RB Casting - SPRING BOOKING PERIOD 2024

[art_enthusiast]

19 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 Before they came back they had to have their other knee stress tested because once one ACL has gone the other one is more prone to go too.

 

Why is that exactly?

[art_enthusiast]

5 hours ago, Ondine said:

And Mr Sissens, onwards and upwards!!

 

Indeed, I had a hunch that he would be cast and I'm so pleased for him and Mariko. I think they are both principal material. I'm sure they will be brilliant, they are a must see for me (along with Akane who I missed last time).

[Jan McNulty]

2 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

Why is that exactly?

 

Because, once one has gone the other leg is having to work much harder so presumably it becomes more vulnerable.

 

 

[Candleque]

55 minutes ago, oncnp said:

or Calvert/Campbell

Ok I know they don't usually dance together, but how great would this be to let them have an uber romantic show as onstage partners  🤍 🦢 🤍

[alison]

Has the ROH stopped producing those nice, convenient PDFs with the scheduled casting on them?

[RuthE]

59 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Ok I know they don't usually dance together, but how great would this be to let them have an uber romantic show as onstage partners  🤍 🦢 🤍

She’s a little tall for him as a classical ballet partner… though that doesn’t seem to have put the RB off a few other pairings lately.

[Emeralds]

2 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Takada is not cast to dance Nutcracker for another two months, so I am still keeping fingers crossed for her recovery by January. Without knowledge of her specific problem (she doesn't communicate through social media like McRae does) we don't have any idea of her  possible  return date.

I too am hoping it wasn't serious enough to rule out returning for Nutcracker or Dante Project (which she created a role in) but didn't want to tempt fate by assuming she'd be back! Actually I thought I would see Akane Takada and Benjamin Ella at the first night of his ballet at the Linbury but I didn't see them out front in the foyer (of course, there's always backstage which I couldn't see) but I did see Steven McRae walking around out in the foyer. (Again, won't say more so as not to tempt fate!) 

[Richard LH]

8 hours ago, oncnp said:

 

or Calvert/Campbell or Campbell/Campbell (unless he's going to be dancing with Takada) 

Takada/Hay would also be lovely, as per the last run of The Sleeping Beauty.....

[bangorballetboy]

7 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Actually I thought I would see… Benjamin Ella at the first night of his ballet at the Linbury but I didn't see them out front in the foyer 

 
unfortunately Ella wasn’t able to attend the first night due to illness but he was there last night

[Guest oncnp]

9 hours ago, alison said:

Has the ROH stopped producing those nice, convenient PDFs with the scheduled casting on them?

Based on the formatting, that is what @capybara so kindly quoted from. 

 

If it's the document you want, again if pattterns hold, it will be included in the Friend's newsletter tomorrow. I'll send you a copy

Edited November 2, 2023 by oncnp

[Jamesrhblack]

9 hours ago, RuthE said:

She’s a little tall for him as a classical ballet partner… though that doesn’t seem to have put the RB off a few other pairings lately.

Did Alexander Campbell say on an engagement interview when asked whether they would be dancing together words to the effect that he didn’t think Cuban heels were allowed in ballet.

 

I’m baffled, yet again, that he hasn’t been cast as Siegfried, unless he is cast with Takada should McRae still be out. 

[Lynette H]

The Swan Lake live cinema screening is given on the ROH website as Wed 24 April 7:15pm . Encore Sun 28th 2pm.  So that should be Naghdi / Ball. A cheaper option than being there in person, if that affects your booking plans.....

[capybara]

 

9 minutes ago, oncnp said:

Based on the formatting, that is what @capybara so kindly quoted from. 

Yes - it was. I converted it to WORD but some of the resulting spacing remained resolutely wonky.

 

In the end, I decided that it would be a bonus for World Ballet Day for everyone to see the list, whatever the layout.

 

(I did go back to the original to check that I had not lost the ‘missing’ dancers in the conversion!)

[alison]

12 minutes ago, Lynette H said:

The Swan Lake live cinema screening is given on the ROH website as Wed 24 April 7:15pm . Encore Sun 28th 2pm.  So that should be Naghdi / Ball. 

 

I assumed it would be, since Naghdi as Odette features prominently on the cinema flyer (which, I happened to notice, was displayed at the ROH the other night. Not entirely paperless, then). 

[Guest oncnp]

Dates for Spring booking

• General: 11 January 2024, 9am
• Young ROH: 10 January 2024, 9am
• Friends: 12 December 2023, 9am
• Young Friends: 12 December 2023, 9am
• Friends+: 7 December 2023, 9am
• Supporting Friends: 6 December 2023, 9am
• Premium 1 Friends: 30 November 2023, 9am
• Premium 2 Friends: 29 November 2023, 9am

[LinMM]

Well that gives me plenty of time to do a lot of mind making up!! 
Am really pleased to see Corrales is back dancing but can only afford two sitting performances and feel I will have to give Joe Sissens debut preference as no. 1 priority. 
I haven’t seen Hayward in this role and would love to see her with Bracewell but BOTH those performances are on a Saturday evening so not so good for me so  might need to do some extra weeding on the allotment to get to see her!   Then there’s Kaneko/Muntagirov!! 
Hopefully can catch Naghdi in the cinema relay in this instance but looks like I will be looking for last minute standing places for some performances. 

[ellyb]

17 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

Praying to all the ballet gods that it might be Melissa Hamilton! (Slim chance I know.)

Or if not, Annette Buvoli? As she's doing the SPF with him in January.

Would definitely book Hamilton, she's woefully underused at RB for some reason. 

[FionaM]

If there is another debut cast in the June run, I’d be looking for Calvin Richardson or David Donnelly as Siegfried, before Nicol Edmonds.   Lukas BB might be interesting too.   
 

For O/O, Annette Buvoli would be my top pick.  Others are Leticia Dias, Melissa Hamilton or Yuhui Choe. All are usually ‘big swans’ and could do more. There are quite a few amongst the artists ranks that would be interesting to see but I suppose it’s too soon for them.  

[FionaM]

And of course there is the enhanced Benno role and the two princess sisters in this production which give many soloists and artists a chance to do more.  I’m remembering that the cast of these roles in the first performance of this production were all principals.  

[capybara]

10 hours ago, FionaM said:

And of course there is the enhanced Benno role …….. in this production

Unfortunately, although it does offer a great opportunity for a younger dancer and there would seem to be some obvious candidates for debuts.

 

10 hours ago, FionaM said:

If there is another debut cast in the June run, I’d be looking for Calvin Richardson or David Donnelly as Siegfried, before Nicol Edmonds.   Lukas BB might be interesting too.     

I mentioned Nicol Edmunds up thread as he debuted with Claire Calvert in the last run.

[bridiem]

I would love to see Annette Buvoli as O/O.

[zxDaveM]

53 minutes ago, bridiem said:

I would love to see Annette Buvoli as O/O.

 

ditto

[Guest oncnp]

On 01/11/2023 at 20:08, alison said:

Has the ROH stopped producing those nice, convenient PDFs with the scheduled casting on them?

as promised

 94badfa8-6410-41bc-9dad-1755950edfad.pdf (app-us1.com)

Edited November 3, 2023 by oncnp

[Candleque]

Thanks to @capybara + @oncnp for the casting info 🙏.

Stray question: Opening night I know is designated as the 'first cast' and is a mark of hierarchy/respect for those principals. After that, does it make any difference really (as far as prestige) in the RB as to who is 2nd, 3rd, 4th cast, etc. Or is it just a scheduling thing to allow guesting opportunities or whatever?

[capybara]

15 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Thanks to @capybara + @oncnp for the casting info 🙏.

Stray question: Opening night I know is designated as the 'first cast' and is a mark of hierarchy/respect for those principals. After that, does it make any difference really (as far as prestige) in the RB as to who is 2nd, 3rd, 4th cast, etc. Or is it just a scheduling thing to allow guesting opportunities or whatever?

Lists exist within companies which imply a hierarchy even if that is not intended. Also, I have heard dancers say, for example, “I’m only 4th cast for Swan Lake” so the order does seem to mean something to them, especially if they are not scheduled to dance for weeks after opening night.

 

But we (the audience) have our own views anyway! And one thing’s for sure, the last partnership listed on the RB’s Swan Lake casting is not going to be the 9th best - possibly the complete reverse.

 

[OnePigeon]

That’s interesting, I know it used to be the case where there was a hierarchy - hence the shock and disrespect Lynn Seymour felt at being bumped down the Juliet cast from first to fifth (or thereabouts).  Am I correct in thinking that it’s generally Nunez/Muntagirov who dance the opening night, with Osipova/Clarke often dancing towards the end of the run?  It seems they start and close with their most senior/popular principals, which makes sense, but I’m not sure how it works in between as they seem to vary partnerships and their placing within the different programs.

 

Is it me, or does anyone else feel that Mayara Magri is being given a lot more opportunities lately?  If the casting hierarchy theory is correct, she’s now second cast for Swan Lake (no judgement on it, just an observation.)

[bangorballetboy]

9 hours ago, Candleque said:

Opening night I know is designated as the 'first cast'

To some people… Personally, I prefer “first night cast”.

[bridiem]

10 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

That’s interesting, I know it used to be the case where there was a hierarchy - hence the shock and disrespect Lynn Seymour felt at being bumped down the Juliet cast from first to fifth (or thereabouts).  Am I correct in thinking that it’s generally Nunez/Muntagirov who dance the opening night, with Osipova/Clarke often dancing towards the end of the run?  It seems they start and close with their most senior/popular principals, which makes sense, but I’m not sure how it works in between as they seem to vary partnerships and their placing within the different programs.

 

Is it me, or does anyone else feel that Mayara Magri is being given a lot more opportunities lately?  If the casting hierarchy theory is correct, she’s now second cast for Swan Lake (no judgement on it, just an observation.)

 

I think the first night cast does have some significance (and the live screening cast), but after that I really don't see a hierarchy in the order of most castings nowadays (or in the order of the SL castings above). But yes, Magri is getting lots of opportunities.

[bridiem]

8 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

To some people… Personally, I prefer “first night cast”.

 

Me too, though for new creations I think 'first cast' is right.

[Fonty]

The critics usually turn up for the first night, so that is the dancer that gets the publicity.  Unless they have a preference for another dancer, or the publication they are writing for has very deep pockets.  I do miss the days when at least two different casts got reviewed, and/or a debut as well as an established dancer.  

 

Why is Campbell used so little?  I know he isn't as tall as some of the other males, but he isn't a midget.  I don't get the impression that all the ladies are very tall these days, surely there are one or two who are on the petite side?  

[bridiem]

1 minute ago, Fonty said:

Why is Campbell used so little?  I know he isn't as tall as some of the other males, but he isn't a midget.  I don't get the impression that all the ladies are very tall these days, surely there are one or two who are on the petite side?  

 

Quite. Unsurprising that he's now producing dance/theatre in the Linbury, presenting World Ballet Day, teaching, etc. His actual performances are very (very) few and far between. It must be very difficult to maintain both fitness and motivation in such a situation.

[Guest oncnp]

3 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

Quite. Unsurprising that he's now producing dance/theatre in the Linbury, presenting World Ballet Day, teaching, etc. His actual performances are very (very) few and far between. It must be very difficult to maintain both fitness and motivation in such a situation.

And he and Ms Calvert are also part owners of a dance studio (with expansion plans) and of course now have Ms Isla Rose.

 

He is getting his Nutcrackers and 6 Manons (2 x DG, 4 x Lescault) but no (announced) SL. 

[capybara]

3 hours ago, OnePigeon said:

Is it me, or does anyone else feel that Mayara Magri is being given a lot more opportunities lately?  If the casting hierarchy theory is correct, she’s now second cast for Swan Lake (no judgement on it, just an observation.)

 

I think I observed on another thread that Mayara was being used significantly more than other female Principals (including a one-off Mercedes on the opening night of DQ (why?) and the DQ cinema relay as Kitri). And, looking from the outside, that doesn't seem fair to other dancers and does make one wonder about the factors which come into play in casting.

 

But to follow up on what I said earlier on this thread about each one of us having our personal hierarchies, mine has others 'above' Mayara no matter how often she performs.