After a sold-out world premiere performance of their groundbreaking fusion of music and dance, the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath – The Ballet will continue its run at the Birmingham Hippodrome until September 30.
Opening night, the Company was graced by the presence of none other than legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi who contributed a special curtain call performance.
Joining the evening were other prominent figures in the world of rock and music including Sharon Osbourne, Black Sabbath drummer Geezer Butler, Led Zeppelin’s legendary Robert Plant, ELO’s acclaimed Bev Bevan, and of course, BRB’s Artistic Director, Carlos Acosta.
Black Sabbath – The Ballet is a full-length, three-act production commissioned by Ballet Now which unites an international team of creative talents. This particular project, conceived by Acosta at the outset of 2020, just before the onset of the global pandemic, showcases the collaborative prowess of lead Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidburg, Cuban designer Alexandre Arrechea, and Tony Award-winning composer Christopher Austin.
Additionally, choreographers Raúl Reinoso and Cassi Abranches, alongside composers Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting, make up the rest of the creative dance and music team.
The project’s dramaturg is Richard Thomas, while lighting design is orchestrated by Kieron Johnson. Lisa Meyer, the Capsule Director, serves as the Metal Curator for this extraordinary production.
Black Sabbath – The Ballet marks the second Birmingham-focused commission by Acosta, following the debut of City of a Thousand Trades in 2021 which delved into the city’s industrial heritage and its vibrant multicultural communities.
Re-orchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia the eight Black Sabbath tracks featured in the production 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)
- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 1973)
The Black Sabbath – The Ballet score also features new compositions inspired by Black Sabbath.
Following its successful run in the hometown of Black Sabbath, Birmingham, Black Sabbath – The Ballet is set to embark on a tour, thrilling more sold-out audiences at Plymouth Theatre Royal and London’s Sadler’s Wells.
More than 60% of tickets sold in Birmingham went to individuals who had never experienced ballet before, signifying the production’s remarkable ability to bridge the worlds of classical dance and rock music, thus continuing Birmingham Royal Ballet’s mission to reach new and diverse audiences.
Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham
- September 27 @ 7:30 PM
- September 28 @ 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
- September 29 @ 7:30 PM
- September 30 @ 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
- October 12 @ 7:30 PM
- October 13 @ 7:30 PM
- October 14 @ 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Sadler’s Wells, London
- October 18 @ 7:30 PM
- October 19 @ 7:30 PM
- October 20 @ 7:30 PM
- October 21 @ 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
Featured Photo of Birmingham Royal Ballet‘s Yaoqian Shang in Black Sabbath – The Ballet. Photo Johan Persson.
