LUNA - Birmingham Royal Ballet
LUNA - Birmingham Royal Ballet, creative concept by Carlos Acosta.
LUNA features new works by five female choreographers: Thais Suarez, Iratxe Ansa, Seeta Patel, Arielle Smith, Wubkje Kuindersma
Celebrating female strength and resilience.
Luna is a two-act (full-length), abstract ballet in six movements, which forms the final part of Carlos' Birmingham Trilogy (City of a Thousand Trades + Bllack Sabbath + Luna).
This new work is inspired by the pioneering and socially enterprising women of Birmingham who have contributed to the shape of the city that Birmingham Royal Ballet calls home. Drawing inspiration from the book "Once upon a Time in Birmingham : Women who dare to dream " by Louise Palfreyman, it features an all female, international creative team.
Including choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma ( Netherlands), Seeta Patel (UK), Arielle Smith (UK), Thais Suarez (Cuba), with music composed by Kate Whitley (UK).
Costume design by Imaan Ashraf, Projection Design by Hayley Egan and Lighting Design by Emma Jones.
The creative team explores contemporary universal themes including matriarchal roles in society, education, female empowerment. overcoming adversity, and community.
The world premiere is at Birmingham Hippodrome. (3-5 October 2024) before it has its London premiere at Sadler's Wells (22&23 October).
TERRA &LUNA
The openings-scene TERRA and closing-scene LUNA are choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma, including a finale with all dancers of the evening, together with the children choir and opera singers.
Both LUNA and TERRA are set to the music of Kate Whitley, performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by Paul Murphy.
TERRA & LUNA
Birmingham Royal Ballet & Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Choreography : Wubkje Kuindersma
Music: Kate Whitley ( I am I say, Duo)
Costume Design: Imaan Ashraf
Video Design: Hayley Egan
Lighting Design: Emma Jones
Creative Concept of the evening: Carlos Acosta
Royal Ballet Sinfonia - Conductor: Paul Murphy
duration: Terra 12min, Luna 15min
Worldpremiere: 3rd Oct 2024 Hippodrome, Birmingham
Further shows: 4th Oct (19:30h) , 5th Oct (14h + 19:30)
Sadler’s Wells London: 22 October (19:30h) + 23 October 2024 (14:30+ 19:30h)
TERRA and LUNA features 16 dancers, with the finale including all dancers of the evening, children choir and opera singers.
TERRA
Terra "earth" , referring to our physical world. Each human life is naturally connected to the (female) force of creation.
Terra starts with the children choir of Birmingham looking up to the moon.
A "moonstreet" appears, a poetic symbol of a path of hopes and dreams. The dancers continue the journey of the children.
The earth is influenced by cycles of the moon with seasons and tides.
Human life goes through the same seasons from early spring to late winter.
" Close your eyes, and think of a place, that beats with beauty" says Whitleys music.
LUNA
In Luna "moon" we focus on the mirror world of the moon.
The moon as a place of unworldly reality, of dreams, perhaps even of sleep, death and rebirth… we are all stardust.
In the final moments of the piece, we are all looking at the moon underneath a shared sky, while the children sing I am the Sky.
The moon representing the dream of reaching for the stars of all people in Birmingham.
©photos Katja Ogrin
LUNA features new works by five female choreographers: Thais Suarez, Iratxe Ansa, Seeta Patel, Arielle Smith, Wubkje Kuindersma
Celebrating female strength and resilience.
Luna is a two-act (full-length), abstract ballet in six movements, which forms the final part of Carlos' Birmingham Trilogy (City of a Thousand Trades + Bllack Sabbath + Luna).
This new work is inspired by the pioneering and socially enterprising women of Birmingham who have contributed to the shape of the city that Birmingham Royal Ballet calls home. Drawing inspiration from the book "Once upon a Time in Birmingham : Women who dare to dream " by Louise Palfreyman, it features an all female, international creative team.
Including choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma ( Netherlands), Seeta Patel (UK), Arielle Smith (UK), Thais Suarez (Cuba), with music composed by Kate Whitley (UK).
Costume design by Imaan Ashraf, Projection Design by Hayley Egan and Lighting Design by Emma Jones.
The creative team explores contemporary universal themes including matriarchal roles in society, education, female empowerment. overcoming adversity, and community.
The world premiere is at Birmingham Hippodrome. (3-5 October 2024) before it has its London premiere at Sadler's Wells (22&23 October).
TERRA &LUNA
The openings-scene TERRA and closing-scene LUNA are choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma, including a finale with all dancers of the evening, together with the children choir and opera singers.
Both LUNA and TERRA are set to the music of Kate Whitley, performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by Paul Murphy.
TERRA & LUNA
Birmingham Royal Ballet & Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Choreography : Wubkje Kuindersma
Music: Kate Whitley ( I am I say, Duo)
Costume Design: Imaan Ashraf
Video Design: Hayley Egan
Lighting Design: Emma Jones
Creative Concept of the evening: Carlos Acosta
Royal Ballet Sinfonia - Conductor: Paul Murphy
duration: Terra 12min, Luna 15min
Worldpremiere: 3rd Oct 2024 Hippodrome, Birmingham
Further shows: 4th Oct (19:30h) , 5th Oct (14h + 19:30)
Sadler’s Wells London: 22 October (19:30h) + 23 October 2024 (14:30+ 19:30h)
TERRA and LUNA features 16 dancers, with the finale including all dancers of the evening, children choir and opera singers.
TERRA
Terra "earth" , referring to our physical world. Each human life is naturally connected to the (female) force of creation.
Terra starts with the children choir of Birmingham looking up to the moon.
A "moonstreet" appears, a poetic symbol of a path of hopes and dreams. The dancers continue the journey of the children.
The earth is influenced by cycles of the moon with seasons and tides.
Human life goes through the same seasons from early spring to late winter.
" Close your eyes, and think of a place, that beats with beauty" says Whitleys music.
LUNA
In Luna "moon" we focus on the mirror world of the moon.
The moon as a place of unworldly reality, of dreams, perhaps even of sleep, death and rebirth… we are all stardust.
In the final moments of the piece, we are all looking at the moon underneath a shared sky, while the children sing I am the Sky.
The moon representing the dream of reaching for the stars of all people in Birmingham.
©photos Katja Ogrin
reviews
..." The ballet is bookended by two fine movements from Dutch choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma, both led by Yu Kurihara and Tzu-Chao Chou, and Rachele Pizzillo and Riku Ito. Both brim with energy and classical steps, although they come with very different feeling. Both also make use of a large children’s choir who sing their hearts out.
While the opening ‘Terra’ is grounded, the final ‘Luna’ is light and comes with a hint of other-worldliness that’s contributed to enormously by Hayley Egan’s video projection of an eclipse turning into a hopeful, ever-changing cosmos of stars. Apart from the excellent leading quartet, a duet for Céline Gittens and Gabriel Anderson hits the mark, before the whole cast is reunited for the finale."...
SEEING DANCE- October 4, 2024
..."Work by Dutch choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma bookends the production with grand scenes under a full moon for dances Terra and Luna. Dancers seem to ripple like moonbeams on the water in early mesmerising scenes in this adventurous piece."...
Weekend Notes, October 5, 2024
..." Wubkje Kuindersma began with Terra. It was a seasonal expression depicting the cycles of the moon and the changes in the tides, with a momentous opener of a children’s chorus singing, “I am the sea, and I have something to say.” They are joined by the dancers, led by the excellent Yu Kurihara and Lachlan Monaghan, in a series of fluid movements and unifying ensemble work that aptly echoed the score. In addition, soprano Marianna Hovanisyan and baritone Themba Mvula contributed much to the atmosphere with a richness to their voices that was a highlight of the entire performance."....
Bachtrack , 24 October 2024 -
...."Kuindersma was in charge of the closing scene, Luna. Expertly crafted, the full cast reconvened, as it were, to reach for the stars. The children sang again and the choreography had real heft."....
Bachtrack, 24 October 2024 -
..." The sections for the children’s chorus are rousing and beautifully staged, and the dancers look at once powerful and freed in a work that, for all its flaws, is undoubtedly welcoming in its attempt to do something new."...
The Guardian
..." After a lustily delivered little song by the children’s chorus (they’ll return at regular intervals with tiresome ditties of positive affirmation), scene I of six is ‘Terra’, by the Dutch choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma. Against a projection of the moon - the female deity - eight couples dance a well-structured, harmonious piece, relying on lifts and waves of movement.
This perfectly pleasant piece also introduces the singers that will pop up in later sections: the soprano Marianna Hovhanisyan and the impressive baritone Themba Mvula"....
CultureWhisper - 24/10/2024 -
…..”The opening piece is the most romising in Act one, and Terra by Wubkje Kuindersma begins with a lament performed by a children’s choir repeating the phrase “ I am the sea”. From here, a handful of adult dancres emerge dressed in shimmering white against a video backdrop, initially of the darkened earth slowly rotating and then of waves cresting upon which the gentle moonbeam dancers fall and are absorbed. With an operatic composition by Kate Whitley, Kuindersma presents a light, sensitive and wistful dance that lingers. “….
The Reviews Hub, October 24, 2024
..." Luna begins with Wubkje Kuindersma’s Terra which explores the connections between earth
and sky and our human connection to the world and beyond. Terra begins with a children’s
chorus who return throughout Luna as a Greek chorus, reminding us of our responsibilities
to the environment and future generations.
In Terra we see how the dancers are part of the eternal changes of the spheres as their body
movements reflect the motions of the planets and the oceans."....
..."Kuindersma then brings all the themes together in the final piece Luna where the figures
from the previous scenes join with the children and two singers to combine the individual
themes under a huge moon."...
What's On Birmingham -3Oct 2024 -
..." The whole ballet revolves around the luna, Latin for ‘moon.’
The moon has often been associated with femininity throughout history, and it acts as a central point for all the pieces. It becomes the axis around which all the dancers orbit.
It begins with ‘Terra,’ choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma.
As the curtain rises, the children’s chorus stands at attention. This group reappears throughout the ballet and represents the children who will inherit the Earth. They sing to the audience, setting the scene and beginning the journey in a way that is both hopeful and somber.
‘Terra’ positions the audience on the Earth’s surface, looking up at the moon and feeling its constant presence over us. The piece consists of eight couples, entering the stage like the tide rising on a shore.
The dancers become the waves of the ocean, as a series of movements ripples throughout the couples. The smooth push and pull between the dancers turns into rough waters as the piece reaches its climax. The couples separate into new lifts and turns, creating a cacophony of movement.
The moon is complex, both flexible and headstrong, peaceful and chaotic. It foreshadows the themes that are to come around women’s lives and experiences. As the company recedes into the background, matching the waves on the scrim, we transition to the next scene,"....
..."The ballet concludes with ‘Luna,’ also choreographed by Kuindersma, making a full circle from the ballet’s beginning with ‘Terra.’
Now, the company is the moon, the stars, and the sky. With each lift the dancers seem to defy gravity, hanging in the air, and they float synchronously. As the piece builds in speed, the dancers demonstrate a flurry of fast footwork and a reinvigorated energy, one that is ready to reach for the unknown.
In a grand finale, characters from the previous pieces return to the stage, all to appreciate the power the moon brings. With the dancers, opera singers, and children’s chorus, it is packed onstage, and it reminds the viewer of the immense work required by the creative team to bring together so many diverse ideas and themes."...
Ballet Herald - Oct 7, 2024
..."Using the moon as a central motif, each movement in this two-act production focuses on themes relating to women. The works are abstract and yet the ideas they express are clear. Pieces by choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma frame the whole. The opening movement, Terra, explores the relationship between women and nature. The choreography has a wonderful fluidity to it, whilst a back-projection of the moon above a rolling sea, followed by a projection of trees with blue skies breaking through, emphasises the organic nature of this relationship.
The last movement, Luna, is set against images of the night sky. Orchestral music takes on a celestial tone, and a feeling of harmony prevails. The final image is one of dancers looking up towards the moon and the skies, and there is a sense that anything is possible."....
Birmingham Press - 4 Oct 2024
..."The first ballet, or scene, is Terra, choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma. As the children’s chorus sing “We are the sea”, we are reminded of the importance of being connected to and respecting nature, a theme which continues throughout the piece. Kuindersma also choreographed the title work, Luna, which is presented last. With her creations both starting and ending the evening, the six-part ballet as a whole echoes the cycle of the moon, completing a full circle to end where it began."...
What's On - 4 Oct 2024
While the opening ‘Terra’ is grounded, the final ‘Luna’ is light and comes with a hint of other-worldliness that’s contributed to enormously by Hayley Egan’s video projection of an eclipse turning into a hopeful, ever-changing cosmos of stars. Apart from the excellent leading quartet, a duet for Céline Gittens and Gabriel Anderson hits the mark, before the whole cast is reunited for the finale."...
SEEING DANCE- October 4, 2024
..."Work by Dutch choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma bookends the production with grand scenes under a full moon for dances Terra and Luna. Dancers seem to ripple like moonbeams on the water in early mesmerising scenes in this adventurous piece."...
Weekend Notes, October 5, 2024
..." Wubkje Kuindersma began with Terra. It was a seasonal expression depicting the cycles of the moon and the changes in the tides, with a momentous opener of a children’s chorus singing, “I am the sea, and I have something to say.” They are joined by the dancers, led by the excellent Yu Kurihara and Lachlan Monaghan, in a series of fluid movements and unifying ensemble work that aptly echoed the score. In addition, soprano Marianna Hovanisyan and baritone Themba Mvula contributed much to the atmosphere with a richness to their voices that was a highlight of the entire performance."....
Bachtrack , 24 October 2024 -
...."Kuindersma was in charge of the closing scene, Luna. Expertly crafted, the full cast reconvened, as it were, to reach for the stars. The children sang again and the choreography had real heft."....
Bachtrack, 24 October 2024 -
..." The sections for the children’s chorus are rousing and beautifully staged, and the dancers look at once powerful and freed in a work that, for all its flaws, is undoubtedly welcoming in its attempt to do something new."...
The Guardian
..." After a lustily delivered little song by the children’s chorus (they’ll return at regular intervals with tiresome ditties of positive affirmation), scene I of six is ‘Terra’, by the Dutch choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma. Against a projection of the moon - the female deity - eight couples dance a well-structured, harmonious piece, relying on lifts and waves of movement.
This perfectly pleasant piece also introduces the singers that will pop up in later sections: the soprano Marianna Hovhanisyan and the impressive baritone Themba Mvula"....
CultureWhisper - 24/10/2024 -
…..”The opening piece is the most romising in Act one, and Terra by Wubkje Kuindersma begins with a lament performed by a children’s choir repeating the phrase “ I am the sea”. From here, a handful of adult dancres emerge dressed in shimmering white against a video backdrop, initially of the darkened earth slowly rotating and then of waves cresting upon which the gentle moonbeam dancers fall and are absorbed. With an operatic composition by Kate Whitley, Kuindersma presents a light, sensitive and wistful dance that lingers. “….
The Reviews Hub, October 24, 2024
..." Luna begins with Wubkje Kuindersma’s Terra which explores the connections between earth
and sky and our human connection to the world and beyond. Terra begins with a children’s
chorus who return throughout Luna as a Greek chorus, reminding us of our responsibilities
to the environment and future generations.
In Terra we see how the dancers are part of the eternal changes of the spheres as their body
movements reflect the motions of the planets and the oceans."....
..."Kuindersma then brings all the themes together in the final piece Luna where the figures
from the previous scenes join with the children and two singers to combine the individual
themes under a huge moon."...
What's On Birmingham -3Oct 2024 -
..." The whole ballet revolves around the luna, Latin for ‘moon.’
The moon has often been associated with femininity throughout history, and it acts as a central point for all the pieces. It becomes the axis around which all the dancers orbit.
It begins with ‘Terra,’ choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma.
As the curtain rises, the children’s chorus stands at attention. This group reappears throughout the ballet and represents the children who will inherit the Earth. They sing to the audience, setting the scene and beginning the journey in a way that is both hopeful and somber.
‘Terra’ positions the audience on the Earth’s surface, looking up at the moon and feeling its constant presence over us. The piece consists of eight couples, entering the stage like the tide rising on a shore.
The dancers become the waves of the ocean, as a series of movements ripples throughout the couples. The smooth push and pull between the dancers turns into rough waters as the piece reaches its climax. The couples separate into new lifts and turns, creating a cacophony of movement.
The moon is complex, both flexible and headstrong, peaceful and chaotic. It foreshadows the themes that are to come around women’s lives and experiences. As the company recedes into the background, matching the waves on the scrim, we transition to the next scene,"....
..."The ballet concludes with ‘Luna,’ also choreographed by Kuindersma, making a full circle from the ballet’s beginning with ‘Terra.’
Now, the company is the moon, the stars, and the sky. With each lift the dancers seem to defy gravity, hanging in the air, and they float synchronously. As the piece builds in speed, the dancers demonstrate a flurry of fast footwork and a reinvigorated energy, one that is ready to reach for the unknown.
In a grand finale, characters from the previous pieces return to the stage, all to appreciate the power the moon brings. With the dancers, opera singers, and children’s chorus, it is packed onstage, and it reminds the viewer of the immense work required by the creative team to bring together so many diverse ideas and themes."...
Ballet Herald - Oct 7, 2024
..."Using the moon as a central motif, each movement in this two-act production focuses on themes relating to women. The works are abstract and yet the ideas they express are clear. Pieces by choreographer Wubkje Kuindersma frame the whole. The opening movement, Terra, explores the relationship between women and nature. The choreography has a wonderful fluidity to it, whilst a back-projection of the moon above a rolling sea, followed by a projection of trees with blue skies breaking through, emphasises the organic nature of this relationship.
The last movement, Luna, is set against images of the night sky. Orchestral music takes on a celestial tone, and a feeling of harmony prevails. The final image is one of dancers looking up towards the moon and the skies, and there is a sense that anything is possible."....
Birmingham Press - 4 Oct 2024
..."The first ballet, or scene, is Terra, choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma. As the children’s chorus sing “We are the sea”, we are reminded of the importance of being connected to and respecting nature, a theme which continues throughout the piece. Kuindersma also choreographed the title work, Luna, which is presented last. With her creations both starting and ending the evening, the six-part ballet as a whole echoes the cycle of the moon, completing a full circle to end where it began."...
What's On - 4 Oct 2024