It's relatively rare to see a female pas de deux in classical dance. In 2015, for her farewell tour, Sylvie Guillem asked Russell Maliphant to create a such a duet as she'd never danced with a female partner, so he created Here & After, which she danced all over the world with La Scala soloist Emanuela Montanari. Now, The Royal Ballet's Principal Character Artist Kristen … [Read more...] about A female pas de deux from Royal Ballet dancers Beatriz Stix-Brunell and Yasmine Naghdi
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Yanowsky’s Back! Making a comeback faster than Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra famously retired in 1970 only to make a comeback three years later, after which he continued to sing into the '90s. Former Royal Ballet Principal Zenaida Yanowsky is making a faster comeback than Ol' Blue Eyes. After 23 years with The Royal Ballet, Zenaida Yanowsky gave her final curtain call on the Covent Garden stage in June of this year. Her final … [Read more...] about Yanowsky’s Back! Making a comeback faster than Frank Sinatra
The world’s cheapest city (and most expensive) for a cultural break
Prague has come up trumps as the place where those planning a cultural city break can save money this autumn, according to the 2017 British Post Office Travel Money Cost of Culture Report. The Czech capital emerges as cheapest in a survey of opera, dance, music concert, gallery and museum prices in 16 cultural cities, with runners-up Warsaw, Budapest and Moscow making it a … [Read more...] about The world’s cheapest city (and most expensive) for a cultural break
Kevin O’Hare interview: It’s an exciting time for The Royal Ballet
This is an exciting time for The Royal Ballet, which has been on a roll for several years with an enthusiastic public for the sold-out performances at the Royal Opera House, the extremely popular live cinema relays, and the streamed events on the internet. The public and critical success has been mirrored by the various accolades that the company has garnered recently. The … [Read more...] about Kevin O’Hare interview: It’s an exciting time for The Royal Ballet
Critics Round-Up: An ‘imaginatively crafted delight’ or a ‘thin ballet’? Royal Ballet’s Alice
We know that the Royal Ballet's dancers are exceptional, we've seen that the designs and lighting are magical, but the jury is still out on whether Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland satisfies as a theatrical piece. Clement Crisp's final paragraph from his Financial Times review of the current run was, But for all the unflagging energies, physical and … [Read more...] about Critics Round-Up: An ‘imaginatively crafted delight’ or a ‘thin ballet’? Royal Ballet’s Alice
Christopher Wheeldon explains why his Alice ballet isn’t a slow-motion car crash
Luke Jennings, summing up the critics' verdicts on the 'McCartney Ballet' in the Guardian's theatre blog, reflected on unsuccessful narrative ballets: Ballet's gatekeepers tend to almost infinite credulity, and this, to a large extent, is why there are so many bad narrative ballets. Here in the UK there are dance directors who understand the nature and importance of story … [Read more...] about Christopher Wheeldon explains why his Alice ballet isn’t a slow-motion car crash
First reviews are out of Wheeldon’s Alice at the Royal Ballet
Neil Norman for The Daily Express has no doubt: I predict that Christopher Wheeldon’s triumphant production of Lewis Carroll’s immortal classic will become the must-see ballet for children and adults alike. As a full-length narrative ballet – the first commissioned by the Royal Ballet in sixteen years – it is a cogent and immensely entertaining work. As a feat of engineering … [Read more...] about First reviews are out of Wheeldon’s Alice at the Royal Ballet