Times Culture on Mayerling and the Royal Ballet’s golden generation of male dancers
It’s fitting that the Royal Ballet is reviving Mayerling — and arguably the most demanding male role in the Covent Garden repertoire — when it has so many outstanding male dancers. Audiences are spoilt for choice: Matthew Ball, William Bracewell, Ryoichi Hirano, Vadim Muntagirov, Marcelino Sambé. It’s the strongest, most popular male line-up the Royal Ballet has seen in decades. What’s remarkable is the breadth of talent and technique these days, 26 years since Billy Elliot made it cool for boys to do ballet. The Russian-bred Muntagirov is a supreme classicist born to play the fairytale prince; the Portuguese star Sambé is a romantic dancer who moves with an instinctive ardour; the British pair of Bracewell and Ball bring passionate intelligence to widely diverse roles. Hirano is a Japanese dancer with remarkable stature and a flair for playing bad boys. And because they have nothing in common, these five will approach the role’s cruel, dissolute Crown Prince Rudolf from completely different angles.
View postWin Tickets to La Fille mal gardée at the Royal Opera House
The Royal Ballet is giving away two top-price tickets to La Fille mal gardée — plus dinner for two at the new Cicoria by Angela Hartnett.
Ballet's big comeback: why the art form is winning new audiences
Sell-out seasons, viral TikTok clips, and a new generation of superstar dancers are transforming an art form once seen as elitist into something genuinely exciting.
We are not here to preserve the past — we are here to make the art form relevant to everyone who lives in this country. That means taking risks, commissioning new works, and ensuring our company looks like Britain.
—Carlos Acosta, Artistic Director, Birmingham Royal Ballet
English National Ballet announces 2025/26 Season
ENB's new season includes a world premiere from Crystal Pite, a revival of Akram Khan's Giselle, and the company's first ever New Year's Eve gala.
The Royal Ballet shares first look at Francesca Hayward's Sleeping Beauty
✨ First look at @francesca.hayward as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, opening at the Royal Opera House on 12 March. Choreography by Marius Petipa, sets and costumes by Oliver Messel. Tickets at the link in bio. #RoyalBallet #SleepingBeauty
View postDon Quixote Pas de Deux — Gouneo & Semionova | Prix de Lausanne 2024 Gala
Hamburg Ballet's Osiel Gouneo and Berlin State Ballet's Polina Semionova delivered one of the most technically dazzling performances of the year at the Prix de Lausanne gala.
WatchPlaceholder interview: Sarah Lamb on musicality, longevity and dancing without fuss
This placeholder interview shows how Plie can package a dancer conversation: a strong premise in the headline, a few clear themes in the standfirst, and body copy that leaves room for either direct Q&A or a reported interview narrative.
Placeholder feature: Why Marianela Nuñez still feels like the benchmark
This placeholder feature sketches the kind of long-form profile Plie should publish around major dancers: part biography, part critical framing, and part explanation of why a performer matters in the current moment.
Placeholder review: Marianela – Timeless and the power of a star portrait
This placeholder review demonstrates the tone and structure Plie can use for star-led programmes: atmosphere, repertory context, performance detail and a concise verdict that helps the reader place the event quickly.
Placeholder: English National Ballet’s next wave is coming into focus
This placeholder news piece marks a strand of coverage Plie should expand: how English National Ballet is balancing established principals with the next generation of artists moving into bigger assignments.
Melissa Hamilton and Joseph Sissens Promoted to Principal at The Royal Ballet
The Royal Ballet has announced that Melissa Hamilton and Joseph Sissens have both been promoted to the rank of Principal, effective from the start of 2025. The promotions recognise two of the company's most compelling performers, both of whom have been integral members of the company for years.