NEW SEASON GALA PERFORMANCE

Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre, Royal Academy of Dance

Thursday 10th October 2024. Doors Open 7.00, Performance Begins: 7.30 pm 

We are inviting you to a magical evening of ballet with guest artists and dance makers from The Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet and Ballet Black, and a special reception featuring food and drinks from Oriole Bar in Covent Garden.

Come and join us and many dance luminaries and patrons for this stellar occasion at the beautiful Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre at the Royal Academy of Dance.

The evening’s musical journey begins in the early Romantic period with a new piece by former Scottish Ballet member and sought-after international choreographer, Constant Vigier, set to Mendelssohn's violin concerto no. 1. NEBT will be performing this piece in two festivals in Paris, Senlis on the 24th of November and Roissy on the 29th of November.

NEBT Associate Choreographer and Royal Ballet First Soloist, Valentino Zucchetti, will lead a working rehearsal of his latest creation, a pas-de-trois set to two of Richard Strauss’ expressive and poignant ‘Four Last Songs’, danced by Royal Ballet First Soloist and NEBT Patron Melissa Hamilton with NEBT dancers Jerome Barnes and José Alves. The piece will receive its premiere at Melissa Hamilton’s Ballet Gala in Belfast on 26^th & 27^th October. Accompanying this will be a preview of Apollo e Dafne, a new ballet commissioned for the London Handel Festival for our new season in 2025 set to Handel's eponymous cantata.

Royal Ballet Principals Mayara Magri and Matthew Ball will perform Matt’s fascinating new duet, To & Fro, which is inspired by the swing of a pendulum. In this duet, two bodies explore the imagery and implications of this apparently indifferent motion and build upon its connotations: an elderly pair sway in time to the music, a child is pushed on a swing, a roller coaster rockets through the air, a dangling pocket watch hypnotizes, a couple struggle to synchronise their energies... before moving towards equilibrium and harmony in their relationship.

The second half of the evening is a firework of three short ballets by Royal Ballet Principal Character Artist, Kristen McNally. Known for her witty and quirky choreographic style, McNally has been working with New English Ballet Theatre since 2012.

"A big love of mine is the desert: the landscape, the heat, the sounds and, most of all, the cowboys! I could watch Westerns all day long. It’s always on my mind and so, naturally I think it was only a matter of time before I used it as inspiration for a piece.” (Kristen McNally on Lonesome Gun)

Her Lonesome Gun is an expression for her love of all things Wild West, while in Mad Women a group of flesh-and-blood Stepford wives take power for themselves to get what they want.

Her interpretation of Genesis’ mega hit Invisible Touch was highly praised at its premiere in 2023:

“… outstanding … a fascinating example of pop choreography, superbly performed.” – Graham Watts, Bachtrack

Rounding up a perfect evening will be our silent and live auction, all proceeds of which will go towards supporting NEBT’s future work.

Event Timings

7.00 pm: Doors Open

7.30 pm: Performance begins. Please note that latecomers will not be admitted until the end of the first piece.

8.00 pm Interval Reception

8.30 pm: Live Auction and Performance

Carriages at 9.40 pm

To enable The New English Ballet Theatre to benefit from your generosity, we ask that you include the voluntary donation suggested in the ticket price. The donative element of all tickets and prizes will go towards NEBT's work.