1987 – Premiere of Christopher Bruce’s Swansong by London Festival Ballet

With music by Philip Chambon, Christopher Bruce’s Swansong is a stark male trio that evokes the physical and mental torture of political prisoners. The ballet was first performed in 1987 on tour by London Festival Ballet at the Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao, Spain, and the original cast included Koen Onzia, Matz Skoog and Kevin Richmond. The designs were by Bruce himself. Swansong was later performed by Rambert Dance Company and was celebrated as part of English National Ballet’s 70th Anniversary Gala in 2020. Christopher Bruce returned to rehearse the work and to discuss it with the new interpreters – James Streeter, Matthew Astley and Jeffrey Cirio.