and sets; should be a refreshing evening with a lot of my favourite artists. Thank you Graham!
I really enjoyed the triple bill – and actually thought Medusa stunning at times. First reviews in Indy and Evening Standard are positive (Indy) or a bit snippy (Standard). I’m surprised- the audience loved it.
Enjoyed it so much last night. Medusa is a winner. Osipova magical. Good audience reaction. Within the Golden Hour and Flight Pattern just wonderful.
I saw this last Wednesday and it was a superb evening. I never agree with any of Emma Byrne’s reviews, but then the Evening Standard is a real rag. I wish we could have a new London newspaper.