CLASSICAL Comedic ballet a spectacular

Grand Opera House, Belfast Tonight 7.30pm; tomorrow, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Birmingham Royal Ballet is in Belfast this week and if you haven’t seen—andheard—them,you still have three more chances, tonight and tomorrow night at 7.30pm, and tomorrow afternoon at 2.30pm.

The company is one of the best in Britain and is currently performing in the Grand Opera House, bringing the sunniest and funniest of ballets to our best Belfast stage with the ever-summery La Fille mal gardee (The Wayward Daughter).

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia plays the well-known score which has quite a history behind it. It was originally just a collection of popular French tunes in 1789 but by the time it reached Ashton’s productions in the 1960s, English composer John Lanchbery had been engaged to rewrite most of it.

He still managed to fit in some music from the original score.

The ballet itself is literally a “spectacular” with slick comedy, a clog-dancing dame and a super-cute pony. In the storyline, Lise has a choice to make. Loaded country bumpkin or penniless, hunky farmhand?

Of course, there’s no contest, but her maman has other ideas. Heels are dug in and sparks fly, as a mother-daughter battle ensues.

Tickets cost £13.50-£43.25 and there is the additional bonus of a free pre-performance talk tonight at 6.30pm.

For box office, tel: 9024 1919.

Rathcol