Alexei Ratmansky’s first work for a British company, to Chopin’s entrancing and varied piano music, returns reimagined.
Alexei Ratmansky is one of the most celebrated names in contemporary ballet. During his time as Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Ballet, he revitalized the company’s repertory with new choreography for ballet scores by Shostakovich and Prokofiev and re-stagings of historic works. Since joining American Ballet Theatre as Artist in Residence in 2009, he has created critically acclaimed versions of classic Russian ballets?The Nutcracker, The Firebird and The Sleeping Beauty.
In 2013, Ratmansky choreographed for the first time with a UK company, The Royal Ballet. The result, 24 Preludes to an orchestration of Chopin’s piano music, is an atmospheric sequence for eight performers of divertissements – in turn flowing, melancholy, sensual, romantic – that match classical technique with the individuality of the company dancers. It returns this Season reimagined as Preludes, with Chopin’s music in its original solo piano form.