The Royal Ballet and Opera House in London continue their programme of access to their productions for blind and partially sighted people with both live and recorded audio described performances, along with accompanying introductory notes and touch tours.
If you have ever wondered what goes in to audio describing ballet and dance then do join RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey for an insight into how the Royal Ballet’s current production of Cinderella is brought to life for blind and partially sighted people through pre show introductory notes, touch tours and audio described performances.
Prior to the general rehearsal of Cinderella On Monday 2 December 2024 Toby caught up with Professional Audio Describers Julia Grundy and Jane Brambley to find out what goes in to the process of describing a ballet production like Cinderella, how they both work on their description scripts, thinking about what props and costumes to include on a touch tour and whether they adapt their live description script at all for the recorded description which is now available at every performance of Cinderella.
After chatting with Julia and Jane Toby also caught up with Ania Kapazat, one of the Administrative Producers at the Royal Ballet, to find out more about how she has helped Julia and Jane with their description as well as listening in to the dry run of their audio description at the general rehearsal of Cinderella.
During the first interval of the general rehearsal of Cinderella Toby managed to catch up with Kevin O'Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, to firstly chat about how things have gone in getting this production of Cinderella to the general rehearsal, how embedded access and audio description is within the company and a snap shot stand out moment from Cinderella that really shows how everything comes together to bring the story of Cinderella to life on stage with audio description too.
About Cinderella
The Royal Ballet’s current production of Cinderella continues on the main stage of the Royal Opera House until 16 January 2025 with recorded audio description now available at every performance.
This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family over the festive holiday. A co-production between the Royal Ballet and the national Ballet of Canada.
In 1939, Frederick Ashton first began to consider creating a full-length work, the Company's first three-act ballet. At the time it seemed like the obvious next step for British ballet. The idea was shelved during the war but in 1946 Ashton returned urgently to it. Inspired by other balletic adaptations of Cinderella coming out of Russia, Ashton chose to create his own version of Charles Perrault’s famous rags-to-riches story. Set to Prokofiev’s exquisite score the ballet received its premiere in 1948 featuring Moira Shearer and Michael Some's in the lead roles.
A World Where Dreams Blossom
The designs of this production of Cinderella are heavily influenced by nature and flowers. As the Fairy Godmother and the Seasons’ fairies come into Cinderella’s world, the muted tones of the family living room are taken over by a burst of colour. The creative team behind the exquisite world of Cinderella includes set designer Tom Pye (My Neighbour Totoro, Olivier award for Best Set Design), costume designer Alexandra Byrne (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Academy Award for Best Costume Design), lighting designer David Finn (Brokeback Mountain), video designer Finn Ross (Les Miserables, Frozen) and illusions by Chris Fisher (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child).
To find out more about The Royal Ballet’s current production of Cinderella do visit the following pages of the RBO website - https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-events/cinderella-details
You will also find more information about access at the royal Ballet and Opera House on the following access pages of their website - https://www.rbo.org.uk/visit/access-at-rbo
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