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I don't know, but if so he was right! Unfortunately, however, a fall breaks the spell of the performance - you're suddenly reminded that this is a human being doing something that is in fact immensely difficult, and not the character and world that they and everyone else have been busy creating through both acting and technique. So sadly I think it does matter, and risk-taking does have to be tempered with good judgement about when to rein back to avoid disaster. But these are split-second decisions made under huge pressure, a pressure that would have been much higher even than usual last night because of the occasion. (And, in my experience the audience is always immensely sympathetic when someone falls, and they get even more applause than if they'd stayed upright!! Which is I think a very heart-warming tribute to human nature at its best.)

I'm so sorry for those who missed this because of technical problems - that must have been so disappointing and frustrating. At Wimbledon Odeon there were a few momentary losses of sound but nothing too intrusive so we were lucky. I thought it was a terrific performance and I'm very glad the King and Queen were there. So many highlights, as mentioned by others above - especially Gary Avis's monumental performance as Don Q, James Hay's magnificently funny Gamache (the timing! the eyes!), Calvin Richardson's elegant, sultry Espada, Annette Buvoli's strength and beauty as Queen of the Dryads, Isabella Gasparini flitting joyfully as Amour, and in Magri and Ball a leading couple who gave everything in a brilliant technical and expressive display. I felt so dismayed when she fell because she'd been superb and it was just so sad that that should have happened. But the company were in top form - amazing. And the horse!! I just love that horse. And I loved hearing from the props man in one of the intervals. A reminder of the people who perform such crucial roles behind the scenes but who are rarely lauded as they should be. Thanks and congratulations to them and everyone else for putting on such a great show.

When the performance was taken off sale (months ago), the ROH told ticket-holders that 'we have taken all remaining seats off sale for reasons we are excited to announce in the coming weeks'. So have they announced the reasons, but only to those going to the performance who have (for some reason) been sworn to secrecy? Or have they not announced the reasons, for some reason...? Call me unreasonable, but the reasons given above don't seem to me to be reason enough to make it a big secret anyway. Unless there are additional reasons not yet announced.

There are other very talented dancers who didn't join the RB on graduation from the RBS, for whatever reason/s, but did so subsequently. Darcey Bussell, obviously (as mentioned above); also Leanne Benjamin, Alexander Campbell and Miyako Yoshida spring to mind. I'm sure there are others. As has been said, all sorts of things come into play in determining who is or isn't offered a contract (and/or where a student chooses to go, when they have a choice). And yes, no doubt, sometimes there's regret later on (on one side or the other) about choices made or opportunities missed. Of course, that may also apply to dancers who do join the RB and then don't flourish as hoped/anticipated (or who leave prematurely). It's not an exact science.

Has anyone seen any other work by Natália Horečná?

Quite. Unsurprising that he's now producing dance/theatre in the Linbury, presenting World Ballet Day, teaching, etc. His actual performances are very (very) few and far between. It must be very difficult to maintain both fitness and motivation in such a situation.

I meant the fact of the King's presence (if it is a fact!). But yes, maybe any other reason is not of wider interest. Who knows?! (Well, some people do, clearly!). Anyway I'm going to the live screening so no doubt all will become clear at some point.

Yes, that must be the case. But why not announce it, perhaps thereby encouraging ticket sales for the live screenings since it will make it an extra-special evening?

When I booked a ticket at Sadler's Wells yesterday, there were two add-ons (the usual processing fee or whatever they call it, and a 'building fund' fee or some such) and then they ask if you want to add a donation too!! For goodness sake.

There have been quite a lot of royal Galas/performances attended by the monarch and announced in advance. I've even been to some of them. Maybe it's just because it will be this monarch's first attendance as monarch? Still not sure why his presence on its own would require such secrecy.

I'm also assuming that that's what's happening on Tuesday evening; but royalty have regularly come to performances without all this secrecy, so I'm also assuming that there's more to it than just that.

Me too, though for new creations I think 'first cast' is right.

I think the first night cast does have some significance (and the live screening cast), but after that I really don't see a hierarchy in the order of most castings nowadays (or in the order of the SL castings above). But yes, Magri is getting lots of opportunities.

I wasn't sure if there'd be people there either, but also I can't talk easily in noisy places at the moment because of a breathing condition. So sorry for not coming down.

I really only have one comment about tonight's performance, which is that I don't think it was Fumi Kaneko performing down there in Act 3 - it was some sort of AI-generated entity, programmed to do fouettes of a quality and speed that would be impossible for a real human being. A word of advice for the RB: if they want this sort of thing to be plausible, they should tone it down a bit next time. I mean you couldn't even see 'her' by the end - 'she' was just a blur, spinning faster and faster and still in perfect time to the music. Really - do they think we were born yesterday?!

I would love to see Annette Buvoli as O/O.

I should have said 'today's' Links! Anyway, glad you've found them (and that they're so good!).

? There were 4 press reviews in yesterday's Links and there are some reviews above.

I see that it says on the website that 'Part of this insight event will be livestreamed on our Youtube channel from 12noon – 2pm. It will also be available to watch on Royal Opera House Stream.' So the whole event won't be on YouTube.

ROH ticketing is really like a magical mystery ride nowadays.

I had misread the details and thought that Sasaki/Sissens was only a Schools' matinée! Very excited to see otherwise.

Yes, it did. But I see from a press release from Toonga's PR company in May 2022 about a tour of his new work 'Born to Exist', he was described as the Royal Ballet's 'Emerging Choreographer in Residence'. So maybe these various terms are interchangeable. Or maybe there has been a change. Who knows.

I have no problem with them doing it either, even though I probably wouldn't have bought a ticket even if I'd known about it. (I've often bought tickets for raffles where I wouldn't want the prize/s, but this one is a bit too expensive.)

I haven't received this offer/email. Maybe it only went to non-Friends? Or to people who hadn't yet booked for Nutcracker? If it's for fundraising, why would it not go to all on their databases? (Not that I would actually want this particular prize; but they don't know that.)

Thank you, @Dawnstar! Wonderful photos.