Preview of tonight's new Wheeldon ballet: The Winter’s Tale

Sarah Lamb as Perdita and Steven McRae as Florizel in Act II of The Winter’s Tale - photo ROH / Johan Persson, 2014 — Sarah Lamb as Perdita and Steven McRae as Florizel in Act II of The Winter’s Tale – photo ROH / Johan Persson, 2014

The Royal Ballet’s newest commission débuts at the Royal Opera House tonight: Christopher Wheeldon’s full-length ballet, The Winter’s Tale.

An exciting cast features Edward Watson and Lauren Cuthbertson as Leontes and Hermione, Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb as Florizel and Perdita and Federico Bonelli and Zenaida Yanowksy as Polixenes and Paulina.

The London run is almost all sold out, before anyone has had the chance to see it, which says something for the audience’s faith in the Royal Ballet, their dancers, and Mr Wheeldon. Ballet lovers world-wide will get a chance to see the ballet on Monday 28 April. In the meantime, here is a first glimpse of The Winter’s Tale.