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From the archive:

70th Anniversary Gala

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London Coliseum
Approx. 2 hours 40 minutes including one interval
#ENB70
A spectacular programme for an unmissable celebration.

Celebrate with us the countless dancers, choreographers, artists, musicians, artisans, technicians and audience members who, over our 70 years, have been a part of the English National Ballet family, as we and English National Ballet School come together for this once-in-a-lifetime event.

In the first half, we present a non-stop programme of some of the most important, enjoyable and iconic works that make up English National Ballet’s history and ground-breaking repertoire. 

Classics of the Ballets Russes (that inspired our original vision) melt into modern productions; archive footage of the Company dissolves into live action on stage; and extracts from great masters – Balanchine, Petit, MacMillan and many more – follow one another to create an astonishing, dream-like look back at our history, and that of modern ballet.

The evening concludes with a stunning showcase of the great talent across all the ranks of English National Ballet, with Harald Lander’s Etudes. This favourite of our repertory, which we first performed in 1955, begins with traditional ballet exercises and steps and ramps up to a show-stopping display of dancing.

For 70 years, English National Ballet has been known for artistic excellence, innovative collaborations and bringing world-class ballet to the widest possible audience. For this special anniversary, support us with the purchase of a premium ticket, which includes a programme and a donation to the company.

Friends of English National Ballet receive discounts on tickets (T&Cs apply). Become a Friend today.

Main image: English National Ballet in Etudes © Laurent Liotardo

Explore

Julia Conway and dancers of English National Ballet in rehearsals for Harald Lander's Etudes ahead of our 70th Anniversary Gala © Laurent Liotardo.
In rehearsal: 70th Anniversary Gala
ENB 70: Eve Pettinger on Alicia Markova, Anton Dolin and the Corps de Ballet in 1950
Hear from Eve Pettinger, one of the first dancers of the Company, as we celebrate our 70th Anniversary.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Eve Pettinger
70th Anniversary Gala: Trailer | English National Ballet
Trailer for 70th Anniversary Gala
ENB 70: Ronald Hynd on choreographing Coppélia
Ronald Hynd reflects on his 50-year history with the Company (including choreographing Coppélia) as we celebrate our 70th Anniversary.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Ronald Hynd
ENB 70: Dame Beryl Grey and her time as Artistic Director of English National Ballet
As we turn 70, hear from Dame Beryl Grey on her time as Artistic Director, including commissioning Rudolf Nureyev's Romeo & Juliet.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Dame Beryl Grey
ENB 70: Michael Coleman on working with Rudolf Nureyev
As we celebrate our 70th Anniversary, Michael Coleman talks about the sense of family in the Company and fond memories working with Rudolf Nureyev.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Michael Coleman
ENB 70: Graham Bond on the early days of our orchestra
As we celebrate our 70th Anniversary, former Music Director Graham Bond talks about his time conducting English National Ballet Philharmonic.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Graham Bond
ENB 70: Christopher Bruce on the creation of Swansong
Christopher Bruce talks about the creation of Swansong in 1987 and why it's a signature work of the Company before we perform it as part of our 70th Anniversary Gala.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Christopher Bruce on Swansong
ENB 70: Craig Hassall on English National Ballet's history of arena ballets
As we turn 70, Craig Hassall reflects on our history of arena and in-the-round ballets.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Craig Hassall
ENB 70: Johnny Eliasen on staging Etudes for English National Ballet
Johnny Eliasen looks back on his history with the Company, including staging Harald Lander's Études, which we perform as part of our 70th Anniversary Gala.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Johnny Eliasen on Études
ENB 70: Matz Skoog on his time as a dancer and Artistic Director of English National Ballet
For our 70th Anniversary, Matz Skoog remembers how he came to the join the Company as a dancer and then becoming Artistic Director from 2001-2005.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Matz Skoog
ENB 70: Peter Schaufuss on renaming English National Ballet and the creation of the School
Peter Schaufuss explains why he changed our name from London Festival Ballet and about founding English National Ballet School as we celebrate our 70th Anniversary.
ENB 70th Anniversary: Interview with Peter Schaufuss
ENB 70: Nanette Glushak on Balanchine's Apollo and Who Cares?
Nanette Glushak reflects on her history with the Company, teaching George Balanchine's Apollo and Who Cares?
ENB 70: Nanette Glushak on Balanchine's Apollo and Who Cares?
70th Anniversary Gala, November 2019, Rehearsal images

Casting and Repertoire

The Gala performances will begin with a blend of film and performance. Using archive footage of English National Ballet, Dominic Best, who directed BBC documentaries Good Swan, Bad Swan: Dancing Swan Lake and Giselle: Belle of the Ballet, will create a special film which will dissolve into live performance on stage, with extracts from the following works to be performed:

  • Apollo, George Balanchine
  • Who Cares?, George Balanchine
  • La Sylphide, August Bournonville
  • Swansong, Christopher Bruce
  • Strictly Gershwin, Derek Deane
  • Playlist (Track 2), William Forsythe
  • Coppélia, Ronald Hynd
  • Dust, Akram Khan
  • Giselle, Akram Khan
  • Broken Wings, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
  • The Sleeping Beauty, Kenneth MacMillan
  • Romeo & Juliet, Rudolf Nureyev
  • Carmen, Roland Petit
  • Three Preludes, Ben Stevenson

International dance star Sergio Bernal will be joining the Company as Guest Artist for the 70th Anniversary Gala, performing Farruca (Three-Cornered Hat).

ENBYouthCo will also perform a short piece choreographed by their Creative Director, Richard Bermange.

The gala performances conclude with a nod to English National Ballet’s early years, with a performance of one if its signature pieces, Etudes by Harald Lander, first performed by the Company in 1955.

Subject to change.

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