”There is no lack of creativity in the house. We just work in different ways.”

Nicolas Le Riche – Ballet director of Royal Swedish Ballet – gives Dansportalen an update on the current situation of the company and informs about the plans for the future.

Upon arrival of Covid-19 Royal Swedish Ballet were doing the last performance of the Kylián, Ek, Naharin programme and rehearsing Don Quijote.

Nicholas Le Riche says: "So pleased with how the company has performed this season and with an appreciation from the audience with all programmes sold out we were really pleased and looked forward for the rest of the season.

Then it all stopped.

Social distance of 1,5 – 2 meters for a physical art form where close contact and people dancing together makes it a huge challenge for the time being.

A lot of time is spent planning and preparing for future opening based on the information we have on a daily basis.

My artistic vision for the company remains, however adjusted to the current situation that makes it an even harder task," continues Mr Le Riche.

"There are more questions than answers at the moment as we all can just hope that this situation we all are in will end and that we will meet and dance together again.

At the time being we try to offer as much support to our dancers to stay healthy and in shape.

This is an essential part in order to be prepared to start in a good way."

In the meantime the Royal Swedish Ballet are doing a lot to update the audience and staff:

News are sent out from the management and a weekly information from The Royal Opera CEO Birgitta Svendén wicht guest are broadcasted live to all employees digitally.

The Ballet Masters are having digital meetings with all dancers in smaller groups to keep close contact and see how they are doing.

Nicholas Le Riche: "We offer voluntary classes at different times and different places, digitally, outdoor as well as at the Opera house.

There is no lack of creativity in the house. We just work in different ways, as I hope you’ve seen on Operan Play, Instagram and Facebook!

I communicate with many of my colleagues all around the world to see how they are handling this crisis. This is important for all of us to share and support each other."

The closest contact is however with Nikolaj Hübbe in Denmark, Ingrid Lorentzen in Norway and Madeleine Onne in Finland.

"Here in Stockholm we started digital rehearsals from 11thof May and hope this will work before getting together outdoors and rehears parts that can be done that way, says Nicolas Le Riche.

Next step will then be inside the Opera house respecting recommendations and creating a safe environment.

As we say, one step at a time…

It will be a different summer vacation this year for all of us. But we are really eager to get going again and we are happy to have seven new dancers joining the Royal Swedish Ballet next season as the audition was already made before the Covid 19 outbreak.

Our priority when we hopefully open on September 4this to give an homage to Les Ballets Suédois," concludes Nicholas Le Riche.

This program will include:

Skating Rink

(Paris 20/1 1922) Reconstructed in Zurich 1996 (Stockholm 1998)

Choreography
Jean Börlin, reconstructed by Millicent Hodson, Kenneth Archer

Music
Arthur Honegger

Set & Costume
Kenneth Archer after Fernand Léger

Light
Martin Säfström

Based a poem by
Ricciotto Canudo

La Boîte à Joujoux

(Paris 15/2 1921) New Creation Stockholm 2020

Choreography
Jean-Guillaume Bart

Music
Claude Debussy

Set & Costume
Bea Szenfeld

Light
François Menou

Based on a story by
André Hellé

Scenes from Midsummer Night's Dream

Stockholm 14/4 2014

Choreography
Alexander Ekman

Music
Mikael Karlsson

Set
Alexander Ekman

Costume
Bregje Van Balen

Light
Linus Fellbom

"We are so thrilled honouring Les Ballets Suédois and what they accomplished in 1920 and sincerely hope that you all will enjoy this evening. The rest of the season will be released later and we look forward seeing all of you back in our house," welcomes us all Nicolas Le Riche – Ballet director of Royal Swedish Ballet.

Margareta Lidström
Stockholm