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I’ve always loved this production with its sumptuous black and gold décor and fabulous costumes, but it is the attention to detail that makes it. I love the way the Princes in act 1 interact and the way all the dancers on stage look as though they are participating rather than just decorating the set. At the start of Act 3, when the curtains open on Catalabutte (a masterful performance by David Morse), it feels as if he really is inviting us to the celebrations.

During the course of the week we saw four Princess Auroras and three Prince Florimunds. Opening night honours went to Nao Sakuma and Chi Cao. For me, Nao is the epitome of Aurora – she looks so young and vulnerable in her first appearance and you see her gradually blossom into a young woman. She is dancing at the top of her form and the Rose Adagio was enthralling. She really interacted with the Princes and the other members of the cast.

Chi Cao was just magical as Prince Florimund – good acting and partnering, coupled with virtuoso dancing made this performance to relish. Marion Tait is incomparable as Carabosse and Sylvia Jiminez was a beautiful and graceful Lilac Fairy. Ambra Vallo and Kosuke Yamamoto were stunning as the Bluebirds.
 

On Thursday afternoon, newcomer Letizia Guiliani made her debut with the company, wonderfully partnered by Iain Mackay. Letizia looked tentative at first but gained in confidence throughout and came over as a glorious exotic bird. Iain also partnered the radiant Ambra Vallo in a fabulous performance on Friday night. Ambra is not as vulnerable looking as Nao but is quietly flirtatious with the Princes. She was dazzling in the grand pas. Iain has proved yet again that he is a fabulous partner and he is a real Prince who commands the stage. When not dancing Florimund himself he shared the honours of leading Prince in the Rose Adagio with Robert Parker. Both of them were wonderfully supportive to the Auroras they partnered. It is such a technically taxing dance that the partnering skills of the Princes are critical to its success.

Elisha Willis had Robert Parker as her Florimund. They had 2 performances. Elisha looked nervous on her debut on Thursday night but was absolutely radiant last night (Saturday). She’s another dancer who has the quality of being able to look vulnerable and young while dancing strongly. Robert Parker was every inch the hot young prince around town – his solos were fabulous, his acting understated but clear and his dancing impeccable.

My favourite performance was Saturday afternoon where Nao and Chi even managed to surpass their opening night performance. There was magic in the air.

During the week we had two new Carabosses – Victoria Marr and Samara Downs. Both were superb, Samara was particularly malevolent and, for such a young dancer, she has a wonderfully dramatic command of the stage. Victoria Marr managed to be both wicked and sexy. At one point, when Florimund is searching for Aurora, it almost looked as though she had enticed him to run away with her! One of my chums commented that you could infer from her performance that she was the other half of the Lilac Fairy.

As I stated earlier, all the dancers looked together and well-rehearsed. Unfair though it is, the ones who caught my eye were Laura Purkiss (wonderful as the Fairy of Song), Arancha Baselga, the always sparkling Carrie Johnson (who lights up the stage), Tyrone Singleton (with his commanding stage presence and beautiful dancing) and Alexander Campbell. Chris Larsen and Rory Mackay were priceless as Gallison.

The whole week at the Lowry was sold out and there was a real buzz about the theatre that only added to the excitement. Roll on Birmingham.