Bruce Wall Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 (edited) 29 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said: I rather wish they had given one of the performances to Ben Gartside I am actually shocked that Gartside has again been passed over after having given - IMHO - one of the finest renditions of that role at the ROH when he replaced Watson previously. I can ONLY believe that this was the performer's personal choice. I will continue to cherish my memories of Gartside's artistic brilliance in that undertaking. Edited October 3, 2018 by Bruce Wall 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 41 minutes ago, John Mallinson said: God, I love Edward Watson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 Cast change for The Royal Ballet's Mayerling 8 October 2018 at 7.30pm13 October 2018 at 1.30pm 13 October 2018 at 7pm 19 October 2018 at 7.30pm20 October 2018 at 7pm Edward Watson will be replaced by Ryoichi Hirano as Crown Prince Rudolf for three performances of Mayerling on 8, 13 and 19 October. Ryoichi Hirano will be replaced by Matthew Ball as Crown Prince Rudolf for the matinee performance on 13 October and the evening performance on 20 October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 28 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said: I am actually shocked that Gartside has again been passed over after having given - IMHO - one of the finest renditions of that role at the ROH when he replaced Watson previously. I can ONLY believe that this was the performer's personal choice. I will continue to cherish my memories of Gartside's artistic brilliance in that undertaking. Didn't Gartside replace Kobborg, Bruce? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 (edited) 2 minutes ago, capybara said: Didn't Gartside replace Kobborg, Bruce? Quite right, Capybara ... AND HE WAS ENTIRELY BRILLIANT IN MY EYES!!! Edited October 3, 2018 by Bruce Wall 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Oh how sad for Edward Watson. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 I searched everywhere for this thread before posting the news of Watson's injury in the other section. So I must apologise. The search engine on here offered no help, I'm sorry to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Kent Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 22 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Oh how sad for Edward Watson. Very sad for Edward and we must all wish him a speedy recovery. And very very sad for his many fans who were so looking forward to seeing him in Mayerling. 😢 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 So Matthew Ball is partnering Melissa Hamilton both times? Interesting why they chose to do it this way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 1 hour ago, capybara said: Didn't Gartside replace Kobborg, Bruce? Yup, at really short notice and he was amazing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 5 minutes ago, Odyssey said: So Matthew Ball is partnering Melissa Hamilton both times? Interesting why they chose to do it this way. Is Melissa not quite tall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 7 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said: Is Melissa not quite tall? Around 5’5 I think, so not very tall. Ball is 6 feet. Lamb is a tad too tall for McRae in my opinion but they are often partnered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 28 minutes ago, Odyssey said: So Matthew Ball is partnering Melissa Hamilton both times? Interesting why they chose to do it this way. Maybe just to do with timing? Hirano being further on with his preparation than Ball. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 (edited) I know Sleeping Beauty is way different from Mayerling but Hirano and Osipova did look good with each other. It’ll be interesting to see if sparks will fly. Plus Hamilton is an experienced Mary V so can help Matthew Ball settle into the role. Perhaps a “Giselle 2.0” wasn’t desirable...who can say?... Edited October 3, 2018 by Vanartus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riva Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Sorry posted on the casting thread before I saw the messages here. Gutted for Ed, and the audience. I thought he was incredible in the role when I saw it last time and had been really looking forward to seeing him perform again, particularly as I really felt his loss in Winters Tale. I’ve now booked tickets to see Matthew Ball on the 20th - I’m excited to see his interpretation but what a huge amount he is doing over the next few months; La Bayadere, Unknown Soldier, Swan Lake and now Mayerling too. Yikes! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Gosh, I had no idea Matthew Ball was 6ft. He has always seemed quite small to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 As I'd feared So, does Ryo change the cast he's been rehearsing with, or has he in fact been rehearsing with the "Watson" cast anyway? Very sad for Ed, and I wish him a full recovery. I had of course been hoping we'd get Benn Gartside back if a replacement was needed. So Ryo makes his debut on a press night. No pressure there, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Totally gutted , but I had been fearing for months that the lack of any news didn't mean good news, and at least the ROH has given us a reasonable amount of warning, which is appreciated. Okay, I guess I need to look at my Mayerlings and rearrange them now. I was double-booked for next Monday, so will look at that and reconsider. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 (edited) 22 minutes ago, alison said: So Ryo makes his debut on a press night. No pressure there, then. Had made an error in this listing stupidly ... now removed. Mea culpa. Should not try to do five things at once ... AT MY AGE Edited October 3, 2018 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 7 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said: Plus the cinema broadcast ... an even bigger break methinks ... Isn't the cinema broadcast McRae/Lamb? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riva Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 7 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said: Plus the cinema broadcast ... an even bigger break methinks ... Is it not Steven McRae doing the cinema broadcast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Yes, very sad for Ed but spare a thought for Ryo and Matt: as mentioned, poor Ryo makes his debut to open the season, in front of the press, with one of the world's most famous ballerinas! Matthew Ball has exactly two weeks to learn this role (he only began on Monday). It will be an amazing achievement to do it with one Mary, let alone any more. That's why he's doing it with Hamilton both times. So once again he has a last-minute unscheduled performance, and a debut of probably THE most difficult of male roles, with almost NO learning/rehearsal time. My admiration for these dancers is just infinite and awesome. They are incredible, and I wish them both the very best of luck. Bruce, McRae and Lamb are doing the cinema broadcast. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 3 minutes ago, Riva said: Is it not Steven McRae doing the cinema broadcast? Of course you are right .... Silly me .... Will correct ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 4 hours ago, capybara said: Edward Watson will be replaced by Ryoichi Hirano as Crown Prince Rudolf for three performances of Mayerling on 8, 13 and 19 October. Ryoichi Hirano will be replaced by Matthew Ball as Crown Prince Rudolf for the matinee performance on 13 October and the evening performance on 20 October. This is an example of replacement I'm not ok with. If they varied it with different casts, fine. But to substitute a very different dancer for all 3 performances? Not a brilliant move. I have booked for Hirano casts anyway, but wasn't planning to see him in most Mayerlings I see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 I suppose they have other dancers apart from the Rudolfs to take into consideration. This reminds me of the multiple replacements back in 1994, I think it was, when I'd been expecting to see first Michael Nunn, and then Adam Cooper (or possibly vice versa), and ended up with Jonny Cope making his (unexpectedly good) debut in the role. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 31 minutes ago, alison said: This reminds me of the multiple replacements back in 1994, I think it was, when I'd been expecting to see first Michael Nunn, and then Adam Cooper (or possibly vice versa), and ended up with Jonny Cope making his (unexpectedly good) debut in the role. On this famous occasion, the whole Cope cast replaced the whole Kobborg one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Will Matthew Ball become the youngest dancer to perform Rudolf at ROH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 58 minutes ago, Coated said: This is an example of replacement I'm not ok with. If they varied it with different casts, fine. But to substitute a very different dancer for all 3 performances? Not a brilliant move. I have booked for Hirano casts anyway, but wasn't planning to see him in most Mayerlings I see. I agree but wasn't brave enough to say so. ROH must know that Ed has a lot of Rudolf groupies who book for all his performances which is why it seems thoughtless to give us the same dancer. I see on the website that performances that were sold out now have available tickets so people are dumping them. This is absolutely no reflection on Ryochi whom I look forward to seeing. But Ed Watson is famous for this role and RB shouldn't be surprised if people are cross. I am usually fairly sanguine about replacements as injury is an occupational hazard. Personally, I don't think the notice is great - it must have been apparent some while back that Ed simply wasn't able to take on the demands of this most taxing of roles after nearly a year out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 2 minutes ago, Texan said: Will Matthew Ball become the youngest dancer to perform Rudolf at ROH? Didn't Polunin do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Given that Ed Watson’s injury has been long term, there must have been some doubt about whether he would be okay to comeback. Surely some contingency plans were discussed before this announcement. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveclassics Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 16 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said: Didn't Polunin do it? Not at the ROH, I think. Re the cast change, it's sad for Ed Watson but a wonderful opportunity for Hirano. But has he had enough time to rehearse with Osipova? Those pdds look very dangerous and I understand that was why entire casts have been replaced when a different dancer substitutes at short notice. Linda 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveclassics Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 4 hours ago, capybara said: I searched everywhere for this thread before posting the news of Watson's injury in the other section. So I must apologise. The search engine on here offered no help, I'm sorry to say. Me too, I was following a new post so I have also put my post on the Mayerling thread. Sorry about that - can the moderators move it? Thanks Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Not at all amused by the fact that the ROH website does not make any mention of the change of cast either in its News section or on the Facebook page. OK, they list the cast changes against the performance schedule, but not as 'News'. New policy? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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