Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Christopher Wheeldon's 2011 ballet adaptation of the classic tale with an original score by Joby, will have its first performance by a house other than its two originating companies — The Royal Ballet and National Ballet of Canada — when it premieres with the Royal Swedish Ballet on 6 May 2016, for 12 performances throughout the month. The company is launching the production in partnership with the Royal Danish Ballet. For performance dates and more information, visit the Royal Swedish Opera website.
The Winter's Tale returns to The Royal Ballet
The Winter's Tale, Christopher Wheeldon's 2014 full-length adaptation of Shakespeare's play with an original score by Joby, will return to The Royal Ballet from 12 April 2016. This revival by the originating company follows the work's highly successful North American premiere with co-commissioners the National Ballet of Canada in November 2015.
Joby's score includes an onstage band composed of instruments from a variety of global folk traditions, creating a sound that is both new and timeless. First cast features Lauren Cuthbertson as Hermione, Ed Watson as Leontes, Federico Bonelli as Polixenes, Zenaida Yanowsky as Paulina, Sarah Lamb as Perdita and Steven McRae as Florizel. For more production information, to view performance dates and purchase tickets, visit the Royal Opera House website.
The Winter's Tale at Lincoln Center Festival
The line-up for New York City's 2016 Lincoln Center Festival has just been announced by director Nigel Redden, and includes five performances of The Winter's Tale by the National Ballet of Canada, from July 28-31 at the David H. Koch Theater. For more information visit the Festival website.
The Winter's Tale opens at Washington DC's Kennedy Center
Following its acclaimed North American premiere by the National Ballet of Canada in November, Christopher Wheeldon's The Winter's Tale has opened to positive reviews on a tour production by the company at Washington DC's Kennedy Center, with five remaining performances until Sunday 24 January. The principal cast includes NBC stars Piotr Stanczyk, Hannah Fischer, Jillian Vanstone, Naoya Ebe, Harrison James and Xiao Nan Yu.
One critic describes Joby's score — his second to be jointly commissioned for Wheeldon ballets by The Royal Ballet and National Ballet of Canada — as "rich and varied... both like an ancient discovery from a yet to be uncovered new tribe but absolutely modern" (Lisa Traiger, D.C. Metro Theater Arts); while The New York Times' Alastair Macaulay deems it "attractive".
The Winter's Tale cinema screenings
The Winter's Tale, Joby's second full-length narrative collaboration with Christopher Wheeldon for The Royal Ballet and National Ballet of Canada, will be screened at selected locations across the United States and internationally from Tuesday 17 February.
The performance was recorded on 28 April 2014, during the work's premiere run at The Royal Ballet. It features Edward Watson as Leontes, Lauren Cuthbertson as Hermione, Federico Bonelli as Polixenes, Zenaida Yanowsky as Paulina, Sarah Lamb as Perdita and Steven McRae as Florizel.
For more information and to find a screening, follow this link to the Royal Opera House website.
BBC to broadcast 'The Winter's Tale' on Christmas Day
The Royal Ballet's performance of The Winter's Tale will be broadcast on BBC Four at 7pm on Christmas Day 2014. The full-length adaptation of Shakespeare's play is Joby's second collaboration on such a work with choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and premiered in April 2014.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Joby and Christopher's first narrative work together, is currently at the Royal Opera House and will appear live in cinemas on 16 December. This performance will also be shown on Sky Arts on 3 January at 8pm and 4 January at 8am.
'Alice's Adventures' opens at the Royal Opera House
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has returned to Covent Garden for 20 shows over the 2014/15 festive season.
Joby wrote the score — the first in 20 years to be commissioned by The Royal Ballet for a full-length narrative work — at the request of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. The production, a co-commission with the National Ballet of Canada, premiered in early 2011 and has since returned to both houses twice or more. Joby and Christopher produced a second full-length narrative work for the same two companies in 2014, an adaptation of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.
The Royal Ballet's performance on 16 December will be broadcast live to cinemas internationally. Alice's Adventures is at the Royal Opera House until 16 January 2015.
For those unable to attend live or cinema shows, both productions are available on DVD — Alice as either a regular or special edition release, and The Winter's Tale as a special edition available for pre-order, to be released on 1 January 2015.
The Winter's Tale DVD now available for pre-order
The Royal Ballet has recently made available for pre-order the DVD of their 2014 performance of The Winter's Tale in a Special Edition Box Set. The official release date is 1 January 2015.
The performance features Edward Watson as Leontes, Lauren Cuthbertson as Hermione, Federico Bonelli as Polixenes, Zenaida Yanowsky as Paulina, Steven McRae as Florizel and Sarah Lamb as Perdita. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House is conducted by David Briskin. This Box Set includes an Introduction to The Winter's Tale, Perdita, Music of The Winter's Tale, and Cast Gallery, as well as eight postcards of production images.
The Winter's Tale was choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon to a new score by Joby, for The Royal Ballet and National Ballet of Canada, and premiered in London in April 2014.
'Alice' to be broadcast live on 16 December
The Royal Ballet are to perform Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 20 performances over Christmas and the New Year. Though the run is now sold out, the performance on 16 December is to be broadcast live to cinemas internationally as part of the Royal Opera House's Live Cinema Season.
The broadcast will feature Sarah Lamb as Alice, Federico Bonelli as the Knave, Zenaida Yanowsky as the Queen of Hearts and Steven McRae as The Mad Hatter. The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House will be conducted by David Briskin.
Alice's Adventures was choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon to a score by Joby, for The Royal Ballet and National Ballet of Canada. It premiered in February 2011 in London and has since returned each year.
To find a screening near you, see The Royal Opera House website or follow the link below.