Curated by Carlos

Director Carlos Acosta

Curated by Carlos City of a Thousand Trades Imminent Chacona

City of a Thousand Trades. © Tom Mayfield.

1

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ROYAL BALLET SINFONIA Patron Her Majesty the Queen President HRH The Prince of Wales Vice-President The Lady Sarah Chatto

Director Carlos Acosta cbe Chief Executive Officer Caroline Miller obe

Founded by Dame Ninette de Valois om, ch

Prima Ballerina Assoluta Dame Margot Fonteyn

Founder Choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton om, ch, cbe

Director Laureate Sir Peter Wright cbe

Founder Music Director Constant Lambert

Music Director Laureate Barry Wordsworth

Music Director Koen Kessels

WELCOME Carlos Acosta. © Johan Persson.

Please let us know what you think Please share your views on this production via our short survey.

Your feedback is invaluable to us as an organisation and will help us to understand and measure the impact of what we do. brb.org.uk/curated-survey

We’re so excited to welcome you

To close the programme, I am delighted

back to live performances and we

to introduce British audiences to a

celebrate our return to stage with two

ballet I have enjoyed performing;

world premieres from our Ballet Now

Spanish choreographer Goyo Montero’s

programme and a Company premiere.

thrillingly physical work Chacona.

City of a Thousand Trades, produced

I would like to thank Sean Foley and

in association with Birmingham

all at Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Repertory Theatre, is a love letter to the

for their continued support. I would

city of Birmingham. It has evolved from

also like to extend my gratitude to the

a wonderful collaboration between

Oakley Charitable Trust for its support

Miguel Altunaga, The REP’s own

of City of a Thousand Trades, and to the

associate director Madeleine Kludje

Oak Foundation and all supporters of

and an impressive creative team.

these performances.

Mathias Coppens’s exciting new score is overlayed with the voice and words

We perform David Bintley’s magical

of Casey Bailey, Birmingham’s Poet

Cinderella here at The REP next

Laureate.

week and we return to Birmingham Hippodrome in the autumn for a new

Daniela Cardim’s beautiful Imminent is

season, which includes November

a ballet born of hope. This second world

and December performances of The

premiere Ballet Now commission is

Nutcracker.

another collaborative piece, including a stunning soundtrack from Paul

I hope you enjoy the performance

Englishby.

Director

Join our mailing list: brb.org.uk/mailing-list

1

THE CAST City of a Thousand Trades Produced in association with The REP Music Mathias Coppens Choreography and Co-Director Miguel Altunaga Dramaturg and Co-Director Madeleine Kludje Designs Giulia Scrimieri Lighting Michael Lee-Woolley Poet and Voiceover Casey Bailey

Rosanna Ely

Callum Findlay-White Brandon Lawrence

Gus Payne

Darel Perez

Matilde Rodrigues

Javier Rojas

Hannah Rudd**

Tyrone Singleton

Lucy Waine

Shuailun Wu

Yijing Zhang

Members of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia Conductor Paul Murphy; Leader Robert Gibbs Percussion Kevin Earley, Grahame King **Hannah Rudd is a guest artist

Interval (30 minutes)

Imminent Music Paul Englishby Choreography Daniela Cardim Designs April Dalton Lighting Peter Teigen Dramaturg Lou Cope Assistant Choreographer Peter Leung

Eilis Small

Alexander Yap

Tzu-Chao Chou

Miki Mizutani

Yaoqian Shang

Mathias Dingman

Alexandra Burman

Laura Day

Gabriel Anderson

Ryan Felix

Tori Forsyth-Hecken Reina Fuchigami Haoliang Feng

Emma Price*

Lachlan Monaghan Lennert Steegen

(*Isabella Howard, 11/6)

Royal Ballet Sinfonia Conductor Philip Ellis; Leader Robert Gibbs

Pause (10 minutes, please remain seated) For biographies of the dancers visit brb.org.uk/dancers and musicians brb.org.uk/sinfonia

2

Chacona Music Johan Sebastian Bach, Partita No.2 in D Minor Choreography Goyo Montero Costume designs Verena Hemmerlein, Goyo Montero Lighting Nicolás Fischtel, Goyo Montero Répétiteur Carlos Lázaro Aquillué Assistant to the Choreographer Ivan Gil-Ortega

Tori Forsyth-Hecken*

Momoko Hirata

Yu Kurihara

Rachele Pizzillo Emma Price Yuki Sugiura (*Karla Doorbar 11/6)

Beatrice Parma Yoaqian Shang* (*Lynsey Sutherland 11/6)

Gabriel Anderson Yasuo Atsuji Haoliang Feng Lachlan Monaghan

Tzu-Chao Chou* Mathias Dingman César Morales Alexander Yap (*Lennert Steegen 11/6)

Piano Jonathan Higgins; Guitar Tom Ellis; Violin Robert Gibbs

Approximate running times City of a Thousand Trades 27 minutes Interval 30 minutes Imminent 22 minutes Pause 10 minutes, please remain seated Chacona 15 minutes Approximate performance length: 1 hour and 45 minutes

INTERVAL DRINKS Please pre-order your drinks. We would ask for one member of the party to collect and return to the auditorium to drink.

The bar will also be open for table service during the interval.

Sir David Bintley’s

Cinderella

★★★★★ Birmingham Mail

18 – 26 June 2021

Momoko Hirata as Cinderella. © Sam Robinson.

birmingham-rep.co.uk

3

WORLD PREMIERE

City of a Thousand Trades

Alys Shee and Tyrone Singleton. © Tom Mayfield.

Music Mathias Coppens Choreography and Co-Director Miguel Altunaga Dramaturg and Co-Director Madeleine Kludje Designs Giulia Scrimieri Lighting Michael Lee-Woolley Poet and Voiceover Casey Bailey, Birmingham Poet Laureate 2020-22 Produced in association with The REP

City of a Thousand Trades is supported by the Oakley Charitable Trust and is a Ballet Now commission Ballet Now is generously supported by Oak Foundation’s Special Interest Programme, which provided major funding for the project.

Ballet Now is also supported by the Foyle Foundation, Anthony Coombs and The Keith Coombs Trust, The Big Give 2017, The John Feeney Charitable Trust, The Leche Trust, The John S Cohen Foundation, The Hochhauser Foundation, The H Steven and PE Wood Charitable Trust, The W and M Morris Charitable Trust, the estate of Judith and John Percival, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s New Work Syndicate 2017 and Director’s Appeal 2017.

World premiere: 10 June 2021, Birmingham Repertory Theatre

For biographies of the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

4

MEET MIGUEL ALTUNAGA Deborah Weiss speaks to Miguel Altunaga, Choreographer of City of a Thousand Trades Born in Havana, Cuba, Miguel

platform for emerging choreographers.

Altunaga, choreographer, dancer,

There was an idea to do something

photographer and film maker,

that really represents the city. It’s not

best known in the UK for his long

only Birmingham, but I wanted to

association with Rambert, is about

make something that audiences could

to premiere his first commission for

connect to their own city and own

Birmingham Royal Ballet, City of a

journey. Birmingham has this name

Thousand Trades, which is described as

in the UK but also across the world.

a love letter to the city of Birmingham.

It’s known as the workshop of the world, with all the opportunities that it

He claims he’s not sleeping well. ‘As a

offers. It’s a city that embraces people’s

choreographer, the responsibility is a

dreams, realises their ambitions. It

whole different story! I’m learning a lot

becomes more emotional, not just

about myself, how to lead, not to do too

about bricks and mortar, but more

much or too little, finding a balance.

human, about the people. What do you

Also things about scheduling, planning,

trade for a better life?’

meetings – it’s big because it’s a very important company. I’m very proud to

The music is an original score by

be here actually! Ideally I would like to

Belgian composer Mathias Coppens. He

continue to dance and choreograph,

has managed to reference the different

but to be honest, I really enjoy seeing

cultural backgrounds within the city,

dancers and artists doing my work. I

alongside Heavy Metal. Altunaga

love collaborating and creating.

explains, ‘It’s basically a classical score

“I want the

audience to connect with the piece, with the music, with the dancers and feel that they could be there, be one of them”

but it also embraces the different ‘The commission came about because

communities. It was complicated

I submitted a proposal to Ballet Now, a

because he’s in Belgium. We have been

© Tom Mayfield.

For a biography of Miguel Altunaga and the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

5

“It’s the biggest

project I’ve ever done... The atmosphere in the studio is fantastic, they all work so hard – that’s what I will take with me” Matilde Rodrigues. © Tom Mayfield.

working for a whole year, doing loads of

is that ballet dancers are able to do

I will take with me. It’s been a great

Zoom meetings and trials. I always try

everything as long as you coach them

experience, it couldn’t be better.

to create a friendship, good chemistry,

well, with the right energy.

an honesty where he is allowed to tell

‘I have my goals. I love the physicality,

me what he thinks and I do the same.

‘As a choreographer, you physicalise

musicality, emotions and I know I

When we are working, we’re focused

everything, so they can see what

have basic things that I go towards,

on something that is greater than

you want. I’ve always loved classical

but I really want every single piece I

ourselves. We talked every evening

ballet and thought one day I would

do to have its own personality. Each

about what to keep, what needed

be in this position, but in order for

piece should have its message and it

changing. I have also spent hours with

them to understand me, I first have to

shouldn’t be about me. It’s much bigger

Madeleine [Kludje, dramaturg and co-

understand them. With contemporary

than me.’

Director from Birmingham Repertory

choreographers, they set you tasks

Theatre], trying to work out how to put

and you find your own voice. Classical

together something that is cohesive

dancers wait to be told what to do.

– because I want the audience to

You are the choreographer, they are

connect with the piece, with the music,

the dancer. It’s amazing! The craft

with the dancers and feel that they

really sharpens. We did a lot of drama

could be there, be one of them. It’s a

workshops. They were so eager, it

challenge because I love things that are

was great. We tried to create a cast

abstract, but it’s good for me to work

where there is no hierarchy because

with something that has more literal

it’s about the people of the city, so it’s

moments, to get the audience back with

very diverse. I also wanted a sense of

me.’

community. It’s about growth, dreams.

To date, Altunaga has worked mostly

‘It’s the biggest project I’ve ever done.

within the contemporary genre. It was

I’m very positive about it but the best

interesting to discover that he finds

thing is that I’m learning a lot. The

ballet dancers thrilling to work with. ‘I

atmosphere in the studio is fantastic,

love every dance form. My experience

they all work so hard – that’s what

Deborah Weiss is a former principal dancer who danced primarily with London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) and the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich. Since 1993 she has been a freelance dance writer and critic.

Technical credits Scenic construction/painting Birmingham Repertory Theatre / Scottfleary Model maker Patrick Cahill Draughtsperson Simon Oliver Oral Historian Consultant Helen Lloyd Costume makers Phil Reynolds Dyeing Sheila White Costume Supervisor Elaine Garlick Production Managers Ben Leveson / David Pritchard

6

BUILDING BIRMINGHAM

Amy Stutz speaks to Madeleine Kludje, Co-Producer of City of a Thousand Trades

‘What do you trade to build a new life?’ asks City of a Thousand Trades. Described as a love letter to Birmingham, it’s a celebration of the city’s richly diverse cultural and industrial heritage.

I spoke to Madeleine Kludje, Associate Director at The REP and Dramaturg and Co-Director of this new ballet, about how the city inspired this show.

‘City of a Thousand Trades looks at the thousands of people that have traded something to be here. Whether that’s for a better life, or just a different life,’ says Madeleine. ‘When people move to a new city and they have so much hope

Costume designs. © Giulia Scrimieri.

– hope to build that life that they want.

We explore those people’s dreams and aspirations in this show.’

ballet at all and have felt like there has always been a barrier there, can use this

This ballet tells the story of how

as a way to get into it. ‘They will get to

Birmingham became known as the City

see a ballet that speaks their language

of a Thousand Trades at the height

because it’s about connection. We hope

of the Industrial Revolution. Skilled

people see themselves within the story.

workers migrated to the city from

‘We got a real insight into people’s

throughout the Commonwealth,

experience of Birmingham, and we’ve

creating a melting-pot of cultures and

used elements of those testimonies

the city we know today.

within the music of the show.’

Over the course of 20 years, Oral

Composed by Mathias Coppens,

Historian Helen Lloyd interviewed

it isn’t music you’d usually expect

hundreds of different people around

from a ballet. To carry the narrative,

Birmingham. ‘It was about getting

Mathias has creatively intertwined the

their experiences of what it means to

testimonies with spoken word from

be in Birmingham,’ says Madeleine.

Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey

‘We looked at Lloyd’s interviews and

Bailey and sounds within the city.

interviewed people ourselves.’ These

‘Yes, we have strings because we have

stories then shaped this powerful new

an orchestra playing,’ Madeleine

ballet.

explains. ‘But we also have electric guitar which nods to Ozzy Osborne

‘Miguel and I wanted to hone in on

and the heavy metal influence on the

the storytelling,’ explains Madeleine.

city. Everything you’ll hear links to

‘People who love going to the ballet will

Birmingham in some way’.

“This piece is about Birmingham but it’s about all cities as well. Every city can connect in some way, as it portrays the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful”

love this. But people who don’t go to the

7

‘We look at City of a Thousand Trades

Madeleine. ‘He really connected with

‘We want people to connect

in the very literal sense because

the piece and the emotional journey

emotionally with the stories in this

Birmingham was known for the silk

as he reflected on when he first moved

ballet. To remember that feeling when

trade and the metal industries. We

to the UK from Cuba, not being able to

they first came to the city and what

have percussionists on stage that make

speak a word of English and learning to

they went through to build their life

sounds that represent the factory trade

fit into a new environment.

here. It’s not easy, it’s hard work and we

in Birmingham. This really creates the feeling of building a city.’

all experience the highs and lows.

‘I’ve learnt through working on this piece that we all go through the same

‘People think it’s the bricks and mortar

The dancers, just like Director of

feelings and emotions when moving

that make a city, but it’s the people. City

Birmingham Royal Ballet Carlos Acosta,

to a new city. Because we want to do

of a Thousand Trades is a love letter to

have fed their stories into the piece too.

better, for ourselves and for our families

the people that make this city and the

They’ve lived these experiences moving

and to fit in.

way we all connect, because together

to Birmingham to achieve their dreams.

we will thrive.’

‘This piece is about Birmingham but

‘Carlos was talking to me about how

it’s about all cities as well. Every city

important it is to do a ballet like this,

can connect in some way, as it portrays

to talk about what people have traded

the good, the bad, the ugly and the

for people to see themselves and their

beautiful.

Amy Stutz is an arts and culture writer based in the West Midlands. Amy runs a successful blog that champions the best in theatre and cultural events across the UK.

experiences reflected on stage,’ says

THE MUSIC Mathias Coppens, Composer of City of a Thousand Trades

“Well, the

electric guitars were inspired

by Black Sabbath, that says enough I think! ”

You compose extensively concert

What sort of musical challenges did

and film music, is this your first

this present?

commission for ballet?

Miguel told me his approach would

I have written different kinds of music,

be very cinematic, but he also wanted

including concert music, soundtracks,

an intense and very physical show.

theatre and opera. Together with

We almost immediately agreed on

conductor Michiel Delanghe, I have

a lot of percussion, since he’s also a

an ensemble for contemporary music,

percussionist and as a Cuban he speaks

completely dedicated to music theatre.

the language of rhythm very well.

But this is my first opportunity to write a ballet piece, which I’m grateful for.

At the same time we wanted soulful strings and the cool of electric guitars.

Coming from Belgium and growing

All these elements had to blend

up with the work of Anne Teresa De

together and mix with electronics,

Keersmaeker and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

quite a cocktail of elements! The most

this is a dream come true. As a pianist

difficult task was to go organically from

I did accompany dancers at the Royal

one scene to another implementing

Conservatory in Antwerp, so I know

musical material that would connect

some insight into ballet.

these different worlds and create a unity.

For a biography of Matthias Coppens and the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

8

Kevin Earley and Grahame King, percussionists for City of a Thousand Trades.

The soundtrack is influenced by

The score uses a lot of unusual

What have you enjoyed most about

Birmingham’s industrial heritage –

percussion, how was it writing

the collaboration with Miguel,

how did you approach this?

for all the different instruments –

Madeleine and the rest of the team?

Well, the electric guitars were inspired

did these provide any particular

We had so many online meetings and

by Black Sabbath, that says enough

challenges?

for some unique reason there was

I think! The score also has a massive

It was a challenge, not only to find an

always so much energy coming out

percussion set up, the instruments are

interesting way to combine all these

of my computer screen. It is really an

broadly divided into two categories,

different sounds and playing technics,

honour to work with such a bunch of

with metal instruments representing

but also because the two percussionists

super-talented and creative people who

the trades, and drums representing

are on these big towers, far from the

are at the same time kind, humble and

the global ethnic diversity that exists

other players, not being able to really

caring. This is definitely not the last

within Birmingham. We have an anvil

communicate with the conductor.

show we will make together!

that represents the smithing and large metal industry and a small anvil used

There’s also not a lot of space for

in the jewellery business, there is a

music stands, so they basically have to

brake drum (from a van) that represents

memorise everything, which I’m really

Birmingham’s famous motor industry,

impressed by! And then I also had to do

there also is a washing machine drum

research in how I had to write for non-

representing electrical engineering,

Western instruments, which patterns

a railway track, some scaffold pipes,

would work on, for example, a doumbek

because we’re literally constructing a

or a riq, not really in my comfort zone

city on stage, and we have bottles which

being a pianist myself.

are obviously referring to glass making and brewing.

It also didn’t help that we had to make the entire show using zoom, because

On the other hand all the different

Kevin Earley has a lot of unique

drums represents the different

instruments, which I could only check

communities in the city, orchestral

out online. It’s pretty amazing that I’ve

percussion for the UK or Europe in

never met Kevin, or anyone else from

general, roto toms for North America, a

the creative team, this show is really a

surdo for Latin America (Brazil), bongos

pandemic baby!

(Cuba!), djembe for Africa, doumbek for the Middle East and a dagu for Asia.

9

WORLD PREMIERE

Imminent

Eilis Small and Alexander Yap. © Tom Mayfield.

Music Paul Englishby Choreography Daniela Cardim Design April Dalton Lighting Peter Teigen Dramaturg Lou Cope Assistant Choreographer Peter Leung Imminent is a Ballet Now commission

Ballet Now is generously supported by Oak Foundation’s Special Interest Programme, which provided major funding for the project.

Ballet Now is also supported by the Foyle Foundation, Anthony Coombs and The Keith Coombs Trust, The Big Give 2017, The John Feeney Charitable Trust, The Leche Trust, The John S Cohen Foundation, The Hochhauser Foundation, The H Steven and PE Wood Charitable Trust, The W and M Morris Charitable Trust, the estate of Judith and John Percival, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s New Work Syndicate 2017 and Director’s Appeal 2017.

World premiere: 10 June 2021, Birmingham Repertory Theatre

For a biographies of the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

10

MEET DANIELA CARDIM Diane Parkes speaks to Daniela Cardim, Choreographer of Imminent

© Tom Mayfield.

Imminent explores the feeling that

talking about was the feeling that

something significant is looming and

something really bad could happen

change is imminent. The production

and you would feel powerless to stop

grew out of Daniela’s concerns about

it. We all know this feeling one way or

climate change and extreme politics.

another,’ recalls Daniela. ‘You either

“Imminent

you can do. It’s strange because we

is born of hope, of the importance of letting go of the past and moving boldly on”

‘At the same time you saw political

were talking about this before COVID

polarisation increasing everywhere

happened.’

Lou Cope, Dramaturg

can’t stop it or sometimes you choose ‘I’m from Brazil and when we started

to ignore it, or you think it’s too big to

discussing this work there were these

worry about, or that other people need

terrible fires in the Amazon forests

to worry about it. Until it hits you – and

and I had been reading all these

then you have to deal with it.’

articles about climate change and how politicians were making wrong

‘This could happen with anything, with

decisions about that. It felt so urgent

climate change or even with disease,

and yet no one seemed to be doing

when all of a sudden you get sick and

enough.

your life changes and there is nothing

and it felt like the world was stepping backwards, that people were losing

COVID’s impact on Imminent was

dialogue and connection.’

immediate. ‘We were about to start rehearsals last year when COVID

Daniela and Dramaturg Lou Cope then

happened and everything was

needed to distil this sense of unease

postponed until further notice,’ Daniela

into a theme that would inspire this

recalls. With the easing of lockdown

new abstract work.

restrictions, the team returned to work this spring. But the worldwide

‘I couldn’t do a ballet about climate

pandemic and its effects on people led

change, it’s too big a subject, but Lou

Daniela and Lou to re-think some of the

and I realised that what we were really

emphasis in Imminent.

For a biography of Daniela Cardim and the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

11

Set and costume designs. © April Dalton.

“There’s a window of opportunity and we can make a positive change if enough people choose to act.”

Daniela Cardim

‘We thought about what COVID had

Born in Rio de Janeiro and now based

taught us. It is, of course, a terrible

in London, Daniela danced with Ballet

thing but we learned that, if we work

do Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro

together, we can make a difference.

for five years and with Dutch National

COVID made it more evident than ever

Ballet for 11 years before turning her

that it’s possible to make a change but

talents to choreography. For Daniela,

we need enough people to choose to

one of the benefits of this project has

do it. So, for example, if everyone locks

been the opportunity to collaborate

down then the number of COVID cases

with other professionals.

comes down but you need everyone to do it for this to work.’

‘Very often, when choreographing, I have worked with only a designer

‘And we realised how we depend on

and the dancers. For Imminent I have

people who we took for granted. We

worked with a great team who each

need nurses, we need people on the

bring their own expertise to the work.

front line, people growing crops and

Paul Englishby’s music is epic with

working in the supermarkets. Hopefully

touching melodies, Lou Cope helped

now we don’t take them for granted as

me shape what I wanted to say and

much and there is a bit more kindness

how we could translate that into dance,

and caring for people. COVID is a

April Dalton has created some beautiful

tragedy but hopefully we can learn

designs, and it has been brilliant to be

that we need to respect each other, be

able to work through choreographic

kinder to each other – that we need

ideas with Peter Leung. It’s also been

people.’

great to have lighting designer Peter Teigen involved with the project from

And this new sense of hope has filtered

day one. It’s been a long journey for

into Imminent. ‘If people start to

all of us, but our relationships, and

acknowledge the problem, they can

hopefully the work, has deepened

begin to address it. And thus now

because of that.’

we see the inspiration for the piece through the lens of people gradually facing up to the need to change,’ says Daniela. ‘There’s a window of opportunity and we can make a positive change if enough people choose to act.’

Diane Parkes is a freelance journalist specialising in the arts. A reporter for more than 30 years, she has worked for newspapers, magazines, online and arts organisations locally and nationally.

12

THE MUSIC Composer Paul Englishby tells us about his new score for Imminent

How did you go about reflecting

What are the joys and challenges of

some of the ideas and themes of the

writing for dance? Is it very different

ballet in the music?

from composing scores for film or

In the case of Imminent, we spent

theatre?

a long time discussing what we

One of the joys is that the music comes

wanted to express all together,

first, before the choreography, so it’s

choreographically, musically, design

a little like writing a score for a film

and lighting wise. The piece began in

before the pictures arrive. There is

early conversations as a study of the

freedom to express, within a pre-

elements fire, water, earth and air, and

organised but flexible structure, which

through brainstorming how we could

is just about the ideal way to write for

resonate with a current audience we

me.

found ourselves talking about climate change among other things. We wanted

What have you enjoyed most about

to explore the idea of beginning with

working collaboratively with

harmony and order, and that being

Daniela and the team?

disrupted, upset or infected somehow,

Very lovely people, and always through

and the ensuing disorder and chaos,

the process of deciding what we are

ending enigmatically with a possibility

hoping to produce, we have all had

of hope; that nature or life will find a

our say and expressed our points of

way back.

view; it’s been fascinating. Daniela is extremely inclusive and encourages

So the piece could be a metaphor for

open discussion. Once our idea was

our earth and our effect on it through

fairly concrete, I wrote an initial draft

over consumption; it could also reflect

and made a demo, after which Daniela

a disease of the body or mind, or a

has had requests for extending, cutting,

virus; little did we know when we

or further development, and we

began that our very plans would be

eventually arrived at the piece that I

disrupted and thrown into disorder by

then orchestrated.

a pandemic. So musically the structure is as above, beginning with a steady

Have you got any future plans to

repeated ground bass over which

compose for ballet/dance?

a long canon grows and multiplies

I’m lucky enough to work regularly

like natural growth, representing the

with choreographer Will Tuckett, and

Earth, possibly, and harmony. The

we have some plans for work next year,

development of that material gets

and I would obviously love to work with

disrupted, chopped up, disarranged,

Daniela again, it’s been a joy.

Eilis Small in rehearsal. © Lachlan Monaghan.

“I would obviously love to work with Daniela again, it’s been a joy.”

Paul Englishby

and eventually destruction is described in the orchestra. After which there is a barren spacious landscape from which a small idea creeps through allowing for the possibility of hope.

For a biography of Paul Englishby visit brb.org.uk/curated

Technical credits Production Manager Paul Moore Costume makers Parkinson Gill, Phil Reynolds Dyeing and Printing Sheila White Costume Supervisor Elaine Garlick

13

COMPANY PREMIERE

Chacona

Ballet Nacional de Sodre, Uruguay. © Carlos Villamayor.

Music Johan Sebastian Bach, Partita No.2 in D Minor Choreography Goyo Montero Costume designs Verena Hemmerlein, Goyo Montero Lighting Nicolás Fischtel, Goyo Montero Répétiteur Carlos Lázaro Aquillué Assistant to the Choreographer Ivan Gil-Ortega

World premiere: Ballet Nacional de Sodre in Montevideo, 2017.

First performance by Birmingham Royal Ballet, 10 June 2021, Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Guest Pianist Jonathan Higgins Guest Guitarist Tom Ellis Violinist Robert Gibbs

For biographies of the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

14

Nuremberg State Theatre Ballet. © Jesús Vallinas.

DANCING ON THE EDGE Choreographer Goyo Montero talks to David Mead about his ballet Chacona ‘I have always been in love with the

Chacona as a stand-alone ballet came

Chacona,’ says Goyo Montero of the

about in 2017 when Julio Bocca asked

final movement of Bach’s Partita No.2

him to stage it for the Ballet Nacional

in D Minor. ‘The first time I heard it in

de Sodre in Montevideo. ‘I think it

a concert as a kid, I was blown away.

works because it has a natural curve.

When I started doing choreography, I

Musically it has a unity and something

always wanted to use this music.’

compact about it. It also goes through the feeling of the different instruments.

The opportunity came in 2003 when

It brings the dancers into the feeling of

he was commissioned by the Spanish

three different worlds.’

Ministry of Culture to make a work with important Spanish dancers of

Montero explains that while the piece

the time who were working abroad.

was made for classical dancers, it uses

The resulting Vasos Comunicantes

contemporary technique and has

(Communicating Vessels) used different

a contemporary heart in the sense

versions of the Partita for violin, guitar

that it is of now. Like much of his

and piano for a series of solos, duets

choreography, it is physically very

and trios before connecting everything

demanding. ‘I do that to bring honesty

with the Chaconne.

out. When you are really tired, when

“The piece is like a marathon but it’s also very rewarding. If you give, it’s going to give you something back”

For a biography of Goyo Montero and the creative team visit brb.org.uk/curated

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you have the challenge of keeping your

take them to places where they are

state of mind as a group but also full of

energy up, you somehow forget your

challenged, so it has to be slightly

individual personalities.

brain. You are just there and in the

different for each dancer and each

moment.’

company.’ There’s always room for

While its parent ballet Vasos

personal interpretation too. ‘I think if a

Comunicantes has connections with

Besides being open, Montero

dancer feels regarded as an artist and as

the book of the same title by French

believes that artists, in all the arts,

someone who brings something to the

modernist writer André Breton and

are at their best when they feel a

piece more than just doing the steps,

its ideas around dreams and reality,

tiny bit uncomfortable, a little out

then that dancer is going to bring the

Montero says Chacona is basically a

of their depth. ‘I think it’s the only

work forward by adding something of

way of connecting with the music. ‘I

way to evolve, to transform yourself.

their own. It’s not just then my work,

think it has a strong positive vibe that

The moment you know what your

it becomes their work, their Chacona,

is needed in this time of isolation, fear,

instrument is, it’s somehow over.’

something unique to them.’

darkness, insecurity. It’s 15 minutes of

With Chacona, he says he tries to bring

There is more to come too, in the

dancers ‘to the tip of falling. It’s all

shape of a new duet for Carlos Acosta

off balance, it’s all about weight and

and Alessandra Ferri that Montero

tension’. That has to be there from the

will make in early autumn. Also using

first moment to the last, he explains.

music by Bach, he plans that it will

‘The piece is like a marathon but it’s

‘bring in Chacona or give birth to it,’

also very rewarding. If you give, it’s

promising that it will have something of

going to give you something back.’ It

its moods and personalities, making it

also connects with audiences, he feels.

appear strongly connected together.

pure energy and pure joy. It’s no more than that.’

David Mead is a choreographer, editor of SeeingDance.com, and also writes for Dancing Times and a number of international publications

‘Some pieces can be obscure and more difficult but this piece you can really

‘I have always been blown away by

get into. You can be at one with the

pieces that make me think and where

dancers.’

I can find some storytelling within or that make me associate ideas, colours,

Montero has adapted the ballet for

feelings. I think Chacona is about that.’

Birmingham. ‘I am not a choreographer

It’s like a living organism, he says,

that thinks choreography is sacred.

perhaps a flock of birds or a shoal of

It has to fit the dancers. It has to

fish, something with a heightened

Technical credits Additional Costumes Parkinson Gill, Phil Reynolds Costume Supervisor Elaine Garlick

Ballet Nacional de Sodre, Uruguay. © Carlos Villamayor.

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“I love this image because of the effect the last bits of light from the brum set gives #brbcity” Max Glover

#BRBCITY COMPETITION WINNER 17

#BRBCITY

Max’s photo chosen by Céline Gittens, Principal To celebrate City of a Thousand Trades Birmingham Royal Ballet launched a competition to capture people’s favourite place in Birmingham and become part of the ballet’s love letter to the city.

Birmingham Royal Ballet Principal dancer Céline Gittens selected the

“I have chosen this image because of its perspective. The double yellow lines create their own road, and we see the unevenness of the paint and roughness of the road’s surface. Bringing the viewer’s attention to such details of the road outlines the depth and distance from ground to the sky.

winning entry by Max Glover.

“At the end of the day, a bustling street can also be a quiet and serene place, which has seen and felt the city’s history.”

Céline Gittens, Principal

The competition was launched using some of the striking images of Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers taken by photographer Drew Tommons around the city.

Tori Forsyth-Hecken, Brandon Lawrence and Eilis Small. © Drew Tommons virtuosodancephotography.com

To view some of the other entries visit brb.org.uk/brb-city

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GET CLOSER The Dancers’ Circle and BRB Friends

Miki Mizutani as Cinderella. © Ty Singleton.

Becoming part of our Dancers’ Circle or BRB Friends is a hugely rewarding and engaging way to support the work of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Your support will help us deliver our extraordinary work, on stage and in communities, and will help ensure the future success of the Company.

As a thank you we offer our supporters a programme of benefits which include:

• Priority booking or a concierge-style ticket booking service* • Exclusive online events • Invitations to rehearsals, insight events and pre-show receptions* • Our annual supporters’ magazine • Regular e-newsletters * Dependent on level of support

BECOME A SUPPORTER For more information and to become a Supporter visit brb.org.uk/support-us

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THANK YOU

© Ty Singleton.

Major Supporters Carol Barrie Jayne Cadbury and Nigel Goodman The Foyle Foundation The Garfield Weston Foundation Charles Glanville and James Hogan Lord Glendonbrook Aud Jebsen Jerwood Foundation The Kirby Laing Foundation David and Mary Laing The Linbury Trust The Michael Bishop Foundation Tony Newcombe Oak Foundation The Patrick Trust

Dancers’ Circle – Principal Julia and Anthony Glossop Tony Newcombe Sir Michael and Joan Perry Dancers’ Circle – Soloist Jill and Andrew Chapman CMP Wealth Management Marian Mulady Sally Rowe Gillian Shaw John Weston Dancers’ Circle – Artist Philip Baldwin and Phillip Arnold Jenny Batelen and Rob Brett Roger and Felicity Burman Amanda Carter Dr Jim Clews Guy and Judy Crofts Irving and Olga David Robyn Durie Susan and Frederick Furniss Tessa Gillespie Prof Caroline Gordon P.S. and C.A. Gravestock Wendy and Gordon Hardy Jill and Malcolm Harris Tom Hotchkiss

Dr Sandra Kendall Tessa and Charles King-Farlow Shirley Leaver Hilary Macaulay Chantelle Mackay Robert and Eleanor Nagle Katie Newbon Linda Nicholls Sir David and Lady Win Normington Rosemary Perl Keith Perry Emily Pillinger Chris Relph Ross Roberts Carole Sallnow Barbara Scott Miles Scott and Lucille Roughley Margaret Shand Su and Richard Simkin Carla and Dilys Skinner Nick Makin and Brenda Sumner Brian & Susannah Swindell Ron & Jackie Treverton-Jones and to our many individual supporters who prefer to remain anonymous.

For full lists of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s generous supporters visit brb.org.uk/join-and-support

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BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET Director Carlos Acosta cbe Assistant Director Dominic Antonucci

BALLET STAFF Senior Ballet Master Michael O’Hare

Chief Executive Officer Caroline Miller obe

Rehearsal Director & Coach Marion Tait

Music Director and Conductor Koen Kessels

Benesh Choreologist / Video Archivist

Birmingham Royal Ballet Board of Directors Sir David Normington gcb Chair Barry Allen Marverine Cole Anthony Coombs Sandra Crossley Michael Elliott Jane Hackett Shireenah Ingram Jeanetta Laurence obe Christine Ondimu Hemma Patel Councillor Carl Rice Deborah Spence Ian Squires Anna Williams fca, dcha Company Secretary Governors of the Royal Ballet Companies and School Dame Sue Owen Chair Leanne Benjamin am obe Vice-Chair Sir Matthew Bourne obe Anne Bulford obe Hilary S. Carty bma ccmi Lady Alison Deighton Stephen Jefferies Jeanetta Laurence obe Iain Mackay Sir David Normington gcb Derek Purnell Luke Ritter cbe Christopher Rodrigues cbe David Ross Lindsay Tomlinson obe Jacqueline Mistry Honorary Secretary

Patricia Tierney DANCERS

Artists Gabriel Anderson Louis Andreasen Damen Axtens Sabbatical Alexandra Burman Rosanna Ely Ryan Felix Haoliang Feng Callum Findlay-White Tori Forsyth-Hecken August Generalli Miles Gilliver

Principals

Tessa Hogge

Yasuo Atsuji

Isabella Howard

Tzu-Chao Chou

Sofia Liñares

Mathias Dingman

Yu Kurihara

Samara Downs

Gus Payne

Céline Gittens

Darel Perez Apprentice

Momoko Hirata

Rachele Pizzillo

Brandon Lawrence

Emma Price

César Morales

Matilde Rodrigues

Tyrone Singleton

Javier Rojas

First Soloists Kit Holder Yvette Knight Rory Mackay Miki Mizutani Valentin Olovyannikov Jonathan Payn Artistic Enrichment Officer Yaoqian Shang Soloists Laura Day Karla Doorbar Max Maslen Lachlan Monaghan Beatrice Parma Yijing Zhang First Artists Reina Fuchigami Alys Shee Edivaldo Souza da Silva Sabbatical

Daria Stanciulescu Maternity leave

Hamish Scott Sabbatical Eilis Small Lennert Steegen Yuki Sugiura Lynsey Sutherland Joseph Taylor Lucy Waine Shuailun Wu Alexander Yap ROYAL BALLET SINFONIA Principal Conductor Paul Murphy Conductor Philip Ellis First Violins Robert Gibbs Leader Vanessa David Amanda Brown Deborah Schlenther Philip Aird Caroline Ferriman Second Violins Rebecca Jones Mary Martin Fiona Robertson Robert Simmons

Violas Errika Horsley Chris Pitsillides Cellos Antonio Novais Jane Rainey Double Basses Vera Pereira Maternity leave

Alan Taylor Flute Sandra Skipper Piccolo Oboe Maxwell Spiers Cor anglais Clarinets Ian Scott Harry Penny Bassoon Llinos Owen Contra bassoon Horns Andrew Littlemore Neil Mitchell Chris Pointon Trumpets Michael Allen Christopher Deacon Trombones Amos Miller David Gordon Bass trombone Tuba David Gordon Shute Timpani Grahame King Percussion Kevin Earley Paul Parker Company Pianists Matthew Drury Ross Williams Jeanette Wong

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s repertory is recorded in Benesh Movement Notation by qualified choreologists trained at the Benesh International, 36 Battersea Square, London SW11 3RA

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Chief Commercial Officer Paul James BRAND, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Head of Marketing Kate Howells Marketing Executive – Campaigns Kesha Beaupierre Marketing Executive – Audience Joe Palfrey PR & Media Executive Lauren Morton Creative Digital Producer Tom Rogers

DEVELOPMENT

CEO / DIRECTOR

Director of Development Matt Freeman

PA to CEO & Director Jessica Rupert

Senior Manager – Trusts & Foundations Anna Allsop

JERWOOD CENTRE

Trusts & Foundations Officer Rhianna Swancott Individual Giving Manager Chris Smith Individual Giving & Events Officer Ella Cockerton Development Officer Emma Thompson

Senior Design Executive Lee Armstrong Design Executives Vicki Costin Matt Davis

Human Resources Director Claire Owen HUMAN RESOURCES

Clinical Director Nick Allen phd msc mcsp srp Lead Company Physiotherapist Katie Davis msc mcsp srp Company Physiotherapists Esther Collacott mcsp srp Khushnum Pastakia mcsp srp Masseur Jason Boyle Medical Advisors Bellevue Medical Centre

Chief Operating Officer Anna Williams fca, dcha FINANCE & PROJECTS

Social Media Executive Tia Cham

Senior Human Resources Administrator Sam Howe

LEARNING, ENGAGEMENT, ACCESS & PARTICIPATION

Human Resources Administrator Tania Muthuparakunnel

Director of Learning, Access Engagement & Participation

Receptionist & Administrator Karen Fisher

Finance Officers Deseree GreenawayWilliams Ruth Whelan

Pearl Chesterman

Business Administration Apprentice Lucy Tranter

Finance Assistant Charlotte Rowley

Participation Manager Rebecca Brookes

Health, Safety, Facilities & Risk Manager Oliver Drain

ORCHESTRA STAFF

Engagement Manager Kasia Kraus

Facilities Co-ordinator Glenn Rudge

Participation Coordinator Katherine Field

Caretaker Philip Pearsall

Engagement Coordinator Hannah MacGregor

COMPANY OFFICE

Head of Creative Learning Lee Fisher

Company Manager Will Mauchline Sabbatical Acting Company Manager Tristan Rusdale Acting Assistant Company Manager Leanne Ward

Producer Abigail Reeve Finance Manager Kamla Korotane

Orchestra Director John Beadle Orchestra Manager Andrew Bentley TECHNICAL Technical Director Paul Grace Senior Stage Manager Diana Childs Deputy Stage Manager Eliska Robenn

Head of Scenic Presentation Doug Nicholson Head of Stage Ben Leveson Deputy Head of Stage Paul Moore Senior Stage Technicians Paul Amoo Steve Hegan Stage Technicians Paul Fisher-Bazan Tom Reilly Lighting Design Consultant Peter Teigen Head of Lighting Johnny Westall-Eyre Deputy Head of Lighting Andy Wilson Senior Lighting Technicians Alastair Phillips Andy Rumble Lighting Technicians Scott Smith Marcus Trombley Apprentice Head of Costume / Costume Supervisor Elaine Garlick Deputy Head of Costume Vanda Hewston Senior Workroom Technician Rosie Armitage Costume Technicians Jennifer Priestly Gabrielle Raven Joanna Shilton Anna Willetts Shoe Supervisor Michael Clifford Head of Wigs Lauren FitzGerald Deputy Head of Wigs Fay Johnson Wigs Assistant Lizzie Neary

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