Ballet loves an event, an opportunity to pull out the posh frocks off stage and on, and to showcase the jewels of its long repertoire, giving a new set of dancers the chance to polish their skills and display their talents.
Wednesday’s Diamond Celebration at the Royal Opera House was burnished by the presence in the theatre of a true ballet diamond, Mikhail Baryshnikov, fresh from being presented with a prestigious Queen Elizabeth II coronation award by the Royal Academy of Dance. But its main purpose was to celebrate 60 years of the Friends of the Royal Opera House, the organisation of members that supports the institution’s work.
