Black Sabbath The Ballet last night
Our oldest likes ballet and found out about this last year as she follows BRB on Instagram. I like Black Sabbath, so we couldn't let this pass.
Yesterday was the day to finally see what it was all about. I was curious mostly to hear the adaptation of the music to be played by a classical orchestra.
The first act starts with War Pigs. The orchestra was providing mostly backing and accents, with a guitarist on stage playing the song straight. There was also a drum set being used. I found the drumming a bit annoying, as it was too precise, with none of Bill Ward's swing. Iron Man followed in the same vein, followed by Solitude and to finish the act Paranoid. I would have liked if the arrangement used only the orchestra, I think the tubas, double bases and cellos would have given as much punch to the riffs as the distorted guitar. The choreography was moving between modern and classical. The ensemble routines being more contemporary and the solo/pair parts with a more classical bend.
The second act started with a voice over from Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi, explaining how they came up with the main riff for Black Sabbath. Butler had been listening to Holst's The Planets, and during one of their practice sessions he started playing the first few notes of Mars, this gave Tony the idea for the slow foreboding deep rumbling opening of the song. The orchestra then started playing Black Sabbath in full, with the sort of arrangement I had hoped for in act one. The slight irritation was the drum kit, which I think they didn't really need. After Black Sabbath came Orchid, Planet Caravan and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, all played by the orchestra and drum kit. Various dancers sung parts of Black Sabbath and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath at different points. All through the act the voice overs continued. Tony explained how he lost the tips of his fingers in a work accident and the doctors telling him he wouldn't be able to play again. He then talked about how he made his own prosthetic fingertips and started playing again. There were other voice overs from Ozzy and Sharon as well, an I think a short one from Bill Ward. The choreography was mainly modern routines by groups.
The third act started with Iron Man, with the guitarist again on stage, and back with the orchestra playing fills and accents, but with the guitar and drum kit carrying the weight. Black Sabbath, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, War Pigs and Paranoid followed, finishing with Lacuna Sunrise. It seemed like that was it, but then the riff of Paranoid rung again, the wall of lights at the back lifted, and out came Tony to play Paranoid. The audience had been perhaps a bit cool until then, but now things changed, and everyone started clapping the main rhythm carrying Tony's riff and solo. I can tell you I am getting goose bumps just remembering it.
So, did I like it? I like metal, and I like classical music. I had some doubts about how it would work. I think the arrangement could have been bolder, and should have ditched the electric guitar and drumset, like they did in act two. Still it was quite enjoyable, and shows that music transcends the labels we put on it. If you like metal it is worth going to hear what a classical take on it sounds like.
The dance had some interesting moments, but I'm not really a ballet fan. I must admit that when I go to the ballet I tend to concentrate on the music, and don't follow the dance that closely.
If you want to see it, you're out of luck in Birmingham, as it has been sold out for months, but you may get a chance in Plymouth or Sadler's Wells.
