Royal Ballet 2019/20 Autumn Season Casting

[HappyTurk]

6 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

I just don't see why they cant be honest about things.  I and many others have followed him for years and I think we deserve some communication. 

 

Also, you are right about the lack of comment on this forum. Criticise Hallberg for a less than stellar performance and the wrath of god descends on your head.  Muntagirov has been granted sainthood and as for Marianela..... Yet Ed who has given so many years of fantastic development in his many roles, is almost ignored.  Maybe people are 'in the know' or maybe he just wasn't that popular.  Weird. 

 

I always think that Macrae doesn't get the plaudits he deserves either.  He is a very different dancer to Watson and therefore not as high up my list, but he is still absolutely fantastic but has never attracted the adulation that Muntagirov gets.

I personally adore Muntagirov's stellar technique but I might be in the minority that has always preferred McRae's projection and charisma. I don't know why but for some reason Muntagirov has never "clicked" for me on an artistic level. But perhaps he will in the future! He is still quite young and has room to grow. 

Edited May 31, 2019 by HappyTurk

[penelopesimpson]

1 minute ago, HappyTurk said:

I personally adore Muntagirov's stellar technique but I might be in the minority that has always preferred McRae's projection and charisma. I don't know why but for some reason Muntagirov has never "clicked" for me on artistic level. But perhaps he will in the future! He is still quite young and has room to grow. 

You are one brave Turk!

 

Me, neither although I have hitherto held off saying so.  Don't get me wrong, I can absolutely understand why others eulogise about him.  His technique, his confidence, his amazing physique and, also, his sheer niceness, mean that I am always delighted to see him in the cast.  I always feel that he is not only a wonderful dancer but an unselfish one in that his partnering is so secure yet never showy.  However, all that said, he and I have never clicked emotionally.

[penelopesimpson]

6 minutes ago, serenade said:

Yes actually I forgot about McRae- really liked them together in La Fille but good point re availability 

They were incredible together in Woolf Works.  Real fireworks.

[LinMM]

Thanks Penelope ....I've edited my post since and am already considering two visits after all .....cannot resist the idea of Bolle and Sambe is Lescaut in that cast so be interested to see what he does with this.

I have seen Nunez before and she is good but can she reach that real pathos in the final duet.

Sibley is my all time favourite in this role perhaps Hayward comes closer to her? 

[HappyTurk]

10 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

You are one brave Turk!

 

Me, neither although I have hitherto held off saying so.  Don't get me wrong, I can absolutely understand why others eulogise about him.  His technique, his confidence, his amazing physique and, also, his sheer niceness, mean that I am always delighted to see him in the cast.  I always feel that he is not only a wonderful dancer but an unselfish one in that his partnering is so secure yet never showy.  However, all that said, he and I have never clicked emotionally.

Yes you can tell he is a very selfless dancer! But to be frank, I've always preferred the "unique" dancers that go against the grain (which others might be put off by) i.e. Sylvie Guillem, Seymour, Watson, Osipova, McRae etc. But that goes for the arts in general! I'm not one for normality. Haha. I would even add Morera in this catgeory at times as well as Yanowsky (hence why the only female principal dancers I like at the RB are the ones I've mentioned just now including Cuthbertson who isn't in my "unique" category but is nevertheless a fabulous dance actress). 

Edited May 31, 2019 by HappyTurk

[penelopesimpson]

1 minute ago, LinMM said:

Thanks Penelope ....I've edited my post since and am already considering two visits after all .....cannot resist the idea of Bolle and Sambe is Lescaut in that cast so be interested to see what he does with this.

I have seen Nunez before and she is good but can she reach that real pathos in the final duet.

Sibley is my all time favourite in this role perhaps Hayward comes closer to her? 

I have seen all her Manon performances and she is incredible.  I saw her debut with Ed Watson when she was incredible.  Then last year she had moved up several gears.  She left you completely wrung out at the end.  She absolutely IS Manon.

 

Yes, I am also going for Bolle.  Now thats one dancer I wouldn't mind seeing more of, along with Shklyarov.

[Lizbie1]

23 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Yet Ed who has given so many years of fantastic development in his many roles, is almost ignored

 

I don’t see it this way - I think it’s just that he’s been sidelined through injury for a long time now and the chances to see him dance have been next to non-existent. As for there being little discussion of his absence and possibly looming retirement, there’s just no information to go on, so nothing to hang that discussion into.

 

 I don’t disagree that there are certain favoured and less favoured dancers on this forum but I really don’t see that Ed Watson falls into the latter category - far from it.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Lizbie1
Inadvertently left out “next to” - corrected

[alison]

4 hours ago, alison said:

 

Didn't someone say he was supposed to be featuring in the new McGregor next year?  

 

I thought I'd heard this, or read it somewhere, but could be wrong.  I hope I'm not :(  - but don't take it as gospel.

[penelopesimpson]

1 minute ago, alison said:

 

I thought I'd heard this, or read it somewhere, but could be wrong.  I hope I'm not :(  - but don't take it as gospel.

Alison:  I have a horrible suspicion it might have been me.  I was grasping at straws a while back and 'speculated' that perhaps as Wayne's muse he was a central character in the new full-length.  A triumph of hope in the vacuum that is currently Ed Watson

[Jamesrhblack]

23 minutes ago, LinMM said:

 

Sibley is my all time favourite in this role perhaps Hayward comes closer to her? 

 

I so agree. I didn’t see her in this role until after her return but the memories are indelible. The very last one in 1988 with Dowell remains one of my most cherished ballet memories. There’s also a wonderful clip on You Tube our her dancing the Bedroom PdD with Wall.

 

On Matters Manon, I’ve just clocked that Hamilton hasn’t been cast. Given that she lost Nutcracker last season, this seems particularly sad. She’s not a favourite dancer of mine, but her story is an inspiring one of dedication and application, and I think it a pity, even cruel, that a role to which she is, I understand, very well suited, and for which she has received critical acclaim, has been taken away, particularly as no new Manon has been cast.

 

I’m also sad that Campbell won’t dance Lescaut. He was incredibly moving as Des Grieux in his last minute debut and I’m thrilled that he will dance this with Hayward as I think their on stage relationship really works, but I’m old enough to remember when Dowell and Wall used to alternate the roles and think there could have been some interesting possibilities there. Did McRae ever dance Lescaut?

 

Whilst pleased that Acri gets his debut, am I the only one who thinks it strange that he should be with Morera and Bonelli who are, dare one write, considerably senior in every which way...

Edited May 31, 2019 by Jamesrhblack
Grammar

[alison]

I always thought Hamilton was a good Manon?  I'm disappointed that she hasn't been cast, too.

[Richard LH]

20 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said:

 

It's very logical Richard looking at the casting and seniority.

It's obvious Cuthbertson, Naghdi, Lamb and Hamilton will dance the 2nd Movement, it is not an assumption  

Thanks Xandra...I don't actually know the work, so I will be guided by your explanation!

[Jamesrhblack]

I note that Kish isn’t cast in anything. I appreciate he has been moving, very well from what I have read here,, in to more character roles and might have expected him to feature as Elgar. I know he can polarise opinion on here, but I’ve always enjoyed his work, and thought his Creature in Frankenstein really moving both times that I saw it.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Jamesrhblack

[HappyTurk]

29 minutes ago, serenade said:

Yes actually I forgot about McRae- really liked them together in La Fille but good point re availability 

I remember many thought they had great chemistry in Rubies too. I'm crossing my fingers that they'll be paired together for the next run! 

[Xandra Newman]

6 minutes ago, alison said:

I always thought Hamilton was a good Manon?  I'm disappointed that she hasn't been cast, too.

 

I am not a Hamilton fan, certainly not in the highly classical ballets,  but if there is one role I will remember her for it is her Manon (besides her performances in McGregor's early works).

Since there are already seven established Manons, giving them each two performances I guess there was no room for a new Manon to debut.

 

[LinMM]

Richard I hope you are going to see this triple ....and it's a really good one all round ....but if you have never seen Concerto then I can recommend you go and see it...worth it for Shostakovitch second piano concerto alone! But it's one of my favourite "small" ballets and the luscious second movement with wonderful setting is truely beautiful. If this ballet is danced well.....and unfortunately some say it has lost something in more recent years from Macmillans original choreography and how he intended it.....it can be both moving and uplifting and that's even before you see the Elgar and Raymonda!!

[Richard LH]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

Richard I hope you are going to see this triple ....and it's a really good one all round

Thanks Lin, I certainly plan to go, though which cast(s) to choose will take some pondering...

[JNC]

2 hours ago, HappyTurk said:

I think Ball and Muntagirov and even McRae have great chemistry with Osipova. The only issue is that all three are on the reserve for Naghdi, Nunez, and Takada respectively. So the issue is availability.

 

 

Curious as to why this is? Is it a height thing, or is it simply because the dancers like working together and KOH (and possibly the audience) etc like to have set pairings? Or a combination of all of the above?

[HappyTurk]

11 minutes ago, JNC said:

 

Curious as to why this is? Is it a height thing, or is it simply because the dancers like working together and KOH (and possibly the audience) etc like to have set pairings? Or a combination of all of the above?

I would say a combination of things. For one, I think Mcrae has often been paired up with Takada for height reasons as I don't think they have chemistry at all. Ball does have chemistry with Naghdi as does Nunez and Muntagirov (although the former is much more prominent to me). The problem is just that it seems as though there isn't very much flexibility/diversity when it comes to casting in the classics especially for Nunez and Muntagirov. I would love him to be paired with other ballerinas much more frequently in the classics as he is 99 percent of the time paired up with Nunez in those. Yes, he does often pair up with Lamb in the MacMillan repertoire but rarely the classics. I think that is the issue I have. 

[Shade]

According to Osipova’s interview in the Standard this week some dancers prefer not to dance with her. I agree the she has had brilliant performances with Watson and McRae but I also enjoyed her Kitri and Nikyia with Muntagirov, Juliet with Acosta etc.

 

i see she is not down for Coppelia - I wonder if she is elsewhere for that. I am disappointed as I never saw her perform that live with the Bolshoi, only in the cinema. 

 

Still looking forward to the new season.

 

[penelopesimpson]

I agree, Happyturk. I don’t find the Nunez/Muntagirov, combination, lovely though it is, remotely equal.  Nunez is always so confident, so supreme and Muntagirov so giving, that, inevitably, he is overshadowed and becomes simply a partner in the dance sense.  I can’t remember who he was dancing with the last time I saw him but I remember remarking how much more he projected with someone other than Nunez.  Think it would be good for his development to have other partners.  Surely both Hirano and Ball are tall enough for Nunez?

[HappyTurk]

7 minutes ago, Shade said:

According to Osipova’s interview in the Standard this week some dancers prefer not to dance with her. I agree the she has had brilliant performances with Watson and McRae but I also enjoyed her Kitri and Nikyia with Muntagirov, Juliet with Acosta etc.

 

i see she is not down for Coppelia - I wonder if she is elsewhere for that. I am disappointed as I never saw her perform that live with the Bolshoi, only in the cinema. 

 

Still looking forward to the new season.

 

I imagine she was referring to dancers at the Bolshoi as she has discussed many times how the harsh dancing atmosphere and politics at the Bolshoi is what drove her to come to the RB. 

[Lindsay]

2 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Alison:  I have a horrible suspicion it might have been me.  I was grasping at straws a while back and 'speculated' that perhaps as Wayne's muse he was a central character in the new full-length.  A triumph of hope in the vacuum that is currently Ed Watson

 

Could you stop speculating about this please. A person’s health is a private matter unless and until they choose to make it public and injury is particularly horrible for dancers.

[HappyTurk]

5 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

I agree, Happyturk. I don’t find the Nunez/Muntagirov, combination, lovely though it is, remotely equal.  Nunez is always so confident, so supreme and Muntagirov so giving, that, inevitably, he is overshadowed and becomes simply a partner in the dance sense.  I can’t remember who he was dancing with the last time I saw him but I remember remarking how much more he projected with someone other than Nunez.  Think it would be good for his development to have other partners.  Surely both Hirano and Ball are tall enough for Nunez?

I too have never seen the great chemistry that others believe them to have. He has a rather reserved (less extroverted) spirit that I think he would do better with others. Nunez has very extroverted dancing, on the other hand, which is great for sunny characters (although I admit she isn't my favorite dancer because of her port de bras).   

Edited May 31, 2019 by HappyTurk

[penelopesimpson]

1 minute ago, Lindsay said:

 

Could you stop speculating about this please. A person’s health is a private matter unless and until they choose to make it public and injury is particularly horrible for dancers.

Oh, do behave!

 

There is no speculation whatsoever about the nature of Edward Watson’s injuries/health or anything that might be considered personal.  I am enquiring about the continued absence of a dancer I have followed for many years.  Such concern is entirely legitimate about a performer on a public stage, the more so in a discussion forum devoted to dance.  Everything I have said I would say direct to Mr. Watson were I lucky enough to encounter him.

[Lindsay]

11 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Oh, do behave!

 

There is no speculation whatsoever about the nature of Edward Watson’s injuries/health or anything that might be considered personal.  I am enquiring about the continued absence of a dancer I have followed for many years.  Such concern is entirely legitimate about a performer on a public stage, the more so in a discussion forum devoted to dance.  Everything I have said I would say direct to Mr. Watson were I lucky enough to encounter him.

 

I know how to behave thank you. You said that you have already tweeted and got no answer.  Personally, in a context where a dancer has previously been announced as injured, I would take that as a sign that banging on about it on public message boards is unwelcome and in rather bad taste. 

[HappyTurk]

On another note, is there a reason Hirano isn't being cast as some of the main leads this Autumn? *Edit* For a second I thought I only saw his name for SB but he has a main lead in Concerto. Never mind! I need my eyes checked.

Edited May 31, 2019 by HappyTurk

[balletyas]

11 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

 

I know how to behave thank you. You said that you have already tweeted and got no answer.  Personally, in a context where a dancer has previously been announced as injured, I would take that as a sign that banging on about it on public message boards is unwelcome and in rather bad taste. 

The starting point for this discussion was the Autumn casting and the absence of EW which seemed surprising given that he is imminently scheduled to appear in Firebird so must therefore be deemed to have recovered from last year’s injury. Nobody is asking intrusive questions about his health, we are just worrying that  he might be retiring from the stage without being given the farewell he deserves. 

[JNC]

52 minutes ago, HappyTurk said:

I would say a combination of things. For one, I think Mcrae has often been paired up with Takada for height reasons as I don't think they have chemistry at all. Ball does have chemistry with Naghdi as does Nunez and Muntagirov (although the former is much more prominent to me). The problem is just that it seems as though there isn't very much flexibility/diversity when it comes to casting in the classics especially for Nunez and Muntagirov. I would love him to be paired with other ballerinas much more frequently in the classics as he is 99 percent of the time paired up with Nunez in those. Yes, he does often pair up with Lamb in the MacMillan repertoire but rarely the classics. I think that is the issue I have. 

 

 

Thanks for explaining! I wonder if it would really be so odd for a female dancer to be taller than the male - would it really look *that* bad to affect casting? It would be interesting to see if anyone has seen something a performance where the female has been taller! 

 

Whilst I've never seen McRae and Takada perform, one reason I haven't booked is because I agree that I think they look a bit odd paired together. I feel Takada would work with almost any of the other principals! So I personally find it odd that height seems to dictate so much, and feel it's a bit of a shame when it may limit who dancers are paired with or whether they are even cast for certain roles. 

 

I actually really like Nunez and Muntagirov as a pair - because they are such happy, sunny dancers with excellent classical technique so I think they work really well together. Agree that it would be nice to mix up the pairings sometimes though! 

[LinMM]

I wonder if people who may be retiring at the end of a season have to wait till all the promotions and leavers and joiners etc are announced....though won't this be soon presumably before they go off to Japan?

But he may not be retiring in the full sense. Just not involved with every production and towards the ends of careers dancers often go off and get involved with projects of their choice but still remain connected to their main Company for some performances. 

 

[HappyTurk]

1 minute ago, LinMM said:

I wonder if people who may be retiring at the end of a season have to wait till all the promotions and leavers and joiners etc are announced....though won't this be soon presumably before they go off to Japan?

But he may not be retiring in the full sense. Just not involved with every production and towards the ends of careers dancers often go off and get involved with projects of their choice but still remain connected to their main Company for some performances. 

 

Seeing that Soares is now a guest artist, will he continue to be so after his performance of Onegin (which very well could be his send off performance)? Or is he now a guest artist merely for that performance? 

[penelopesimpson]

32 minutes ago, HappyTurk said:

On another note, is there a reason Hirano isn't being cast as some of the main leads this Autumn? *Edit* For a second I thought I only saw his name for SB but he has a main lead in Concerto. Never mind! I need my eyes checked.

He may be exhausted!  He  has had a very taxing, although hopefully exhilarating, season.

[penelopesimpson]

24 minutes ago, balletyas said:

The starting point for this discussion was the Autumn casting and the absence of EW which seemed surprising given that he is imminently scheduled to appear in Firebird so must therefore be deemed to have recovered from last year’s injury. Nobody is asking intrusive questions about his health, we are just worrying that  he might be retiring from the stage without being given the farewell he deserves. 

Quite.