Royal Ballet Casting for Autumn 2023-24

[Rob S]

23 minutes ago, PeterS said:

 

 

Has Mayara Magri danced Kitri before with the Royal Ballet or will this be her debut? 

if yes, who has she partnered previously? 

thank you in advance

 

She was Kitri with Alexander Campbell when I went on my birthday in 2019.

Edited September 20, 2023 by Rob S

[Rob S]

34 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

This is an unusually detailed message about the reasons for a cast change,  and anticipated recovery etc....very welcome for concerned audience members. It would be nice if such explanations were the norm,   but I suppose this will depend on how much information the dancer concerned wishes to share publicly.

 

Or how popular the dancer is in this role

[Guest oncnp]

12 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Or how popular the dancer is in this role

Or if people have long memories 

 

[Mary]

A shame, but it will give Magri even more practice before the live screening,- the one that we think is also in front of the King (is that right or am I dreaming again....)

 

[alison]

Well, I wish Ms Osipova the best possible outcome, but I'm disappointed not to see her, of course.  I can't remember who, from my very limited bookings, I've booked for, but I have a feeling it may well have been Magri.

[FionaM]

Quite possibly the theatre themselves wish to avoid negative publicity from Natalia’s non-appearance. Many fans travel great distances to see her.  

[Beryl H]

I had been looking forward to seeing Natalia Osipova and Marcelino Sambe in DQ, Mayara Magri and Sambe should be great too. From experience I have booked to see Natalia Osipova again later in the run!

 

 

[alison]

Good idea.  I can't remember if I did or not, but I suspect not.

 

1 hour ago, Mary said:

A shame, but it will give Magri even more practice before the live screening,- the one that we think is also in front of the King (is that right or am I dreaming again....)

 

Weren't they supposed to be making an announcement about that a while ago?  (Assuming we're right, anyway)

[Rob S]

37 minutes ago, alison said:

Good idea.  I can't remember if I did or not, but I suspect not.

 

 

Weren't they supposed to be making an announcement about that a while ago?  (Assuming we're right, anyway)

 

Presumably it's yet to come.....or it was such exciting news I've forgotten it

[Paco]

This summer Mayara Magri has posted videos (on Instagram) of the DQ Pas de Deux in various galas where she has been dancing. What I have seen is extremely exciting and very promising for next October performances. Having also booked tickets for Osipova's November performances, I am glad to have the possibility to see Magri in October. With Sambé it will be thrilling!

Edited September 20, 2023 by Paco

[capybara]

On the In Praise of Osipova thread, there is a reference to her having her own show in Oman on the 8th November. This feels a bit too close to her 11th Nov Don Q for comfort.

[art_enthusiast]

4 hours ago, capybara said:

On the In Praise of Osipova thread, there is a reference to her having her own show in Oman on the 8th November. This feels a bit too close to her 11th Nov Don Q for comfort.

Oh no…

I’m wondering if lots of touring is always the best thing for them? Of course I understand that they want to do it, but if it potentially jeopardises performances…

[capybara]

51 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

Oh no…

I’m wondering if lots of touring is always the best thing for them? Of course I understand that they want to do it, but if it potentially jeopardises performances…

 

[Just to correct myself: the BCF thread is entitled In Celebration of Osipova.]

 

I have a feeling that part of the reason for the lengthy ROH explanation of Natalia's withdrawal from her first two Don Qs might have been connected with the fact that she has been, and will be, appearing elsewhere (and IIRC something similar has happened with her before).

 

Speculation apart, it is really interesting to read about her project:

https://www.mosaic-fest.com/aboutevent/natalia-osipova

 

I am sure that many in the audience on the 4th and 7th October will have booked specifically for Osipova in this role, but the upside of such substitutions is that lesser-known dancers (in this case Mayara Magri) are introduced to people who haven't booked for them but end up being seriously impressed and wanting to see them in other roles.

[Blossom]

Had booked to see Osipova on 4th and Magri on 7 November, so a little disappointed, especially as I feel that Kitri is one of the roles I should see her dance live.

However, Magri was my first choice having seen her dance at what I think was the Lausanne gala - and I am keen to see her with 2 different partners.

Still none the wiser as to what the big surprise is for 7 November's performance - pretty sure ROH had said we'd be informed 'in the coming weeks' which surely we have well passed...

 

 

[Guest oncnp]

 

37 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

I am sure that many in the audience on the 4th and 7th October will have booked specifically for Osipova in this role, but the upside of such substitutions is that lesser-known dancers (in this case Mayara Magri) are introduced to people who haven't booked for them but end up being seriously impressed and wanting to see them in other roles.

 

Or....like me, they are seriously annoyed and disappointed they are not seeing the person ( not Osipova for me) they spent all that time and money booking for. OK, the tube strike and the pouring rain didn't help (last run Swan Lake)

 

And I know a ticket is for a performance not a performer and this is always a possibility but a serious disappointment none the less 

[capybara]

56 minutes ago, oncnp said:

Or....like me, they are seriously annoyed and disappointed they are not seeing the person ( not Osipova for me) they spent all that time and money booking for.

I take that point entirely, of course and I have often been deeply disappointed myself.

 

However, there are ballet-goers who for various reasons including, understandably, the expense, do not appear to keep their minds open to the possibility that there are others just as good as the one they exclusively book to see.

 

I have mentioned before on here my having to persuade nearby patrons to stay when it was announced that Durante/Mukhamedov would replace Bussell/Solymosi. By the end of the show (Manon IIRC) they were completely blown away and speaking excitedly of booking to see the ‘replacements’ in another ballet.

[JNC]

I’m very disappointed but I suppose you can’t control these things, but I can’t make later dates and I missed Osipova last time, so will have to wait another 3-4 years again, and who knows if she’ll have a weekend performance then! 
 

having said that Magri is a very good replacement I think, and I’m sure she’ll be great. But given ticket prices I really did only want to see one performance and Osipova only. 

[Geoff]

6 hours ago, capybara said:

I have mentioned before on here my having to persuade nearby patrons to stay when it was announced that Durante/Mukhamedov would replace Bussell/Solymosi. By the end of the show (Manon IIRC) they were completely blown away and speaking excitedly of booking to see the ‘replacements’ in another ballet.

+1

[Silver Capricorn]

At the time when I bought tickets for Don Q, it was already known about Osipova's injury, so I bought a ticket for her on November 17th as a precaution.  I'll see if it works out.  My priority is still Nunez - Muntagirov, and I will see them twice.

[Richard LH]

From various IG posts, it seems  that Marco Masciari is performing as Sancho Panza to Christopher Saunders' Don Q, with Annette Buvoli as Dulcinea (so doubling up on her roles)!

[zxDaveM]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

From various IG posts, it seems  that Marco Masciari is performing as Sancho Panza to Christopher Saunders' Don Q, with Annette Buvoli as Dulcinea (so doubling up on her roles)!

 

I'm guessing quite a few of the dancers will double up on various roles. One of the joys a few years back, was seeing some of my favourite dancers turning up in the demi-soloist/solist roles in almost every performance I went to. Nowadays, as they are Principals, get to see them dance a lot, lot less sadly. Price of their fame and success to us punters.

[capybara]

Have I seen somewhere that Daichi Ikarashi is also cast as Sancho Panza, or I have dreamt that?

If correct, it will be well worth looking out for him as his Napoleon in Cinderella demonstrated what a wonderful character actor (as well as dancer) he is.

 

I know it would be nice to have more detailed casting in advance. But isn't it fun trying to piece it all together from hints and social media posts (as well as the Insight, of course).

[San Perregrino]

56 minutes ago, capybara said:

I know it would be nice to have more detailed casting in advance. But isn't it fun trying to piece it all together from hints and social media posts (as well as the Insight, of course).

 

i spoke to a RB dancer last night who said that he knows that he'll be dancing on opening night and what he’s dancing but beyond that it is anybody's guess what dates he’ll be onstage and what he’ll dance.

Edited September 22, 2023 by PeterS

[capybara]

Leticia Dias has revealed on social media that she will be Mercedes in the Kaneko/Bracewell cast. 😊

 

[Edited to add the performance dates in response to a request: 14th Oct mat; 3rd Nov.]

Edited September 22, 2023 by capybara

[Rob S]

Mariko Sasaki will be Queen of the Dryads according to her Instagram story 

[capybara]

I’ve just been looking at the dates for Don Q with a view to a bit of ‘rearranging’ and I’m shocked to find that some performances, including ones quite early in the run, have hundreds of unsold seats.

[Guest oncnp]

9 minutes ago, capybara said:

I’ve just been looking at the dates for Don Q with a view to a bit of ‘rearranging’ and I’m shocked to find that some performances, including ones quite early in the run, have hundreds of unsold seats.

 

Most of them in fact, except for Nuñez and Osipova/Magri.  

 

The Cellist is even worse at this point and Dante not exactly selling out either. 

[capybara]

1 hour ago, oncnp said:

Most of them in fact, except for Nuñez and Osipova/Magri.  

The Cellist is even worse at this point and Dante not exactly selling out either. 

 

There are male dancers involved too!

I would have expected the ballerina, the man and the partnership to be factors in people's decision-making but it seems not to be the case generally.

Maybe releasing the subsidiary casting (e.g. Espada, Mercedes and Queen of the Dryads) would help at this point?

 

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by capybara
Pressed 'go' accidentally before i had finished typing!

[Richard LH]

Looks like Sae Maeda and Sophie Allnatt will be dancing as Kitri's friends.

[TSR101]

55 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

There are male dancers involved too!

I would have expected the ballerina, the man and the partnership to be factors in people's decision-making but it seems not to be the case generally.

Maybe releasing the subsidiary casting (e.g. Espada, Mercedes and Queen of the Dryads) would help at this point?

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst ballet followers like those on this forum will follow individual dancers - this is rare beyond the perhaps two 'star names' Nunez or Osipova for almost all of the audience (Muntagirov is incredible but not sure he has Acosta style pulling power). I doubt very much releasing new names of the cast would make any difference at all. 

Ballet at the RB is expensive. A lot of people are struggling financially. Travel chaos makes plans difficult. RB marketing isn't very effective. These ballets aren't that popular - only Don Q has name recognition. (The Dante Project is also rubbish).... much more likely reasons for the low sales imo.  

[Guest oncnp]

Mayara Magri has confirmed on IG she will be ‘Mercedes’ on 30th of September, 16th and 19th of October -

[MildConcern]

11 hours ago, TSR101 said:

 

Ballet at the RB is expensive. A lot of people are struggling financially. Travel chaos makes plans difficult. RB marketing isn't very effective. These ballets aren't that popular - only Don Q has name recognition. (The Dante Project is also rubbish).... much more likely reasons for the low sales imo.  

Opera sales are struggling also.  Rheingold sold very well (as a new Ring Cycle production inevitably will) but both La Forza and L’elisir have swathes of unsold seats.

I am in my twenties and many of my theatre loving friends are feeling the cost of living and the ROH price increases have turned them away - rather sadly, I am attending largely on my own (or occasionally with my partner) this season…

[Lindsay]

Rheingold was also phenomenally expensive, even for Wagner.  Stalls seats were well over £300, way back in the amphi was in the high £100s and a few seats remained unsold close to the run (which I have never seen before for the Ring). The 'mostly listening' cheaper seats all sold out very early so the only option for most people was extortionate pricing.  Very disappointing.