Birmingham Royal Ballet's brand-new production of Cinderella

02 November 2010

World Premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome

With tickets selling fast and several performances in Birmingham already sold out, Birmingham Royal Ballet's brand new production of the fairytale classic Cinderella, created by the Company's Director David Bintley, will be premiered at Birmingham Hippodrome from Wednesday 24 November–Sunday 12 December 2010.

Dedicated to the City of Birmingham in the Company's 20th anniversary year, Cinderella will open in the Company's home City, at its home theatre, on Wednesday 24 November with tours to Salford, Plymouth and London in 2011.

A favourite for all the family, this classic fairytale tells the story of Cinderella, a young girl who is neglected and mistreated by her stepmother and sisters. Cinderella's life is one of drudgery and hardship until the evening of a wonderful ball at the palace when her Fairy Godmother appears to cast a spell that will change her life forever. Transformed into a beautiful princess, she dances the night away in the arms of a handsome prince, before the clock chimes midnight and brings a sudden end to the party.

The production brings together, in their first-ever collaboration, the award-winning Director and choreographer David Bintley and internationally recognised artist and designer John Macfarlane. Cinderella also sees Bintley collaborating with lighting designer David Finn for the first time.

Recently talking about his choice of collaborators Bintley said: 'Right from the start, the choice of collaborators is paramount, absolutely paramount, especially when you are creating a big piece. The music is obviously a vital factor, but the look of the production is so important as well.

'I've never worked with the designer John Macfarlane or the lighting designer David Finn, although they've produced work for Birmingham Royal Ballet before, most famously for Peter [Wright]'s Nutcracker, created for the Company the year it moved to Birmingham.

'I've wanted to work with John in the past, but one of us has always been busy with other projects at the wrong times. As soon as we started work on the ballet, John and I established that we were going to do a 'proper' Cinderella. John immediately went to work and everything that he has produced is utterly beautiful and wonderful.'

Bintley has choreographed a string of successful ballets including Hobson's Choice, Cyrano, Edward II, Far from the Madding Crowd and Beauty and the Beast, has been awarded a CBE in 2001 and won the last-ever South Bank Show Dance Award in 2010 for his ballet E=mc². Macfarlane's designs have captivated audiences around the world including the Company's renowned production of The Nutcracker and the recent Le Baiser de la fée. Finn was resident lighting designer for Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project for eight years. His designs can be seen in the repertories of many dance companies including National Ballet of Canada, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Australian Ballet, Twyla Tharp and Dancers and Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella is performed to one of Prokofiev's most popular and melodious compositions, composed between 1940 and 1944, and will be played by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the Orchestra of Birmingham Royal Ballet. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Britain's busiest ballet orchestra, playing for Birmingham Royal Ballet's wide-ranging programme in the UK and abroad.

Continuing to give young dancers the opportunity to perform with a professional dance company, students from Elmhurst School for Dance, Birmingham Royal Ballet's associated ballet school, will dance minor roles during the Cinderella performances in Birmingham and the 2011 tour.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella is sponsored (2010) by Mitchells & Butlers plc and supported (2010) by generous donations from David Lloyd, the estate of the late Lynne Groom and the Garfield Weston Foundation with additional support from Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust, Birmingham Royal Ballet's Director's Appeal, The Clock is Ticking campaign and The Big Arts Give 2010.

For further information, images and interview requests in connection with Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella please contact:

Simon Harper, Media and PR Manager, on 0121 245 3562; Email: SimonHarper@brb.org.uk
or Claire Lishman, Media and PR Officer, on 0121 245 3549 Email: ClaireLishman@brb.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella world premiere season booking and venue information 2010-11:

Birmingham Hippodrome (WORLD PREMIERE)
24 November–12 December 2010
Ticket Sales: 0844 338 5000 or www.birminghamhippodrome.com

The Lowry, Salford
19–22 January 2011
Box Office: 0843 208 6010 or www.thelowry.com

Plymouth Theatre Royal
25–29 January 2011
Box Office: 01752 267222 or www.theatreroyal.com

London Coliseum
29 March–2 April 2011
Box Office: 0871 911 0200 or www.eno.org

For further information please use the following links:
www.creatingCinderella.com
www.brb.org.uk/Cinderella

Mitchells & Butlers

Mitchells & Butlers, the leading operator of managed restaurants and pubs in the UK, whose head office and indeed whose heritage is based in Birmingham, explains why they are sponsoring Cinderella and support Birmingham Royal Ballet:

'A world class company like Birmingham Royal Ballet is regarded as an integral part of the fabric of the UK's culture and tourism industries,' says Mitchells & Butlers' Chief Executive, Adam Fowle. 'BRB productions, especially new ones like Cinderella drive hundreds of thousands of visitors in to the city of Birmingham and cities around the UK, boosting local economies. To continue their work, they need support from the business community. It is an incredibly worthwhile partnership with mutual benefits for us, for them and for the communities we both serve.'

David Lloyd

David Lloyd has been an active supporter of classical ballet for a number of years. Cinderella will be the fourth full-length ballet he has helped to finance, including Coppelia for Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1995. David's reasons for supporting Cinderella include the chance to watch 'a powerful artistic and creative team' at work, the fact that there has not been a new Cinderella for many years, and that up to now Birmingham Royal Ballet does not have a Cinderella of its very own in its current repertory, which he says 'would be rather nice to put right'. As a lifelong Birmingham resident, David also looks forward to the opportunity to support a major artistic venture taking place in his home city, particularly in these difficult economic times, which will have a major impact both within the city itself and nationally.

ENDS

For further press information please contact:
Simon Harper, Media and PR Manager, on 0121 245 3562; Email: SimonHarper@brb.org.uk
or Claire Lishman, Media and PR Officer, on 0121 245 3549 Email: ClaireLishman@brb.org.uk

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