2010 SW tour introductory notes

An introduction to the three ballets being performed on the South-West leg of Birmingham Royal Ballet's spring tour: Brouillards, The Dance House and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.

In this programme, Birmingham Royal Ballet presents three pieces that explore notions of preserving moments in time. The first piece, Brouillards, is based upon nine of composer Claude Debussy's piano preludes. These pieces of music were inspired by transient images – footprints in snow, ships’ sails momentarily swelled by passing winds, autumn leaves drifting from the trees. The title of the piece, Brouillards means mists, and it is this image that bookends the choreography of the ballet, with the dancers appearing and disappearing from the stage leaving behind nothing but memories.

Birmingham Royal Ballet's Director David Bintley created The Dance House following the death of a friend. Seeking to represent his friend’s anarchic sense of humour both in the movement and the music, he was attracted to the dry wit of Shostakovich’s Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings. With moments of both nostalgia and darkness, this choice of score also allowed him to explore the oft-heard metaphor of death being a dance. You can read more about The Dance House in a 2009 interview with David Bintley by clicking here.

There could be no more perfect curtain closer for this programme than the crazily comedic Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. From the 1930s musical On Your Toes, the piece sees a leading man take to the stage just as word comes through that he is to be a hidden hitman's target as soon as his performance is over. With no way of escaping the packed auditorium, our hero must frantically extend his solo until the cops can arrive and arrest the would-be assassin! To the amazement of the audience and his fellow performers alike, he literally dances for his life in a display of sparkling vitality and pure entertainment. The perfect ending to a programme of unforgettable moments.

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