Renowned Cuban ballet star, Carlos Acosta, will retire from classical dance with a new production of Carmen which the Royal Ballet is set to premiere in September, 2015.

With the London based Royal Ballet, where he’s been a guest dancer for eleven years, Acosta has danced all the classics and played all the most famous parts, including Sigfried from Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, Des Grieux in Manon, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Basil in Don Quixote.

Speaking to the audience at the Hay Festival in England, Acosta announced that the next two seasons will be last ones for him as a ballet dancer, highlighting that he is in the process of creating a production of Carmen, which will be his last in ballet, but will continue working on more contemporary pieces.