Giannandrea Poesio

The Royal Ballet’s triple bill was danced to perfection

You shouldn't call something a 'world premiere' unless it's very, very good — so luckily The Human Seasons was

Zenaida Yanowsky (Photo: ROH / Bill Cooper) 
issue 16 November 2013

There was a time when the term ‘world première’ was not as fashionable as it is these days. Great works simply ‘premièred’, and their artistic status was not diminished by the fact that the opening had not been advertised as a globally significant event. Which is what ‘world première’ implies, even though it is seldom the case. The term has a sensationalistic ring to it, and should therefore be used carefully and sparingly. According to a recent press release, David Dawson’s The Human Seasons is the second of the five ‘world premières’ that the Royal Ballet will perform this season. Fortunately, this new creation deserves global recognition and admiration, for it is a splendid example of theatre and choreographic composition.

Dawson’s dance-making stands out for the inventive appropriation, manipulation and use of both the classical and neoclassical canons.

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