The What's On team were out in force at Birmingham Hippodrome last night, with both Rachel Smith and Diane Parkes reviewing BRB's Sir Peter Wright's Centenary - a celebration of Sir Peter's work in his 100th year. 

Check out both reviews below...

What could be a more fitting way to celebrate the 100th birthday of Sir Peter Wright - Founding Director Laureate of the Birmingham Royal Ballet - than by presenting a programme of highlights of some of the most famous classical ballets to grace the Hippodrome stage?

The Sir Peter Wright Centenary hit exactly the right note, showcasing the great man’s contribution to the art form over many decades with an evening of exquisite dancing and pointe-perfect performances.

It is 36 years since Sir Peter brought the former Sadlers Wells ballet from London to Birmingham. Under its new name, Birmingham Royal Ballet, the company quickly became integral to the city’s arts scene as it established a country-wide and international reputation for excellence.

In tribute to Sir Peter, a colleague called him one of the greatest choreographers of classical ballet in history, and this was borne out by the snippets of the four ballet classics presented this evening. Dancers performed excerpts from his productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Giselle and Swan Lake, delighting the audience with the sheer brilliance of their steps. The sets were sumptuous, the music delightful and the dancing impeccable - sheer joy for ballet-lovers young and old.

In sharp contrast was the final piece of the evening. The Green Table: A Dance Of Death In Eight Scenes is a 20th-century masterpiece, premiered in 1932 and the first ballet in which Sir Peter performed. He brought it to Birmingham in 1992, when it challenged both dancers and audiences with its contemporary feel and thought-provoking content. It is no less thought-provoking more than 30 years on, in days when its anti-war themes remain remarkably relevant.

The evening began with a performance by students of Birmingham’s Elmhurst Ballet School. Their piece, a Grand Défilé to the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, was beautiful in its understated elegance, and the quiet enthusiasm and pride on the faces of the young dancers was simply charming. This performance by students at the very beginning of their careers was the perfect opening to an event which ended with a reflection on the life of a man celebrating his hundredth year and who has achieved so much. The image of life turning full circle was impossible to miss and added to the sentiment that we were watching something very special indeed.

Dance lovers from Birmingham can be very happy that Sir Peter had the vision to establish a world-class company on our doorstep. This unique and beautiful event was an apt tribute to a man who has achieved so much.

Five stars

Reviewed by Rachel Smith 

Back in 1990 Sir Peter Wright had the foresight to bring what was then Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet to Birmingham and create the new company Birmingham Royal Ballet - and the city and dance enthusiasts have been grateful ever since.

With Sir Peter celebrating his 100th birthday this year, the company threw him one hell of a party with this gala at Birmingham Hippodrome.

The evening brought together favourite pieces from the former BRB director’s productions, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle and Coppélia, followed by a work which the company hasn’t performed for decades The Green Table by Kurt Jooss.

The first ballet in which the young Sir Peter performed, The Green Table has remained one of his favourite works ever since. Created in the aftermath of the Second World War, the piece is a bitter satire on the politicians who talk peace and yet prefer war, and a reflection on the horrors of conflict.

Striding across the ballet is the terrifyingly mechanical figure of Death which at the gala performance was danced by current BRB director Carlos Acosta. Gathering both fighters and innocent victims to him, Acosta’s Death was both impersonal and imperious - no-one can defeat Death.

The stark message of The Green Table was a huge contrast to Sir Peter’s romantic ballets which had gone before, works which have become staples in the BRB repertoire.

Sleeping Beauty was represented by a series of excerpts from Act III including the gorgeous pas de deux between Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund. Its choreography asks a great deal from its dancers and the challenge was more than met by Momoko Hirata and Mathias Dingman who mastered the most intricate of steps with seeming ease.

From Coppélia we were treated to the wedding pas de deux from Act III with Beatrice Parma and Tzu-Chao Chou delicately capturing the romance of that scene.

So too there was a real connection between Max Maslen as Albrecht and Miki Mizutani in the tragic Act II pas de deux from Giselle - the sense of lost love infusing every movement.

And then on to Swan Lake with the lively Czárdás, Neapolitan Dance and Spanish Dance from Act III leading into the final bewitching of Prince Siegfried by the deceptive black swan Odile. Céline Gittens packed Odile full of character - as the temptress determined to capture the heart of the prince, she smiled triumphantly as she saw success within her grasp. Yasiel Hodelín Bello’s Siegfried didn’t stand a chance, falling for her guile and leading to the ballet’s dramatic conclusion.

Sir Peter’s pieces were given plenty of aplomb by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by BRB music director Paul Murphy while The Green Table was accompanied by pianists Jeanette Wong and Yen Lee who balanced the score’s harsh edges and hugely lyrical moments so the music felt like an additional character.

The choice of programme not only reminded the audience of the breadth of Sir Peter’s expertise, it also gave BRB a chance to showcase dancers from across the company. Furthermore, the students from Elmhurst Ballet School also had their moment, performing a Défilé to the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin.

Huge credit to the backstage team for some hefty scene changes but the pauses these created would have been the perfect opportunity to play some recorded excerpts of interviews with Sir Peter or other members of BRB sharing memories of the upcoming pieces.

But this is a minor point on an evening which was a celebration of Sir Peter, his immense contribution to the world of dance and the company that BRB have become. Every step on the stage was a testament to Sir Peter’s willingness to take a chance on Birmingham.

The gala concluded with a short selection of photos and tributes from Carlos Acosta and David Bintley who was BRB director between Sir Peter and Acosta. Then the curtain rose on Sir Peter, who was made BRB founding director laureate four years ago, sitting on a throne, surrounded by former and current colleagues. Met by a standing ovation, this was a beautiful way to end an evening and shine a light on a truly marvellous career from a much-loved member of the dance community.

Five stars

Reviewed by Diane Parkes

The Green Table also features in the programme for BRB’s 20th Century Masterpieces which plays Birmingham Hippodrome on Friday 19 & Saturday 20 June

For all upcoming BRB productions visit brb.co.uk