Cojocaru and Kobborg to leave The Royal Ballet

Posted on June 3, 2013

Principals Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg will leave The Royal Ballet at the end of the 2012–13 season. They are leaving the company to pursue other other artistic challenges.

Cojocaru and Kobborg both joined The Royal Ballet in 1999, where they have danced throughout the classical, Ashton and MacMillan repertoire and in many new ballets. They said: “We have had wonderful experiences with The Royal Ballet over the years and feel fortunate to have worked alongside so many inspiring artists. We wish Kevin O’Hare and The Royal Ballet’s dancers and staff all the best for the future and would like to thank our loyal and supporting audience for sharing many magical moments with us.”

Kevin O’Hare, director of The Royal Ballet, said: “Alina and Johan have given many memorable performances as members of The Royal Ballet, both at the Royal Opera House and around the world. Over the past ten years, I have greatly enjoyed watching their unique partnership develop, as I know our audiences have, and I wish them every success in the next phase of their careers.

The couple’s last UK performance as members of The Royal Ballet will be in Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling on June 5. On July 10 and 12, they will dance on tour with the company in Tokyo. Cojocaru and Kobborg will both continue dancing, and will shortly announce future plans.

Kobborg was scheduled to choreograph a new production of Verdi’s Les Vêpres siciliennes, a co-production between The Royal Opera and the Royal Danish Opera which opens at the Royal Opera House, London in October 2013. His continued involvement is still to be confirmed. UPDATE: Kobborg will no longer be involved in the production.

Pictured: Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg in Mayerling. Photographs: Bill Cooper, courtesy of The Royal Opera House

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.