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The Royal Ballet’s artists will come together in the Company’s 90th anniversary year to ‘respect the past, herald the future, but concentrate on the present’ in a Season of classic and modern works. The world premieres of three ballets have been announced, with Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project, Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate and a new work by American choreographer Kyle Abraham.

Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project will premiere in October 2021. The Royal Ballet’s first ever co-production with Paris Opera Ballet takes its inspiration from Dante’s Divine Comedy and is presented as part of the 700th anniversary celebrations of the poet’s death in 1321. This will see a collaboration between McGregor, composer Thomas Adès, and artist Tacita Dean. The production will also be an opportunity for audiences to celebrate the career of Edward Watson who performs the role of Dante.

The Royal Ballet will also present Christopher Wheeldon’s new full-length ballet Like Water for Chocolate, based on the Mexican novel of the same name by Laura Esquivel. This co-commission between The Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre reunites Wheeldon with composer Joby Talbot. The original cast for this reshaping of Esquivel’s love story will be led by Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambé.

The Season will also see more new work in a contemporary mixed programme that includes a work by Kyle Abraham. Alongside these new works will be revivals of Royal Ballet classics including Giselle, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, works by Frederick Ashton, and Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet.

The Linbury Theatre will continue to host collaboration and creativity, featuring independent companies and schools, and in developing new work.