National Ballet of Japan at the Royal Opera House

Online webinar, accessible remotely via Zoom

the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Organised by

Booking closed

Miyako Yoshida, former Principal of the Royal Ballet and now Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Japan, discussed her work there, her motivation in bringing Giselle to the UK, her daily practice routines in Japan, and her challenges and goals as an artistic director.

This talk event was organised with the generous support of NEW NATIONAL THEATRE, TOKYO.

For further information about the National Ballet of Japan: Giselle (24 –27 July 2025) at the Royal Opera House, please visit the website: https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-events/national-ballet-of-japan-giselle-details

WRITTEN SUMMARY – MIYAKO YOSHIDA

About the contributor

Miyako Yoshida

Born and trained in Tokyo, she joined the Royal Ballet School in 1983 after winning the Prix de Lausanne. In 1984, she joined Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet (now Birmingham Royal Ballet) and was promoted to Principal in 1988, and in 1995 she joined the Royal Ballet. In 2010, she left the Royal Ballet and started a career as a freelance dancer until her retirement from the stage in 2019. During her freelance period, she was appointed Artistic Consultant to the National Ballet of Japan in 2018. She became Artistic Director of Ballet & Dance in September 2020. Her repertory includes Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Lise in La Fille Mal Gardee, the title role in Giselle, Swanhilda in Coppelia, the Sugar Plum Fairy in Nutcracker, Kitri in Don Quixote, the title role in Cinderella, the title role in Ondine, the title role in Raymonda, Chloe in Daphnis and Chloe, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Homage to The Queen and leading roles in The Prince of the Pagodas, Le Corsaire, Symphonic Variations, Elite Syncopations and The Snow Queen.