Ballet Cymru's The Light Princess

The Rev. George McDonald
Author of the Light Princess

Photo William Jeffrey
Source Wikipedia

On 19 May 2017 Ballet Cymru will premiere The Light Princess, a new ballet by Darius James and his beautiful dancers, at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport. According to the company's press release of 19 Jan 2017, The Light Princess is based on the story by George McDonald with a score by Catrin Finch.

Although the story has much in common with The Sleeping Beauty it also presciently appears to have a message for our time on drought and climate change. The author was a Congregationalist minister from Scotland who is said to have mentored Lewis Carroll and inspired many other writers including W. H. Auden, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Walter de la Mare, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. Finch composed the music for Celtic Concerto which I reviewed in Ballet Cymru in London on 1 Dec 2015.

The company is not releasing many details of its new production. In its press release it says:

"Using elements of circus and outstanding classical choreography the story draws inspiration from Sleeping Beauty, telling the story of a princess afflicted by a constant weightlessness, unable to get her feet on the ground, until she finds a love that brings her down to earth.
Featuring ground breaking video projections and stunningly vibrant costumes The Light Princess will transport you to a world of laughter, beauty and wonder."

Following its premiere in Newport, Ballet Cymru will take the work to Bury St Edmunds, Llanelli, Milford Haven, Stevenage and Newcastle under Lyme.

I am also delighted to say that the company is taking A Midsummer Night's Dream to Preston and Sale as well as other venues in every part of the UK which will please their Northern fans greatly.