There’s the Soweto Gospel Choir dancing and singing in Zulu, a five-piece band lit as shadows against an African sky as ten ballet dancers performing classical steps in bare feet choreographed by the award-winning Mark Baldwin, who’s worked with Ballet Rambert as their Artistic Director and at Sadler’s Wells as resident choreographer. The question is does this mix … [Read more...]
Reviews of Ballet in London
If you are planning to visit London to see a ballet in London, then maybe our London ballet reviews section can be of help? Read one of the latest reviews or use the search button to find and view one of our previous reviews of ballet. We use a star rating system on our site.
William Forsythe – A Quiet Evening of Dance
Take the title of choreographer William Forsythe’s A Quiet Evening of Dance literally. For the first forty-five minutes of this show, the only sound you’ll hear is a sometimes soundtrack of distant birds singing quietly and the dancers breathing. The house lights are left up, you’re visible and there’s no set. It’s all black on black with occasional highlights of grating colour in the form of what looks a lot like coloured rubber gloves. The consequence is the audience is left uncomfortable, exposed physically and emotionally in their familiar Sadler’s seats, tested on an actual appreciation of choreography with no comfort blankets and nowhere to hide.
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The Vienna Festival Ballet Company – Giselle – Theatre Royal Windsor
The audience that were fortunate to be present at The Vienna Festival Ballet Company’s opening night of their 2019 national tour were spellbound at The Theatre Royal Windsor, as the timeless love story Giselle unfolded before their eyes. The story of Giselle takes place in a tiny village nestled in the romantic forests of the Rhineland. The forests are haunted by … [Read more...]
William Forsythe – A Quiet Evening of Dance | Review
Take the title of choreographer William Forsythe’s A Quiet Evening of Dance literally. For the first forty-five minutes of this show, the only sound you’ll hear is a sometimes soundtrack of distant birds singing quietly and the dancers breathing. The house lights are left up, you’re visible and there’s no set. It’s all black on black with occasional highlights of … [Read more...]
Remembrance/The Four Seasons | New English Ballet Theatre
The double bill show opened with Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, recomposed by Max Richter. It was not difficult to distinguish between the seasons. What would you choose from? The masterpiece that Vivaldi created, the excellent choreography by Jenna Lee, the stunning costumes by April Dalton or the very clever use of lighting by Andrew Ellis? As the music, lighting … [Read more...]
St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake at the London Coliseum
Borrow, beg or blag a ticket but just get yourself into the Coliseum because this production of Swan Lake has to be seen. Stunning sets, sumptuous costumes, spine-tingling music and dancing that takes your breath away make this an evening to be treasured. By the end, I was left feeling utterly spellbound, silent and speechless. No words could possibly come close to … [Read more...]
Cinderella: Vienna Festival Ballet Company – Theatre Royal Windsor
Ask anyone to name a popular family pantomime, I bet the answer you would mostly hear would be Cinderella. Let’s set that with music from Rossini coupled with choreography by Sheila Styles performed by the outstanding Vienna Festival Ballet Company, then we have a show to delight audiences of all ages as the VFB embark on a nationwide tour. The opening is no … [Read more...]
Review of Vienna Festival Ballet: The Nutcracker
Yesterday I was fortunate to attend a magical performance of something I would describe as being the perfect Christmas show for all. Having seen The Nutcracker on previous occasions, would I enjoy it again? Can you improve perfection? Well, The Vienna Festival Ballet Company demonstrated to the entire audience that filled the auditorium that you … [Read more...]
Alain Platel: les ballets C de la B nicht schlafen – Review
Nicht Schlafen is a creative wonder marvellously performed by les ballets C de la B. Being choreographed by the adventuring Belgian choreographer, Alain Patel, it's not a conventional ballet of course but rather barefoot contemporary dance inspired by the deathly disruption of life in Europe due to war during the first part of the last century. The set, by … [Read more...]
NEBT: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and other modern ballets
The music was a delight of course, Rachmaninov, Guarnieri and The Four Seasons by Vivaldi. None of them were played live but the Rachmaninov was an old recording which combined pleasingly with the ephemeral atmospherics of the lighting to suggest we were watching scenes from a distant past. The most thrilling parts of the evening were the first and second movements … [Read more...]