Serenade  

George Balanchine is a defining figure of 20th-century ballet. With his company New York City Ballet, he created the American neoclassical style, known for its extreme speed, dynamism and athleticism. Serenade was the first ballet Balanchine created in America. Set to Tchaikovsky’s soaring Serenade for Strings, the ethereal ballet was created on the students at the School of American Ballet, which he had newly founded. The choreography of Serenade reflects this – the real-life mistakes made by the students ended up in his finished ballet. It premiered in 1935.   

New Cathy Marston 

This world premiere by choreographer Cathy Marston is set to Benjamin Britten’s Violin Concerto, a turbulent yet intimate piece written as Europe teetered on the brink of World War II. This new work is Marston’s second for the Company on the Main Stage, following the huge award-winning success of The Cellist (2020), her poignant tribute to cellist Jacquline du Pré. 

Everywhere We Go 

Justin Peck’s uplifting Everywhere We Go concludes the mixed programme. Its cinematic score by musician Sufjan Stevens, commissioned exclusively for this ballet, and its energetic dynamism exemplify Justin Peck’s invigorating choreographic style. Originally choreographed in 2014 for New York City Ballet where Peck is resident choreographer and artistic advisor, Everywhere We Go is the first of the American choreographer’s works to be performed by The Royal Ballet.