Christopher Wheeldon's LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE Will Open the Royal Ballet's 25/26 Season

The Royal Ballet will open their 2025/26 Season with Christopher Wheeldon's Like Water for Chocolate. Passion, mystery and magic set the themes for this captivating family saga inspired by Laura Esquivel's modern Mexican classic. Returning for its first revival since premiering in 2022, this delectable ballet follows the central characters of Tita and Pedro and their unrequited love for one another. Emotion and desire run deep, spilling out through Tita's cooking to influence everyone around her in startling and dramatic ways. 

Wheeldon's evocative choreography combines with Joby Talbot's score and Bob Crowley's designs to propel us into the passion and chaos of Tita's family ranch in Mexico. The ballet is the third in a series of collaborations between Wheeldon, Talbot, Crowley and lighting designer Natasha Katz – fruitful collaborations that also yielded Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter's Tale.   

As part of the ballet's creation process, Wheeldon worked closely with author Laura Esquivel to reshape her richly layered story as an engrossing new ballet. Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra also acted as musical consultant for Talbot's original score.   

This Season sees Royal Ballet Principal dancers Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambe reprising the roles of Tita and Pedro. During the run, there will be debuts from Principal dancers Anna Rose O'Sullivan and Mayara Magri and First Artist Ella Newton Severgnini as Tita. Principal Joseph Sissens and Soloist Francisco Serrano make their debut as Pedro. Calvin Richardson makes his debut as Dr John Brown.  

Christopher Wheeldon, Royal Ballet Artistic Associate is celebrated for his expressive choreography and theatricality. He has worked with the world's leading dance companies as well as directing the critically acclaimed stage version of the musical An American in Paris as well as directing and choregraphing the Olivier Award winning MJ the Musical.