Jan McNulty Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Begoña's name had disappeared from the cast page when I looked last week. I can only assume she is unable to dance at present. I hope she is ok. Dd and I managed to get last minute-ish tickets for the matinée on Sun 15th. I've never seen Skeaping's Giselle so am very much looking forward to it. Oh lucky you Anna! Mary Skeaping's Giselle is the first production of Giselle I ever saw as a ballet newbie - in 1985 with Mary McKendry and Maurizio Bellezza - and I was bored rigid. I wondered what the heck it was all about, having got hooked on ballet via Onegin and Mayerling. My thoughts then seem ridiculous now because it is such a beautiful, traditional production and is my absolute favourite of the traditional productions I have seen. Enjoy! I can't wait to hear what you think. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Thank you! I just thought I'd see if they had any access tickets for the matinée on either 14th or 15th and got the last two for the Sunday. I will post my thoughts the following day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 (edited) Updated casting for Giselle: Wednesday 11 January (Press night)Alina Cojocaru* and Isaac Hernández * Thursday 12 January (mat)Alison McWhinney* and Yonah Acosta* Thursday 12 January Jurgita Dronina* and Alejandro Virelles* Friday 13 JanuaryLaurretta Summerscales* and Xander Parish* (with Michaela DePrince* as Myrtha) Saturday 14 January (mat)Tamara Rojo and Xander Parish Saturday 14 January Alina Cojocaru and Isaac Hernández (with Michaela DePrince as Myrtha) Sunday 15 January (mat)Alison McWhinney and Yonah Acosta Tuesday 17 JanuaryAlina Cojocaru and Isaac Hernández (with Michaela DePrince as Myrtha) Wednesday 18 JanuaryElisa Badenes* and Cesar Corrales* Thursday 19 January (mat)Alison McWhinney* and Ken Saruhashi* Thursday 19 JanuaryLaurretta Summerscales and Xander Parish Friday 20 January Alina Cojocaru and Isaac Hernández (with Michaela DePrince as Myrtha) Saturday 21 January (mat)Jurgita Dronina and Alejandro Virelles Saturday 21 JanuaryTamara Rojo and Xander Parish Sunday 22 January (mat)Elisa Badenes and Cesar Corrales *debut in role Edited to add that the many changes are due to injury. Edited January 3, 2017 by Bluebird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 I'd have loved to have seen Alison McWhinney's Giselle but if I'm reading it correctly, she's only dancing a Thursday matinée. In the latest casting update, she's scheduled to do a Sunday matinée as well (January 15) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 In the latest casting update, she's scheduled to do a Sunday matinée as well (January 15) Actually, 2 Thurs matinees (12th and 19th) and a Sun matinee (15th). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 We've received a press release announcing the changes: Cast changes for English National Ballet’s performances of Mary Skeaping’s Giselle at the London Coliseum. Previously advertised Principal casting for Mary Skeaping’s Giselle has changed, due to injury. Guest Artist Jurgita Dronina, Principal with the National Ballet of Canada, performs in the role of Giselle, joining previously announced Guest Artists for the productions run at the London Coliseum; Xander Parish, First Soloist with the Mariinsky Ballet, performing in the role of Albrecht, Elisa Badenes Principal with Stuttgart Ballet, performing in the role of Giselle, and Michaela DePrince, Soloist with Dutch National Ballet, performing for the first time in the UK in the role of Myrtha on the 13, 14, 17, and 20 January 2017. Further principal casting includes Lead Principals Alina Cojocaru, and Tamara Rojo, Principal Laurretta Summerscales, and Soloist Alison McWhinney perform in the role of Giselle. Performing in the role of Albrecht is Lead Principal Isaac Hernández, Principals Yonah Acosta and Alejandro Virelles, First Soloist Cesar Corrales, and Junior Soloist Ken Saruhashi. Updated Principal Casting (Casting is subject to change. Please see http://www.ballet.org.uk/ for up-to-date info) Giselle (in the order of Giselle and Albrecht) Wednesday 11 January (Press night) Alina Cojocaru* and Isaac Hernández * Thursday 12 January (mat) Alison McWhinney* and Yonah Acosta* Thursday 12 January Jurgita Dronina* and Alejandro Virelles* Friday 13 January Laurretta Summerscales* and Xander Parish* (with Michaela DePrince* as Myrtha) Saturday 14 January (mat) Tamara Rojo and Xander Parish Saturday 14 January Alina Cojocaru and Isaac Hernández (with Michaela DePrince as Myrtha) Sunday 15 January (mat) Alison McWhinney and Yonah Acosta Tuesday 17 January Alina Cojocaru and Isaac Hernández (with Michaela DePrince as Myrtha) Wednesday 18 January Elisa Badenes* and Cesar Corrales* Thursday 19 January (mat) Alison McWhinney* and Ken Saruhashi* Thursday 19 January Laurretta Summerscales and Xander Parish Friday 20 January Alina Cojocaru and Isaac Hernández (with Michaela DePrince as Myrtha) Saturday 21 January (mat) Jurgita Dronina and Alejandro Virelles Saturday 21 January Tamara Rojo and Xander Parish Sunday 22 January (mat) Elisa Badenes and Cesar Corrales *debut in role Notes to Editors: For further information about English National Ballet and to book tickets visitwww.ballet.org.uk. Please note performance details are subject to change. Guest Artists Biographies Xander Parish Xander was born in East Yorkshire, England, & at the age of eight began dancing locally in Kingston upon Hull at the Skelton Hooper School. In 1998 he joined the Royal Ballet School in London where he trained until summer 2005 when he joined The Royal Ballet Company's corps de ballet. In 2009, Xander was invited to join The Mariinsky Theatre by its ballet director Yuri Fateyev and moved to St. Petersburg to join the company in January 2010 as its only British dancer. His repertoire includes: Swan Lake (Prince Siegfried), Giselle (Count Albrecht), The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Désiré), Romeo & Juliet (Romeo), The Nutcracker (The Nutcracker Prince), Scheherazade (The Golden Slave), Chopiniana (The Poet), Ratmansky's Anna Karenina (Vronsky), Perljocaj's Le Parc, Ashton's Sylvia(Aminta) and Marguerite & Armand (Armand), Balanchine ballets including Apollo, Jewels(Emeralds & Diamonds), Serenade (Waltz, Elegy) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Demetrius), Hans Van Manen's Adagio Hammerklavier & Variations For Two Couples, Millepied's Without & La nuit s'achève and McGregor's Infra. Xander was the recipient of the Taglioni Award in the category “Best Young Male Dancer” (Berlin, 2014), the recipient of the Léonide Massine Prize in the category “Emerging Talent on the International Scene" (Positano, Italy, 2014) and won the UK Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 'Outstanding Male Performance (Classical)' category for 'Apollo' 2014. Xander is generously supported by The Mariinsky Theatre Trust UK. Michaela DePrince Michaela DePrince was born Mabinty Bangura on 6 January 1995 in Sierra Leone. She lost her parents when she was three, and was taken to an orphanage by her uncle. At the age of four, she and her best friend Mia were adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince and taken to the US. Inspired by a magazine cover with a ballerina on it, DePrince trained as a ballet dancer. She was one of the stars in the 2011 American Documentary First Position (which won her a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet), and guest-performed on the television show Dancing with the Stars during singer Natasha Bedingfield’s live performance. After graduating, DePrince joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York as the youngest member of the company. In 2013 she joined the Dutch National Ballet and has been promoted to Grand Sujet for the coming season. Last December Michaela performed The Nutcracker, it was her premier in a principal role with the Dutch National Ballet. She recently featured in Beyonce’s recent visual album Lemonade. Elisa Badenes Elisa Badenes was born in Valencia, Spain. She attended the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Valencia. At the Prix de Lausanne in 2008 she won a scholarship for the Royal Ballet School from which she graduated one year later. In the 2009/10 season Elisa Badenes joined the Stuttgart Ballet as an apprentice, in 2010/11 she was taken into the Corps de ballet. She was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2013/14.Her repertory includes a wide range of leading and solo roles including Odette/Odile inSwan Lake (John Cranko), Giselle (Giselle after Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Marius Petipa), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Tatiana in Onegin and Katharina in The Taming of the Shrew (all John Cranko), Kitri in Don Quijote (Maximiliano Guerra after Petipa), Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty (Marcia Haydée), Desdemona in Othello and Stella in A Streetcar named Desire (both by John Neumeier) and Effi in La Sylphide (Peter Schaufuss after August Bournonville). In addition, she has danced solo roles in ballets by Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Kenneth MacMillan, Hans van Manen, Jiří Kylian, William Forsythe, Jorma Elo and Edward Clug. Choreographers such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Christian Spuck, Demis Volpi, Wayne McGregor and Mauro Bigonzetti have created roles for her. Elisa Badenes has received several honors and prizes including the Gold medal of the Youth American Grand Prix, the Audience Choice Award of the Erik Bruhn Competition in Toronto in 2011 and the German Dance Prize Future in 2015. Jurgita Dronina Jurgita Dronina was born in Saratov, Russia and trained at the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art in Lithuania and Munich International Ballet Academy in Germany. Dronina was a Principal Dancer with Royal Swedish Ballet and Dutch National Ballet before joining The National Ballet of Canada as Principal Dancer in 2015. Dronina is also a Resident Principal Guest Artist with The Hong Kong Ballet. Dronina has performed every leading role in the entire classical repertoire such as Nykia in La Bayadère, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the title role in Giselle, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Kitri in Don Quixote, Medora in Le Corsaire, Sylvia in John Neumeier’s Sylvia and the title role in Christopher’s Wheeldon’s Cinderella. She created roles in contemporary work by choreographers such as Alexei Ratmansky, Hans Van Manen, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Benjamin Millepied, Jorma Elo, David Dawson, Sidi-Larbi Cherkaoui and many others. Dronina’s repertoire with the National Ballet includes principal roles in The Winter’s Tale, The Nutcracker, Giselle, La Sylphide and Le Petit Prince. As a Principal Guest Artist, Dronina has performed with Norwegian National Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Teatro San Carlo, Opera dell Roma and The Royal Danish Ballet and has also performed in the world’s biggest stages in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Rome and many others. In 2014, Dronina received the Alexandra Radius Prize and the Zwaan Award in 2011 for her role as Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Dronina was voted Outstanding Dancer during the 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons by Dance Europe for her roles as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Kitri in Don Quioxte, Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty and Principal Female in Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. Dronina won the gold medal at the International Ballet Competition in Grasse in 2003, silver at the International Ballet Competition in Helsinki in 2005, silver at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 2005 and silver at the International Ballet Competition in Jackson in 2006. 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Bruce Wall Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Dronina! As some say here: WOW! As ever, Rojo has taste! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Had the pleasure of seeing her (Dronina)perform Diamonds at DutchNB in 2015. Lovely ballerina???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 The changes must have gone up just after I last looked: I was trying to do some Get Into London Theatre bookings about 1 1/2 hours ago! Sorry Khaniukova is out, but as I'd hoped, Rojo is in (and dancing with Parish, too)! Were there any other changes apart from that? Oh drat, Oliveira too. That's bad luck on the ballerina side. Let's hope no further changes. Anyone with any experience of Dronina's Giselle? Wondering if Rojo's links with NBC helped here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Was Parish originally scheduled to dance with Lauretta Summerscales? I can't remember as I bought the tickets so long ago, but that is who she is dancing with on the 19th when I am going. Or has he replaced someone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Was Parish originally scheduled to dance with Lauretta Summerscales? I can't remember as I bought the tickets so long ago, but that is who she is dancing with on the 19th when I am going. Or has he replaced someone else? Xander Parish was originally scheduled to dance with Laurretta Summerscales and is still doing so on the 13th and 19th. He has also taken the place of Constantine Allen (who was originally listed to dance with Begona Cao). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi M Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Here is a trailer of National Ballet of Canada's Giselle featuring Jurgita Dronina. It is not from a performance but still lovely. I have not seen her Giselle yet but saw her as Hermione in Wheeldon's The Winter's Tale and she was absolutely wonderful. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Just for the record: Constantine Allen is injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Goodness me! What a lot of cast changes! I suppose that three injured Giselles couldn't have been anticipated but I do wonder whether the middle ranks of the company are a bit thin / are not being sufficiently developed. Unfortunately, the company is currently plagued by injury; one of the dancers has tweeted that over 25 dancers are out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 What?! My goodness. How will they cope? How many dancers are there in the whole company - less than 70? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 (edited) ENB used to employ 64 full-time dancers; I don't know whether this is still the case. The company uses students from ENBS and engages some 'freelancers' for Nutcracker but I don't suppose that any of them will dance any of the 'featured' roles. Edited January 4, 2017 by aileen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I've just had a look at the company roster. Excluding guests and character artists there are 65 dancers listed. I've just realised, last time around with this Giselle the standout Albrecht by a long way for me was James Forbat. I appreciate that the company roster has had quite a few changes since then but I find it sad that he has not been given the opportunity this time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I've just had a look at the company roster. Excluding guests and character artists there are 65 dancers listed. I've just realised, last time around with this Giselle the standout Albrecht by a long way for me was James Forbat. I appreciate that the company roster has had quite a few changes since then but I find it sad that he has not been given the opportunity this time. I am also sad that James Forbat has not been given any performances. For the record, and because it is obvious now, Begona Cao is on maternity leave. Fernanda Oliveira will be dealing with a problem from her knee operation last year but is soldiering on with Nutcracker because of everyone else's injuries/leave. Sadly, it appears Katya Khaniukova has had a minor injury but will not be recovered enough for next week. I will miss them all! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavycapers Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I am already getting excited about next Friday's Giselle! Lauretta Summerscales, Xander Parish and Michaela de Prince, what a box of treats! Is therea more extensive cast list anywhere? I am taking a friend, and would love her to see Cesar Corrales. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 I am also really looking forward to this performance! Can't wait to see what Lauretta makes of the role. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toursenlair Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Jurgita Dronina is BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL in anything classical. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Okay, that's another one, then. What with RB booking this month as well, I don't think my credit card provider is going to be too happy! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Jurgita Dronina is BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL in anything classical. I had the privilege of watching Dronina in the "Giselle" stage call yesterday and I heartily concur! Can't wait to see her performances as she is truly exquisite and is a wonderful match for Virelles. Of course, I am looking forward to all the other debuts in this production as well! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Hilarion and Myrtha have now been announced as well: http://www.ballet.org.uk/whats-on/giselle/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Gosh, I am sorry to hear of so many injuries. I too would have loved to see James Forbat as Albrecht in this production. Sad for Khaniukova but I'm delighted to be seeing Alison McWhinney after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Oh dear....reading all the superlatives about Dronina, looks like I too will have to stump up for another ticket...and I don't even have a credit card! Difficult month to find extra cash, but this is a rare chance to see this dancer (of whom I have never heard, I'm ashamed to admit!). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 OK, further to the above, I have just bought two rather expensive tickets for Thursday night. This is what happens when a) there is a tube strike and I stay home and have lots of time to mess around on my computer; I respect and listen to the opinions of knowledgeable ballet-goers! I hope I like her as much as everyone else does; I'm sure I will!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 OK, further to the above, I have just bought two rather expensive tickets for Thursday night. This is what happens when a) there is a tube strike and I stay home and have lots of time to mess around on my computer; I respect and listen to the opinions of knowledgeable ballet-goers! I hope I like her as much as everyone else does; I'm sure I will!! I have a feeling you will, Sim 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Well, having initially put a sum of money aside for a decent seat for Tamara Rojo's cast of Giselle, only for her not to be cast (not to have cast herself?) in the original line-up, leading me to spend that money on several cheaper tickets instead... I've now just had to spend that money AGAIN Can't complain though. I've only been going to ballet since late 2011, so I have never had the chance to see either Rojo or Cojocaru in Giselle. Not in a classical one anyway - I got Rojo in the Akram Khan. And I'm now getting a funny feeling I ought to book for Dronina as well... There are quite a few Dress Circle tickets available for some of the performances. What is ENB's record like on offering tickets at the half price TKTS booth on the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I think they were offering some at about £33 fairly recently - still far too high for me. Get Into London Theatre offers may still be available, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 OK, further to the above, I have just bought two rather expensive tickets for Thursday night. This is what happens when a) there is a tube strike and I stay home and have lots of time to mess around on my computer; I respect and listen to the opinions of knowledgeable ballet-goers! I hope I like her as much as everyone else does; I'm sure I will!! Dronina is worth every penny and is perfectly matched by Virelles! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) FYI last night I got a £20 balcony ticket for Dronina tomorrow evening - there were still a fair few available, and they went down to 14 for slightly restricted views Edited January 11, 2017 by Quintus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 TKTS is advertising £45 dress circle tickets for tonight reduced to £25.50. I think I'll try that for tomorrow if I'm still free. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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