This spectacular performance of The Sleeping Beauty wasn’t the first time we’ve seen Birmingham Royal Ballet this month. On 9 April we went to a brilliant evening at Bristol Cathedral which gave insights into the art of professional ballet.
It included a demonstration of a ballet class, explanations of different movements and facts about how without any dialogue, mime is used as the language of ballet.
With this knowledge to hand, we couldn’t wait to see the full performance at Bristol Hippodrome.
Brilliant event at @BristolCathedra with Birmingham Royal Ballet @BRB demonstrating the hard work and artistry that goes into the shows.
— Dan Martin (@Dan_Martin) April 10, 2024
Fascinating watching a ballet class, #TheSleepingBeauty performances and understanding how mine is the language of ballet. #Bristol pic.twitter.com/8N43vW3msl
We definitely weren’t disappointed!
As the curtain rose at the start of act one, there were many audible gasps from around the theatre at the unveiling of the spectacular set. We were instantly transported back to a sumptuous palace scene that wouldn’t have looked out of place in 17th century Versailles.
As the brilliant orchestra, conducted by Philip Ellis, performed Tchaikovsky’s famous score, the dancers took to the stage to deliver breathtaking performances. The immense skill, dedication and focus with which they float across the stage and spin in the air is mesmerising.
The costumes are outstanding too, with spectacular attention to detail. In the final scene when the audience joins the royal guests at a wedding, the king is sat at the back of the stage. With his cloak laid out on the floor, he looks like a stunning living portrait of King Louis XIV.
The entire cast is brilliant, but special mention has to go to the fantastic Miki Mizutani as Princess Aurora, whose graceful performance is awe-inspiring. Her dancing seems almost effortless, but as director Carlos Acosta says in the programme, “Princess Aurora is one of the most technically demanding of all classical ballerina roles” with Dame Darcey Bussell, former principal of The Royal Ballet, providing advice.
Lachlan Monaghan shines too as Prince Florimund with some incredible turning sequences, and we used the mime masterclass from Bristol Cathedral and a guide in the excellent show programme to enjoy some fabulous scenes with the good Lilac Fairy (Eilis Small) and the evil Fairy Carabosse (Daria Stanciulescu) battling over the fate of the princess.
Other highlights in our very long list of highlights include the multiple performances in the final wedding scene. We loved Gus Payne and Yuki Sugiura as Puss-in-Boots and the White Cat, as well as Hannah Martin and Callum Findlay-White as Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.
The Sleeping Beauty by Birmingham Royal Ballet is a stunning show. Whether you’re a ballet aficionado or a first timer, you will absolutely love it.
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The Sleeping Beauty by Birmingham Royal Ballet is at Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday 20 April.
Images by Tristram Kenton
