Royal Ballet Casting for Autumn Season 2018/19

[alison]

4 hours ago, Xandra Newman said:

The Unknown Soldier complaining basically comes from the Hayward fan base.

 

That is far from being my perception.  To me, it seems to be people who had booked for Naghdi now finding that her performances have been moved.

 

3 hours ago, aliceinwoolfland said:

None of this is Francesca Hayward's fault but I'm left wondering why the cast change wasn't made before public booking opened and why they swapped Naghdi's performances. 

 

Public booking opened in July.  I'm sure things wouldn't have been finalised that early, or an announcement would presumably have been made then.

[Geoff]

9 hours ago, Xandra Newman said:

I am sure there is also an Osipova and a Nunez fan club just as we have had a Cojocaru and a Rojo,

a Guillem and Bussell fan club in the past. 

 

And not just Guillem/Bussell: the truly wonderful Viviana Durante was set against Bussell from way back, even as early, some believe, as the time of that documentary about the two of them as teenagers in White Lodge.

 

There are those who believe the RB actively encouraged (encourages?) this sort of thing, as it sells tickets and generates publicity. How good it is for the art or individual dancers’ careers is a different matter.

[Colman]

8 hours ago, alison said:

 

That is far from being my perception.  To me, it seems to be people who had booked for Naghdi now finding that her performances have been moved.

 

Yes, I don’t see how this makes any partisans happy, especially those who travel long distances occasionally and had booked in the hope - because it’s never more than that! - of seeing a particular dancer. 

[toursenlair]

21 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

You should try following companies that don’t announce casting until the last minute!

or allow ticket exchanges!

[penelopesimpson]

6 hours ago, Geoff said:

 

And not just Guillem/Bussell: the truly wonderful Viviana Durante was set against Bussell from way back, even as early, some believe, as the time of that documentary about the two of them as teenagers in White Lodge.

 

There are those who believe the RB actively encouraged (encourages?) this sort of thing, as it sells tickets and generates publicity. How good it is for the art or individual dancers’ careers is a different matter.

You are right.  I can remember all that.  I think it was the loss of Durante that made me a tad anti-Darcey.  I always felt that she had elbowed Durante out, although it is much more likely that RB put an extra push behind a British girl who just happened to be extremely photogenic, had a memorable name and was obviously keen to co-operate in publicity.  For my point of view, I always preferred Durante although both were wonderful, and I suppose it coloured me against Darcey, probably completely unfairly.

 

I don't have these feelings with Hayward and Naghdi.  Both are wonderful but somehow very different and I can honestly say I don't have a favourite and would prioritise booking for both of them.  If I have tended to book more Hayward, its only because she so often seems to dance the type of moody, passionate, essentially sad programmes that I gravitate towards.  I have also very much enjoyed her partnership with Watson and could wish that there was not such a disparity in their ages.  But I will certainly be first in the queue to book Naghdi's Juliet and, if its with Ball, I might camp out all night!

[Sunrise]

2 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

I think it was the loss of Durante that made me a tad anti-Darcey.  I always felt that she had elbowed Durante out, although it is much more likely that RB put an extra push behind a British girl who just happened to be extremely photogenic, had a memorable name and was obviously keen to co-operate in publicity. 

 

This seems a little unfair - I thought Durante left after a dispute with another dancer. 

 

Publicity also breeds more publicity - once Bussell became more famous I'm sure that the media was asking for her as much as the RB were pushing her out there.

[capybara]

I'd like to just enjoy this moment in time, where there are some extraordinary artists at the top of the RB, without 'creating' rivalries or delving into the past.

 

I find the presence (among others) of Hayward, Kaneko, Naghdi, O'Sullivan and Takada and that of Ball, Bracewell, Clarke, Corrales, Muntagirov and Sambe incredibly exciting and I can't get enough of all of them.

[penelopesimpson]

1 hour ago, Sunrise said:

 

This seems a little unfair - I thought Durante left after a dispute with another dancer. 

 

Publicity also breeds more publicity - once Bussell became more famous I'm sure that the media was asking for her as much as the RB were pushing her out there.

Umm, I did say I had probably been unfair...

 

I am not actually referring to Durante leaving which I too seem to remember was because she didn't want to dance with a particular partner.  I was thinking more that over the years, Darcey was more and more pushed to the fore, possibly at the expense of Viviana.  Her partneship with Irek really was something.

[Geoff]

16 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Viviana (...) partneship with Irek really was something.

 

You can say that again! Thankfully (though this probably belongs in another thread) we have some recordings to remind ourselves of the two of them together. 

 

[Scheherezade]

18 hours ago, capybara said:

I'd like to just enjoy this moment in time, where there are some extraordinary artists at the top of the RB, without 'creating' rivalries or delving into the past.

 

I find the presence (among others) of Hayward, Kaneko, Naghdi, O'Sullivan and Takada and that of Ball, Bracewell, Clarke, Corrales, Muntagirov and Sambe incredibly exciting and I can't get enough of all of them.

 

I would add Magri to that list. She is someone who always holds the eye. As did - and still does - Choe.

[Mary]

18 hours ago, capybara said:

I'd like to just enjoy this moment in time, where there are some extraordinary artists at the top of the RB, without 'creating' rivalries or delving into the past.

 

I find the presence (among others) of Hayward, Kaneko, Naghdi, O'Sullivan and Takada and that of Ball, Bracewell, Clarke, Corrales, Muntagirov and Sambe incredibly exciting and I can't get enough of all of them.

I would add McRae and Lamb.

 

But thanks for a timely reminder that amidst an awful lot of moaning (some of it mine) we are living in a Golden Age of ballet in this country at the moment and not just at RB! (Brandon Lawrence springs to mind) and all the live screenings too.....

 

[bridiem]

I would add... Alexander Campbell!! Surprise, surprise... And, of course, Osipova. And Hay. Well really, they're all flippin' brilliant.

[Esmeralda]

I could also add some names but I think in the end we all agree that we are living in a very happy ballet time and can only hope, it will last for a long, very long time!

[RuthE]

On ‎05‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 21:44, Balletfanp said:

On this occasion, I’m more than happy to see either 🙂. But usually, given that I have to travel a long distance and can only afford to see one cast of any ballet, I do prioritise seeing my “favourites.” That’s not to say I don’t appreciate or like other dancers - I would love to be able to see multiple casts (and thank god for cinema screenings in that respect) - but if I have to choose just one cast to see I become irritated, to say the least, if the casting gets messed about with little warning.

 

I've known this happen in opera.  Not in the UK, where it's generally the case that a replacement singer will directly replace the person who has withdrawn, or if there were two casts, they are often contracted to cover one another anyway and the performances are far enough apart that they can do so. But there's one singer I've travelled to see in various places, who has *twice*, in two consecutive trips of mine to different houses, been promoted from the 2nd or 3rd cast to the 1st cast at quite short notice and then had her original performances backfilled.  This led to me having to change flights and hotel bookings so I was in the relevant city on the right day, and had the singer in question not taken pity on me and arranged my performance ticket, would have necessitated my attempting to book extra tickets at short notice for sold-out performances at my own expense, as the theatres in question did not have reasonable exchange policies.

[bangorballetboy]

I have been notified that the "In Conversation with Marianela Núñez" event on 13 December is being moved to the Linbury.  This should mean more tickets being available so keep your eyes peeled if you're looking for one.

[Clara_f]

According to his insta, Steven Mcrae is also going to be in the cats movie and will be back for Romeo and Juliet (which sounds like he is out for both his nutcracker and Don Q performances). 

[Bruce Wall]

Another RB CAT temporarily departs for cinematic glitter:  Olivia Cowley ... Source 

 

And then there were three ..... (for the moment!!! )

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Bruce Wall

[capybara]

21 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

I have been notified that the "In Conversation with Marianela Núñez" event on 13 December is being moved to the Linbury.  This should mean more tickets being available so keep your eyes peeled if you're looking for one.

 

Well, lucky you! I've got tickets but no such notification!

Very pleased at the move, however, since that should, as you say, result in more tickets becoming available. However, at the moment, it's showing as Sold Out.

[bangorballetboy]

2 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Well, lucky you! I've got tickets but no such notification!

Very pleased at the move, however, since that should, as you say, result in more tickets becoming available. However, at the moment, it's showing as Sold Out.

 

Thinking about it, extra tickets probably won't be available until after 21 November (as that's the date until which existing ticket-holders can discuss seating requirement with the box office), but don't quote me on that!

[Bluebird]

Casting is starting to go up for the Unknown Soldier/Infra/Symphony in C mixed bill.

The First Night casting is there in full:

https://www.roh.org.uk/events/xtx6b

 

 November 20 casting

INFRA

Dancers

• Chisato Katsura
• Mayara Magri
• Yasmine Naghdi
• Akane Takada
• Anna Rose O'Sullivan
• Sae Maeda
• Calvin Richardson
• Marcelino Sambé
• Tristan Dyer
• William Bracewell
• Francisco Serrano
• Luca Acri

Ensemble

The Max Richter Quintet

 

Symphony in C

Dancers

• Lauren Cuthbertson
• Marianela Nuñez
• Akane Takada
• Yasmine Naghdi
• Vadim Muntagirov
• Ryoichi Hirano
• Alexander Campbell
• Valentino Zucchetti

Edited November 9, 2018 by Bluebird

[Vanartus]

Yay!!! I got Osipova in Balanchine on last night!!! 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Vanartus

[Esmeralda]

If the infos are correct on the page the first cast from Infra has 4 performances and the second cast 2 - I booked the last 2 performances so I won´t see the second cast🙁. Well the first cast is great and a dream (and a lot of faves) so I will try to see it positive that I can see them twice (though it would have been nice to see Kaneko, Dias and Sissens).

But at least I see 2 great casts for Balanchine!

Edited November 9, 2018 by Esmeralda

[LinMM]

But that means Naghdi will be dancing in all three ballets!! Will she be able to keep this up?

[capybara]

This is the biggest pigs ear of an cast list that the ROH website has managed yet: https://www.roh.org.uk/mixed-programmes/the-unknown-soldier-infra-symphony-in-c

 

It is better if one goes to the individual ballets but Symphony in C is only partially up. It looks as if there are 3 casts for that with 2 shows each.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by capybara

[Lindsay]

Anna Rose O'Sullivan has a heavy workload too - in first cast of Infra, second cast Balanchine as well as her Unknown Soldier shows with Bracewell.

[bridiem]

14 minutes ago, capybara said:

This is the biggest pigs ear of an cast list that the ROH website has managed yet: https://www.roh.org.uk/mixed-programmes/the-unknown-soldier-infra-symphony-in-c

 

It is better if one goes to the individual ballets but Symphony in C is only partially up. It looks as if there are 3 casts for that with 2 shows each.

 

Yes - no casting for Symphony in C on 22nd Nov, for example. Not sure if that's because it's not decided yet or because it just hasn't been updated yet.

[Xandra Newman]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

But that means Naghdi will be dancing in all three ballets!! Will she be able to keep this up?

 

Yes will be pretty tough for Yasmine Naghdi to dance 4 out of the 6 Triple Bill performances, and performing in all three ballets, including Opening Night. 

[capybara]

35 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said:

 

Yes will be pretty tough for Yasmine Naghdi to dance 4 out of the 6 Triple Bill performances, and performing in all three ballets, including Opening Night. 

 

My guess is that she will revel in it. Most dancers want to be on stage as often as possible, provided that they do not get too tired physically.

[Bluebird]

Just received from the ROH:

 

Cast change for The Royal Ballet's La Bayadère

16 November 2018 at 7.30pm

Our records show that you are due to attend the performance of La Bayadère on 16 November. We are contacting you to let you know that due to injury, Cesar Corrales will be replaced by Vadim Muntagirov as Solor.

 

If you have any questions please contact our Box Office team on +44 (0)20 7304 4000 (Monday–Saturday: 10am–8pm) who will be happy to assist you.

Edited November 14, 2018 by Bluebird

[zxDaveM]

On 09/11/2018 at 15:49, LinMM said:

But that means Naghdi will be dancing in all three ballets!! Will she be able to keep this up?

 

I don't think any of the pieces will have her on stage for very long in each case. Infra there is a short section or two for each 'couple' and a bit when they all dance; Symphony in C she dances the short section and finale; don't know about 'Soldier' but that seems to be concentrating on the men. Probably less than say dancing the lead in Beauty or Swan Lake.

[alison]

2 hours ago, Bluebird said:

 

Our records show that you are due to attend the performance of La Bayadère on 16 November. We are contacting you to let you know that due to injury, Cesar Corrales will be replaced by Vadim Muntagirov as Solor.

 

Oh dear.  I wondered how long it would be ...  

 

(And sorry, can't change the bolding, for some reason)

[Tony Newcombe]

I got that message as well. Er, but I am not attending that performance.

[alison]

Tough for Muntagirov.  I know he's been partnering both of them, but they're now the wrong way round, so to speak, and at short notice.  Assuming they aren't going to swap the ballerinas round, of course.