English National Ballet has revealed its new season for 2024 and 2025, the 75th for the ballet company, including Akram Khan’s Giselle, Mary Skeaping’s Giselle, Nutcracker at the London Coliseum,The Forsythe Programme and My First Ballet: Swan Lake.
The season will feature two world premieres, a Company premiere and the return of a number of audience favourites.
Akram Khan’s Giselle opens English National Ballet’s 2024/2025 Season with a return to London’s Sadler’s Wells from 18 to 28 September 2024, for the first time since 2019.
In this acclaimed reimagining of the iconic ballet, Khan tells a story of love, betrayal, and redemption. The production features a set designed by Academy Award-winner Tim Yip and a score by Vincenzo Lamagna.
This year English National Ballet will also present Mary Skeaping’s production of Giselle, touring to the Liverpool Empire (23 to 26 October 2024) and Manchester’s Palace Theatre (30 October to 2 November 2024) in the autumn, before returning to the London Coliseum in January 2025.
With its beautiful classical language and thoughtful staging, this Giselle features some of ballet’s most dramatic scenes and otherworldly images.
Christmas 2024 will see the world premiere of a new production of the classic festive ballet Nutcracker, choreographed by English National Ballet’s Artistic Director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Arielle Smith.
The production promises to take audiences on a fantastical adventure as they join Clara on her journey of discovery, from Edwardian London to the Land of Sweets & Delights. Nutcracker is bought to life by exquisite dancing, spectacular new costumes and sets by Dick Bird, lighting by Paul Pyant, and Tchaikovsky’s instantly recognisable score played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.
Nutcracker will receive its world premiere at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre (28 to 30 November 2024) before performances at the London Coliseum, from 12 December 2024 to 12 January 2025.
For the first time, English National Ballet will present a relaxed performance of Nutcracker, at the London Coliseum on 9 January 2025.
English National Ballet – New season trailer
In spring 2025, English National Ballet returns to Sadler’s Wells in London with The Forsythe Programme, from 10 to 19 April 2025, a triple bill showcasing highlights of master choreographer William Forsythe’s, broad catalogue of work.
Combining ballet classicism and athleticism with the music of Barry White, Natalie Cole and Khalid to name just a few, Playlist (EP) returns alongside New Suite, an arrangement of eight earlier pas de deux set to scores by Händel, Berio and Bach, presented by English National Ballet for the first time.
Completing the programme is the world premiere of a new work created for the Company in which Forsythe takes inspiration from the 2nd movement of Prokofiev’s piano concerto number 3 in C major Opus 26; “Tema con Variazioni”.
For younger audiences, English National Ballet and English National Ballet School revive My First Ballet: Swan Lake at the West End’s Peacock Theatre, from 17 to 26 April 2025.
The perfect introduction to the artform, this is a specially adapted version of the world’s most iconic ballet. Featuring choreography by Antonio Castilla, English National Ballet’s Repetiteur, and with a narrator to guide the audience, the production is accessible to children aged three upwards. The run will also include a relaxed performance as part of the My First Inclusive Ballet outreach programme as well as a series of on-stage family workshops.
In summer 2025, English National Ballet continues its investment in Emerging Talent programmes with the launch of Choreo Labs – a supportive and inspiring environment for Company dancers to develop their skills and explore new choreographic ideas. Open to dancers across the Company, the series will culminate with an in-house sharing session. Choreo Labs is part of English National Ballet’s future commitment to create a wider Emerging Talent performance programme, which will bring together its existing Emerging Dancer event and Choreo Labs.
To mark English National Ballet’s 75th Season, a free, 10-day digital celebration will be presented in June 2025. Showcasing English National Ballet’s past, present and future, ENB@75 will feature performance excerpts filmed especially in the Company’s in-house Holloway Production Studio as well as interviews, archive footage and exclusive behind-the-scenes insight.
The 2024/2025 season also marks the first full season for Music Director Maria Seletskaja. Alongside Principal Guest Conductor, Gavin Sutherland, Seletskaja will conduct English National Ballet Philharmonic for performances of Akram Khan’s Giselle, Mary Skeaping’s Giselle and Nutcracker. Also conducting performances of Nutcracker are Daniel Parkinson and Kingsley Lin.
Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Aaron S. Watkin, said in a statement: “In this, English National Ballet’s 75th Season, we will be celebrating the myriad ways that ballet can excite, entertain, and inspire. Be it the renewal of a beloved classic with our new Nutcracker, cherished revivals, or a return to the ground-breaking works of Akram Khan and William Forsythe – this is a season that showcases the many wonderful things that ballet can offer. I am thrilled that English National Ballet continues to attract world-class creative talent. I can’t wait to have Arielle Smith and William Forsythe back in our studios to create work and I know our dancers will be inspired by their presence. Finally, its hugely important to me that we welcome as many people as possible to celebrate our 75th Season with us. I am therefore delighted that we will be presenting a free digital celebration that will enable us to connect with ballet fans and new audiences alike, all around the world.”
About Nutcracker, Aaron S. Watkin, who is joint choreographer on the ballet, said: “Nutcracker holds a special place in English National Ballet’s history and in the hearts of our audiences. The Company has performed a version of it every year since it was founded in 1950 and it is an honour to be working with Arielle and Dick, to bring new magic and wonder to this much-loved ballet.”
More about tickets to Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
Book tickets to My First Ballet: Swan Lake at the Peacock Theatre London
London Coliseum, London
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