The Maiden of Venice

This performance presents a revival of a nineteenth-century classical treasure, featuring a score by Ludwig Minkus. You will hear the familiar melodic richness associated with the composer of Don Quixote, providing a rhythmic foundation for the brand new choreography by Carlos Acosta. The evening is shaped by Acosta’s fresh production, which maintains a traditional core while updating the visual language of the piece through the set and costume designs of Anna Fleischle. As the narrative unfolds, listen for how the music guides the emotional arcs of the characters within their Venetian setting. The production balances technical rigour with a modern aesthetic sensibility, aiming to preserve the spirit of the original score while offering a contemporary perspective on its movement. We suggest paying close attention to how the designs interact with the dancers to evoke the specific atmosphere of the city, as the work moves through its various dramatic sequences over the course of the evening.

Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the United Kingdom’s leading touring companies, based at the Birmingham Hippodrome. They are recognised for a repertoire that spans grand classical revivals and bold new commissions. For this production, Yu Kurihara performs the title role, bringing the technical precision for which she is known to Acosta’s choreography. Gavin Sutherland conducts the orchestra, drawing on his extensive experience in the pit to synchronise the Minkus score with the live dancers. The ensemble is celebrated for its cohesive storytelling and its commitment to maintaining high standards of classical dance in the Midlands.

The performance takes place at the Birmingham Hippodrome, the home venue for this company. With a total running time of 165 minutes, this is a substantial evening of theatre that includes intervals, making it well-suited if you enjoy a long-form narrative ballet. As this is a dance production, there is no libretto or language barrier to consider. The venue does not enforce a specific dress code, though many patrons choose smart-casual attire. The scale of the production and the length of the evening suggest a traditional night at the ballet, offering a comprehensive experience of the art form.