Elfin magic, Russian restraint

By Mark Pullinger, 21 February 2016

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“Tzu-Chao Chou’s inexhaustible Puck, an airy sprite, full of elastic split jumps and flicks”

Reviewed at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham on 20 February 2016

The Dream (Sir Frederick Ashton)

A Month in the Country (Sir Frederick Ashton)

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Tom Seligman, Conductor

Julia Trevelyan Oman, Set Designer

Jenna Roberts, Dancer

William Bracewell, Dancer

Feargus Campbell, Dancer

Tzu-Chao Chou, Dancer

Laura Purkiss, Dancer

Michael O'Hare, Dancer

Delia Mathews, Dancer

Iain Mackay, Dancer

Karla Doorbar, Dancer

Mathias Dingman, Dancer

Jonathan Higgins, Piano

Peter Farmer, Set Designer

John B. Read, Lighting Designer

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

ABT presents the classics with slightly uneven results

Ivy Lin, 25th October

ABT offer some outstanding performances in a classical quadruple bill but there was a lack of confidence and uniformity within the corps de ballet.

***11

National Ballet of Japan revives Ashton's beloved Cinderella

Naomi Mori, 18th October

The National Ballet of Japan gave an excellent rendition of Sir Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, in spite of many new faces and role debuts.

****1

Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée: the most joyous of ballets

Amanda Jennings, 18th October

If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, get thee to the Royal Opera House and see La Fille mal gardée, a gem of a ballet. There’s a long roster of impressive casts to choose from.

****1

The Royal Ballet School: a triumphant display of excellence throughout

Jonathan Gray, 12th July

It was a wonderful, heartening afternoon – it’s no wonder nearly all the 2025 graduates have gained contracts with several major ballet companies.

*****

ABT: Ashton's Sylvia showcases the entire company

Ivy Lin, 10th July

The audience walked out of the theater feeling airborne and filled with the kind of joy you only feel after a truly special performance. Sylvia is an absolute treasure.

*****

Ballet Central at the Linbury: keen to prove its versatility

Deborah Weiss, 17th June

Ballet Central provides an extremely varied programme of new and old, classical and contemporary dance, with plenty of aplomb.

***11

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Elfin magic, Russian restraint: a charming Ashton double bill at BRB