FEDORA - Le Figaro Highlights "Gentleman Jack" and FEDORA’s Role in Shaping a New Generation of European Dance Productions

Premiere of Gentleman Jack - Winner of the FEDORA - VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Dance Prize 2025 © Emily Nuttall i

Le Figaro Highlights "Gentleman Jack" and FEDORA’s Role in Shaping a New Generation of European Dance Productions

Industry News

We have been recently featured in the article "Gentleman Jack: The New Darling of the Ballet World" ("Gentleman Jack, nouvelle coqueluche du ballet") in Le Figaro, by Ariane Bavelier, highlighting how FEDORA plays a decisive role in turning ambitious artistic ideas into fully realised European productions, focusing on Gentleman Jack as a key example.

The production is the FEDORA - VAN CLEEF & ARPELS Dance Prize 2025 Winner, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels in collaboration with Opera Europa, as part of the the FEDORA Prizes competition co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission.

As the article explains:

“For Gentleman Jack, Federico Bonelli brought the Finnish National Ballet on board, assembled the artistic team with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, including the composer, costume designer, and set designer, and submitted an application to FEDORA, a European platform that supports innovative projects for dance and opera productions.”

The article focuses on Gentleman Jack, a ballet, led by Northern Ballet under the direction of Federico Bonelli, in co-production with the Finnish National Ballet and choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, is inspired by the life of historical figure Anne Lister exploring the story of the 19th-century Yorkshire landowner who challenged social conventions, lived openly in her relationships with women, and documented her extraordinary life through her extensive coded diaries.

What emerges is a portrait of FEDORA as an incubator for the performing arts: a platform that connects artists, opera houses, and funding partners across Europe. Through the FEDORA Prizes Biennale funding opportunities and co-production model, FEDORA enables projects like Gentleman Jack to move from concept to stage with full creative teams and international touring potential.

The article also refers to the "FEDORA effect”: productions that gain not only funding, but also visibility and momentum across major European stages, accelerating artistic innovation and cross-border collaboration.

Le Figaro "Gentleman Jack: The New Darling of the Ballet World"

FEATURE — Following the success of the book and television series, Anne Lister now takes centre stage in dance. This production was brought to life in part thanks to FEDORA, which helps drive innovation across opera houses and performing arts institutions...

Read the article