Birmingham Royal Ballet, Cyrano, Sadler's Wells

Bintley's Cyrano has a whale of a time with Rostand's melodrama

by Ismene BrownFriday, 13 November 2009

Elisha Willis and Iain Mackay: lashings of musketeers, plumed hats, swordfights and pas de deuxBill Cooper/BRB

Lush, romantic storyballets are as scarce as hens' teeth these days, despite the longing of much of the ballet audience to see them. Not because they're too elementary for today's dancemakers, I'd guess, but because to make one with lively dancing characters (male, female, young, old, good, bad, rich, poor), with a flowing story, lashings of set opportunities and an atmospheric score, takes multiple theatre skills few choreographers now develop. David Bintley's Cyrano is one of these rare birds, a truly skilled family ballet with all of the above.

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