Daria Klimentová, one of English National Ballet’s Lead Principals has announced she will retire after dancing the role of Juliet at the Royal Albert Hall in June with long-time partner Vadim Muntagirov. Despite his recent departure to The Royal Ballet the pair have formed one of the most admired ballet partnerships. He will return to the Company to play Romeo in Derek Deane’s spectacular production of Romeo & Juliet in-the-round and partner Klimentová in her final performances.
Performed by a huge company of 120 dancers, actors and sword-fighters, the production is an epic staging of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy. This acclaimed production brings to life all the emotions of the world’s greatest love story, from the majestic sweep of the masked ball to the passion and intimacy of the lovers’ balcony scene. Klimentová has recently named dancing Juliet with Vadim Muntagirov as one of her favourite roles.
Klimentová has become one of the most respected and accomplished stars of classical ballet over her professional career spanning 25 years, 18 of those spent with ENB. She has performed many of the greatest roles in classical ballet to critical acclaim due to the technical precision, virtuosity and dramatic quality of her performances.
Klimentová danced first with the National Theatre Ballet Company, Prague (joined 1989, Soloist, Principal); going on to the Cape Ballet Company, South Africa (joined 1992, Principal) Scottish Ballet (joined 1993, Principal) and before joining English National Ballet as a Principal in 1996. She has the won Paris Dance Foundation Prize at Prix de Lausanne, first place Tokyo (1989), International Ballet Competition, Pretoria (1991), and received The Patron’s Award from Dame Beryl Grey (2011). Daria won the 2011 Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards for Outstanding Female Dancer.
Image courtesy of Laurent Liotardo Photography.