This October, The Royal Ballet showcases the work of leading 20^th-century choreographers Kenneth MacMillan and Frederick Ashton alongside Rudolf Nureyev’s production of an Imperial classic in a mixed programme that celebrates the versatility of the Company.

Concerto, created by Kenneth MacMillan in 1966 for Berlin’s Deutsche Oper Ballet, is set to Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto no.2 in F and includes energetic corps de ballet sections as well as lyrical pas de deux that perfectly reflect the contrasting mood of the music. Bright, vivid designs by Jürgen Roseencapsulate the work’s warmth and energy and Concerto remains one of MacMillan’s most celebrated lyrical creations.

Frederick Ashton’s Enigma Variations is also presented as part of this programme. It received its premiere at the Royal Opera House more than fifty years ago, and last performed at Covent Garden in 2011, the ballet features period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman and Edward Elgar’s eponymous score, illustrating an imagined gathering of the composer and his companions. This revival will feature debuts from Royal Ballet Principals Laura Morera,Francesca Hayward and Matthew Ball.

Rudolf Nureyev’s magnificent staging of Raymonda Act III by Marius Petipa completes the mixed programme. With his intimate knowledge of the ballet from his early career with the Kirov Ballet, Nureyev staged a full-length version of the Russian classic especially for The Royal Ballet in 1969. The final act celebrates the wedding of Raymonda and the knight Jean de Brienne, following Jean’s return from the Crusades, and features an array of folkdances, ensemble sequences and spectacular solos, set to music by Alexander Glazunov.

Director of The Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare, comments: ‘I’m delighted to be reviving these three fantastic ballets as the first mixed programme of our 2019/20 Season. The variety and nuance of each of these pieces affords a range of opportunities for the Company, both in terms of technical precision and storytelling, and I’m thrilled that audiences around the world will be able to join us when the performance is broadcast live to cinemas.’

Concerto / Enigma Variations / Raymonda Act III will be broadcast live to cinemas on Tuesday 5 November as part of ROH Live Cinema.