capybara

Mask to non mask ratio was better 'upstairs' than below last night at the ROH. Looking from above, vast areas of whole faces could be seen in the stalls with an odd covering here and there only.

I have been to the ROH for several performances this season and have not yet had my ticket checked. So some doors which were previously attended no longer are. A ticket-zapper mentioning mask wearing in a pleasant manner could be an added layer of persuasion. (PS Most taxi drivers are maskless but behind a screen.)

I found the same. Interesting. Thank you DanJL for starting a separate thread on this subject. I know they wear masks in R&J but the overall balance of that thread had become a bit distorted. I have now taken to coming in by taxi of some sort or another for evening performances as the tube feels far too risky for my liking. I just don’t ‘get’ why the majority of travellers resist wearing a mask. Surely immunity applies to a relatively small minority? And, unfortunately, the news on the COVID front is sounding increasingly worrying.

Jamiel, I think a lot of ballet enthusiasts on this forum would love to come to your show but you chose a very heavy weekend ballet-wise, with 4 performances of Romeo and Juliet at the ROH in the space of just over 40 hours - and that's just a start. Also, now that the nights are drawing in, it is more difficult for some people to contemplate going to a new venue in an unfamiliar part of London, especially where a bit of a walk from the station is involved for anyone on their own. Good luck with your venture. I will make a real effort to get there in the future.

Jurgita Dronina is no longer with ENB either (she has returned to Canada). The 'newest' ballerina at ENB is Maria Kochetcova who was with the Company for a few years up to 2007 but has now returned to them from San Francisco via Finland and international guesting.

Of course, Alina Cojocaru left ENB around this time last year. I agree that she is the best Manon ever (with ENB as well as with the RB).

From what I have gathered, Carlos Acosta has a very strong Executive Director supporting him. Every incoming Artistic Director feels a need to make changes. Kevin O'Hare, for example, could see (and nurture) the very considerable talent already within the RB and has been able to respond to 'overtures' from individual dancers. Tamara Rojo wanted to shake things up more (although departures forced her hand in some respects). I suppose that Carlos's motivation, after nearly two fractured years in post, is to build a company to deliver the kind of rep. he has in mind. Wanting more Principals and Soloists doesn't mean that he doesn't value the ones he's got. He also needs to 'succession plan'.

Their script caused them to claim 5 hours but it was 30 minutes short. I didn't see any Dante.

Jonathan Howells coaching. Excellent!!!!!

I believe that ENB has invited ‘expressions of interest’ in the past and has certainly ‘gone fishing’. But this overture from BRB feels on a different scale and must surely represent a wish to ‘refresh’ and expand the upper echelons of the Company in a way which makes it Carlos’s own. The ‘invitation’ comes as a result of applications and videos being reviewed by Carlos as a first step. Whatever the outcome, it will be interesting, of that there can be no doubt.

Via an agency on Facebook.

As published by The Royal Ballet School. The Royal Ballet five hour livestream begins at 11am BST and will include: Interview with Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare Principal Dancer Fumi Kaneko and First Soloist William Bracewell in rehearsal for Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet Stage and piano rehearsal for Wayne McGregor’s new ballet The Dante Project, featuring short interviews with Principal Dancers Sarah Lamb and Ed Watson Rehearsal for new piece by choreographer Mikaela Polley Principal Dancer Marianela Nuñez rehearsed by Former Director of The Royal Ballet Monica Mason Rehearsal for Soloist Benjamin Ella’s Draft Works piece, featuring Aud Jebsen Young Dancer Daichi Ikarashi, Royal Ballet Soloist Isabella Gasparini and Prix De Lausanne Dancer Marco Masciari Rehearsal for Aud Jebsen Young Dancer Denilson Almeida’s Draft Works piece, with Aud Jebsen Young Dancer Ava May Llewellyn and Artist of The Royal Ballet Joonhyuk Jun Film by The Royal Ballet’s Emerging Choreographer Joseph Toonga featuring Principal Dancer Natalia Osipova Full corps de ballet rehearsal for Peter Wright’s Giselle A compilation featuring some of the best Jump for Joy clips, submitted by #WorldBalletDay viewers.

The Prince Charles story is a hoot. The briefings the Royal Family receive would normally tell them such things as Sergei’s country of origin. But believing he is Russian is a very common mistake.

Such contrasting reactions from the Press and online critics. Interesting.

…….or embarrassed.