Richard LH

53 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Pleased to notice a good feature of the ROH Website...the bottom of the Cast Sheets page  includes "Past Cast Sheets", currently  linking to the full cast lists for 21/22 and 22/23. https://www.roh.org.uk/about/cast-sheets

Unforunately as @Bluebird has pointed out elsewhere, it seems that the feature has yet to be properly sorted out, as various  earlier  links only go to the dreaded "Error 500".

Pleased to notice a good feature of the ROH Website...the bottom of the Cast Sheets page  includes "Past Cast Sheets", currently  linking to the full cast lists for 21/22 and 22/23. https://www.roh.org.uk/about/cast-sheets

Pleased to notice a good feature of the ROH Website...the bottom of the Cast Sheets page  includes "Past Cast Sheets", currently  linking to the full cast lists for 21/22 and 22/23. https://www.roh.org.uk/about/cast-sheets

Thanks Stevie...that is exceptional value; just slightly miffed that I recall paying much more a while back just for Orpheus and Eurydice ! Still, the other two discs must be well worth laying out another £6.77.

On 24/09/2023 at 22:36, Richard LH said:

Looks like Sae Maeda and Sophie Allnatt will be dancing as Kitri's friends.

In another cast, Mica Bradbury also looks to be one of the two Friends but I don't know who her "sister" Friend will be in that cast.

On 23/09/2023 at 19:40, Linnzi5 said:

My only gripe is lack of Fille - it is such a charming, feel good, delightful ballet and I love it - it is so disappointing that it's being ignored and I don't understand why and hope the rumours of it being 'not politically correct' are incorrect, because, really? 

I think I have said this before.....I can't see any serious cause for offence with Fille, and the ROH must feel the same, otherwise they would not be streaming it.

Looks like Sae Maeda and Sophie Allnatt will be dancing as Kitri's friends.

From various IG posts, it seems  that Marco Masciari is performing as Sancho Panza to Christopher Saunders' Don Q, with Annette Buvoli as Dulcinea (so doubling up on her roles)!

20 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

Just received from the ROH:

We hope you are looking forward to attending Don Quixote at the Royal Opera House.

 

We are writing to inform you that the following cast change has taken place for a performance you have booked: 

 

WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER, 7.30pm and SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER, 7pm

Natalia Osipova is replaced by Mayara Magri as Kitri.

 

Natalia Osipova sustained an injury during early rehearsal at the start of the Season. She has been advised not to dance her first two scheduled performances of Don Quixote on 4 and 7 October in order for her to continue her rehabilitation. It is very much hoped that she will be fully recovered for her next scheduled performances in November.

 

We wish Natalia a speedy recovery. I am delighted that Mayara Magri will be stepping into the role of Kitri for these two performances, dancing with Marcelino Sambé as Basilio.

 

This is an unusually detailed message about the reasons for a cast change,  and anticipated recovery etc....very welcome for concerned audience members. It would be nice if such explanations were the norm,   but I suppose this will depend on how much information the dancer concerned wishes to share publicly.

In mentioning, during the Insight, his 3 other colleagues playing  Don Q (Gary Avis, Thomas Whitehead, and Bennet Gartside) I was reminded what brilliant character artists the Royal Ballet is currently blessed with. They really add extra levels of depth and  enjoyment to the ballets in which they are cast.

39 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

I loved the additional duet at the start of act 2.

That change was the main problem for me, as I love the  RB Act 2 PDD and music (despite it being imported from La Bayadere). Anyway, between us we can be happy with our respective versions Jan!

Also I would like to say that the I think Royal Ballet dancers  are very fortunate to have Christopher as Rehearsal Director. His 40 years experience with the Company must be invaluable, and his Insight rehearsals are always so enthusiastic and instructive.

Very pleased that Christopher Saunders confirmed that the RB will be keeping with Acosta's original version, and not  including the changes he has introduced for the BRB.

2 hours ago, Ruby Foo said:

This was the clarification Richard. 
That her body was ‘ very difficult’ for classical ballet. If you have an explanation for the clarification then do please let me know. Because personally that clarification took me 2 weeks of asking, to obtain and left us feeling extremely angry and confused. We are talking about the Royal Ballet School. She had been previously training there for three years.

Ruby I was remarking in general terms  on the sort of unfortunate misunderstandings that students can make, as  referred to by @taxi4ballet and earlier by @Pas de Quatre...the sort of thing which one would hope might be relatively easy to resolve, provided (as @taxi4ballet points out) it  is known to have arisen in the first place!

I didn't have your case in mind in that context -  I gathered there was no such  "misunderstanding" behind the traumatic and unacceptable treatment you have described in responding to the recent post from @Emeralds

From the cast list I wonder if Annette will be dancing as Mercedes, with Lukas B B as Espada and  with the 6 other gentlemen as his matador compadres??

3 hours ago, taxi4ballet said:

Oh this!

 

It didn't come out until quite recently, when dd and I were discussing her early dance training. Someone once told my dd in my presence that she had "huge potential".

 

My dd, who was about 11 at the time, did not understand what the teacher was really saying. She took it to mean that she wasn't very good, but if she worked really hard then she could get better. No wonder she had confidence issues...

I would hope that misunderstandings about teacher feedback could be largely avoided if students/parents are encouraged and enabled to ask for clarification if something said, or written,  is not clear. Maybe easier said than done in some cases of course.

Many Happy Returns - everyone!

45 minutes ago, Irmgard said:

I drive into Covent Garden from outside London frequently and it's fine.  Just be aware that the congestion charge is in operation from 12 noon until 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as weekdays, so that will add to your cost if you enter it during those times.  Also best to check there are no demonstrations in the area which add time to the journey due to road closures.

Thank you @Irmgard. Do you know how much busier it can get during rail strikes?

Decided to drive down to London for the Don Q season opening night on 30th Sept, and park at Urban Parking, Shelton Street, which is close to Covent Garden 😬. Is this complete madness? Any tips/advice greatly appreciated.

31 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said:

See today's Links - Aaron Watkins, ENB's new boss, has some things to say on this topic. 

The sub-editorial byline reads "English National Ballet’s new boss Aaron Watkin tells Debra Craine why the age of the skinny ballerina is over", and I think this  promotes a current  misconception. Isn't simply labelling ballerinas as skinny,   just as potentially "body shaming" as some of the reports of dancers being criticised for being overweight? 

In fact the article itself is  rather better in describing Watkins's actual position..."He’s not fixated on the skinny ballerina body image and he does not expect his dancers to conform to a single type. “I’m not looking for uniformity. I’m looking for real personalities that shine on stage, an eclectic group of interesting people who can have the expectation of collaborating in their artistic journey. I’m allergic to the idea of treating dancers like children.”"

I don't think this is really anything new...as I have mentioned above, dancers, in UK ballet companies at least, already have this sort of variety of body type, though of course within the limits of the being fit enough to meet the demands of dancing the  ballet repertoire of the Company concerned.

This looks lovely...! Well done to all the RBS students involved.

I used to be able to go to Insights, but recently they always seem unavailable by the time my membership (Friend +) allows booking.

Happy to be able to report a very smooth booking experience this morning for Manon.

12 hours ago, capybara said:

 

(The reports which RichardLH posted on this thread earlier are from the ISC, not Ofsted.)

The 2014-2015 reports were by Ofsted; the latest ones are by the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate).

11 minutes ago, DancerFifi said:

You seem determined to defend RBS and dismiss the suffering and trauma of the victims.

No I don't think that's fair. I have just tried to set out what the official procedures  are and  explained why I can't understand, given the procedures, why such complaints aren't being reflected in Inspector's reports. I can't see how they would dare to sweep them under the carpet.