National Ballet heads to Sadler's Wells in 2013

The National Ballet of Canada will take its new production of Romeo and Juliet to London's Sadler's Wells dance theatre in 2013.

The National Ballet has not performed in London since 1987.

Russian choreographer and former Bolshoi Ballet director Alexei Ratmansky is creating a new version of Romeo and Juliet for the Toronto-based ballet company. It will have its world premiere Nov. 16 in Toronto.

Artistic director Karen Kain has chosen two more dances created specifically for the company for the London program. They are:

• Former artistic director James Kudelka's The Four Seasons, created in 1997.
• Vancouver choreographer Crystal Pite's Emergence created for the 2008-09 season.

These ballets "are ideal to showcase the National Ballet's diversity and its talented dancers to an audience who hasn't seen the company perform in almost three decades," Kain said in a statement.

Radmansky's Romeo and Juliet, set to music by Prokofiev, will feature designs by the Tony Award-winning Richard Hudson and lighting by designer Jennifer Tipton. Ratmansky is a much sought-after choreographer who has created works for American Ballet Theater, New York Ballet and Royal Swedish Ballet.

With a two-year lead time, the National Ballet is fund-raising toward the goal of performing at Sadler's Wells, one of world's most famous dance venues.

The creation of the new version of Romeo and Juliet already has support from BMO Financial Group, Sandra and Jim Pitblado,  Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan,  Walter Carsen and other donors.