Richard LH

Well, he does have two different partners, though I realise they will be "taking turns" to be lifted! 😄

Good point....this is going to be expensive! 🤔 I suppose opera buffs can go for a "Design Your Own" package including SL, but the discount is limited to 5% (Amphi) or 10% (Stalls or Stalls Circle)

Yes....looking forward to this, with Takada. He has performed Albrecht before (as a replacement for Sambe), when Hayward debuted as Giselle....my first live Royal Ballet attendance!

Yes I agree - also Takada/Bonelli was pretty special last year. I would have been very happy to see either of those combinations again, but I would recommend seeing Akane in this whoever she is partnered with.

Good to see Bracewell getting much of the heavy lifting 🏋️‍♂️ - remind me why he is not a Principal again?!

Judging by Saturday's event at least, this weekend has been a great success both as a display of some of the wonderful talent at the Royal Ballet, and a much needed fundraiser for the performing arts (the live auction alone raised many £1000s). Kevin O'Hare must have been very proud to see the company members here on top form, in time for the new season ahead. They were all great, but just to pick the stand-outs for me... Melissa Hamilton's cool elegance in Concerto Pas de Deux Akane Takada's mesmerising Pas de Deux from Within the Golden Hour with Ryoichi Hirano (who stood in at the last minute as Calvin Richardson was unfortunately injured) Mayara Magri and William Bracewell in Grand Pas Classique -they were synchronized to perfection in the three difficult moves where the lady holds position en pointe on one leg whilst the gentleman jumps and turns, both then finishing down to the floor at the same time on one knee (apologies for the lack of a better technical description). Searching You Tube I have yet to see this achieved all three times elsewhere! Sarah Lamb and Matthew Ball in Meditation from Thais - first time I have seen this live. A very moving Dying Swan from Leo Dixon, standing in for Calvin Richardson Leo again with Anna Rose O'Sullivan in a dramatic extract from Chroma A charming Des Grieux Solo from Manon, by Joseph Sissens (who also gets the award for best current hair/beard combo) Fumi Kaneko's delightful Rose Adage supported by her 4 admirers (Lukas B Braendsrod, David Donelly, Giacomo Rovero, and Leo Dixon) ...and some virtuosic violin playing from Sergey Levitin! Many thanks and congratulations to Meaghan Grace Hinkis for putting this all together (as well as providing some delightful dancing of her own as Juliet, and in Les Lutins ) and to all the dancers and support team who attended.

Full details now announced as follows: Dancers MELISSA HAMILTON MEAGHAN GRACE HINKIS FUMI KANEKO SARAH LAMB MAYARA MAGRI LAURA MORERA ANNA ROSE O’SULLIVAN AKANE TAKADA LUCA ACRI MATTHEW BALL WILLIAM BRACEWELL LUKAS BJØRNENBOE BRÆNDSRØD LEO DIXON DAVID DONNELLY DAICHI IKARASHI TAISUKE NAKAO CALVIN RICHARDSON GIACOMO ROVERO JOSEPH SISSENS Programme Overture: Paganini Capriccio No. 5 played by Sergey Levitin Rhapsody Pas de Deux (Frederick Ashton) O’Sullivan ~ Donnelly Raymonda Pas de Quatre (Rudolf Nureyev) Rovero, Ishikari, Nakao, Sissens Concerto Pas de Deux (Kenneth MacMillan) Hamilton ~ B. Braendsrod Calliope Rag from Elite Syncopations (Kenneth MacMillan) Morera Within the Golden Hour Pas de Deux (Christopher Wheeldon) Takada ~ Richardson Quicksand (Erico Montes) Donnelly Grand Pas Classique Pas de Deux (Victor Gsovsky) Magri ~ Bracewell Meditation from Thais (Frederick Ashton) Lamb ~ Ball ---Interval--- The Dying Swan (Calvin Richardson) Richardson Romeo and Juliet Balcony Pas de Deux (Kenneth MacMillan) Hinkis ~ Bracewell The Lightness of Being (Craig Davidson) Hamilton ~ B. Braendsrod Chroma Pas de Deux (Wayne McGregor) O’Sullivan ~ Dixon Manon Act I - Des Grieux’s Solo (Kenneth MacMillan) Sissens With a Chance of Rain (Liam Scarlett) Morera ~ Ball Traces (Cathy Marston) Magri ~ Acri Rose Adagio (Marius Petipa) Kaneko ~ B. Braendsrod, Donnelly, Rovero, Dixon Les Lutins (Johan Kobborg) Hinkis, Nakao, Ikarashi

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-pass/

It wasn't an assessment, just a genuine question. The ROH publishes a staffing Whos Who here https://www.roh.org.uk/about/royal-opera-house/whos-who . There do seem to be a lot of "Heads" and "Managers". I suppose, as you suggest, some of the post descriptions may be rather over-egged in terms of actual status and responsibilities vs salary offered!

Is it unfair to suggest the ROH is rather top heavy in terms of "Managers"?

Some more details now reported here: https://www.gramilano.com/2021/08/athelhampton-ballet-gala-2021/ A really exciting programme, and interestingly plenty of changes from last year - not just a repetition.

Yes I think there was reference a little while ago to more seats becoming available, although I don't recall that a reason was given. Unfortunately Marianela Nunez and Marcelino Sambe are not currently listed on the Athelhampton site as appearing, although they were both mentioned at the outset. That said, if the current listing holds, it will still be an amazing line up of RB talent.

Yes that must be it, thanks!

.....including Sambe, apparently in advance of him dancing in, or from, Le Corsaire with Osipova. Does anyone know what performance this relates to?