zxDaveM Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, RuthE said: I'm sure you're right, zxDaveM - that sounds like the Bolshoi one which we last saw in London in 2016. I didn't catch the Swan Lake from the Bolshoi in the summer of 2016, so I wasn't sure. So thanks for the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I remember many years ago BBC1 made this beautiful documentary "The Magic of Swan Lake", narrated by Darcey Bussell. In the documentary we also see a very young Naghdi and Hayward being coached by Darcey Bussell, and young Naghdi also "co-narrated". 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Apologies if this has already been noted but I recall there was some speculation earlier that Odette/Odile may be two dancers. Very pleased to see that Marianela Nunez dances both on the opening night having just got the opening night celebration publicity in the post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 3 minutes ago, JohnS said: Apologies if this has already been noted but I recall there was some speculation earlier that Odette/Odile may be two dancers. Very pleased to see that Marianela Nunez dances both on the opening night having just got the opening night celebration publicity in the post. Details of the opening night celebration were very vague in the Magazine. Please could you share in outline, JohnS? Most importantly, are 'ordinary mortals' going to be able to afford to be there? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 58 minutes ago, Nina G. said: In the documentary we also see a very young Naghdi and Hayward being coached by Darcey Bussell, and young Naghdi also "co-narrated". I remember watching this, and being slightly puzzled by the fact that they used 5 young dancers to explain the dance of the 4 cygnets! Does anyone know who the other 3 young girls are? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newcombe Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I think one of them may have been Karla Doorbar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Apologies capybara - I received the opening night information and an unspecified number of Grand Tier, Stalls and Stalls Circle seats are being held for a celebration post performance party. Prices are £900 to £1,100. Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov are the only named members of the cast; Koen Kessels is conducting. I'm very much hoping that most tickets will be normal price (whatever that is for Swan Lake) so that I too might go as very much an ordinary mortal! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londoner Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Fonty said: I remember watching this, and being slightly puzzled by the fact that they used 5 young dancers to explain the dance of the 4 cygnets! Does anyone know who the other 3 young girls are? The blonde girl second from the left looks like Rachel Ware, who was featured in the BBC documentary about ENB that was on five or six years ago - the episode about Derek Deane's Swan Lake. I think she teaches now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 31 minutes ago, JohnS said: Apologies capybara - I received the opening night information and an unspecified number of Grand Tier, Stalls and Stalls Circle seats are being held for a celebration post performance party. Prices are £900 to £1,100. I guess that answers your question about us mere mortals being able to attend, Capybara! I guess I they will already be trying to recoup the costs of the new production.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 There are no prices on the seating plan for normal performances either, although there are for the opera, something about seat allocations changing which probably means less cheaper seats, also in the future there won't even be a seating plan in the Friends Brochure, looks as if they are trying to force everyone to book online. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) 48 minutes ago, Beryl H said: There are no prices on the seating plan for normal performances either, although there are for the opera, something about seat allocations changing which probably means less cheaper seats, also in the future there won't even be a seating plan in the Friends Brochure, looks as if they are trying to force everyone to book online. I had a Swan Lake insert in my Magazine which gave the seating areas and prices. Eye-watering. So I suppose it's a good thing if, on top of that, they can get people to pay £900 - £1000 in order to be wine-and-dined etc. Edited January 5, 2018 by capybara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 yes thanks to their generosity the RB is able to bring this new production to us mere mortals The ROH webpage shows the production is sponsored by Van Cleef & Arpels, and further philanthropic support comes from: The Monument Trust, Ricki Gail and Robert Conway, Mrs Aline Foriel-Destezet, Jette Parker, Celia Blakey, Sarah and Lloyd Dorfman, Doug and Ceri King, the Swan Lake Production Syndicate, The American Friends of Covent Garden and The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Given all that sponsorship, I would hope that ticket prices needn't be any higher than usual. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) Well first of all I wonder how much the cost is for staging this new production? Cost of making new costumes? Scenery? Remuneration to choreographer Scarlett,... I guess once that's all accounted for there won't be much left over to "sponsor" ticket prices. Doesn't the ROHouse set the prices? The Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera are two separate bodies working under one umbrella: the Royal Opera House Edited January 5, 2018 by Nina G. Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Well, if we can't afford the first run of Swan Lakes, there will be plenty of alternative performances in London to go to over that period Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Now I'm getting really worried: Act IV and the seemingly very high ticket prices.....uh oh!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 4 hours ago, Beryl H said: There are no prices on the seating plan for normal performances either, although there are for the opera, something about seat allocations changing which probably means less cheaper seats, also in the future there won't even be a seating plan in the Friends Brochure, looks as if they are trying to force everyone to book online. The magazine on page 13 in the article " Buying tickets online" the last six lines do say that Friends who do not have online access will be sent a printed copy of the seating plan. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 5 hours ago, capybara said: I had a Swan Lake insert in my Magazine which gave the seating areas and prices. Eye-watering. So I suppose it's a good thing if, on top of that, they can get people to pay £900 - £1000 in order to be wine-and-dined etc. I've just seen the prices - it's not so much the prices themselves which are high, it's that they've kicked a lot of the lower-priced amphi seats up a bracket or two. I note that these seats remain in the previous (lower) bracket for opera, though fairness compels me to say that they remain cheaper for the ballet then for the opera. I wonder whose bright idea that was. Really hope this isn't a permanent change. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Now I look again, I see that the upper and lower slips tickets have gone up a rung too, not exactly the "slight variation" promised in the magazine. Good move, RB, squeezing the hardest up in your audience :/ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 16 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: I've just seen the prices - it's not so much the prices themselves which are high, it's that they've kicked a lot of the lower-priced amphi seats up a bracket or two. I note that these seats remain in the previous (lower) bracket for opera, though fairness compels me to say that they remain cheaper for the ballet then for the opera. I wonder whose bright idea that was. Really hope this isn't a permanent change. It would be really helpful to know what the prices are for Swan Lake - I haven't seen any information apart from the opening night celebration special tickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 If you're a friend, it's now online via the main page of the Account area accessed by clicking on your name - if you aren't, the range is £7 to £133 for evening performances and £5 to £105 for matinees: without the seat map any more detailed pricing is pretty meaningless as it doesn't conform to previous plans. Suffice it to say though that the cheaper seats are far fewer in number than previously (I haven't counted but possibly by as much as half or even more). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Many thanks Lizbie1 - that's much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I've taken a screenshot of the booking chart and attempted to attach it here. Hope it works! 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mummykool Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Thank you so much Bluebird. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 56 minutes ago, Bluebird said: I've taken a screenshot of the booking chart and attempted to attach it here. Hope it works! Thank you! And did you spot the misprint Bluebird? Knowing you, I bet you have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I find the speculation terrifically interesting. There are many reasons to enjoy the Nureyev Swan Lake but the biggest reason I find to dislike it is the Tutor as Rothbart scenario. No point offering any examples of odd choices or violin-playing redheaded Rothbarts from Australian experience as no videos available of the recent Baynes version, legally or otherwise, not even on YouTube (apart from some 40-second promos) so no comparisons possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 So it looks as if the tickets which have been £25 for full-lengths will be £29 for Swan Lake; I make that a 16% increase (in the middle of a season). Does the ROH now think that 'Swan Lake' is some sort of luxury 'brand' for which they can charge higher prices because of it's name/reputation? As far as I'm concerned it's a staple of the repertoire, not a kind of pantomime or West End musical for people to go to once and so they don't mind how much they pay. If they've had a lot of sponsorship, that should have allowed them to keep prices at the same level as they are for other full-length productions (including the current Swan Lake). (I can't stand for long periods, and there must be many other people who can't either, even if there were plenty of cheaper standing spaces available.) Will the higher prices apply to Swan Lake for ever more now? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 16 minutes ago, bridiem said: So it looks as if the tickets which have been £25 for full-lengths will be £29 for Swan Lake; I make that a 16% increase (in the middle of a season). Does the ROH now think that 'Swan Lake' is some sort of luxury 'brand' for which they can charge higher prices because of it's name/reputation? As far as I'm concerned it's a staple of the repertoire, not a kind of pantomime or West End musical for people to go to once and so they don't mind how much they pay. If they've had a lot of sponsorship, that should have allowed them to keep prices at the same level as they are for other full-length productions (including the current Swan Lake). (I can't stand for long periods, and there must be many other people who can't either, even if there were plenty of cheaper standing spaces available.) Will the higher prices apply to Swan Lake for ever more now? The cost of tickets is already quite expensive if like me you couldn't stand for a performance, or are very small so prefer a closer seat. Add that to train fares and hotel costs..... Attending the ballet at the ROH, (& other London venues) really is a BIG treat. When will I win the lottery??? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) 24 minutes ago, bridiem said: So it looks as if the tickets which have been £25 for full-lengths will be £29 for Swan Lake; I make that a 16% increase (in the middle of a season). The increase for amphitheatre B-E sides is even greater. Seats which have been priced at £16 will now cost £29. That's an increase of almost 45%! Edited January 6, 2018 by Bluebird 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I do sympathise with the comments on the steep increases in prices for Swan Lake. Whenever the ROH recategorises seats there are bound to be some pretty hefty price increases as some seats get placed in a higher bracket but I am a bit surprised that top priced seats go from £125 to £133 - a relatively modest 6.4%. Where seats remain in the same price bracket, the top price Amphitheatre seats go from £74 to £79 - a 6.8% increase. And I do see that some seats are placed in a lower price category so it's worth looking at the detail - indeed some seats are actually cheaper for Swan Lake than for Nutcracker e.g. Stalls A1 £106 to £97. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 36 minutes ago, JohnS said: And I do see that some seats are placed in a lower price category so it's worth looking at the detail - indeed some seats are actually cheaper for Swan Lake than for Nutcracker e.g. Stalls A1 £106 to £97. They have been playing around with the categorisation of seats at the sides of the stalls for some time. At one point, the side seats on the aisles in rows A -D were more expensive than those in the middle block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colman Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Swan Lake is in a category by itself as a ballet you can sell to normal people. I guess they’re taking advantage of that to defray the costs of the new production and just plain make some money. Sensible, if unfortunate for the regulars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I know it doesn't work like that but, I wish they had saved the money spent on all the unnecessary building work and used it to keep seat prices the same, at least in the amphi- because, if the concern is access for all, that is the real issue..... On the other hand, they have lost funding, and someone must pay for a very expensive new production.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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