Dans och balett

Following last season's production of The Turn of the Screw, we continue our collaboration with English National Opera, with Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. 

In the unique environment of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, experience the Grimm Brothers’ fairytale anew in this operatic retelling, sung in English.

Ben Glassberg conducts members of the ENO Orchestra, with direction by Open Air Theatre Artistic director Timothy Sheader. 

Translation by David Pountney |Orchestral reduction by Derek J Clark

Disillusioned with life, the aged philosopher Faust calls upon Satan to help him. The devil Méphistophélès appears and strikes a bargain with the philosopher: he will give him youth and the love of the beautiful Marguerite, if Faust will hand over his soul. Faust agrees, and Méphistophélès arranges matters so that Marguerite loses interest in her suitor Siébel and becomes infatuated with Faust.        

Faust initially seems to love Marguerite in return, but soon abandons her. Her brother Valentin returns from the war and is furious to find his sister pregnant. Will Faust repent his destructive actions and can their souls be saved?

Over 100 dancers and musicians bring Nutcracker to life with exquisite dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s popular score played live.

On a sparkling Christmas Eve in a frost-dusted Edwardian London, Clara and her enchanted Nutcracker doll discover a magical world, where she battles with the Mouse King and meets a handsome stranger. As the air grows colder, Clara and her valiant Nutcracker take a hot air balloon ride across London to the glistening Land of Snow where her adventure really begins.

From the sound of the orchestra tuning up, to the final bows and cheers, a trip to see the English National Ballet at the London Coliseum is an unforgettable Christmas treat.

Travel to a faraway land for the adventures of a dashing pirate, Conrad, and his feisty girlfriend Medora. Will they outfox villainous schemers and find happiness on the high seas?

English National Ballet’s Le Corsaire is “hugely enjoyable entertainment” (The Daily Telegraph). Expect a swashbuckling romp, full of thrilling dancing by an extraordinary cast of performers, with gorgeous decors and costumes created by Hollywood’s Bob Ringwood, all set to a romantic score played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

English National Ballet is the only UK company to perform this classic story ballet. Their extravagant production, staged by Anna-Marie Holmes, has enthralled audiences and received rave reviews worldwide, including Paris and Tokyo. It returns to the London Coliseum following glorious performances in 2016.

Carmen is the best-known work by French composer Georges Bizet, and one of the most famous operas in the entire art form – numbers such as the Habanera and the Toreador Song have permeated the popular consciousness as little else has. The opera’s heady combination of passion, sensuality and violence initially proved too much for the stage, and it was a critical failure on its 1875 premiere. Bizet died shortly after, and never learned of the spectacular success his Carmen would achieve: the opera has been performed more than five hundred times at Covent Garden alone.

Rome in 1800 is in political chaos. Cesare Angelotti, a former consul of the short-lived Roman Republic, has escaped imprisonment, and seeks refuge in the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle. The painter and republican sympathizer Mario Cavaradossi promises to hide him at his country villa. Baron Scarpia, Rome's tyrannical Chief of Police, suspects that Cavaradossi has helped Angelotti to escape. He persuades the painter's opera singer lover Floria Tosca, whom he himself desires, that Cavaradossi has betrayed her. She leaves to confront Cavaradossi at his villa and Scarpia orders his men to follow her, in the hope they'll find Angelotti.

Scarpia arrests Cavaradossi, and tortures him in Tosca's presence until she reveals Angelotti's hiding place. Scarpia subsequently condemns Cavaradossi to death. Alone with Tosca, Scarpia tells her that he will save Cavaradossi - but only if Tosca spends the night with him. Will Tosca yield to the man she hates to save the man she loves?

Kenneth MacMillan poignant setting of Sergei Prokofiev’s classic score draws out the emotional and psychological intensity of the tale. Romeo and Juliet contains three passionate pas de deux: the lovers’ first meeting, the famous balcony scene and the devastating final tragedy, in which Romeo dances desperately with the lifeless Juliet.

Master of minimalist movement Tao Ye founded TAO in 2008. Now famous for their stripped-down forms, the company brings two pieces from its Numerical Series, both featuring music from Tao’s regular collaborator, the avant-garde composer Xiao He.

In 4, a quartet move together in perfectly coordinated formation, without ever touching, as if drawn by a magnetic wave.

Tao’s latest work, 9, signifies a departure from the previous seven works in the series. A significant number in Chinese culture, representing a cycle of hardship and renewal, nine dancers hide connections within chaos.

Her voice. His vision. Their story.

Gloria and Emilio Estefan's smash-hit musical comes to London direct from Broadway for a strictly limited season. On Your Feet! is the inspiring true love story of Emilio and Gloria and charts their journey from its origins in Cuba, onto the streets of Miami and finally to international superstardom. 

The producers who brought you the smash hit productions of Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard, Carousel and Chess present the Tony-award winning musical Man of La Mancha, at the London Coliseum this spring.

Featuring the legendary song, The Impossible Dream (The Quest), Man of La Mancha is inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’s masterpiece novel Don Quixote. This uplifting, timeless tale stars Kelsey Grammer, Danielle de Niese, Peter Polycarpou, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Cassidy Janson, from 26th April for a limited 6 week season.

Described by esteemed American critic Edward P. Morgan as ‘One of the most magnificently moving pieces I have ever seen on any stage’, and celebrated throughout the world, Man of La Mancha at last returns to the West End in a new production for the first time in 50 years. Performed on the magnificent stage at the London Coliseum with the ENO’s 35-piece orchestra, it is set to be the theatrical event of the year. 

Join Don Quixote as he chases his impossible dream, to pursue the beautiful princess Dulcinea – and a few windmills. Determined to uphold all that is good and right at a time when the odds are stacked against him, Quixote’s courage is abounding, and we are all compelled to follow his unreachable star.

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet is a passionate and contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic love story.

SOMNIUM: A Dancer’s Dream, is the explosive dance show starring World Latin Showdance Champions and Strictly professionals Neil and Katya Jones.

Celebrated flamenco superstar, Israel Galván, returns to flaunt his signature quick-fire footwork in the most flamenco of celebrations.

Packed with energy and a sense of total liberty, Galván’s flair for the avant-garde brings the electric moments of the “fin de fiesta” to life - the time of freedom and improvisation following a flamenco show.

Traditionally a time for letting go, for invention and fierce creativity, La Fiesta unites a world-class company of dancers with musicians from inside the flamenco world and out, as Galván invites you to experience flamenco as not just an art form, but an intrinsic way of life.

Choreographer Yang Liping is known as the “Peacock Princess” in her native China.

This affectionate nickname stems from her most famous dance work, Spirit of the Peacock, inspired by the traditional peacock folk dancing of her youth. In 2016, she brought her beautiful visions to Sadler’s Wells with Under Siege. For her new work, she reunites with Oscar-winning designer Tim Yip, to create a unique take on Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring – utilising the iconic score alongside original compositions inspired by traditional Tibetan music.

Returning to her roots for this piece, Yang’s sacrificial Chosen One takes the form of a peacock.

World leading contemporary dance company Rambert uncovers early works by two Sadler’s Wells Associate Artists and a new piece by a rising star.

Created for Rambert by Wayne McGregor in 2002, PreSentient marked the arrival of a major new talent with its perfect match between McGregor’s angular movement and the lyrical phrasing of Steve Reich’s music.

Hofesh Shechter had a similar impact in 2007 with In Your Rooms, blending the personal and political with heart-stopping intensity.

Completing the triple bill is a new work by Marion Motin, whose hip hop influenced style is best known through her work for Christine and the Queens.