Tony Iommi discusses new Black Sabbath ballet
After being one of the originators of heavy metal, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is taking some of his biggest musical moments to the stage. Over the past few months, the Black Sabbath riff machine has worked with Carlos Acosta of the Birmingham Royal Ballet to direct a new production featuring the band’s back catalogue.
When discussing the move to the ballet stage, Iommi mentioned being enthusiastic about the project, telling Channel 4 News: “It’s so different, and it’s something that a lot of people didn’t expect, including me. But to come in, and working with these guys, and seeing it, it’s just fantastic. And the work that they put in is just amazing”.
The show is set to feature interpretations of some of Sabbath’s biggest hits, including ‘Iron Man’ and ‘War Pigs’. Although Sabbath were known for their heavy material, some of the instrumental cuts from their albums like ‘Orchid’ have also made their way into the adaptation.
Iommi went on to say that he hoped that a move like this could inspire future rock composers to reach for different genres. He said: “I mean, it is a strange combination, but you’ve got to push the boat out. And, you know, hopefully, we can get everybody together”.
There has been no word on any new Black Sabbath material after the band permanently retired in 2017.
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