The Royal Swedish Ballet

The Royal Swedish Ballet is one of the world’s oldest ballet companies. It was founded in 1773 by King Gustav III. It is Sweden’s largest dance company with the task of curating and developing classical ballet as well as contemporary, innovative pieces.

Anders Hellström began his career as a dancer with the Royal Swedish Ballet and has since enjoyed a long international career as a principal dancer and artistic director of some of Europe’s most influential dance companies. He now leads the Royal Swedish Ballet.

“Autumn 2026 is a mix of expressions,” Anders says about the company’s dance productions. “We open with the classical Romantic ballet Le Corsaire and continue with contemporary works that act as an artistic counterbalance.”

Le Corsaire is a full-length classical ballet with roots in the 19th century. “It represents the traditional Romantic ballet – and that’s part of what a company should carry.” The current production premiered at the Royal Swedish Opera in 2023.

As a contrast, the programme Chamber/Cacti brings together two contemporary choreographers. Medhi Walerski’s Chamber, which receives its Swedish premiere with the Royal Swedish Ballet this autumn, is described by Hellström as a work of powerful intensity: “It’s a strong ensemble piece without a narrative in the traditional sense, but with a ritualistic quality.”

He also highlights the music as a central element: “It’s expressive and powerful, and the title of the work comes from Joby Talbot’s Chamber Symphony.”

In the same programme, Alexander Ekman’s Cacti returns – a work Hellström himself commissioned, which had its world premiere during his time as artistic director of NDT. “It’s a typical Ekman piece – humour, playfulness, rhythm and surprising group scenes,” he says. “Cacti is an example of what can happen when choreographers are given space to explore and experiment. Some works become classics and spread across the world – like Cacti!” Ekman is one of Sweden’s most acclaimed choreographers, with works such as Midsummer Night’s Dream, Escapist and Cacti.

He sees the meeting between Walerski and Ekman as a strength in itself: “They represent two different energies, two different worlds. Alexander is direct and outward-looking, while Medhi is more subtle and poetic. They complement each other.”

In December, the Opera House will close for renovation, and the beloved Christmas ballet The Nutcracker will therefore be performed at Cirkus on Djurgården this season. Pär Isberg’s production is a well-established tradition – it has been performed by the Royal Swedish Ballet more than 350 times since its premiere in 1995. “Dramaturgically, it ties the story together beautifully – it really feels like stepping into Elsa Beskow’s world.” Isberg’s The Nutcracker has become a tradition to which generation after generation returns.

For Anders Hellström, the autumn season as a whole is about bringing different expressions together. “That’s where the dynamism arises – when the audience can move between different worlds.”