With dance commissioned by SADLER’S WELLS and music commissioned by LONDON MUSICI, Mark Baldwin collaborates with composer Howard Goodall, designer Michael Howells and milliner Stephen Jones to create his second major new work for Rambert Dance Company...

RAMBERT DANCE COMPANY with its Associate Orchestra London Musici Eternal Light Tour 2008

www.rambert.org.uk

Having received a TMA Theatre Award for his Achievement in Dance, and an Olivier Award nomination for the creation of Constant Speed in 2005, Mark Baldwin creates his second major new work for Rambert Dance Company. With his emphasis firmly on collaboration, and the dance world poised with anticipation, Mark Baldwin’s eagerly-awaited second commission for Rambert, Eternal Light, has its World Première at The Lowry, Salford, on 25 September 2008 (see below for tour / repertoire schedule).

‘What a fabulous bunch of dancers director Mark Baldwin has gathered around himself. Rambert closed their spring tour last week with a spectacular celebration of the dancer’s art with an offering of modern works.’ Sunday Express (May ’08)

Since joining Rambert as its Artistic Director in 2002, Mark Baldwin’s creative vision through music, dance and design, ‘Rambert’s creative triangle’, has never been more prevalent than with the creation of Eternal Light. Merging several different artforms, Baldwin collaborates with some of the finest, award-winning talent that Britain has to offer.

Composer - Howard Goodall. British composer, Howard Goodall, has received numerous international awards for his musicals, choral music and TV & film scores. Goodall, Classic FM’s 2008-9 Composer-in-Residence, is probably best known for his many, much-loved TV themes including Mr Bean, Blackadder, The Vicar of Dibley and Q.I. Commissioned by Mark Stephenson on behalf of London Musici (Rambert Dance Company’s Associate Orchestra) to create this new score, Goodall’s Eternal Light: A Requiem, by arrangement with Faber Music Ltd, will be released internationally by EMI Classics in September 2008.

Designer - Michael Howells. Instinct and imagination earned production designer Michael Howells the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at the British Fashion Awards in 2007. Alongside working on sets for films such as Shackleton, Emma and Bright Young Things, editorial work for Vogue and Vanity Fair, fashion shows for McQueen and Lacroix as well as Galliano’s various projects – Howells, Rambert’s Associate Designer, adds sparkling crystals donated by Swarovski and sumptuous design to Baldwin’s Eternal Light.

Milliner – Stephen Jones. Stephen Jones burst onto the London fashion scene during its explosion of street style in the late seventies. By day, he was a student at St Martin's; after dark he was one of the era’s uncompromising style-blazers at the legendary Blitz nightclub. With contemporaries hungering for his individuality and clients clambering for his idiosyncratic designs, Jones soon became the milliner of choice for rock stars and royalty. Over a quarter of a century on, and with permanent collections in the Victoria & Albert and Louvre Museums, Rambert Dance Company joins Marilyn Manson, Gwen Stefani and Alison Goldfrapp as clients of a true British style icon.

Eternal Light is one of Rambert Dance Company’s most ambitious collaborations in recent years, a powerfully beautiful and life-affirming celebration set to an elegiac and evocative score.

Eternal Light makes its London debut on Armistice Day this autumn, where it will be sung live by Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford, accompanied by Rambert’s Associate Orchestra, London Musici.

‘Hats off to conductor Paul Hoskins for the glistening, glamorous veil of orchestral colour he drew from London Musici in the pit. Pure magic, and worth the ticket in itself.’ Independent on Sunday (May ’08)

In addition to Eternal Light, Rambert will perform the following repertoire as part of its Eternal Light Tour 2008: Swansong by Christopher Bruce, Carnival of the Animals by Siobhan Davies, Anatomica # 3 by André Gingras, Infinity by Garry Stewart, A Tribute to Norman Morrice / See Me choreographed by Rambert dancers Mikaela Polley and Alexander Whitley / Martin Joyce and Angela Towler.

Press Night: Sadler’s Wells, Tuesday 11 November 2008 at 7.30pm

For further information and photographic images please contact: Steven Drew, Press at Rambert Dance Company 020 8630 0612 / 07850 404063 or email: steven.drew@rambert.org.uk

Images can also be downloaded from our website www.rambert.org.uk

Rambert Dance Company’s Autumn Tour 2008

THE LOWRY, SALFORD 0870 787 5790 / www.thelowry.com Thurs 25 – Sat 27 Sept at 7.30pm Matinée Fri at 1.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin Swansong Bruce Anatomica #3* Gingras

THEATRE ROYAL, NORWICH 01603 630000 / www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk Thurs 16 – Sat 18 Oct at 7.30pm Matinée Fri at 2.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin Swansong Bruce Infinity Stewart

THEATRE ROYAL, BATH 01225 448844 / www.theatreroyal.org.uk Thurs 6 – Sat 8 Nov at 7.30pm Matinée Fri & Sat at 2.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin Swansong Bruce Infinity Stewart

MALVERN THEATRES, MALVERN 01684 892277 / www.malvern-theatres.co.uk Wed 19 – Sat 22 Nov at 7.30pm Matinée Thurs & Sat at 2pm Eternal Light* Baldwin A Tribute to Norman Morrice* Polley/Whitley See Me* Joyce/Towler Swansong Bruce

WYCOMBE SWAN, HIGH WYCOMBE 01494 512000 / www.wycombeswan.co.uk Wed 8 – Sat 11 Oct at 7.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin Carnival of the Animals* Davies A Tribute to Norman Morrice* Polley/Whitley Infinity Stewart

FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH 0131 529 6000 / www.eft.co.uk Wed 29 – Fri 31 Oct at 7.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin Carnival of the Animals* Davies Anatomica #3* Gingras

SADLER’S WELLS, LONDON 0844 412 4300 / www.sadlerswells.com Tues 11 – Sat 15 Nov at 7.30pm Schools Matinée Thurs at 2pm Family Matinée Sat at 2.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin A Tribute to Norman Morrice* Polley/Whitley Infinity Stewart Swansong (matinées only) Bruce

THEATRE ROYAL, PLYMOUTH 01752 267222 / www.theatreroyal.com Wed 26 – Sat 29 Nov at 7.30pm Eternal Light* Baldwin Carnival of the Animals* Davies Infinity Stewart * Live music performed by Rambert’s Associate Orchestra, London Musici