Black Sabbath Soundtracks New Birmingham Royal Ballet Performance

Black Sabbath will need to practice their port de bras and pirouettes. The Birmingham Royal Ballet has announced a new performance featuring music from the metal icons.

Obviously, the band won't be taking to the ballet stage, but Black Sabbath - The Ballet is premiering this September. According to the Birmingham Royal Ballet's website, the special performance will run September 23-30 at the Birmingham Hippodrome. Tickets go on sale Thursday, February 9 at BRB.org.uk. The ballet is expected to announce additional performances in London and Plymouth, England at a later date.

Birmingham Royal Ballet director Carlos Acosta is helming this ambitious three-act ballet, which also features collaborations with three composers and three choreographers. Acosta said, in part, in a statement, "Black Sabbath is probably Birmingham's biggest export, the most famous (and infamous) cultural entity to ever emerge from the city." He added, "The band's enthusiasm for the project is a huge endorsement."

Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi said in his own statement, "I'm looking forward to seeing how this all develops! Black Sabbath have always been innovators and never been predictable, and it doesn't come any more unpredictable than this!" He added, "I'd never imagined pairing Black Sabbath with Ballet but it's got a nice ring to it!"