Bruce Wall

OH, I'M SO SORRY.  

MODERATORS - PLEASE REMOVE THIS STRAND.  IT IS NO LONGER RELEVANT TO THIS SITE.  THANK YOU.  

EMMA VON ENCK, a former RBS student as was her sister (and thereby the posting as it has a note of local interest) - prior to moving to SAB - has been promoted to Principal at New York City Ballet.  This appears to be the only NYCB promotion this season.  
 

Here is Emma in one of the new works in the NYCB Spring Season - 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6qpkASAbrg/?hl=en

and in the central section of the Third Movement of Symphony in C opposite Roman Mejia (who she often dances with); a work which is known locally and will be performed in London next season by the resident RBO Company.  

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1045857173389658 

So well deserved.  Hearty congratulations to Emma.  

Oh, yes, PLEASE.  I'll be there too.  In fact, it's my birthday.  SO looking forward to it.  

8 minutes ago, San Perregrino said:

What is a heated tourist tax?

London is still good value for tourists (especially from the USA) because of the favourable exchange rates and all the free things there are to do here compared with say Europe. 

From the Gov.uk website - This is different from many European locations - 

'You can only buy tax-free goods from shops: in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) if they're delivered straight to an address outside the UK. in Northern Ireland if they're delivered straight to an address outside the UK and the EU'.

On 07/05/2024 at 21:00, Henry said:

I agree about more performances - and also more varied programme.  I can see that a company may feel that it needs to have the staples in its repertoire for the development of the company.  However, London audiences will have seen other highly regarded Giselles.  I would like to have seen a work that said this is the Japan National Ballet Company  and not the RB, BRB, ENB.  

I think that is a fair point, Henry, but this is a straight rental and is in no way supported by the ROH (or is that now RBO) and, consequently, I'm sure they wanted to present something that a British audience - or those tourists who are still coming to an ever expensive London with a heated tourist tax - are more like to purchase.  I felt the same way with the Georgia Ballet showing Swan Lake in August at the Coliseum but very much understand the commercial necessity given the expensive rental venues involved.

Very touching - THIS NOTATION IS ON THIS EVENING'S CAST LIST FOR SWAN LAKE WITH VADIM AND FUMI - 

THIS PERFORMANCE OF SWAN LAKE WITH VADIM MUNTAGIROV AND FUMI KANEKO IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF LINDA GAINSBURY, LONG-TIME SUPPORTER AND CHAMPION OF THE ROYAL BALLET AND ITS DANCERS

Simon, I would love the ticket will send you a private message.  

9 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I have to say that Linda would have been one of the first to pounce on that (and that makes me smile, bittersweet)!

And rightly so.  She also would have been wittily understanding.  That was part of her enormous gift.  It is, as stated, a sad loss.  A life certainly to be celebrated.  

30 minutes ago, SheilaC said:

As I went through the dates I was delighted at the number of matinees (great for those of us who live too far away to get home after an evening performance, and especially now that hotel prices in central London have gone up astronomically). Not counting schools matinees there are 22 matinees listed. But then I came to the standout programme for me, the Balanchine triple and, as JNC has posted, there is not a single matinee for this triple bill by one of the great choreographers. Unforgivable.

And why is there only one Ashton ballet, given that we have been told that we are in a five-year Ashton celebration? Some celebration!

 I'm with Sheila on this one.  The 'Ashton Festival' so called was I thought to right a balance.  I thought it was also sharing the defining work of other Company's on Ashton with the Royal's talents.  It seems clear this incentive has definitely been put on the RBOH's back burner.  More's the shame as far as I'm concerned.  

3 minutes ago, Sim said:

Barbara?

Thanks so for the prompt, Sim.  A simple matter of doing too many things at once .... Was preparing a programme for my project next year in Mexico - and the head of that is Barbara - was typing a note to her at the same time as I saw the sad news about Linda.  Will now have to check what I called her in that email!!!  Heaven only knows.  Again, thanks. 

Such passionate dedication with earnest regard, Linda's voice leaves a reasoned void but oh, so many vivid memories to cherish.  RIP.  

Thought the 24/25 Royal season is as good as we could have expected given the backdrop of the country's own economic challenges.  Indeed, a fairly healthy core of the rep had already been leaked; not least the highlight of the McGregor centrepiece.  The Balanchine rep is a happy addition.  I'm so pleased they are doing Prodigal as it is a piece which is best suited to the Royal's contemporary gifts as so ravishingly displayed in their core MacMillian and McGregor outings.  I wish they would have focused on smaller Balanchine works which would look more apt on the ROH's intimate stage.  (Prodigal definitely fits that remit.)  Here I'm thinking of joyful things like Square Dance, Allegro Brillante, Donizetti Variations, etc.  They give a chance to key principals to shine and a lot of the opportunities to younger dancers to best build balletic skills.  Think the Wheeldon triple will be fun - and again well sourced in terms of the Royal's current capacities.  Glad the American in Paris ballet from the second act of the musical will be featured ensuring a future life and the Two of Us PDD (made originally for the then dedicated couple from NYCB, Joe Gordon and Adrian Danchig-Waring, for a programme at NYC's City Center) is most evocative.  

This is a great loss, I fear.  McWhinney is a very special talent - especially given her versatility.  ENB is a very different company now.  I can understand her departure.  We all have to live within the boundaries of the time period we are dealt.  

1 hour ago, capybara said:

There are a few multiple entries, among them the impressive Tyler Peck. However, I do hope that the Best Dancer top slots will be awarded to artists who have contributed  substantially in the UK throughout the year rather than on a ‘flying visit’.

The name is 'Tiler' ... There is a Tyler in the current NYCB company - but that is Tyler Angle - who has sometimes partnered Tiler.  

My word that's a lot of nominations for Tiler.  I'm sure she'll be delighted - and surprised!  Very happy too that she's back dancing again in the NYCB Spring Season.  

@Jeannette, happily Ratmansky's Solitude - a true masterwork IMHO - will be repeated in the NYCB '24/25 season.  It is a work I'm confident will withstand any one nation's time; one whose rich choreographic heart will beat long beyond you and certainly me.  

20 minutes ago, alison said:

I must admit, it does amuse me rather to see "only" 7 performances of Coppelia scheduled - and no mention at all of the other full-length works.  Such a difference from e.g. the Royal Ballet!

I find seven a good (well, refreshing in comparison) number ... The SL is for two weeks (14 performances) at the end of the '25 NYCB Winter Season and MSND is - as per tradition - at the end of the Spring season (another 7 performance outing).   It is always The Nutcracker that arms itself to match the RB records.  It will - as usual - have 43 performances - all in one concentrated chunk giving the new NYCB intakes plenty of opportunity to show their fanciful wares.  

One definitely positive aspect to the new NYCB season is (a) the regimentation of all evening curtain times to 7.30 pm [previously the Friday and Saturday evening slots were 8pm] and - in response to NYCB audience requests - (b) a reduction - in the majority of cases - from two interval programmes to one.  This should ensure that the similar quality is delivered within a more minimum time frame.  I would imagine that this would mean the majority of performances will end just before or very near 10 pm from EVERYONE's perspective.  Very healthy for family and working life.  Well done, Wendy and Jonathan.  

Here's the NYT's coverage - but that will, of course, be covered by a paywall.  

Here's a Broadway World overview - I think this is available for most UK readers.  

Sure a press release will follow shortly.  The calendar is not a bad way to look at it.  You can click on the different programme's titles and see a list of the works to be performed.  

Sorry, @Estreiiita but - at least for me - this link is not working.  

Details here - includes new Ratmansky and new Peck and three full-lengths: Coppelia, Swan Lake and Midsummer Night's Dream.  

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

I think the only problem with accepting a job in a company like the Royal Ballet is that it's now a company with stars or rising stars in all ranks, so it's harder to stand out and get opportunities and promotions. But the same would be true in any renowned company like NYCB, Paris Opera, ABT etc. 

I think NYCB is a definite exception to the above stated rule - and, quite frankly, always has been.  Apprentices are often thrown into the deep end VERY QUICKLY and DANCE A LOT - but then the Company dances more rep per annum than any other Company on earth.  That stamina is built into them at SAB - which is why Balanchine always insisted that any dancer joining the Company from outside (and they are extremely few and far between for very significant reason) would spend six months at SAB - just to be fair to them.  It is VERY different in that regard from any of the other Companies referenced.  

3 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

Speculate to accumulate! - just not in the UK

Dave, I fear this British attitude has long been the sad - but all too real - case.  Being actively involved in this area within this isle  - as well as being privileged to be active in many other parts of the world - I proactively see the results of this with vibrant effect.  I've simply given up here I fear and accepted what you write as now a simple fact of life - That way nothing really surprises.  The 'universal (British) THEY' have forced such sadly.  These things seem NOT to alter.  It is especially sad given this country's previous history of precedent setting.  Sadly, you can't live on that - as much as some STILL try.  Things really came into focus for me when Oxford made Shakespeare an 'elective' for English degrees in the latter part of the last century.  This is one of the few countries on earth where you can have a degree in the English language and - in practice - never actively have touched the Bard.  The results speak for themselves I fear - and will long after I'm gone.  There are some things that you simply can't 'buy back'.