Entertainment News

As thousands of fans across the UK begin their journey with The Harry Potter Film Concert Series by attending one of the sold out performances of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™, CineConcerts, Senbla, and Warner Bros. Consumer Products announce that the second in the series – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ will have its live UK concert tour premiere in December.

The second magical tale from J.K. Rowling’s will be brought to life around the UK this December finishing in Birmingham on 10 December.

The film, which follows Harry Potter’s second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was released in 2002, and became (at that time) the seventh highest-grossing film of all time.

The tour will feature a live symphony orchestra performing, to picture, every note from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a 60-foot screen while hearing the orchestra perform the unforgettable score by award-winning film composer and Oscar winner, John Williams.

On touring the follow-up, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™, and also the success of premiering Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone™, Senbla CEO Ollie Rosenblatt said: “Since we first launched the Harry Potter in Concert Series, the response from both film and music fans has been phenomenal. The shows really are unforgettable and remind us why Harry Potter has touched so many of us. To see these seminal films with a huge orchestra is beyond enthralling. We are delighted to bring the Chamber Of Secrets to audiences around the UK and to continue this magical and immersive experience”

This June, Birmingham Royal Ballet performs the world premiere of Arcadia at Birmingham Hippodrome, as part of a mixed programme alongside Michael Corder’s Le Baiser de la fee and John Cranko’s ever popular Pineapple Poll.

Choreographed by Birmingham Royal Ballet First Artist Ruth Brill, designed by Atena Ameri – exceptional student from Birmingham School of Acting – and accompanied by a striking new score from renowned saxophonist John Harle, this brand new work unleashes the Ancient Greek god Pan in all his glory and complexity.

Arcadia was born when David Bintley (Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet) mentioned John Harle’s beautiful music to Ruth Brill, hoping that it would inspire her. After watching a sample of her initial work, David Bintley commissioned Ruth to choreograph Arcadia. Ruth comments, “It is rare for an artistic director to trust a young choreographer with such an important commission. I’ve learnt so much from David throughout this process and it’s an honour to continue the choreographic legacy of Birmingham Royal Ballet.”

Ruth is no stranger to choreographing for diverse and exciting projects, but Arcadia represents her biggest challenge to date. As she explains, “So much of this experience has been completely new to me, so it’s really been a case of learning as I go. I enjoy the collaborative process, building relationships with people and then pulling all the elements together. It’s an amazing feeling to see my vision come to life on stage.”

Arcadia’s young, vibrant creative team is typified by designer Atena Ameri. When Birmingham Royal Ballet invited Birmingham School of Acting students to design their brand-new ballet, Atena stood out due to her exceptional portfolio. She has taken a year out of her degree to design Arcadia and gain valuable experience of the theatre industry. A talented artist, Atena has developed a unique style for the Arcadia designs, characterised by an expressive use of colour and texture inspired by nature.

Atena’s costume designs have been created by the in-house costume department at Birmingham Royal Ballet, assisted by renowned ballet costumiers Parkinson Gill. Head of Costume Elaine Garlick explains, “It’s been a really good exercise in allowing people to gain experience whilst being mentored by Parkinson Gill, who really are experts in their field. We want to invest in people who want to live in Birmingham, making sure they have access to the correct training to develop their skills to a national, or even international, level.”

Arcadia’s young creative team have been pushing the boundaries, working with scale and ambition rarely seen in a one-act ballet. This world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome represents an exciting new opportunity for the artistic talents of the future. As Ruth Brill comments, “We need to push the boundaries, form new collaborations and engage the next generation with the arts. Creating Arcadia has been a learning curve for me, but art is about exploring; you shouldn’t always feel safe. We need platforms to push new choreographers, designers and composers – the leaders of the next generation.”

People are being encouraged to pull on their boots for a special challenge taking place during this year's Wolverhampton Walking Festival.

The Walking for Health Challenge Trail will be held on Saturday 20 May, with residents invited to tackle either a Silver (four miles), Gold (seven miles) or Platinum (12 miles) route.

All the trails start at WV Active Aldersley, Hugh Porter Way, Aldersley, at 9.30am, and are way-marked and marshalled.

The Challenge Trail is just one of more than 30 free walks taking place during the seventh annual Wolverhampton Walking Festival, which is organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council's Healthy Lifestyles Service and takes place from Saturday 13 May until Sunday 21 May.

Ros Jervis, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Director of Public Health, said: "The Walking for Health Challenge Trail is a fantastic opportunity to get out and about and put your fitness to the test over distances of four, seven or 12 miles while exploring parts of Wolverhampton you may not be familiar with."

Entry to the Challenge Trail is free, though participants are invited to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation if they wish. Places are limited to 300, and so pre-booking is necessary. For an entry form please call 01902 553838 or visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/walkingfestival. Please note that no entries will be taken on the day.

Ros added: "The Challenge Trail is the biggest event in this year's Walking Festival and a real highlight, but if you cannot make it don't worry as there are dozens of other fantastic walks, long and short, to take part in – and with walks for people of all ages and abilities, there’s sure to be something for everyone."

ARY Digital Network set forth the 1st ARY Film Festival which ended on 7th of May, 2017 with a star-studded closing night hosted by the multitalented Faysal Qureshi and the beautiful Madiha Imam. The event was attended by the top celebrities and personalities of the media and film industry. Amazing performances by Sheema Kirmani, Sanam Marvi and Hamza Qawwal along with a stand-up comedy act by the social media star Danish Ali.

The 3 day festival screened 33 films, which were shortlisted from around 400 entries received from all over the world. The jury included local and international award winning filmmakers, writers and media personalities such as Anwar Maqsood, Khalil Nainitalwala, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Marilyn Agrelo, Ram Kishore Parcha, John Gann, Andy Merkin, Jack McDonald and Amna Khan.

The festival also came up with special screenings of internationally acclaimed films such as Maheen Zia’s ‘Lyari Notes’, ‘Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velazquez Story’ contributed by the American Film Showcase and Anjum Shehzad’s ‘Mah e Mir’. Additionally, Academy award winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s ‘Song of Lahore’ was also premiered at the festival.

Award for Best Story Feature Film was given to ‘Choora Ek Pratha’ and Best Short Film (Silver Category) to ‘Amrita and I’, both were screened in collaboration with Delhi International Film Festival. Serajus Salikin won the award for Best Short Documentary for his film ‘Masters of the Sky’; whereas award for Best Director Short Documentary goes to Ali Ijaz for ‘Pangolins in Peril’.

‘In Search of America’ won the award for Best Short Film (Gold Category); Syed Fazal Hussain won the award of Best Actor (Short Film) for ‘Dil Tau Bacha Hai’. Best Documentary Feature award was given to ‘K2 and The Invisible Footmen’ and Maheen Zia’s ‘Lyari Notes’ won the Red Category Excellence in Documentary Feature. Purple Category Excellence in Documentary Feature was given to Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy for her film ‘Song of Lahore’. Anjum Shehzad’s ‘Mah e Mir’ won the award for Best Film – Feature.

Mr. Salman Iqbal, President and Founder, ARY Digital Network, in his message about the festival said “It has been our primary objective since the establishment of ARY Films to develop and foster the film industry in Pakistan. We have now embarked on yet another journey with the first ARY Film Festival, whereby we will provide a break to new and creative filmmakers from Pakistan and around the world to come showcase their talent and get known for their efforts. This is our first year for the festival and we intend to make it bigger and better in the years to come”.

Presented by Italiano and powered by Rooh Afza, the ARY Film Festival did special collaborations with American Film Showcase and Delhi International Film Festival. It was held from 4th to 6th May 2017 at the Cinepax Cinemas, Ocean Mall Karachi.

Located on the South Coast of England,the waterfront city of Portsmouth provides a backdrop for ten days of some of the summer's most diverse, exciting arts and cultural experiences. With a great destination and a fantastic programme, why not plan a visit to Portsmouth and Southsea during the festivities?

The theme for this year's festival is PLAY with an interactive city-wide experience, PLAY CODE CITY. Combining over 100 events in the main programme, PLAY CODE CITY, offers participants a multitude of extra FREE live performances and events. Join the game, find the happenings, and collect the codes; uncovering interactions with game characters, performers and installations in locations throughout the city.

With so many events to choose from, here's just a taste of what's on offer. Download the full programme from the website.

• Opening Gala Concert: The Maggini Quartet featuring Peter Donohoe, 16 June 8pm to 9.45pm Performing works by Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and Whitacre, the evening features Peter Donohoe, acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time and the Maggini Quartet, one of the finest British string quartets who've twice nominated for Grammy Awards.
• Everything comes from the Egg: 16- 18 and 21-25 June 11.00am–4.00pm Stephen Turner's Exbury Egg was created on the Exbury Estate as a studio/home/resource for the artist. The wooden structure will be at Gunwharf Quays' Quayside Canal and the accompanying exhibition detailing Turner's journey will be on display at Aspex Gallery.
• Playing Live on Albert Road: A guided walking tour, 17 June 7pm-9.15pm. A guided walk like no other, taking in the sounds of Southsea through performances by local musicians in unusual Albert Road venues, starting at the Kings Theatre.
• Hotwalls Studios: Open Studios 17-18 and 24 - 25 June 10.00am–4.00pm Artists and designer-makers work together in an exceptional heritage location, to start and grow their creative venture. The Open Studios event is a great opportunity to view the work of each studio and meet the designer-makers and artists.

Music legend Frank Ifield made a rare appearance at the Coventry Music Museum this week to show his support for the launch of a new Belgrade Theatre musical, Godiva Rocks. Born in Coundon, Coventry before later moving to Australia, the Country music singer returned to the UK to celebrate the announcement of this world premiere production that will feature some of his most successful songs.

Frank Ifield achieved 15 UK top 40 singles including four number ones throughout the 1960s, including I Remember You, Lovesick Blues, Wayward Wind and Confessin’ (That I Love You). He is just one of 20 artists with a Coventry connection to have their music featured in Godiva Rocks, alongside Vince Hill, Hazel O’Connor, The Specials, Terry Hall, King, The Primitives and The Enemy.

Written by Alan Pollock and directed by Hamish Glen, Godiva Rocks aims to capture a sense of pride for Coventry’s vibrant but often overlooked musical history, from the 1960s to the present day as Alan explains: “On one level, this is a warm, funny, human story that keeps you guessing right to the end.”

“But on another, it’s a story about an enormous pride: we, Coventry have produced this music. It came from somewhere inside us – from the people, the atmosphere and the soil of the place – and we sent it out into the world. Now it’s coming home and I hope people can celebrate that.”

The launch was held at the independent Coventry Music Museum, which is run by Coventry Music Historian and Journalist, Pete Chambers BEM, and is situated amongst Coventry’s 2 Tone Village. The area is named after what is perhaps the city’s most famed musical genre, with 2 Tone pioneers The Selecter and The Specials originating from Coventry.

Godiva Rocks will be Alan Pollock and Hamish Glen’s third collaboration following on from 2011’s Too Much Pressure and the acclaimed Coventry Blitz play, One Night in November. It continues the Belgrade Theatre’s commitment to staging productions that reflect the stories of the city and region, Nick Walker’s FA Cup play, We Love You City and, more recently, Bob Eaton’s 2 Tone Musical Three Minute Heroes.

Director Hamish Glen said, “It’s great to be teaming up with Alan once again, following the huge success of One Night in November. Godiva Rocks continues a Belgrade tradition of producing shows that bear witness to local history, local stories and local experiences. Although Alan has created a fictional story, it’s absolutely embedded in what happened to Coventry – its redevelopment, its regeneration, its loss of its venues, its decline and its re-emergence. As Artistic Director, this an essential strand of the Belgrade’s artistic vision.”

Premiering on the Belgrade’s Main Stage in October, Godiva Rocks tells the story of girl meets boy in Coventry – but nothing, and nobody, is what they seem, all because of one extraordinary night at the Orchid Ballroom, back in December ’64…

Shady financier Leo Freeman’s decision to knock down the Orchid ballroom has far-reaching consequences – as daughter Nell meets the extraordinary Patrick Vernon – and the hunt for a missing tape reveals a history of musical passions and romantic jealousies stretching back to the dawn of musical time.

The timely announcement of this new musical, follows the recent submission of Coventry’s Bid to be UK City of Culture in 2021 and is one of eleven cities currently vying for the title. The Belgrade Theatre hopes to continue the legacy of the bid with this production by highlighting the city’s cultural achievements and putting Coventry’s musical history on the map.

Godiva Rocks runs on the Main Stage from Sat 7 – Sat 21 Oct.

Tenerife's northern town of Puerto de la Cruz is ready to transform itself into a giant stage to host the 15th edition of its popular International Street Art Festival, commonly known as Mueca. Taking place from 11th to 14th May 2017, visitors to the festival can expect over 80 performances – including theatre, circus and dance routines – from both local and international artists in what is considered to be one of the most important cultural events in the Canary Islands.

This year's highlights include Quixote (nominated for the 2017 MAX Performing Arts Awards), a theatre show from Spanish-Argentinian company Puja, which includes live music and aerial acrobatics; El Coche (“The Car”), a mime performance from Chilean artist Karcocha, who creates a 'circus of laughter' thanks to his entertaining, improvisational skills; and The Primitals, a fun musical comedy performed “a cappella” by well-known Spanish company, Yllana.

The town's Plaza de Europa, Plaza del Charco and the dock esplanade will be the three main “stages” where the performances will take place, just 30 minutes away from Santa Cruz, the island's capital city.

Mueca is expected to attract over 60,000 visitors to Puerto de la Cruz during the four-day street art extravaganza. The festival is organised by citizenship organisation Plataforma Cómplices and the Town Hall of Puerto de la Cruz, which also arranges other popular cultural events including the Phe Festival (independent music festival), the Festival Periplo (International Festival of Travel and Adventure Literature), the International Agatha Christie Festival and the Tenerife Concerts of the Canarias Jazz & Más Heineken.

Grammy and Emmy Award winning comedian, actor, director, writer and producer, Chris Rock, announced today UK dates to his hit comedy tour, The Total Blackout Tour. The Total Blackout Tour 2018 marks the acclimated comedian’s first U.K. tour in ten years commencing Thursday 11 January 2018 and will visit cities across the U.K including Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Glasgow, Birmingham and London.

Lauded by peers and critics alike, Chris Rock is one of our generation’s strongest comedic voices. As an actor, director, producer and writer he has created many pivotal pop culture moments. With a career spanning more than three decades, Chris Rock is a true icon whose star shines even brighter.

This summer, Rock will be reuniting with Adam Sandler in production of Netflix’s original movie, “The Week Of.” He will also executive produce BET’s newest late-night talk show, “The Rundown with Robin Thede.”

Rock has won four Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards and is a New York Times Best-Selling Author. In addition, he received two nominations for the 2016 Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Director for a Variety Special for “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” and Outstanding Special Class Program for the 88^th Annual Academy Awards.

Following the success of the 2017 Betway Premier League’s visit to Birmingham, the Barclaycard Arena has won the contract to host the tournament until 2021.

The world’s top darts stars returned to the 15,800 capacity Arena on April 27 for Night 13 of this year’s tournament, playing host to the likes of World Champion Michael van Gerwen, the legendary Phil Taylor and Scottish superstar Gary Anderson.

The evening saw the largest crowd ever for the Premier League’s annual visit to Birmingham, and has been followed with a new four-year deal to keep the tournament at the Barclaycard Arena.

The Barclaycard Arena is one of the largest venues on the darting circuit, with the ability to accommodate thousands of darts fans and hospitality guests from across the Midlands and the wider region, and has hosted the Premier League since 2007.

Having sold for the event for over ten years, the NEC Group owned ticket agency, The Ticket Factory, will also continue to sell tickets through to 2021.

Head of Sales for the Barclaycard Arena, Ian Congdon said: “The Barclaycard Arena has become a firm favourite for darts fans in recent years, and we are delighted to secure the tournament for another four.  2017 has proved to be our most successful league night yet, and I’m hopeful this event is only going to continue to grow.”

Professional Darts Corporation Chairman, Barry Hearn, added: “We’re delighted to extend our long-running partnership with the Barclaycard Arena to keep Premier League Darts in Birmingham for at least four more years. It’s always a great night with thousands of darts fans travelling from the city, the West Midlands and further afield to watch the stars of the sport in action and we look forward to entertaining them again for many more years.”

The Premier League sees ten top darts stars competing across four months at arenas across the UK, Ireland and Netherlands in a bid to win the coveted trophy.

The Barclaycard Arena hosted the 13^th league night of the 2017 season, with two further league nights remaining before the Play-Offs see this year’s champion take home the trophy and a £250,000 first prize.

In the wake of their momentous GRAMMY win for Best Reggae Album for the self-released ‘Strictly Roots,’ the iconic multi-award winning culture-driven band, Morgan Heritage, has managed to create yet another classic album ‘Avrakedabra’ out via their own independent label CTBC Music on May 19.

In their latest quest to keep reggae music relevant in a continuously evolving world of music, the band has stayed true to their formula of authentic reggae with an effusively eclectic array of tracks in ‘Avrakedabra’. The untraditional creation of this album with recording sessions taking place across four different continents highlights the groups effort of taking Reggae music to each corner of the Earth.

As you listen to ’Avrakedabra’, surprise appearances are as captivating as the title - from the opening record ‘Want Some More’ featuring Mr. Talkbox, (Bruno Mars’ 24k Magic collaborator), to the alliance of two great musical legacies with Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley appearing on ‘One Family’, the breadth of this body of work is undeniable. This is further cemented by the awakening of the spirit of the late great lead singer Bunny Ruggs (Third World) on ‘Tribute To Ruggs’. On stage, DreZion performs as a keyboardist. However, this multi-talented star in his own right not only co-produced ‘Reggae Night’ but also lays down a great verse like a veteran DJ/MC from Jamaica. On ‘Ready For Love’, the dynamic pairing of Billboard chart topping duo R. City and Morgan Heritage emphasises the diversity of this album whilst ’We Are’ brings together Kabaka Pyramid and Dre Island, two of reggae’s future leaders, perfectly marrying the timeless beauty of reggae across the ages.

With their reggae DNA from Jamaican origins, the Brooklyn born group of Massachusetts upbringing developed their synonymous style, infusing pop, rock, country, r&b and hip-hop music into their brand of reggae that they call “Rockaz.”

Morgan Heritage kicked off the “Avrakedabra World Tour” in April, in Aruba, with key dates in Oxford, Manchester, Birmingham and London this month, supported by reggae Billboard-topping female artist Etana, GRAMMY-nominated J Boog, MTV/Beats 1’s Becca D, and Jemere Morgan (third generation).

The siblings are true veterans of live touring with decades of successful headline slots under their belt ranging from Roskilde Festival to Montreux Jazz Festival and of course Rototom Sunsplash.

Their Rolling Stones-reminiscent endurance, longevity and outstanding showmanship make them a hypnotic band on and off the stage. With this release, Morgan Heritage reinforce their reggae prowess while further establishing their far-reaching crossover appeal. Critics, fans and music lovers will not be disappointed by this anxiously awaited, monumental release.

The band will be at the O2 Ritz in Manchester,  tonight and the Birmingham O2 Academy tomorrow - May 6 – before moving on to O2 Forum Kentish Town, in London on May 7, then mainland Europe – Paris, France and Amsterdam,  Holland, before flying out to perform at the Thomas Robinson Stadium Carnival Grounds, in Nassau, Bahamas.

Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's ‘Tommy’ is an exhilarating story of hope, healing, and the human spirit. With a cast of 22 performers and musicians, ‘Tommy’ is the story of the pinball-playing boy which has entertained and intrigued audiences for more than 40 years. Now, the electrifying rock musical will feature a new version of ‘Amazing Journey’ to open the show and a brand new song, ‘Acid Queen 2’ for Act Two alongside classic songs ‘Tommy Can You Hear Me?,’ ‘I’m Free,’ ‘See Me, Feel Me’ and ‘Pinball Wizard.’

Directed by Kerry Michael for Ramps on The Moon (a consortium of regional theatres committed to driving change), the award-winning musical follows the story of a young boy after he witnesses the murder of his father by his mother's lover. Traumatised, he chooses to stop communicating with the outside world as he grows up in post WWII England, where he suffers abuse from relatives and others in the wider community.

However, as an adolescent, Tommy's life begins to change when he finds salvation in playing pinball.  In this new staging every performance features a creative use of audio description, captioning and British Sign Language interpretation which will enhance the experience for everyone.

With music and lyrics by The Who’s Pete Townshend-who wrote two new songs exclusively for the occasion-he said: “When I heard there was a new planned production of ‘Tommy,’ I was pleased of course. But when I heard they planned to do a production featuring actors with disabilities of various kinds, that will actually throw new light on the original story, I became very excited. This is a totally new adventure, and really does refer back to my original story in which a young man, disabled by extreme trauma, finds his way to some kind of spiritual place because he can FEEL music. I can’t wait to see it.”

Director Kerry Michael is artistic director of Theatre Royal Stratford East. His recent credits include The Harder They Come, which transferred to the West End, North America and Canada. Kerry says of this new staging: “'For Tommy, we have gone back to the concept album for our inspiration. Mounting a new production of this iconic rock musical with such a big and diverse cast is exciting, vibrant and full of amazing songs.

The cast for this new revival of Tommy includes Peter Straker (Acid Queen) who performed in the original West End production. Peter Straker is known across TV, theatre and music, starting his career as Hud in the original London production of Hair and notably working with Freddie Mercury on two solo albums.

Tommy rocks into Birmingham Repertory Theatre from May 17-27

It is no underestimation to say that the return of Gorillaz has been feverishly anticipated.

Last week saw the launch of Humanz, their first new studio album in 7 years, to widespread critical acclaim. Not only that, but tickets to their US live dates sold out in the blink of an eye this month, as did their headline show at the inaugural Demon Dayz Festival at Dreamland Margate this summer (less than 10 minutes, to be exact).

Now, following on from a secret London show in March – described by Time Out London as ‘’Flat-out one of the greatest gigs we've seen in a whole heap of years.’’ – the World’s Most Successful Virtual Act will hit the road across Europe this autumn, culminating in a return home to play Brighton, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London in November and December (dates below). And if recent history is anything to go by, these will go just as quickly.

The Humanz Tour will see Murdoc Niccals (bass), Noodle (guitar), Russel Hobbs (drums) and 2D (vocals) joined on stage by the Gorillaz live band – Damon Albarn, Gabriel Wallace, Mike Smith, Jesse Hackett, Jeff Wootton, Karl Vanden Bossche, Seye Adelekan – as well as selected performers from the stellar roll call of Gorillaz’ family of featured artists.

Humanz, the acclaimed new album from Gorillaz, was released on 28^th April 2017 on Parlophone Records. This last month alone has seen a breath-taking amount of activity from the band - releasing 5 new tracks; scoring the most successful debut in YouTube VR history with the Jamie Hewlett-directed 360° six-minute animated film ‘Saturnz Barz (Spirit House)’; launching a mixed reality app; and enjoying another ground-breaking first when 2D and Murdoc joined Mistajam for their first ever real time interview, streamed live from London to fans around the world.

In a new and ground-breaking initiative to develop choreographers, composers and designers who show originality, insight and world-class potential but have not had the rare opportunity to work on the largest scale, Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB), in association with Sadler’s Wells (SW), funded by Oak Foundation, are to launch Ballet Now this month.

Ballet Now is a five-year programme of professional development with two commissions made each year by BRB & SW, supporting a total of six artists per year - one choreographer, composer and designer per commission. Commissions will provide the support and freedom to champion artistic innovation, risk taking and new choreographic practice.

With mentoring from Birmingham Royal Ballet's Artistic Director David Bintley, Koen Kessels, Music Director for Birmingham Royal Ballet, and other experts in the dance industry, choreographers, composers and designers will have the opportunity to challenge their choreographic practice and develop creative collaborations for presentation on the large-scale, whilst gaining valuable skills in leading a creative process in a major ballet company.

The process will be developed and overseen by a Creative Consortium - a panel of experts drawn from across world ballet, supporting the selection of creative talent, as well as overseeing mentoring opportunities and the on-going success of the programme.

The framework established by the Creative Consortium will enable the evolution of new and innovative works and for talent to be developed within the most experienced of ballet environments, with day-to-day guidance from some of the most globally renowned experts in their field.

The Consortium consists of: David Bintley (Director, Birmingham Royal Ballet), Koen Kessels (Music Director, Birmingham Royal Ballet), Alistair Spalding (Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive), Cassa Pancho (Artistic Director, Ballet Black), Ted Brandsen (Director, Dutch National Ballet), Emma Southworth (Studio Programme Senior Producer, The Royal Ballet), Sally Beamish (Composer), Sally Cavendish (Performance Music Director, Faber Music).  More to be added as confirmed

Ballet Now will also ensure the widest possible circulation of that work, developing the artistic collaborations needed to forge careers around the world by working in close partnership with some of the world’s leading Companies.

“A ballet company should not be a museum,” says David Bintley, “it should be active creatively, within its artistic boundaries and also within the communities it serves. Giving an opportunity to artists to work together and take risks on this scale will be a game changer; this is not happening anywhere else in the world and we will make it happen here.”

Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington makes her only UK appearance at Town Hall Birmingham

A world-renowned drummer, composer and producer Terri Lyne Carrington's talent was clear from a young age when she jammed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Oscar Peterson. Her prestigious career has seen her perform alongside the likes of Stan Getz, Pharoah Sanders, Cassandra Wilson, Carlos Santana and Joni Mitchell.

For more than two decades, Terri has crafted an eclectic brand of jazz that incorporates elements of bebop, soul, funk and much more. Since her debut in 1989, she has established a reputation for working with artists of varying styles and perspectives to create music that adheres to the traditions of jazz yet speaks to a much broader and more diverse audience.

Her reworking of legendary Money Jungle album, accompanied by Gerald Clayton and Christian McBride, won her the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, making her the first female artist to win the award. This followed her first Grammy win in 2011 for her debut Mosaic Project album which featured an all-female cast including the likes of Esperanza Spalding, Dianne Reeves, and Geri Allen.

Terri visits Birmingham's Town Hall for her only UK show, and will be joined by a superb band, featuring China Moses on vocals, Helen Sung on piano, Tineke Postma on sax and Josh Hari on Bass. Toegther, they'll perform music from her acclaimed album Mosaic Project: Love and Soul.

Released in 2015, the 'Love and Soul' album featured a rotating cast of superb artists including Chaka Khan, Nancy Wilson, Natalie Cole and Lelah Hathaway, Valerie Simpson.

Terri Lyne Carrington will perform at Town Hall Birmingham on Sunday 21 May 2017.

The Nooran Sisters are far from ordinary and are destined for worldwide domination thanks to their rich family heritage in Sufi classical music. Already having headlined the prestigious Nakodar Mela in Panjab, in the presence of the legendary Gurdas Mann - the sisters, Jyoti and Sultana are without a doubt the most amazing and exciting act to come out of Panjab in recent years. 

Having caught the attention of A.R. Rahman, the music supremo enlisted the sisters for their vocals on the 2015 smash hit record, Patakha Guddi, for the film Highway starring Alia Bhatt. This resulted in the sisters being nominated for and picking up a number of industry awards. Among them were awards such as ‘Best Bollywood Song’ at the IIFA Awards and ‘Best Upcoming Female Vocalist’ at the MMA Awards. 800 million people also watched the sisters when they took the stage at the International Indian Film Awards in 2015.

Salman Khan and Amir Khan are also huge fans and have had the Nooran Sisters vocal songs for their huge films in 2016, Dangal and Sultan. With so much attention and success, the Nooran Sisters have already started touring the world to packed audiences in the USA, Canada and Australia to mention a few.

September 2017 finally is the month which is set for the Nooran Sisters to showcase their unbelievable musical talent to the UK masses. Every fan of Qawali and Sufi music is promised one thing and that is that the Nooran Sisters will blow you away with their mind-blowing live performances.

The date is set, the stage is set, and the Nooran Sisters are finally coming with their full live band to bring you a night of exquisite Sufi / Qawali / Fusion music in this fantastic venue.