PREVIEW OF THE WORLD PREMIERE OF BLACK SABBATH - THE BALLET

CARLOS ACOSTA & TONY IOMMI ON BLACK SABBATH BRIDGE, BIRMINGHAM, PHOTO ⓒ DREW TOMMONS

Pictured BRB's Company Director, CARLOS ACOSTA
 and SOFIA LIÑARES PHOTOS ⓒ PEROU

Birmingham Royal Ballet announces the full length, three-act, Ballet Now commission: Black Sabbath - The Ballet will premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome in September 2023. 

This heavy metal dance experience features eight Black Sabbath tracks reorchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and includes new music inspired by the band, composed by Tony® Award-winning orchestrator, Christopher Austin, Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting.

'The eight Black Sabbath tracks that will feature are: Paranoid (Paranoid, 1970); Ironman (Paranoid, 1970); War Pigs (Paranoid, 1970); Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath, 1970); Solitude (Master of Reality, 1971); Orchid (Master of Reality, 1971); Laguna Sunrise (Vol 4, 1972) and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 1973). The music will be re-orchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia with new compositions inspired by Black Sabbath also performed live by the orchestra. On the stage guitars and drums will be integrated into the performance' msevenpublicrelations (M7PR)

‘Black Sabbath is probably Birmingham’s biggest export, the most famous (and infamous) cultural entity to ever emerge from the city - so I was naturally drawn to the idea of a collaboration between what most people might think are the most unlikely of partners. The band’s enthusiasm for the project is a huge endorsement. They are putting their trust in us to deliver something completely new and original, and that’s quite a responsibility but one that we are beyond excited to take on. Everyone in the BRB company is thrilled to be involved and we cannot wait to share the vision for the show in more detail in the coming months.I have hand picked the creative team and will work closely with them to make a spectacular show.’ Carlos Acosta, Company Director BRB

 ‘I’m looking forward to seeing how this all develops! Black Sabbath have always been innovators and never been predictable, and it doesn’t come any more unpredictable than this! I’d never imagined pairing Black Sabbath with Ballet but it’s got a nice ring to it! I’ve met with Carlos several times and his enthusiasm is infectious. I performed alongside some of the dancers at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and they had an incredible energy, so I’m happy to go along for the ride with them and see you on the other side!’ Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath co-founder, lead guitarist, and co-songwriter

Black Sabbath - The Ballet is the second Birmingham UK -focused commission from Carlos Acosta. The first, City of a Thousand Trades which looked at the city’s industrial heritage and multicultural communities, premiered in 2021. 

The idea of a Black Sabbath ballet had been on Carlos Acosta’s mind since he first arrived in Birmingham at the start of 2020, just before the pandemic hit. Black Sabbath played their first ever gig in The Crown pub just a stone’s throw from Birmingham Royal Ballet’s base on Thorp Street, The pub was recently saved from demolition and is deemed a heritage site by fans.

Birmingham Royal Ballet is based at the Birmingham Hippodrome and is the UK’s leading touring ballet company performing a range of traditional, classical and heritage ballets as well as ground-breaking new works with the aim of encouraging choreographers of the future.
The Company’s Director since January 2020 is the internationally renowned Carlos Acosta.

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Birmingham Royal Ballet’s permanent orchestra

Ballet Now is generously supported by Oak Foundation’s Special Interest Programme, which provided major funding for the project, Foyle Foundation, Anthony Coombs and The Keith Coombs Trust, The Big Give 2017, The John Feeney Charitable Trust, The John S Cohen Foundation, The H Steven and PE Wood Charitable Trust, The W and M Morris Charitable Trust, the estate of Judith and John Percival, Birmingham


LEAD CHOREOGRAPHER - Pontus Lidberg (the Artistic Director of Danish Dance Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark),


ADDITIONAL CHOREOGRAPHERS - Raúl Reinoso and Cassi Abranches. Reinoso premiered his choreography Satori 2018 and since 2015 has been a dancer with Acosta Danza. Abranches is Artistic Director of Balé da Cidade de São Paulo, Brazil

DESIGN - Alexandre Arrechea, his work comprises of large-scale installations, performance art, and 2D and 3D artworks

DRAMATURGY - Richard Thomas known for writing and composing Jerry Springer - The Opera. Olivier-Award winner, Thomas, is working on several new musicals.

LIGHTING DESIGN - Kieron Johnson (a lighting designer for dance, theatre and opera).

Further Autumn dates (2023) at Plymouth Theatre Royal and Sadler's Wells, London will follow.


References:


Press Release
https://msevenpublicrelations.co.uk/ 08 Feb 2023


Photography ⓒ PEROU


https://www.brb.org.uk/