Royal Danish Ballet’s Lady Macbeth: Akram Khan works his magic again

Meirambek Nazargozhayev as Macbeth and Stephanie Chen Gundorph as Lady Macbeth in Lady Macbeth

Meirambek Nazargozhayev, Stephanie Chen Gundorph and Emma Riis Kofoed in Lady Macbeth

Royal Danish Ballet in Akram Khan’s Lady Macbeth

Meirambek Nazargozhayev as Macbeth and Mathieu Rouaux as King Duncan in Lady Macbeth

Royal Danish Ballet in Akram Khan’s Lady Macbeth

Liam Redhead as Banquo with Royal Danish Ballet in Lady Macbeth

By Graham Watts, 10 May 2026

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“this scene is an example of Khan’s consummate skill in managing large numbers”

Reviewed at The Opera House: Main Stage, Copenhagen on 7 May 2026

Lady Macbeth (Akram Khan)

Royal Danish Ballet

Vello Pähn, Conductor

Tim Yip, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Michael Hulls, Lighting Designer

The Royal Danish Orchestra

Ryan Joseph Stafford, Lighting Designer

Meirambek Nazargozhayev, Dancer

Stephanie Chen Gundorph, Dancer

Mathieu Rouaux, Dancer

Jin Min Hong, Dancer

Akram Khan’s Giselle for ENB at the Coliseum: hauntingly mesmeric

Deborah Weiss, 15th January

ENB have brought Akram Khan’s Giselle to London's Coliseum for the first time. It’s looking better than ever and should not be missed.

*****

‘Osipova/Linbury’: a pot pourri of delights

Deborah Weiss, 10th November

An interesting evening displaying the many facets of Natalia Osipova's talents alongside her equally exciting guests at the Linbury.

****1

Thikra: Night of Remembering – past voices shaping our present

Daniel Pratt, 29th October

Akram Khan in concentrated colour, setting the darkness chiming with Thikra: Night of Remembering at London's Sadler's Wells.

****1

Norwegian National Ballet's Dialogues II: brief but brilliant

Graham Watts, 3rd April

A brief but excellent programme of five duets showcased on the main stage of the Den Norske Opera.

***11

Gigenis: Akram Khan’s latest, affecting work

Amanda Jennings, 20th November

This is a dance piece that illuminates cultural and experiential history in a way that is accessible to everyone.

*****

ENB in Akram Khan’s Giselle: compelling, astonishing, unmissable

Deborah Weiss, 18th September

Akram Khan's Giselle becomes ever more watchable with every viewing. A rollercoaster version of the traditional classic.

*****

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Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.