It's already taken Birmingham by storm, now a new three act ballet set to the music of Black Sabbath is about to rock Sadlers Wells.
The Heavy Metal dance experience features eight tracks by the Brummie rockers, including Paranoid, War Pigs, Solitude and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
They have been reorchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, alongside new music penned by composer Christopher Austin, which was inspired by the band formed in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne.
Tickets sold out in record time for the ballet's run at the Birmingham Hippodrome which had a starry opening this week attended by Iommi, Butler, Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, Bev Bevan of ELO, and Ozzy's wife Sharon Osbourne.
Iommi joined the Company on stage for a special curtain call performance. The Birmingham run ends on Saturday (September 30) followed by three nights in Plymouth, before arriving at Islington's Sadlers Wells from October 18-21.
Birmingham Royal Ballet's director Carlos Acosta had the idea for the "ambitious show" after spotting that Black Sabbath had played their first gig in The George pub, a stone's throw from the Ballet's headquarters.
He said: "Black Sabbath is probably Birmingham’s biggest export, the most famous, and infamous, cultural entity to ever emerge from the city so I was naturally drawn to the idea of a collaboration between what most people might think are the most unlikely of partners."
Iommi was present at some rehearsals and had input into the production commenting: "I have to say I had no idea what our music would sound like or how it would work in the context for a ballet but I’m really excited by what I’ve heard. Things are being taken in a really interesting direction. I even dropped into the ballet rehearsal out of curiosity and, well, they’ve got some moves!"
The show, headed by Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidburg, integrates stage guitars and drums into the performance, and unusually for a ballet, has a 'Metal Curator' in the form of Lisa Meyer from arts organisation Capsule.
She was tasked with having an input into the creative process to ensure an authentic "metal voice" that speaks to audiences and fans and focuses on the unique style and iconography of Black Sabbath.
Birmingham Royal Ballet Black Sabbath The Ballet runs at Sadlers Wells in Rosebery Avenue, Islington from October 18-21.
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