Cast
Pär Isberg — Choreographer
Cinzia Lo Fazio — Set designer
Selam Fessahaye — Costumes designer, make-up artist
Tobias Rylander — Lighting
David Nzinga — Dramaturgy
Guillaume Diop — Gustav Badin Couschi
Nadja Sellrup — Queen Louisa Ulrika
Program notes
The Royal Swedish Ballet returns to the main stage of the Royal Swedish Opera House to perform Gustavia, directed by Amir Chamdin and choreographed by Pär Isberg! Premiering to widespread acclaim in 2024, Gustavia enchanted critics and audiences alike with its retelling of the remarkable real-life story of Gustav Badin Couschi, the Black adopted brother of King Gustav III. Reframing Sweden’s foundational myth, the ballet explores themes of power, identity, prejudice, love, and resistance. Blending evocative choreography, dazzling visual design, and a compelling score, Gustavia brings to life the untold journey of a historical figure who helped shape Swedish royal history in the eighteenth century.