First staged in St Petersburg in 1890, The Sleeping Beauty is the pinnacle of classical ballet: a perfect marriage of Petipa’s choreography and Tchaikovsky’s music and a glorious challenge for every dancer onstage. It is also The Royal Ballet’s signature work. Read more – ‘The Sleeping Beauty in Cinemas’.
With Kenneth MacMillan’s first full-length work for The Royal Ballet, both he and the Company struck artistic gold – the June performances at The O2 Arena once more proved the ballet’s enduring hold over audiences. Read more – ‘Romeo & Juliet Royal Opera House 2012’.
A sneak peek at the upcoming production, 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' by The London Ballet Company, at the King's Head Theatre. An exploration of the Olympic games and the many ways in which the worlds of dance and sport cross over. Read more – ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius by The London Ballet Company’.
If the sunshine and warm weather wasn't enough to be looking forward to this summer, we've also got possibly one of the greatest choreographed new Ballets that London and the Royal Opera House has seen thus far. Read more – ‘Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland – ROH’.
The New York City Ballet Workout is a program that consists of fifty stretches and exercises designed to help one develop the grace and poise of a dancer. Created by Peter Martins, New York City Ballet's Ballet Master in Chief, this program allows anyone to experience both the leanness and flexibility ballet can impart to one's limbs as well as the peace and relaxation it can bring to one's mind. Once a secret of the world's elite dance studios, these easy to learn workouts have been arranged into a comprehensive, holistic program that is the perfect workout for anyone of any age. Read more – ‘New York City Ballet Workout Pack’.
Of all the 19th-century ballets, The Nutcracker is the one that appears most often in strikingly different versions. The basics are a blissful Tchaikovsky score and a rough plotline: the rest is up to whoever mounts the production at the time. Read more – ‘Nutcracker London Coliseum Review’.
Shakespeare’s tragedy of doomed young love receives a wonderful interpretation in Gounod’s opera. It combines all the drama of the well-known story and the emotional and stirring music typical of the composer of Faust. Read more – ‘Roméo et Juliette’.
These four amazing Film Posters have been released for the upcoming premiere of "The Black Swan" starring Natalie Portman at the British Film Festival on 22nd October 201 Read more – ‘Black Swan Film Posters’.
The V&A’s major autumn exhibition, Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909–1929, open 25 September 2010 until 9 January 2011, will explore the world of the influential artistic director Serge Diaghilev and the most exciting dance company of the 20th century. Diaghilev combined dance, music and art in bold ways to create ‘total theatre’. A consummate collaborator, he worked with Stravinsky, Chanel, Picasso, Matisse and Nijinsky. Read more – ‘Victoria Albert Museum Ballet Russes’.
Visitors to the V&A Museum this month will have the chance to see the work that goes on behind the scenes of a ballet production, with open classes and rehearsals.As part of the Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes exhibition, students from the English National Ballet School, in nearby Chelsea, will be rehearsing and performing at the museum's Old Lecture Theatre. Read more – ‘Rephrasing Ballets Russes’.
The Royal Ballet’s Principal dancers have achieved the highest rank in the Company, each performing the leading and most featured roles in the ballets. Paul’s opportunity to photograph them came about last year during a meeting with Principal, Steven McRae. Read more – ‘Royal Ballet Portraits by Paul Smith’.
Erdem Moralioglu has used the exhibition Diaghilev and the Gold Age of the Ballet Russes as his inspiration for his Spring/Summer collection of 2010. Erdem has also commissioned a beautiful colour and print on to a marvelous silk scarf. Almost a metre square, the design is a flourish of rippling movement and colour, incorporating original [...] Read more – ‘Ballet Inspires London Fashion Week’.
In my eyes Natalie Portman transforms as run of the mill actress and steps into the realm of Academy Award Winning in her role in the Black Swan. This is a fantastic cinematic view of one of the worlds most famous ballets, Swan Lake. Watch a preview of the Black Swan Read Natalies interview with [...] Read more – ‘Preview of the Black Swan with Natalie Portman’.
Presided over by the prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso As every two years Havana will become the capital of the dance when in late 2010 the International Ballet Festival of Havana open its 22nd rendition, one of the oldest and most prestigious events in the world of dance, which in this year will reach 50 years of history. Read more – ‘International Ballet Festival of Havana’.
One of the greatest love stories ever, Romeo and Juliet tells the tale of young Romeo Montague, who tricks his way into the lavish Capulets' masked ball and sees the young Juliet Capulet. It is love at first dance! Read more – ‘Birmingham Royal Ballet Tour’.
Theme and Variations is Balanchine’s homage to the heights of Russian classical dance. It was intended, he said, to 'evoke that great period in classical dancing when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky's music. Read more – ‘Balanchine’s ballet Theme and Variations’.
Whenever visitors see the historic auditorium of the Royal Opera House for the first time, it always amazes them. Built in 1858 after the previous theatre burnt down, its splendid period character has been wonderfully preserved ever since. There are the rich red curtains of the stage, the stunning ceiling (which now hides very modern technology), the glittering gold of the proscenium arch, and the red and gold lights which replaced the old gas lamps! And enveloping it all is Read more – ‘Velvet, Gilt and Glamour – Tour the Historic Auditorium’.
Come and join us for Simon Boccanegra on 13 July 2010, duration 2 hours 52 minutes Performance starts at 7.30pm Prologue /Act I lasts 87 mins Interval starts at 8.57pm and lasts 25 mins Acts II & III start at 9.23pm and last 60 mins Curtain down at 10.22pm All timings are approximate Title: Simon [...] Read more – ‘Simon Boccanegra’.
Title: Carmen – The Royal Opera House Date: Tuesday 8 June 2010 Start Time: 19:00 End Time: 22:06 BP Screening Location CARMEN PERFORMERS Composer: Georges Bizet Conductor: Constantinos Carydis Director: Francesca Zambello Designer: Tanya McCallin Lighting: Paule Constable Choreography: Arthur Pita Fight Director: Mike Loades Frasquita: Elena Xanthoudakis Carmen: Christine Rice Mercédès: Paula Murrihy Don José: Bryan Hymel Le [...] Read more – ‘Carmen – The Royal Opera House’.
The Royal Opera House has updated their itunes store with the latest rehersal from the great ballet, Swan Lake. View the Swan Lake in Rehersal Read more – ‘Swan Lake in Rehersal’.
