Leading Latin American dance star and Royal Ballet soloist Fernando Montano will stage Fernando Montano and Friends – Dance for the Sea, an evening of music and dance, later this month to raise both awareness and funds for the Marine Conservation Society. Book your tickets now!
Taking place on 18 July 2019 at the Royal Academy of Music’s stunning Susie Sainsbury Theatre, the event will feature world class opera, classical music and ballet, with Montano himself choreographing and performing four pieces for the evening.
Montano is joined in the impressive line-up by Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Justina Gringyte, who will perform a quartet of arias, and West End star Oliver Tompsett. Gringyte was the 2015 International Opera Awards Young Singer of the Year who won rave reviews for her performance as Carmen for English National Opera. She returns to the role at the London Coliseum in January 2020. Tompsett is one of musical theatre’s favourite leading men, boasting credits in Guys and Dolls, We Will Rock You, Rock of Ages, Kinky Boots and Wicked.
Dance for the Sea cast
Montano, Gringyte and Tompsett are joined in the gala event by Latvian pianist Reinis Zarins, same-gender ballroom champions Axel Zischka and Thorsten Dreyer, violinist Jonathan Hill and cellist Yaroslava Trofymchuk. The evening of entertainment is hosted by TV presenter Sian Lloyd.
Speaking about the event, Montano said:
“It is such an incredible venue and a great cause and I am very excited about having the opportunity to perform with Justina and Oliver and my other friends as we help bring further attention to the problems that are caused by plastic and the devastating impact they have on wildlife. I am especially grateful to our partners Rakuten and Ocean Outdoor and I hope the evening will raise a lot of awareness and funds for the incredible and essential work that is carried out by the Marine Conservation Society.”
Montano became the first Colombian to join the Royal Ballet when he joined the company in 2006. His rise from poverty to making his debut in a principal role in 2015 have seen him described as “the real Billy Elliot”, and many now regard him as the leading Latin American male dancer in the world. Raised in a coastal town, he was horrified by reports about plastic pollution and created Dance for the Sea as his way to help tackle the problem.
As part of the project, Montano also commissioned underwater photographer Robin Conway to take a series of photos of him, dressed in costumes created by Mario Mise, swimming in a pool surrounded by plastic. The images were shared on LED screens around the UK on World Oceans Day and can also be seen at the Fernando Montano and Friends – Dance for the Sea post-show reception.
Speaking about the show, Sandy Luk, Chief Executive of the Marine Conservation Society, said:
“Fernando’s performance with plastic brings pollution and ballet together in a truly inspiring and innovative way. Using the art of ballet to show the destructive impacts of plastic litter is a juxtaposition that many would never have considered. We’re thrilled to be Fernando’s charity partner for this unique show.”
Fernando Montano and Friends – Dance for the Sea is supported by partners Rakuten and Ocean Outdoor.
More about the Marine Conservation Society
Marine Conservation Society
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK’s leading marine charity. Through education, community involvement and collaboration, MCS raises awareness of the many threats that face UK seas. It works to ensure that UK waters get the protection they deserve with thriving havens for wildlife and positive futures for coastal communities where sustainable livelihoods are not just a thing of the past. MCS campaigns for clean seas by promoting individual, industry and government action to protect the marine environment. Data from its annual Great British Beach Clean has led to high profile behaviour changes on single-use plastic and other marine litter issues. Its Good Fish Guide has led to an increase in awareness of the need to eat only fish from sustainable sources and its projects and surveys involve thousands of volunteers annually.
