2013/14 Ballet and Dance Season announced
New works and visiting companies alongside classics at the Royal Opera House.
Details of The Royal Ballet’s 2013/14 Season have been announced.
Watch Kevin O’Hare’s preview of the 2013/14 Season, including his highlights:
The Season features five world premieres including The Winter’s Tale, a new full length narrative ballet from Christopher Wheeldon and a new production of Don Quixote created by Carlos Acosta. New one-act ballets from David Dawson, Alastair Marriott and Wayne McGregor will also be staged.
As well as new work, the Season also features a host of classic ballets including Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Jewels and The Sleeping Beauty.
Of the Season’s programming, Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare says:
‘New work is really the life-blood of the Company. It’s very important to be doing classics; it’s important to remember our heritage. But new works will keep the Company going from strength to strength.’
The 2013/14 Season will see the programming of the Linbury Studio Theatre fully integrated into the work of The Royal Ballet. World premieres, co-commissions and existing and new choreographic initiatives will be staged with companies making their debut in the theatre and regular visitors making their return.
Cinema relays during the Season include Don Quixote, The Nutcracker, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty and The Winter’s Tale. We are very grateful to Bank of America Merrill Lynch for supporting the Royal Opera House Cinema Season.
Visiting companies include Ballet Black, Phoenix Dance Theatre and Wendy Whelan of New York City Ballet. The Royal Ballet will visit the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
The Company will continue its involvement with a number of learning and engaging projects including Chance to Dance, East London Dance and Dance Dynamic. It will continue to work with Youth Dance England on their Young Creatives scheme with develops opportunities for young choreographers aged 15-19.
What are you most looking forward to during the 2013/14 Season?
Don Quixote NEW
- Carlos Acosta after Marius Petipa
- Music: Ludwig Minkus arranged by Martin Yates
- Carlos Acosta, Royal Ballet Principal Guest Artist and one of the finest dancers of his generation, presents a new production of this exuberant tale of friendship, love and loyalty.
- 30† September at 7.30pm
- 5 (mat) | 5 (eve) | 6 (mat) | 8 | 11 | 15 | 16x | 18 | 25 | 26 October
- 2 (mat) | 2 (eve) | 6 November
† Special gala performance
x Live cinema
- Kenneth MacMillan
- Music: Sergey Prokofiev
- A tragic tale of star-crossed lovers: Kenneth MacMillan’s poignant ballet is a 20th-century classic.
- 19 | 22 | 23 | 30 October
- 14 | 16 (mat) | 16 (eve) | 21 | 22 | 26 (mat) | 26 (eve) | 28 November
- 3 | 7 December
Chroma / David Dawson NEW / The Rite of Spring
- Wayne McGregor / David Dawson / Kenneth MacMillan
- Music: Joby Talbot / Greg Haines / Igor Stravinsky
- One hundred years of visionary ballet – from Stravinsky’s 20th-century masterpiece to innovative choreography by Wayne McGregor and David Dawson.
- 9 | 13 | 19 | 20 | 23 (mat) | 23 (eve) November
New Petronio / Noces / Virtual Descent (National Dance Company of Wales, Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Stephen Petronio / Angelin Preljocaj / Eleesha Drennan
- Music: Atticus Ross / Igor Stravinsky / Mark Bowden
- The National Dance Company of Wales makes its first visit to the Linbury Studio Theatre with a mixed programme celebrating its 30th anniversary.
- 30 | 31 October
- 1 November
MacBeth (De Oscuro, Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Eddie Ladd and Judith Roberts
- Music: Conor Linehan
- Cardiff-based theatre company De Oscuro brings a radical reinvention of Shakespeare’s tragic tale to Covent Garden.
- 12 | 13 November
Pictures We Make (Company Chameleon, Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Gemma Nixon and Jonathan Goddard/Anthony Missen and Kevin Edward Turner
- Music: John Matthias/Miguel Marin
- The London premiere of works by acclaimed choreographic duo Gemma Nixon and Jonathan Goddard, and Company Chameleon founders Anthony Missen and Kevin Edward Turner.
- 15 | 16 November
Repetition of Change / Tender Crazy Love / Ki / All Alight (Phoenix Dance Theatre, Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Sharon Watson / Douglas Thorpe / Jose Agudo / Richard Alston
- A boldly inventive new programme from leading contemporary dance company Phoenix Dance Theatre.
- 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 November
- Peter Wright after Lev Ivanov
- Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
- A young girl’s enchanted present leads her on a wonderful adventure in this classic ballet, accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s glittering score.
- 4 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 12† | 14 (mat) | 14 (eve) | 20 (mat) | 20 (eve) | 23 | 24 (mat) | 27 (mat) | 27 (eve) | 31 (mat) | 31 (eve) December
- 2 (mat) | 2 (eve) | 4 (mat) | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 January
- †Live cinema
- George Balanchine
- Music: Gabriel Fauré (Emeralds), Igor Stravinsky (Rubies), Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (Diamonds)
- George Balanchine’s evocation of the sparkle of emeralds, rubies and diamonds is a ballet gem in its own right.
- 17 | 21 (mat) | 28 | 30 (mat) | 30 (eve) December
- 7 January
London International Mime Festival (Linbury Studio Theatre)
- The annual celebration of visual theatre returns, with spectacular, cutting-edge and inspiring performances.
- 9-11 January; 30-31 January
Hansel and Gretel (Linbury Studio Theatre)
- Liam Scarlett
- Artist-in-Residence Liam Scarlett’s first full-length work for The Royal Ballet – a dark, adult take on a classic fairytale.
- January
- Marius Petipa after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
- Music: Adolphe Adam revised by John Horovitz
- The greatest of all Romantic ballets – Marius Petipa’s classic work is a dramatic story of betrayal, supernatural spirits and love that transcends death.
- 18 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 25 (mat) | 25 (eve) | 27† | 30 (mat) | 30 (eve)
- 1 (mat) | 5 | 6 | 10 February
- † Live cinema
Rhapsody / Wayne McGregor NEW / Gloria
- Frederick Ashton / Wayne McGregor / Kenneth MacMillan
- Music: Sergey Rachmaninoff / J.S. Bach / Francis Poulenc
- A celebration of three defining choreographers of The Royal Ballet: Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan and Wayne McGregor.
- 7 | 8 (mat) | 8 (eve) | 11 | 13 | 15 (mat) February
Ballet Black (Ballet Black, Linbury Studio Theatre)
- Programme TBC
- Cassa Pancho’s company of black and Asian classically trained dancers returns to the Linbury Studio Theatre with a dynamic new programme.
- 26 | 27 | 28 February
- 1 | 3 | 4 March
Young British Dancer of the Year Final 2014 (Linbury Studio Theatre)
- Programme TBC
- A celebration of the best of British emerging dance talent – sixteen finalists vie for the hotly contested award.
- 8 March
- Marius Petipa
- Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
- Journey with The Royal Ballet to an enchanted world of princesses, fairy godmothers and magic spells in Marius Petipa’s classic ballet.
- 22 (mat) | 22 (eve) | 26 | 27 February;
- 13 | 15 (mat) | 22 (mat) | 22 (eve) | 19† | 21 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 31 March
- 1 | 5 | 8 | 9 April
- †Live cinema
- Christopher Wheeldon
- Music: Joby Talbot
- The world premiere of a new full-length ballet by Christopher Wheeldon, based on Shakespeare’s enduring tale of love, loss and reconciliation.
- 10 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 22 mat | 23 | 26 (mat) | 28† | 29 April at 7.30pm
1 | 8 May
†Live cinema
Headspace Dance (Headspace Dance, Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Programme TBC
- Dancers, creators and producers Christopher Akrill and Charlotte Broom bring a programme of new work by contemporary choreographers to the Linbury Studio Theatre.
- 16 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 24 April
Spectrum (bgroup, Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Ben Wright
- Music: Jules Maxwell
- Choreographer Ben Wright and his company bgroup present a vivid new work that explores the emotional power of colour.
- May
- Mayuri Boonham
- A mixed programme from Royal Ballet Choreographic Affiliate Mayuri Boonham, featuring a newly commissioned piece in which South Asian dance engages with classical ballet.
- 29 | 30 April
Alexander Whitely Mixed Programme (Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Alexander Whitely
- Cutting-edge technology meets thrilling choreography in a mixed programme by Royal Ballet Choreographic Affiliate Alexander Whitley.
- 15 | May
Serenade / Sweet Violets / Danse à Grande Vitesse
- George Balanchine/Liam Scarlett/Christopher Wheeldon
- Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky/ Sergey Rachmaninoff/Michael Nyman
- A mixed programme of exhilarating contrasts, from a dark Victorian melodrama to a celebration of hi-tech modernity.
- 14 | 17 (mat) | 21 | 23 | 24 |26 (mat) | 26 (eve) May
The Dream / New Marriott / The Concert
- Frederick Ashton/Alastair Marriott/Jerome Robbins
- Music: Felix Mendelssohn/TBC/Fryderyk Chopin orchestrated by Clare Grundeman
- A world premiere and two comic masterpieces make this a charming evening of exuberant humour and whimsical delight.
- 31 May
- 5 | 6 | 10 | 12 |13 June
Draft Works (Linbury Studio Theatre)
- Programme TBC
- Experience choreography in its most elemental form – Royal Ballet and guest dancers perform work in development.
- June
The Royal Ballet School (Linbury Studio Theatre and Main Stage)
- Programme TBC
- An exuberant showcase featuring a wide range of heritage and contemporary repertory, performed by students of The Royal Ballet School.
- Linbury: July | Main Stage: 12 July (mat)
Springboard (Linbury Studio Theatre)
- Programme TBC
- Compelling work from young professionals at Verve, Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, and Ballet Central.
- June/July
Wendy Whelan: Restless Creature (Linbury Studio Theatre) NEW
- Wendy Whelan with Kyle Abraham/Joshua Beamish/Brian Brooks/Alejandro Cerrudo
- New York City Ballet Principal Wendy Whelan collaborates with four young choreographers to create a suite of duets.
- Programme TBC
- July
How wonderful to see Don Quixote in there and also excited for wheeldon's a winters tale. Triple bills look great too. Lots to look forward to!
Interesting triple bills again to counterbalance the necessary box office warhorses. Some good Balanchine, would have been lovely to have more Ashton and Robbins, but at least they are represented, unlike Tudor. An exciting mix of new work, a clever mix of repertoire, old and modern.
Really looking forward to Don Quixote and A Winters Tale and relayed live to cinemas too! I'll be able to see them twice!
Looks promising and good to see a David Dawson piece in there (at last). Hope the seemingly increasing cast changes don't become a norm for this season. And also hope to see some 'interesting' casting which seems to becoming an O'Hare forte.
Some interesting ballets to look forward to - new Wheeldon and return of Jewels, plus some good mixed bills. I can't see any ballet for children in the Linbury this year at Christmas - a real shame, I have enjoyed some lovely performances with the grandchildren.
I'm really excited for Don Quixote and New Wheeldon Production.
Can't wait to know the casts of Don Quixote!
I'm really happy with the ballets scheduled.
My favorite, as always, is "The Sleeping Beauty" as it is a great opportunity to see the stars of the company and the future promises playing the role of Aurora and the blue bird my favorites of the entire ballet . Although it is a delight to see all the variations of the fairies in the prologue and discover new talents of the company.
Definitely my favorite ballet¡¡
I am also delighted with the creation of Don Quixote. It is great that Carlos Acosta will be the creator, it promises to be an exciting and wonderful show, I would not miss it for the world ¡¡¡
Personally, I can't wait to schedule my visit to London to try to see as much principals as possible in the role of Kitri ,specially, my favourites Lauren and Marianela that I'm sure will be pure fire and energy on stage, I'm really looking forward to the day of the premiere.
I can't wait¡¡¡ :-)
Jewels is a delight and Giselle so wonderful, so I'm enchanted with the season.
London is a wonder that thank God gives so much attention to classical ballet.
Unfortunately not the case in other major capitals of Europe ..... luckily we still have the Royal Ballet.
Looks like a really nice balanced program of the big classis ballets including the new Don Quixoti and The Winter's Tale and the triple bills which include some new ballets. Perhaps there could have been an extra classic ballet around the June/July time and I agree with a previous comment that there is nothing for children in the Linbury studio theatre around Christmas time. Also looking forward to seeing the cinema performances.
Your ballet season looks wonderful I am looking forward with great anticipation to what the coming season holds .Wonderful new productions with great new talent and seasoned professionals .Brings together a future for all the ballet members at covent garden .I am looking forward to seeing as many productions as I can .Thank you
I'm looking forward to "Don Q" and "Winters Tale"
And what's about "Alice" ????
I saw it in April and would like to see it again and again. It was sensationel .
Especially excited for the triple bills! The Concert is one of by absolute favorite shorts!