London City Ballet Firebird – A Double Bill Review
October 22, 2026 | Sadler’s Wells – London, England
An open stage stands in darkness ready for Act I, which begins – and continues for several minutes – in silence. Slowly descending auditorium lights and a single central spotlight on stage, reveal Alina Cojocaru as she steps reverently onto the stage, her hair loose and wearing a feathery white tutu portraying Odette.
“Where is my prince? Where is my crown?”
she speaks, unexpectedly, into the darkness and the hush, bundling her hair into a bun.
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London City Ballet Firebird - A Double Bill Review
Ghost Light is such an enchanting thematic creation from choreographer John Neumeier, who reworked his original from 2020 for this UK premiere for London City Ballet.
Inspired by the theatrical tradition of leaving a single lightbulb on an empty stage to allow theatre spirits to dance, Neumeier created Ghost Light during the Covid-19 lockdown, observing social distancing rules for Hamburg Ballet.
Tonight, still using original melancholic piano music by Franz Schubert, Neumeier’s reworked ballet featured recognisable characters from classical ballet, such as Cojocaru’s Odette, and her Prince, danced by Josue Gomez. And a lonely Giselle, or sylph-like character (Tatyana Meijer) wandering in the shadows without her Albrecht.
It is wonderfully imaginative - with plenty of other dancers that maybe I wish I’d known who they were representing - its emotion-led movement drawing us in.
The stage, with its stripped back wings, exposed lighting rigs and back wall looked cavernous. The solo light, supported by side lights, made the most of atmospheric shadowy silhouettes that swelled across the back wall.
Ghost Light is not really a narrative piece, but there was plenty of opportunity to create your own. Lots of separate souls reliving past memories, dancing alone, dancing together, looking wistfully into the distance, wafting off into the shadows. It is quite a whimsical, enjoyably thoughtful unique piece, full of meetings, goodbyes and questions.
Act II brought excited anticipation for tonight’s title piece: Firebird, a revival of Glen Tetley’s 1981 gothic creation set to dramatic orchestral music by Igor Stravinsky. Some parts of the choreography could have infused better with the intricate score, with other parts spot on, drawing out musical nuances perfectly.
Spellbinding Ellie Young as the Firebird stunned from beginning to end, thoroughly embodying the essence of the creature from her first appearance in tableau with her family in a grey Victorian dress, to her emergence as the Firebird through the folds of their sombre black clothing.
Young’s chemistry-filled meeting in the forest with Joseph Taylor as Ivan when she rose charmingly onto pointe to greet him, her bright and joyful demeanour in the final wedding scene and her seamlessly fluid work – particularly her upper back and continuously flowing port de bras, fully believable as wings – made this role perfect for her.
The backdrop portrayed a dark stormy forest scene, which would brighten with autumnal colours a little later as maidens danced through the forest dressed in pastel shades. There is some bright and luxurious ensemble partner-work and passionate elevation here with maidens partnered by male birds wearing fractured unitard designs.
The simple storyline swept along, with a classic fairytale good versus evil feel, beauty with underlying danger.
The Firebird’s father, played by Arthur Henderson, was domineering in choreography and built more so in character as the work continued. I enjoyed Young and Taylor’s imaginatively entwined romantic duet with some unexpected and attractive lines.
The ballet came to quite a swift end in the wedding scene, with all cast dressed in white shimmering Victorian-style gowns or ivory waistcoats and trousers, culminating with the entrance of the Firebird in her wedding dress, joining hands with Ivan.
There was a surprise end to the evening as Artistic Director Christopher Marney introduced to the stage Firebird’s original set and costume designer John MacFarlane, as well as the dancer originally cast in the title role, Mette Hønningen.
As always, a very unique and thought-provoking evening from London City Ballet.
Featured Photo of London City Ballet‘s Ellie Young and Joseph Taylor in Glen Tetley’s Firebird. Photo by ASH.
