Established in the early 1980s as the orchestra of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, the orchestra of Birmingham Royal Ballet became the Royal Ballet Sinfonia when the dance company moved to Birmingham and became Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990. Under music director Koen Kessels, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Britain’s busiest ballet orchestra. In addition to its role with Birmingham Royal Ballet, the orchestra performs for The Royal Ballet and tours with leading ballet companies including Paris Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet and The Australian Ballet and, more recently, Het Nationale Ballet, Queensland Ballet and Acosta Danza. The Sinfonia has performed with the National Opera Studio and Opera North, and for the Voices of Black Opera competition.

Recordings include the ballets Far from the Madding Crowd, Edward II and Cyrano and Edward Loder’s opera Raymond and Agnes. The orchestra performed Stephen Montague’s The King Dances in the 2015 BBC4 documentary The King Who Invented Ballet.

For more information, visit www.brb.org.uk/sinfonia.

Photo: Caroline Holden