2025 begins with a treat for ballet novices and balletomanes alike. RG Live presents the return of the celebrated Varna International Ballet and Orchestra to the UK following a breathtaking debut tour in 2023. The company will visit 20 venues around the UK from 2 January – 5 March 2025, with beloved classics The Nutcracker, Swan Lake,and Romeo and Juliet. 

The Nutcracker is an enchanting story that takes place on Christmas Eve. When midnight strikes, we are swept away to a fairy-tale world where nothing is quite as it seems. Often considered the greatest romantic ballet of all time, Swan Lake is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score. Shakespeare’s tale of primal passion and timeless tragedy, Romeo and Juliet,is an emotionally charged and unmissable ballet.

Founded in 1947 and renowned for its award-winning soloists and magnificent corps de ballet, Varna International Ballet has been delighting audiences for decades at home in Bulgaria and abroad with performances of the highest quality. Now, once again they give audiences across the UK a chance to see some of the best-known ballets performed to the highest standard at a theatre on their doorstep.

The tour begins in Manchester on 2 January 2025, and visits Buxton, Bristol, Liverpool, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Basingstoke, Ipswich, Southend, Brighton, Nottingham, Reading, Oxford, Darlington, Wimbledon, Norwich, Hull, Sheffield, Leicester and Northampton, where it finishes on 5 March. For tickets and more information, please go to rg.live