Carlos Acosta at The Lowry 9th – 11th July

The greatest male ballet dancer of this generation returns to The Lowry as part of the second Manchester International Festival.

When world-leading ballet dancer Carlos Acosta appeared on the bill of the first Manchester International Festival, tickets were a near-instant sell out. Combining classical ballet, Cuba's national contemporary dance company Danza Contemporánea and a live five-piece band, the show presented both an exploration of Cuban culture and a brand new dance that depicted Acosta's rise to fame. Reviews spoke of “a rare and exhilarating delight” and the show proved to be one of the highlights of the whole Festival.

Now Manchester International Festival is set to build on this success with a second appearance from the star. This time, fans will have the opportunity to see Acosta in his natural element in an evening of pure and unadulterated classical ballet. Exploring the theme of the male muse, Acosta will appear in four pieces that display him at his powerful and breathtaking best.

In Jerome Robbins's interpretation of Debussy's Afternoon of a Faun and George Balanchine's choreography of Stravinsky's Apollo, audiences will be given a chance to see Acosta in two roles that have become key works of the twentieth century ballet repertory. Acosta will then perform Robbins's dance for JS Bach's Suite of Dances, one of the most technically demanding roles for a male dancer, before showcasing a brand new work entitled Young Apollo, which combines music by Benjamin Britten with choreography from rising star Adam Houghland.