AUTUMN/WINTER 2004 NATIONAL TOUR

LOVE, INTRIGUE AND ETERNAL YOUTH

26 May 2004

DANGEROUS LIAISONS UK Première
OSCAR WINNER Stephen Warbeck’s first ballet score
PETER PAN 100 years young. Company World Première.

Northern Ballet Theatre announces a thrilling new season that includes David Nixon’s new interpretation of Swan Lake, his tribute to the song and dance genius George Gershwin – I Got Rhythm, the UK première of Nixon’s powerful dance dramatisation of Dangerous Liaisons and for Christmas, a spectacular all-new version of Peter Pan.

The season starts with the company’s UK première of David Nixon’s Dangerous Liaisons. Originally created for BalletMet Columbus, Nixon’s interpretation of Laclos’ classic story of deception and seduction in 18th century France, is performed to the narration of an actress. Live on stage, she recounts the tale of the ‘spoiling’ of the innocent bride-to-be Cecile Volanges for the sport of the scheming Marquise de Merteuil and her accomplice and ex-lover, the Vicomte de Valmont. Together they prey on the innocent and unsuspecting in a dangerous game of wicked manipulation. Their letters provide the dark landscape for highly charged performances choreographed by David Nixon, to music by Vivaldi performed by the Northern Ballet Theatre string ensemble. The production will be performed at just two venues on the forthcoming tour with further dates to be confirmed for Spring 2005. UK Première - West Yorkshire Playhouse, from Friday 3 - 11 September, and at the Theatre Royal, Norwich 16-20 November.

Christmas this year will see Northern Ballet Theatre performing a new production of Peter Pan, directed and choreographed by David Nixon, with co-direction by Patricia Doyle and sets and lighting by Olivier-award winning designer, Peter Mumford. Stephen Warbeck, the Oscar-winning composer of Shakespeare in Love, has been commissioned by David Nixon to write his first ever ballet score. Since his Oscar win in 1988 Warbeck has added a number of acclaimed film scores to his discography including: Billy Elliot, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Charlotte Gray and Quills. The production has been made possible by the generosity of individual donor, David Lloyd.

Peter Pan will be performed in Leeds over the Christmas period before embarking on a UK tour, including a season at Sadler’s Wells, London from Wednesday 30 March – Saturday 9 April 2005. The London Season 2005 will be sponsored by Manchester Airports Group. This adaptation of J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan, is by kind permission of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, and celebrates the 100th Year anniversary of publication.

Full casting will be announced later this year though we can release news that the title role of Peter Pan will be shared initially, by Junior Principal Christian Broomhall and Soloist, Simon Kidd. Christian joined the company in 2001 following David Nixon from BalletMet Columbus and since joining the company, has performed leading roles including: Young Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and most recently Anthony in Swan Lake. Simon Kidd trained at Central School of Ballet and joined Northern Ballet Theatre in 1999. He progressed through the company to dance leading roles including: Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, Young Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Young Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Simon in Swan Lake. Over the summer, these two rising stars will be learning how to fly with theatre flying experts, Foys.

David Nixon’s Swan Lake and I Got Rhythm – the genius of Gershwin© in song and dance both return to the repertoire this autumn/winter at the request of key venues on the national tour, as Northern Ballet Theatre audiences relish the opportunity to explore the company’s rich and diverse new repertoire. One interesting venue change this autumn will see the company performing on the stage of the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham, as opposed to the Theatre Royal; the large concert platform allowing Gershwin’s big band sound and the company’s energetic dancers, to let loose and make a real impact on the stage of this 2,000 seat venue.

Company News

At the end of the spring/summer season the company says farewell to two long-standing members of the company Junior Soloist Adam Temple and Coryphée Pollyanna Th’ng, who are leaving to explore new careers, after ten years of service to Northern Ballet Theatre. Also leaving is Junior Principal Artist Christopher Giles, Soloist Jhe Russell and corps de ballet members Florent Bouyat, Benoît Burg, Claire May and Eliot Rudolph.
Next season the company will welcome Junior Soloist Patrick Howell from BalletMet, Coryphée Natalie Leger from Ballet de Monte Carlo and first year corps de ballet members Sarah Kundi, Christie Duncan, Mark Biocca, Tobias Batley, Sebastian Loe, Matthew Elphick and Keira Schwartz.

Jim Orrante from BalletMet Columbus, returns to make guest appearances as the Vicomte de Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons, the role he created in David Nixon’s original production. Jim has won acclaim for his previous UK appearances in Northern Ballet Theatre productions of Requiem!! and I Got Rhythm.

Keiko Amemori and Christian Broomhall start the new autumn season as Junior Principals, newly promoted from Soloist. Pippa Moore, Simon Kidd and Christopher Hinton-Lewis are all promoted to Soloist, and Victoria Lane Green and Natalie Leftwich rise to Coryphée.

For more information/photography or to arrange interviews contact our Media and PR department via email: media@northernballettheatre.co.uk.