Birmingham Royal Ballet’s autumn 2019 season will feature a balance of classical and contemporary ballet including a world première and a partnership with Ballet Black.
BRB, which will welcome Carlos Acosta as its director in January 2020, begins the season with a mixed bill of A Brief Nostalgia, The Suit and Nine Sinatra Songs.
A Brief Nostalgia, the fourth commission from BRB’s Ballet Now initiative, is by rising young choreographer and Queensland Ballet dancer Jack Lister.
Featuring a score by Scottish composer Tom Harrold, the world première opens the mixed bill before Ballet Black takes to the stage to perform Cathy Marston’s The Suit, inspired by Can Themba’s South African fable.
Cassa Pancho MBE, founder and artistic director of Ballet Black, said, “it’s a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with one of the most established British ballet companies, and for our own brilliant dancers to work alongside the world-class talent at BRB.”
BRB’s dancers will close the programme with Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs, a portrait of seven couples that traces romantic relationships.
The mixed bill will play Birmingham Hippodrome from Thursday 19 until Saturday 21 September and Sadler’s Wells, London on Tuesday and Wednesday, 29 and 30 October.
Birmingham Royal Ballet will then tour David Bintley and Galina Samsova’s production of Giselle. On the opening night, BRB principals Momoko Hirata and César Morales will play the eponymous heroine and her anti-hero Count Albrecht.
Giselle will be at Birmingham Hippodrome from Wednesday 25 until Saturday 28 September. It will play Plymouth Theatre Royal from Wednesday 23 until Friday 25 October and Sadler’s Wells on Friday and Saturday, 1 and 2 November.
The end of the year marks the annual revival of Sir Peter Wright’s production of The Nutcracker which returns to Birmingham Hippodrome from Friday 22 November until Saturday 14 December. It will also go to the Royal Albert Hall from Saturday 28 until Tuesday 31 December.