English National Ballet’s Christmas Casting

English National Ballet has announced the casting for its Christmas season at the London Coliseum which features both long-standing principals as well as several debuts by younger dancers.

The season opens with ENB’s production of The Nutcracker (16 December–3 January) with Fernanda Oliveira and Dmitri Gruzdyev as the first-night Sugar Plum Fairy and The Prince. Crystal Costa and Yat-Sen Chang dance the roles of Clara and Nutcracker.

Next is The Snow Queen (8–17 January), with the opening performance danced by Daria Klimentová in the title role and Elena Glurdjidze and Zhanat Atymatayev as the Gypsy girl and boy. Finally, the short run of Giselle (20–24 January) begins with Erina Takahashi in the title role and Dmitri Gruzdyev as her duplicitous lover Albrecth.

Other casting highlights of the Christmas season include Daria Klimentová and Vadim Muntagirov in The Nutcracker and Giselle, and Adela Ramirez and British dancer James Forbat as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince in The Nutcracker. Real-life newly weds Fernanda Oliveira and Fabian Remair will be dancing together in Giselle in January, while Australian dancer Nathan Young will make his debut in a leading role as Kay in The Snow Queen on 12 January. There is also a chance to see ENB’s Emerging Dancer nominees Crystal Costa, Venus Villa, Esteban Berlanga and Junor de Oliviera de Souza dancing Principal roles across the season.

For full details of all casts, see www.ballet.org.uk