Marianela Nuñez began dancing at age three in her teacher’s garage in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before entering Teatro Colón Ballet School when she was six.

Her dancing career began at age 14 when she was selected by Colon Theater Ballet’s lead Maximillano Guerra to dance with him. She then toured with the company, dancing with Guerra in various roles.

When she was 15, she auditioned for The Royal Ballet while they were on tour in Los Angeles, despite not being able to speak English. Due to her age, she was asked to attend the Royal Ballet School until she was 16, with a guaranteed contract waiting for her. Within two years, she was promoted to First Soloist, the second highest rank in the company, and then to Principal within another two years. 

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She has danced leading roles in both classical and contemporary works throughout her 27 year career with the Royal Ballet, many available on Opus Arte, including:

• Kitri in Don Quixote
• Giselle
• Cinderella
• Odette/Odile in Swan Lake
• Nikiya in La Bayadère
• Swanhilda in Coppélia
• Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty
• Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker
• Manon
• Juliet in Romeo & Juliet

And roles created for her in:

• Infra choreographed by Wayne McGregor
• Carmen choreographed by Carlos Acosta
• Human Seasons choreographed by David Dawson
• Asphodel Meadows choreographed by Liam Scarlett
• Multiverse choreographed by Wayne McGregor

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Marianela also recently featured on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs with Lauren Leverne, discussing her Argentinian roots, her family and her path to becoming the Queen of Covent Garden 

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