PREVIEW: Live choir to breathe Eternal Light for Rambert visit

A live choir will be with the musicians of London Musici and combining with luminous crystals in Michael Howells design to present the centrepiece of their tour, Eternal Light.

This will be a second major work for Rambert by their artistic director Mark Baldwin, who affirmed: "It has been said of dancing that it is a 'spiritual exercise', and, of listening to choral music, the 'closest thing we can get to flying'. Eternal Light gives us the opportunity to combine these two amazing elements."

The score is by Howard Goodall, available on EMI Classics, Eternal Light is commissioned for Rambert by Sadlers Wells, and it follows Baldwin's first production for the company, the award-winning Constant Speed '“ which was brought previously to the Theatre Royal.

Goodall's music is described simultaneously as "sensational" and "elegiac", and will be directed in performance by Paul Hoskins. London Musici includes Worthing Symphony Orchestra percussionists Robert Millet and Christopher Blundell.

Classic FM's composer in residence, Goodall has among his most familiar accomplishments are the much-loved TV themes including Mr Bean, Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley and QI. London Musici commissioned the Eternal Light score from him.

The crystals will be donated by Swarovski and headdresses will come from fashion milliner Stephen Jones.

Instinct and imagination earned Rambert's associate production designer Howells the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at the British Fashion Awards in 2007.

As well as editorial work for Vanity Fair and Vogue, fashion shows for McQueen and Lacroix, and Galliano's projects, he also worked on sets for films such as Shackleton, Emma and Bright Young Things.

Howells also designed Constant Speed and with Eternal Light the result is proclaimed "a life-affirming, heartfelt remembrance of what has been and is now gone, held in our hearts forever".

But Eternal Light is not all. Dance lovers who caught the Kiev Classical Ballet's highly colourful Carnival of the Animals, to Saint-Saens' popular music, can see Rambert perform the version of that by the outstanding British contemporary choreographer Siobhan Davies.

As commonly regarded her most popular and endearing creation, it should provide a stimulating comparison as it reunites her work with Rambert.

Also on the bill are three works choreographed by Rambert dancers.

Two Solos as a Tribute to Norman Morrice, is by Mikaela Polley and Alexander Whitley, with the music coming from last year's 50th anniversary composer Vaughan Williams, and the Russian, Aram Khachaturian, who composed the music to the Bolshoi's and later the Royal Ballet's blockbusting Spartacus.

And See Me, premiered impressively last year, is by two Rambert names already familiar to the Brighton audience, Martin Joyce and Angela Towler.

Rambert's visits to the Theatre Royal, as are Richard Alston's to the Dome, are the two most anticipated annual visits by contemporary companies and the atmosphere generated by these leading London ones, and the ready, usually vocal feedback from the fans, produces two nights out to be savoured on any local dance lover's calendar.

Evenings at 7.45pm, matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2.30.

Tickets: 22-11 Weds/Thurs; 24-11 Fri/Sat. Matinees: 18-11 Thurs, 22-11 Sat.

Box Office* 08700 606650; groups hotline 08700 602516, Access bookings* 0871 297 5477; online at www.theambassadors.com/theatreroyal

*booking fee

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