TSR101

I have not seen the Nureyev live - even though the recording made it seem inferior to the MacMillan, I would like to see it in person. I will be at the Northern Ballets version too - you can never have enough ballet after all …

What a gem this series is!

My picks... For the RB: - Fille, Alice and Sylvia combined with an announcement of a new Resident Choreographer with a classical ballet background following McGregor's shock departure. Finally an announcement of a new classical full length ballet - not by McGregor or Wheeldon. I'd quite like some Ballet Russes too, so I second you Jmhopton. For ENB/BRB: - To import/create new full length ballets - there are a lot existing that goes beyond the limited rep that RB provides and they could just develop new productions based on them. I'd also like ENB to revive R&J (there Manon is just a rubbish version of the RBs so I can live without them ever doing that again!) Wildcard: - Any good ballet company to to a full length ballet utilising Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. It just begs to be used once more for a ballet but all we get is Talbot etc.

Dean is her previous husbands family name though right. I don't follow Ashley myself so definitely didn't follow the small account which I think used to be private - but definitely not a surprise for those that follow that account as a quick peruse shows! I was mostly surprised because literally the day before I came across an interview she had given where she talked very openly about her marriage with her previous husband that wasn't that old - including previous difficulties, struggles with a dancing schedule and being a 'good wife', and plans to retire to focus on motherhood at some point (seemingly in a not that distant future). She is a lovely dancer so hopefully she has found happiness!

Congrats to both, but definitely a surprise - Ashley having spoke a lot about her previous husband in interviews I hadn't even spotted they had broken up.

At the very least, this is poor communication to its regulars for whom it has supporter membership programmes who have earlier booking dates and that they know book for dancers. It would not have taken much to state clearly, casting will only occur for the triple at X point in time, We appreciate that loyal supporters do prefer to book for specific dancers and casts but for X reason on this occasion it will not be possible for Y reason to cast the performance before booking opens. It really wouldn't take very much.

I agree that it is likely that they simply have not cast the roles and therefore can't tell us - it does rather undermine the purpose of pre-booking periods though (some of the leads have done it before inc some of their biggest sellers like Nunez so they could potentially have released some and others as TBC). I imagine there will be slow sales for this ballet (I won't be buying until the casts are out) particularly as they aren't that well known.

Do any of our much travelled forum members know anything of the dancers in the company? I noticed the much travelled Maria Kochetkova is in the company as a principal but other than that I know nothing of them. Swan Lake undoubtedly more saleable but agree with all the others above, La Bayadere would have been my choice too!

Yes, that is what I alluded too with not having the pull factor.

IMO, the biggest loss recently to RB is not signing up Olga Smirnova rather than losing young talent. First, because she is brilliant (and imo better than many of the female principals currently at RB) but also because it would have placed RB back in the public discourse, a reminder of when the great soviet stars left Russia and made their home at the RB. It would have added excitement that for all their brilliance the likes of Morera and Magri can't bring and it would have brought press attention (Olga's departure made the newspapers in the UK and she was moving to Holland, imagine if she had like Nureyev before here departed a tyrannical Russia regime to dance at the RB). I don't know the personal reasons for Smirnova's choice, but its sad that RB didn't have the pull factor to bring her over.

I don't think you analysis is particularly strong here. Whilst you are right about Polunin, evidence suggests he is a statistical anomaly rather than a trend. Overall in ballet (not just RB) those promoted early are often stars for the long term. This has also been the case with RB - Ferri/Cojocaru/Nunez/Bussell all very young and all went on to be star ballerinas in the long term. There are a lot of factors that play into Polunin's fall from grace, most of them personal to Polunin. The simple truth is that a ballerina will most likely be in their physical prime 23-29 after that there is (hopefully) a slow descent in physical capability (niggles last longer, recovery takes longer etc), injuries permitting. At the same time, the artistic ability of a dancer, where they know the principal role, can really own it, have the experience of doing different principal roles, often comes with experience - therefore I would argue its logical that those who get those opportunities for longer because they are promoted earlier, combined with talent, combined with the youthful athleticism of learning in your physical prime are often in a strong position.

I would add that the overstuffing imo of principals can also act as a disincentive for very talented juniors - when are they going to get a break into a main role if you have 19 principals. If I was a truly outstanding 17yo dancer just about to leave school, there is no chance I would join the RB if I had other good options. I would know RB wouldn't promote me quickly and I would know that almost no principal roles would be given to me for years. Someone like Casalinho would probably still be getting basic corps roles in the RB.

I honestly don't think that the RB need more than 6 female and 6 male principals with a stronger cast of first soloists who step up into the non-lead principal roles, and if necessary the lead principal roles. This would give principals more performances and give first soloists possibilities to step up where necessary. However, as I said on another thread, I suspect the RB has deliberately made a choice of later, slower but more promotions to principal to maintain harmony in the company. I would add that I am not sure where the next principal promotions are coming from - with the exception of Sissens who seems to be in KOH's spotlight in recent years. There is no one under 25 who I see as pushing forward in the way Hayward was for example with regular promotions in an inevitable march to principal or anyone who takes big leaps from joining from school (e..g Cuthbertson). Definitely no one in the principal by 21 category in the company. ROH has also seemingly stopped recruiting talent at principal level (or nearly principal level) - Vadim in 2014 potentially the last recruit (? - Corrales a possible inclusion here) which whilst they might be able to fill the principal ranks internally (I would argue overfill) by not recruiting at that level you do miss the future Muntagirovs/Osipovas of this world from joining.

Osipova related q - has she performed a full Raymonda anywhere? Watching this makes me think what a waste that RB doesn't have it in its repertoire

Not to be mean but if KOH thought he deserved it, he should have cast him properly. Again a nice 'gift' to someone who has missed out until they are 40 might boost morale and demonstrate your abilities as a kind leader that make the ROH a nice place to work but it inhibits the development of other dancers by making them wait years to try that role they would have otherwise got a chance at. So if Bracewell isn't cast this run, then instead of being 32 (already q late) and starting to understand and learn the role now, but by 34/35 when it next comes round, he will has the chance to start to master it - he will have to start trying to learn the role fresh at 34/35. is there a way of hiving off the convo from the Osipova thread? p.s. Osipova is wonderful, I am very sad I missed her Kitri through injury 🙂

At this point in his career it would surely be better for the company to debut one of the first soloists/soloists who may develop into the role ready for future scheduled Manon (likely 2025/26). So many top ballerinas/dancers got their first break by stepping up into a principals shoes at the last minute at a young age. However, it would be hard for them to turn down a principal who hasn't had an opportunity in that role if they want it. To me this highlights the risk of too many principals - although I suspect the RB have made a deliberate choice of pulling back from early promotions (to prevent it being seen as favouritism and eliciting jealousy) and to expand the principal ranks (to give more opportunity for dancers to make that grade at the RB who otherwise may not have done) to improve company morale and wellbeing.

In 2001 the RB had just 10 principals - 6 Female and 4 Male. Whilst the company does seem a happy contented place and there are many good dancers and they are finally creating new ballets again - in the early to late noughties it had Acosta, Guillem, Bussell, Cojocaru, Nunez etc which is surely the most recent golden age for the ballet in terms of quality of its dancers. I would also say the RB is not also without problems. There is also a lack of 'star ballerinas' coming through at the RB which shows by the far later age at which they make principal. The hot selling tickets for most major full length ballets are for Nunez (41) and Osipova (37). I would also argue that there is actually now too many principals at the RB given the amount of proper principal roles available for them leaving many with quite limited appearances in full length ballet leading roles. How much do we actually see Hirano, Takada or Campbell (none of whom are early career principals like O'Sullivan or Magri) in the primary roles.

From the ROH Bio: Russian dancer Natalia Osipova is a Principal of The Royal Ballet. She joined the Company as a Principal in autumn 2013, after appearing as a Guest Artist the previous Season as Odette/Odile (Swan Lake) with Carlos Acosta

For the name alone ... 🤢

With Dante Project, I don't believe you can understand basically any of it without having read it first. Even in 19th C ballets where narrative plot isn't the strength (it it the unbelievable beauty and virtuosity of their dancing ability - combined with unequalled music mostly), you can understand oh there is a Prince (or some noble man) and look hand over heart, pointing at ring finger, love marriage. He doesn't look happy about it, he doesn't want to marry her etc. For all the bonkersness of Nutcracker, I still can see its a father missing his son creating a nutcracker toy, I can see he goes to a party where he performs tricks, etc etc. It is a narrative even if some finer details are not clear at times. (personally Gary Avis is one of the stars of the RB for me and he doesn't even dance anymore!) In Dante Project, its oh look man in weird green dress being danced around by people in skin tight black costumes with what appears like dust all over them (probs should have cleaned them before putting them on). Oh man in weird red dress, with people in skin tight silver costumes with strange colours being played on the back of the stage. There is nothing, literally nothing to go on to suggest the supposed narrative. There is a time and a place for such abstract dance, the country's main classical ballet company's very limited budget for new full length narrative ballet, is not it. RB (Kevin?) has basically focused on McGregor, Scarlett & Wheeldon for the new full length ballets but with the passing of Liam we have lost the choreographer closest to the RB's tradition imo and have doubled down on McGregor (with Maddaddam on the way)which is the least like it. It's time for Kevin to go and find another choreographer.

I can't believe that anyone can watch this ballet and understand what is meant to be going on without having read about it first. For me that is the antithesis of narrative ballet and the reason why McGregor is a but a shadow of the brilliance of MacMillan. I can only hope that McGregor soon suffers the fate of so much of Ashton's vastly superior work - a revival for the 25th anniversary of its first performance, would be slightly too soon as far as I am concerned!

I do not know much about Mick Zeni at all - does he still dance major males roles or like Kobborg has he somewhat retired from these?

IMO It would be good it they sought to utilise the fact there are already 2 other ballet companies in London already. They could for example try and find an arrangement to perhaps use young talented dancers in these companies in productions - this would both potentially develop these young dancers due to more prominent roles/different styles which would benefit their home companies and offer talented non-permanent dancers to LCB.

Whilst ballet followers like those on this forum will follow individual dancers - this is rare beyond the perhaps two 'star names' Nunez or Osipova for almost all of the audience (Muntagirov is incredible but not sure he has Acosta style pulling power). I doubt very much releasing new names of the cast would make any difference at all. Ballet at the RB is expensive. A lot of people are struggling financially. Travel chaos makes plans difficult. RB marketing isn't very effective. These ballets aren't that popular - only Don Q has name recognition. (The Dante Project is also rubbish).... much more likely reasons for the low sales imo.

Personally also disappointed with Bolle's casting - I would have thought that this was Marianela's choice given her standing in the RB and their previous partnership both at the RB and guesting. Mainly tempted on the basis of not being sure how many more Manon's Marianela will have at the RB after this.