Details

Three distinguished ballets from the heart of this country s rich heritage. Ninette de Valois choreography for Checkmate is a dramatic and stylised war of lust, trickery and betrayal. A gallant Red Knight, devoted to his king, is seduced and destroyed by the ruthless Black Queen in de Valois allegorical story of a game of chess played between love and death. With a score by Sir Arthur Bliss, and iconic designs by E. McKnight Kauffer, the ballet prophetically anticipated the merciless savagery of World War II and, at nearly 75 years old, is deservedly one of the earliest English ballets still in the repertory. The pared-down purity of Frederick Ashton s Symphonic Variations showcases technically brilliant dance from a master choreographer. Danced to C?sar Franck s exquisitely concise Symphonic Variations for piano and orchestra, this ballet for six dancers is rightly hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces of English ballet. With the aid of a foot-tapping medley of the best of Gilbert and Sullivan, and the comic choreographic touch of John Cranko, Pineapple Poll is a 3-D cartoon classic! When dashing Captain Belaye arrives in town, the female population, Poll included, swoon! Whilst half-heartedly dodging the attentions of Jasper, the local Inn s Potboy, she finds herself leading a band of desperate, love-lorn ladies. When will the oblivious Captain Belaye notice his crew have mysteriously shrunk and aren t at home in their beards? Birmingham Royal Ballet website.

Creatives/Company

Company: Birmingham Royal Ballet
Choreographer(s): Ninette de Valois (Checkmate), Frederick Ashton (Symphonic Variations), John Cranko (Pineapple Poll)