
Exceptional philanthropic support from Royal Ballet and Opera Principal Julia Rausing Trust
With the generous support of Aline Foriel-Destezet Season Principal
Generous philanthropic support from John and Susan Burns, Malcolm and Rosalind Gammie, Rachael Stearns and Lindsay and Sarah Tomlinson
The 2025/26 Royal Ballet Season is generously supported by Aud Jebsen
Against the Tide
Female principal role supported by Stephanie and Dan Tyrer
Choreography
George Balanchine
Music
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
Costume designer
Karinska
Lighting designer
John B. Read
Original Staging
Patricia Neary
Staging
Samantha Raine
Répétiteur
Sian Murphy
Principal Coaching
Zenaida Yanowsky
Sarah Lamb, Yuhui Choe, Mariko M. Sasaki
Ryoichi Hirano, Nicol Edmonds
Hannah Grennell, Viola Pantuso, Julia Roscoe, Amelia Townsend
Madison Bailey, Olivia Findlay, Scarlett Harvey, Bomin Kim, Nadia Mullova-Barley, Hanna Park, Maddison Pritchard, Sumina S. Sasaki, Ella Newton Severgnini, Charlotte Tonkinson, Marianna Tsembenhoi, Yu Hang, Ginevra Zambon
Martin Diaz, Brayden Gallucci, James Large, Marco Masciari
Conductor
Martin Georgiev
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Principal Guest Concert Master
by arrangement with Trittico
Vasko Vassilev
A co-production between The Royal Ballet and Ballet Zurich
Choreography
Cathy Marston
Music
Benjamin Britten
Performances of the work are given by permission of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited
Set Designer
Chloe Lamford
Costume Designer
Annemarie Woods
Lighting Designer
Fabiana Piccioli
Dramaturgy
Edward Kemp
Senior Répétiteur to the Visiting Choreographers
Deirdre Chapman
Répétiteur
Zhan Atymtayev
Leo Dixon
Francisco Serrano
Nicol Edmonds
Akane Takada
Denilson Almeida, Luc Foskett, Harrison Lee, Caspar Lench, Aiden O'Brien
Conductor
Martin Georgiev
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Solo Violin
by arrangement with Trittico
Vasko Vassilev
Associate Concert Master
Peter Schulmeister
Choreography
Justin Peck
Music
Sufjan Stevens
By arrangement with Chester Music LTD trading as G Schirmer on behalf of G Schirmer LTD
Arranged by
Michael P Atkinson
Set Designer
Karl Jensen
Costume Designer
Janie Taylor
Lighting Designer
Brandon Stirling Baker
Staging
Craig Hall, Charlie Hodges
Senior Répétiteur
Samira Saidi
Benesh Choreologist
Gregory Mislin
Sae Maeda, Annette Buvoli, Leticia Dias
Daichi Ikarashi, Harris Bell, Joseph Sissens
Hanna Park
Chisato Katsura, Bomin Kim, Ella Newton Severgnini, Téo Dubreuil, Harrison Lee, Taisuke Nakao
Madison Bailey, Olivia Findlay, Nadia Mullova-Barley, Sumina S. Sasaki, Charlotte Tonkinson, Marianna Tsembenhoi
Denilson Almeida, Martin Diaz, Emile Gooding, Brayden Gallucci, Caspar Lench, Alejandro Muñoz
Conductor
Martin Georgiev
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Principal Guest Concert Master
by arrangement with Trittico
Vasko Vassilev
Director
Kevin O’Hare CBE
Music Director
Koen Kessels
Resident Choreographer
Sir Wayne McGregor CBE
Artistic Associate
Christopher Wheeldon OBE
Administrative Director
Heather Baxter
Rehearsal Director
Christopher Saunders
Clinical Director Ballet Healthcare
Shane Kelly
We are working hard on our commitment towards becoming more sustainable and are striving for our net zero goal of 2035. By using digital cast sheets and e-tickets, we have reduced our paper consumption by over five tonnes per year. You can view our digital cast sheets on a computer, tablet or smartphone by scanning the QR codes displayed around the building using your smartphone’s camera app. They are also displayed on screens outside the auditoria.
Photography and filming are prohibited during performances in any of our auditoriums. You are welcome to take pictures throughout the rest of the building and before performances and share them with us through social media. Commercial photography and filming must be agreed in advance with our press team.
Larger bags and backpacks need to be check into our complimentary cloakrooms. Unattended bags may be removed.
Please do not place any personal belongings on the ledges in front of you. Mobile phones should be turned off and stored away safely during performances.
Only bottled water and ice cream purchased from the premises can be taken into the auditorium.
If you arrive late to the auditorium or leave during a performance, you will not be allowed back to your seat until the interval or a suitable break.
Smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere on the premises.
The safety of our visitors, staff and artists is our priority. To help us provide a comfortable experience for everyone, please be mindful of others and their personal space.
Our staff are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect and we ask that you show them and your fellow audience members respect too. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach in response to anyone who interacts with our staff or with fellow audience members in an intimidating, aggressive or threatening manner.
We rely on your support to make world-class ballet and opera for everyone. With your donations we can ensure a bright future for the Royal Ballet and Opera, bringing communities together and inspiring future generations up and down the country.
For people, not profit.
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)