Swan Lake, All That Jazz At Birmingham Hippodrome

All That Jazz sees the welcome return of the Colin Towns Mask Orchestra. The band includes some of the greatest names in jazz today including recent award-winning trumpeter Guy Barker and drummer Ralph Salmins.

Swan Lake: 19 – 23 February 2008

Probably the most famous and popular ballet in the world, Swan Lake is a classic tale of evil magicians, handsome princes, beautiful maidens and a doomed fairy-tale love affair.

Sir Peter Wright and Galina Samsova's majestic production of Swan Lake tells the story of the young Prince Siegfried and his doomed love for the enchanted swan princess, Odette. Whilst out hunting, Prince Siegfried witnesses a swan change into a beautiful Princess. She is Odette, who, under the evil Von Rothbart's spell, spends her days as a swan, returning to human form as night falls. Only the love of someone who has never loved before has the power to break the evil spell.

Accompanied by one of the loveliest Tchaikovsky scores, the ballet has the power to transport one through an enchanted landscape, across dark fields and forbidding forests to a moonlit lake where, every night, a magical transformation takes place.

This production of the much-loved classic, with sumptuous designs by Philip Prowse, was first performed by Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1981 and has since successfully toured extensively throughout the UK and overseas.

All That Jazz: 27 February – 1 March 2008

Birmingham Royal Ballet dispense with the tutus, tights and even the orchestra for this jazz programme. Accompanied by the Colin Towns Mask Orchestra, dancers swing in jeans, suits, T-shirts and '50's style dresses. -- www.brb.org.uk