The Royal Ballet, Obsidian Tear Triple Bill

The works in this triple bill bring together the diverse talents of three of Britain’s best loved choreographers, all of them Royal Ballet Resident Choreographers at one time or another.

The uber-Romantic Marguerite et Armand was created by Frederic Ashton for Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, who Ashton felt epitomised the tragic 19th century lovers of Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Lady of the Camellias.

Choreographed on a powerful and emotional piano sonata by Liszt, Marguerite et Armand is a marvel of condensation that distills the rapture of love, the agony of betrayal and loss and finally forgiveness in a brief one-act ballet.

Properly danced, Marguerite et Armand is unlikely to leave a single dry eye in the house; and from the variety of casts on offer we would highlight as particularly enticing the pairings of Alessandra Ferri/Federico Bonnelli and Marinela Nuñez/Vadim Muntagirov.

The Royal Ballet’s current Resident Choreographer is Wayne McGregor. His Obsidian Tear, created two years ago for an all-male cast to music by Esa-Pekka Salonen, is having its first revival. With a spectacular set depicting a volcanic environment, it suggests a ritual sacrifice in an ancient civilisation.

Obsidian Tear was well-received by the critics, and the New York Times was particulalry impressed by its ‘physical language that is pared down and clear yet permeated by a fullness and grace.’

The evening ends on a note of fun and jollity with Kenneth MacMillan’s uncharacteristically light-hearted Elite Syncopations, choreographed on pieces by Scott Joplin and other ragtime musicians.

The dancers have a ball in more ways than one with this fun crowd-pleaser, and are likely to send you home on a high.

General Booking opens 31 January at 9 am