Birmingham Royal Ballet's Nutcracker rescued for online audiences

By Graham Watts, 22 December 2020

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“John Macfarlane’s... gorgeous designs transport the viewer into Drosselmeyer’s magical world”

Reviewed at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham on 21 December 2020

The Nutcracker (adapted by David Bintley) (Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley, Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Carlos Acosta)

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Paul Murphy, Conductor

John Macfarlane, Set Designer

Karla Doorbar, Dancer

Jonathan Payn, Dancer

Momoko Hirata, Dancer

César Morales, Dancer

Tzu-Chao Chou, Dancer

Michael O'Hare, Dancer

Emma Price, Dancer

Alys Shee, Dancer

Eilis Small, Dancer

Royal Ballet Sinfonia

A new Albrecht makes a polished Giselle shine even brighter

Deborah Weiss, 7th March

A last minute injury to Natalia Osipova does not mar the magic of Sir Peter Wright's Giselle as Marianela Núñez steps in to partner Patricio Revé.

****1

The RB: Peter Wright’s Giselle is as near perfection as you can get

Amanda Jennings, 14th February

Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle was given a well-deserved, thunderous ovation on opening night. A near perfect rendition of the ballet from all quarters of the Company was deeply satisfying.

*****

BRB’s The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall is at its best

Deborah Weiss, 29th December

Sir Peter Wright’s beautiful Nutcracker ticks every box with Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Royal Albert Hall.

****1

The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker: exceptional performances

Amanda Jennings, 22nd November

The Royal Ballet opened the Christmas season with a superlative performance of Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker.

*****

Birmingham Royal Ballet enchants in Peter Wright's The Nutcracker

Deborah Weiss, 29th December

The Royal Albert Hall turns out to be a wonderful venue for Birmingham Royal Ballet's transporting Nutcracker.

****1

The Australian Ballet sparkles in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker

Katie Lawrence, 9th December

Brimming with festive season joy, the Australian Ballet gives an exuberant performance of a Peter Wright classic: The Nutcracker.

****1

More reviews...

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.