Spring into Sound: The music of Ballet Nights 008

Olivia Godwin
May 27
3 min read

Updated: May 28

At Ballet Nights, it is not only the dance that makes the evening so special, but also the music, with each programme bringing a unique blend of sound—sometimes live, sometimes recorded—that enhances the storytelling and adds another layer of depth to the night’s performances. As we get closer to Ballet Nights 008: Spring into Summer, we're shining a spotlight on the music that makes the night come alive.

Ballet Nights House Concert Pianist, Viktor Erik Emanuel at Ballet Nights 007: Pillars & Pioneers. Taken by Deborah Jaffe.

As with all programmes, our Ballet Nights House Concert Pianist, Viktor Erik Emanuel opens the evening with a piece of his own choosing, setting the scene since the very first Ballet Nights back in September 2023. This June, Viktor will play Chopin’s Ballade No.4 in F minor. An intensely moving piece, it is one of Chopin’s most complex, accomplished works, and arguably one of the greatest piano pieces of the Romantic period. Haunting and powerful with its soaring lyricism, its melancholic main theme that returns throughout the work in different guises, the Ballade takes us on a journey of a lifetime.

“I adore dance, I feel like the body is infinitely intelligent - and this comes across so vividly when it’s used as an instrument to express. Sound and movement are inextricably linked, and using live music and dance together in performance, I find incredibly exciting in terms of the dialogue that takes place in real time on stage. To have the opportunity to explore this as a musician and passionate advocate of cross-art collaboration, continues to be deeply rewarding for me - I love being part of Ballet Nights.” Viktor Erik Emanuel .

In a break with tradition, the Act II will be opened with Quartet Concrète, a String Quartet made up of Dominic Stokes, Anna Brown, Leon Human and Joseph Barker. Formed at the Guildhall School in 2021, they quickly gained recognition for their chemistry, rich sound, and vivid musicality.

Playing a rendition of Intermezzo and Shine No More by the Danish String Quartet; these two pieces, which connect seamlessly into one another, elegantly encapsulate the Nordic folk tradition, whilst simultaneously carving a unique voice for itself. Inspired by the music of John Dowland, an English renaissance composer who composed for the Danish Court under King Christian IV, this dynamic duo of pieces immerses us into a totally different soundworld, before making us dance with hyper-folk rhythms, in some of the DSQ's best music to date.

Quartet Concrète. Pictured from left to right, Joseph Barker, Anna Brown, Leon Human and Dominic Stokes.

But this is not all you will be seeing from Dominic Stokes, who also collaborated with Jordan James Bridge on a Ballet Nights New Commission, String Theory, performed by Leila Wright and premiering this June, generously supported by the Abderrahim Crickmay Charitable Settlement. With collaboration at its heart, the piece brings together two artists; one musician, Dominic Stokes, and one choreographer, Jordan James Bridge, each with an extraordinarily unique approach to their respective artforms. Drawing inspiration from one specific piece: ‘fratres’ by Arvo Pärt, Stokes will perform alongside Wright in this moving piece of music that is not to be missed.

“I think Ballet Nights offers musicians a really unique opportunity to create in a totally different art form and discipline to what we usually do. As a young contemporary creative working in London, it is quite rare to get an opportunity of this high calibre and prestige to create my own work and perform alongside some amazing dancers and choreographers. Cadgoan Hall is a really massive benchmark from musicians, not only in London and the UK but around the world - it is a real privilege and joy to be able to perform there." - Dominic Stokes

Though fear not! Viktor returns to the stage alongside Former Principal of Scottish Ballet, Eve Mutso in Peter Darrell CBE’s "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen”, a solo from Five Rückert Songs. Set to the haunting music of Gustav Mahler’s wonderful song cycle, the work traces the emotional arc of a figure simply called ‘The Woman’. This particular piece is the final song, translating to “I have become lost to the world”, and has become one of Darrell’s signature works. Eve and Viktor will be joined on stage by Soprano Hannah Dienes-Williams; a piece that is just as beautiful to watch as it is to listen to.

Aside from the live music, the programme boasts a huge variety, from Prokofiev’s iconic and emotionally charged score to Romeo & Juliet, to the electronic pulses of Floating Points, made for Ekleido’s Splice, plus so much more. Click below to listen to the Ballet Nights 008: Spring into Summer playlist for a sneak preview of what is to come!