Birmingham Royal Ballet is to bring back one of its most celebrated productions this autumn, with Sir Peter Wright and Galina Samsova’s Swan Lake set to play at Birmingham Hippodrome from 23 September to 3 October 2026, before transferring to Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London from 28 to 31 October 2026. Tickets are on sale now at brb.org.uk.
The revival comes during a year in which Birmingham Royal Ballet has been marking the centenary of Sir Peter Wright, its Founding Director Laureate. Wright, one of the most influential figures in British ballet history, is widely credited with shaping the company’s identity and repertoire over several decades. His staging of Swan Lake, created in partnership with Galina Samsova, has long been regarded as one of the jewels of the company’s repertoire, and has been credited with introducing generations of audiences to classical ballet.
A Star-Studded Cast Announced
The company has announced a full slate of principal casting across both venues. The dual role of Odette/Odile — the swan queen and her villainous double, one of the most technically and dramatically demanding roles in the classical canon — will be shared between Céline Gittens, Momoko Hirata, Yu Kurihara, Miki Mizutani, Beatrice Parma and Yaoqian Shang. The role of Prince Siegfried will be performed by Enrique Bejarano Vidal, Tzu-Chao Chou, Mathias Dingman, Yasiel Hodelín Bello, Mason King, Max Maslen and Lachlan Monaghan, with different pairings scheduled across individual performances throughout the run.
The production features choreography drawing on the original work of Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa, set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, which will be performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia — Birmingham Royal Ballet’s permanent orchestra and one of Britain’s busiest ballet ensembles. Designs are by Philip Prowse, with lighting by Peter Teigen, adapted by Johnny Westall-Eyre.
Director Highlights the Production’s Enduring Appeal
Carlos Acosta, who has led Birmingham Royal Ballet as Director since January 2020, emphasised the significance of bringing the production back during the Wright centenary year. “In this year where we celebrate 100 years of the magnificent contributions of our Founding Director Laureate, Sir Peter Wright, we couldn’t not bring his cherished and spectacular production of Swan Lake back to the stage,” he said. “Not only one of the world’s favourite ballets, this specific production has been beloved for decades and over generations — bringing many to ballet for the very first time. We look forward to being back on the stage in Birmingham and London this autumn with this unmissable show.”
The ballet follows Prince Siegfried, who, whilst out hunting one night, encounters a flock of swans. One transforms into a beautiful woman named Odette, who reveals she is under a curse cast by the sorcerer Baron von Rothbart, condemning her to take the form of a swan during daylight hours. The story turns on whether the Prince’s love is powerful enough to break the enchantment — and on the scheming of Rothbart, who sends his own daughter disguised as Odette to deceive the Prince at a royal ball.
About Birmingham Royal Ballet
Founded and based at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is widely regarded as the UK’s leading touring ballet company. Alongside staging classical and heritage works, the company is committed to nurturing new choreographic talent. It performs more than 100 shows per year both nationally and internationally, spending approximately ten weeks of the year at its Birmingham base and the remainder on tour across the UK and abroad. The company is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England.
The press night for the Birmingham run is Wednesday 23 September at 7.30pm at Birmingham Hippodrome. Full performance and casting details, along with tickets, are available at brb.org.uk.
