Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011

New Artistic Director David Bintley follows up his first creation for the National Ballet of Japan, Alladin, with a more challenging piece. The Prince of the Pagodas was originally conceived by choreographer John Cranko for the Royal Ballet of London in 1957, and was later reworked by Kenneth MacMillan, with whom Bintley studied. For his new adaptation, Bintley draws inspiration from the ukiyo-e prints of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and sets his choreography to compositions by Benjamin Britten influenced by the gamelan music of Bali.

New National Theatre, Tokyo, Oct 30-Nov 6 (listing).