TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2025

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ROYAL BALLET IN 60 MINUTES

PRESENTED BY SARAH LEYTON

Ballet must be the most accessible art form there is, but it has its baffling side. Another line up of women in white? Does he really fall in love with a swan? Couldn’t we have surtitles when they start gesturing at each other? The lecture covers all the striking features of ballet, from pas de deux, to Royal Ballet specialities like fast feet and traditional mime. Set in the context of the Royal Ballet’s history and performing tradition it’s based on years of articles and events shared with dancers, choreographers and ballet masters.

Sarah Lenton has spent her working life in the theatre: her principal employers are the Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Garsington Opera. She writes programme articles, radio scripts, gives lectures on the operas and ballets in the rep. and broadcasts regularly for BBC Radios 3 and 4. She is also a cartoonist. All the talks listed come with audio and/or video clips.