Seven Deadly Sins: National Youth Ballet and City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra

The National Youth Ballet (NYB) and City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra (CYSO) are joining forces to perform Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's ballet chanté The Seven Deadly Sins at the Octagon in Sheffield on 14 April 2022. The evening will also include a performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 (premiered just four year's after the Weill). Christopher Gayford conducts and the choreography is by Alice O'Brian and Bianca Mikhail, and the company is being joined by mezzo-soprano Clover Kayne.

Alice O’Brien and Bianca Mikahil are part of NYB’s Beyond Ballet programme, an initiative that supports emerging creative artists from all areas of the theatre industry in the early stages of their professional careers. This project will enable both the choreographers and dancers to learn the vital skills of working with live music, musicians and a conductor.

Alongside this project CSYO and NYB will also visit local schools, in partnership with South Yorkshire Dance Hub, to lead dance and music workshops. A Creative Ballet Workshop will also be held on 28 March [Eventbrite] for Sheffield-based young dancers, led by NYB Creative Director Jo Meredith and NYB young artist Tierney Lawlor. 

Formed over 30 years ago, NYB provides transformational opportunities for young people to participate in, create and perform classical and contemporary ballet, enabling young people from all backgrounds to explore and develop their creativity. The NYB annual Performance Company is a unique, intensive programme that replicates the experience of working in a professional company and provides a key stepping-stone to a future career in the performing arts. NYB’s alumni make up 10% of the dancers and choreographers in major British ballet companies.

CYSO is one of the UK's leading independent youth orchestras and recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.  It offers membership to students up to the age of 21, with currently around 80 members aged between 13 and 21. Many of members are at college or university, training to be professional musicians.  

Full details of the performance from Eventbrite.