Forty-five years after Sir Peter Wright was appointed Director of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) announces that his title will change from Director Laureate to Founding Director Laureate of the company.
This recognises Sir Peter’s important role moving Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, (the touring company of The Royal Ballet), from London to Birmingham in 1990, and changing the company’s name.
More than 30 years before the levelling-up agenda, Sir Peter Wright (now aged 96), had the ambitious vision to relocate one of the country’s largest arts organisations from the capital to Britain’s second city. With this new title, the company recognises Sir Peter Wright’s central role in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s history. To celebrate, BRB will perform three of his most important ballets that he created for Birmingham Royal Ballet in the 2022/2023 season.
Sir Peter Wright said: ‘I am delighted to be honoured in this way. Birmingham Royal Ballet remains very close to my heart. I can’t wait to see the refurbished version of my Nutcracker in all its original glory, this Christmas. I made the show as a gift to the City when we moved to Birmingham. In 2020, the Company had plans to mark the 30th anniversary of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s bold move to the West Midlands, so this moment feels like a delayed celebration of that to me. And what better way to mark the occasion than by reviving three of my productions, two of which will tour and all three staged in our home city! I have so many wonderful memories of this company and remain devoted to it.’
Sir Peter’s body of work continues to be performed by companies all over the world and he is undisputedly one of the most eminent names in ballet.
This autumn Birmingham Royal Ballet will stage his Coppélia at Birmingham Hippodrome followed by the £1 million refurbished production of his Nutcracker this Christmas and Swan Lake in spring 2023.
Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet Carlos Acosta said ‘It is an honour and a privilege to recognise Sir Peter in this way and to celebrate his life’s work by performing three of his ballets this season. He was one of the great Artistic Directors, building on the heritage of Dame Ninette de Valois, but also always looking to the future success of Birmingham Royal Ballet. He has been a constant inspiration to everyone he has worked with during his tenure and ever since. I particularly want to thank him for the support he has offered me as I took over during the challenging pandemic. I am very proud to be following in his footsteps and to be upholding the classical values and traditions manifested in his repertoire.’
