Osbert Lancaster

The Royal Opera House is delighted to continue its #OurHouseToYourHouse programme, featuring online broadcasts that can be accessed by audiences around the world for £3.

The Royal Opera House continues to treat us to a fortnightly fix of ballet and what relief this latest edition is. After some rather sombre, heavier narrative works, the froth and joy of Frederick Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardée is balm for the soul. Balletomanes will want to pour over this 2005 recording which features Marianela Nunez' debut in the central role of Lise with Carlos Acosta as Colas. 

There's a lot riding on this revival of Ninette de Valois' production of Coppélia. Not only is it being performed by an (almost) entirely new crop of dancers since it was last seen here in 2006, it replaces Sir Peter Wright's long loved production of Nutcracker as this year's festive treat. 

The 2017/18 Birmingham Royal Ballet season finishes at The Bristol Hippodrome with the funny and tender La Fille mal gardee. This charming ballet was an instant hit when it was created by Frederick Ashton for the Royal Ballet in 1960. Inspired by Ashton's love of the English countryside, La Fille mal gardee includes some of his most virtuoso, energetic choreography as well as elements of traditional folk dancing.

'La Fille mal gardee', Frederick Ashton has given us folksy innocence, clever games, and sunny smiles. That smile was perfectly embodied by soloist Jeffrey Cirio, making a splendid debut as Colas in the opening performance of this life affirming ballet. He is more than ably assisted by a cast of tremendous artists who give of themselves completely to making these simple country characters sparkle. And what characters! With an opening danced by five chickens -- four hens and one manic rooster -- how could it be otherwise?

Casting for the third and fourth weeks of American Ballet Theatre's 2016 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

American Ballet Theatre's 2016 Spring season will be highlighted by a World Premiere work by Alexei Ratmansky, the American Premiere of Ratmansky's The Golden Cockerel and a revival of Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardee. Tickets for ABT's Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House go on sale at the box office on Sunday, March 20 at 12 Noon.