Nuñez’s debut curated program at the Royal Opera House runs July 29–August 2, marking her 28-year career with the company.
Royal Ballet veteran Marianela Nuñez is stepping into a new role this summer — curator. Her debut program, *Marianela: Timeless*, runs at the Royal Opera House from July 29 through August 2, marking 28 years since she joined the company.
The evening brings together works close to Nuñez’s heart: Jerome Robbins’ *In the Night* and Frederick Ashton’s *Marguerite and Armand*, plus a yet-to-be-announced selection of divertissements. She’ll be joined onstage by a roster of Royal Ballet stars — Matthew Ball, William Bracewell, Lukas B. Brændsrød, Fumi Kaneko, Mayara Magri, Vadim Muntagirov, Aiden O’Brien, Calvin Richardson, Mariko Sasaki, Christopher Saunders, and Akane Takada. Patricio Revé, who just joined the company as principal after a guest-artist season, rounds out the cast.
In preview program notes, Nuñez calls her curation choices “a love letter to the company, and the audience.” The Argentine native trained at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires before joining the Royal Ballet school at 14. The company offered her a contract when she was 15, but British labor laws made her too young to accept. They held her spot while she spent a year at the school. She entered the corps de ballet in 1998 at age 16, became first soloist in 2000, and was promoted to principal in 2002 — at just 20.
*Timeless* is one of two summer programs at the Opera House. Former Royal Ballet principal Carlos Acosta, now artistic director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, curates his own evening from August 5–9, performing with guest artists from his current company and Acosta Danza.
On Instagram, Nuñez elaborated on her vision: “I think *Timeless* is a moment for me to say thank you to my partners, my colleagues, the company, the Royal Ballet (my family, my home), the Royal Opera House, and of course the audiences. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”
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Royal Ballet principal dancer Marianela Nuñez, in her first-ever curated program for the company.
At the Royal Opera House from July 29 to August 2.
