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PRIORITY BOOKING PUBLIC BOOKING

Full Subscription: BRB Friends & Renewals – Available now New Full Subscriptions: 17 March Design-Your-Own: BRB Friends – Available now New Design-Your-Own & Single Design-Your-Own: Public Renewals – 27 March Tickets: 18 April Single Tickets: BRB Friends – 4 April

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Call Birmingham Hippodrome on 0844 338 5000 to book. Calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your telephone operator’s charge.

CONTENTS

WELCOME 1

AUTUMN 2017 Penguin Café mixed programme 2 Elite Syncopations | Concerto | ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café Aladdin 4

CHRISTMAS 2017 8

SPRING 2018 The Sleeping Beauty 10

SUMMER 2018 In the Upper Room mixed programme 14 In the Upper Room | Kin. | Ballet Now: new work 16

BOOKING 20

CALENDAR 21

Birmingham Royal Ballet, Director cbe, is Registered Charity No.1061012 and is funded by WELCOME

I am very excited to be sharing our 2017–18 Birmingham season with you – a year of love, laughter and the occasional tear. All this powerful dance and music can be yours when you buy one of our subscription packages and, what’s more, you can save up to 20%.

Performances start in autumn 2017 and include the return of family favourite Aladdin, in a glittering production, featuring lavish sets and costumes, stunning special effects and beautiful dance.

We’ll also be celebrating the work of Kenneth MacMillan, one of the great British choreographers, when we perform a Triple Bill that includes two iconic works: Concerto and Elite Syncopations. These appear with my own ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café.

After the delights of The Nutcracker in the run up to Christmas, we see the return of Sir ’s glorious production of The Sleeping Beauty, at its most exquisite. This is followed in the summer by an energy-filled Triple Bill, featuring former Company dancer Alexander Whitley’s Kin. and the mesmeric In the Upper Room from dance legend , alongside a brand-new work.

The year comes to a close with another work from MacMillan, the powerful Romeo and Juliet, a rousing tale that never fails to set hearts racing and passions stirring. Photographs: Richard Battye; Bill Cooper; Caroline Holden; We hope to welcome you as a subscriber and to Richard Redshaw; Andrew Ross; Ty Singleton share these amazing ballets with you.

David Bintley cbe, Director 1 AUTUMN 2017

Penguin Café mixed programme

ELITE SYNCOPATIONS | CONCERTO | ‘STILL LIFE’ AT THE PENGUIN CAFÉ

Youthful energy and technical precision collide in Kenneth MacMillan’s Concerto. Set to Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.2, MacMillan’s sprightly and vigorous choreography conveys the infectious joy of dancing.

A colourful host of endangered animals seek shelter from the storm at the Penguin Café. Featuring a morris-dancing flea, a ballroom-dancing ram, a woolly monkey and many more, ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Café is a witty and poignant look at man’s effect on the natural world.

Finally, get swept up in the ragtime fun of MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations, where a host of eccentric characters flirt, dance and vie for the limelight. This playful combination of comedic flair, riotous colour and ’s iconic music is guaranteed to please.

All performances feature live music from Sinfonia conducted for these performances by Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis.

Wednesday 27 – Saturday 30 September

Pre-performance talk 29 September, 6.30pm

2 Subscribe now! 0844 338 5000* brb.org.uk/subscription ‘So perfect you could watch it every day... an ingenious work’ THE EVENING STANDARD ON ‘STILL LIFE’ AT THE PENGUIN CAFÉ’

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CONCERTO ‘STILL LIFE’ AT THE ELITE SYNCOPATIONS Music PENGUIN CAFÉ Music Scott Joplin Choreography Kenneth Music Simon Jeffes and others MacMillan Choreography David Bintley Choreography Kenneth Designs Jürgen Rose Designs Hayden Griffin MacMillan Lighting John B. Read Lighting John B. Read Designs Ian Spurling Lighting John B. Read

brb.org.uk/subscription 3 AUTUMN 2017 Aladdin

DAVID BINTLEY’S FANTASTICAL FAMILY TREAT

Step onto our magic carpet and soar into the fantastical world of David Bintley’s Aladdin, with live music by BAFTA award-winning composer Carl Davis and vibrant designs from Dick Bird and Sue Blane. The classic story of Aladdin and his adventures with a magic lamp is brought to life in this glittering production, featuring lavish sets and costumes, stunning special effects, and beautiful choreography.

Magic abounds when the Djinn of the Lamp appears, from a cave of dancing to a larger-than- life Chinese lion. As our hero finds out, you can even become a prince overnight! Aladdin is a dazzling spectacle the whole family will enjoy.

All performances feature live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted for these performances by Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis.

Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 October

First Steps (3–7yrs) Pre-performance talk Touch Tour 6 October, 1pm 6 October, 6.30pm 7 October, 10.30am

Class on stage Audience open day Audio description 7 October, 11.15am 7 October, 12pm 7 October, matinee

4 Subscribe now! 0844 338 5000* brb.org.uk/subscription ‘A delightful family show... it looks absolutely astonishing’ THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Music Carl Davis A co-production with Foundation Choreography David Bintley Supported (2013) by the Garfield Weston Sets Dick Bird Foundation, The John Ellerman Foundation, Costumes Sue Blane the estate of Margery Bremner, the estate of Lighting Mark Jonathan Pamela Green, and ’s Director’s Appeal.

brb.org.uk/subscription 5 ‘Bright, extrovert steps and colourful costumes... a family-packed theatre is kept happily entertained’ THE GUARDIAN

6 Aladdin CHRISTMAS 2017 The Nutcracker

SIR PETER WRIGHT’S QUINTESSENTIAL CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

In this most festive ballet, gigantic sets, lavish costumes, 60 dancers and a full orchestra combine to make the perfect Christmas treat for the entire family. This world-famous production by Sir Peter Wright, with extraordinary designs by John Macfarlane, is acclaimed as one of the best in the world.

When young Clara sneaks downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her new Nutcracker Doll, she is swept away on an adventure of gigantic proportions. A magical Christmas tree, a winter wonderland of dancing snowflakes and the sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy create the enchanting world of The Nutcracker, where toys come to life and dreams come true.

All performances feature live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted for these performances by Koen Kessels, Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis.

Friday 24 November – Wednesday 13 December

Pre-performance talks Touch tour Class on stage Fridays 1 & 8 December, 6.30pm 25 November, 10.30am 25 November, 11.15am

Audience open day Audio description 25 November, 12pm 25 November, matinee

8 Booking open now! 0844 338 5000* brb.org.uk/Nutcracker ‘A ballet in a million and an annual sell-out’ THE BIRMINGHAM POST

Music Choreography Peter Wright, , Vincent Redmon Production Peter Wright Designs John F. Macfarlane Lighting David A. Finn

brb.org.uk/Nutcracker 9 SPRING 2018 The Sleeping Beauty

THE MOST MAGICAL FAIRYTALE BALLET OF THEM ALL

Enter the opulent world of Imperial Russian ballet, with its marvellous mixture of virtuoso dance, fairytale characters and dazzling spectacle that have delighted audiences for over a hundred years.

The curse of a wicked fairy, one touch of a spindle, and a beautiful princess falls into a deep, enchanted sleep which can only be broken by a kiss from a prince. The Sleeping Beauty has become one of the grandest ballets ever created, with a classical score by Tchaikovsky and original choreography by . An enchanting evening for all the family.

All performances feature live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted for these performances by Koen Kessels, Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis.

Tuesday 13 – Saturday 24 February

First Steps (3–7yrs) Pre-performance talk Touch tour 16 February, 1pm 16 February, 6.30pm 17 February, 10.30am

Audience open day Audio description Class on stage 17 February, 12pm 17 February, matinee 17 February, 11.45am

10 Subscribe now! 0844 338 5000* brb.org.uk/subscription ‘The finest production of Sleeping Beauty I may ever have seen in Britain’ THE ARTS DESK

Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreography Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Peter Wright Production Peter Wright Designs Philip Prowse Lighting Mark Jonathan

brb.org.uk/subscription 11 ‘Peter Wright’s masterpiece’ THE DAILY EXPRESS

12 The Sleeping Beauty SUMMER 2018

In the Upper Room mixed programme

IN THE UPPER ROOM | KIN. | BALLET NOW: NEW WORK

Alexander Whitley’s Kin. is an athletic, abstract piece danced to a pulsing, hypnotic score by Phil Kline. Kin. celebrates the raw kinetics of dance, the virtuosity of ballet technique and the potential for movement to bring us together in different ways.

In the Upper Room is an exhilarating, athletic ballet by American dance phenomenon Twyla Tharp. Dancers in sneakers and striking red pointe shoes dominate the stage with energy, flair and finesse.

The final ballet is a new work created as part of Ballet Now, supported by the Oak Foundation – a unique five-year programme developing choreographers, composers and designers to create new and innovative works for the world stage.

Kin. features live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted for these performances by Koen Kessels, Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis. Wednesday 20 – Saturday 23 June

Pre-performance talk 22 June, 6.30pm

14 Subscribe now! 0844 338 5000* brb.org.uk/subscription ‘Dazzling... If your pulse isn’t racing, check you have one’ THE GUARDIAN ON IN THE UPPER ROOM

KIN. IN THE UPPER ROOM Music Phil Kline Music Choreography Alexander Whitley Choreography Twyla Tharp ©1992 Designs Jean-Marc Puissant Designs Norma Kamali Lighting Peter Teigen Lighting

brb.org.uk/subscription 15 SUMMER 2018 Romeo and Juliet

KENNETH MACMILLAN’S POWERFUL SHAKESPEAREAN EPIC

‘My only love sprung from my only hate.’ Prokofiev’s glorious score sets hearts alight in Kenneth MacMillan’s enduringly popular Romeo and Juliet. Love at first dance, forbidden passions, dangerous secrets and star-crossed fate combine in this exhilarating ballet.

In the most famous love story ever told, a dangerous cocktail of arrogant youth, simmering tension and deadly feud erupts, leaving two young lovers at the mercy of powerful families and their own hearts. From the balcony scene’s ecstatic pas de deux, exploring love in all its soaring wonder, to the lovers’ heart-breaking end, Romeo and Juliet is dance and music at its most poignant and beautiful.

All performances feature live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted for these performances by Koen Kessels, Paul Murphy and Philip Ellis. Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 June

Pre-performance talk Touch tour Class on stage 29 June, 6.30pm 30 June, 10.30am 30 June, 11.45am

Audience open day Audio description 30 June, 12pm 30 June, matinee

1616 Subscribe now! 0844 338 5000* brb.org.uk/subscription ‘Exceptional... I was unprepared and thrilled beyond all expectations’ THE DAILY EXPRESS

Music Choreography Kenneth MacMillan Designs Paul Andrews Lighting John B. Read

brb.org.uk/subscription 17 In the Upper Room

‘One of dance’s most terrifyingly mesmerising works... stunning’ THE ARTS DESK

Sign up for our e-news: brb.org.uk/sign-up WHO WE ARE Dance and music

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET AND THE ROYAL BALLET SINFONIA

At Birmingham Royal Ballet we celebrate our art through spectacular live performances around the UK and by working with local communities to encourage everyone to take the ballet challenge and let us capture their imagination with this amazing, powerful and dramatic art form.

Drawing from a talent-pool of dancers and musicians from around the world, we fuse world-class dance and music into a wide range of different productions, that includes traditional classical ballets alongside works that span the creative through the 20th century and push forward the art form with new works created for the Company now.

Our Director, choreographer David Bintley, and our Music Director, conductor Koen Kessels, inspire top- quality artistry that is able to tackle the complex demands of world-class ballet and music.

Sign up for our e-news: brb.org.uk/sign-up 19 SAVE UP TO 20% AND ENJOY A YEAR OF BALLET WITH A BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET SUBSCRIPTION SEPT FULL SUBSCRIPTION DESIGN-YOUR-OWN SUBSCRIPTION BRB Friends & Renewals: on sale now BRB Friends: on sale now Public booking: 17 March Renewals: 27 March l Make great savings on your booking Public booking: 18 April Purchase tickets for at least four from: l Your seats reserved for next year Aladdin, The Sleeping Beauty, and Romeo l l No transaction charge Direct Debit option and Juliet, or either mixed programme. Purchase tickets for Aladdin, The Sleeping l Save 10% Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, and both mixed programmes and save: All packages exclude The Nutcracker, l 20% – price bands B–E but tickets for this and other Birmingham l 15% – price band A Royal Ballet performances (at full price l 12% – price band A+ or concession where eligible) can be purchased with your subscription. Choose from the following packages: Opening nights; midweek matinees; Thursday evenings; Friday evenings; Join BRB Friends today to enjoy Saturday matinees; or Saturday evenings priority booking: brb.org.uk/friends

birminghamhippodrome.com | 0844 338 5000 *

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS Full Ts&Cs overleaf BRB Friends: 4 April CONCESSIONS Unwaged, Under 18s, 60+: Public booking: 18 April £3 off price band A; £4 off B–D; Family The Nutcracker: already on sale tickets: up to two under-16s pay half price with every full-paying adult (A-E); BRB Pricing for each performance is defined as Friends: save 10% GOLD, SILVER or BRONZE (see calendar opposite for dates). * Calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your telephone operator’s charge. † 5% transaction charge applies (except purchases that include a The Nutcracker tickets from £28/£23/£19† subscription, or cash payments in person). Postage from £1. Aladdin, The Sleeping Beauty and Romeo First Steps An hour-long introduction to and Juliet tickets from £25/£21/£16† ballet for children aged three and above; Mixed programmes tickets from £10† with dancers and orchestra (1pm; £12.50).

BRB Enhance your visit Class on Stage Watch Company class + and discover how a dancer starts their Audio-described Performances and day (times vary; £10; free to BRB Friends). Touch Tours A chance for theatre-goers Audience Open Days Costumes to try, with visual impairments to experience make-up demonstrations and much ballet with the help of a professional more (12pm; free to matinee ticket holders). Audio Describer (free to matinee ticket Pre-performance Talks Free talks by holders; Touch Tours: 10.30am – pre-book members of the Company (6.30pm; through Birmingham Hippodrome). approx. 30 mins; free to evening ticket holders). 20 MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

SEPT 25 26 27 28 29 30 OCT 1 Penguin Café Penguin Café Penguin Café Penguin Café programme programme programme programme 2017

7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Aladdin Aladdin Aladdin Aladdin Aladdin

7.30pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 1pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

NOV 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker

7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 1pm

27 28 29 30 DEC 1 2 3

Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker

2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 1pm

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker Nutcracker

2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 1pm

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Nutcracker Nutcracker

2pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm

FEB 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Beauty Beauty Beauty Beauty Beauty 2018

7.30pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 1pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Beauty Beauty Beauty Beauty Beauty

7.30pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

JUN 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Upper Room Upper Room Upper Room Upper Room programme programme programme programme

7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm

25 26 27 28 29 30 JUL 1

Romeo Romeo Romeo Romeo Romeo

7.30pm 7.30pm 2pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 2.30pm 7.30pm 21 Ts&Cs

Ticket Sales: Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm, 6pm on non-performance days. Terms and conditions: Prices and discounts are subject to * Calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your telephone operator’s charge. change. All offers and concessions are subject to availability and † within a limited allocation, can be withdrawn at any time, are 5% transaction charge applies (except purchases that include a non-retrospective and cannot be used in conjunction with any subscription, or cash payments in person). Postage from £1. other discount. Birmingham Royal Ballet reserves the right to alter ticket prices and withdraw offers at any time. Concessionary All information in this brochure correct at time of going to press rates do not apply to subscription tickets (except essential (February 2017), but may be subject to change. carer discounts). Valid ID must be presented where applicable. Additional discounts may be offered from time to time.

Birmingham Royal Ballet, Director David Bintley cbe, is Registered Charity No.1061012 and is funded by