Carlos Acosta is set to bid farewell to classical ballet with his final performances at Royal Albert Hall for a limited run, from 3-7 October 2016. Entitled The Classical Farewell, the programme will celebrate highlights from Acosta’s career which led him to being cited as the most famous male dancer of his generation. Taking to the stage when he was just 18 years old, the 2016 performances will mark the final time audiences can watch the ballet superstar dance classical works live. Whilst Acosta is presumed to continue to choreograph for the stage, it seems his ballet shoes will be hung up for the last time.
The Classical Farewell programme features new repertoire, to be announced shortly. The performances at the Royal Albert Hall are ahead of Acosta embarking on a UK tour to Nottingham, Birmingham, Southampton and Salford in May 2016, delighting regional audiences away from London. For lucky London audiences, Acosta’s final Royal Ballet season saw him choreograph and dance the lead role in Carmen late last year, marking his farewell to the company after 17 years.
For The Classical Farewell Acosta has put together a programme featuring some of his closest contemporaries from The Royal Ballet, presenting some of his favourite pieces from the classical repertoire for the final time: Acosta’s past productions have played to sell-out audiences. In 2014 he was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for services to ballet, and is known for his passion for nurturing and inspiring the next generation of dancers.
Additionally Acosta choreographed Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Guys and Dolls in 2015 alongside Andrew Wright. The show is currently playing in the West End and Acosta has been nominated for an Olivier Award. At the National Dance Awards 2015 Acosta was awarded the De Valois Award for Lifetime Achievement and he is currently working in Havana, Cuba with his new company Acosta Danza.