Ballet stars come together for Verdensballetten 2026, on tour in Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland
Tonight is the opening of the Verdensballetten (World Ballet) in the garden of the Royal Garden Society in Copenhagen, and it is on tour until 30 August.
Since 2008, Verdensballetten has been creatively stretching the limits of traditional ballet by bringing world-class dance out of the theatre and into some of Europe’s most stunning historical and natural settings. This approach promotes the art form while making it more accessible and inspiring for everyone to enjoy.
In the summer of 2026, Verdensballetten brings together an outstanding international cast, including principal dancers and soloists from companies like The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Northern Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, and The Royal Danish Ballet. They will come together to perform a programme that features classic masterpieces, innovative contemporary choreography, and new works created especially for this year’s tour.
Verdensballetten stands out as one of Europe’s most unique ballet celebrations with performances held outdoors at magnificent castles, manor houses, museums, historic landmarks, and cultural heritage sites. Without a roof over the stage and outside the usual theatre environment, nature and history seamlessly become part of the enchanting scenery.
Artistic Directors Steven McRae, Principal of The Royal Ballet, and Danish opera singer Jens-Christian Wandt have curated a programme that celebrates both the heritage and future of ballet.
More than just a gala, Verdensballetten is a heartfelt cultural journey. For almost twenty years, the company has been dedicated to sharing the beauty of ballet with wider audiences, going beyond the usual theatre crowd and creating special moments where top-tier artists connect with people experiencing ballet for the very first time.
Every performance takes place at a different venue, stages are built and dismantled daily, and the weather becomes both collaborator and adversary.
“Verdensballetten is a completely unique project – both for the audience and for those of us performing on stage. The historic and natural surroundings, the open-air stage and the weather as both collaborator and challenger create an experience unlike anything found in a traditional theatre,” says Artistic Director Steven McRae.
I have never experienced another ballet gala performed in such extraordinary historical and natural surroundings. It is always difficult to explain to new dancers what awaits them, but by the end of the tour they are invariably overwhelmed by the experience. It is something truly special to be part of.”
World Premieres and New Creations
Internationally acclaimed Danish choreographer Kim Brandstrup returns to Verdensballetten with a new solo inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling. Brandstrup recently received the prestigious UK National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography, and this marks the second time he has created an original work for Verdensballetten.
Steven McRae will also present a newly created work developed especially for the 2026 tour.
Sir Ian McKellen and Astrid Elbo Reimagine Hamlet Through Dance
One of the most anticipated new works in this year’s programme is a world premiere inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Created by Danish principal dancer and choreographer Astrid Elbo in collaboration with the actor Sir Ian McKellen, the ballet is conceived as a powerful pas de trois for three male dancers. Reimagining Shakespeare’s enduring themes of ambition, loyalty, betrayal and loss through movement, the work offers a bold new interpretation of one of the world’s greatest literary masterpieces.
Verdensballetten 2026
July
- 7 July – The Garden of the Royal Garden Society, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 8 July – Soelyst, Klampenborg, Denmark
- 9 July – Benen-Diken-Hof, Sylt, Germany
- 10 July – Moellerup Estate, Aarhus, Denmark
- 12 July – The Buried Church, Skagen, Denmark
August
- 1 August – The Viking Castle, Trelleborg, Slagelse, Denmark
- 2 August – Fjordenhus, Vejle, Denmark
- 3 August – Great Northern, Kerteminde, Denmark
- 4 August – Christianssaede Castle, Lolland, Denmark
- 5 August – Dyvig Seaside Hotel, Southern Jutland, Denmark
- 6 August – Roennebaeksholm Estate, Naestved, Denmark
Switzerland
- 28 August – Museum Rietberg, Zurich
- 30 August – Centre Général Guisan, Lausanne
Artists
July
The Royal Ballet
Steven McRae, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Yasmine Naghdi, Nicol Edmonds
English National Ballet
Sangeun Lee, Gareth Haw
Northern Ballet
Harris Beattie
August
The Royal Ballet
Steven McRae, Reece Clarke, Anna Rose O’Sullivan
Staatsballett Berlin
Iana Salenko, Marian Walter
The Royal Danish Ballet
Astrid Elbo, Alban Lendorf
Programme Highlights
William Forsythe: Slingerland
Christopher Wheeldon: An American in Paris
Roland Petit: Thaïs
Cathy Marston: In Our Wishes
Marius Petipa: Excerpts from The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty
New Works
Kim Brandstrup
Astrid Elbo
Steven McRae
About Verdensballetten
Founded in 2008, Verdensballetten is an international travelling open-air ballet gala dedicated to bringing world-class dance beyond the traditional theatre environment. Performances take place in carefully selected historical and natural locations where architecture, landscape and cultural heritage become part of the artistic experience.
Over the years, Verdensballetten has welcomed some of the most celebrated names in international ballet, including Alina Cojocaru, Johan Kobborg, Vadim Muntagirov, Sarah Lamb, Francisca Hayward, Lauren Cuthbertson, Federico Bonelli, Xander Parish, Roberta Marquez, Marcelino Sambé and Ida Praetorius, among many others.
Today, Verdensballetten is recognised as one of Europe’s most distinctive open-air ballet projects, creating a unique meeting point between international performing arts, cultural heritage and nature.
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
