Jan McNulty

I have picked this information up from Northern Ballet's October e-Newsletter: "Northern Ballet will appear at Frieze Art Fair, one of the world's leading contemporary art fairs. Premier Dancer and choreographer Kenneth Tindall has collaborated with artist Nick Mauss to create a ‘living stage’. The fair is in Regent's Park, London from Wed 15 – Sat 18 Oct." Here is some more information about the commission. Here is the Festival Programme. Jerome Bel is also at the Festival.

Hello DMIT and welcome to the Forum! I can't answer your questions but I am sure that our other Members will be able to offer support and advice.

The always wonderful James Barton has written a blog piece for the Birmingham Hippodrome about the recreation of Gorbals. It's a great read! https://birminghamhippodrome.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/james-barton-on-brb-and-rehearsing-with-a-legend/

You make some very interesting points there Floss. Quite a few years ago I saw a double bill in Vienna of Daphnis & Chloe and Firebird by (IIRC) John Neumeier. My friend and I were totally blown away by both pieces. A few months later this double bill was performed at a festival in Pompeii and there was a 2 page review in one of the magazines. Basically the review was 2 pages of "well it wasn't Ashton", "well it wasn't Fokine". As I had not, at that stage, seen either of these productions that didn't matter to me and I was just able to enjoy what I saw. If people haven't seen productions in times gone by and there have been subtle stylistic changes, they are never going to know that and enjoy (or otherwise) what they see. What bothers me though is where the subtleties that make works as delicious as Fille are lost. If technique has moved on so much surely dancers must be able to master, for example, the lightness and buoyancy that you mention. Yes, change is inevitable, but not change for the worse!

Here's the official press release: KOEN KESSELS TO SUCCEED BARRY WORDSWORTH AS MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE ROYAL BALLET AND BARRY WORDSWORTH TO BECOME PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, announced today that Koen Kessels has been appointed Music Director of The Royal Ballet to succeed Barry Wordsworth who becomes Principal Guest Conductor from the 2015/16 Season. “I’m delighted that Koen Kessels will join us as Music Director in September 2015. As a guest conductor with us over the last six years he has got to know the Company well and we very much look forward to working with him from next Season in his new role. He becomes Music Director Designate with immediate effect. “I’m also delighted that Barry will continue his relationship with the Company and become Principal Guest Conductor next Season. We have enjoyed a long relationship with him, including two periods as Music Director totalling more than 13 years, and have greatly valued his wealth of knowledge, insight and support. We are indebted to him for his contribution to the musical standards of the Company over many years. “In addition to his work on the podium, Barry has also been a real advocate for the specific training of ballet conductors and ballet pianists, both absolutely vital elements for world class ballet performance.” Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House added “Barry has brought so much to both The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet over several decades and has had a huge impact on the standards of music in British ballet. We are delighted that he has agreed to maintain his relationship with us as Principal Guest Conductor for The Royal Ballet and I’m really pleased that Koen Kessels is joining us from September.” Koen Kessels will continue in his role as Music Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet where he also succeeded Barry Wordsworth. --- ENDS --- NOTES TO EDITORS: Barry Wordsworth: Barry Wordsworth has a long relationship with The Royal Ballet having first been appointed as Assistant Conductor to the Company’s touring orchestra in 1972. The following year he became Principal Conductor of the Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet and served as Music Director of The Royal Ballet from 1990 to 1995, a role he resumed in 2006 after a period with Birmingham Royal Ballet. He recently became Music Director Laureate of BRB, and has appeared as a guest conductor with companies around the world including Tokyo Ballet, Leipzig Ballet and Paris Opéra Ballet. Wordsworth has had a distinguished parallel career as a symphonic conductor. In 2006 he was appointed Conductor Laureate of the BBC Concert Orchestra having been its Principal Conductor for many years. He has conducted at every BBC Proms season since 1989 and in 1993 conducted the Last Night of the Proms. Wordsworth holds honorary doctorates from the University of Brighton and the University of Central England in Birmingham, and is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College of Music in London. Koen Kessels: Koen Kessels joined Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2010 and has been a regular guest conductor for The Royal Ballet since 2008 conducting ballets including The Nutcracker, Giselle and the world premiere of Wayne McGregor’s Raven Girl. He has also been a regular guest conductor for Opéra National de Paris since 2005 and conducted at the Wiener Staatsoper, Bolshoi Ballet, Brussels Opera de Munt and Antwerp Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Teatro Real, Madrid, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, New York City Ballet, Theatre du Capitole Toulouse and Het Nationale Ballet, Amsterdam. Kessels is on the artistic direction team at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp , artistic director of the HERMES ensemble (specialising in contemporary music) and artistic director of Inspiratum.

I was at the Lowry on Friday night for Rambert's Rooster programme and I thought it was one of the better evenings I have spent with Rambert in recent years. Rambert always has wonderful dancers and it is always a pleasure to see them, especially when I am enjoying the works on show! The Strange Charm of Mother Nature opened the evening and showed the musicality of Mark Baldwin. I liked the lithe and lyrical movements of the dancers in this piece. A note on the cast sheet explained that the Stravinsky and Bach sections had been switched around. The Bach section was my favourite of the three. Dutiful Ducks is a witty solo danced with elegance by Adam Blyde. I absolutely loved sounddance and really want to see it again. There is so much going on on the stage that it is quite hard to take it all in. At one point I noticed Josh Barwich standing in a pose for what seemed like forever as other dancers draped around him, it looked fiendishly difficult and I am sure Josh's muscles must have been screaming out! In fact, with its electronic noises score and so many different movements going on alongside each other on stage it must be fiendishly difficult altogether but very rewarding to watch as a member of the audience! Rooster finished off the evening in grand style.

Do you have to allow a lot longer on the buses if the tubes are off? My train isn't due in till 1 and the matinee starts at 2. Oh well, assume train in on time and no torrential rain I can always walk!

Hello Cara, and welcome to the Forum! Please let us know how your daughter gets on. I am sure you will find lots of interest on the Forum as her journey progresses!

I'm at that matinee Lin - I'll look out for you. I'm on row B in the stalls

Links - Tuesday, October 07, 2014 Obituary – Geoffrey Holder: Jennifer Dunning & William McDonald, NY Times News – Mark Morris Dance Group to split for global tour: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Review – Grupo Corpo, Triz, Parabelo, London: Neil Norman, Stage Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Beauty and the Beast, Birmingham: Rosamaria Kostic Cisneros, Bachtrack Review – The Soaking Wet Festival, New York: Deborah Jowitt, Arts Journal Reviews – Smuin Ballet, Serenade for Strings, Objects of Curiosity, Frankie and Johnny, San Francisco: Rita Felciano, Danceview Times Terez Rose, Bachtrack Review - Margret Sara Guojonsdottir, Variations on Closer, London: Lise Smith, DanceTabs Review – The Bo Diddlers, Stump!, London: Lise Smith, London Dance Opinion – Want to see an aging woman dance a solo?: Wendy Houstoun, Guardian Review – Xavier Le Roy, Retrospective, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review - Ivana Muller, Partituur, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Gilles Jobin Company, QUANTUM, New York: Ivan Talijancic, Bachtrack Review – O Vertigo, Soif, Montreal: Pia Savoie, Bachtrack Review – Los Angeles Ballet, Swan Lake, Los Angeles: Shari Barrett, Broadway World Preview – Oregon Ballet Theatre, 25th Anniversary Season, Portland: Carla Escoda, Huffington Post Review – The Highland Dance Company of New Zealand, Journey of the Celts, Christchurch: Emily Napolitano, NZ Theatreview Review - Shijith Nambiar’s Dancers & Dakshina Dance Company, Bharata Natyam Selections, Washington: George Jackson, Danceview Times Featurette – Scottish Dance Theatre in India: Debesh Banerjee, Indian Express Review – 50th Birthday Gala of Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Manila: Pablo A Tariman, Yahoo News Philippines Review - Antonia Franceschi, Just Dance, Malta: Albert Storace, Times of Malta

I think it depends on the Company.

I loved it when I saw it on previous runs! I had never seen the film and my niece persuaded me to take her when she saw the posters (being a huge fan of the film). I loved it even more than she did. She was around 14 the first time we saw it. I think it would be very suitable for a family treat.

The full casting for Edward Scissorhands is now on the New Adventures website: http://new-adventures.net/edward-scissorhands/cast-creatives

Here's the link for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moorland-International-Ballet-Elite/683506615014701?fref=ts

I have started a thread specifically about Elena leaving ENB: http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/7968-elena-glurdjidze-will-be-leaving-english-national-ballet-in-january-2015/ Can we please use that thread for comments and valedictories. Thanks

I have just published a press release from ENB that includes details of Elena Glurdjidze's final performance with ENB. Elena's farewell performance is on Sunday 18 January 2015 at 2.30pm I have not had the opportunity of seeing Elena as much as I would have liked. The last time I was able to see her was as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty at the Liverpool Empire a couple of years ago. She was truly magical. I would like to wish Elena all the very best for the future.

Swan Lake London Coliseum, WC2 Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January 2015 Performances: 7.30pm (mat 2.30pm) Tickets: £14 - £79 Box office: www.ballet.org.uk or 020 7845 9300 · Guest Artists Ivan Vasiliev, Alban Lendorf and Vitor Luiz perform with the Company · Elena Glurdjidze’s farewell performance with English National Ballet From Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January, English National Ballet return to the London Coliseum with Derek Deane’s critically acclaimed Swan Lake, following a UK tour. Arguably one of the most popular ballets created, Swan Lake tells the story of Prince Siegfried’s love for the Swan Queen, Odette, their battle against the evil magician, Rothbart and an encounter with the manipulative Odile. This popular production brings the romance and high drama of the Russian ballet tradition alive, and features Tchaikovsky’s score played live by the Orchestra of English National Ballet. This version of Swan Lake premiered at the London Coliseum in 2000 and has since been seen by over 550,000 people around the UK. Continuing to work with the very best talent from around the world, Swan Lake will see Guest Artists, Ivan Vasiliev, Alban Lendorf andVitor Luiz perform alongside Alina Cojocaru, Tamara Rojo and Fernanda Oliveira respectively. One of the most celebrated ballet dancers at the moment, Vasiliev has performed with some of the most prestigious companies around the world including American Ballet Theatre (Principal), Bolshoi Ballet and Mariinsky Ballet. Vasiliev took London audiences by storm when he last performed with English National Ballet in Roland Petit’s Le Jeune Homme et la Mort in 2011. A Principal with The Royal Danish Ballet, Alban Lendorf has won numerous awards for his performances including the Benois de la Danse Award for his role of Armand Duval in Lady of the Camellias with The Royal Danish Ballet. ’One of the world’s most exceptional dancers’’ (The New York Times), Lendorf first performed as a Guest Artist with English National Ballet in Etudes in 2013 and recently as Franz in Ronald Hynd’s Coppélia in July 2014. Currently a Principal at San Francisco Ballet, Vitor Luiz makes his debut with English National Ballet in Swan Lake. Trained at The Royal Ballet School, Luiz has previously performed with Birmingham Royal Ballet and Municipal Theater Ballet, Rio de Janeiro. In 2010 Luiz won the Isadora Duncan Dance Award for Best Ensemble Performance in Possokhov’s Classical Symphony. Swan Lake also sees Lead Principal Elena Glurdjidze’s farewell performance with the Company. Glurdjidze has been with English National Ballet for 12 years; in her time she has performed lead roles in Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle and Manon to name a few. She was nominated for Best Female Dancer in the Critics’ Circle Awards in 2009 and won the Ballet.co.uk Audience Poll for Best Female Dancer in 2007 and 2008. Of leaving English National Ballet, Elena Glurdjidze says; “I have spent 12 years of my professional career with English National Ballet and would like to express my immense gratitude to all of the staff, from the artists, directors, to the technical, orchestra and administrative staff. They have been great and it has been an honour and a pleasure working with them. For anyone in the dance profession the audience is what drives us, judges us and makes us happy. English National Ballet’s fans have been amazing and I’d like to say a special thanks to them. I’m leaving English National Ballet with a feeling of pride of what has been achieved and hope to stay in touch with everyone and continue to serve the arts.” Artistic Director of English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo says; “Elena is a wonderful dancer and her loyalty to English National Ballet has been greatly appreciated. I wish her the very best for the future.” Principal Casting in detail Casting is subject to change. Please see www.ballet.org.uk for more details. Swan Lake (in the order of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried) London Coliseum Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January 2015 020 7845 9300 or www.ballet.org.uk Wednesday 7 January - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Thursday 8 January (mat) – TBC and Junor Souza Thursday 8 January (eve) – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Friday 9 January - Fernanda Oliveira and Vitor Luiz Saturday 10 January (mat) - Erina Takahashi and TBC Saturday 10 January (eve) - Laurretta Sumerscales & Alejandro Virelles Sunday 11 January (mat) - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Tuesday 13 January - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Wednesday 14 January – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Thursday 15 January (mat) - Laurretta Sumerscales & Alejandro Virelles Thursday 15 January (eve) - Erina Takahashi and TBC Friday 16 January - Alina Cojocaru and Ivan Vasiliev Saturday 17 January (mat) - Fernanda Oliveira and Vitor Luiz Saturday 17 January (eve) – Tamara Rojo and Alban Lendorf Sunday 18 January (mat) - Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas For further information, interview requests and images please contact Robert James, PR Manager at robert.james@ballet.org.uk or call 020 7590 2933. For further information about English National Ballet and to book tickets visit www.ballet.org.uk. Please note performance details are subject to change. Ends Notes to Editors Elena Glurdjidze’s farewell performance is on Sunday 18 January 2015 at 2.30pm Swan Lake tour dates Palace Theatre, Manchester Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 October 2014 0844 871 3019 www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Milton Keynes Theatre Tuesday 11 - Saturday 15 November 2014 0844 871 7652 www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Liverpool Empire Tuesday 18 - Saturday 22 November 2014 0844 871 3017 www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake London Coliseum Wednesday 7 - Sunday 18 January 2015 020 7845 9300 www.ballet.org.uk/swanlake Swan Lake opens on 8 Oct 2014 until 18 Jan 2015 on tour. Coppélia opens on 15 Oct until 8 Nov 2014 on tour. Nutcracker opens 11 Dec 2014 until 4 Jan 2015 at the London Coliseum. For details about these, casting, our forthcoming season and to book tickets visitwww.ballet.org.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/enballet or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EnglishNationalBallet and YouTube at www.youtube.com/enballet

Hello Loopy, and welcome to the Forum. I'm sure some of our other members will be able to help but meantime I am going to amend the title to be a bit more specific.

Links - Monday, October 06, 2014 Review – New York City Ballet, Pictures at an Exhibition, New York: Apollinaire Scherr, FT Review – New York City Ballet, Morgen, This Bitter Earth, Clearing Dawn, Funérailles, Belles-Lettres, Pictures at an Exhibition, New York: Michael Popkin, Danceview Times Interview – Tamara Rojo: Sarah Crompton, Telegraph Review – Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Concerto for Two Violins, Rasa, Washington: Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post Review – Grupo Corpo, Triz, Parabelo, London: Graham Watts, London Dance Review - Birmingham Royal Ballet, Beauty and the Beast, Birmingham: Richard Edmonds, Birmingham Post Reaction - World Ballet Day #4, National Ballet of Canada: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines News – Joyce Theatre Foundation names Twyla Tharp as Artist-in-Residence: Lori Holcombe-Holland, NY Times Feature – Morgan Fairchild (NYCB) On the Town: Mark Kennedy, Progress-Index Preview – On the Town, New York: Robert Feldberg, North Jersey Record Feature – Eve Musto (Scottish Ballet): Jamie Brotherston, STV Aberdeen Review – Ballet Philippines, Giselle, Manila: Tats Rejante Manahan, Philippines Inquirer Review – Zoi Dimitriou, The Chapter House, London: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Feature – Martin Lawrance and his new work for Ballet Manila: Marge C Enriquez, Philippines Inquirer Review – Jillian Pena, Polly Pocket: Expansion Pack, New York: Siobhan Burke, NY Times Review – Aszure Barton, Awaa, Washington: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review – Hind Benali, Identity/Identite, Washington: Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post Review – Margret Sara Gudjonsdottir, Variations on Closer, London: Josephine Leask, London Dance Review – Ballet Teatro Colon, Giselle (Paloma Herrera), Buenos Aires: Pablo Bardin, Buenos Aires Herald Review - Ballet Nebraska, Giselle, Omaha: Kim Carpenter, Omaha World-Herald

I have noticed that I am occasionally logged out of this forum and Ballet Alert, but not usually when I am in mid-session. I have "keep me logged in" set but obviously that is not always recognised.

Articles like this may not help! http://www.thehardtackle.com/2014/juventus-roma-game-is-not-a-title-decider-allegri/ The final paragraph says: “Roma always play to win and we’ll approach it the same way as on Tuesday [against City], with the ambition to cause problems. Juventus have a strong physical presence on the field, we have to be up for that. We have to win balls in defence too and you can’t do that with ballet shoes, you need to fight,” the Roma boss concluded.

Judging by the packed house and audience reaction yesterday afternoon in Nottingham Gatsby mania has most definitely not been and gone!

John, that is how I have my word document set up - it still doesn't work!! It's not a huge issue to change the font size and correct boldness before I publicise though.

Just as a matter of interest, I set up the links in a Word document, copy and paste. The way the post appears after I have done the paste appears nothing like the document and I have to edit the font size and sometimes the "bold" or otherwise! This has only happened since I had to change my laptop earlier this year ... Windows 8 strikes again!

Hello Jane T and welcome to the Forum! That's a good idea for presents. I have a couple of friends who ask for theatre tokens to help spread the cost!