National Ballet of Japan stages first overseas performance in London

London –

The National Ballet of Japan on Thursday staged its first hosted performance overseas at the Royal Opera House in London with its production of “Giselle,” a masterpiece of classic ballet.

Thursday’s show was the first of a total of five performances scheduled through Sunday.

Miyako Yoshida, artistic director of the NBJ, once served as principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, a ballet company based at the Royal Opera House. For Yoshida, the NBJ’s London performances mark her triumphant return to the theater where she performed for many years.

In an interview on Tuesday, prior to the London performances, Yoshida said, “This is a major step forward for the NBJ as it pursues globalization.”

“I hope the company will use this experience to move on to the next stage,” she said enthusiastically.

Two-act “Giselle,” set in medieval Germany, depicts the tragic love story between a peasant girl named Giselle and Albrecht, an aristocrat disguised as a villager.

“I hope the audience will enjoy the ‘world’ of the stage, where the characters seem as if they are actually alive, and see the expressions unique to Japanese,” Yoshida said.

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