Royal Ballet

Royal Ballet
source
Name	Royal Ballet
Founded	1931
Founder	Ninette de Valois
Location	London
Venue	Royal Opera House
Official school	The Royal Ballet School

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a major British ballet company based in London with a long-standing residence at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Founded by Ninette de Valois and shaped by artists such as Frederick Ashton, Constant Lambert, and William Chappell, the company has been associated with premieres by choreographers including Kenneth MacMillan, Anthony Tudor, and Jerome Robbins. It maintains a repertory that spans works by Marius Petipa, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Igor Stravinsky, and collaborates with institutions like the BBC Philharmonic and Royal Shakespeare Company.

History

The company's origins trace to the Vic-Wells Ballet, created by Ninette de Valois with support from patrons including Lilias, Countess Mountbatten of Burma and venues such as Sadler's Wells Theatre. Early figures included music director Constant Lambert, stage designer Sandy Wilson (composer), and dancers like Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann. During World War II the company toured to venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Belfast and worked with conductors such as Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Adrian Boult. Postwar developments involved the establishment of the Royal Opera House as a principal base and royal patronage following a command from Queen Elizabeth II. The 20th century saw collaborations with choreographers Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, John Cranko, and directors including Antony Tudor and Sir Peter Wright.

The company weathered public funding shifts from Arts Council England and strategic changes under administrators like Sir John Tooley and Richard Buckle. Notable premieres included works created for principal dancers such as Anthony Dowell, Sylvie Guillem, and Darcey Bussell. The company has been led artistically by figures including Rudolf Nureyev (guest), Jonathan Cope, and Kevin O'Hare, and has commissioned new scores from composers such as Benjamin Britten, Arthur Bliss, and William Walton.

Repertoire and Productions

Repertoire highlights comprise classical full-length ballets including works set to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty), Ludwig Minkus (La Bayadère), and Adolphe Adam (Giselle). Neoclassical and modern works include choreographies by George Balanchine, Michel Fokine, and Mikhail Fokine alongside narrative ballets by Kenneth MacMillan (e.g., Romeo and Juliet (MacMillan)), Frederick Ashton (La Fille mal gardée), and Jerome Robbins (Dances at a Gathering). Collaborations have involved designers like John Gunter, Peter Farmer, and Lez Brotherston and conductors from the London Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra.

The company has staged contemporary commissions by choreographers Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon, Liam Scarlett, Twyla Tharp, and Alastair Marriott. Revivals of works by Marius Petipa and reconstructions informed by archives such as those of Serge Lifar and Alexander Gorsky are periodically mounted. Production partnerships extend to opera and theater companies including English National Opera and Royal Court Theatre for cross-disciplinary seasons.

Artists and Leadership

Principal artists and company members have included celebrated names such as Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nureyev, Darcey Bussell, Sylvie Guillem, Carlos Acosta, and Ivan Nagy. Leadership roles have been filled by directors and artistic directors including Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, and Anthony Dowell, while administrators have included Sir David Webster and Sir John Tooley. Music directors and conductors associated with the company include Constant Lambert, Barry Wordsworth, Richard Bonynge, and Koen Kessels.

Choreographers in residence and frequent collaborators include Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, Wayne McGregor, Christopher Wheeldon, and Jerome Robbins. Designers and stage directors such as Nicholas Georgiadis, John Macfarlane, and Sasha Mukhamedov have contributed to production aesthetics. The company maintains ties with dance critics and historians like Deborah Bull, Jill Johnson, and Marian Smith.

Training and The Royal Ballet School

The Royal Ballet's feeder institution, The Royal Ballet School, was founded to provide systematic training influenced by Serge Diaghilev-era pedagogy and the Cecchetti method associated with figures like Enrico Cecchetti. The school operates campuses in Baronial Hall, with students progressing through the Lower School, Upper School, and vocational programs, often advancing to the company via the Young Artists Programme and Jette Parker Young Artists Programme partnerships. Notable alumni include Margot Fonteyn, Darcey Bussell, Carlos Acosta, and Sylvie Guillem.

Curricula emphasize technique drawn from tutors linked to Agnes de Mille's legacy, Vagonova method influences, and contemporary practices taught by instructors formerly associated with companies like Bolshoi Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and New York City Ballet. The school participates in auditions, competitions such as Prix de Lausanne, and exchange programs with institutions including Paris Opera Ballet School and School of American Ballet.

Company Structure and Operations

The company is organized into ranks including Principal, Principal Character Artist, First Soloist, Soloist, and Corps de Ballet, with administrative support from departments modeled on institutions like Royal Opera House Management, Arts Council England, and Culture Recovery Fund frameworks. Operational roles include rehearsal directors, répétiteurs, artistic staff, and a music staff coordinating with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Funding and governance involve trustees drawn from organizations like The Royal Foundation and partnerships with corporate sponsors including Bloomberg Philanthropies and philanthropic trusts such as Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Facilities include rehearsal studios at Middle Temple and wardrobe workshops collaborating with costume houses like Angus Nielson and Elizabeth Emanuel (designers). Health and wellness services are provided in conjunction with medical teams influenced by practices from National Health Service clinicians and sports medicine experts associated with English Institute of Sport.

Tours and International Influence

The company has undertaken international tours to venues including Lincoln Center, Teatro alla Scala, Bolshoi Theatre, and festivals such as Salzburg Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Historic tours featured performances for heads of state and cultural exchanges with companies like Kirov Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and Canadian National Ballet. These tours have enhanced the company's influence on curriculum development at schools such as Australian Ballet School and companies including Houston Ballet and San Francisco Ballet.

International residencies, guest appearances, and co-productions have fostered collaborations with choreographers from Japan, China, Brazil, and United States companies, strengthening ties with institutions like UNESCO and cultural ministries. Touring has also supported outreach initiatives in partnership with organizations such as Arts Council England and British Council that promote dance diplomacy.

Category:British ballet companies