Natalia Osipova ''Force of Nature''

The Divine Natalia Osipova Brings the Grand Ballet Program

"Forces of Nature" to Tallinn

The prima ballerina of the Royal Ballet in London, hailed by The Independent as the most sought-after ballerina in the world, has already performed Forces of Nature on both sides of the Atlantic. This one-of-a-kind production showcases both the most intricate pointe work of classical ballet and pieces choreographed by renowned contemporary artists. Osipova will be joined by her fellow soloists from the United Kingdom and the United States.

Osipova is unparalleled. Her technique is unique, and her artistic charisma is extraordinary. Even before graduating from the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, the ballet world was abuzz with discussions of her incredible, airborne leaps. Initially accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet as a corps de ballet member, she performed eight solo roles in her first season alone. Lively as mercury and swift as lightning, she would electrify the stage with her presence. "A wild thing!" Osipova recalls being called at the start of her career. "A force of nature," say those who saw her back then.

"Beg, borrow, or steal tickets!" exclaimed The Guardian after Osipova's sensational debut in London. The year was 2007, and the British capital hosted the Bolshoi Ballet. Chief choreographer Alexei Ratmansky played his ace, casting Osipova as Kitri in Don Quixote. It was a complete triumph.

By the early 2010s, Osipova had become one of the brightest and most in-demand ballerinas in the world. Major theaters in Paris, Milan, Berlin, and New York regularly invited her to perform. Every new role, whether Giselle, Kitri, or a character in contemporary choreography, became an event. Her artistry inspires the greatest choreographers of our time, including Alexei Ratmansky, Arthur Pita, Akram Khan, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

In 2013, Osipova signed a permanent contract with the Royal Ballet in London, where she continues to perform to this day.

Osipova's talent has been recognized with numerous international awards, including the National Dance Awards and the Benois de la Danse Prize. In 2018, British director Gerald Fox made a documentary about her titled Force of Nature: Natalia, which delves into the backstage world of her life and artistry—from rehearsals for Medusa to her performance in the classical ballet La Bayadère.

Four years later, Osipova has created her own Forces of Nature — an evening of unprecedented beauty and complexity. Here, she pays tribute to her signature, benchmark roles, which are as stylistically diverse as they are iconic — from the classical Le Corsaire pas de deux with Royal Ballet principal Marcelino Sambé, choreographed by Marius Petipa, to Alexei Ratmansky’s lyrical miniature Valse Triste, set to music by Sibelius and created especially for her. Osipova presents the world premiere of Gravity’s Orphan, a collaboration with Jason Kittelberger, as well as the expansive choreographic triptych Ashes, featuring four dancers. The evening concludes with the cult classic The Dying Swan by Mikhail Fokine, set to music by Saint-Saëns — a solo performed by Osipova as farewell, plea, and memory. Over the course of her phenomenal career, Osipova has performed 172 roles, as her biographers have counted — so there was certainly much to choose from.

Attending an Osipova performance is worth it if only to witness her fouettés, arguably the best in the world. However, Forces of Nature offers much more than technical marvels—it provides audiences with a chance to experience great art and understand what it truly means to be a 21st-century ballet étoile.