I have always worked on the principle that ROH never discounts and, on balance, am happy with this. Penalising people who book early, giving RB the benefit of my funds in their bank account, would sit badly with me.  Giving free or heavily discounted tickets to students public service workers and that ilk should be the only exception.

I don’t really see it as a major problem because most performances sellout.  I think any regular ballet goer could have told KOH that Frankenstein would be a problem. He should have brought Woolf Works back.  Frankenstein should join Raven Girl and the WW1 tribute in the filing cabinet

I would be interested to hear more, Douglas, if it is okay.  I’m not particularly interested in the prurient stuff, but I would like to know which dancers were affected by his policy if ...what exactly.

Just been reading all the press clippings - makes Mutiny on the Bounty sound lame!  

Many thanks Alison

Just read it.  Sounds exhausting.  One wonders why he was appointed when he had clearly stated where his interests lay.  At least Onegin has survived.

These are truly fabulous.  Shows the intricacy of the costumes.  Wonderfully atmospheric.  Particularly love the one of Akane.

I would find it both interesting and helpful to my ballet knowledge if people could fill me in on the Ross Stretton years.  I’m not asking for gossip or speculation but just some basic facts, e.g. who was he, why appointed, what did he do that was so controversial and what were the results.  I think all I know is that he was Australian, had only a short tenure and some dancers left.  Have a vague feeling it was in the time of Adam Cooper....

1 hour ago, JNC said:

 

Ok thanks for clarifying. 

 

I don't wish to stop people having discussions on this forum of this nature but seems a bit unfair for those who don't really know what happened (allegedly), so feel the conversation has got to the point where it either should have been explained earlier or not brought up in the first place. Obviously we can't go back in time but...

 

Can we either stop talking around it and explain it properly (which is against forum rules) or not continue to talk about it further. I am happy with either option! 

JNC. Look, the fact that not everybody can be familiar with everything discussed on this forum surely doesn’t render a topic redundant?  Several dancers have already been mentioned on this thread whom I have never heard of.  Surely all discussions add to our knowledge?

I know no more than anyone else, being reliant for information on media and social media reports, all available on public forums.

My point is not who was at fault or who said what to whom, but rather the management of their departure from the point of view of the paying public.  Alina and Johann were major stars, high calibre  artistes who had been at RB for a good length of time and who had brought acclaim to ROH through their performances.  Many people, like myself, followed them devotedly and had no reason to suspect that this pleasure was about to end so abruptly.

My argument is that whatever the circumstances, however strained relations might have become, RB owed it to their fans to organise a fitting tribute.  For many of us who were there that night, the first we knew was when we walked through the doors and the place was buzzing with the news.  It was too late for me to get any flowers although some people managed it and bouquets rained down at the end. And we all waited, and waited for somebody to come on and say something and nobody did.  I was in the Stalls and there was quite a few calls of ‘shame.’  KOH should have concentrated on what was due to fans who wanted to see their favourites honoured or, at the very least, recognised.  Years of outstanding performances should have counted for something.  When I contrast this shabby treatment with the endless tributes to Darcey and, subsequently, Acosta received, I feel quite sour.

I also think Campbell would make an excellent Romeo and was v.surprised that he wasn’t given a chance in the last run.  I always liked him because he has a strong stage presence, but his Oberon was magnificent and made me see him through different eyes

10 hours ago, Fiz said:

I agree with you, Penelope. I’m a Facebook friend of Johan Kobborg’s and he was very hurt. He said so and since he and Alina Cojocaru were my favourite dancers after Adam Cooper and Sarah Wildor, I thought that the Royal Ballet hadn’t treated any of them too well. I cried when I read Johan’s description of the farewell. It was more like a brush off. They deserved so much more, in my humble opinion.

Were you there that night, Fiz?  Apart from the shock and the sadness, there was this strange atmosphere as if people just couldn’t believe it.  Whatever went on with management, not marking their departure in any way was so shabby and made management look mean-spirited.  I am a great supporter of what KOH has done with RB but there is no excuse for his complete failure that night.

Like yourself, I was a huge fan of Cojocaru and Kobborg and don’t think there is another pairing that even comes close.  Kobborg is also an interesting choreographer and should have been given a chance at ROH.  Acosta was allowed to indulge himself twice with mediocre and costly results.

As for Watson, nobody mentions him anymore.  If he hasn’t left, then he might just as well have for all we hear of him.  It is all Muntagirov on repeat play, with some Campbell fans asking why he doesn’t get this or that role and the occasional look in for Ball.  Interestingly, I also feel that Macrae is unappreciated.  A very different dancer to Watson and not always my first choice, but he is a sparkling performer with stunning technique but remains a little unloved.

4 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

I like them both, but we’ve only really heard one side of the story there, and possibly that’s all we’ll get. So I do reserve judgement slightly.

 

Also - I’m not sure Durante, Watson, Kobborg and least of all Cojocaru sit comfortably in an underappreciated dancers thread. 

They do for me.

 Durante repeatedly lost out in favour of Darcey and then left in what seemed a manufactured row.

 Kobborg was coming to the end of his dancing life and deserved to be given a quality farewell of the calibre bestowed on Acosta.  Losing Cojocaru should never have happened and failing to give her and Kobborg a proper sendoff probably means that we shall never see her at ROH again which, for me, is a travesty.  

Equally, I am at  a loss to understand why Watson is not dancing as he cannot continue forever and It would be nice to enjoy him while we can. I can imagine the uproar there would be if forum favourites Nunez and Muntagirov were similarly treated.

As I understand it, Ed Watson has been back from injury for some time which makes it even more difficult to understand why he is not dancing at ROH.

And Alina and Johann.  Now you saw them, now you didn't.  I arrived for Mayerling and was told it was their last night at RB.  Yes, I know there had been problems with management but this is one instance where KOH should have been big enough to bid them a proper goodbye.  Not for RB but for their many fans over the years.  It was a terrible way to let the top couple, two of the greatest dancers in the world, go.

Viviana Durante.  Such a beautiful dancer but Darcey had all the limelight.

And now... Ed Watson.  Seemingly vanished with no fanfare, no announcement, no acknowledgement of his immense contribution.  I never thought he would be discarded so quickly

May I echo Bridiem.  I, too, decided not to go this season.  Prices are steep which means fewer Manon's and Coppelia's and South West trains have slid from poor to dire.  It has been a great pleasure to watch this forum  every morning and  experience the pleasure of the Bolshoi through some inspired and beautifully written reviews.

Stunning picture.  Has Zakharova danced McGregor before?

17 hours ago, Anna C said:

 

I am in complete agreement with almost all your words Floss, but there’s a difference between “mentioning” Polunin and posting Instagram photos of him with no top on to try and prove (completely unnecessarily) that he’s fit.  

On a more light-hearted note, I thought this pic had the opposite effect and that Sergei looked anything but fit!  

But please, anybody who attends Verona, give us your verdict.  I am pretty sure that everybody on this forum would be genuinely over the moon if it is reported that Mr. Polunin dances wonderfully.

You make some good and reasonable points, SBF but I doubt many will be prepared to say so, so don’t expect many likes!

However, I am not sure that castigating the Yawn comment is particularly appropriate for such censure.  BBB can and will speak for himself but I took it as a flippant but not ill humoured remark.

Perhaps the Russians do not share our passion for Elf ‘n’ Safety?

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

Fiona there should be room for a wide range of opinion on here and I would hope you might reconsider and stay. I have sent you a p.m.

Me, too.  I would welcome your Verona reports.

Look,  I can be obsessive about Edward Watson and am sad about the fact that he seems to have been forgotten, but I would admit difficulties if I saw them.  His last Mayerling was superlative compared to others but not, IMHO, quite up there with previous performances.  Francesca Hayward is my personal top dancer but although her Juliet was the best I have seen, I think she has more to give.  You have to call it warts and all which doesn’t make you less of a fan.

I watched Polunun’s Marguerite and Armand with Rojo again just now and was reminded of that night when I was spellbound by his charisma, self-assurance and technique.  I saw him on two few occasions at RB but he never failed to impress and those are fond memories.  I have been a stern critic almost ever since for the simple reason that his performances, both in execution and choice of material have been sub standard in almost every respect.  The cult of personality he has built around himself has done him no favours but I am willing to hope that his association with the wondrous Kobborg and Cojocaru may be helpful.  We shall see.

4 hours ago, FionaE said:

 

This is Johan Kobborg’s Instagram.  There are many posts in his and other cast members’ Instagram, including Sergei and Alina, showing just how brilliant this performance will be.  I have only posted a few on here to keep people informed.  You obviously haven’t looked or you wouldn’t yawn.

Fiona, I admire your persistence and I will be genuinely interested to hear how Verona works out, but you could hardly be described as an objective observer.  The reason peoples hackles go up is because you and one or two others constantly praise Polunin in such an OTT way that your opinion lacks credibility.  I have never heard you admit to even the slightest flaws in his performance when, self-evidently, there have been some howlers.

Similarly, when you use Instagram posts by people connected with Verona as evidence that the performances will be fantastic, it is viewed as just more hype.  Let’s wait and see what happens.

21 minutes ago, jmhopton said:

Tried and failed to get the very accessible winter casting format put out by the Royal Ballet for the autumn period so I emailed the website customer services (website.customerservices.roh.org.uk if anyone wants it) and they very helpfully sent it to me as an attachment. Tried for an hour to copy it here as an attachment and failed (they sent it as a read-only document and a pdf which I had to change to Word) so here is the complete thing.

Moderators please remove it if it is too space consuming or feel free to re-format it. I've printed it off for myself. it's great for booking even though I haven't fully booked for autumn yet!

 

Casting for Royal Ballet performances

18 January – 16 May 2020

MAIN STAGE

Onegin

Choreography John Cranko 

Music Kurt-Heinz Stolze after Pyotr Il’yich Tchiakovsky

Generous philanthropic support from Mrs Aline Foriel-Destezet (Production Principal), Sir Lloyd  and Lady Dorfman, Lindsay and Sarah Tomlinson, the Paul Ferguson Memorial Fund,  Peter Lloyd, the Friends of Covent Garden and the American Friends of Covent Garden

 

Saturday 18 January at 1.30pm

Cuthbertson*, Soares^#, Hinkis, Donnelly*, Mock*

(Tatiana, Onegin, Olga, Lensky, Prince Gremin)

Saturday 18 January at 7pm

Osipova, Muntagirov*, Hayward*, Ball, Avis

Tuesday 21 January at 7.30pm

Nuñez, Hirano*, Takada, Edmonds, Clarke*

Friday 24 January at 7.30pm

Naghdi*, Bonelli, O’Sullivan*, Sissens*, Gartside

Friday 7 February at 7.30pm

Osipova, Muntagirov, Hayward, Ball, Avis

Saturday 8 February at 7.30pm

Nuñez, Hirano, Takada, Edmonds, Clarke

Wednesday 12 February at 7.30pm

Osipova, Muntagirov, Hayward, Ball, Avis

Friday 21 February at 7.30pm

Naghdi, Bonelli, O’Sullivan, Sissens, Gartside

Saturday 22 February at 7pm

Cuthbertson, Soares, Hinkis, Donnelly, Mock

Monday 24 February at 7.30pm

Naghdi, Bonelli, O’Sullivan, Sissens, Gartside

Thursday 27 February at 7.30pm

Nuñez, Hirano, Takada, Edmonds, Clarke

Saturday 29 February at 7.30pm

Cuthbertson, Soares, Hinkis, Donnelly, Mock

*Role debut with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House

^#Guest artist                                                                                                                                       /continued

MAIN STAGE

New Cathy Marston New Liam Scarlett

Choreography Cathy Marston | Music Philip Feeney

Choreography Liam Scarlett

Generous philanthropic support from The Taylor Family Foundation

New Cathy Marston – Generous philanthropic support from Sue Butcher and the Young Philanthropists

New Liam Scarlett – Generous philanthropic support from Victoria Robey ꢀꢁꢂ and Rachael Stearns

Liam Scarlett’s role as Artist in Residence is generously supported by Ricki Gail and Robert Conway

Monday 17 February at 7.30pm

New Cathy Marston: Cuthbertson*, Ball*, Richardson*

New Liam Scarlett: Nuñez*, Morera*, McRae*, Bracewell*

Tuesday 18 February at 7.30pm

New Cathy Marston: Cuthbertson, Ball, Richardson

New Liam Scarlett: Nuñez, Morera, McRae, Bracewell

Tuesday 25 February at 7.30pm†

New Cathy Marston: Cuthbertson, Ball, Richardson

New Liam Scarlett: Nuñez, Morera, McRae, Bracewell

Friday 28 February at 7.30pm

New Cathy Marston: Stix-Brunell*, Corrales*, Sambé*

New Liam Scarlett: tba

Monday 2 March at 7.30pm

New Cathy Marston: Cuthbertson, Ball, Richardson

New Liam Scarlett: Nuñez, Morera, McRae, Bracewell

Wednesday 4 March at 7.30pm

New Cathy Marston: Stix-Brunell, Corrales, Sambé

New Liam Scarlett: tba

 

 

 

*Role debut with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House

†Live cinema relay                                                                                                                              /continued

MAIN STAGE

Swan Lake

Choreography Liam Scarlett after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov 

Music Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky 

 

Thursday 5 March at 7pm

Nuñez, Muntagirov 

(Odette/Odile, Prince Siegfried)

Friday 6 March at 12 noon Takada, McRae

Tuesday 10 March at 7.30pm Takada, McRae

Wednesday 11 March at 7.30pm Osipova, Hallberg*^#

Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm Nuñez, Muntagirov

Wednesday 18 March at 7.30pm  Osipova, Hallberg

Friday 20 March at 7.30pm Takada, McRae

Sunday 22 March at 4pm Cuthbertson, Bracewell

Wednesday 25th March at 7.30pm Osipova, Hallberg

Thursday 26th March at 7.30pm Cuthbertson, Bracewell

Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm Hayward*, Corrales*

Tuesday 31 March at 7.30pm Lamb, Hirano

Wednesday 1 April at 7.30pm† Cuthbertson, Bracewell

Wednesday 8 April at 7.30pm Hayward, Corrales

Monday 13 April at 1.30pm Lamb, Hirano

Monday 13 April at 7.30pm Kaneko, Bonelli

Wednesday 15 April at 7.30pm Magri*, Sambé*

Wednesday 22 April at 7.30pm Lamb, Hirano

Tuesday 28 April at 7.30pm Naghdi, Ball

Friday 1 May at 7.30pm Nuñez, Muntagirov

Saturday 9 May at 7.30pm Naghdi, Ball

Saturday 16 May at 1.30pm Naghdi, Ball

Saturday 16 May at 7.30pm Nuñez, Muntagirov

 

*Role debut with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House

^#Principal guest artist

†Live cinema relay

 

 

 

 

The Royal Ballet Winter Ballet Casting 2020 (2).docx 39.21 kB · 1 download

Really appreciate this, JM

On 03/08/2019 at 00:10, HappyTurk said:

I lied! I'll say one last thing....if he is never going to be shown in the cinema showings as the male lead in the classics, why did KOH ever promote him in the first place given his age? Seems odd. I honestly don't know how some of these dancers stay motivated in the face of what looks like "favoritsm" (same goes for those who are hardly featured this season, particularly the two dancers that have already been mentioned by others). Good thing I'm not a dancer! Lol 

That seems a little extreme, Happyturk.  To be a Principal at one of the world’s leading ballet company’s is surely a demonstration of the talent and ability of that dancer.  Yes, it must be a nice dollop of icing on the cake to appear at the cinema but, equally it’s hardly career shattering if you don’t.  

Personally, I have not appreciated Hirano as much since he became a Principal and he is not my first choice for a performance.  But his work rate over the past two injury laden years at RB has been prodigious which means he has had the opportunity to dance so many roles and broaden his experience.  Surely a dancer can’t ask much more?

10 hours ago, Colman said:

Uh-huh.

 

 

I can only assume this is either bad humour or some sort of performance art.

My turn to ask what that means?  My point is surely clear.

3 minutes ago, Colman said:

 

What does that mean?