The Royal Ballet and the Bolshoi announce their first co-production

Christopher Wheeldon's new ballet Strapless, which receives its world premiere in London tonight, is part of an all Wheeldon mixed programme which also includes After the Rain and Within the Golden Hour. The Bolshoi will stage the same programme in 2017!

Kevin O'Hare, the Director of The Royal Ballet said,

Given our close association with the Bolshoi, we are delighted to be partnering on this new production of Strapless by our Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon. It is very exciting to be combining forces and a rich opportunity for two historic organisations to meld with some of the most extraordinary creative talents working in dance, music and design today in a fascinating exploration of the 19^th century European art scene.

Vladimir Urin, the General Director of the Bolshoi Theatre added,

This new chapter in our long-term relationship with the legendary Royal Ballet of Covent Garden is extremely important for the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia. We have been collaborating for many years but tonight is the pivotal moment as we premiere our first coproduction, Strapless, the world premiere of the new ballet by Christopher Wheeldon, the leading choreographer of his generation. Our collaboration is a perfect proof that the art of ballet has no boundaries and can only develop through joint efforts and the creation of new original production.

The co-production of Strapless is part of an ongoing collaboration between The Royal Ballet and the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia. Recent activities include the annual World Ballet Day, the live digital stream behind the scenes of leading ballet companies, and The Royal Ballet's critically acclaimed tour to the Bolshoi Theatre in 2014.  The Bolshoi Ballet returns to the Royal Opera House in July 2016 for a three week residency marking the 60^th anniversary of their first visit in 1956.

The Bolshoi Ballet returns to the Royal Opera House Monday 25 July to Saturday 13 August with the Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre for a three week season of Don Quixote, Swan Lake, The Taming of the Shrew, Flames of Paris and Le Corsaire presented by Victor Hochhauser.

Don Quixote – 25, 26, 27, 28 July at 7.30pm
Swan Lake – 29, 30 July 1, 2, 8, 9, 10 Aug at 7.30pm; 30 July at 2pm
The Taming of the Shrew – 3, 4 August at 7.30pm
Flames of Paris – 5, 6 August at 7.30pm; 6 August at 2pm
Le Corsaire – 11, 12, 13 August at 7.30pm; 13 August at 2pm

Public booking opens Tuesday 12 April.
Box Office – Telephone 0207 304 4000 / www.roh.org.uk

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.