The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe. Based in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, King Gustav III founded the

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

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 Royal Swedish Opera () is an opera and ballet company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Location and environment The building is located in the centre of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, in the borough of Norrmalm (borough), Norrmalm, on the eastern si ...

and the

Royal Dramatic Theatre The Royal Dramatic Theatre (, colloquially ''Dramaten'') is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's five running stages. The theatre has been at its present lo ...

. All of these were initially located in the old theatre of

Bollhuset Bollhuset, also called (The Big Ball House), (Ball House Theater), and Gamla Bollhuset (Old Ball House) at various times, was the name of the first theater in Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theater and the first real theater buildin ...

. The troupe was founded with the opening of the Royal Swedish Opera, which has served as its home since that time.

History

In 1773, the cultural professions of acting, opera-singing and ballet-dancing in Sweden were all performed by foreign troupes. The first ballet performance was performed at the Swedish court when the French ballet troupe of

Antoine de Beaulieu Antoine is a French given name (from the Latin ''Antonius'' meaning 'highly praise-worthy') that is a variant of Danton, Titouan, D'Anton and Antonin. The name is most common in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, West Greenland, Haiti, French ...

was hired at the court of Queen Christina in 1638, and the first Public ballet performance were performed by the foreign theatre troupes at the theatre of Bollhuset later the same century. The only exception had been the period of 1737–1753, when the first professional Swedish troupe of actors had performed at Bollhuset; during this period, ballets were performed by the first Swedish dancers in this troupe. The perhaps first ballet performed by professional native Swedish dancers was in the play ''Den afvundsiuke'' ("The Envious") by

Olof von Dahlin Olof von Dalin (29 August 1708 – 12 August 1763) was a Swedish nobleman, poet, historian and courtier. He was an influential literary figure of the Swedish Enlightenment. Background Olof Dalin was born in the parish of Vinberg in Halland. His ...

in August 1738. However, no names are known about these first dancers. They were probably educated by Jean Marquard as dancing-master, and one of the dancers were also French, Gabriel Senac. In 1753, however, the first Swedish ballet, theatre and opera at Bollhuset were dissolved. Ringaren i Notre-Dame ballet 2009

Gustav III wanted to create and educate native talents in these professions. To accomplish this, he used the same method in the ballet as he was to use with the theatre; by having the first generation of native dancers educated by foreign professionals. When he fired the French theatre-company to create his national-stage in 1773, he kept many of the French dancers of this troupe. Dancers from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, such as

Antoine Bournonville Antoine Bournonville (19 May 1760 – 11 January 1843) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer, active in the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet and eventually ballet master in the latter. He is considered to have played a g ...

Louis Gallodier Louis Gallodier (c. 1734 – 6 June 1803) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer who spent the majority of his career in Sweden, where he was to have a great importance for the development of the ballet in Sweden as the ballet master of ...

Giovanna Bassi Giovanna Bassi (1762–1834) was an Italian ballerina who spent the majority of her career in Sweden. She was regarded as the prima donna of the Swedish Ballet during the Gustav III of Sweden, Gustavian age. Biography Giovanna Bassi was born i ...

and Julie Alix de la Fay were hired to perform and to educate Swedish students. Most of the first students to the troupe were taken among children to the staff at the royal court and to professional musicians, as were the first students to the theatre and the opera. In the first ballet-troupe in the national stage of 1773, they were very few native talents with former professional experience; one of them was

Charlotte Slottsberg Charlotte (Gustava Charlotta) Slottsberg (29 May 1760 – 29 May 1800) was a Swedish ballerina. She was one of the first native members of the Royal Swedish Ballet. She was also known as a courtesan and as the controversial mistress of the ...

, who could be counted as the first native Swedish ballerina known by name. The greatest triumph of the Swedish ballet during the 18th century is considered to be the performance by Gallodier for the opera ''Gustav Adolf och Ebba Brahe'' (Gustav Adolf and Ebba Brahe) (1786); also the ballet ''Fiskarna'' (The Fishes) by Antoine Bournonville (1789) became a great success. The ballet was closely linked to opera from the beginning; ballets were a part of the performances of the opera, and the dancers were also active on the Royal Dramatic Theatre. When the Royal Swedish Opera were closed down between 1806 and 1809–1812, the ballet was not closed, only moved to the theatre. During the 19th century, new ballets were frequently made, and older ones seldom performed; ''En komisk balett'' (A comic ballet) by

Louis Deland Louis Joseph Marie Deland (25 April 1772 – 15 April 1823) was a Swedish ballet dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and ballet master in the Royal Swedish Ballet. He is often considered the first native male star in the Royal Swedish Ballet. ...

was given 127 times between 1796 and 1809, followed by

La Fille Mal Gardée LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...

, given 54 times in 1812–1842.

August Bournonville August Bournonville (21 August 1805 – 30 November 1879) was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. He was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the ne ...

was active as a guest ballet master 1839, 1847, 1857, 1858 and 1861–1864, and his favorite Swedish ballerinas

Charlotta Norberg Maria Charlotta "Charlotte" Norberg also known as ''Charlotte Törner'' (27 December 1824 in Stockholm – 25 February 1892 in Stockholm) was a Swedish Ballerina and ballet teacher. She was a star of the Royal Swedish Ballet in the mid 19th-centur ...

and Johanna Sundberg educated students in his techniques. The ballet is considered to have been in a state of decay during the end of the 19th century; after the dismissal of

Anders Selinder Anders Selinder (4 November 1806, in Stockholm – 6 November 1874, in Stockholm), was a Swedish ballet dancer, choreographer and director. He was ballet master of the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1833–1856. Life Anders Selinder was the son of the j ...

and

Sophie Daguin Sophie Marguerite Daguin (26 March 1801 – 13 March 1881) 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 th ...

in 1856, the ballet was used more as a supplement to the opera and not as an independent artform, and Sigurd Lund, a student of Bournonville, was not independent enough to prevent this. It was not until 1913, that the ballet returned to a more independent form. The ''

Kungliga Hovkapellet Kungliga Hovkapellet (, "The Royal Court Orchestra") is a Swedish orchestra, originally part of the Royal Court in Sweden's capital Stockholm. Its existence was first recorded in 1526. Since 1773 it is part of the Royal Swedish Opera's company. K ...

'' (Royal Swedish Orchestra), the orchestra of the Royal Swedish Opera, is the performing partner for the Royal Swedish Ballet. Nicolas LeRiche is the director of the Royal Swedish Ballet.

Birgitta Svendén Birgitta Svendén (née Lundberg, 20 March 1952), is a Swedish operatic mezzo-soprano. Svendén was born in Porjus and then raised in Vuollerim. She studied at Operahögskolan in Stockholm, and later embarked on an international career in the ...

is the general director of the Royal Swedish Opera. The members of Operans BalettklubbOperans Balettklubb
/ref> are supporters of the Royal Swedish Ballet.

Ballet masters

* 1773–1803 :

* 1803–1804 :

Filippo Taglioni Filippo Taglioni (aka Philippe Taglioni; 5 November 1777 – 11 February 1871) was an Italian dancer and choreographer and personal teacher to his own daughter, Romantic ballerina Marie Taglioni. (He had another child who also danced ballet ...

* 1804–1806 : Federico Nadi Terrade * 1806–1816 :

(1st time) * 1817–1818 :

* 1818–1820 :

(second time) * 1820–1823 :

André Isidore Carey André Isidore Carey (c. 1790, Paris – ?) was a French ballet dancer. A student of Auguste Vestris, he arrived in Stockholm in 1815 as premier danseur in the Royal Swedish Ballet until 1823. He débuted in December 1815 in ''La Fille mal gard� ...

* 1823–1827 :

Giovanni Battista Ambrosiani Giovanni Battista Ambrosiani (born 2 July 1772, Milan – 19 February 1832, Karlberg Palace) was an Italian ballet dancer. He arrived in Stockholm in 1795 and was taken on by the Royal Swedish Ballet as its premier danseur, then as its ballet maste ...

* 1827–1830 :

(jointly with Wallqvist) * 1827–1833 :

Per Erik Wallqvist Per Erik Wallqvist (7 September 1797 in Stockholm – 16 February 1855Thalia. Theater-kalender för 1867 Stockholm 1866/ref>) was a Swedish ballet dancer and ballet master. Wallqvist was the ballet master of the Royal Swedish Ballet at the Royal Swe ...

* 1833–1856 :

* 1856–1862 :

Sigurd Harald Lund Sigurd Harald Lund (1823 – 1906), was a Swedish ballet dancer, choreographer and director. He was ballet master of the Royal Swedish Ballet in 1856-1862 and 1890-1894. Sigurd Harald Lund was the son of the Danish actor Kristian Lund and Kath ...

(1st time) * 1862–1870 : Théodore Martin * 1870–1886 : Theodore Marckl * 1887–1890 : Robert Sjöblom * 1890–1894 :

(second time) * 1894–1901 : Max Glasemann * 1901–1905 : Otto Zöbisch (1st time) * 1905–1908 : Robert Köller * 1911–1913 : Otto Zöbisch (second time) * 1918–1920 :

Michel Fokine Michael Fokine ( – 22 August 1942) was a Russian choreographer and dancer. Career Early years Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a prosperous merchant and at the age of 9 was accepted into the Saint Petersburg Imperial Ballet Sch ...

* 1922–1926 :

Gunhild Rosén Gunhild Rosén (7 December 1855 - 1928) was a Swedish ballerina, choreographer and a ballet master of the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm. Gunhild Rosén was born in Norrköping, and was a student of Anders Selinder. She became a figurant dance ...

* 1926–1927 : Lise Steier * 1927–1931 : Jan Cieplinsky * 1931–1951 : Julian Algo * 1949–1951 :

Antony Tudor Antony Tudor (born William Cook; 4 April 1908 – 19 April 1987) was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. He founded the London Ballet, and later the Philadelphia Ballet Guild in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., in the mid-195 ...

* 1953–1962 :

Mary Skeaping Mary Emma Skeaping (15 December 19029 February 1984) was an English ballerina who is better known as a ballet teacher, director, choreographer, and producer. She served as director of the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm for nine years (19531 ...

* 1962–1963 :

* 1964–1966 : Brian Macdonald * 1967–1971 :

Erik Bruhn Erik Belton Evers Bruhn (3 October 1928 – 1 April 1986) was a Danish ballet dancer, choreographer, artistic director, actor, and author. Early life Erik Bruhn was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the fourth child and first son of Ellen (née Eve ...

* 1971–1980 :

Ivo Cramér Martin Ivo Fredrik Carl Cramér (born 5 March 1921 in Gothenburg; died 30 April 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden) was a Swedish dancer, choreographer, ballet director and director. He was the son of Carl-Rudolf Cramér and the nephew of Harald Cramér and ...

* 1980–1984 : Gunilla Roempke * 1986–1993 :

Nils Ake-Häggbom Nils is a Scandinavian given name, a chiefly Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and Latvian variant of Niels, cognate to Nicholas. People and animals with the given name * Nils Elias Anckers (1858–1921), Swedish naval officer * Nils Beckman (1902–19 ...

* 1993–1995 : Simon Mottram * 1995–1999 :

Frank Andersen Frank Andersen (born 15 April 1953 in Copenhagen) is a former Danish ballet dancer who was twice artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet. He has been an influential supporter of the Danish choreographer August Bournonville. Biography Anders ...

* 1999–2001 : Petter Jacobsson * 2002–2008 :

Madeleine Onne Madeleine or La Madeleine may refer to: Common meanings * Madeleine (given name), also Madeline, a feminine given name, includes a list of people and fictional characters * Madeleine (cake), a traditional sweet cake from France Christianity * ...

* 2008–2011 : Marc Ribaud * 2011–2017 : Johannes Öhman * Since 2017 :

Nicolas Le Riche Nicolas Le Riche (born 29 January 1972, in Sartrouville, Yvelines) is a French ballet dancer, choreographer and ballet director. Biography Le Riche entered the Paris Opera Ballet school at age ten and joined the corps de ballet six years later; hi ...

Dancers

Principal Dancers

1st Soloist Dancers

Stockholm 59° North

Stockholm 59° North is a chamber company of soloist dancers from the Royal Swedish Ballet. Artistic Director is Mia Hjelte.

References

Kennedy Center ''Arts Edge''
* Georg Nordensvan : ''Svensk teater och Svenska skådespelare. Första bandet 1773–1842'' (1917) * Tryggve Byström: ''Svenska Komedien, 1737–1754'' * Klas Ralf, Prisma: ''Operan 200 år. Jubelboken'' * Klas Åke Heed: ''Ny svensk teaterhistoria. Teater före 1800''. Gidlunds förlag (2007) * https://www.operan.se/en/who-s-who-at-the-opera/royal-swedish-ballet

External links

Royal Swedish Ballet homepage on Operan.se
(click "language" for English translation)
Archival footage of Stockholm/59 North performing Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven in 1997 at Jacob's Pillow
at

Jacob's Pillow Jacob's Pillow is a Dance studio, dance center, school and performance space located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. The facility itself was listed as a National Historic Landmark District in 2003. History The site of Jacob's Pi ...

August 5, 2005 {{Authority control 1773 establishments in Sweden Ballet companies in Sweden 1773 in Sweden History of ballet 18th-century establishments in Stockholm