(photo by Pete Ashton)

I saw Birmingham Opera Company’s staging of Stravinsky’s The Wedding on Friday night – the dress rehearsal, to be precise. Claire Ferrell has commented on our previous post to say:

I attended this last night, the performance was absolutely incredible. I am a huge fan of Birmingham Opera Company, they blow me away every year. We are so lucky to have such an exciting organisation in Bham.

And I have to say I absolutely agree. It was great, and had more ideas, cheekiness and more serious things to say packed into its 30 minute running time than just about anything else I’ve seen this year.

A proper review of the show won’t be worth me writing – if I’m honest I’m still not quite sure what happened. I hardly remember the music and had no idea what was going on most of the time. Everything was going on most of the time. It was more an installation than anything with the cast (hundreds of brides and grooms) running riot throughout AE Harris.

Things started as soon as we started drifting into the building, with the cast getting into character and assuming odd positions all over the place. I know I’m not the only person to have taken this picture:

And to think this was ‘just’ a quick little thing to fill the gap before a bigger production in the spring of next year. Can’t wait for that.

Now I think of it, there’s been quite a bit of Stravinsky around recently. BRB included The Firebird in Russian Steps in 2008 and the 3D audiovisual spectacular version of The Rite of Spring will be at the Symphony Hall next year. Anyone for Petroushka?

This weekend Birmingham Opera Company will be presenting Stravinsky’s The Wedding at A E Harris. The experimental performance will last half an hour, as audiences are drawn around the space, with no formal seating and performance area.

The Wedding is a screaming, shrieking, flat out masterpiece with its rhythmic drive and unique sound world – 4 virtuoso pianists on grand pianos, a dazzling array of percussion, 4 soloists and a chorus. Written as a ballet in 1923 for Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes, Stravinsky drew on Russian traditions to conjure up a vivid and intense depiction of the old ways, and the not so old!

Performances take place on Friday 19th November 8.30pm / Saturday 20th November 7.30pm & 9pm / Sunday 21st November 4pm & 5.30pm.

Tickets are £7.50 (£5 concessions) and can be booked through The Ticket Sellers on 0844 870 0000