Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare today announces Company promotions, new joiners and leavers for The Royal Ballet’s 2026/27 Season.
* Promotions:
Taisuke Nakao is promoted to First Soloist.
Nadia Mullova-Barley, Ella Newton Severgnini, Charlotte Tonkinson, Marianna Tsembenhoi, Harrison Lee and Marco Masciari are promoted to Soloist.
Martin Diaz, Luc Foskett and James Large are promoted to First Artist.
As previously announced, Patricio Revé joins The Royal Ballet as a Principal in the 2026/27 Season following his appearances with the Company as a Guest Artist.
The Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme was established in 2014 and provides recently graduated dancers a year’s contract to be nurtured and perform alongside the corps de ballet of The Royal Ballet.
Five of the 2025/26 Aud Jebsen dancers now join the Company permanently as Artists: Aurora Chinchilla, Shani Moran-Simmonds, Yuki Nagayasu, Amos Child and Tristan-lan Massa. Joe Parkinson has secured a contract with Ballet Zürich.
Maia Rose Roberts joins the Company as an Artist following two seasons with Ballet Zürich.
For the 2026/27 Season, six graduates from The Royal Ballet School join the Aud Jebsen Young Dancers Programme: Alecsia Maria Lazarescu, Emma Lucano, Sophie Schulten, Millán de Benito, Ivan Malaguti and Fabrizzio Ulloa Cornejo.
William Gyves joins as the Prix de Lausanne dancer for the 2026/27 Season.
* Leavers:
After 16 years with The Royal Ballet, First Soloist Valentino Zucchetti will leave the Company to pursue his choreographic and producing career. Before he embarks on the next stage of his career, audiences can see him perform the role of Lescaut in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon on 19 and 24 October (evening).
Following the successful completion of her MBA during her sabbatical last Season, First Artist Katharina Nikelski leaves the Company to pursue new professional opportunities.
