A MacMillan celebration 1

By Graham Watts, 23 October 2017

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“a unique experience to see dancers from all five companies come together in one performance”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 18 October 2017

Concerto (Birmingham Royal Ballet ) (Sir Kenneth MacMillan)

The Fairy's Kiss (Le Baiser de la fée) (Scottish Ballet) (Sir Kenneth MacMillan)

Elite Syncopations (Mixed) (Sir Kenneth MacMillan)

The Royal Ballet

Paul Murphy, Conductor

Birmingham Royal Ballet

English National Ballet

Scottish Ballet

Northern Ballet

Tom Seligman, Conductor

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

The Royal Ballet’s Mayerling: violent, feral, tortured dance

Graham Watts, 30th March

In this latest revival of Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling, The Royal Ballet presents a roster of powerful and vivid interpretations across the board.

****1

National Ballet of Japan's revival of Manon was devastatingly good

Naomi Mori, 19th March

National Ballet of Japan in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon has been revived six years after its performances were cancelled because of the pandemic. Exceptionally good interpretations led the opening night performance.

****1

Ballet superstars in Frankfurt for a night to savour

Vikki Jane Vile, 30th November

For one night only, audiences in Frankfurt were treated to some world class ballet on the expansive stage of the Jahrhunderthalle.

****1

ENB’s The Sleeping Beauty: disappointing cuts skew the story

Jonathan Gray, 27th November

English National Ballet's revival of the Tchaikovsky classic The Sleeping Beauty, disappoints at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton.

***11

Ballet Nights makes an impressive and unforgettable Scottish debut

Kathy Elgin, 4th July

Ballet Nights is more than an evening of party pieces: it showcases emerging talent alongside older favourites and, in the case of this first Scottish outing, has an eye to local tradition.

****1

Ballet Nights – Spring Into Summer a fascinating hotchpotch of dance

Graham Watts, 5th June

Ballet Nights 008 – Spring into Summer proved to be a judicious choice of quality and diverse repertoire.

****1

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

MacMillan Celebration: Programme One - Jeux, Concerto / Le Baiser de la Fée / Elite Syncopations