The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in 1931 by Dame Ninette de Valois, it became the resident ballet company of the Royal Opera House in 1946 and was granted a royal charter in 1956, becoming recognised as Britain's flagship ballet company.
The Royal Ballet School is a British school of classical ballet training founded in 1926 by the Anglo-Irish ballerina and choreographer Ninette de Valois. The school's aim is to train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers for the Royal Ballet and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Filippo Taglioni was an Italian dancer and choreographer and personal teacher to his own daughter, Romantic ballerina Marie Taglioni. Also, although August Bournonville's version is better known, it was Taglioni who was the original choreographer of La Sylphide, in 1832.
Natalia Romanovna Makarova is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of Dance, published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest ballerina of her generation in the West."
The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, King Gustav III founded the ballet in 1773 as a part of his national cultural project in response to the French and Italian dominance in this field; he also founded the Royal Swedish Opera and the Royal Dramatic Theatre. All of these were initially located in the old theatre of Bollhuset. The troupe was founded with the opening of the Royal Swedish Opera, which has served as its home since that time.
Alessandra Ferri is an Italian prima ballerina. She danced with the Royal Ballet (1980–1984), American Ballet Theatre (1985–2007) and La Scala Theatre Ballet (1992–2007) and as an international guest artist, before temporally retiring on 10 August 2007, aged 44, then returning in 2013. She was eventually granted the rank of prima ballerina assoluta.
Carolina "Carla" Fracci was an Italian ballet dancer, actress and ballet director. Considered one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century, she was a leading dancer of La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan, then worked freelance with international companies including the Royal Ballet, London, Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Fracci is known for her interpretation of leading characters in several Romantic ballets, such as La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet. She also performed in ballets such as Nijinsky and Complete Bell Telephone Hour Performances: Erik Bruhn 1961–1967. She danced with partners including Erik Bruhn, Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Later, she directed several ballet companies in Italy, including at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in Rome.
Hedvig "Hedda" Katarina Hjortsberg also known as Hedda Koersner was a Swedish ballerina who starred for the Royal Swedish Ballet. She was the sister of the Swedish actor Lars Hjortsberg.
Justina Kristina Casagli née Wässelius was a Swedish opera singer. She was internationally famous and active in Italy and Germany. She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
Ulrika Åberg (1771–1852) was a Swedish ballerina. She was active in the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1782-95. She was one of the first native ballet dancers in the Royal Swedish Ballet.
Mariane Theresia Sophie Stebnowska also called Stempkosta was a Swedish opera singer and harpist of Polish origin. She has been referred to as one of the more notable stage artists of the Gustavian era Royal Swedish Opera. She was the maternal grandmother of the famous ballerina Marie Taglioni.
Sophie Marguerite Daguin was a French ballet dancer and choreographer. She spent her career in Sweden, where she became a star ballerina and ballet mistress of the Royal Swedish Ballet, and the principal of the ballet school.
Maria Charlotta "Charlotte" Norberg also known as Charlotte Törner was a Swedish Ballerina and ballet teacher. She was a star of the Royal Swedish Ballet in the mid 19th-century.
Hedvig Sophie Karsten was a Swedish ballerina and artist (painter).
Carl Dahlén was a Swedish ballet dancer and choreographer, active first at the Royal Swedish Ballet at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, and second at the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen at the Royal Danish Theatre in Denmark. He belonged to the first male Swedish stars at the Royal Swedish ballet.
Bertha Carolina Mathilda Tammelin, née Bock was a Swedish actress, operatic mezzo-soprano, pianist, composer and drama teacher.
Brita Catharina Lidbeck, also Brita Catharina Munck af Rosenschöld was a Swedish Dilettante concert singer. She was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
Gina Tse is an English ballerina of British-Chinese descent, and first soloist of the Royal Swedish Ballet. Beginning in the 2012-2013 season, she was elevated to the principal dancer of the company.
Per Erik Sevelin, was a Swedish actor and ballet dancer.
