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From the BRB website: Birmingham Royal Ballet launches international search for new Director 20 JULY 2018 The board of Birmingham Royal Ballet has today launched an international search for a new Director to replace current Director David Bintley CBE, who is stepping down at the end of July 2019. Sir David Normington, Chair of Birmingham Royal Ballet, says: The new Director will provide artistic leadership for the Company and create an ambitious artistic vision, drawing on the best of classical and contemporary works to inspire audiences and to connect with the diverse communities in Birmingham, London and the other cities in the UK and around the world in which BRB performs. Whilst the Board will make the final decision, it will be advised by an expert panel with a breadth of leadership experience working with major ballet and dance companies. The group will be chaired by Sir David Normington throughout the process. The panel comprises, in alphabetical order: Cate Canniffe Director of Dance and London, Arts Council England Rebecca Marshall Executive Director, Studio Wayne McGregor Kevin O’Hare Director, The Royal Ballet and former BRB Principal dancer and Company Manager Alistair Spalding Artistic Director & Chief Executive, Sadler’s Wells Ian Squires BRB Board Member and Chair of the Board at Curve, Leicester Sharon Watson Artistic Director, Phoenix Dance Theatre Monica Zamora Former BRB Principal dancer and Governor of the Royal Ballet Companies. International recruitment consultants Saxton Bampfylde have been appointed to assist with the search, which will begin immediately with a closing date of 24 September. The BRB board will be advised at each stage by the expert panel, who will also conduct the interviews of the shortlisted candidates and recommend a candidate or candidates for final interview by the board. The aim is to announce the new appointment by the end of the year. https://www.brb.org.uk/post/birmingham-royal-ballet-launches-international-search-for-new-director

More details here https://toursenlair.blogspot.com/2019/10/karen-kain-to-retire-in-january-2021.html

I was just reading The Arts Desk's obituary of Yolanda Sonnabend, which includes a 2006 interview with her: http://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/yolanda-sonnabend-designer-macmillans-neurotic-ballets I thought her comments were interesting: "Most of those ballets of [Diaghilev's] you just couldn't improve, I wouldn't redesign any of them. Think of Petrushka, Les Noces, Jeux, L'Après-midi d'un faune. Artistic directors everywhere now are visually blind – they have almost no outside knowledge." I take her point, bearing in mind various redesigns of ballets over the years - although in some cases perhaps they (or the designers?) could be regarded as "artistically deaf" as well, since very often the designs are at total variance with the music too? Do ADs and potential ADs need greater exposure to art and design in general, do you think?