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New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
In London, the National Ballet of Japan Steps Onto the World Stage
Crooked crosses poked out of the ground and moonlit, diaphanous mist swirled across the forest floor. A ghostly figure appeared above a tree, terrifying the man standing below. It was a proper horror movie-thrill moment in the National Ballet of Japan's 'Giselle,' a wonderfully atmospheric production that opened at the Royal Opera House in London on Thursday to an audience that seemed delighted by the superb dancing of a company rarely seen outside Japan. The five-show run here (through Sunday) is a European debut for the National Ballet of Japan, and a homecoming for its director, Miyako Yoshida, who spent nearly three decades in England as a principal dancer with both the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet. In an interview, Yoshida said bringing the company to London was like saying thank you 'to the amazing directors who taught me to dance, to act, how to express my feelings onstage.' 'Giselle,' she added, 'the role where I first learned all this, is the history of my ballet life in England.' The stakes are high for Yoshida, who has directed the National Ballet since 2020. (Founded in 1997, the company is based at the New National Theater in Tokyo.) 'This is our first real tour as a company,' she said, 'in front of a sophisticated international audience, and the people who knew me as a dancer.' She paused. 'Scary!' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
6 days ago
- Entertainment
National Ballet of Japan Stages 1st Overseas Performance in London
News from Japan Culture World Jul 25, 2025 12:34 (JST) London, July 24 (Jiji Press)--The National Ballet of Japan on Thursday staged its first hosted performance overseas at the Royal Opera House in London with its production of "Giselle," a masterpiece of classic ballet. Thursday's show was the first of a total of five performances scheduled through Sunday. Miyako Yoshida, artistic director of the NBJ, once served as principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, a ballet company based at the Royal Opera House. For Yoshida, the NBJ's London performances mark her triumphant return to the theater where she performed for many years. In an interview on Tuesday, prior to the London performances, Yoshida said, "This is a major step forward for the NBJ as it pursues globalization." "I hope the company will use this experience to move on to the next stage," she said enthusiastically. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Today
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
National Ballet of Japan to make UK debut
The artistic director wanted to capture the essence of the romantic ballet By Alexandra DEL PERAL The National Ballet of Japan makes its debut at the London Royal Opera House on Thursday, pirouetting into a void left when Russia's Bolshoi Ballet was cancelled over the war in Ukraine. In 2022, the Opera House called off the internationally renowned Moscow-based company's tour and proposed instead to open up their prestigious stage to the Japanese dancers. Founded in 1997, Japan's resident ballet company will perform in London for the first time from Thursday to Sunday. It will perform a production of Giselle, a classic romantic ballet which first premiered in 1841. The production is led by artistic director of the National Ballet of Japan Miyako Yoshida, 59, who was the first Japanese principal dancer at the British ballet institution between 1995 and 2010. Eleven Japanese dancers, including three principal dancers, now perform at the Royal Opera House and make up around 10 percent of the company. Returning to the prestigious stage was not only "a dream coming true," but also a lot of "pressure", Yoshida told AFP. When the Bolshoi's tour was cancelled, director of the Royal Ballet Kevin O'Hare approached his ex-classmate Yoshida to discuss bringing her company to London as a replacement. Aiming for accessibility - The ex-ballerina "never imagined" it would happen "this quickly", and recalled that scheduling and funding issues had slowed the plans. The chance to perform came "too soon," she said. She admitted that the Japanese company, which even though it boasts its capacity to dance a wide repertoire, was perhaps not quite ready to replace one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet companies in the world. The young company put on productions in the US in 2008, and at the Bolshoi Theatre the following year, but this is the first time it will perform a classic Western ballet in Europe. "I tried to make it more easy to understand," said Yoshida, explaining that "young people" would not be interested in the ballet "if it was very old-fashioned". She wanted to capture the essence of the romantic ballet, which tells a story of forbidden love. Supported by choreographer Alistair Marriott, Yoshida hoped the production would distinguish itself with its pared-back simplicity. For Yoshida, the five London performances aim to "make the National Ballet of Japan known around the world" and enable its 75 dancers to evolve with other companies from Europe and beyond. "I want to make the company known worldwide," she said. © 2025 AFP
Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Palestine protester ‘banned from performing at Royal Opera House'
In an interview with Novara Media, a Left-wing outlet, Perry claimed: 'Oliver Mears came and said to me, very aggressively, 'You will never work for the Opera House ever again.' I responded, 'I don't give a flying f---.'' Perry had been hired as a freelance by the Royal Opera House, which said the protest was unauthorised and undermined its position of political impartiality. The dancer explained the protests, saying: 'I chose to do my demonstration during my curtain call, a moment for myself. I chose to make it about something bigger than me.' Perry reasoned that opera audiences are 'the ones with power and influence to be able to help' civilians suffering in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Performer complains of media 'mockery' The dancer also complained that the Right-wing media are 'trying to make a mockery of me'. After the protest, The Telegraph identified Perry as the person responsible and that the performer was a DJ and 'queer dance artist' who prefers they/them pronouns. They were educated at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire, which charges up to £16,000 per term for boarding. Other former pupils include Dame Julie Andrews and Daisy Ridley, the Star Wars actress. Tank top protest at musical Perry recently wore a tank top with the slogan 'Free Palestine' to a London performance of Cabaret, which is set in Berlin during the rise of the Nazis in the early 1930s. In a social media post about the show, Perry wrote: 'In this particular version, we are reminded of how regimental political systems, such as extreme nationalism, and fascism, oppress and eradicate individualism, whilst also segregating people leaving them voiceless, expressionless and helplessly in control by their oppressors. 'I believe we are currently living in similar times.'
France 24
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- France 24
National Ballet of Japan to make UK debut
In 2022, the Opera House called off the internationally renowned Moscow-based company's tour and proposed instead to open up their prestigious stage to the Japanese dancers. Founded in 1997, Japan's resident ballet company will perform in London for the first time from Thursday to Sunday. It will perform a production of Giselle, a classic romantic ballet which first premiered in 1841. The production is led by artistic director of the National Ballet of Japan Miyako Yoshida, 59, who was the first Japanese principal dancer at the British ballet institution between 1995 and 2010. Eleven Japanese dancers, including three principal dancers, now perform at the Royal Opera House and make up around 10 percent of the company. Returning to the prestigious stage was not only "a dream coming true," but also a lot of "pressure", Yoshida told AFP. When the Bolshoi's tour was cancelled, director of the Royal Ballet Kevin O'Hare approached his ex-classmate Yoshida to discuss bringing her company to London as a replacement. Aiming for accessibility The ex-ballerina "never imagined" it would happen "this quickly", and recalled that scheduling and funding issues had slowed the plans. The chance to perform came "too soon," she said. She admitted that the Japanese company, which even though it boasts its capacity to dance a wide repertoire, was perhaps not quite ready to replace one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet companies in the world. The young company put on productions in the US in 2008, and at the Bolshoi Theatre the following year, but this is the first time it will perform a classic Western ballet in Europe. "I tried to make it more easy to understand," said Yoshida, explaining that "young people" would not be interested in the ballet "if it was very old-fashioned". She wanted to capture the essence of the romantic ballet, which tells a story of forbidden love. Supported by choreographer Alistair Marriott, Yoshida hoped the production would distinguish itself with its pared-back simplicity. For Yoshida, the five London performances aim to "make the National Ballet of Japan known around the world" and enable its 75 dancers to evolve with other companies from Europe and beyond. "I want to make the company known worldwide," she said. © 2025 AFP
