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English National Ballet: 2018/19 Season


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ENB have just announced their new season.  A bit of a shame that they are doing Manon and Swan Lake just after the RB have done both.  Delighted to see Rite and Broken Wings coming back.  Not jumping up and down about the rest of it....although these are the highlights.  We will post more details as and when we get them.  

 

 
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2018-19 season announcement
 
Priority booking opens this Thursday – become a Friend today
 

Ahead of our move to a new home at London City Island next year, we're thrilled to announce our new 2018-19 season. Highlights include:

  • Christopher Wheeldon's in-the-round version of Cinderella at Royal Albert Hall.
  • Following 2016's She Said, we present She Persisted, a second bill featuring female choreographers, including a new work inspired by Ibsen's A Doll's House choreographed by First Artist Stina Quagebeur, and also featuring Pina Bausch's Le Sacre du printemps and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Broken Wings.
  • Kenneth MacMillan's classic Manon goes on tour for the second time only in 30 years.
  • Derek Deane's Swan Lake goes to Liverpool, Bristol and London.
  • Our Christmas favourite Nutcracker returns to the London Coliseum.
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And the official press release, including tour dates:

 

English National Ballet
2018-2019 Season 

www.ballet.org.uk

  • English National Ballet and English National Ballet School set to move into joint state-of-the-art home in Canning Town, East London
  • ENB's success in stage two application to Arts Council England's Capital Large Grants programme for a £3 million investment in its new home
  • Christopher Wheeldon to create a new in-the-round version of Cinderella for English National Ballet and the Royal Albert Hall
  • ENB’s second bill featuring female choreographers, She Persisted includes a new work inspired by Ibsen’s A Doll’s House by First Artist Stina Quagebeur
  • She Persisted also features Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre du printemps and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Broken Wings
  • Lest We Forget returns to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War 
  • Akram Khan’s Giselle tours internationally to the Harris Theater, Chicago and to the Chekov International Festival at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow
  • Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon performed on tour and at the London Coliseum 
  • ENB in Paris, following the Company’s performances at the Palais Gariner, to be released via YouTube 


English National Ballet has today announced its 2018-2019 season at a press conference at London City Island, the site of its future home. 

English National Ballet’s 2018-2019 season begins as the Company prepares to move to its new purpose-built home at London City Island in Canning Town, a new neighbourhood from EcoWorld Ballymore.

The Company is thrilled to announce it has been successful in its stage two application to Arts Council England’s Capital Large Grants programme, funded by the National Lottery, for a £3 million investment in its future home. Bringing both English National Ballet and English National Ballet School together under one roof for the first time, the new building will create a centre that combines state-of-the-art training, fitness and rehab, and teaching facilities, seven stage-sized rehearsal studios, and a unique production studio with five-storey fly tower unrivalled in the UK. 

The new building will include digital infrastructure which will allow both organisations to capture and share work and engage with audiences around the UK and the rest of the world, and dedicated Engagement spaces to further the Company’s work with the local community and wellbeing programme including its flagship English National Ballet Dance for Parkinson’s programme. Fundraising for English National Ballet and English Ballet's new move is ongoing. 

Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director, English National Ballet said: We are so grateful to Arts Council England for their continued support and investment in our new home, which will be a space that will echo the sound of creative Britain. It will be a place where artists will be nurtured from school to beyond their stage careers, and where our continued commitment to their health and fitness will have the best possible infrastructure.

“We will have state of the art spaces to allow us to further create ground-breaking new work and continue to develop our artform. It will be a space we will be able to share with other artists and artforms, and will allow us to be even more open and welcoming to our local communities and audience”

One of the first new productions to be created in the Company’s new home is from multi award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, who premieres a new in-the-round version of Cinderella in June 2019 at the Royal Albert Hall. Co-produced by English National Ballet and the Royal Albert Hall, Wheeldon’s inventive production features over 90 dancers and combines magnificent sets and costumes, theatrical surprises, and lively choreography in what promises to be the ballet spectacular of 2019. 

Lucy Noble, Artistic Director at the Royal Albert Hall, said: “We’re thrilled to be co-producing Christopher Wheeldon’s exquisite production of Cinderella with English National Ballet, specially adapted for the world’s most famous stage. The Royal Albert Hall and English National Ballet have a long and happy partnership, which started in 1997 with Swan Lake and has since seen hundreds of thousands of people enjoying ballet in-the-round in our wonderful Hall. This co-production continues our shared ambition to take great art to everyone.”

English National Ballet continues to showcase the woman's voice in choreography with its second programme dedicated to female choreography, She Persisted at Sadler's Wells in April 2019. Following 2016's acclaimed She Said programme, She Persisted includes the premiere of Nora, a new work by First Artist Stina Quagebeur, based on Ibsen's A Doll's House. 

She Persisted also sees Pina Bausch’s masterwork Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) return. Regarded as one of Bausch’s most revered works, English National Ballet is only the second ballet Company in the world to be allowed to perform the work. 


During 36 years as Artistic Director of Tanztheater Wuppertal, Pina Bausch nurtured an ensemble of vivid imagination and grand scale and developed an artistic canon renowned for its diverse cultural influences and rich visual style. 

First premiered in April 2016, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Broken Wings is also revived. Based on the life of Frida Kahlo, Broken Wings was nominated for Best Modern Choreography at the 2016 Critics Circle National Dance Awards. Broken Wings will see legendary ballet star and Guest Ballet Master at English National Ballet, Irek Mukhamedov, reprise his role as Diego Rivera. 

To commemorate the end of the First World War, English National Ballet’s acclaimed Lest We Forget programme returns to Sadler’s Wells in September 2018. Featuring three poignant works, Lest We Forget reflects on the experiences of those who fought in the conflict, and those who stayed behind. Drawing on superb design and evocative scores, choreographers Liam Scarlett, Russell Maliphant and Akram Khan have created dance pieces full of unforgettable and haunting images. 

Since its premiere in 2014, Lest We Forget has gone on to receive the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance, and Best Modern Choreography at the 2014 Critic’s Circle National Dance Awards for Akram Khan’s Dust. English National Ballet also became the first ballet company to perform at Glastonbury when it presented Dust on the Pyramid Stage in front of over 30,000 people.  

Continuing its commitment to UK touring and presenting world-class ballet to the widest possible audience, Autumn 2018 sees English National Ballet present Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon outside London for only the second time in 30 years, touring to Manchester, Southampton, and Milton Keynes. Famous for its expressive choreography and dramatic challenge, Manon features some of the most demanding and fulfilling roles in ballet. Manon is accompanied by Julies Massenet’s haunting music performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

Also performed as part of English National Ballet’s Autumn tour is its hugely successful production of the timeless classic Swan Lake choregraphed by Derek Deane. Touring to Liverpool and Bristol, Swan Lake features some of the most iconic scenes in ballet performed to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score performed live by English National Ballet Philharmonic. 

Following performances of Manon and Swan Lake on tour, English National Ballet will present both productions at the London Coliseum in January 2019. 

Continuing its Christmas tradition of presenting a Nutcracker production each year since 1950, English National Ballet’s Nutcracker returns to the London Coliseum following sold out performances in 2016 and 2017. 

English National Ballet remains committed to developing and nurturing talent within the company, and 2019 sees the tenth anniversary of its Emerging Dancer competition. Recognising the excellence of the Company’s artists, this annual celebration sees six finalists mentored by their peers to perform in front of a panel of preeminent judges. The winner of Emerging Dancer is announced alongside the People’s Choice award and the Corps de Ballet award, introduced to recognise the hard work and dedication of an exceptional member of the corps. 

Developing the ballet audience of tomorrow, English National Ballet and English National Ballet School’s My First Ballet series takes a popular ballet title and adapts it in time and length, making it accessible to audiences as young as three. Since 2012, over 250,000 people have seen a ballet from the series. Further details for My First Ballet’s Spring 2019 tour to be confirmed shortly. 

To mark two years since English National Ballet became the first UK company in 60 years to perform on the Palais Garnier stage, ENB in Paris will be released in June 2018 via our YouTube channel. A film by Michael Nunn & William Trevitt, this five-part documentary follows the Company as it prepares to make history with its performances of Le Corsaire on this world-renowned stage. 

Taking the very best in British ballet to audiences across the world, English National Ballet tours Akram Khan’s Giselle internationally next season. The Company will make its first performances in the United States for over 30 years in February 2019 when it performs at the Harris Theater in Chicago, and for the first time in the Company’s history it will perform at the Chekov International Festival on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre June 2019.

At today’s press conference, English National Ballet released the results of its 2016-2017 annual review.

During the 2016-2017 financial year the Company gave 175 performances in England and a further six abroad, to a paid attendance of over 296,000 people, reaching a capacity attendance of 87%. English National Ballet is committed to taking world class ballet to the widest possible audience. In 2016/2017 over 30,000 tickets sold were priced at £14 or under across every UK venue. 

Digital innovation and communication is essential in ensuring that English National Ballet meets its objective to provide access to the widest possible audience. 

In 2017 our website was redesigned and re-launched. In 2016 we created an enhanced digital campaign for Akram Khan’s Giselle, with a bespoke microsite which housed images and short films chronicling the creative process. To date, the site has had over 485,000-page views and the films have had over 6.5 million views.

Our digital reach and participation showed significant growth in 2016/2017. We recorded 33.91% increase in visitors to our website from the previous year, a 116% increase in followers on Instagram, 60.1% increase in Facebook followers, a 30.7% increase in YouTube subscribers, and our video content received 14.9 million views. 

English National Ballet also announced that Justin Bickle will step down as chairman in 2018.

Justin Bickle joined the Board in 2009, succeeding John Talbot as Chairman in 2013. Bickle, who moved to Dublin following his new role as Co-Founder and CEO of Glenveagh Properties PLC, announced his plans to the Company in December 2017.  The search for a new Chair is underway, and the Company expects to announce Bickle’s successor in Summer 2018. 

Bickle commented: "It has been my great honour to serve as the Chairman of ENB’s Board for the past five years, and to have led some of the most significant moments in its recent history; in particular securing the deal with EcoWorld Ballymore in order to create our new purpose-built, world-class home for the Company and English National Ballet School at London City Island.   I'm incredibly proud to have helped enable this investment in the Company, its dancers, musicians, staff and students as I know it will allow English National Ballet to truly cement its place as a real powerhouse in the dance world.”

Manon, Swan Lake and Nutcracker open for priority booking to Friends from 10am on Thursday 14 March, with general booking open from 10amon Monday 19 March. Become a Friend today to enjoy priority booking, access to exclusive events throughout the season, and great discounts.

She Persisted, Cinderella, My First Ballet: Sleeping Beauty and Emerging Dancer 2019, will open for booking in Autumn 2018. Sign up to our e-newsletter to find out when booking is announced.


English National Ballet’s 2018-2019 Season Listings 

Lest We Forget 
Sadler’s Wells, London 
Thursday 20 September – Saturday 29 September 2018
Box Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.ballet.org.uk/lestweforget  


Manon
Manchester Opera House 

Wednesday 17 October – Saturday 20 October 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 3018 or www.ballet.org.uk/manon


Manon
Milton Keynes Theatre

Wednesday 24 October – Saturday 27 October 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 7652 or www.ballet.org.uk/manon

Manon 

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 
Wednesday 31 October – Saturday 03 November 2018
Box Office: 02380 711811 or www.ballet.org.uk/manon


Swan Lake
Liverpool Empire

Wednesday 21 November – Saturday 24 November 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 3017 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake


Swan Lake
Bristol Hippodrome

Tuesday 27 November – Saturday 01 December 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 3012 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake


Nutcracker
London Coliseum 

Thursday 13 December – Sunday 30 December 2018
Box Office: 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/nutcracker


Swan Lake
London Coliseum 

Thursday 03 January – Sunday 13 January 2019
Box Office: 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake


Manon
London Coliseum 

Wednesday 16 January – Sunday 20 January 2019
Box Office: 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk/manon


Akram Khan’s Giselle
Harris Theatre, Chicago
Thursday 28 February – Saturday 02 March 2019


She Persisted
Sadler’s Wells, London 

Tuesday 02 April – Saturday 13 April 2019
Box Office: 020 7863 8000


Emerging Dancer
Sadler’s Wells, London 

Tuesday 07 May 2019
Box Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.ballet.org.uk/emerging


My First Ballet
Further details to be announced shortly

Cinderella in-the-round
Royal Albert Hall
, London
Thursday 06 June – Sunday 16 June 2019
Box Office:  020 7589 8212 or www.ballet.org.uk/cinderella-intheround


Akram Khan’s Giselle
Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

Thursday 11 July – Sunday 14 July 2019 

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Interesting that the wording implies that Wheeldon's Cinderella is already extant - does that mean it's an in-the-round version of his existing one?

 

Having been forced to return my ticket for Rite of Spring and been unable to get a replacement, I'm delighted to see that that's back.  And since the company has 3 very good Manons that I know of, that should be worth seeing, too.  Hopefully they can ride on the coattails of the RB's production better than happened last time.  I'm trying to remember: did it go to Southampton last time?  I know I went to see it in Oxford, but can't remember where else.

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Manon opened in Manchester.  It bombed, so much so that the planned performances in Liverpool the following spring were cancelled before they even went on sale.

 

The set and costumes (if the same as last time) are the RDB ones.  The couple of performances I saw were utterly magnificent.

 

It looks like I will be driving into the centre of Manchester again!!!

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I saw Klimentova/Vogel do it here in London, and they were magnificent.  Sets and costumes not as sumptuous as the RB's, but I didn't care because the dancing was so good.  Such a shame that it didn't do better.  I hope it does this time around.

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So am I....and even more, Lest We Forget.  Back in 2014 when I first saw it, I said to someone "I hope they mark the centenary of the end of the war by showing it again in 2018" so I am very glad they are!  

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23 minutes ago, blackdove said:

Absolutely delighted to see Stina Quagebeur finally given the opportunity to choreograph a piece for the company.

 

Here, here.  Her pieces for ENB's much missed Choreographics programme were truly stellar.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if Quagebeur were to become for ENB what McGregor is for the RB.  A very special talent she is.  No question.

 

Certainly that triple bill is the highlight of the ENB season for me.  I so adored Broken Wings.  

 

I, too, very much hope that Manon sells better in London that it did for ENB last time round .... and that Wheeldon's Cinderella sells better for them than it did at the Coliseum for the Dutch National Ballet (for whom it was originally mounted).  ENB deserves that these should be successful outings.    

 

Wonderful that Khan's Giselle should be celebrated in both Chicago and Moscow.  

 

Edited by Bruce Wall
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Very happy that they are doing Manon as I don't think I'll be able to get to the RB Manon this year. Also pleased it's coming to Milton Keynes :).

 

ENB's Swan Lake version is my favourite* so I will be pleased to see it again.

 

*Will I still say that after May/June :D

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27 minutes ago, Timmie said:

ENB's Swan Lake version is my favourite

 

Mine too! I like the prologue, I like the non-omission of Siegfried's solo, I like the version of Act 4... compared with the old RB one I could watch it over and over.

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A great programme in terms of heading out on tour, but being a regular at the ROH a bit disappointed to see so many repeats. Having said that, once I have seen Manon and Swan Lake at the ROH this Spring/Summer I am sure I will be hungry to see them again!!

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I've just had fun casting ENB's Manon! I think that there will be some strong line-ups. It will be interesting to see these in juxtaposition with the RB's outing this spring.

However, last time round, I felt that the rather flimsy costumes detracted from the weight of the story.

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10 minutes ago, capybara said:

I've just had fun casting ENB's Manon! I think that there will be some strong line-ups. It will be interesting to see these in juxtaposition with the RB's outing this spring.

However, last time round, I felt that the rather flimsy costumes detracted from the weight of the story.

 

I loathed the puff ball skirts in the brothel but I did like the final duet without the mangroves hanging down.

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11 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I loathed the puff ball skirts in the brothel but I did like the final duet without the mangroves hanging down.

 

Does it have funny-coloured whore-wigs that are invariably as unsuited to the skin tone of the dancer wearing them as possible?  Or is that just an RB speciality in practically all ballet?

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34 minutes ago, RuthE said:

 

Does it have funny-coloured whore-wigs that are invariably as unsuited to the skin tone of the dancer wearing them as possible?  Or is that just an RB speciality in practically all ballet?

 

I was overwhelmed with the awful dresses so I don't remember the wigs!

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Before the premiere of the RDB production, they streamed an Introduction to it, which included some showing and discussion of the designs. IIRC, they said that Deborah MacMillan had decided to allow the redesign of Manon so that companies that could not afford the expensive Georgiadis designs would nevertheless be able to mount the ballet.

I so loathed what I saw of the RDB designs that I skipped my planned trip to Copenhagen to see it there.

There are a number of companies besides the RB that use the Georgiadis designs.  I suspect that it would not be impossible to rent from one of them.

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1 minute ago, now voyager said:

 

I so loathed what I saw of the RDB designs that I skipped my planned trip to Copenhagen to see it there.

 

 

Not withstanding the costumes you missed a treat.  I saw one of my most memorable performances of Manon there with Caroline Cavallo and Andrew Bowman.  

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18 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

Not withstanding the costumes you missed a treat.  I saw one of my most memorable performances of Manon there with Caroline Cavallo and Andrew Bowman.  

If I'd known Caroline Carvallo was coming out of retirement I'd probably have gone after all!

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26 minutes ago, now voyager said:

There are a number of companies besides the RB that use the Georgiadis designs.  I suspect that it would not be impossible to rent from one of them.

 

I believe that Wayne Eagling originally wanted to borrow the RB designs, but was told they weren't available, so used the Danish designs, which are far better for touring, anyway.

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3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I loathed the puff ball skirts in the brothel but I did like the final duet without the mangroves hanging down.

I shall be chuckling over this marvellous sentence all  evening...

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46 minutes ago, Shade said:

I hope that the Akram Khan Giselle does get to Moscow but I wouldn't be too certain in this political climate. However, it's not scheduled until July 2019.

 

Around the same time that the Bolshoi are supposed to be resident for a stint in London.  Fingers crossed.  

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It also mentions a new version of Cinderella by Wheeldon.  Is this the same production recorded by the Dutch National Ballet?  I saw this on Sky Arts a few years ago starring Anna Tsygankova and Matthew Golding and liked it a lot even though it substituted four fate-like creatures clad in black for the seasonal fairies.  It's available from iTunes or you can view snippets on YouTube here:

 

Linda

Edited by alison
To make sense after moving to a more appropriate thread
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I'm getting a bit wary of the idea of a 'ballet spectacular'. I'm sure it's good marketing, but it seems to imply that a 'traditional' ballet cannot in itself be sufficiently spectacular. cf Alice, which is very enjoyable but doesn't really tell the story through choreography but through the (amazing) sets, costumes, effects etc.

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I wonder whether - as with the Deane SL - if the new ENB Cinderella will be performed BOTH in proscenium and arena formats?  Surely that would be optimum - especially for a touring.  

 

I very much look forward to the video series documenting the ENB's historic appearance - the first in 60 years by a British Company in Paris reportedly - at the Palais Garnier.  

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