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Royal Ballet (ROH) season announcement 2019/20


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3 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Isn't it 10 on the main stage? 6 full, plus just 4 mixed (as opposed to 6 this season). 

 

yes you're right; I think I have counted one of them twice, in my rather hastily and scruffily compiled month-by-month listing. Or maybe I initially counted the Monotones mixed bill in there by mistake...

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Live Cinema for 2019/20

Concerto triple bill 05/11/19

Coppelia  10/12/19

(not "Live" as such.....Nutcracker 17/12/19 - the 2016 recording plus new features)

Sleeping Beauty 16/01/20

New Marston/Scarlett   25/02/20

Swan Lake 01/04/20

Dante Project 28/05/20

 

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Well, I find the format of the Press Release cumbersome and very far from the kind of 'ready reckoner' I was expecting.

 

For me, the ballet season will perk up from more or less OK to really interesting once the casting is known.

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1 minute ago, Richard LH said:

Live Cinema for 2019/20

Concerto triple bill 05/11/19

Coppelia  10/12/19

(not "Live" as such.....Nutcracker 17/12/19 - the 2016 recording plus new features)

Sleeping Beauty 16/01/20

New Marston/Scarlett   25/02/20

Swan Lake 01/04/20

Dante Project 28/05/20

 

 

Well, I'll say one thing - the ROH cinema outline is much more exciting - (and less repetitive) - than the Bolshoi '19/'20 one - with only Raymonda, the new Ratmansky Giselle and Jewels being 'live' - albeit at least they get SOME Balanchine. 

 

October, 27, 2019-"Raymonda"
November, 17
, 2019 -"Le Corsaire"*
December, 15
, 2019 -"Nutcracker"*
January 26
, 2020-"Giselle"
February, 23 
, 2020 – «Swan Lake»
March, 29 
, 2020 – «Romeo and Juliet»*
April, 19
, 2020-"Jewels"

* - recorded

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32 minutes ago, Saodan said:

From the Press Release:

 

Heritage

The Royal Ballet and guest companies

Choreography includes works by Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan

Generous philanthropic support from the Patrons of Covent Garden

 

The identity of The Royal Ballet – and of ballet in Britain and the world – has been shaped through more than eighty years by the extraordinary choreographic creativity of Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan. A complement to the more familiar performances of works by these three figures on the Main Stage, this programme brings that heritage into the intimate space of the Linbury Theatre, performed by companies including The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

 

Performances: 14–19 May 2020, Linbury Theatre

 

Why so vague? I would really like some detail about this, starting with actual dates rather than a range. (It doesn’t appear on the calendar.)

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3 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

 

Well, I'll say one thing - the ROH cinema outline is much more exciting - (and less repetitive) - than the Bolshoi '19/'20 one - with only Raymonda, the new Ratmansky Giselle and Jewels being 'live' - albeit at least they get SOME Balanchine. 

 

October, 27, 2019-"Raymonda"
November, 17
, 2019 -"Le Corsaire"*
December, 15
, 2019 -"Nutcracker"*
January 26
, 2020-"Giselle"
February, 23 
, 2020 – «Swan Lake»
March, 29 
, 2020 – «Romeo and Juliet»*
April, 19
, 2020-"Jewels"

* - recorded

 

Have we got a thread for this yet?

 

(And I'm delighted about Corsaire being repeated - it went on so long I had to leave before the final act last time)

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11 minutes ago, Coated said:

Yay, a 48 page pdf with everything mixed up higgledy piggledy and no bookmarks for easier browsing . Just what I was hoping for.

 

Yep, I think I shall be opening Adobe Reader and adding highlighting to mine for ease of finding things.  Although why I should be expected to I don't know.

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2 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

Why so vague? I would really like some detail about this, starting with actual dates rather than a range. (It doesn’t appear on the calendar.)

 

I just found this in the pdf for the press release - so you beat me to it. Sounds like they haven't decided yet, what (or when) it is they are going to do

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4 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

If it's in the Linbury, it's probably all the dates in the range.

 

I thought that at first, but it runs from Thursday to Tuesday.

 

I’d also like to know whether there are any matinees.

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6 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

I thought that at first, but it runs from Thursday to Tuesday.

 

I’d also like to know whether there are any matinees.

 

yes, and clashes with a Swan Lake double-header on the Saturday. Matinee on the Sunday maybe...

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I have just received a ‘Friends’ email taking something of a different line to the ‘let’s get rid of the regulars’ approach. After saying ‘thank you for supporting the season through your membership’ it goes on to say ‘It is a real delight to share it with you as you are vital to enabling the magic on stage to take place’. 

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11 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

Looks like that pdf was compiled by the office tea boy, or someone using MS Word for the first time after a beginners course

 

It's in pretty much the same format as the PRs over the past few years, save that it covers opera and ballet in one PR.  I have no difficultly whatsoever reading it.

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My initial reaction is one of disappointment, with more than a tinge of shock and anger.

The bias in favour of the full-length ballets at the expense of mixed bills continues to grow, so that the number of works being performed in the season continues being reduced and we, the audience, get fewer chances to experience the diversity of choreographic creativity.

I assume the new Marston must be expected to be of some significant length as it is part of a double (rather than a triple) bill.

I'm appalled that the only Ashton choreography on the main stage in the coming season is the 35 minutes or so of Enigma. The absence of any Balanchine (and is there any Robbins either?) is just as deplorable.

I notice the last performance of the season for the Royal Ballet appears to be an 11.30 Saturday matinee on 13 June. I can't recall if a tour has been announced - has it?

There are also quite a number of evenings, especially in the 2020 part of the season when there aren't performances on the main stage. It doesn't look, from the adjacent rep as if it is due to stage rehearsals - I can only assume that the main auditorium is being rented out for other occasions - does anyone know?

In general, what is in the season seems quite a reasonable bunch of ballets and I wouldn't disagree with any of them, I just feel that there should be fewer performances of a number of the shows and additional works (particularly one-acters) should be added. I know this adds to rehearsal costs, but the Royal Ballet should be more than simply putting on long runs of big narrative ballets. Both the company and the audience deserve better.

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I've been checking out the four seasons and booking dates to get some idea of my budget breakdown. It looks as if the main demand will be in the Autumn season, with the Winter a close runner - in other words, I'll have to find most of the cost for the 2019/20 season in the next five months.

 

As others have said, castings will be decisive!

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1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

It's in pretty much the same format as the PRs over the past few years, save that it covers opera and ballet in one PR.  I have no difficultly whatsoever reading it.

 

Well, someone needs to teach them about page breaks and uniform spacing, for sure. Far from ‘world class’ if you ask me

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The website gremlins continue.  The production page for MacMillan’s Concerto gives an image credit:

Natasha Oughtred and Jamie Bond in Concerto, Birmingham Royal Ballet © Bill Cooper

 

I haven’t been able to find a single BRB photo on the production page.  Can anyone else find the quoted photo?

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/productions/concerto-by-kenneth-macmillan

 

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8 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

Can someone please tell me on what page of the 48 the booking dates are found?  Much thanks.  

 

If you go to the production page and click on the ''WHY?' after the 'NOT ON SALE' you'll find a list of booking dates for that particular production.

Public Booking Dates are: 

Autumn August 7

Winter October 24

Spring January 29

Summer April 15

Edited to add Public Booking Dates

Edited by Bluebird
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1 minute ago, Bluebird said:

 

If you go to the production page and click on the ''WHY?' after the 'NOT ON SALE' you'll find a list of booking dates for that particular production.

 

Oh, Bluebird.  Thank you.  That is so clear.  Bless you for figuring this out.  

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22 minutes ago, Douglas Allen said:

 

I notice the last performance of the season for the Royal Ballet appears to be an 11.30 Saturday matinee on 13 June. I can't recall if a tour has been announced - has it?

 

there was something about Doncaster....

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1 minute ago, Lizbie1 said:

Just spotted a nice touch in the programming, intentional or not: Onegin will be performed on 29th February, the day when women are traditionally “allowed” to make the running.

 

Nice one!

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7 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

The website gremlins continue.  The production page for MacMillan’s Concerto gives an image credit:

Natasha Oughtred and Jamie Bond in Concerto, Birmingham Royal Ballet © Bill Cooper

 

I haven’t been able to find a single BRB photo on the production page.  Can anyone else find the quoted photo?

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/productions/concerto-by-kenneth-macmillan

 

 

I think Mr Cockup came to town for this one! 🙂

 

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The papers have started getting it online.  The Guardian leads with Cathy Marston's piece and gives some useful early background:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/may/14/royal-ballet-2019-season-cathy-marston-jacqueline-du-pre

 

The Times piece is more general:

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-to-look-out-for-in-the-new-season-at-the-royal-opera-house-8mqlsbrrs?shareToken=81489a0c5d62a9a11e59fc7629c048d4

 

 

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Having read Chris Shipman's report, I wasn't particularly enthused about the new season but thought I'd see when everything was on. Scrolling through I found, totally unmentioned in the text, that Onegin is on Jan 28th to Feb 29th. I am so happy! However, if that doesn't class as a classic (and doesn't even rate a mention) I seriously wonder what does.

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58 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

I have just received a ‘Friends’ email taking something of a different line to the ‘let’s get rid of the regulars’ approach. After saying ‘thank you for supporting the season through your membership’ it goes on to say ‘It is a real delight to share it with you as you are vital to enabling the magic on stage to take place’. 

 

Excuse me while I go and vomit ...

 

51 minutes ago, Douglas Allen said:

I can't recall if a tour has been announced - has it?

 

They're touring to ... Doncaster :) 

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