Bluebird

As I've just posted on the 23/24 season announcement thread, they've now removed all the seat maps. They must be having problems with them.

Not only have they not fixed the Don Q pages, they've now removed the seat maps from the other productions. It's presumably still a work in progress.

The seat maps showing the prices for Autumn productions are now on the ROH website but, currently, there's a fault with the Don Q pages. Let's hope they fix it soon.

A while ago, Friends of the RBS were sent details of the Holland Park programming (see below). Last night's repertoire seems to have been taken from this and, usually, most of the Holland Park repertoire is repeated in the Main Stage performance. "Watch a rich selection of works performed by the future stars of ballet at four days of Summer Performances at Opera Holland Park, featuring the Dream Scene from Carlos Acosta’s vibrant Don Quixote for The Royal Ballet performed by Upper School 1st Year, 2nd Year and Pre-professional students, Konservatoriet, August Bournonville’s vaudeville work for the Royal Danish Ballet performed by our White Lodge students with 1st Year Upper School soloists, and Kenneth MacMillan’s inventive The Four Seasons set to three Verdi operas. Fans of contemporary will find lots of exciting works, including BOLD by Goyo Montero created with students from 24 ballet schools around the world at this year’s Prix de Lausanne, and, in a first for the School, excerpts from acclaimed alumnus Christopher Wheeldon’s glowing masterpiece, Within the Golden Hour.”"

I believe it is, indeed, a different story and that the back row of the side stalls has a very restricted view. Where in the side circle were you, art_enthusiast? My experience is that the view is extremely restricted in the side circle. It's even somewhat restricted at the very ends of row B centre block and this must have been noted as, for some productions, the ends of row B centre block are cheaper than the rest of the row. Actually, for an interview, the view restriction might not matter as the participants will, presumably, be sitting in the centre of the stage.

In her recent Ballet Association interview, Laura said she and Ben were first paired together at the age of 12!

It seems that Laura Morera's debut was in 2008 rather than in 2011. I've continued to search the Wayback Machine but have been unable to find the Manon thread for that year. I have, however, found some Manon reviews, from that particular run, in the November 2008 Magazine. Your review, Alison, is of two other casts: http://web.archive.org/web/20081215173931/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/nov08/ap_rev_rb_1008.htm In the same Magazine, there is a glowing review of Laura's debut, written by Sim and her husband Ged: http://web.archive.org/web/20081215174604/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/nov08/sd_rev_royal_ballet_1008.htm

I've managed to find the 2011 thread on the Wayback Machine. However, I've a feeling it's incomplete as there aren't many comments on the Morera/Bonelli performance: http://web.archive.org/web/20150322203218/http://www.ballet.co.uk/dcforum/happening/8066.html#82

tw1nklet0es' post was, I think, in response to this one:

It’s there now: https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/40/new-wayne-mcgregor-corybantic-games-anastasia-act-iii/cast-list/51734

Press reviews will, of course, be in tomorrow's links but I couldn't resist quoting from a review that I found in www.theupcoming.co.uk (my highlighting) "On this occasion, two understudies impressed in the roles of Cinderella and Prince Guillaume, with Erina Takahashi and Francesco Gabriele Frola ably standing in for Emma Hawes and Aitor Arrieta."

The casting list links to dancers' profiles were certainly on the old ROH website. I'm not sure when they disappeared. Maybe when they started to revamp the website?

You've reminded me, Janet, of a wonderful mixed bill I saw in Birmingham in 2004. I've just searched out my programme - Concerto Barocco, Enigma Variations and Western Symphony - 2 Balanchines and an Ashton. Who could ask for more!

Casting changes (due to injury) Emma Hawes and Aitor Arrieta are replaced by Erina Takahashi and Francesco Gabriele Frola (on Thu 15 Jun 7.30pm), and Precious Adams and Daniel McCormick (on Sat 17 Jun 7.30pm). Ivana Bueno replaces Emma Hawes on Thu 22 Jun 7.30pm and Sat 24 Jun 7.30pm; she will be making her debut as Cinderella, dancing with Aitor Arrieta.

Ticket now sold

Due to double booking I'm selling Circle C29 for the Royal Ballet School performance in the Linbury Theatre June 20, £13. The seat is cheaper than the ones next to it as there is a pillar which obscures the extreme side of the stage. I have often sat in this seat and have been delighted with it as the almost full view is so much better than the view from the similarly priced seats at the sides of the auditorium (which really do have a partial view) If interested please post here and also send me a PM.

Cinderella in-the-round 15 – 25 June 2023, Royal Albert Hall Casting is subject to change Thursday 15 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Emma Hawes Prince Guillaume Aitor Arrieta Stepmother Hortensia Sarah Kundi Stepsister Edwina Fernanda Oliveira Stepsister Clementine Katja Khaniukova Benjamin Ken Saruhashi Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Friday 16 June, 2pm Cinderella Precious Adams* Prince Guillaume Daniel McCormick* Stepmother Hortensia Isabelle Brouwers* Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki* Stepsister Clementine Jung ah Choi* Benjamin Victor Prigent* Guest Conductor Daniel Parkinson Friday 16 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Erina Takahashi Prince Guillaume Francesco Gabriele Frola Stepmother Hortensia Angela Wood* Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki Stepsister Clementine Julia Conway Benjamin Rhys Antoni Yeomans* Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Saturday 17 June, 2pm Cinderella Shiori Kase Prince Guillaume Lorenzo Trossello* Stepmother Hortensia Eireen Evrard* Stepsister Edwina Natascha Mair* Stepsister Clementine Francesca Velicu* Benjamin Henry Dowden Guest Conductor Daniel Parkinson Saturday 17 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Emma Hawes Prince Guillaume Aitor Arrieta Stepmother Hortensia Sarah Kundi Stepsister Edwina Fernanda Oliveira Stepsister Clementine Katja Khaniukova Benjamin Ken Saruhashi Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Sunday 18 June, 2.30pm Cinderella Erina Takahashi Prince Guillaume Francesco Gabriele Frola Stepmother Hortensia Angela Wood Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki Stepsister Clementine Julia Conway Benjamin Rhys Antoni Yeomans Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Tuesday 20 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Shiori Kase Prince Guillaume Lorenzo Trossello Stepmother Hortensia Eireen Evrard Stepsister Edwina Natascha Mair Stepsister Clementine Francesca Velicu Benjamin Henry Dowden Guest Conductor Daniel Parkinson Wednesday 21 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Erina Takahashi Prince Guillaume Francesco Gabriele Frola Stepmother Hortensia Angela Wood Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki Stepsister Clementine Julia Conway Benjamin Rhys Antoni Yeomans Guest Conductor Daniel Parkinson Thursday 22 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Emma Hawes Prince Guillaume Aitor Arrieta Stepmother Hortensia Sarah Kundi Stepsister Edwina Fernanda Oliveira Stepsister Clementine Katja Khaniukova Benjamin Ken Saruhashi Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Friday 23 June, 2pm Cinderella Precious Adams Prince Guillaume Daniel McCormick Stepmother Hortensia Isabelle Brouwers Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki Stepsister Clementine Jung ah Choi Benjamin Victor Prigent Guest Conductor Daniel Parkinson Friday 23 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Erina Takahashi Prince Guillaume Francesco Gabriele Frola Stepmother Hortensia Angela Wood Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki Stepsister Clementine Julia Conway Benjamin Rhys Antoni Yeomans Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Saturday 24 June, 2pm Cinderella Shiori Kase Prince Guillaume Lorenzo Trossello Stepmother Hortensia Eireen Evrard Stepsister Edwina Natascha Mair Stepsister Clementine Francesca Velicu Benjamin Henry Dowden Guest Conductor Daniel Parkinson Saturday 24 June, 7.30pm Cinderella Emma Hawes Prince Guillaume Aitor Arrieta Stepmother Hortensia Sarah Kundi Stepsister Edwina Fernanda Oliveira Stepsister Clementine Katja Khaniukova Benjamin Ken Saruhashi Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland Sunday 25 June, 2.30pm Cinderella Precious Adams Prince Guillaume Daniel McCormick Stepmother Hortensia Isabelle Brouwers Stepsister Edwina Emily Suzuki Stepsister Clementine Jung ah Choi Benjamin Victor Prigent Principal Guest Conductor Gavin Sutherland *Debut in role

My highlighting: (Edited to add that Anna Rose was one of the dancers in last week's Royal Ballet Insight in the Clore Studio) 9 JUNE 2023 FRIDAY, 7.30PM CORYBANTIC GAMES CAST DANCERS Fumi Kaneko, Ryoichi Hirano, Leticia Dias, Annette Buvoli, Matthew Ball, William Bracewell, Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Luca Acri, Mayara Magri

Presumably there were some unforeseen circumstances as there are some changes: Fairy of the Enchanted Garden is Isabella Gasparini and Fairy of the Woodland Glade is Sae Maeda Also, Yu Hang replaces Ashley Dean as one of Aurora's Friends. Those are the only changes I've noticed.

During the 1987/88 season, front side amphi tickets for opera (Figaro) were £2.

They're available for operas which only require small orchestras - eg Mozart, Rossini, Handel...etc. They're curtained off for most other operas. Edited to add that, even for the operas with smaller orchestras, those seats are not usually on sale during the initial booking periods. I believe they test the level of the decibels produced by the orchestra before they release them. They need to check that they're at a level which won't damage the hearing of the orchestra members

Stalls £240 - £325 Stalls Circle £25 - £325 Grand Tier £310-£325 Grand Tier Boxes £193-£310 Balcony £25-£294 Balcony Boxes £87 Slips £14-£43 Amphitheatre £14-£146 Edited to add that I've only quoted the lowest and the highest price for each area.

Thank you, Janet. It certainly whets the appetite! There was also an excellent review in the May 5 links. I hope it's OK just to paste in the link rather than all the links for that day: https://limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/jewels-the-australian-ballet/

The prices in the Upper Slips have been the hardest to understand. The acoustic there is, arguably, the best in the House for opera yet the price of a seat in the Upper Slips for opera has, consistently, been lower than the price of a seat for ballet. I would have thought that most ballet fans would consider sight lines to be more important than an outstanding acoustic yet the prices do not reflect this. Opera prices have ranged from £15 (Barber of Seville) to £18 (Werther/Don Carlo) whereas, for the better Upper Slips seats, Cinderella and Beauty were priced at £22. Edited to add the following: Upper Slips seats and Stalls Circle Standing used to be sold at the same price for opera as well as for ballet. There were a handful of seats at the very back of the amphitheatre which, because of their restricted view, were also sold at this price. A couple of years ago, a new price band was created for these rear amphitheatre seats as well as for the better Upper Slips seats. The interesting point is that this new price band was created for ballet performances only. For opera, these seats remain at the same price as Stalls Circle Standing.

It may be cheaper for the higher priced tickets - eg top price amphitheatre reduced from £112 to £104. However, assuming I'm reading the pricing correctly, the price of the side front amphitheatre seats has been increased rather than reduced. For Cinderella and Beauty the price was £34. For Don Q it's £36. The price of the better Upper Slips seats has increased from £22 to £26. i.e. they've reduced the top prices at the expense of the cheaper ones Edited for clarity