ENB: Song of the Earth /La Sylphide

By Erin Whitcroft, 12 January 2018

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“it’s an unusual pairing which requires audience willingness to quickly adjust aesthetic expectation”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 9 January 2018

Song of the Earth (Sir Kenneth MacMillan)

La Sylphide (August Bournonville)

English National Ballet

Gavin Sutherland, Conductor

Tamara Rojo, Dancer

Isaak Hernandes, Dancer

Daniel Kraus, Dancer

Fernando Carratalá Coloma, Dancer

Jurgita Dronina, Dancer

Samuel Sakker, Tenor

Rhonda Browne, Mezzo-soprano

English National Ballet Philharmonic

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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Erin Whitcroft

Erin is a professionally trained ballet dancer having moved from the United States as a teenager to train at The Royal Ballet’s lower and upper schools. Since her performance career ended she has continued to research the history of dance and has post-graduate qualifications in both English and Education. Erin regularly presents papers at academic conferences and is a freelance critic specialising in dance, books and art.

English National Ballet's latest double bill is an unusual pairing