Mark Ronson has revealed he “cried” after watching a ballet.
The music professional is best known for producing Amy Winehouse’s 2006 Back to Black album. He has opened up about the moment he agreed to make music for a ballet alongside choreographer Wayne McGregor. Mark was approached by Wayne about two years ago to work on sounds for Carbon Life.
Since Mark was new to ballet, he set about watching Chroma which Wayne choreographed and took orchestral arrangements of songs by Jack White of The White Stripes. Mark admits he was moved to tears by the show.
"I'd never really watched any modern dance and there was something about the ultra-jagged movements of this girl that was dancing; it was almost like an Edward Gorey flip-book or something,” he told UK newspaper The Independent.
“Just the way the movement was, and I don't know why but I just started crying in this rehearsal room. It was super-powerful, and I didn't really think too long before I agreed to do it."
Mark adds he didn’t have to think twice about accepting Wayne’s offer to produce the music for his next show. The ballet is set to premiere at the Royal Opera House in London on April 5.
"I didn't really have to think about it because it was the prestige of the Royal Opera House mixed with just knowing what a don Wayne is in his world – he's the most sought after choreographer in the world,” he said.
Mark admits his first foray into ballet has been a challenge. It’s an entirely new venture for the Grammy-winning producer who is known for his dance music and his hit solo albums, including the triple-platinum covers album Version.
"Part of the pressure was coming up with some good material, but then we also have to perform it on the night,” he explained.
“So I feel like we're halfway there, but then we're playing in a building live, with an orchestra that's not used to having a full band, and then you have singers performing onstage with the ballet going on around them. We're going to have to rehearse this to death to make sure it goes off without a hitch."
