Carlos Acosta was one of the greatest classical dancers of the modern age, with a career that took him from the backstreets of Havana to the most famous stages in the world. The 11th child of a poor family, he trained at the National Ballet School of Cuba before winning the Prix de Lausanne in 1990 at the age of 16. In 1998 he joined the Royal Ballet, where he stayed for 17 years. He retired from classical ballet in 2016 but has continued dancing in contemporary works. Now artistic director of two companies, Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) and the Cuba-based Acosta Danza, he has decided to return to the classical stage at the Royal Opera House with Carlos at 50, five performances in celebration of his birthday.
What brings you back to the Royal Opera House?
There is still an itch there that I want to scratch one more time. I’m 50, at half-time in my journey, and I just wanted to celebrate that. It’s not a comeback or anything. It’s about returning one last time to a place that is full of memories for me.
