In the 1948 film 'The Red Shoes', what is the name of the ballet company?

In The Red Shoes, the ballet company is called Ballet Lermontov. It is the fictional touring company run by Boris Lermontov, the demanding impresario played by Anton Walbrook.

The company is modeled partly on the Ballets Russes and its founder, Sergei Diaghilev, whose influence can be seen in Lermontov’s control over dancers, composers, choreography, and artistic direction. The film follows Victoria Page, played by ballerina Moira Shearer, after she joins the company and becomes its leading dancer.

Ballet Lermontov performs across Europe, including Paris and Monte Carlo. Its signature production is The Ballet of the Red Shoes, an elaborate work based on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1845 fairy tale. Robert Helpmann choreographed the ballet sequence, while Brian Easdale wrote its Oscar-winning score.

A common mix-up is to choose Ballets Russes, the real company that inspired the fictional troupe. The Royal Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet are also real institutions, but neither is the company named in the film.