Former Royal Ballet principal Federico Bonelli took over the artistic directorship of Northern Ballet last year – and walked straight into a funding crisis. An announcement last month suggested that, thanks entirely to a desperate need to cut costs, the company will give up its use of an orchestra and live music for many of its touring performances.
This – another instance of the meaninglessness of the government and Arts Council England’s levelling up policies – is a scandal. Not all performances need live music, but every serious dance company should be able to use live music if it wishes. The importance to Northern of that possibility is revealed in Generations, its new triple bill of dance to chamber music – two to radiant live performances from Northern Ballet Sinfonia musicians and one to a pre-recorded chamber quartet.
