English National Ballet Announces Principle Casting For Manchester

Two works new to English National Ballet's repertoire, Sir Kenneth MacMillan's masterwork, Song of the Earth and August Bournonville's La Sylphide recreated by Frank Andersen and Eva Kloborg, will be performed at the Manchester Palace Theatre from 11 - 14 October.

First performed in 1965, MacMillan's choreography for Song of the Earth was different from anything he had previously devised. Featuring three central figures, a Woman, a Man, and a Messenger, this powerful, moving exploration of life, death, and renewal is set to Mahler's song cycle, Das Lied von der Erde, performed live by The English National Ballet Philharmonic. These performances of Song of the Earth coincide with the 25th anniversary of MacMillan's death.

Devised by one of the world's leading producers of Bournonville ballets, Frank Anderson and Eva Kloborg's faithful version of the 1830s Romantic ballet La Sylphide sees James wake from a dream on the morning of his wedding to Effy to encounter a mysterious sylphide before him, setting off a fateful sequence of events.

Song of the Earth and La Sylphide will also be performed at the London Coliseum in January 2018.

Principal casting

Please note, casting is subject to change. Please see www.ballet.org.uk for up to date casting.

Song of the Earth / La Sylphide

Manchester Palace Theatre
Wednesday 11 - Saturday 14 October

Song of the Earth
(in the order of Lead Lady, Lead Man, Messenger)

Wednesday 11 October
Tamara Rojo*, Joseph Caley†*, Jeffrey Cirio††*

Thursday 12 October (matinee)

Fernanda Oliveira*, Aitor Arrieta*, Ken Saruhashi*

Thursday 12 October
Erina Takahashi*, Isaac Hernández†*, Jeffrey Cirio††

Friday 13 October
Jurgita Dronina†*, Skyler Martin*, Aaron Robison†*

Saturday 14 October (matinee)
Fernanda Oliveira, Aitor Arrieta, Ken Saruhashi

Saturday 14 October
Tamara Rojo, Joseph Caley†, Aaron Robison†

La Sylphide
(in the order of La Sylphide and James)

Wednesday 11 October
Jurgita Dronina†* and Isaac Hernández†*

Thursday 12 October (matinee)
Alison McWhinney* and Aaron Robison†*

Thursday 12 October
Rina Kanehara* and Joseph Caley†*

Friday 13 October
Erina Takahashi* and Jeffrey Cirio††*

Saturday 14 October (matinee)
Rina Kanehara and Ciro Tamayo*

Saturday 14 October
Jurgita Dronina† and Isaac Hernández†

*Debut in the role with English National Ballet

†Sponsored by the Aud Jebsen International Talent Programme

††Guest Artists sponsored by Aud Jebsen

±Backes & Strauss Brand Ambassador

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