The Royal Ballet announces casting until March 2024

Joseph Sissens Matthew Ball Calvin Richardson Ryoichi Hirano in The Dante Project c 2021 ROH. Ph by Andrej Uspenski — Joseph Sissens, Matthew Ball, Calvin Richardson and Ryoichi Hirano in The Dante Project. 2021 ROH. Photo by Andrej Uspenski.

The Royal Ballet has announced casting until – wait for it – March 2024! Wonderful news for those who need to plan months in advance to arrange work leave, flights and accommodation.

Casting (below) is now available for the Autumn season and part of the Winter season which includes:

DON QUIXOTE

Main Stage: 30 SEPTEMBER–17 NOVEMBER 2023

Teeming with comedy, wit and an abundance of bravura choreography, Carlos Acosta's production brings the Spanish heat and romance of Cervantes' classic novel to life.

ANEMOI / THE CELLIST

Main Stage: 20 OCTOBER–2 NOVEMBER 2023

This mixed programme revives two recent one-act ballets created for the Company which both garnered Critics' Circle National Dance Awards for Best Classical Choreography.

THE LIMIT

Linbury Theatre: 20–28 OCTOBER 2023

Adapted with Sam Steiner from his award-winning play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, director Ed Madden and choreographer Kristen McNally reimagine this modern classic.

THE DANTE PROJECT

Main Stage: 18 NOVEMBER–2 DECEMBER 2023

Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor, composer Thomas Adès, artist Tacita Dean, lighting designer Lucy Carter and dramaturg Uzma Hameed present a monumental reinvention of Dante's vision, by turns terrifying, lyrical and dazzling, in this compelling award-winning ballet for the full Company.

THE NUTCRACKER

Main Stage: 6 DECEMBER 2023–13 JANUARY 2024

Discover the enchantment of ballet with this sparkling festive treat for the whole family.

MANON

Main Stage: 17 JANUARY–8 MARCH 2024

Torn between her desire of a life of splendour and riches and her devotion to her true love Des Grieux, the feckless and capricious Manon pays the ultimate price.

BALLET CASTING – AUTUMN 2023-2024

* role debut
† guest artist
** cast change

Marianela Nuñez as Kitri and Carlos Acosta as Basilio in Don Quixote © ROH Johan Persson 2013

DON QUIXOTE (Kitri, Basilio)

Saturday 30 September 7.30pm: Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov
Wednesday 4 October 7.30pm: Natalia Osipova, Marcelino Sambé
Saturday 7 October 1pm: Anna Rose O'Sullivan*, Steven McRae
Saturday 7 October 7pm: Natalia Osipova, Marcelino Sambé
Wednesday 11 October 7.30pm: Yasmine Naghdi, Matthew Ball
Friday 13 October 7.30pm: Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Steven McRae
Saturday 14 October 1pm: Fumi Kaneko, William Bracewell*
Saturday 14 October 7pm: Yasmine Naghdi, Matthew Ball
Monday 16 October 7.30pm: Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov
Tuesday 17 October 7.30pm: Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Steven McRae
Thursday 19 October 7.30pm: Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov
Saturday 28 October 1pm (AV1): Mayara Magri, Matthew Ball**
Saturday 28 October 7.30pm: Akane Takada, Luca Acri*
Friday 3 November 7.30pm: Fumi Kaneko, William Bracewell
Tuesday 7 November 7.30pm: (*Live Cinema Relay*/Invited Audience) Mayara Magri, Matthew Ball**
Saturday 11 November 1pm: Natalia Osipova, Reece Clarke*
Saturday 11 November 7pm: Akane Takada, Luca Acri
Friday 17 November 7.30pm: Natalia Osipova, Reece Clarke

THE LIMIT

Friday 20 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward*, Alexander Campbell*
Saturday 21 October 2.30pm: Hannah Rudd†*, Jacob Wye†*
Saturday 21 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell
Monday 23 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell
Monday 24 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell
Wednesday 25 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell
Thursday 26 October 2.30pm: Hannah Rudd†, Jacob Wye†
Thursday 26 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell
Friday 27 October 7.30pm Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell
Saturday 28 October 2.30pm: Hannah Rudd†, Jacob Wye†
Saturday 28 October 7.30pm: Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell

The Cellist. Marcelino Sambe and Lauren Cuthbertson. ©ROH, 2020. Photographed by Bill Cooper. (6) — The Cellist. Marcelino Sambe and Lauren Cuthbertson. ©ROH, 2020. Photographed by Bill Cooper.

MIXED PROGRAMME – ANEMOI/THE CELLIST (The Cellist, The Instrument, The Conductor)

Friday 20 October 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Mariko Sasaki, Lukas Brændsrød, Leticia Dias, Taisuke Nakao
THE CELLIST Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé, Matthew Ball

Saturday 21 October 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Hanna Park*, David Donnelly, Sumina Sasaki, Daichi Ikarashi
THE CELLIST Mayara Magri*, Calvin Richardson, Lukas Brændsrød*

Monday 23 October 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Mariko Sasaki, Lukas Brændsrød, Leticia Dias, Taisuke Nakao
THE CELLIST Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé, Matthew Ball Tuesday

Wednesday 25 October 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Hanna Park, David Donnelly, Sumina Sasaki, Daichi Ikarashi
THE CELLIST Mayara Magri, Calvin Richardson, Lukas Brændsrød

Thursday 26th October 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Mariko Sasaki, Lukas Brændsrød, Leticia Dias, Taisuke Nakao
THE CELLIST Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé, Matthew Ball

Friday Wednesday 1 November 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Hanna Park, David Donnelly, Sumina Sasaki, Daichi Ikarashi
THE CELLIST Mayara Magri, Calvin Richardson, Lukas Brændsrød

Thursday 2 November 7.30pm:
ANEMOI Mariko Sasaki, Lukas Brændsrød, Leticia Dias, Taisuke Nakao
THE CELLIST Lauren Cuthbertson, Marcelino Sambé, Matthew Ball

Fumi Kaneko and Edward Watson in Wayne McGregor's The Dante Project 2019. Photograph by Cheryl Mann.

THE DANTE PROJECT (Dante)

Saturday 18 November 7pm: William Bracewell*
Wednesday 22 November 7.30pm: Ryoichi Hirano*
Saturday 25 November 7.30pm: William Bracewell
Monday 27 November 7.30pm: Ryoichi Hirano
Wednesday 29th November 7.30pm: William Bracewell
Friday 1st December 7.30pm: Ryoichi Hirano
Saturday 2nd December 1pm: William Bracewell
Saturday 2nd December 7pm: Ryoichi Hirano

William Bracewell as the Prince and Fumi Kaneko as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet ©2018 ROH. Photograph by Alastair Muir (1) — William Bracewell as the Prince and Fumi Kaneko as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, The Royal Ballet ©2018 ROH. Photograph by Alastair Muir.

THE NUTCRACKER (The Sugar Plum Fairy, The Prince, Clara, Hans Peter, Drosselmeyer)

Wednesday 6 December 12.30pm (Schools Matinee):
Meaghan Grace Hinkis*, Valentino Zucchetti, Bomin Kim*, Giacomo Rovero*, Thomas Whitehead

Wednesday 6 December 7.30pm:
Fumi Kaneko, William Bracewell, Sae Maeda, Joseph Sissens, Gary Avis

Thursday 7 December 12.30pm (Schools Matinee):
Yuhui Choe, Benjamin Ella, Marianna Tsembenhoi*, Joshua Junker, Gary Avis

Thursday 7 December 7.30pm (AV1):
Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Marcelino Sambé, Sophie Allnatt, Leo Dixon, Thomas Whitehead

Saturday 9 December 1pm (Paul Hamlyn Christmas Treat):
Mariko Sasaki, Joseph Sissens, Viola Pantuso*, James Hay, Gary Avis

Saturday 9 December 7pm:
Fumi Kaneko, William Bracewell, Sophie Allnatt, Leo Dixon, Thomas Whitehead

Tuesday 12 December 7.30pm *Cinema Live Relay*:
Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Marcelino Sambé, Sophie Allnatt, Leo Dixon, Thomas Whitehead

Thursday 14 December 7.30pm:
Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell, Sae Maeda, Joseph Sissens, Gary Avis

Monday 18 December 7.30pm:
Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Bennet Gartside

Tuesday 19 December 7.30pm:
Yasmine Naghdi, Matthew Ball, Viola Pantuso, James Hay, Gary Avis

Wednesday 20 December 12.30pm:
Lauren Cuthbertson, William Bracewell, Ashley Dean, Benjamin Ella, Bennet Gartside

Thursday 21 December 1.30pm:
Mayara Magri, Reece Clarke**, Sae Maeda, Joseph Sissens, Gary Avis

Thursday 21 December 7.30pm:
Francesca Hayward, Alexander Campbell, Leticia Stock, Taisuke Nakao, Thomas Whitehead

Friday 22 December 1.30pm:
Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Bennet Gartside

Friday 22 December 7.30pm:
Yasmine Naghdi, Matthew Ball, Viola Pantuso, James Hay, Gary Avis

Saturday 23 December 12.30pm:
Lauren Cuthbertson, William Bracewell, Ashley Dean, Benjamin Ella, Bennet Gartside

Wednesday 27 December 1.30pm:
Mariko Sasaki, Joseph Sissens, Bomin Kim, Giacomo Rovero, Thomas Whitehead

Wednesday 27 December 7.30pm:
Leticia Dias, Calvin Richardson, Ashley Dean, Benjamin Ella, Bennet Gartside

Friday 29 December 7.30pm:
Mayara Magri, Reece Clarke**, Isabella Gasparini, Luca Acri, Bennet Gartside

Monday 1 January 1.30pm: Annette Buvoli*, Nicol Edmonds, Marianna Tsembenhoi, Joshua Junker, Gary Avis

Monday 1 January 7.30pm:
Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Leticia Stock, Taisuke Nakao, Thomas Whitehead

Wednesday 3 January 7.30pm: Yuhui Choe, Benjamin Ella, Leticia Stock, Taisuke Nakao, Thomas Whitehead

Thursday 4 January 7.30pm:
Akane Takada, Ryoichi Hirano, Isabella Gasparini, Luca Acri, Bennet Gartside

Friday 5 January 7.30pm:
Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Madison Bailey, Liam Boswell, Gary Avis

Tuesday 9 January 7.30pm:
Mayara Magri, Reece Clarke, Marianna Tsembenhoi, Joshua Junker, Thomas Whitehead

Wednesday 10 January 7.30pm:
Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Madison Bailey, Liam Boswell, Gary Avis

Thursday 11 January 7.30pm: Akane Takada, Ryoichi Hirano, Isabella Gasparini, Luca Acri, Bennet Gartside

Saturday 13 January 7.30: Mayara Magri, Reece Clarke, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Valentino Zucchetti, Bennet Gartside

BALLET CASTING – WINTER 2023-2024

Calvin Richardson and Akane Takada in Manon, The Royal Ballet ©2022 ROH. Photographed by Andrej Uspenski

MANON (Manon, Des Grieux, Lescaut's Mistress, Lescaut, Monsieur G.M.)

Wednesday 17 January 7.30pm – Saturday 17 February 1pm
Francesca Hayward, Marcelino Sambe*, Mayara Magri, Alexander Campbell, Gary Avis

Friday 19 January 7.30pm – Wednesday 14 February 7.30pm
Lauren Cuthbertson, Matthew Ball, Itziar Mendizabal, Ryoichi Hirano, Bennet Gartside

Saturday 20 January 7.30pm – Saturday 3 February 7pm
Yasmine Naghdi*, William Bracewell*, Anna Rose O'Sullivan*, Luca Acri, Thomas Whitehead

Saturday 3 February 1pm (AV1) – 7 February 7.30pm *Live Cinema Relay*
Natalia Osipova, Reece Clarke, Mayara Magri, Alexander Campbell, Gary Avis

9 February 7.30pm – 17 February 7pm
Marianela Nuñez, Roberto Bolle†, Itziar Mendizabal, Ryoichi Hirano, Christopher Saunder s

Friday 23 February 7.30pm – Tuesday 27 February 7.30pm
Fumi Kaneko*, Vadim Muntagirov, Leticia Dias*, Joseph Sissens*, Bennet Gartside

Monday 26 February 7.30pm – Saturday 2 March 1pm
Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, James Hay, Christopher Saunders

Saturday 2 March 7pm – Friday 8 March 7.30pm
Akane Takada, Alexander Campbell, Yuhui Choe, Valentino Zucchetti, Thomas Whitehead

Tuesday 5 March 7.30pm
Melissa Hamilton, Calvin Richardson*, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, James Hay, Christopher Saunders

FESTIVAL OF NEW CHOREOGRAPHY

Thursday 15 February 7pm, Friday 16 February 7.30pm, Tuesday 20 February 7.30pm, Wednesday 21 February 7.30pm

NEW WORKS BY: GEMMA BOND, JESSICA LANG, JOSHUA JUNKER, JOSEPH TOONGA, MTHUTHUZELI NOVEMBER

*role debut † guest artist

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.