Royal Ballet

La Fille mal gardée

In Cinemas 29, 30 Nov & 3 Dec 2025
Conductor
Jonathan Lo
Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Cast
Francesca Hayward (Lise), Marcelino Sambé (Colas)
Music
Ferdinand Hérold
Choreography
Frederick Ashton
Designs
Osbert Lancaster
Duration
Approx. 2h15 incl. an interval
Captured live from Covent Garden, London, 5 Nov 2025
Official Event Listing

Ballet in two acts (1960)

65 years after its premiere, The Royal Ballet invites you to (re)discover Frederick Ashton’s ballet of pure sunshine.

Lise (Francesca Hayward), the only daughter of Widow Simone, is in love with the young farmer Colas (Marcelino Sambé), but her mother has far more ambitious plans for her. Simone hopes to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother’s plans.

Whisking us away into pastoral bliss with Hérold’s cheerful score and Osbert Lancaster’s colourful designs, this affectionate portrayal of village life combines exuberant good humour and brilliantly inventive choreography in what is undoubtedly Ashton’s love letter to the English countryside. The Australian Ballet's Music Director and Chief Conductor Johnathan Lo conducts.

Royal Ballet

Based at the Royal Opera House, The Royal Ballet, led by Director Kevin O'Hare, is Britain’s largest ballet company.  The Company has a wide-ranging repertory showcasing the great classical ballets, heritage works from Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, as well as new works by the foremost choreographers of today. 

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