Birmingham Royal Ballet Fundraising Gala Supports New Production The Maiden Of Venice

An exclusive fundraising evening welcomed 170 guests for a preview of an ambitious new ballet. Funds raised will support the creation of The Maiden of Venice, set to premiere in 2027.

The event took place at The Grand Hotel Birmingham for The Maiden of Venice fundraising gala in support of Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Attendees were given an exclusive preview of repertoire from Carlos Acosta’s brand-new reimagining of La Bayadère. The event raised over £47,000, with funds contributing towards the creation of the new production, from costume design to stage development, ahead of its planned premiere in 2027.

Photographer credit: Simon Hadley

The Maiden of Venice reimagines the 19th-century classic in Renaissance Venice, telling a dramatic story of love, rivalry and betrayal. The narrative is brought to life through large-scale staging, detailed design and technically demanding choreography. The production features the original score by Ludwig Minkus, performed live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, with designs by Anna Fleischle.

Performances throughout the evening took place on a Harlequin performance floor, supporting dancers with a surface engineered for controlled slip resistance and confident movement. Harlequin was proud to support Birmingham Royal Ballet at this special event, continuing a long-standing relationship between the two organisations.

Photographer credit: Simon Hadley

Rachael Magson, Director of Income Generation at Birmingham Royal Ballet, said: “Birmingham Royal Ballet was delighted to receive support from Harlequin for the specialist dance flooring for this event. It helped us raise even more funds for this fantastic and ambitious new ballet.”

This partnership reflects years of collaboration, with Birmingham Royal Ballet working on Harlequin floors in the studio during rehearsals and on stage for performances across UK and international tours. The company is currently completing its UK tour of Don Quixote, which opened at Birmingham Hippodrome and concludes at Sadler’s Wells, as it continues to engage audiences both nationally and internationally.

Photographer credit: Tristram Kenton, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Don Quixote at the Birmingham Hippodrome

The Maiden of Venice will premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome on 20 February 2027, before touring to Theatre Royal Plymouth, Sunderland Empire, The Lowry and Mayflower Theatre.