Royal Ballet
New McGregor / The Age of Anxiety / New Wheeldon:
Leonard Bernstein was one of the first classical composers in America to achieve both popular and critical acclaim. He was eclectic in his sources – drawing on jazz and modernism, the traditions of Jewish music and the Broadway musical – and many of Bernstein’s scores are remarkably well suited to dance.
He was particularly associated with Jerome Robbins, their credits together including ‘Fancy Free’ and ‘West Side Story’. To celebrate the centenary year of the composer’s birth, The Royal Ballet united all three of its associate choreographers to celebrate the dynamic range and danceability of Bernstein’s music.
At the heart of the programme is the first revival of Artist in Residence Liam Scarlett’s ‘The Age of Anxiety’, created in 2014 to Bernstein’s soul-searching Second Symphony. Both symphony and ballet are inspired by W.H. Auden’s masterful modernist poem, itself written in response to the atmosphere of disillusionment and uncertainty that followed the end of World War II.
140m inc 2 intervals
Start the first ballet at around 14:50/55
1. YUGEN (CHICHESTER PSALMS) - 20m
2. 5m PAUSE
3, CORYBANTIC GAMES BALLET – 41m
4. INTERVAL 20m (with Bar hopefully)
5. AGE OF ANXIETY BALLET - 42m
Tickets £19.50
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We are delighted to be able to screen this incredibly rare programme to complement Chichester Cathedral’s 950th Anniversary celebrations and the accompanying visit of the Bernstein family.
In celebration to the 950th anniversary of the formation of the Diocese of Chichester and Chichester Cathedral, the team at the Cathedral have curated a wonderful range of diverse events taking place in 2025.
Chichester Cinema will contribute to this celebration with an extremely rare one-off screening on 11 May of the Royal Ballet’s ‘Bernstein Triple Bill’ featuring a dance version of the Chichester Psalms. We then present two free screenings on the Cathedral Green (West Street, Chichester) on 18 May proudly supported by the Chichester City Council and Chichester Bid: ‘West Side Story’ featuring the much-loved Bernstein score, followed by Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘I Confess’ which deals with themes of faith.
