Production
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Woolf Works – Orlando pas de deux (Natalia Osipova, Edward Watson; The Royal Ballet), YouTube video |
In the ballet, each act represent one of Woolf's novels. The three acts, titled "I now, I then", "Becomings" and "Tuesday" are inspired by Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves respectively.[2]
Alessandra Ferri, who was 52, was invited by McGregor to star in Woolf Works, as he believed her age was suitable for the role.[3] Mara Galeazzi, a former principal dancer who left the company in 2013, was asked to cover for Ferri, though Galeazzi did not perform the role until 2017.[4]
The music, composed by McGregor's frequent collaborator Max Richter, featured both classical and electronic sounds.[2] A recording of Woolf reading her essay "On Craftsmanship" was used in "I now, I then."[5] Actress Gillian Anderson provided a voice recording of reading Woolf's suicide note, which is played in the beginning of "Tuesday."[6] The music was released as an album titled Three Worlds: Music from Woolf Works.[7]
A 2017 revival was filmed and relayed in cinemas.[8] The film was later broadcast by BBC 4 and released on a DVD.[9][10] The Royal Opera House released the recording online in response to the impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on the performing arts.[11] In the first full company performance since the pandemic started, Edward Watson, Akane Takada and Calvin Richardson performed an excerpt from "I now, I then."[12][13]
La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan debuted Woolf Works in 2019. Ferri and Federico Bonelli, a Royal Ballet principal, reprised their roles from the original production.[14]