The Royal Ballet has released the casting for their Autumn Season, from September 2016 until January 2017. Roberta Marquez will return as Guest Artist to dance two farewell performances in one of her signature roles as the wayward daughter Lise in La fille mal gardée.
LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE
27 and 30 September at 7.30pm / 5, 6, 10, 13, 18, 21 and 22 October at 7.30pm/30 September at 2.30pm/15 October at 2pm and 7pm
Roberta Marquez returns as Guest Artist to dance two farewell performances in one of her signature roles as the wayward daughter Lise. Francesca Hayward makes her debut as Lise and making their debuts Colas are Valentino Zucchetti and Marcelino Sambé.
Choreography – Frederick Ashton
Music – Ferdinand Hérold, arranged and orchestrated by John Lanchbery
Conductor – Barry Wordsworth
Scenario – Jean Dauberval
Design – Osbert Lancaster
Lighting design – John B Read
CASTING
27 Sep / 30 Sep Laura Morera, Vadim Muntagirov
6 Oct Francesca Hayward*, Marcelino Sambé
30 Sep (mat) / 15 Oct Yuhui Choe, Valentino Zucchetti
5 Oct / 10 Oct / 18 Oct Natalia Osipova, Steven McRae
13 Oct / 21 Oct Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov
15 Oct (mat) / 22 Oct Roberta Marquez, Alexander Campbell
- Role debut
ANASTASIA
26, 28, 31 October at 7.30pm/ 29 October at 1.30pm and 7pm/2, 5, 8 November at 7.30pm/12 November at 1.30pm and 7pm
ROH Live Cinema, Wednesday 2 November
Last performed by the Company in 2004, Gary Harris will stage Anastasia having personally assisted MacMillan on many of his productions. Former Royal Ballet Principal Viviana Durante, who danced the title role in 1996, returns to coach a new generation of dramatic interpreters in this landmark revival. This production includes a number of exciting debut performances and is the first work to be screened as part of the Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season 2016/17 on Wednesday 2 November.
Choreography – Kenneth MacMillan
Music – Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky and Bohuslav Martinu
Conductor – Simon Hewett
Production realization – Deborah MacMillan
Designer – Bob Crowley
Lighting designer – John B Read
CASTING
Anastasia/Anna Anderson, Kschessinska, Her Partner, The Husband, Rasputin, Tsarina, Tsar
26 Oct / 29 Oct / 2 Nov†
Natalia Osipova*, Marianela Nuñez*, Federico Bonelli, Edward Watson, Thiago Soares, Christina Arestis, Christopher Saunders
28 Oct / 31 Oct / 5 Nov / 12 Nov (mat)
Lauren Cuthbertson*, Sarah Lamb*, Steven McRae, Thomas Whitehead, Nehemiah Kish*, Itziar Mendizabal*, Gary Avis
29 Oct / 8 Nov / 12 Nov
Laura Morera*, Akane Takada*, James Hay*, Bennet Gartside, Ryoichi Hirano, Kristen McNally*, Gary Avis
- Role debut
CHROMA / NEW MCGREGOR / CARBON LIFE
10, 14, 16, 17 & 19 November at 7.30pm
The centrepiece of the McGregor celebration comprises a new commission with one of the world's greatest living composers, Steve Reich, who this year celebrates his 80th birthday. Pakistani artist Rashid Rana joins the creative team as designer, alongside Lucy Carter as lighting designer.
This mixed programme also includes the first revival of McGregor's Carbon Life which premiered in 2012 and fuses the designs of Gareth Pugh with music by multiple Grammy Award winner Mark Ronson.
CHROMA
Choreography – Wayne McGregor
Music – Joby Talbot and Jack White III
Orchestration – Christopher Austin
Conductor – Koen Kessels
Set designer – John Pawson
Costume designer – Moritz Junge
Lighting designer – Lucy Carter
NEW MCGREGOR
Music – Steve Reich
Conductor – Koen Kessels
Designer – Rashid Rana
Lighting designer – Lucy Carter
CARBON LIFE
Choreography – Wayne McGregor
Music – Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
Conductor – Koen Kessels
Designer – Gareth Pugh
Lighting designer – Lucy Carter
CASTING
CHROMA
10 Nov / 14 Nov / 16 Nov/ 17 Nov / 19 Nov
Lauren Cuthbertson, Sarah Lamb, Federico Bonelli, Steven McRae, Calvin Richardson* and dancers from the Alvin Ailey Company
NEW MCGREGOR
10 Nov / 16 Nov / 19 Nov
Lauren Cuthbertson*, Sarah Lamb*, Marianela Nuñez, Francesca Hayward, Olivia Cowley*, Myara Magri, Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Federico Bonelli*, Steven McRae, Edward Watson, Paul Kay*, Eric Underwood*, Matthew Ball, Calvin Richardson
14 Nov / 17 Nov
Itziar Mendizabal*, Akane Takada*, Beatriz Stix-Brunell*, Yasmine Naghdi, Fumi Kaneko*, Leticia Stock*, Ryoichi Hirano*, James Hay*, Nicol Edmonds*, Marcelino Sambé, David Donnelly, Luca Acri*, Tristan Dyer*
CARBON LIFE
10 Nov / 16 Nov / 19 Nov
Marianela Nuñez, Francesca Hayward*, Akane Takada, Olivia Cowley, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Edward Watson, Ryoichi Hirano, Tristan Dyer, Paul Kay, Eric Underwood
14 Nov / 17 Nov
Claire Calvert*, Anna Rose O'Sullivan*, Leticia Stock, Yuhui Choe, Mayara Magri*, Matthew Ball*, Reece Clarke*, Alexander Campbell*, Fernando Montaño, Lukas Bjørneboe Brændsrød
- Role debut
THE NUTCRACKER
23, 25 November at 7.30pm/29 November at 1pm/1, 6, 8*, 15, 28 December at 7.30pm/19 December at 7pm/ 24 December at 12 noon/27 December at 2pm and 7pm/31 December at 12 noon and 5pm/2 January at 2pm and 7pm/4 and 9 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm/5, 6, 10, 12 January at 7.30pm/7 January at 7pm
† ROH Live Cinema, Thursday 8 December
Returning to Covent Garden in Peter Wright's 90th year, The Nutcracker will also be screened live in cinemas on Thursday 8 December and will feature a series of exciting debuts from across the Company.
Choreography – Peter Wright after Lev Ivanov
Original scenario – Marius Petipa
Music – Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Conductor – Boris Gruzin (to 28 December) / Dominic Grier (from 31 December)
Designer – Julia Trevelyan Oman
Production and scenario – Peter Wright
Lighting designer – Mark Henderson
Production consultant – Roland John Wiley
CASTING
Sugar Plum Fairy, the Prince Clara, Hans Peter, the Nutcracker, Drosselmeyer
23 Nov / 1 Dec / 8 Dec†
Lauren Cuthbertson, Federico Bonelli, Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell, Gary Avis
25 Nov
Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Christopher Saunders
29 Nov (mat) / 24 Dec (mat)
Francesca Hayward*, Alexander Campbell, Anna Rose O' Sullivan, James Hay, Thomas Whitehead
6 Dec
Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Emma Maguire, Luca Acri, Christopher Saunders
15 Dec
Laura Morera, Federico Bonelli, Emma Maguire, Luca Acri, Christopher Saunders
19 Dec
Laura Morera, Federico Bonelli, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Christopher Saunders
27 Dec (mat)
Beatriz Stix- Brunell*, Nicol Edmonds, Isabella Gasparini, Benjamin Ella, Alastair Marriott
27 Dec (eve)
Yasmine Naghdi*, Matthew Ball*, Leticia Stock, Marcelino Sambé, Bennet Gartside
28 Dec
Hikaru Kobayshi, Ryoichi Hirano, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Alastair Marriott
31 Dec (mat)
Claire Calvert*, Reece Clarke, Isabella Gasparini, Benjamin Ella, Thomas Whitehead
31 Dec (eve)
Akane Takada, Valentino Zucchetti, Emma Maguire, Luca Acri, Christopher Saunders
2 Jan (mat)
Fumi Kaneko, Nehemiah Kish, Leticia Stock, Marcelino Sambé, Alastair Marriott
2 Jan (eve)
Akane Takada, Valentino Zucchetti, Emma Maguire, Luca Acri, Thomas Whitehead
4 Jan (mat)
Hikaru Kobayshi, Ryoichi Hirano, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Tristan Dyer, Bennet Gartside
4 Jan (eve)
Fumi Kaneko, Nehemiah Kish, Anna Rose O' Sullivan, James Hay, Gary Avis
5 Jan
Yuhui Choe, Valeri Hristov, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Tristan Dyer, Bennet Gartside
6 Jan
Sarah Lamb, Matthew Golding*, Leticia Stock, Marcelino Sambé, Alastair Marriott
7 Jan / 10 Jan
Iana Salenko, Steven McRae, Anna Rose O' Sullivan, James Hay, Gary Avis
9 Jan (mat)
Sarah Lamb, Matthew Golding, Leticia Stock, Marcelino Sambé, Thomas Whitehead
9 Jan (eve)
Yuhui Choe, Valeri Hristov, Emma Maguire, Tristan Dyer, Bennet Gartside
12 Jan
Sarah Lamb, Matthew Golding, Emma Maguire, Tristan Dyer, Bennet Gartside
*Role Debut
† ROH Live Cinema, Thursday 8 December
ROYAL BALLET STUDIO PROGRAMME
THE CLORE STUDIO UPSTAIRS
Charlotte Edmonds and Robert Binet
10, 14, 16, 17, 19 November at 6.30pm
Continuing the celebrations of Wayne McGregor's decade with The Royal Ballet, and in recognition of the impact he has had on the Company, two young choreographers who have been mentored by him – Charlotte Edmonds and Robert Binet – will present new works in The Clore Studio Upstairs. Charlotte Edmonds is currently The Royal Ballet's Young Choreographer and Robert Binet is a former Royal Ballet Choreographic Apprentice. Their pieces will be presented prior to McGregor's triple bill in November.
LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES
27 and 28 January at 7.45pm.
29 January at 4pm.
In January 2017 The Royal Ballet Studio programme presents its first work at the Barbican Theatre. Les Enfants Terribles is part of a trilogy of works that Philip Glass composed around the writings of Jean Cocteau. This dance/opera, originally created in 1996, conjures up the strange story of Paul and Lise, a brother and sister who live in an isolated room and become so immersed in each other that they lose all sense of reality. Part of Glass's 80th birthday celebrations, this production is directed and choreographed by Javier de Frutos. Dancers from The Royal Ballet, including Principals Zenaida Yanowsky and Edward Watson, join leading contemporary dancers and singers from the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme to share the stage in this radical piece of theatre.
Direction and choreography – Javier De Frutos
Music – Philip Glass
Designer – Jean-Marc Puissant
Lighting designer – Bruno Poet
Video artist – Tal Rosner
THE MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY
4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 January at 7.30pm / 7, 14 and 21 January at 2.30pm / 8, 15 and 22 January at 5pm
(Preview performances to be announced)
ZooNation has led the way in bringing hip hop into mainstream theatre. Its critically acclaimed family-friendly production of The Mad Hatter's Tea Party, produced by The Royal Ballet in 2014, is a contemporary interpretation of Lewis Caroll's classic story Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Restaged for the Roundhouse, this high energy production features a host of body-popping and break-dancing characters, with live music composed by DJ Walde and Josh Cohen,
Director and writer Kate Prince
Choreography Members of the ZooNation Dance Company
Music DJ Wade and Josh Cohen
Set and costume designer Ben Stones
INSIGHT EVENTS
Anastasia
21 September 2016 at 7.30pm
Join The Royal Ballet staff as they reveal their plans for the revival of MacMillan's daring and imaginative Anastasia as the production makes a welcome return to the repertory after an absence of 12 years.
Clore Studio Upstairs
£17/£7
In Conversation with Monica Mason
4 October 2016 at 7.45pm
Celebrating her 75th birthday, Monica Mason discusses her illustrious career as a dancer, teacher, director and former Director of The Royal Ballet.
Clore Studio Upstairs
£14/£7
New Wayne McGregor
20 October 2016 at 7.30pm
Join Wayne McGregor as he celebrates a decade as Resident Choreographer with The Royal Ballet and introduces his latest work, set to a new score by trailblazing minimalist composer Steve Reich.
Clore Studio Upstairs
£17/£7
The Royal Ballet in Rehearsal- The Nutcracker
27 October 2016 at 7.30pm
Watch The Royal Ballet rehearse Peter Wright's iconic production of The Nutcracker before it opens for the festive.
Clore Studio Theatre
£17/£7
Behind The Scenes: Production Management
23 November 2016, 7.15pm
Join us for this fascinating Insight as our Production Managers tell us how they take opera and ballet productions from page to stage.
£17/£7
Clore Studio Upstairs
Philip Glass at 80: Les Enfants Terribles
Wednesday 11 January 2017 at 7pm
In celebration of Philip Glass at 80 at the Barbican, Javier de Frutos directs and choreographs a new production of Les Enfants Terribles, based on Jean Cocteau's 1929 novel. Join De Frutos, cast and creatives as they reveal their vision weeks before opening night.
£17/£7
Clore Studio Upstairs
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.
The men are taking over, and it is rather dull