Press Release: Genesia Rosato retires from The Royal Ballet after 40 years

[Jan McNulty]

Genesia Rosato retires from The Royal Ballet after 40 years

 

The Royal Ballet announces today that Principal Character Artist Genesia Rosato retires from the Company after 40 years. 

Genesia said ‘It is time, after spending my whole career with this wonderful Company, to retire from dancing. I have loved my life as a dancer, and I know I will miss working with the many talented and dedicated individuals who make up The Royal Ballet.’

 

Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, said ‘Genesia has been an incredible member of The Royal Ballet for 40 years working with some of the most significant names in British dance history. Over her long career she has made a great contribution to the Company as a dancer and latterly bringing her dramatic gifts to a wide variety of roles in both the classics and heritage works, giving many memorable performances.  We wish her well for the future.’

 

Genesia was invited by Kenneth MacMillan to join the Company in 1976 and was promoted to Soloist in 1982 and to Principal Character Artist in 1993.  On joining she was selected to appear inGlen Tetley’s Voluntaries when it entered the repertory and created the role of Princess Louise in MacMillan’s Mayerling, a ballet in which she went on to perform the roles of Marie Larisch, Mitzi Caspar, the Empress and Helene Vetsera.

 

Frederick Ashton created parts for her in both Rhapsody and Varii Capricci, and he also chose her to perform three of the roles he had made for Violetta Elvin – the Fairy Summer in Cinderella, Lykanion in Daphnis and Chloë, and Variation 5 in Birthday Offering. A highlight of her career came when he gave her the role of Profane Love in the Company’s first performance of his 1950 ballet Illuminations. She first danced Katya in A Month in the Country when Ashton was still rehearsing the ballet and later danced that ballet’s central role of Natalia Petrovna, coached by its originator Lynn Seymour. She also had the opportunity to work with the Company’s founder, Ninette de Valois, on roles in The Sleeping Beauty. 

 

Genesia’s numerous roles have included Myrtha, Bathilde and Berthe in Giselle; the Lilac Fairy, the Queen, the Countess and Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty; Terpsichore in Apollo; the Siren in Prodigal Son; the Wife in The Invitation; Lady Capulet and the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet; and the title role in MacMillan’s one-act version of Anastasia.  Her long career with the Company, from early beginnings with Macmillan, saw her work with all subsequent directors Norman Morrice, Anthony Dowell, Ross Stretton, Monica Mason and most recently Kevin O’Hare. The continuity of ballet has often allowed Genesia the chance to play several generations and types of characters within the same ballet, a rich experience that she has treasured.

 

− ENDS −

 

[Jamesrhblack]

Oh I will miss her very much, I often thought she was, physically, the most beautiful female dancer of her generation and will never forget her as both Larisch and Empress Elisabeth in Mayerling as well as the eloquence of her mime as Berthe in Giselle.

[Sim]

That is quite an achievement; 40 years in one company as a dancer. Wishing her a very long, happy and healthy retirement. I do hope she will be asked to impart some of her vast knowledge and experience to the young generations to come.

[Mary]

A very lovely performer who has enhanced every performance she has been in. Whenever I saw her name on the cast sheet I knew that role would be played to perfection.

[Don Q Fan]

I'm so sad, I love Genesia's characters and the piece she danced in the Osipova/Vasiliev Solo for 2 a s flower lady was priceless.  She will be greatly missed.

[bangorballetboy]

I'm so sad, I love Genesia's characters and the piece she danced in the Osipova/Vasiliev Solo for 2 a s flower lady was priceless.  She will be greatly missed.

 

I think it was Elizabeth McGorian in Solo For 2

[Don Q Fan]

Yes you are right and I have realised my error. Nonetheless I shall still miss Genesia.

[Melody]

I only vaguely remember her from the 1970s but her recent character roles have been brilliant. She's going to be hard to replace.

[Colman]

Living in the distant imperial provinces, most of the exposure we get is via DVD and she's been a pretty much constant presence on those! Certainly will be missed, sad I didn't get to see her in person.

[RuthE]

I'm selfishly gutted that she chose to retire now rather than after Giselle - she wasn't in the last run at all (recovering from hip surgery, I think?) and my interest in ballet doesn't go back far enough for the run before that!  So I never did see her Berthe...

 

My favourite Lady Capulet by a mile.

[alison]

One of the few people who has been there throughout my now long RB-going career. She'll be very much missed in all those character roles we're so used to seeing her in. I wish her a very happy retirement.

[Ann Williams]

 

"One of the few people who has been there throughout my now long RB-going career."

 

My exact experience too, Alison.  I actually have her on video as the leading 'haughty lady' in Bintley's charming “Still Life at the 'Penguin Café” .. She was memorable in that, but those with longer RB memories willl surely remember her for many other roles, and none of us can forget her striking good looks.  May her retirement be long, happy and satisfying.