Book-ended by the 120th anniversary of Frederick Ashton’s birth in 2024 and the 40th anniversary of his death in 2028, Ashton Worldwide 2024–2028 aims to highlight the universal appeal of Ashton’s ballets across the globe, foster the spread and influence of his legacy and encourage companies worldwide to perform Ashton works—whether as revivals or for the first time. Companies involved come from around the world, including from Australia, Canada, South America, Europe, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand and the USA as well as the UK. 

The festival launched with Ashton Celebrated – a programme of both best-loved and lesser-known Ashton works performed by The Royal Ballet and Sarasota Ballet at The Royal Opera House – in June 2024. To date, companies and schools that have agreed to participate in Ashton Worldwide include American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Ballet West (USA), Birmingham Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, Cape Town City Ballet, Central School of Ballet (London), Cincinnati Ballet, Elmhurst Ballet School, English National Ballet School, Estonian National Ballet, Houston Ballet, New York Theatre Ballet, National Ballet of Japan, Noriko Kobayashi Ballet Theatre (Tokyo), Philadelphia Ballet, Queensland Ballet, The Royal Ballet (London), The Royal Ballet School (London), Royal New Zealand Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet de Santiago (Chile), The Sarasota Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Semperoper Ballet (Dresden), Vienna State Ballet and The Washington Ballet.

As the festival continues, repertoire will be announced by individual companies in their usual way, season-by-season, following agreement with the appropriate ballet rightsholder. Works to be performed, or under discussion, include Birthday Offering, Cinderella, Daphnis and Chlöe, Foyer de danse, The Dream, La Fille mal gardée, Lament of the Waves, Marguerite and Armand, Les Patineurs, Les Rendezvous, Rhapsody, Scènes de ballet, Sylvia, Symphonic Variations, The Two Pigeons, La Valse, A Wedding Bouquet and Ashton’s choreography for Stravinsky’s opera Le Rossignol.

For further information, or to discuss participating in Ashton Worldwide 2024–2028, please contact:

Sarah Eliot-Cohen
Executive Director
The Frederick Ashton Foundation
[email protected]