Birmingham Royal Ballet’s hit production of Black Sabbath – The Ballet is heading out on tour in autumn 2025, including dates at Sadler’s Wells in London.
Black Sabbath – The Ballet returns to the Birmingham Hippodrome from 18 to 27 September, and then tours to The Lowry in Salford, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Sadler’s Wells in London, and the Edinburgh Festival Theatre.
The ballet will incorporate new audio interviews with Black Sabbath band members, Sharon Osbourne and fans; and has revised sound design to turn up the full volume!
The ballet first premiered at Birmingham Hippodrome in September 2023.
Eight Black Sabbath tracks are featured in the ballet: Paranoid (Paranoid, 1970); Iron Man (Paranoid, 1970); War Pigs (Paranoid, 1970); Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath, 1970); Solitude (Master of Reality, 1971); Orchid (Master of Reality, 1971); Laguna Sunrise (Vol 4, 1972) and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 1973).
Tony Award-winning composer Christopher Austin is behind the classical reimagining of Black Sabbath’s music, played live at every performance by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Austin worked closely with Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi on the score, creating full orchestrations of Black Sabbath tracks alongside new orchestral works inspired by their music. The orchestra is joined by guitarist Marc Hayward who plays live on stage alongside the dancers at every show.
The full-length, three-act ballet is created by leading Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidburg and Cuban designer Alexandre Arrechea, with additional choreographers Raúl Reinoso and Cassi Abranches and composers Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting. Dramaturgy is by Richard Thomas and lighting design is by KJ. Metal Curator is Lisa Meyer.
Birmingham Royal Ballet Director, Carlos Acosta said in a statement: “Back in 2023 we were blown away by the awesome success of Black Sabbath – The Ballet, selling out at every performance with standing ovations and bringing audiences that had never experienced live dance before to the theatre. Now, in 2025, we are cranking the volume up to 11 with a big, bold UK tour that is sure to knock everyone’s socks off!”
Black Sabbath co-founder, lead guitarist and co-songwriter Tony Iommi said “Black Sabbath have always been innovators and never been predictable, and it doesn’t come any more unpredictable than this! It was incredible to see what Carlos and the team at Birmingham Royal Ballet did back in 2023 – bringing our music to life in a way I never thought possible! It’s fantastic that more fans across the country get to see this extraordinary production this autumn on a UK tour.”
Christopher Austin said: “For the music team, creating the score for this extraordinary ballet has been an exhilarating journey, and it all began with the most amazing gift from Tony: his trust in us to honour the band’s music and his encouragement to follow our own new paths with those iconic songs. The passion and commitment of the whole creative team at BRB and the overwhelming response from audiences has made Black Sabbath – The Ballet the experience of a lifetime and I can’t wait to be back in the theatre conducting this magical show.”
Black Sabbath, who were formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, are giving their farewell gig at Villa Park in Birmingham this summer, on 5 July 2025.
Black Sabbath – The Ballet is playing Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London from 22 to 25 October 2025.
More about Black Sabbath The Ballet tickets at Sadler’s Wells London
Black Sabbath – The Ballet: London and UK Tour 2025
18 – 27 Sep Birmingham Hippodrome
8 – 11 Oct Lowry, Salford
16 – 18 Oct Plymouth Theatre Royal
22 – 25 Oct Sadler’s Wells, London
30 Oct – 1 Nov Edinburgh Festival Theatre
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