Writer Laura Esquivel’s modern Mexican tale of passionate and forbidden love comes brilliantly to life with The Royal Ballet. Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon ( Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland) captures the layered richness of Esquivel’s incredible family saga, Like Water for Chocolate. Royal Ballet Principals Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé shine as the star-crossed Tita and Pedro, and composer Joby Talbot’s original score springs to life in the hands of Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra. Full of dramatic energy and magical storytelling this production is a dazzling new contemporary classic.  

Writer Laura Esquivel’s novel, Like Water for Chocolate, comes brilliantly to life with The Royal Ballet. Watch now. 

Like Water for Chocolate

Celebrate the life and legacy of ballet icon Rudolf Nureyev. Widely regarded as one of the greatest ballet dancers, Nureyev’s contributions to the world of ballet forever changed the art form. The Nureyev Legend and Legacy Gala features a selection of excerpts that represent pivotal moments from Nureyev’s career performed by today’s leading ballet stars. From his mesmerizing Le Corsaire solo to spellbinding duets from his partnership with Margot Fonteyn, this gala is an authentic homage to Nureyev’s artistic brilliance.  

Celebrate the life and legacy of ballet icon Rudolf Nureyev with the Nureyev Legend and Legacy Gala. 

Nureyev: Legend and Legacy

Angelin Preljocaj's dance piece, 'Annunciation,' artfully portrays the profound moment when the Virgin Mary learns she is carrying the Messiah.  

Preljocaj's innovative choreography focuses on an intimate encounter between Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, set against a minimal soundtrack of laughing children, religious choirs, and harsh electric static. This sensual piece explores the symbolic complexities of the Annunciation, a key religious event, focusing on Mary's inner world and the disruption caused by immaculate conception.  This dance piece goes beyond traditional religious representations, creating a visceral experience of the very act of conception.  

Angelin Preljocaj's dance piece, 'Annunciation,' artfully portrays the profound moment when the Virgin Mary learns she is carrying the Messiah. 

Annonciation

The story takes place in Naples where Pulcinella is a local rogue with an eye for the girls. Rosetta, Isabella and Prudenza are infatuated with him, much to the irritation of their boyfriends and Pulcinella's wife, Pimpinella. One night, the boyfriends lie in wait for Pulcinella and beat him soundly. To escape, Pulcinella falls down 'dead' and the men sneak guiltily away, leaving the 'corpse' to be discovered by their girlfriends. Meanwhile, Pimpinella, having caught Pulcinella flirting once too often, persuades her friends to disguise themselves as Pulcinella and pester the girls, to teach them a lesson. When the girls and their boyfriends see the fake Pulcinellas, they are convinced they are seeing ghosts. Pimpinella arrives, the fake Pulcinellas reveal themselves, and the real Pulcinella re-appears. The lovers ask forgiveness, and everyone celebrates.

The story takes place in Naples where Pulcinella is a local rogue with an eye for the girls.

Pulcinella

A brilliant double bill from The Royal Ballet featuring Cathy Marston’s The Cellist, and a joyful revival of Jerome Robbins’ 1972 dance showcase, Dances at The Gathering.  

The Cellist is inspired by the moving true story of cello superstar Jacqueline du Pré, whose career was suddenly cut short by her multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Choreographer Cathy Marston delicately weaves du Pre’s passionate story into a piece that has been hailed as a ‘joyfully giddy tribute’ (The Guardian). In Marston’s masterful interpretation, du Pré’s cello ( Marcelino Sambé) comes to life as steady dance partner and a faithful first love, even as du Pré (Lauren Cuthbertson) falls madly in love with conductor Daniel Barenboim (Matthew Ball).

The ultimate piano solo ballet, Jerome Robbins’ Dances at The Gathering is a pure dance showcase.  Set to Chopin’s beloved piano music, this modern classic features five couples dancing in a series of breathtaking pas de deux and effervescent ensemble numbers, no plots, no roles, just dancers, music, and movement.

A brilliant double bill from The Royal Ballet featuring Cathy Marston’s The Cellist, and a joyful revival of Jerome Robbins’ 1972 dance showcase, Dances at The Gathering. Watch now.

Dances at a Gathering - The Cellist

Nothing lasts forever. In this poignant dance short by filmmaker Ramón Verdugo, a couple confronts the inevitable fading of their relationship. 

Inspired by the Japanese concept of ‘Mono no Aware’, which captures the emptiness associated with acknowledging the impermanence of life, this moving dance piece focuses on the quiet and devastating moments of limbo as a couple acknowledges that their love will not last.  Shot on the captivating set of Orca Studios, this production uses a virtual landscape to transport the couple through space and time - from lush landscapes of budding love to the stark emptiness of growing apart.  


Nothing lasts forever. In this poignant dance short by filmmaker Ramón Verdugo, a couple confronts the inevitable fading of their relationship. 

Aware

After taking a break from choreographing outside his own company, renowned Choreographer Thierry Malandain has created an innovative pastoral double bill for the Ballet du Capitole, featuring the world premiere of his work Daphnis et Chloé.

Beginning with Debussy’s famous symphonic poem, l'après-midi d'un faune, Malandain has returned to his neoclassical roots, creating a tranquil yet humorous, pastoral scene featuring soloist Philippe Solano.  

This is followed by his impressionistic interpretation of Ravel’s 1912 symphony with choir, Daphnis et Chloé. Originally created for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, Malandain has reinvented this pastoral myth of innocence and love infusing it with his signature precision and whimsy. 

This world premiere brings together the vital forces of the Capitole: the Ballet, the Chorus and the Orchestra under the direction of Maxime Pascal.

Watch choreographer Theirry Malandain’s double bill featuring the world premiere of his reinterpretation of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé.

Daphnis et Chloé

Fantastic fairies, opulent balls, and a healthy dose of humor. Choreographer Christian Spuck reimagines Marius Petipa’s timeless classic, Sleeping Beauty, for Ballett Zürich.  

Christian Spuck ( Romeo and Juliet, Messa da Requiem, The Nutcracker and The Mouse King) presents a fresh and captivating take on the beloved ballet. This enchanting adaptation follows the journey of sheltered Aurora, beautifully portrayed by Michelle Willems, as she courageously breaks free from expectations and steps into her own. Supported by a brilliantly costumed cast of androgynous fairies, thanks to costume designer Buki Shiff, Spuck turns the spotlight on the fate of Carabosse ( William Moore) blurring the line between good and evil. This production is full of quick wit, magical designs, and of course, Spuck’s unique choreographic language. Accompanied by Philharmonia Zurich, under Servenikas’s baton, Tchaikovsky’s melodies provide the perfect backdrop to this mesmerizing production. Combining the best of fairy tale magic and artistic innovation.


Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty with Ballet Zurich; Choreographer Christian Spuck creates a modern and exciting new interpretation of the popular fairy tale.

Sleeping Beauty - Ballet by Christian Spuck

Discover acclaimed Swedish choreographer Mats Ek’s 1987 reworking of the ballet classic, Giselle, for the Cullberg Ballet.  

With the sensational Ana Laguna in the title role, Mats Ek’s interpretation of the ballet classic has all the whimsy and imaginative innovation so closely associated with the choreographer. In this version of Giselle, the traditional romantic Rhineland village is replaced by a landscape in the shape of breasts, and the supernatural realm of the Wilis is replaced by the harsh reality of a lunatic asylum giving this interpretation a harsh modern relevance.  Ana Laguna dances superbly as the barefoot girl who falls ‘madly in love’.

Discover acclaimed Swedish choreographer Mats Ek’s 1987 reworking of the ballet classic, Giselle, for the Cullberg Ballet. 

Mats Ek's Giselle

The 2016 production of Frederick Ashton’s final works, Rhapsody, features ballet stars Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae. 

Filmed at London’s Royal Opera House, Rhapsody has long been a favorite for ballet fans. First created in 1980 at the request of Mikhail Baryshnikov, the ballet is set to Sergey Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. 

The male Principal’s role is characterized by exceptionally fluent leaps, turns and lightness of movement, inspired by Baryshnikov himself. It is twinned with the strength and grace of the ballerina, a role created for the pure, fleet-footed style of former Royal Ballet Principal Lesley Collier. The first performance of Rhapsody was given in honor of The Queen Mother’s 80th birthday in 1980.

Experience the 2016 production of Frederick Ashton’s Rhapsody, filmed at the Royal Opera House and starring Natalia Osipova.

Rhapsody

The Tides is a short ballet piece that captures the very essence of water.  Performed by Pointeworks artists Sophie Williams and Valentin Batista, the dance is set to an expressive score by Adrian Berenguer, this dance short showcases the unique emotional depth of choreographer Leiland Charles.  

This short ballet piece, performed by Pointeworks artists Sophie Williams and Valentin Batista, explores very essence of water. 

The Tides

In a new production for the Royal Swedish Ballet, Eskapist is an entrancing, enthralling testament to the power of dance. 

Choreographed by Alexander Ekman with music from Mikael Karlsson, Eskapist revels in pushing the limits of what can be done on a stage, and the boundless potential of dance. Moving, funny, uplifting and other-worldly, this stunning production is not to be missed.

With Eskapist, Alexander Ekman choreographs a bold new work for the Swedish Royal Ballet.

Eskapist

Symphonic Variations was Frederic Ashton’s first work after World War II, and one of the Company’s first to be performed on the huge main stage of the Royal Opera House, in 1946. With six dancers performing a series of quartets, duets, sextets and solos to Franck’s brooding Variations symphoniques, this seminal masterpiece celebrates the pure beauty of movement.

Ashton celebrates movement with six dancers in a series of quartets, duets, sextets and solos to Franck’s brooding Variations symphoniques.

Symphonic Variations

The New York City Ballet, with its collection of extraordinary dancers and unique repertoire, is one of the most prestigious dance companies in the world. This exceptional production, performed in Paris after eight years away, revolves around three great French composers who inspired NYCB founder George Balanchine: Charles Gounod, Maurice Ravel and Georges Bizet.  

The four ballets performed, choreographed from 1925 to 1980, perfectly encapsulate Balanchine's genius and his very own neoclassical style. They also provide a particular insight on the bonds that tied Balanchine to France. What is known today as Walpurgisnacht Ballet was a ballet choreographed for the opera Faust (Gounod) at the Paris Opera in 1975. It premiered as an independent piece in New York in 1980. Sonatine, set to a music by Maurice Ravel, was created by two New York City French principals, Violette Verdy and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. La Valse was originally composed by Ravel for the Ballets Russes and Serge Diaghilev, who was then exiled in France, shortly before Balanchine entered the company. Symphony in C (Bizet), better known as Le Palais de Cristal, premiered at the Paris Opera. A spectacular tribute to Balanchine, beautifully served by the breath-taking technique of these American dancers, who rank today among the best in the world.

The New York City Ballet returns to Paris to perform four Balanchine ballet set to works by three French composers.

New York City Ballet in Paris

Choreographer Silas Farley's piece, Dowland Dances, draws inspiration from the idea that art can transcend history, evolving and moving forward while drawing inspiration from the past. 

The piece is set to Sting’s rendition of music by the English Renaissance composer John Dowland. Farley was intrigued by the idea that Dowland, a pop star of his own generation, has inspired and lived on through a contemporary pop star like Sting. Farley has similarly drawn inspiration from ballet’s long history, mixing the old with the new, to create this unique piece.

Choreographer Silas Farley's piece, Dowland Dances, draws inspiration from the idea that art can transcend history.

Dowland Dances

The enchanting, magical ballet, The Sleeping Beauty, performed by the inimitable Bolshoi Ballet. 

David Hallberg made his debut with the Bolshoi dancers with this dream-like journey through magical kingdoms, jewel fairies and, of course, a handsome prince who rescues his true love. 

With Tchaikovsky’s timeless score and sumptuous staging, this production is every bit as luxurious and grand as fans have come to expect from the Bolshoi Ballet.

David Hallberg made his debut with the Bolshoi Ballet for this magical production of The Sleeping Beauty

Ghosts

The Norwegian National Ballet

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