Jonathan Lo
Henry St Clair
Rafi Gokay Wol
“The dancers and the orchestra (of the Royal Opera House) under Jonathan Lo are rarely less than sublime”
(Neil Norman, The Stage)
Music Director: Northern Ballet
Music Director: The Australian Ballet (from 2023)
Staff Conductor: Royal Ballet
Hailed by Dance Europe as “the greatest ballet conductor we have in this country”, Jonathan Lo is Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Australian Ballet, prior to which he was Music Director of Northern Ballet, and Staff Conductor at the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, a position created for him in 2021. He was a Jette Parker Artist at the Royal Opera House, and Conducting Fellow with Birmingham Royal Ballet and Rambert Dance Company.
For the Royal Ballet, and together with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Jonathan has conducted for live cinema relays in repertoire such as Romeo and Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty. Other credits for the Company include a wide range of works from The Nutcracker and Cinderella, through to modern classics by Christopher Wheeldon, Crystal Pite and Wayne McGregor, including the first revival of the latter’s Dante Project. His versatility in repertoire sees him being as comfortable and successful in Swan Lake or La Fille mal Gardee to working with some of the world’s most celebrated choreographers, with forthcoming highlights to include conducting for the world premiere of Cathy Marston’s Atonement and Christopher Wheeldon’s Oscar. Sought after by ballet companies and orchestras internationally, Jonathan is a regular guest conductor for Dutch National Ballet (including the Company’s 60th anniversary Hans van Manen Festival), Zurich Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Cape Town City Ballet, Australian Ballet, and has appeared in performances with BBC Philharmonic, London Sinfonietta, Adelaide Symphony, Manchester Camerata, and Xi’an Symphony Orchestra in China, with whom he was Principal Guest Conductor from 2015 – 2018.
Jonathan read music at the University of Oxford, before studying conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music on a major scholarship. He has held a range of music directorships since he was 18, and was Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Manchester Chamber Choir, with whom he toured internationally, broadcasted frequently on radio, and appeared at the BBC Proms.
“…ably supported by the playing of Northern Ballet Sinfonia under the intelligent baton of Jonathan Lo, who is swiftly developing into a truly outstanding ballet conductor”
“The musical resources — in the shape of the London Sinfonietta, conducted by Jonathan Lo, in the pit — are fantastic”
“The dancers and the orchestra (of the Royal Opera House) under Jonathan Lo are rarely less than sublime”
“…always in control, undoubtedly destined for great things”
“This man is, without doubt, the greatest ballet conductor we have in this country”