Tony Iommi makes surprise appearance at Black Sabbath ballet

Tony Iommi bows at the curtain call during the press night performance of "Black Sabbath – The Ballet" at Sadler's Wells Theatre on October 18, 2023 in London, England

Tony Iommi at the press night performance of Black Sabbath – The Ballet at Sadler's Wells Theatre on October 18, 2023 in London, England (Image credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Tony Iommi made a surprise appearance at the climax of a performance of Black Sabbath - The Ballet earlier this week. Footage of Iommi's guest spot – when he joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet onstage at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London for a show-closing version of Paranoid – was shared by Queen guitarist Brian May.

"Wow!" exclaims May. "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. Proud to call this infinitely modest and generous genius my friend."

The current dates follow ballet’s sell-out premiere in Birmingham and further UK productions in 2023, international shows in 2024 and a US debut at the Virginia Arts Festival in May this year.

The ballet has been revitalised for 2025, and features brand-new audio from interviews with Sharon Osbourne, band manager and wife of late Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, as well as Sabbath’s fans.

The Birmingham Royal Ballet also promised that the new show would benefit from "revised, sharpened" sound design that would be "turned up to full volume for this electric night of dance and rock that audiences have never experienced before".

The ballet has three shows left to run at Sadlers Wells, before the cast and crew head north for four shows at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. Limited tickets are available for the dates in the Scottish capital.

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Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

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