Best Full Length

*The Sleeping Beauty* is a cornerstone of classical ballet choreography primarily attributed to Marius Petipa. This full-length narrative work tells the story of Princess Aurora’s enchanted sleep following a fairy curse. Notable for its complex partnering sequences and iconic Rose Adagio, it remains...

The Nutcracker is a full-length ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story. It tells the tale of Clara's dreamlike adventure following a Christmas party where mechanical toys come to life. The ballet showcases intricate partnering and elaborate stage settings,...

*Giselle* is a full-length ballet exploring a poignant romantic narrative set in 19th century rural France. The story centers on Giselle, a peasant maid who tragically dies from a broken heart after discovering her lover Albrecht’s deception. Her subsequent return from the grave forms the core of th...

MacMillan's *Romeo and Juliet*, a full-length ballet commissioned by the Royal Ballet, presents Shakespeare’s tragic love story with innovative staging. The production is notable for its extended dream sequences and a contemporary interpretation of the narrative through dynamic choreography. It’s pa...

L’Histoire de Manon is a full-length ballet based on Massenet's opera. It tells the tragic narrative of Manon Leprévé and her conflicted relationship with both a young artist and a wealthy older man. Composed by Michael Minkowski, this 20th-century work explores themes of societal pressure and perso...

“Eugene Onegin” is a full-length ballet based on Pushkin’s novel. Choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, it tells the story of Onegin's evolving relationship with Tatyana Larina. The work’s notable use of music by Tchaikovsky elevates its narrative drama. It remains relevant for audiences in...

Sergei Cranko's Romeo and Juliet is a full-length ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. Noted for its striking contemporary staging—featuring a bleak industrial Verona—the production powerfully conveys the lovers' doomed romance through expressive choreography and impactful lighting de...

Matthew Bourne’s *Swan Lake* offers a unique interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet. This contemporary adaptation transplants the story into a 1920s Chicago underworld, featuring a gangster narrative interwoven with traditional choreography. The production incorporates hip-hop and jazz music...

Konkordatballett is a ballet choreographed by Jiří Kylián in 1993. It examines the complex historical tensions between the Vatican and post-World War II Germany. The work’s stark movements and deliberately sparse set design create an atmosphere of profound disillusionment and strained communication....

*Jewels* is a neoclassical ballet created by choreographer Frederick Ashton. It adapts Georges Bizet’s opera *Carmen*, utilizing music from both works to evoke themes of intense emotion and dramatic narrative. Aubrey Beardsley's distinctive designs for the sets and costumes are particularly notable,...

*Mayerling*, choreographed by Jiří Kylián, is a ballet based on the final days of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his valet. The work explores intense psychological drama surrounding power dynamics, personal guilt, and impending death. It’s notable for its minimalist staging and evocative movement lang...

Akram Khan’s *Giselle* reimagines the classic tale of a peasant girl’s demise and resurrection. The production explores themes of love, loss, and societal oppression through a blend of traditional ballet technique and contemporary movement vocabulary. It is notable for its powerful storytelling and...

Mats Ek’s Giselle is a contemporary ballet based on the classic tale. It depicts the demise of Giselle, a peasant girl betrayed and heartbroken, who returns as a vengeful spirit. The choreography highlights the tragic consequences of infidelity within a rural Spanish landscape. This full-length work...

“Nelken” by Jiří Kylián is a 1997 ballet exploring profound themes of loneliness and suffering. The work utilizes Arvo Pärt’s minimalist compositions to create an intensely evocative atmosphere through repetitive, precise movements. It features a single female dancer embodying a woman grappling with...

La Bayadère is a full-length classical ballet originating in 19th-century Russia. It tells a tragic narrative centered on a Hindu temple dancer, Gamzatti, and her conflicted relationships with a warrior Nikolas and a Brahmin priest. The choreography by Marius Petipa emphasizes dramatic tension and e...

Lavrovsky's Romeo and Juliet is a full-length ballet based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. Originally staged for the Bolshoi Theatre, it presents a dramatic interpretation of the story through stark black and white costumes and intense choreography. Prokofiev composed the score. The work is notable for it...

Matthew Bourne’s *The Red Shoes* is a full-length ballet adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. It tells the story of Victoria Page, a young dancer driven by ambition and possessed by a pair of red shoes that compel her to dance. The production utilizes a striking 1920s music hall setti...

Balanchine’s *A Midsummer Night’s Dream* is a full-length ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy. The production, originally staged in 1947, features a substantial corps de ballet and complex choreography inspired by Mendelssohn's score. It portrays the whimsical and often disruptive relationship...

Roland Petit's *Carmen* is a full-length ballet adaptation of Georges Bizet’s opera. The work dramatically portrays Carmen's story—a tale of passionate love and tragic defiance—through intense choreography and evocative music. It’s notable for its visceral performances and exploration of Spanish cul...

Sergei Nureyev’s *Swan Lake*, performed in 1965, remains a pivotal interpretation of this classical ballet. The production significantly altered established choreography and musical relationships within Tchaikovsky's score, creating a more dramatic and emotionally complex narrative. This full-length...

Kenneth MacMillan's “Don Quixote” is a full-length ballet based on Cervantes’ novel. The production, created in 1965, vividly depicts Don Quixote’s fantastical journey and his unwavering devotion to Dulcinea. Notable for its complex partnering and evocative Spanish setting, it remains a challenging...

Mats Ek’s Swan Lake offers a profoundly moving interpretation of Tchaikovsky's classic ballet score. The choreography emphasizes raw emotion and physical vulnerability, portraying Prince Siegfried’s struggle against fate and his love for Odette. This full-length production is particularly suited for...

Nijinsky is a full-length ballet created by choreographer Václav Nižinský. It tells a complex narrative utilizing innovative movement and musical notation represented through neumes. The work, developed in the 21st century under Jiří Kylián’s direction, explores themes of ritual and sacrifice. It's...

*La Dame aux Camélias* is a full-length ballet adapted from Alexandre Dumas’s novel. It portrays the tragic romance of Marguerite Gautier, a Parisian courtesan, and Armand Duval, a military officer, set in mid-19th century Paris. Choreographed by Hans Neumeier with music by Frédéric Chopin, the work...

Woolf Works is a full-length ballet exploring Virginia Woolf's narratives of gender and identity. Choreographed by Wayne McGregor with music by Philip Glass, the work adapts *Orlando* and *Flush*, utilizing movement and sound to represent the novels’ themes. It’s notable for its ambitious interdisci...

“Impressioning the Czar” is a ballet by George Balanchine set during 1812 Russia. The work portrays a passionate relationship between a countess and an Imperial Guard, drawing on the opulent style of aristocratic society within that era’s ballet tradition. Choreographed with Forsythe and Willems inf...

*La Fille Mal Gardée*, choreographed by Ludwig Minkus, is a cornerstone of classical ballet. This 19th-century full-length narrative tells the story of Giselle, a maid pursued by Albrecht, resulting in a devastating tragedy. The work’s enduring popularity stems from its dramatic storyline and exquis...

Kader Khan’s *Romeo and Juliet* is a full-length ballet reimagining Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. The choreography focuses on the lovers’ isolation and despair within a Parisian prison setting. This production utilizes minimal staging to amplify the emotional intensity of the story. It is particula...

“The Nutcracker, choreographed by Marco Ratmansky, is a full-length ballet based on Tchaikovsky’s score. It presents a fresh interpretation of this beloved classical work through dynamic movement and emphasis on group interactions. This production is particularly suited for audiences who appreciate...