penelopesimpson

Emotional involvement - yes, that was what touched me. I thought he was wonderful. Watson has it and Kobborg, too.

Thanks to everyone who is helping me fill in the gaps. I do love to know how things work. With the existing Principals, I adored Kobborg, I am a huge Watson fan and now a Muntagirov cheerleader. Also love the Cuthbertson Bonelli partnership. Macrae masterful in some parts but not, for me, as Romeo, although terrific in Winter's Tale. Soares and Nunez another great pairing, Acosta peerless but not, I feel, at his best with the Macmillan repertoire. Polunin - well, what can I say? Only saw him in Marguerite and Armand but he was electric. I have seen Kish twice and he didn't do it for me and one performance by Golding left me a little cold. From a knowledgeable perspective, what are the supposed strengths of these two?

Thank-you for that. Would he be tipped as a future Principal?

What is Campbell's background? Always think he is great. There does seem to be a lot of wonderful talent coming through.

We should be that lucky! It just seems odd that they let him go.

Have only recently seen this elegant and muscular dancer and I am in his thrall. I read that he wasn't originally invited to join RB from the school. Is this because he developed late or did they miss a trick?

I have the same problem which is why I go for good seats, like you. Grand Tier is my absolute favourite. It's always a marathon - I leave home at 13.00 and get back about 03.00 the next day but its almost always worth it. Oh for a decent late night train service - hanging around at Waterloo in the small hours is no fun!

Booking easy, but choice restricted. I am not a Friend but as I come from a long way off I like to buy good tickets for the 6 or so visits I make per year. It is impossible to get Grand Tier which all seem to be hoovered up by the friends which is irritating.

If I am ever lucky enough to get to La Scala, I'll try to overlook the discomfort! That's the trouble with us pesky amateurs. We know what we like and aren't afraid to say so. We also try to learn more from any resource we can. I never saw Cojocaru with Macrae but I agree it is not a happy thought. I suppose I am hankering after the impossible - her and Johan back together at ROH. I accept that dancers retire but I think they left a season too soon and thought the handling of the whole affair appeared careless. I live in fear of Edward Watson getting much older!

I think you are right and that's probably the place to go.

As I said, the view I am expressing is a personal one. It is good that it stimulates discussion. I find the Bristol Hippodrome (and I was born in Bristol so love the city) an uncomfortable and unsatisfactory venue, ditto The Mayflower Southampton. I also don't especially admire the Nureyev R&J. My (deeply selfish) viewpoint is that Alina Cojocaru is a sublime artiste at the peak of her powers and I would like to see her partnered by someone of equal ability in a ballet that moves me - albeit from the comfort of a good seat!

Would appreciate some advice here. Will Osipova be back and will the partnership with Golding deliver? Or is Nunez Muntagirov the top ticket? I like my ballet deeply emotional so will probably give Macrae a miss this time around.

Just want to say thank-you for such a fabulous mine of information which is so interesting.

I appreciate this is a selfish point of view, BUT I don't want to see the incomparable Cojocaru in an inferior version of Romeo and Juliet with a less than satisfactory partner in a theatre that is astonishingly uncomfortable. This wonderful ballerina should be at ROH

Thank you so much for posting this. I knew of its existence but could never find it. My favourite ballet by far

Great post and you say everything I have said about Macrae. He is indeed a wonderful dancer and he blew me away in Woolf Works and was fabulous in Winter's Tale but his Romeo was not right. He was the cheeky chappie and Salenko was the silky ice maiden. I much regret I forked out £127 for a performance that did not move me at all. I am with you - lets see the dancers in the roles that suit them, rather than just the star names.

But they aren't at the RB...

Ooh, is Woolf Works coming back? I loved it.

I didn't mention much wrong with Kobborg's performance when he did his last Mayerling... It was a wonderful night, so emotional. However, I do agree about Gartside whom I was also lucky enough to see. He made a real impression.

Best news I've had all week. I've got the DVD of the Mukhamedov version and its stunning.

Thank you SO much. I adore Ed, he is exactly my type of dancer. Not to say I don't love everyone else at RB but, for me, he just has the certain special something. His Winter's Tale was fab and as for Mayerling, well...

Ooh, lucky you. Please tell him he is much missed and if you can, ask if we are going to see him in Mayerling again. I can't bear the thought that he won't do another one.

I am also a big Osipova fan. Problem is, she is really the only show in town as far as star names are concerned.

'good enough?' It would be hard to think of anyone better at RB

I SO hope we will see him do Mayerling just once more. I think with him absent there is a lack of what I would term emotional male leads. Great hopes for Alexander Campbell. I adore Macrae but for me he does not do emotion.