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Atlanta Ballet Guest Choreographer David Bintley Arrives in Atlanta Today!

We are thrilled to have David Bintley in Atlanta Ballet studios for the next two weeks. He is here to cast and stage his modern interpretation of Carmina Burana. Scheduled for the weekend of April 12-14, 2013, Atlanta Ballet's production of David Bintley's Carmina Burana will be a North American premiere, since the piece was originally performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet in the United Kingdom. Click here for more information. Single tickets go on sale September 10th. Check back with us at that time to ensure that you have the best seats possible for this groundbreaking and mesmerizing ballet.


About David Bintley

David Bintley began his dance training at the Royal Ballet School and joined Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now Birmingham Royal Ballet) in 1976. During his tenure, Bintley performed the principal role in Fokine’s Petruschka, which many “still regard… as this generation’s definitive performance.” He went on to give memorable performances as Alain and Widow Simone in Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée, Bottom in The Dream, the Ashton “Ugly Sister” in Cinderella, the Red King In de Valois’ Checkmate and the Rake in Rake’s Progress. The artistic director at the time, Peter Wright, encouraged Bintley to explore his interest in choreography, which led Bintley to create his first ballet before he turned 16. Set to Stravinsky’s “The Soldiers,” it was a piece that he choreographed for himself and his friends. Shortly thereafter, he created The Outsider, his first professionally choreographed ballet. During this time, he became the resident choreographer for the Company. He has demonstrated a clear preference for the British dance tradition of Ashton, Tudor and MacMillan, which is more theatrical and narrative in nature. From 1986 to 1993, he served as the choreographer in residence at Covent Garden. In 1993, he decided to work as a freelance choreographer and seven companies quickly commissioned him to create new ballets. In 1995, he was named the Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the patron and HRH The Prince of Wales is President. As his first work for the Company as Artistic Director, Bintley choreographed and staged Carmina Burana, which was a tremendous hit. He has gone on to create numerous other works that illustrate his uncanny ability to retell classic stories and plays as ballets. Yet, he has been equally successful at creating works that are based on pure movement and dance. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed David Bintley as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to Dance on June 16, 2001. It is the third level of seniority of the Order among five classes. Bintley is currently the Artistic Director for both Birmingham Royal Ballet and New National Theatre in Tokyo, splitting his time between the UK and Japan. Click here for David Bintley's full biography.

Abridged version of biography by Nicholas Dromgoole; courtesy of Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Photo of David Bintley courtesy of The Guardian UK.