Jan McNulty Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST A national tour of David Bintley’s gothic fairytale from January 2019 aa Mayflower Theatre, Southampton: 30 January – 2 February 2019 Birmingham Hippodrome: 19 February – 2 March 2019 Theatre Royal Plymouth: 6 – 9 March 2019 Festival Theatre Edinburgh: 13 – 16 March 2019 The Lowry Salford: 20 – 23 March 2019 Sunderland Empire: 28 – 30 March 2019 Bristol Hippodrome: 1 – 4 May 2019The storybook fantasy of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Beauty and the Beast unfolds on a national tour from January to May 2019. Love conquers all in David Bintley’s mysterious and magical production, which highlights the intriguing darkness of the original 18th century fairytale. A cruel Prince, cursed to spend the rest of his life living in a fantastical castle with the animals he callously hunted, finds salvation in the heart of a beautiful girl. Caught stealing a single rose, Belle’s desperate father exchanges his youngest daughter’s freedom for his own life. In his distant castle the Beast, stripped of his handsome features and his very humanity, must win her heart, or spend the rest of his life in bitter solitude... In this enchanting story of inner beauty, witness transformations, wild waltzes, soaring birds and a relationship between Belle and the Beast that is at first terrifying, but ultimately serene and beautiful. As previously announced, David Bintley will step down as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet in June 2019 after 24 years with the Company. Beauty and the BeastJanuary – May 2019 Choreography: David BintleyMusic: Glen BuhrDesigns: Philip Prowse Lighting: Mark Jonathan Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 22-26 Commercial Rd, Southampton, SO15 1GE; 023 8071 1811mayflower.org.uk Wednesday 30 January (PRESS NIGHT, 7.15pm) – Saturday 2 February Birmingham Hippodrome Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB; 0844 338 5000birminghamhippodrome.com Tuesday 19 February (PRESS NIGHT, 7.30pm) – Saturday 2 March Plymouth Theatre Royal Royal Parade, Plymouth, PL1 2TR; 01752 267222theatreroyal.com Wednesday 6 (PRESS NIGHT, 7.30pm) – Saturday 9 March Edinburgh Festival Theatre 13-29 Nicolson St, Edinburgh, EH8 9FT; 0131 529 6000edtheatres.com/festival Wednesday 13 (PRESS NIGHT, 7.30pm) - Saturday 16 March The Lowry, Salford Lowry Outlet, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ; 0843 208 6000thelowry.com Wednesday 20 (PRESS NIGHT, 7.30pm) – Saturday 23 March Sunderland EmpireHigh Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3EX; 0844 871 7627atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire Thursday 28 (PRESS NIGHT, 7.30pm) – Saturday 30 March Bristol Hippodrome St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol, BS1 4UZ; 0844 871 7627atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome Thursday 1 (PRESS NIGHT, 7.30pm) – Saturday 4 May NOTES TO EDITORS: Birmingham Royal Ballet Based at Birmingham Hippodrome since 1990, Birmingham Royal Ballet is the United Kingdom’s leading classical ballet touring 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 is the award-winning David Bintley, CBE and Music Director is Koen Kessels. Birmingham Royal Ballet performs at Birmingham Hippodrome for approximately ten weeks of the year and the remainder of the year tours throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Britain's busiest ballet orchestra, playing for Birmingham Royal Ballet's wide-ranging programme in the UK and abroad. The Sinfonia also plays frequently for The Royal Ballet and many of the world's other leading ballet companies, including regular performances with; The Royal Ballet, Paris Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Kirov, Norwegian Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and La Scala Ballet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 I had the sound turned down, and wasn't looking at the screen at the time, so I don't know whether there was any discussion, but at the end of BBC2's Front Row Late this evening there was a chunk of what I suspect was the promo video for this production. Check it out on BBC iPlayer if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 It literally was just the trailer at the very end. About 38 1/2 minutes in: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0c07ct6/front-row-late-series-4-episode-2 Or just look at the trailer here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 I somehow think that this will be the last outing for this kind of rep. as I sense that Acosta will be eschewing much of Bintley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 I hope not ... DB has given us some true masterpieces. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 2 minutes ago, capybara said: I somehow think that this will be the last outing for this kind of rep. as I sense that Acosta will be eschewing much of Bintley. Do you really think so? I sincerely hope not. David Bintley is a fantastic choreographer - so underrated, when you consider the wonderful ballets he has created since the 80's and compare them with MacGregor's, Wheeldon or Scarlett.....🥴 I'm staying positive, yes there will be changes - but not necessarily all negative and no longer performing Bintley's ballets would be a huge mistake! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 2 minutes ago, Sharon said: Do you really think so? I sincerely hope not. David Bintley is a fantastic choreographer - so underrated, when you consider the wonderful ballets he has created since the 80's and compare them with MacGregor's, Wheeldon or Scarlett.....🥴 I'm staying positive, yes there will be changes - but not necessarily all negative and no longer performing Bintley's ballets would be a huge mistake! I think that's true, partly because of the works themselves (I'm not a fan of all of them, but some are terrific) but also because they are now so ingrained in BRB that it would be a huge discontinuity to discard them. He's as much part of the company's heritage now as Ashton and MacMillan and that should be respected. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 11 minutes ago, bridiem said: He's as much part of the company's heritage now as Ashton and MacMillan and that should be respected. I agree but, if I were Acosta, I would want to be selective. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 2 hours ago, capybara said: I agree but, if I were Acosta, I would want to be selective. Any incoming AD is going to want to be selective because they will want to make their own mark. If he is sensible however Acosta will keep the best of Bintley in the rep (a couple of the full lengths and one acters as well). 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCL Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 I shall be at the Birmingham performance on March 2nd, a thoughtful Christmas gift, and very much looking forward to seeing it 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 Casting has been published for Southampton next week ( 30th Jan - 2nd Feb): https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/beauty-and-the-beast-2019 Three casts: Delia Matthews/Tyrone Singleton, Momoko Hirata/Cesar Morales, Maureya Lebowitz/Yasuo Atsuji Given the number of performances over the next couple of weeks I assume there will be at least one more cast during the run (maybe Celine/Brandon?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newcombe Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Hope so. Didn’t a certain first soloist dance the big pas de deux there a few months ago as part of the celebrations marking the refurbishing at The Mayflower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulcinella Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 Maybe not Celine as she is currently in Australia according to the post about the change in the Australian repertory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi M Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 Celine Gittens is currently in Australia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Pulcinella said: Maybe not Celine as she is currently in Australia according to the post about the change in the Australian repertory. I understand that Miss Gittens is learning the role of the Queen of Hearts (she has said as much on public social media - as Naomi M posted while I was writing this!). It is a month (25 Feb) until the opening of the Brisbane season, and it would be unusual for her to remain here that long. However...AusBallet is currently very short of principal women: two retired in December and two are on maternity leave (one is an Alice but won't be back until mid-year, the other a Queen and is off all year), which leaves two, both of whom are Alices. Of the three female senior artists remaining at the end of 2018, two are Alices, the other a Queen. If I remember correctly there is only one other current company dancer who has performed the Queen, i.e. there are just two active who have already performed the role (and there's maybe one I see as suitable who is possibly learning it). My guess is that we may see Miss Gittens in both Brisbane and Melbourne. I do hope so as I'm not going to Brisvegas and I have seen her in the UK and would love to see her in Melbourne! Edited January 22, 2019 by Sophoife Add comment re other post 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 Casting is up for Birmingham: https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/beauty-and-the-beast-2019 Yvette Knight/Brandon Lawrence and Karla Doorbar/Mathias Dingman have been added in to the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 Casting is also now up for all the venues except Bristol. The link above will take you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 On 21/01/2019 at 21:16, Jan McNulty said: Given the number of performances over the next couple of weeks I assume there will be at least one more cast during the run (maybe Celine/Brandon?). Who? ☺️🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 While I'm very pleased for BRB to see that they're selling 2 weeks of this so well, I'm shocked at the prices - starting from £26 for the back row of the circle! (I see the Hippodrome has gone back to its nasty old habit of quoting the disabled price as the bottom price). I thought they only did things like that for The Nutcracker? Since they weren't bringing it to London, I'd intended to go and see it in Birmingham, but not at those prices! Are they using dynamic pricing now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Oh, and can someone remind me of the running time, please? I can't see it on the website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 6 minutes ago, alison said: While I'm very pleased for BRB to see that they're selling 2 weeks of this so well, I'm shocked at the prices - starting from £26 for the back row of the circle! (I see the Hippodrome has gone back to its nasty old habit of quoting the disabled price as the bottom price). I thought they only did things like that for The Nutcracker? Since they weren't bringing it to London, I'd intended to go and see it in Birmingham, but not at those prices! Are they using dynamic pricing now? Sleeping Beauty last year was similarly priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Eek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newcombe Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: Casting is also now up for all the venues except Bristol. The link above will take you there. Just spent a lot of time and money booking more performances. Yvette Knight and Brandon Lawrence. Two very elegant dancers 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 1 hour ago, alison said: Oh, and can someone remind me of the running time, please? I can't see it on the website. each act 47mins, plus 25mins interval 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Oh, so an evening might just about be doable? I knew it was quite a short ballet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 On 11/02/2019 at 14:49, Jan McNulty said: Casting is also now up for all the venues except Bristol. The link above will take you there. Casting is up for Bristol too (and I'd guess has been for a while, since it's on this week). On 11/02/2019 at 16:02, alison said: While I'm very pleased for BRB to see that they're selling 2 weeks of this so well, I'm shocked at the prices - starting from £26 for the back row of the circle! (I see the Hippodrome has gone back to its nasty old habit of quoting the disabled price as the bottom price). I thought they only did things like that for The Nutcracker? Since they weren't bringing it to London, I'd intended to go and see it in Birmingham, but not at those prices! Are they using dynamic pricing now? Fortunately, bottom prices at Bristol appear to start from something around the £13 mark. If only I could get back from there in the evening, I'd be hugely tempted by some of the casts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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