A Diaghilev celebration from BRB2

Alexandra Manuel (Firebird) and Marlo Kempsey-Fagg (Prince Ivan) in The Firebird

Jack Easton and Ariana Allen in Le Spectre de la rose

Les Sylphides

Alisa Garkavenko and Tom Hazelby in Les Sylphides

Sophie Walters (Hostess) in Les Biches

Andrea Riolo and Ixan Llorca Ferrer in Shéhérazade

By Mark Pullinger, 07 May 2025

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“Alexandra Manuel excelling in the fluttering mimed gestures as the firebird”

Reviewed at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham on 6 May 2025

Les Sylphides (Mikhail Fokine)

Shéhérazade (Pas de deux) (Mikhail Fokine)

Le Spectre de la rose (Mikhail Fokine)

Les Biches, FP 36 (Rag mazurka and pas de deux) (Bronislava Nijinska)

The Firebird (Pas de deux) (Mikhail Fokine)

BRB2

Paul Murphy, Conductor

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Tom Hazelby, Dancer

Alisa Garkavenko, Dancer

Alexandra Manuel, Dancer

Maïlène Katoch, Dancer

Andrea Riolo, Dancer

Ixan Llorca Ferrer, Dancer

Ariana Allen, Dancer

Jack Easton, Dancer

Sophie Walters, Dancer

Marlo Kempsey-Fagg, Dancer

Jeanette Wong, Piano

Noah Cosgriff, Dancer

Ellyne Knol, Dancer

American Ballet Theatre's legacy works: vintage or dated?

Ivy Lin, 17th October

An uplifting triple bill by American Ballet Theatre with three contrasting ballets. Especially entertaining were Tudor's Gala Performance and Agnes de Mille's Rodeo.

****1

National Ballet of Japan’s new triple bill is full of bold challenges

Naomi Mori, 15th March

While National Ballet of Japan’s latest triple bill presents many challenges, one hopes these valuable masterpieces will be revived, enabling the company to develop its virtuosity and artistry.

****1

Ballet Nights: an intimate evening with star quality

Deborah Weiss, 29th September

Ballet Nights offers a wonderful variety of dancing and genres. Whatever your preference, there are quality performances to enjoy.

***11

BRB2 in Carlos Acosta's Classical Selection is full of vitality

Graham Watts, 25th April

With five founding dancers in BRB2, this inaugural dance salad was embellished with other ingredients including the addition of seven members from the main company.

****1

A showcase for Ukrainian ballet at Sadler's Wells

Graham Watts, 7th September

Ivan Putrov, who has enjoyed a long career based in London, brings dancers from his homeland for a special London gala.

***11

A joyful gala event from The Royal Ballet in troubled times

Sarah Kirkup, 13th November

The whole Company exudes bravura and panache in gala programme headlined by a Zucchetti premiere and a Wheeldon classic.

****1

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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.