Royal Ballet 2018/2019 Winter Season Casting

[RuthE]

3 hours ago, RHowarth said:

 I'm sure the booking periods used to be numbered rather than autumn, winter etc

 

Yes, personally I still think of them as BP1, 2, 3 and 4 regardless of what they might currently call them!

[capybara]

The situation has been even further complicated because the Winter Season casting was put up (badly) on the ROH website the day before booking opened for the Autumn Season.

[bridiem]

Their 'seasons' are a bit odd anyway. e.g. Nutcracker starts in December, so in what way is that an 'autumn' production??

[LinMM]

Probably a "school term" sort of thing ....the Autumn term runs from September to December! 

However the Spring term is January to March and the Summer term is April to July.

So no winter term really!! 

Just as I retired from teaching Sussex introduced the four term year with slightly different holidays so perhaps there are now four seasons in the new set up.

Sorry this is nothing to do with theatre booking!!

[alison]

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

Their 'seasons' are a bit odd anyway. e.g. Nutcracker starts in December, so in what way is that an 'autumn' production??

 

It's because they want to get all that lovely money (for the heavily inflated seat prices) in as early as possible.

[Xandra Newman]

and all that lovely money goes to the Royal Opera House, not The Royal Ballet. I was once told that the RB makes more money for the ROH than the Opera, but the top opera singers earn far more than the RB Principals. 

[alison]

Well, they are guest artists, not salaried staff.  You have to have some compensation for being a freelance.  (And Sylvie Guillem, Carlos Acosta and so on presumably got paid per performance rather than a salary.  It's fine when you're fit and healthy, but not when you're injured.

[Lizbie1]

2 hours ago, Xandra Newman said:

and all that lovely money goes to the Royal Opera House, not The Royal Ballet. I was once told that the RB makes more money for the ROH than the Opera, but the top opera singers earn far more than the RB Principals. 

 

I thought Anthony Russell-Roberts put a stop to that 20 years ago?  And costs may be higher for the Opera, but so are ticket prices.

 

I can't get too cross about high prices for Nutcracker as (judging by a lot of the comments we see here and the very high proportion of first-timers who go) it's not attended by regulars to the same degree as other productions and - wherever the accountants put the money - it helps balance the books, thereby paying for things I'm more interested in seeing at more affordable prices.

[alison]

You have a point there, of course, Lizbie, but it still grates with me: I feel first-timers are being ripped off because they don't know any better.  They probably think it's the ROH, and so it's par for the course for tickets to be so expensive.  What bothers me is that they may go on thinking that the Nutcracker is a nice occasional treat (as is Swan Lake, and we know what happened to the prices for that!), but they can't afford it more regularly, and so they may miss out on a lot more affordable ballets which they might really have enjoyed, and which might have sowed the seed for a lifetime's love of ballet.  I feel the ROH may ultimately be shooting itself in the foot here.

 

Not to mention that a lot of regulars do like the Nutcracker, and are being clobbered by those same high prices.  Not everyone can stand for a performance. 

[Lizbie1]

12 minutes ago, alison said:

What bothers me is that they may go on thinking that the Nutcracker is a nice occasional treat (as is Swan Lake, and we know what happened to the prices for that!), but they can't afford it more regularly, and so they may miss out on a lot more affordable ballets which they might really have enjoyed, and which might have sowed the seed for a lifetime's love of ballet.

 

Yes, very good point.

[bangorballetboy]

Here's the official casting list

winterballet2018-final.pdf

[bridiem]

Just to say that this casting list shows Hayward/Campbell as the cast for Two Pigeons at 12 noon on 16 Feb, whereas the website shows Hayward/Bracewell (which I think is likely to be correct). (I got all excited about seeing H/C together! but then realised it was probably a mistake.) I have emailed the ROH to ask about this.

[LinMM]

BBB I did find the original link you posted regarding Winter Casting really helpful as have now done all the permutations and come up with some dates that could work .....if there are seats when public booking opens that is!!

[alison]

4 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

Here's the official casting list

winterballet2018-final.pdf

 

Thanks, BBB.  I don't think this forum offers any particular way of flagging important posts in a thread so they can be spotted easily, does it?

 

[bridiem]

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

Just to say that this casting list shows Hayward/Campbell as the cast for Two Pigeons at 12 noon on 16 Feb, whereas the website shows Hayward/Bracewell (which I think is likely to be correct). (I got all excited about seeing H/C together! but then realised it was probably a mistake.) I have emailed the ROH to ask about this.

 

I've received a reply from the ROH re 16 Feb 12 noon: 'At the moment the pairing is Hayward/Bracewell. This of course is always subject to change.' Which I think is a way of saying 'the casting list is wrong'...

[capybara]

It is definitely Hayward/Bracewell. They have 2 shows and Choe/Campbell also have 2 shows. So  all round.

[JohnS]

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

I've received a reply from the ROH re 16 Feb 12 noon: 'At the moment the pairing is Hayward/Bracewell. This of course is always subject to change.' Which I think is a way of saying 'the casting list is wrong'...

 

I'm afraid I'm getting increasingly irritated when organisations and interviewees can't simply admit a mistake, apologise, make a correction and move on.  The downside is I'll have to find ways of coping with higher levels of irritation so I'm very pleased to find out the local cinema is showing the Akram Khan Giselle on Monday evening.

[penelopesimpson]

23 hours ago, JohnS said:

 

I'm afraid I'm getting increasingly irritated when organisations and interviewees can't simply admit a mistake, apologise, make a correction and move on.  The downside is I'll have to find ways of coping with higher levels of irritation so I'm very pleased to find out the local cinema is showing the Akram Khan Giselle on Monday evening.

The BBC are the masters of never apologise, never say you got it wrong.  Even now they are still wanting to appeal the Cliff Richard judgement - yet more licence-fee payers money wasted on legal fees.  Then there's the Simon May debacle on Radio 2.  The new format is hated virtually by everybody, yet the BBC expresses themselves 'happy with the way the show is bedding in.'

 

It is their arrogance that annoys people so much.

[Scheherezade]

On 03/08/2018 at 16:32, capybara said:

It is definitely Hayward/Bracewell. They have 2 shows and Choe/Campbell also have 2 shows. So  all round.

 

The Choe/Campbell 2 Pigeons pairing was fabulous last time round, so glad its being revived!

[Scheherezade]

3 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

The BBC are the masters of never apologise, never say you got it wrong.  Even now they are still wanting to appeal the Cliff Richard judgement - yet more licence-fee payers money wasted on legal fees.  Then there's the Simon May debacle on Radio 2.  The new format is hated virtually by everybody, yet the BBC expresses themselves 'happy with the way the show is bedding in.'

 

Just as worrying, if not more so, is the effect that that the behaviour of the BBC in the Cliff Richard matter may have upon the freedom of the press in the future. And sorry to sound dense but what is the Simon May debacle about?

[zxDaveM]

13 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

The BBC are the masters of never apologise, never say you got it wrong.  Even now they are still wanting to appeal the Cliff Richard judgement - yet more licence-fee payers money wasted on legal fees.  

 

 

Sadly the 'never apologise' seems to be the modern trend everywhere, not just the BBC. The Cliff case was very poor judgement in the way it was handled - but there again, had it been true and they hadn't been all over it, then it would have been another sorta Jimmy Saville case to bash them with (as Cliff appeared on the BBC so much, even after the peak of his career), so I can perhaps understand their (flawed) logic in doing what they did. As for apologies, they'll never come whilst there are still the whiff of court cases around - but agree wholeheartedly about the waste of cash of said court cases on appeals etc. They should just take it on the chin, pay the fine, apologise, amend practices and we can move on

[penelopesimpson]

On 04/08/2018 at 22:04, Scheherezade said:

 

Just as worrying, if not more so, is the effect that that the behaviour of the BBC in the Cliff Richard matter may have upon the freedom of the press in the future. And sorry to sound dense but what is the Simon May debacle about?

My poor typing.  Meant Simon Mayo on the Radio 2 drivetime slot.  Websites are inundated with letters about the hated new formula but the Beeb love it - so that's alright.

[penelopesimpson]

On 04/08/2018 at 22:04, Scheherezade said:

 

Just as worrying, if not more so, is the effect that that the behaviour of the BBC in the Cliff Richard matter may have upon the freedom of the press in the future. And sorry to sound dense but what is the Simon May debacle about?

Yes, I'm hoping the powers that be will see that punishing the Beeb for poor judgement should not involve curtailing the freedome of the press.

 

I take the point about Jimmy Saville, Dave, but the cases are so different.  There was a wealth of evidence about Saville but the BBC regarded him as one of theirs and wouldn't have a word said against him.  The laudatory programme after his death was quite nauseating.  However, even if it had been Saville, I still think sending a helicopter up to view the police going about their lawful business was ludicrous.  There was nothing to see (quite what plod expected to find is anybody's guess) and the whole thing was done in collusion with the police.  Criminal proceedings should not be regarded as entertainment which is what this amounted to.  It showed incredibly poor judgement and heads should have rolled.  Certainly a fulsome apology and a statement that our national broadcaster would never behave in this way again, would have restored some credibility.

[Ian Macmillan]

Might we perhaps agree to get back to RB 18/19 Winter Casting?

[LinMM]

Talk about incipient Dementia!!

i was in email contact with a friend who am going to the ballet with after Christmas and was going on about a matinee of Two Pigeons with Takada and Hay.

well haven't been into this thread for all of a month or so but when I went to BBB first link no sign of any such performance at all with Takada and Hay. 

I was sure I had seen it somewhere .....but still nothing on the website!

was beginning to think I had imagined it after all but decided to read this whole thread through first ( well it is windy misty and rainy out there) including all the links etc.

I then discovered a third posting by BBB in August  ( the ROH website won't let me get beyond August in that calendar thingy) went into that link and there it was the two performances .....albeit the one I thought was a matinee is an eve .....but relieved I hadn't lost it completely and dreamed the whole pairing up!!

Now have a massive headache on mind as already decided to see Hayward and Bracewell with the RBS performance ......a given for me but now have to choose between Takada/ Hay or Choe/ Campbell as I want to see Asphodel Meadows as well!! 

It will probably be Takada and Hay though as great to see them both in new roles for me and especially for Hay.

Ive seen Choe before and love her .....but Choe and Campbell is hard to resist!! 

I saw Stix-Brunell last time and she was wonderful in the role too!! 

Oh well decisions decisions but so glad BBB put up those links so can be a bit more prepared when booking opens. 

 

 

 

 

 

[bangorballetboy]

Not really casting, but the following productions have now been included in the "winter" season, with booking open on 21 September for Friends of all levels and 24 September for the general public.

 

TRIO ConcertDance

 

New Work New Music

 

The Monstrous Child

 

Insight - New Work New Music

 

Insight - Primeiro Bailarino film screening

 

Insight - The Monstrous Child

[Lizbie1]

With Friends booking opening quite soon, I'm beginning to panic slightly about which cast(s) to see in the Patineurs triple. (I also worry with many Ashton one-acters about how long it might be before I get to see them again.) Any thoughts? Do I really need to see Sambe, or will the double dose on 20th December, with Hay and Corrales be enough? 

[alison]

What about the casts for the other two ballets?  Does that clarify things at all?

[Lizbie1]

Not really!

[MargaretN7]

On 19/09/2018 at 13:29, bangorballetboy said:

Not really casting, but the following productions have now been included in the "winter" season, with booking open on 21 September for Friends of all levels and 24 September for the general public.

 

TRIO ConcertDance

 

New Work New Music

 

The Monstrous Child

 

Insight - New Work New Music

 

Insight - Primeiro Bailarino film screening

 

Insight - The Monstrous Child

And there appear to be far more, and better, seats available in the public booking for these events than for the Friends booking last week. I can understand that (I think), in that they want to use this as introductory?

Also intrigued at the rows in the stalls. For the dance ones it's A-E and H K L M. I wondered if this was an indication of split seating with the stage in the middle. However it's this for the dance film as well, so doubt that! For the opera it's all rows A-K but no L or M. We shall see.

[bangorballetboy]

6 minutes ago, MargaretN7 said:

 

Also intrigued at the rows in the stalls. For the dance ones it's A-E and H K L M. I wondered if this was an indication of split seating with the stage in the middle. However it's this for the dance film as well, so doubt that! For the opera it's all rows A-K but no L or M. We shall see.

 

I assume that's because the rake will be steeper for ballet.

[Bluebird]

5 hours ago, MargaretN7 said:

And there appear to be far more, and better, seats available in the public booking for these events than for the Friends booking last week. I can understand that (I think), in that they want to use this as introductory?

Also intrigued at the rows in the stalls. For the dance ones it's A-E and H K L M. I wondered if this was an indication of split seating with the stage in the middle. However it's this for the dance film as well, so doubt that! For the opera it's all rows A-K but no L or M. We shall see.

 

After reading your post, I had a look at the stalls pricing for ballet events.  It's very strange.  The central seats in some rows are in a lower price bracket than the seats at the ends of the same rows.  Yet one row has all its seats at the higher price.  You can see this on the screenshot I'm attaching showing availability for one of the performances of Dutch Masters. I can't begin to imagine the reasons behind this pricing structure.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Bluebird

[JohnS]

If you click on the cheaper seats it shows 'promo' - Linbury promotion seats, the higher price seats come up 'full price'.

 

I haven't seen any advertising about promotion tickets for the Linbury - not sure where marketing/communications are in all this but not convinced things are that well coordinated?