CityLife

MIF: Carlos Acosta becomes a Young Apollo at The Lowry

Carlos Accosta as Apollo (Image courtesy of Angela Taylor)

THIS year’s Manchester International Festival sees the welcome return of internationally acclaimed male dancer, Carlos Acosta.

Acosta, arguably the greatest male ballet dancer of his generation, will be dancing three performances of a very special mixed programme which has been commissioned in association with Salford City Council. These performances will all be taking place at The Lowry between July 9-11.  

The evening will bring together two classics of the late 20th century repertoire with a rarely performed gem and a brand new commission-“Young Apollo” which has been choreographed by a rising star of the dance world, Adam Hougland.  

Running through the program is the theme of the male muse in ballet. This is exemplified in the performance of two pieces based around the theme of the role of Greek God Apollo. “Young Apollo” is a newly created work which has been co-commissioned by Manchester International Festival and Salford City Council. Set to music of the same name by Benjamin Britten, it aims to explore the Apollo story from a new and exciting perspective.    

The piece will be accompanied by Balanchine’s Apollo, a more classical piece which has become a key work of the twentieth century ballet repertory. First performed in 1928, “Apollo” follows the god Apollo instructing the muses in their arts, set to specially-composed music by Stravinsky.  

This will also be the first time that Acosta has performed Jerome Robbins’ A Suite of Dances, originally created for Mikhail Baryshnikov, this is a piece set to four movements from Bach’s suites for solo cello and is generally considered to be one of the most demanding of pieces for a male dancer.  

This quartet of dances will be performed by Acosta and a specially formed company of dancers, accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic who will be conducted by André de Ridder.  

Carlos Acosta will be performing at The Lowry on Thursday 9th, Friday 10th & Saturday 11th July.  Tickets are priced between £12.50 and £46.50/£12.50 concs and can be booked either via www.mif.co.uk or www.thelowry.com or by calling 0844 815 4960.