The David Bintley ballet E=mc2 (to a commissioned orchestral score by Matthew Hindson) has won the prestigious South Bank Show Award at a ceremony held at London's Dorchester Hotel on 26 January 2010. Hosted by Lord Bragg, the 14th South Bank Show Awards is the last ever ceremony for the trailblazing arts programme.
Based on Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, E=mc², choreographed by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director David Bintley, enjoyed its world premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome in September 2009 as part of the triple bill Quantum Leaps and delighted audiences during BRB's autumn 2009 tour. The national press were unanimous in their praise, with many singling out Hindson's orchestral score:
‘… a riveting orchestral score by the young Australian Matthew Hindson (of whom we shall surely hear more)…’
The Independent (Jenny Gilbert), 15 November 2009
'The key to this investigation of Einstein's equation is Matthew Hindson's brilliant orchestral score, to which Bintley responds with force fields of gleaming, pared-back dance. ...What makes this work so memorable is the economy with which Bintley responds to the challenge of Hindson's score.’
The Observer (Luke Jennings), 15 November 2009
'Bintley’s explosive talent is matched by composer Matthew Hindson’s writing one of the best pieces of new dance music this side of Stravinsky.'
Sunday Express (Jeffery Taylor), 27 September 2009
Other nominees in the Dance category were Wayne McGregor’s Limen and dance group Diversity, winners of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent programme.
Speaking at the Award Ceremony yesterday David Bintley said: 'I am delighted to win The South Bank Show dance award for E=mc² in Birmingham Royal Ballet's 20th anniversary year. This award celebrates the company's creative collaborations, the talent of the dancers and highlights my commitment to producing new work that will take Birmingham Royal Ballet forward into another exciting year and decade.'
The South Bank Show Awards ceremony honours the best in British arts in the world with 10 awards in categories including; TV Drama, Classical Music, Pop Music, Visual Arts, Comedy, Dance, Film, Literature, Opera and Theatre.