News Story
Jubilate: a new work by BRB Principal Céline Gittens
To celebrate the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Birmingham Royal Ballet is proud to present this new work choreographed by Principal Dancer Céline Gittens to a special adaption of Jubilate composed by Oliver Davis.
Talking about creating this piece, Céline said, 'I wanted this piece to emote as much joy as Oliver Davis’s music indicates and the coronation of King Charles is indeed a joyous occasion. The movements that I was inspired to create are driven by the fast and playful feeling of this music.
'I was born in Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago. I moved with my family to Vancouver, Canada when I was nine years old and then I moved to Birmingham, England to join the Birmingham Royal Ballet. All of which are commonwealth countries. I have always proudly followed the Royal Family and this ballet has been created as Birmingham Royal Ballet’s heartfelt contribution to the celebrations around this historic ceremony.'
Composer Oliver Davis added 'I wrote the initial sketch for what became Jubilate a few years ago and always felt that the harmony hinted at Handel's Zadok the Priest, especially in its chord progression. Zadok the Priest was originally written for the coronation of King George II, nearly 300 years ago, and has been played at every coronation since. So when Céline asked whether I could put forward ideas for a short ballet to celebrate the King's Coronation, it felt like a perfect match.
'This coronation is a great moment for the arts community as the King, this country's most high-profile figure, is truly passionate about the arts. This is reflected in the sheer number of music commissions for the coronation guided directly by him. I hope the King enjoys the ballet as much as I've enjoyed being involved in it.'
Birmingham Royal Ballet sends its best wishes to Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the occasion of their Coronation.
