Birmingham Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty - a lavish production of a magical fairy tale

By Laura Dodge, 20 October 2013

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Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 17 October 2013

The Sleeping Beauty (Marius Petipa, Sir Peter Wright)

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Jenna Roberts, Aurora

Iain Mackay, Prince Florimund

Natasha Oughred, Dancer

Maureya Lebowitz, Dancer

Momoko Hirata, Dancer

Marion Tait, Carabosse

Delia Mathews, Lilac Fairy

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Koen Kessels, Conductor

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

Mejia debuts in a sumptuous Sleeping Beauty at New York City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 12th February

Roman Mejia and a raft of soloist debuts galvanized Peter Martins' Sleeping Beauty. An elegant production with some incidental messiness and the structural liability of a princess' dependence on a kiss.

****1

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Laura Dodge

Laura has a Master’s degree in Ballet Studies from Roehampton University and extensive experience as a dance teacher and in dance marketing. Her writing can be found in a number of magazines and websites including Dancing Times, Londondance.com and Londonist. Her blog is here.