Royal Ballet Japan Tour Casting

[Guest oncnp]

6 minutes ago, FionaE said:

Price? 

 

I'll let you know as soon as I hear from the Philanthropy office. By the slightly sniffy tone of the Friend's e-mail, it's "if you have to ask it's too much"

[San Perregrino]

1 hour ago, oncnp said:

 

I'll let you know as soon as I hear from the Philanthropy office. By the slightly sniffy tone of the Friend's e-mail, it's "if you have to ask it's too much"

I’m not sure what your mean by “sniffy tone”?  
It reads perfectly well to me. Basically, it’s a bespoke travel opportunity so give them a call/email for more details. Exactly the same as one would call a travel agent for any bespoke holiday. What’s wrong with that? 

[Guest oncnp]

13 minutes ago, PeterS said:

I’m not sure what your mean by “sniffy tone”?  
It reads perfectly well to me. Basically, it’s a bespoke travel opportunity so give them a call/email for more details. Exactly the same as one would call a travel agent for any bespoke holiday. What’s wrong with that? 

 

I didn't quote the entire e-mail, just the portion relevant to the question.

Edited December 4, 2022 by oncnp

[capybara]

I think that, fairly recently, the 'additional donation' went up  from £7,500 to £10,000.

Understandably, the Friends' response is incomplete but, interestingly. performances are not on the list of inclusions. I believe that one or two used to be part of the package with the option to purchase 'extras'.

[FionaM]

5 hours ago, capybara said:

I think that, fairly recently, the 'additional donation' went up  from £7,500 to £10,000.

Understandably, the Friends' response is incomplete but, interestingly. performances are not on the list of inclusions. I believe that one or two used to be part of the package with the option to purchase 'extras'.

 
I would have expected performances to be part of the package.  No doubt it’s way beyond my budget but nevertheless interested to hear what the cost is.  

[LinMM]

Well looking at the expected donation above that’s serious money so only for the really wealthy I think. Not a bad way for someone who is seriously wealthy to spend their money though!! 

[Guest oncnp]

Reply (in part)...and given the highlighted sentence (my highlighting) I wonder why they are going to the expense of only one performance in Osaka which the tour does not include

 

The provisional dates for the tour are 22nd June – 3rd July    

 

We are extremely grateful for the generous support we receive to take the Company on tour each year. Without the kindness of our closest supporters, we would not be able to showcase the work of The Royal Ballet abroad. There are numerous costs associated with touring, for example the dancers’ travel, transportation of the costumes and sets and hiring an orchestra and technical crew in each location we visit. To help us make all of this possible, we will be kindly requesting a donation to join the tour which will be in addition to the cost of the trip.

 

We expect to have the itinerary and costings finalised and ready to share in January, so I will be back in touch with you then. If you have any questions about the tour in the meantime please do not hesitate to email me or call on 020 7212 9436.

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by oncnp

[capybara]

The last time the RB visited Japan there were additional performances in Osaka - if I recall correctly, a mixed bill including the full Winter Dreams.

 

The planned official tour for 2023 covers the dates of very (too) many R&Js.

Edited December 5, 2022 by capybara

[capybara]

I'm not sure what I did to receive this but, if anyone is interested.................. The lowest return Economy fare with checked in baggage comes out at around £1,200. So a total of £25,850 for a single traveller; £22,950 for each person in a couple.

We are delighted to share with you details of our upcoming Supporter’s Tour to Tokyo, Japan on 21^st June - 3^rd July 2023 and invite you to book your place if you would like to join us for this exclusive trip.

In collaboration with The Royal Ballet and our travel partners, Arts Abroad Ltd, we have curated a very special itinerary for a 12-day tour which combines exciting cultural activities with opportunities to get to know the dancers and members of the Company better. As a tour supporter you will watch private rehearsals and class, learn from the experts in our own supporter’s ballet class, and enjoy an informal ‘In Conversation’ evening with members of The Royal Ballet over a dinner. In addition, we will be planning special occasions to celebrate with the Company after performances and will share more details on these in due course.

Tour supporters will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Japanese culture and traditions through an enticing programme of activities including workshops exploring Noh theatre, Kintsugi, calligraphy and much more. An overnight trip to Kanazawa provides the chance to see a more rural part of Japan and one of the country’s ‘Three Great Gardens’, before returning to the cultural hub of Tokyo.

We will kindly be requesting a donation of £8,000 per person to join the tour and this is in addition to the cost of the tour which is £13,750 per person for double occupancy (£16,650 for single occupancy) payable directly to Arts Abroad Ltd. You can see a full breakdown of what is included in the tour price in the itinerary (see link below).

Please note that the tour price does not include flights to allow supporters to make arrangements which suit their personal travel plans. We will be recommending some British Airways flights which myself, and other ROH staff will be travelling on should you wish to join us.

Please click here to see:
- Full itinerary and personal message from Kevin O’Hare
- Arts Abroad registration form
- Royal Opera House registration form

Thank you once again for considering supporting The Royal Ballet tour to Japan.  I do hope you are able to join us and for what promises to be a memorable and unique experience.

If you would like to reserve a place on the tour, please complete the ROH registration form and return it to me by email at lauren.bond@roh.org.uk no later than Monday 20^th February. Places are limited and early booking is recommended.

If you do have any questions, please contact me by replying to this email, or on 02072129436.

With best wishes,

Lauren
Lauren Bond
Philanthropy Manager

Edited February 3, 2023 by capybara

[Jan McNulty]

Gosh the overall price is a bit eye-watering!!

[Dawnstar]

More than a bit to my eyes. I've been going to the ROH for 19 years & I don't think I've spent even half that amount on tickets in the entire 19 years, let alone spending it in under 2 weeks! The RB must have some very well-off fans.

[jmhopton]

We only paid £25,000 for our 4 bedroomed house! Admittedly it was 1988 but couldn't imagine spending more on a 12 day holiday. I think I'd want Vadim as my personal tour guide for that price!

[FionaM]

I’m guessing a DIY version including flights (£1,200), hotel for 12 days at say £200/night and show tickets (say 10 at £150) amounts to £5,100 each and that doesn’t include any of the extras or expeditions, nor the £8,000 donation of course.   I’m guessing the hotels in the package are higher quality/cost.  
 

So maybe circa £16,000 isn’t so pricey when you consider what it includes.  Of course the donation is on top and is what helps to pay for the company tour.   Oh to win the lottery! 

[Guest oncnp]

If I've counted correctly, the ballet portion of the tour is

• Stage rehearsal x 2 (Gala, R&J)
• performance x 3 (1 Gala, 2 R&J)
• "private rehearsal" x 1
• class and supporters' ballet class x 1 
• 3 "optional" R&J 
• "In conversation" welcome dinner (with unspecified "members of the company")

A lot of interesting cultural things but not a lot of ballet 

Edited February 4, 2023 by oncnp

[zxDaveM]

9 hours ago, oncnp said:

If I've counted correctly, the ballet portion of the tour is

• Stage rehearsal x 2 (Gala, R&J)
• performance x 3 (1 Gala, 2 R&J)
• "private rehearsal" x 1
• class and supporters' ballet class x 1 
• 3 "optional" R&J 
• "In conversation" welcome dinner (with unspecified "members of the company")

A lot of interesting cultural things but not a lot of ballet 

 

Sounds a fab holiday though, if you have the spare cash (or your Euromillions numbers come up!)

[capybara]

12 hours ago, oncnp said:

If I've counted correctly, the ballet portion of the tour is

• Stage rehearsal x 2 (Gala, R&J)
• performance x 3 (1 Gala, 2 R&J)
• "private rehearsal" x 1
• class and supporters' ballet class x 1 
• 3 "optional" R&J 
• "In conversation" welcome dinner (with unspecified "members of the company")

A lot of interesting cultural things but not a lot of ballet 

 

I was in Madrid in 2018 under my own steam but I recall there being two 'ballet'/'contact with dancers' elements which may not be included this time: 1) a visit by one or more dancers to the tour hotel for an informal conversation; and 2) dancers accompanying the group on the tour of the Palace.

 

I think that there are forum members who were 'part of the action'. My information resulted mainly from bumping into dancers in the street or cafes!!!!!

[Scheherezade]

On 03/02/2023 at 15:45, capybara said:

So a total of £25,850 for a single traveller; £22,950 for each person in a couple.

whaaaaaat!!!

[Bruce Wall]

1 minute ago, Scheherezade said:

whaaaaaat!!!

 

Somehow I think it is a case of: 'If you have to ask .... DON'T.' 

[Emeralds]

For £22.9 K or £25K per person I’d be expecting to fly first class return, limo transfers, and a suite at the Imperial Hotel 😆 ....and top seats in the front row of their dress circle equivalent or the row with the best sightlines! 

[FionaM]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

For £22.9 K or £25K per person I’d be expecting to fly first class return, limo transfers, and a suite at the Imperial Hotel 😆 ....and top seats in the front row of their dress circle equivalent or the row with the best sightlines! 

I think we have to change our thinking … it is not meant to be value for money … it’s about sponsoring the tour with added bonus of special access events.  

[Suffolkgal]

I’d also expect to be offered the chance to be an extra!!!

[Guest oncnp]

1 minute ago, FionaE said:

I think we have to change our thinking … it is not meant to be value for money … it’s about sponsoring the tour with added bonus of special access events.  

I see your point but my question is why they planned a tour that, without sponsor support, could potentially lose money? And it makes even less sense to haul the entire company, sets, et al to Osaka for one R&J performance. 

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

For £22.9 K or £25K per person I’d be expecting to fly first class return, limo transfers, and a suite at the Imperial Hotel 😆 ....and top seats in the front row of their dress circle equivalent or the row with the best sightlines! 

And the rest …

[Dawnstar]

20 hours ago, oncnp said:

If I've counted correctly, the ballet portion of the tour is

• performance x 3 (1 Gala, 2 R&J)
• 3 "optional" R&J 

 

I'm amazed that the extremely high cost doesn't even include every R&J performance as standard!

[Emeralds]

36 minutes ago, FionaE said:

I think we have to change our thinking … it is not meant to be value for money … it’s about sponsoring the tour with added bonus of special access events.  

I agree it’s not meant to be value for money but to offer financial support. I was just quipping in jest that this would be what I would spend £22K on. 😃 I don’t actually spend that anywhere near that much on holidays....in fact, I hardly have holidays. 

 

36 minutes ago, Suffolkgal said:

I’d also expect to be offered the chance to be an extra!!!

You can do that in London without donations, Suffolkgal...you just have to appear in some productions to get your Equity card. There are acting agencies that take people on as extras and you don’t need 3 years of drama school, although some acting students and graduates do it to get opportunities to be on stage and get experience. You need to attend rehearsals (paid but not much) so it’s giving up the time that is the main thing.

 

32 minutes ago, oncnp said:

I don’t think the tour (if you mean the RB performances as opposed to the sightseeing events for supporters)  is going to lose money at all. The tours to Japan are popular and sell well as the RB is admired in Japan and they aren’t there often.

 

The Japanese cities also have huge populations with reliable and fast connections to suburbs and towns meaning there’s a huge number of people who could get to a show if they wished.....rather like the equivalent of the populations of Bristol, Portsmouth, Northampton, Dover, Southampton  all being able to commute easily into London and back home for one evening show, along with residents of Greater London and the nearby commuter hubs, and get home without worrying about strikes, cancellations or being stranded. I am very certain the Osaka show will sell out and prove highly profitable.

 

The sponsorship and events for U.K. supporters hoping to travel out are just an extra for any diehard fans, and I doubt they are expecting many to do it. It’s less hassle just to book flights and a hotel on a travel website and buy a few good tickets.  If you travel non direct (ie not a British or Japanese airline), for the time spent on an extra stopover you can save a few hundred pounds. But to me, flying long haul when you can see RB on home turf sounds an odd way to spend one’s money. 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

(I don’t know why oncnp’s words got erased in the quote there but was replying to the query about the Osaka R&J and the tour finances)

[Guest oncnp]

9 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I don’t think the tour (if you mean the RB performances as opposed to the sightseeing events for supporters)  is going to lose money at all. The tours to Japan are popular and sell well as the RB is admired in Japan and they aren’t there often. 

Basing these comments on Kevin O'Hare in the introductory letter stating "Without this [sponsor support] tours like this would simply not be possible...." which I am reading as revenue won't cover cost but I hope you are right

Edited February 4, 2023 by oncnp

[Suffolkgal]

I was only joshing about being an extra I’m happy just watching performance while working as I do for the NHS and doing amdram! I have always fancied being one of those courtiers who frock up and stand at the side, or remonstrate with the harlots in R and J. A couple I always noted in early ballet going days must have retired. On this thread I just  mused that on a tour like this they could save some dosh by recruiting some travelling audience members as extras! 

 

[capybara]

14 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I am very certain the Osaka show will sell out and prove highly profitable.

 

Undoubtedly. Fumi Kaneko is from Osaka, isn't she? And, although I might be mistaken as my Japanese is non-existent, it seems that readers of the Shinshokan Dance Magazine have voted Vadim Muntagirov their favourite dancer three years in succession.

[Naomi M]

For your information, the tickets for the Royal Ballet Tokyo performances have been on general booking starting on Friday.

 

Tickets for the Takada / Hirano performances are sold out. Also the Nunez/Bracewell performances are almost sold out and Lamb/ McRae performances are also selling well. 

Also the orchestra level seats are selling very well for all performances, except for the gala on Saturday evening where For Four and Prima have young casts.

 

Tokyo Bunka Kaikan where the Tokyo performances are held have fairy good sightlines on Orchestra level (rows 2-4 are not raked so I will not recommend but other rows have enough rakes with good sightlines). Level 2(Grand tier) and Level 3-5 are OK but quite far from the stage, and side balconies depend on how tall the person in front of you are. Usually the guests, VIPs and ADs are seated on row 20 so perhaps the tour participants might be seated around there. 

 

Osaka performance of Romeo and Juliet are not on sale yet but I suppose this will be sold out very quickly, as Fumi Kaneko is from Osaka and Vadim Muntagirov is very popular here, and this is the only performance in Osaka. 

[yumiko]

 

There is another performance in Himeji City on 8th July.

"The Royal Ballet Gala" is the programme.

 

https://himeji-culture.jp/hall_event/9410

Google translation icon is embedded.

From this site, you can see the top 3 priced tickets are all sold out.

 

Veune info. 2010 seating hall.

https://www.himeji-ccc.jp/en/

 

I think the organiser, Japan Performing Arts Foundation (known as NBS in Japan) covers Tokyo area.

The other performances in regional cities are organised by local council or another agency.

For Royal Ballet Japan tour in 2023, Osaka show - another agency, Himeji show - Local council.

I guess Royal Ballet has a touring package with just JPAF.

 

 

[Richard LH]

Sorry to note a cast change announcement by NBS  that due to injury Cesar Corrales won't be performing in the RB  Japan tour this Summer. Alex Campbell replaces him as Romeo. 

[Sim]

10 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Sorry to note a cast change announcement by NBS  that due to injury Cesar Corrales won't be performing in the RB  Japan tour this Summer. Alex Campbell replaces him as Romeo. 

Poor Cesar.  Apart from that one SB performance (I am so pleased I was there) he has been/will be off for the whole season.  He is so unlucky with injuries.  I do hope he has a full season for 23/24.