Venue: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London

Oliver Mears' new staging impresses and Jakub Hrůša's first season as Music Director excites interest. But the evening belongs to Anna Netrebko.

Jonathan Watkins’ A Single Man is a compelling piece of dance theatre and a magnificent vehicle for the leading characters to shine as dancers and actors.

National Ballet of Japan offer a 21st-century remake of this 19th-century Romantic classic with impeccable performances.

It was a wonderful, heartening afternoon – it’s no wonder nearly all the 2025 graduates have gained contracts with several major ballet companies.

Superb Handelian singing and intense character acting light up Handel’s Semele, staged as a stark, uncompromising indictment of the rich and powerful. 

English National Ballet School and Rambert School present a diverse and entertaining programme for the Next Generation Festival.

Overall, The Royal Ballet School delivers much to admire, but reminiscent of a multiple-course banquet that still leaves you reaching for the cheese and biscuits when you get home.

A very welcome visit from the Paris Opera Junior Ballet to the Linbury Theatre displays the company in a very favourable light, in a variety of works.