English National Ballet’s Swan Lake and Raymonda to tour the UK

ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET RETURNS TO UK TOURING THIS AUTUMN

RAYMONDA BY TAMARA ROJO TO BE PERFORMED ON TOUR ALONGSIDE SWAN LAKE

GUEST ARTIST BROOKLYN MACK WILL PERFORM PRINCIPAL ROLES IN BOTH PRODUCTIONS

FULL CASTING FOR BOTH PRODUCTIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED

Having received its world premiere at the London Coliseum in January 2022, Raymonda by English National Ballet’s Artistic Director Tamara Rojo CBE, after Marius Petipa, will be performed at the Bristol Hippodrome (23–26 November 2022) and Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre (30 November–03 December 2022).

Updating the ballet’s setting to the Crimean war and drawing inspiration from the ground-breaking spirit and work of the women supporting the war effort, including Florence Nightingale, Raymonda is recast as a young woman with a calling to become a nurse. Starring a huge cast of dancers, this critically acclaimed adaptation with UK sponsorship from Cunard, keeps the best of the 19th-century original including Alexander Glazunov’s score, adapted and edited by Gavin Sutherland and Lars Payne, which is performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic

Get swept away by the passionate story of Raymonda – an epic journey of love and courage inspired by the pioneering spirit of Florence Nightingale.

England, 1854. Raymonda runs away from her comfortable life to become a nurse in the Crimean War. There, she becomes engaged to a soldier, John, but soon develops feelings for his friend Abdur, a leader of the Ottoman army. As turmoil grows around and inside her, who will she give her heart to?

Also touring this autumn is English National Ballet’s hugely successful production of the timeless classic, Swan Lake, which will be performed at the Liverpool Empire (28 September–01 October 2022) and Manchester’s Palace Theatre (05–08 October 2022) followed by the London Coliseum (12–22 January 2023). Choreographed by Derek Deane, the production features some of the most iconic scenes in ballet and will be performed to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

Brooklyn Mack will join English National Ballet as a Guest Artist for the autumn/winter season, performing in Principal roles for both Swan Lake and Raymonda on tour as well as the Christmas season at the London Coliseum. Born in South Carolina, USA, Brooklyn trained at Pavlovich Dance School and Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington. He made his Company debut with English National Ballet in 2015 as Lankendem and then Conrad in Anne-Marie Holme’s Le Corsaire. He then returned as Guest Artist in 2019, dancing once more in Le Corsaire, and in Wheeldon’s Cinderella and Eagling’s Nutcracker. Recognised as Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch”, Brooklyn has competed in major international competitions. In 2012 he made history as the first African American to win a gold medal at Varna’s International Ballet Competition, as well as winning the 2012 Istanbul Grand Prix. Brooklyn won gold at the Boston International Ballet Competition and is the recipient of the Marius Liepa Award (2011); South Carolina Jewel Award (2011); Silver Medal 2009 Helsinki International Ballet Competition; The Princess Grace of Monaco Award (2007) and Silver Medal–USA International Ballet.