After more than a quarter century of planning, Japan’s new center of the performing arts had its grand opening on October 10, 1997. The New National Theatre Tokyo consists of the Opera House, Japan’s first full-scale theatre for Opera and Ballet, the Playhouse and the Pit, versatile spaces for Contemporary Ballet, Dance and Drama.   The New National Theatre Ballet, Tokyo, established in the opening year of the theatre, currently directed by Maki Asami, now boasts of a complement of over 60 season-contracted dancers. Included in its repertoire are the majority of classical ballet works such as “The Sleeping Beauty”, “The Nutcracker”, “Don Quixote”, “Giselle”, “Swan Lake” and Bounonville’s “La Sylphide”, and in English Ballet’s masterpieces, Ashton’s “Cinderella” or MacMillan’s “Romeo and Juliet”, “Manon”, and from 20th century’s ballets, such as, Balanchine’s “Symphony in C”, “Theme and Variations”, Tudor’s “Lilac Garden”. Nacho Duato’s “Duende” and Rudi van Danzig’s “Four Last Songs”. And recently we added in our repertoire Roland Petit’s “La Chauve-souris”. We never forget some of original creations, Maki Asami’s “La Bayadère” (Full-length), and Ishii Jun’s “Bonsho no Koe-from The Tales of the Heike-“. These ballet productions feature many professionally-trained dancers, who were selected by every year’s audition since the beginning of the Company.   It should also be noted that this company collaborates with world-renowned choreographers, designers, conductor who are responsible for the production of new works in the modern tradition.   Now the New National Theatre Ballet, Tokyo continue to grow in fame and popularity and has come to be loved and respected by all who cherish ballet as their chosen from of artistic expression.