Famous faces on the high seas.
Historian Chris Frame offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of Cunard's famous passengers in the first instalment of our two-part series.
In partnership with the English National Ballet.
Established in 1950 as Festival Ballet before rebranding as English National Ballet in 1989, English National Ballet (ENB) brings world-class classical ballet to the widest possible audience, delighting them with the traditional and inspiring them with the new. Under the leadership of Artistic Director, Tamara Rojo, the Company stands for artistic excellence and creativity.
Cunard and English National Ballet have been in partnership since 2019, delivering the first ever special event voyage Dance the Atlantic. On land, Cunard is proud to sponsor some of the Company's most critically acclaimed productions, such as She Persisted in 2019 and the much anticipated new collaboration between Akram Khan and ENB, Creature, in 2021. In 2022 the partnership will present a brand new version of the classic ballet Raymonda.
Creature.
We are delighted to support Akram Khan and English National Ballet’s production of Creature, premiering at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London on 23 September 2021.
Creature is an unearthly tale of exploitation and human frontiers inspired by Georg Büchner’s expressionist classic Woyzeck, with shadows of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Drawing on themes of abandonment, isolation and the fragility of the mind, Creature is the tale of an outsider and the search for belonging.
Dance the Atlantic.
This special Transatlantic Crossing offered an up-close and personal perspective of the elegant magic English National Ballet create on stage – and the effort that goes into it. Spectacular performances from six ENB dancers took place in Queen Mary 2’s Royal Court Theatre with extracts from the enthralling all-time classic Swan Lake, the poignant contemporary work Dust and the stunningly visual Le Corsaire - demonstrating the breadth of the company’s repertoire. Guests on board were invited to watch ENB’s morning ballet class and afternoon rehearsals, and took part in dance workshops throughout the week.
We are delighted that ‘Dance the Atlantic’ won the ‘Best Live Entertainment and Event Sponsorship’ 2020/2021 award at the UK Sponsorship Awards.
Raymonda.
Taking inspiration from the ground-breaking spirit of Florence Nightingale and the women who supported the war effort in Crimea, Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, creates a new version of the classic story ballet, Raymonda.
This adaptation keeps the best of the 19th-century original – its glorious and sensuous score by Alexander Glazunov and the classical choreography of ballet genius Marius Petipa – and updates it with a dramatic new story, introducing a heroine in command of her own destiny.
The original Raymonda is very rarely performed in the UK, where no dance company performs it in its entirety. This new version marks Tamara Rojo’s first foray into directing and choreographing, building on her illustrious career as a dancer and artistic director.
Be inspired.
Discover the stars of stage and screen that have enjoyed Cunard for 180 years. Delve into more articles from our archives and discover unique Cunard recipes you can try yourself at home.
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