Does the Royal Ballet's current leadership respect the past?

[FLOSS]

 Kevin has chosen to mark the centenary of Nijinska's Les Noces not by programming the work for revival during the course of the current season but by holding an extended insight event in the relative obscurity of the Clore studio where seating is limited. This decision and the lack of flair and imagination in the choice of repertory for the bulk of most seasons prompts the question , to what degree Kevin really follows de Valois' precepts when it comes to respecting the past?

 

De Valois' guiding principle when it came to choice of repertory and programming was that her company should respect the past, welcome the future but concentrate on the present. Of course things were no doubt easier in the early days of the company when, apart from the nineteenth century ballets which she had selected as a means of developing her company's technical and artistic standards and then maintaining them, there was not a great deal of old repertory to worry about. Just as importantly there was consensus among those at the top of the company about the importance and artistic utility for the development of the organisation of the works de Valois chose to describe as the "classics" and a willingness to swim against the prevailing artistic tide which at that time when it came to ballet expected and prized new works and new ideas.

 

I am not sure that programming revivals of MacMillan dram ballets to timetable;reviving a mere handful of Ashton's later works or treating the Nutcracker as a near annual fixture because it makes money really amounts to "respecting" the past. It seems more like an unimaginative bureaucratic approach to programming since it makes no attempt to expand the exposure of its audiences or dancers to the full range of the company's classically based repertory. A repertory which includes works created by its first three directors all of whom were choreographers as well as careful collectors of masterpieces which they expected would receive regular revivals for the benefit of the company's dancers and its would be choreographers and the aesthetic education of its audience.The current mix which this season includes  Don Q, a ballet which de Valois rejected when Nureyev offered to stage it for the company, and revivals of recent works by Marston, Wheeldon and McGregor may well suggest to some a company suffering from an overall lack of quality control by the artistic director rather than a company which is firing creatively on all cylinders.Let alone one which respects its own artistic past or that of ballet as an art form in the twentieth century  

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by FLOSS

[FionaM]

The planned Les Noces event sounds similar to me to the events held by the Ashton society.   These are indeed one way of respecting the past, as not all past creations remain interesting or relevant to today’s audiences, or not appropriate to the big stage, not attractive to donors, and maybe not to the dancers either. 
 

However I do agree with you that the Clore studio may not have sufficient space to accommodate the interest for this event.   The Linbury has better capacity.   Perhaps it will also be recorded.  

[capybara]

I take your point, @FLOSS but I don't want to see some of those older ballets - e.g. The Rake's Progress; Job and, yes, Les Noces . The fact that they bore me and others of my (older) generation does rather suggest that they might not pull in a more modern-thinking audience. In all walks of life, there are some things which simply have to be left in the past.

 

Therefore, I have to say I'm glad that Les Noces (the proper one) is not being revived by the RB but I do agree that Nijinska merits a larger scale celebration than that which the RB plans.

[Ondine]

Two quick thoughts.

 

I do wonder if the Les Noces centenary had actually been simply forgotten until rumblings of discontent brought it to the attention of Kevin O'Hare, at which point of course it was far too late to schedule and revive and rehearse and cast and stage it.  It isn't something can be thrown together quickly. It's not been in the rep for a considerable time. I'm not even sure who could stage it, Monica Mason has of course danced in it. Hence the nod in its direction with the Clore event,  which is better than nothing I suppose. Not great but something.

 

I think to do it justice would have meant a number of associated events and other revived works, audience education,  dancer education, exhibitions, publicity. Clearly other things were in the pipeline which couldn't be dropped.

 

Nutcracker. I think the chance for the students from White Lodge and Upper School to dance plays a major part in why it re-appears year after year. Those students don't actually get many performance opportunities with the company, especially White Lodgers.

 

Coppelia and Alice have both been tried but I suspect again, there were rumblings of discontent. So it's become the annual tradition. It's not actually a bad one IMO.  Yes bums on seats, but also audience building and many roles for company members.

 

I'm mentally processing the rest of your post @FLOSS

 

 

 

 

[Benjamin]

11 minutes ago, Ondine said:

Two quick thoughts.

 

I do wonder if the Les Noces centenary had actually been simply forgotten until rumblings of discontent brought it to the attention of Kevin O'Hare, at which point of course it was far too late to schedule and revive and rehearse and cast and stage it.  It isn't something can be thrown together quickly. It's not been in the rep for a considerable time. I'm not even sure who could stage it, Monica Mason has of course danced in it. Hence the nod in its direction with the Clore event,  which is better than nothing I suppose. Not great but something.

 

I think to do it justice would have meant a number of associated events and other revived works, audience education,  dancer education, exhibitions, publicity. Clearly other things were in the pipeline which couldn't be dropped.

 

Nutcracker. I think the chance for the students from White Lodge and Upper School to dance plays a major part in why it re-appears year after year. Those students don't actually get many performance opportunities with the company, especially White Lodgers.

 

Coppelia and Alice have both been tried but I suspect again, there were rumblings of discontent. So it's become the annual tradition. It's not actually a bad one IMO.  Yes bums on seats, but also audience building and many roles for company members.

 

I'm mentally processing the rest of your post @FLOSS

 

 

 

 

Though it is a great opportunity for RBS students but wouldn’t the company’s dancers get tired with over 25 performances of the Nutcracker every season? I hope they don’t because that would be horrible. I’m pretty sure the main reason is that it’s a guaranteed ticket seller unlike even some other classics ie Cinderella which wasn’t a sell out.

[Sophoife]

2 hours ago, Benjamin said:

wouldn’t the company’s dancers get tired with over 25 performances of the Nutcracker every season?

 

They'd be on their knees praising Providence they're not in an American company in that case @Benjamin😂

 

NYCB 48, ABT 12, SFB 31, PNB 37, Colorado 28, Ballet West 24...

 

Not to mention AusBallet's new/old Swan Lake which premiered last week will have been performed 53 times by Christmas. With an intervening Ashton season.

[Anna C]

Personally, I don’t have a problem with Nutcracker at Christmas; it’s a guaranteed money maker and - in our house, certainly - is a Christmas tradition (even though we’ve done ENB 3 times and BRB at the RAH, the ROH/SPW is dd’s firm favourite).  However, I would love something like Les Patineurs/Winter Dreams scattered among the “Nuts” or after Christmas, for a change, and for those of us who can only tolerate so many sugar plums before getting toothache!

 

Likewise I adore MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, and Manon (and admire, rather than “love” Mayerling), so don’t mind Sir Kenneth’s “Big three” in strict rotation.

 

My major gripe is too much McGregor and nowhere NEAR enough Ashton.  (I’d also like more regular Balanchine and Robbins, but that’s off-topic).  And, like Floss, I’m baffled by the centenaries and anniversaries of ballets and choreographers that seem to come and go, marked by a whimper rather than a bang, with revivals of recent works within short time periods, while we have to wait an eternity for other ballets to be revived.  
 

I’ve lost count of the amount of times that the ROH put clips of things like “Fille” on their social media channels, which invariably draw pleas of “We need Fille back at the ROH, please!” without any response.  Makes me wonder if the ROH actually reads comments?

[Ondine]

3 hours ago, Benjamin said:

wouldn’t the company’s dancers get tired with over 25 performances of the Nutcracker every season?

 

I suspect the corps get tired, I think the snowflake scene is what is technically, in ballet terms, known as knackering.

 

As for the rest, roles appear to be fairly well shared out, with great choreography for principals, soloists, character artists, small group dances as well as Sugar Plum and her prince.   It's a great chance for many to shine. 

 

 

 

 

[Ondine]

6 minutes ago, Anna C said:

with revivals of recent works within short time periods

 

That's because those are easy to revive, many company dancers who know the roles already and people who can rehearse them without too much work and trouble researching!

[Sim]

Just now, Anna C said:

I’ve lost count of the amount of times that the ROH put clips of things like “Fille” on their social media channels, which invariably draw pleas of “We need Fille back at the ROH, please!” without any response.  Makes me wonder if the ROH actually reads comments?

They might read them, Anna, but they seem to ignore the ones that are a bit uncomfortable.  I am one of those people who always asks 'when are we going to see Fille again' and I never get an answer.  This gorgeous ballet turned 60 in 2020, and absolutely nothing has been done to commemorate it.  OK, they couldn't show it in its birthday year because of the pandemic, but since then....nothing.  I hear rumours that they are scared to perform it these days in case they 'offend' anyone.  Other European cities are performing it with no problems at all, as did we until relatively recently.  All of a sudden, after 60 years, the ballet might offend people.  The Ashton celebration next year would have been a wonderful opportunity to perform the ballet again, to celebrate both Ashton's genius and its 60th....but nothing.  All these missed opportunities are making me believe that the rumours might be true.  How I pray to the ballet gods that they are not.  

[Dawnstar]

3 hours ago, capybara said:

I take your point, @FLOSS but I don't want to see some of those older ballets - e.g. The Rake's Progress; Job and, yes, Les Noces . The fact that they bore me and others of my (older) generation does rather suggest that they might not pull in a more modern-thinking audience.

 

I think I'm probably quite a bit younger than you @capybara (I hope that doesn't sound rude) but I would definitely like to see The Rake's Progress & Job, plus other de Valois works such as Checkmate & The Gods Go A-Begging. I'm not sure about Les Noces but I'd like to see Le Train Bleu & Les Biches. I might not enjoy all/any of these works but unless we can see them then how will I, or anyone else either too young or too lately come to ballet watching to have seen them, know if we like them & want to see them continue to be performed or not?

Edited September 23, 2023 by Dawnstar
Typo

[bridiem]

6 minutes ago, Ondine said:

 

That's because those are easy to revive, many company dancers who know the roles already and people who can rehearse them without too much work and trouble researching!

 

And because it makes it look as if the new works being commissioned are worth revival (even if they're not).

[LACAD]

I’d say many from my generation and younger (I was born in the end of the nineties) would love to see an evening of work — or even just the most famous work — from a radical, inventive, pioneering woman who’s been rather forgotten in the past few decades. Look at the success of the recent Hilma Af Klint exhibition for example. Especially considering the efforts to try and present more work choreographed by women. 
 

As for other past works, I feel the Royal does manage to keep somewhat of a balance, but there’s a tendancy to present the same works over and over. As if it’s only a specific part of the historical rep they want to revisit. Could we perhaps have revivals of shorter MacMillan dramas in a bill rather than one of the ‘Big Three’? 

[Mary]

I don't agree that Les Noces is boring.

Done well it is rather compelling.  I don't want to see it every year, but certainly it is due for a revival. If programmed with suitable other works - as it used to be not so very long ago -it can work well and look strikingly modern, in my view, with that rather terrifying music and atmosphere.

 

What is boring is the same things being on all the time.

 

[Pas de Quatre]

What about the Antony Tudor ballets? Shadowplay, Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies & Gala Performance, just to name a few. Magnificent ballets that seem to have been lost in UK.

[Linnzi5]

Do the current leadership at RB respect the past? Hmmm. I don't really care, to be honest. We've survived a pandemic and all associated economic hardships (as well as those not caused by Covid-19) and RB has to survive. At the end of the day, there has to be a balance between putting bums on seats - I.e. Nutcracker (nothing quite sells the way it does and it's a moneymaker  - I mean, the RB has to make money to support itself) and artistic direction. Nutcracker is a tradition for me and most performances are already sold out - it's a commercial success and I'm glad it is, for the sake of RB. I love the 'classics' and enjoy Ashton, MacMillan and some more modern works too. So do I care if Nijinska isn't recognised in a bigger way? Nope, because, if celebrated on a bigger scale, would it be a commercial success? Kevin O'Hare has to ensure that the RB does as financially well as it can and that has to mean popular, crowd-pleasing ballets are scheduled, as well as more 'progressive' ones (whether I personally like those or not). I don't think the public would buy tickets for lesser known 'old' and unfamiliar ballets on a large scale and for me, it's about RB surviving. I like the mix of old and new - yes, I agree with there being a little bit too much of certain resident choreographers for my taste, but that is my opinion. My only gripe is lack of Fille - it is such a charming, feel good, delightful ballet and I love it - it is so disappointing that it's being ignored and I don't understand why and hope the rumours of it being 'not politically correct' are incorrect, because, really? 🙄

[zxDaveM]

For new works, I get the impression that they get two runs within 18-24 months 'in the contract' (that is, the opening run, and then one in the next season or so). This is just me reading between the lines, and experiencing new works and their second runs. They have to be REALLY unpopular not to get that second run or the first run was to commemorate something (the Titian works back in 2012 for example). If they prove to be a hit (e.g. Alice in Wonderland, Woolf Works, Winter's Tale) then we get more than 2 runs.

As for Nutcracker at Christmas - that's a gimme surely. Every year I intend to 'only go to a couple' - but once again this year, end up at loads, and cursing I'm missing out on some casts! In fact, I think I'm going to as many 'Nuts' as the other 3 main stage productions put together! That wasn't plan A for sure. But do agree it would be nice for a mixed bill to dilute the numbers a bit, and to add some variety...

[Tango Dancer]

25 minutes ago, Linnzi5 said:

Do the current leadership at RB respect the past? Hmmm. I don't really care, to be honest. We've survived a pandemic and all associated economic hardships (as well as those not caused by Covid-19) and RB has to survive. At the end of the day, there has to be a balance between putting bums on seats - I.e. Nutcracker (nothing quite sells the way it does and it's a moneymaker  - I mean, the RB has to make money to support itself) and artistic direction. 

 

I would agree.  Ballet companies need to be solvent.  Nutcracker (love it or hate it) makes money and allows companies to fund the more unusual and potentially less popular things.  I completely get why RB runs it every year because it's something people love.  It's most peoples' first ballet and it's the one people recognise and want to bring their children to.    

 

I'd love to see more Ashton (especially Fille) and more of the earlier works at RB and think they do a bit much Wayne McGregor (whose choreography does nothing for me in the main).  But it's a difficult balancing act for RB. There's no way they can please everyone.  

 

I'm not massively keen on modern ballet offerings (I thought ENB's Creature was a waste of time) although sometimes it surprises me (I loved NB's Generations). So I think a mixture is quite good.    

Edited September 23, 2023 by Tango Dancer

[Don Q Fan]

Definitely agree we need to see more Ashton. I thought after the (albeit still ongoing) pandemic Fille would have been the perfect happy ballet to stage to cheer us all up. ( @Sim i don't understand what could possibly be offensive in Fille? Or am I being thick?!)

Likewise Onegin loved by dancers and audiences alike yet KOH is slow to restage it, yet again! Infuriating. I hope the fact it's a Russian story doesn't preclude it being revived because of what's going on in the real world viz a viz Ukraine. If so what a sad state of affairs. 

I'd like to see some more Balanchine as well. 

I wonder do the dancers get asked for input as to what a season's rep should include? 

 

[ninamargaret]

1 hour ago, Pas de Quatre said:

What about the Antony Tudor ballets? Shadowplay, Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies & Gala Performance, just to name a few. Magnificent ballets that seem to have been lost in UK.

Totally agree about those you have named. I'd also love to see Les Noces and Les Biches ( a bit academic as I can't attend performances now) and I could, like any elderly ballet goer list many other ballets that I think should be seen. I suppose the problem is that to mount revivals of these is expensive,  and in harsh economic terms unlikely to be worth it. We all know how ballets that are unknown to the general public are difficult to sell and obviously the ROH is cautious about adding to its precarious financial state. Don't know what the answer is - just glad I'm not Kevin!

[AnneMarriott]

13 minutes ago, Don Q Fan said:

Definitely agree we need to see more Ashton. I thought after the (albeit still ongoing) pandemic Fille would have been the perfect happy ballet to stage to cheer us all up. ( @Sim i don't understand what could possibly be offensive in Fille? Or am I being thick?!)

Likewise Onegin loved by dancers and audiences alike yet KOH is slow to restage it, yet again! Infuriating. I hope the fact it's a Russian story doesn't preclude it being revived because of what's going on in the real world viz a viz Ukraine. If so what a sad state of affairs. 

I'd like to see some more Balanchine as well. 

I wonder do the dancers get asked for input as to what a season's rep should include? 

 

The problem with Fille is that the character of Alain could be taken as showing disrespect for people with learning difficulties.  Recent performances do seem to have over-egged his clumsiness and lack of self-awareness, which I think reflects a modern tendency to coarsen characterisation viz. the stepsisters in Ashton's Cinderella.  As far as Onegin is concerned, the owner of the rights to this piece has apparently specified rather strict conditions of performance which may explain why the RB has not put it on recently.

 

 

[capybara]

8 minutes ago, AnneMarriott said:

 

“the owner of the rights has apparently specified rather strict conditions of performance”

The RB mounted Onegin in early 2020 - so not unduly long ago.

And those “strict conditions of performance” relate to what? I very much doubt that there are any stipulations which the RB couldn’t meet.

Edited September 23, 2023 by capybara

[Benjamin]

I definitely agree with more Ashton, he was the founding choreographer and probably more De Valois as she was the founder. Personally I would love to see some more work by some international modern ballet/dance choreographers, I know that’s a big ask but I’m a bit tired of all the male, British, modern dance choreographers of the world. There so many amazing artists out there! I understand why it doesn’t happen/ isn’t practical, but I still think that would be wonderful.

[MAB]

If we are looking over our shoulders, I would like to see more ballets of any stripe.  Not sure if my aging memory is at fault but as the years roll by it seems the number of ballets performed each year diminishes.

 

Fille fans should consider getting together, hiring a coach and popping over to Paris, they dance it extremely well and seem to really enjoy it.

[alison]

6 hours ago, Linnzi5 said:

I don't really care, to be honest. We've survived a pandemic and all associated economic hardships (as well as those not caused by Covid-19) and RB has to survive. At the end of the day, there has to be a balance between putting bums on seats - I.e. Nutcracker (nothing quite sells the way it does and it's a moneymaker  - I mean, the RB has to make money to support itself) and artistic direction.

 

Well, yes, I take your point, Linnzi5, but this has been going on before the pandemic, when the financial situation wasn't nearly as pressing.

 

But yes, regardless of the quality of the current state of the company, I must admit that boredom is starting to settle in.  I almost can't believe it, so short a time after lockdown - and of course the exorbitant prices of the formerly cheap seats haven't helped - but I'm finding it hard to care that I've booked so few tickets so far this season.  Only 2 for Don Q - and one presumably to be sacrificed to the rail strike, at that? :shrug:   Not even bothering to book at all for certain programmes? :shrug:  "Oh well, it's only Don Quixote / Nutcracker / Swan Lake ... - hardly vital"  It's all getting rather stale, to my mind - and I'd rather save my limited funds for the less-frequently performed works.  What's bugging me more is that there's so little alternative ballet around without having to travel significantly.  Maybe I should take up crochet or something ...

[AnneMarriott]

8 hours ago, capybara said:

The RB mounted Onegin in early 2020 - so not unduly long ago.

And those “strict conditions of performance” relate to what? I very much doubt that there are any stipulations which the RB couldn’t meet.

Of course the RB could meet any stipulations but may not wish to do so.  It may no longer be the case but apparently in the past if a company wanted to put on Onegin they had to commit to doing so for more than one run within a given period.

[jm365]

The rights owners of Onegin in the past also had a veto over some casting decisions.  Everyone had to be approved by them.  I don't know if this is still the case.

[Lizbie1]

On the bright side... maybe this season's hated price increases will create headroom for some more interesting programming.

 

Which leads me to ask: would people posting here - I'm not interested in second guessing the general public - be prepared to pay Swan Lake prices for a bill reviving some of the older RB works mentioned? I would!

[Lizbie1]

I don't know why we've got onto the subject of Onegin. I know people love it and the RB do it well but it can't be counted as an RB "heritage work".

[LinMM]

The annoying thing about Fille not being performed is although in theory I could go to Paris …and yes it might be fun to hire a coach to go and see it there…but there are so many RB dancers I want to see in certain roles at the moment ….including Alain! 

I think if he was played as a sort of shy ..bit of a loner ..more misfit and just toning down trying to make him look merely “stupid” it really could work okay. That aspect seems to come out in the flute scene before the thunderstorm! Why not make it a surprise surprise …that Alain turns out to be best on the flute not the worst!! 
 

I think it would be nice to see some of the RB’s earlier works especially Tudor ballets but not sure how it could be done …perhaps the Linbury and main stage sharing different works? I’m sure there is enough to capture the publics interest …as for the vast majority of the public these would be “new works” 

I have seen Les Noces once since I read Fokine’s book back in 1982-3 so was very keen to see it at one point but I can’t remember now where I saw it!

Did Festival Ballet dance a version does anybody know?….or maybe it was the Royal but doesn’t seem very recently. 
I don’t think money should be the driver of everything in the Arts though. 
Of course Companies etc have to survive but I hope, at least, a balance can be struck between the Nutcracker “bums on seats”  approach (and I do love the Nutcracker!) and developing new works and also sometimes exploring old ones. 

 

[Lizbie1]

9 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I think it would be nice to see some of the RB’s earlier works especially Tudor ballets but not sure how it could be done …

 

Are they RB or Rambert? I had thought the latter for the most part. I've often thought ENB could be filling that particular void.

[Tango Dancer]

7 minutes ago, LinMM said:

The annoying thing about Fille not being performed is although in theory I could go to Paris …and yes it might be fun to hire a coach to go and see it there…but there are so many RB dancers I want to see in certain roles at the moment ….including Alain! 

I think if he was played as a sort of shy ..bit of a loner ..more misfit and just toning down trying to make him look merely “stupid” it really could work okay. That aspect seems to come out in the flute scene before the thunderstorm! Why not make it a surprise surprise …that Alain turns out to be best on the flute not the worst!! 

 

 

Yeah I never saw Alain as being someone with learning difficulties.  I just thought he was eccentric and someone who walked to the beat of his own drummer.  It wasn't like he was particularly interested in Lise and he seemed happy at the end to have his umbrella and a happy life.  I mean I grew up in small towns and villages and most of them had an eccentric loner who had not much interest in women.  

[AnneMarriott]

1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

I don't know why we've got onto the subject of Onegin. I know people love it and the RB do it well but it can't be counted as an RB "heritage work".

My fault I think - apologies.  I was prompted by Don Q Fan's suggestion above that Cranko's Onegin, a Russian story, may be a victim of the situation in Ukraine.  I wanted to point out that there are other considerations than artistic choices or financial constraints, not to mention political sensitivities, to explain the inclusion or omission of pieces from a company's programmes.