BLACK SABBATH Ballet To Make U.S. Debut At VIRGINIA ARTS FESTIVAL
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The U.S. premiere of Birmingham Royal Ballet's "Black Sabbath- The Ballet" will take place in May 2025 at the Virginia Arts Festival. The ballet will make its U.S. debut in Norfolk before traveling to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
"I am thrilled to be bringing 'Black Sabbath - the Ballet' to Norfolk for its U.S. premiere," says Birmingham Royal Ballet's director Carlos Acosta. "As a global phenomenon, BLACK SABBATH is probably Birmingham’s greatest cultural export and we look forward to welcoming music and ballet fans alike to see the show. The audience, and critical, response in the U.K. was overwhelmingly positive so we have high hopes that the U.S. will embrace this cultural collision in the same way. I can't wait to see the reaction."
Tickets for Birmingham Royal Ballet's "Black Sabbath - The Ballet" are on sale now, available online at vafest.org, by phone at 757-282-2822, or at the Festival Ticket Office, 440 Bank St., Norfolk (Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.).
The U.S. premiere of "Black Sabbath - The Ballet" will take place at Virginia Arts Festival at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia in May, with performances set for Friday, May 30 (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, May 31 (2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.).
Five other U.S. dates (June 4 - 8, 2025) are scheduled at The Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C.
The ballet soundtracked by the music of BLACK SABBATH had its official premiere in September 2023 at the Hippodrome theatre in the heavy metal legends' original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Commissioned by Acosta and Ballet Now, the ballet includes specially reorchestrated BLACK SABBATH songs plus new music inspired by the legendary British heavy metal outfit — all performed live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
In the second of three Birmingham-focused commissions, Acosta was drawn to both the band's work and its musical legacy as the originators of heavy metal. This full-evening ballet promises to be a unique undertaking with three composers and three choreographers, led by renowned choreographer Pontus Lidberg (whose work has been performed by the Swedish Royal Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet) and composer Chris Austin (whose work includes orchestrating THE WHITE STRIPES music for Wayne McGregor's "Chroma") working alongside award-winning writer Richard Thomas ("Jerry Springer: The Opera") to create an extraordinary metal symphony over three acts. The members of BLACK SABBATH themselves have been closely involved in developing this unique collaboration.
In an October 2023 video from Birmingham Royal Ballet, Sharon Osbourne the wife and manager of BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne, said: "When I first heard that Birmingham Royal Ballet was putting on a ballet to BLACK SABBATH music, I just thought, this is so left field. It's so not expected. Who would have ever thought the combination? And I just thought, brilliant. This is just so out there that it's wonderful."
SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi, who had been present at some rehearsals for the U.K. "Black Sabbath – The Ballet" dates, came up on stage at the end of the opening performance to play guitar on the band's classic song "Paranoid". Iommi also took a bow at the end of the night along with the cast and crew. Also in attendance at the event were Iommi's bandmate, SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and Sharon Osbourne, along with LED ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant and ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA's Bev Bevan, who served as the touring drummer for BLACK SABBATH from 1983 to 1984 and played percussion on "The Eternal Idol" album in 1987.
The songs chosen are:
* "Paranoid" ("Paranoid" album, 1970);
* "Iron Man" ("Paranoid" album, 1970);
* "War Pigs" ("Paranoid" album, 1970);
* "Black Sabbath" ("Black Sabbath" album, 1970);
* "Solitude" (Master Of Reality" album, 1971);
* "Orchid" (Master Of Reality" album, 1971);
* "Laguna Sunrise" ("Vol 4" album, 1972) and
* "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" ("Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" album, 1973).
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's "Today" program, Acosta said he had been a fan of SABBATH for more than two decades, and said he felt the band's classic protest song "War Pigs" still has particular resonance.
"'War Pigs' is so relevant today, how sometimes politicians and governments hide behind words. And all the wars happening at the moment... it's timeless," he said.
(Source: www.blabbermouth.net)
