Black Sabbath released its last album in 2013 with 13. Just a few years later, in 2017, the legendary band concluded their The End Tour. Although marking the end of their time on the road, Black Sabbath reunited in July when Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Tony Iommi joined forces for one final show alongside Ozzy Osbourne. But even with Ozzy passing away, his legacy continues on as Iommi recently took the stage to celebrate the Black Sabbath Ballet with a special performance.
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Back in 2023, the director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta, had a wild idea to bring Black Sabbath into the world of ballet. Intrigued by the idea, Iommi worked closely with the director to give life to the show. Featuring eight tracks from the heavy metal band, the entire show is performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. On Wednesday, the musician surprised fans when he performed with the ballet at the Sadler’s Wells venue in London.
Brian May Praises Tony Iommi And The Black Sabbath Ballet
Among those at the performance was famed Queen guitarist Brian May. Showing a snippet of the performance on Instagram, he wrote, “The true Father of Heavy Metal making that beautiful axe sing like a bird tonight at Sadlers Wells. Tony Iommi plus a 40 piece orchestra and a cast of 50 dancers – putting the icing on the cake of a great production of Black Sabbath the Ballet.”
While sharing a love for both Black Sabbath and the ballet, May saw his ongoing friendship with Iommi as the best part of it all. “Proud to call this infinitely modest and generous genius my friend.”
Having attended the show in the past, Iommi discussed the unusual idea of Black Sabbath and the ballet. Although not traditional, the guitarist believes it could offer a bridge between music and the theater. “It is a strange combination, but you’ve got to push the boat out. And, you know, hopefully, we can get everybody together.”
In the end, Iommi’s performance proved that even decades after defining heavy metal, Black Sabbath’s spirit can still find new life on any stage.
(Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)
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