The Royal Ballet brings its 'best' to Seoul with snapshot of classics, heritage, world premiere
'We're delighted to share the Royal Ballet of today with you,' said Kevin O'Hare, artistic director of the company since 2012, during a press conference Wednesday. 'The program is full of excerpts from some of our greatest works that are all linked to our repertoire. It's a snapshot of the Royal Ballet today.'
Titled 'The First Gala in Seoul,' the program offers a sweeping glimpse of the company's storied yet ever-evolving repertoire. The gala features excerpts from canonical works like 'Giselle' and 'Don Quixote,' as well as Kenneth MacMillan's emotionally charged 'Romeo and Juliet' and 'Manon.' More contemporary pieces are Christopher Wheeldon's 'After the Rain' pas de deux and a world premiere by Royal Ballet's dancer-choreographer Joshua Junker titled 'Spells.'
As the company looks ahead to its centenary in 2031, O'Hare reflected on the legacy of its founder, Dame Ninette de Valois, citing her words as a guiding mantra: 'She always said, 'Respect the past, look to the future, but concentrate on the present.''
Principal dancer Vadim Muntagirov pointed to the company's ever-challenging and diverse repertoire as its greatest strength. 'It never lets you settle and constantly challenges you,' he said.
O'Hare echoed the sentiment. 'I think each choreographic style enhances the other. So even if you're doing something very, very contemporary, that can actually enhance what you bring when you go back to the classics.'
One highly anticipated piece, Wayne McGregor's "Chroma," was pulled from the program due to a last-minute injury.
O'Hare expressed regret over the change, explaining that the dancer was injured at the end of last week and could not be replaced in time, adding, 'It gives us a very good excuse to return with a Wayne McGregor work in the near future.'
The Seoul gala also brings together some of the Royal Ballet's biggest stars, including Benois de la Danse winner Natalia Osipova, Fumi Kaneko and several Korean dancers: first soloists Choe Yu-hui and Jun Joon-hyuk, first artist Kim Bo-min and artist (corps de ballet) Park Han-na.
Choe and Jun said they are very proud and grateful to be part of the 'best' ensemble. For Choe, the performance is especially meaningful, as she returned to the stage just nine months after giving birth to her second child.
'It's a group of extraordinary dancers you can't find anywhere else,' Jun said. 'Every day, in rehearsals, in class and on stage, we work to influence one another in the best way possible — not just in how we approach our work, but in our attitude toward ballet itself. Being part of a company that creates that kind of positive cycle is something I take great pride in.'
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