UK DEBUT AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

24 – 27 July 2025 / ‘Giselle’ / Royal Opera House, London

Artists of National Ballet of Japan in Act 2 of Giselle, Photograph by Takashi Shikama

The National Ballet of Japan comes to Covent Garden this summer making its Royal Opera House debut.  This will be the first time an Asian dance company has performed on the main stage of the Royal Opera House in more that 15 years.

The London season marks the homecoming of the National Ballet of Japan artistic director, Miyako Yoshida, the first Japanese ballerina to be made a Principal dancer of The Royal Ballet and an inspiration to an entire generation of Japanese dancers.

The company presents the UK premiere of Miyako Yoshida’s production of Giselle.

Five performances featuring four casts of eight principal dancers

Tickets here

Yui Negishi as Myrta and Artists of National Ballet of Japan, Photograph by Kiyonori Hasegawa

At the conclusion of its recent season of Giselle in Tokyo, including a performance attended by His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan, the National Ballet of Japan announces the casting of Giselle for the company’s UK debut at the Royal Opera House on 24–27 July 2025.  London audiences will have an opportunity to see four different casts over the five performances featuring eight Principal dancers of the company.  75 dancers and 40 members of staff will travel to London.

In what promises to be the most important dance event of London’s cultural calendar this summer, the national ballet company of Japan, one of the world’s great powerhouse ballet nations, will become the first Asian dance company to perform on the main stage of the Royal Opera House in more than 15 years.

The National Ballet of Japan will give five performances of its acclaimed production of Giselle by the company’s artistic director Miyako Yoshida, who was the first Japanese ballerina ever to be made a Principal dancer in the history of the Birmingham Royal Ballet (1988–1995) and The Royal Ballet (1995–2010).  She was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to dance in 2007.

Miyako Yoshida, Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Japan said: ‘It brings me great joy to share the talent of our dancers and the elegance of our corps de ballet with audiences at the Royal Opera House in London, the theatre and the city that gave me everything as a dancer. With our production of Giselle, I hope dance lovers will find in our company a familiar blend of natural lyricism and virtuosic brilliance tempered with our own brand of musicality and refinement.’

Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet said: ‘Miyako and I have known each other since we were both Royal Ballet School students and young dancers at Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet.  Her achievement has inspired an entire generation of Japanese dancers who are now represented in the top ranks of most major ballet companies in the world.  She was a treasured Principal dancer with The Royal Ballet and the perfect ambassador for the friendship between Japan and the UK.  We are so delighted that the National Ballet of Japan will be performing at the Royal Opera House this summer.’

The National Ballet of Japan will perform the beloved 19^th century classic Giselle in a production by Miyako Yoshida – with staging and additional choreography by British choreographer and former Royal Ballet Principal Character Artist Alastair Marriott. The production features lighting by Rick Fisher and a spectacular set by Dick Bird, providing a backdrop for this evergreen tale of love, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption.

Saho Shibayama as Giselle, Photograph by Kiyonori Hasegawa

Casting for the five performances is as follows (Giselle, Albrecht, Hilarion, Myrtha):

Thursday 24 July 7:30PM

Yui Yonezawa, Shun Izawa, Masahiro Nakaya, Akari Yoshida

Friday 25 July 7:30PM

Ayako Ono, Yudai Fukuoka, Yoshito Kinoshita, Yui Negishi

Saturday 26 July  2PM

Saho Shibayama, Shogo Hayami, Takuro Watanabe, Suzu Yamamoto

Saturday 26 July  7:30PM

Yui Yonezawa, Shun Izawa, Masahiro Nakaya, Akari Yoshida

Sunday 27 July 2PM

Yuri Kimura, Takafumi Watanabe, Takuro Watanabe, Yui Negishi

National Ballet of Japan – 2025 London Season

Giselle

Thursday 24 July 7:30PM

Friday 25 July 7:30PM

Saturday 26 July  2PM

Saturday 26 July  7:30PM

Sunday 27 July 2PM

Orchestra:        Royal Ballet Sinfonia

Conductor:      Paul Murphy

The National Ballet of Japan Principals, Photograph by Yumiko Inoue

Giselle

Choreography:  Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa
Production:  Miyako Yoshida
Staging and additional choreography:  Alastair Marriott
Music:  Adolphe Adam
Set and costume design:  Dick Bird
Lighting Design:  Rick Fisher

Production Premiere

21 October 2022, National Ballet of Japan, New National Theatre, Tokyo