Royal Ballet 2017/18 season

[jmhopton]

I see on the ROH website at the bottom of the page where the seasons are they have the 2017/18 season there. Obviously nothing in it yet but does anyone have any idea when it will be announced? I know it's usually the beginning of April but I thought as the outline was already there it may mean it's a bit early this year.

[Vanartus]

It would be great to know earlier...I'm moving to Berlin to live in the autumn (sorry but Brexit has ruined Britain for me and I don't want to live here anymore) but oh, I'll miss the dance scene...

[Bluebird]

I see on the ROH website at the bottom of the page where the seasons are they have the 2017/18 season there. Obviously nothing in it yet but does anyone have any idea when it will be announced? I know it's usually the beginning of April but I thought as the outline was already there it may mean it's a bit early this year.

 

I think those pages have been on the ROH website for a while (I noticed them a couple of weeks ago).  I'm not sure that they're an indication of an early announcement. It's more likely that it's a case of efficient forward planning.  I would, however, be delighted to be proved wrong!

Edited March 4, 2017 by Bluebird

[aileen]

Sorry to hear that you're leaving, Vanartus. Brexit has ruined Britain for me too and I'm British (but I hope to get Irish passports for me and my kids).

[JohnS]

Also very sorry to read your comments Vanartus and Aileen.

I know the Ballet Forum is apolitical but is there a thread on Brexit implications for performers and audiences? Deeply worrying times for all.

[alison]

There was one started before the referendum, I think - but I think it was locked.

[Sim]

The press conference announcing the 2017/18 Royal Ballet and Royal Opera season will take place on the morning of April 5th. 

 

The ROH has kindly invited us along, so one of the forum committee members will be there and will bring you all the information as it happens. 

[bangorballetboy]

and will bring you all the information as it happens. 

 

Subject to any embargo...*

 

*spot the lawyer

[penelopesimpson]

The press conference announcing the 2017/18 Royal Ballet and Royal Opera season will take place on the morning of April 5th. 

 

The ROH has kindly invited us along, so one of the forum committee members will be there and will bring you all the information as it happens. 

Ooh, fabulous.  I am assuming Swan Lake and praying that we won't see Fille again for a little while.

[Sim]

I would love to see Fille again very soon, but separation makes the heart grow fonder!!  Not that mine can get much fonder of Fille..... 

 

Swan Lake I am sort of dreading, after Sweet Violets and Frankenstein....let's hope someone is keeping a close eye and an iron fist on things!!

[bangorballetboy]

Ooh, fabulous.  I am assuming Swan Lake and praying that we won't see Fille again for a little while.

 

It's already been announced that the new Swan Lake will be in the 17/18 season.

[alison]

Plus we know the new Twyla Tharp piece, regardless of how long it is

 

I'm assuming Romeo & Juliet, no Nutcracker, and hoping for Manon.  Mixed bills will have to wait and see ...

[bangorballetboy]

no Nutcracker

 

A number of dancers have already mentioned on social media that there'll be Nutcracker for Christmas 17.

[alison]

Oh, I thought we were due for a rest from it

[Jacqueline]

Any sign of Cinderella on the horizon?

[Jan McNulty]

Any sign of Cinderella on the horizon?

You can see BRB performing David Bintley's wonderful production in Plymouth this week and Sunderland next week!

[Colman]

Oh, I thought we were due for a rest from it

 

 

Bills to pay. Pretty much as simple as that I think.

[zxDaveM]

Bills to pay. Pretty much as simple as that I think.

 

they rest it roughly every 5-6 years for a season, if memory serves. I love it anyway, so happy to hear it, and was pretty sure it would be back anyway

[Tony Newcombe]

You can see BRB performing David Bintley's wonderful production in Plymouth this week and Sunderland next week!

 

I heard a whisper about grave doubts over the future of The Royal's Cinderella

[zxDaveM]

I heard a whisper about grave doubts over the future of The Royal's Cinderella

 

if that's true, I'll miss the 'Stars', Cinders walk down the stairs en pointe after leaving her carriage, the glorious pdd - but I won't miss the gallumping sisters...

[MAB]

Oh dear, I was hoping it would be revived for the 2018/19 season, the hundredth anniversary of Fonteyn's birth.

[Jacqueline]

I heard a whisper about grave doubts over the future of The Royal's Cinderella

Oh no. It has its faults like most things but the Ashton version is a particular favourite of mine for so many reasons. I see it hasn't been on since 2011 and I was so hoping and thinking it must due an airing. Francesca and Yasmine would be wonderful Cinderellas, in my opinion of course.

Can you say anymore as to the grave doubts or would it be speculation?

[Vanartus]

I heard that too re Cinderella from a senior RB dancer. Toxic mix of Prokofiev royalties, dissatisfaction with set and reluctance to replace due to relative newness and cost.

[Vanartus]

Sorry if my last post falls under speculation or gossip. Delete if you want...

[MAB]

Isn't Prokofiev out of copyright in seven years?

[Geoff]

I heard that too re Cinderella from a senior RB dancer. Toxic mix of Prokofiev royalties, dissatisfaction with set and reluctance to replace due to relative newness and cost.

 

There is also the problem that it has been a v long time since the Ugly Sisters were danced as Ashton intended, rather than as unmusical panto clowns. But - to make the obvious point - that is not the fault of the production, rather it is (perhaps) another example of a failure of RB institutional memory, as discussed in another thread in relation to SB coaching.

[bangorballetboy]

There is also the problem that it has been a v long time since the Ugly Sisters were danced as Ashton intended, rather than as unmusical panto clowns. But - to make the obvious point - that is not the fault of the production, rather it is (perhaps) another example of a failure of RB institutional memory, as discussed in another thread in relation to SB coaching.

 

I think it's the failure of the owner of the ballet, rather than the RB's memory.

[Guest]

Hopefully when they bring Ashton's Cinderella back it will be in new designs or the old David Walker designs. Like Jacqueline, I would love to see Hayward, Naghdi, and I would add O'Sullivan to the list, in the title role. The run of stronger showings of fairy variations in the prologue of Sleeping Beauty made me long to see what this current generation of talented dancers could do with the season fairies in Cinderella. I hope we don't have to wait too long to see it again. If Cinders is not on the cards this Christmas, I'm hoping for a double bill of Patineurs and Two Pigeons.

[Bruce Wall]

A number of dancers have already mentioned on social media that there'll be Nutcracker for Christmas 17.

 

Hey, great.  I for definite one will be going to BOTH of O'Sullivan's performances as the SPF with Sambe ... or was it Richardson.  Hint, hint; nudge, nudge  

[FLOSS]

Prokofiev died on the same day as Stalin did in 1953 so the musical copyright expires in 2023,The copyright for the choreographic text of the ballet will expire in 2058. The rights to the ballet are currently owned by Wendy Ellis Somes so we have her to thank for the current unsatisfactory designs and what it has looked like in performance as far as the Uglies are concerned. Actually while I loathe the way that the Uglies have ceased to be characters and have become panto dames I think that the heavy make up for the Jester has reduced him from an important character to a mere "leg machine". The heavy make up with the tear effectively obliterates any characterisation that any one dancing the Jester might attempt, the finesse which Alexander Grant brought to the role is now impossible. I also have concerns over Cinderella's all too pretty rags. The Walker designs would be good but a return to the original ones might be better. Although I loathe the current production I shall feel really cheated if Ashton's Cinderella is not revived in the near future.According to my calculations it was last revived in the 2010-11 season and has not been seen since. Seven years is a long time for a major work to be out of the repertory.

 

Perhaps if the had a rest from staging yet another new,expensive McGregor ballet they might be able to afford to stage a masterpiece. By the way my Ashton wish list also includes Facade last seen more than twenty years ago, Les Patineurs, Les Rendezvous, A Wedding Bouquet, Les Illuminations and the various Ashton pieces which were the subject of the Ashton Foundation's recent master classes.I should also be interested in seeing de Valois' The Prospect Before Us and Job.

Edited March 6, 2017 by FLOSS

[Guest]

' I also have concerns over Cinderella's all too pretty rags'. Me too, Floss. That was also a problem in David Walker's designs. I'd also add Jazz Calendar and Daphnis to your wishlist.

[Don Q Fan]

 

Perhaps if the had a rest from staging yet another new,expensive McGregor ballet they might be able to afford to stage a masterpiece. By the way my Ashton wish list also includes Facade last seen more than twenty years ago, Les Patineurs, Les Rendezvous, A Wedding Bouquet, Les Illuminations and the various Ashton pieces which were the subject of the Ashton Foundation's recent master classes.I should also be interested in seeing de Valois' The Prospect Before Us and Job.

Hear hear and oh that would be lovely!!  I only got my Les Pats fix thanks to the RBS Gala last summer and it was wonderful.

 

 

I am hoping that Onegin might get a run and I suppose Frankenstein probably will as it was new last season. Carlos Acosta's wonderful Don Q would of course be very acceptable to me :-)

Edited March 6, 2017 by Don Q Fan

[alison]

Not sure about Frankenstein: it needs serious revision, and I think Scarlett will have his hands full with Swan Lake ...