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Thiago Soares Announces his retirement as a principal at the Royal Ballet


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Thiago Soares has announced on social media that this is to be his final season with The Royal Ballet, but has been invited to return as Guest Principal next season. He will be performing New Work New Music at The Linbury next month, and on tour with the company in Los Angeles in summer, and moves on ‘to develop in different projects’. 

 

It was a Nunez/Soares Swan Lake many years ago that marked my first visit to ROH and got me hooked, and their Onegin will forever be seared into my memory. Thank you, Thiago. 

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  • Jan McNulty changed the title to Thiago Soares Announces his retirement as a principal at the Royal Ballet

As others have said, his retirement is not entirely unexpected but Soares’ Onegin and his Rudolf will live in my memory as two of the best performances I’ve seen.  Keeping everything crossed that his Onegin will return next year. 

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Yes, I can only imagine (hope) that he is being brought back to dance Onegin one last time with Nela.  How emotional will that be if it is the case?!

 

His Rudolf was unforgettable, and his performances in WT and DD as mentioned above were simply superlative.  I was never too crazy about his dancing, but his dramatic interpretation almost always made that irrelevant.

 

I wish Thiago best of luck in whatever he does next.

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6 hours ago, Vanartus said:

Loved him in Different Drummer

 

That was the doctor, wasn't it?

 

I'm not exactly surprised at this, I must admit - I did think that after his last performance in Winter Dreams he was very emotional at the curtain call, and I wondered then if something was on the cards.  After all, he hasn't been cast in a lot this year, and he has been developing other projects outside the RB. I'm glad he's staying as Guest Principal for now, though, but I wish him all the best for the future.

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4 minutes ago, alison said:

 

That was the doctor, wasn't it?

 

I'm not exactly surprised at this, I must admit - I did think that after his last performance in Winter Dreams he was very emotional at the curtain call, and I wondered then if something was on the cards.  After all, he hasn't been cast in a lot this year, and he has been developing other projects outside the RB. I'm glad he's staying as Guest Principal for now, though, but I wish him all the best for the future.

 

I think it was the captain/drum major (not sure of exact title)

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22 minutes ago, alison said:

 

That was the doctor, wasn't it?

 

I'm not exactly surprised at this, I must admit - I did think that after his last performance in Winter Dreams he was very emotional at the curtain call, and I wondered then if something was on the cards.  After all, he hasn't been cast in a lot this year, and he has been developing other projects outside the RB. I'm glad he's staying as Guest Principal for now, though, but I wish him all the best for the future.

But guest principal just seems to mean come back for a couple of performances in the following season, rather than any longer lasting relationship (think of Marquez and Zanowsky - sadly the latter's performances were scuppered by injury). Like others above, I wish him the best and hope he returns as Onegin. 

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1 hour ago, alison said:

I'm glad he's staying as Guest Principal for now, though, but I wish him all the best for the future.

 

But won't that be the same kind of arrangement which Roberta Marquez had - that is, to return only for a farewell show (or shows)? Rather different from  Acosta's type of contract methinks.

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Very glad that I got to see Soares as Rudolf this year. Unfortunately my ballet going life coincided with the winding down of his career, but I always enjoyed the drama that he brings to his performances. An extraordinary dance actor. Fond memories also of him partnering Takada for her debut as Giselle. 

 

Best wishes for the future. I hope he gets the send off he deserves next season. 

Edited by Saodan
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I wasn't surprised either to learn of Thiago's departure. His acting was always superior to his dancing. Most recently enjoyed his Mayerling and Winter Dreams. All the best to Thiago for the future and fingers crossed for a return in Onegin!! 

 

Edited by Don Q Fan
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This is Graham Watts' version of what is happening:

After 16 years with The Royal Ballet Thiago Soares is to become a Guest Principal for the 2019/20 season to enable him to focus on new projects in dance and the 
performing arts as well as retaining an involvement with the company.

 

Not sure where that came from but the official version is now up on the ROH website: 

https://www.roh.org.uk/news/thiago-soares-becomes-royal-ballet-guest-principal-for-the-2019-20-season

wherein Kevin O'Hare speaks of inviting Thiago back as a guest which feels, to me, subtly different from him being there permanently but in a different guise.

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5 hours ago, capybara said:

This is Graham Watts' version of what is happening:

After 16 years with The Royal Ballet Thiago Soares is to become a Guest Principal for the 2019/20 season to enable him to focus on new projects in dance and the 
performing arts as well as retaining an involvement with the company.

 

Not sure where that came from 

 

 

It’s what Soares’s original announcement said.

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Like others are saying, I agree that this isn't surprising. Thiago was being cast less and less over the last couple of seasons and that always inevitably starts to signal that either something else is going on for the dancer or at least that they're winding down their career. 

 

Regardless of whether he returns just once (hopefully for Onegin) or regularly, I wish him the very best, truly. I loved him in some MacMillan roles, he was so delightful as a dramatic dancer. I wish I'd gotten to see him on Judas tree, but I never got the chance. 

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I saw him first quite by chance in the Sleeping Beauty with Tamara Rojo, when Jonathan Cope (I think) was injured. I'd never heard of him then, but I've followed him ever since.

 

As everyone says, it's the character dancing roles which are his strength: Lescaut, Rudolf, Onegin, etc. I've always booked to see him specifically whenever these come up, so I feel lucky to have seen all these roles on many occasions. He's also a great partner I believe. Additionally, anything with Marianela always seemed to be special and I would highlight their Romeo and Juliet's together.

Very good to hear that we will still see him next season - I shall look out for that.  In the meantime, perhaps we will get Tybalt in forthcoming R&J's? Always good fun.     

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I attended the film about Thiago Soares  ' Primeiro Bailarino ;  at the Linbury on Monday night (21st Jan) . This fascinating insight showed Thiago preparing, rehearsing and performing in various ballets and contemporary dances , partnering Marianella and Lauren from the RB, and partnering Deborah Colker ( Brazilian dancer, choreographer and writer) in a passionate duet.

The sweat and tears ( no blood fortunately) of ballet training and rehearsals were shown, more than the finished performance. Thiago has had and will continue to have a fantastic career both within the RB and in Brazil and many other countries where he has guested. At the Q and A after the film Thiago was asked 'what has been your favourite role' and without hesitation he said Onegin. So fingers crossed he will be back for that role next season.....  

Wishing Thiago every success in his future and many thanks for the performances I have seen .

PS I have at home a super cartoon/ caricature of Thiago drawn by an old friend Phil Bremner, portraying Thiago as a T Rex...as in Thiagosaurus  ( pun on thiagosoares !) 

I gave a copy to Thiago, but I'm not sure if he appreciated it !

Edited by Mandy Kent
typo
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On ‎21‎/‎01‎/‎2019 at 22:30, alison said:

 

 

I'm not exactly surprised at this, I must admit - I did think that after his last performance in Winter Dreams he was very emotional at the curtain call, and I wondered then if something was on the cards.  After all, he hasn't been cast in a lot this year, and he has been developing other projects outside the RB. I'm glad he's staying as Guest Principal for now, though, but I wish him all the best for the future.

I've been wondering if it has been in his thoughts for many months. As you say, there have been some very emotional curtain calls and I remember Marianela pushing him forward to take a solo bow after a Winter's Tale performance, which slightly surprised me. I shall look out for his final performance as a Principal and hope to be there. 

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The film Primeiro Bailarino certainly made very clear the punishing toll taken on the body by a dancing career. It was a very clear eyed and unsentimental look at what it takes to succeed and what the impact is.  Best wishes to Thiago in his future endeavours. 

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