When will the MacMillan bill casting finally come out?

[The Sitter In]

ROH Patrons and super Friends have had to book without casting and still no sign of it for lesser Friends.

Is this a first?  If so, it is worrying.  Surely someone MUST know, so why the secrecy?

For the RB/ROH to state (as they seem to have been doing) “well, it doesn’t matter because the company is so good” is not to accept that some patrons might just possibly want to see some dancers and not others.  I can think of several dancers who I wouldn’t want to see in the lead roles of Requiem…

Shame on the ROH/RB management…

[alison]

Not to mention that some people will be booking more than one performance, and may want to know when the different casts are on so they don't duplicate them.

[Lizbie1]

I suppose it's partly because none of these works has been performed recently and they might not have started rehearsals yet. I don't know who's staging them but could it be that the MacMillan estate wants to have a good look at some dancers first?

 

On the whole the RB is exceptionally good at providing advance casting for lead roles. I can't really be angry at this delay (frustrated, yes!) because most other companies would be nowhere near publishing casts at this stage.

[Beryl H]

Although I didn't like it much before, I want to see Different Drummer again, probably twice, they have 1 week to decide before the Friends Booking on 12th December, didn't realise it was so close!

 

 

 

[Pulcinella]

At the very least surely they could say Cast 1 and Cast 2 so that people could book for different casts.

[San Perregrino]

4 hours ago, The Sitter In said:

Surely someone MUST know, so why the secrecy?

The performance dates are several months away so, as has been suggested upthread, rehearsals may not have begun nor casting finalised yet. It’s not as if these ballets were danced recently and so the ‘field’ is wide open for casting opportunities, more so than the established ballets we regularly see on rotation.

We are so used to the RB publishing casting months ahead that we take it for granted and we have come to expect it but it is not a given.

 

4 hours ago, The Sitter In said:

Shame on the ROH/RB management…

Hardly

[TSR101]

I agree that it is likely that they simply have not cast the roles and therefore can't tell us - it does rather undermine the purpose of pre-booking periods though (some of the leads have done it before inc some of their biggest sellers like Nunez so they could potentially have released some and others as TBC). I imagine there will be slow sales for this ballet (I won't be buying until the casts are out) particularly as they aren't that well known. 

[bridiem]

I'm sure that the works are well known to the person/people who programmed them, so it should be possible to cast at least a few main roles in advance. Tickets are too expensive now for regular audiences to be willing to take pot luck with casting.

[capybara]

I don’t expect that management fully understands that, even for a triple bill of this kind, casting is crucial where some sectors of the audience are concerned.

 

However, I think we should go with the flow on this one, especially since it is months away and there is unlikely to be a rush for tickets.

 

The Cast A, Cast B, Cast C idea has potential, though.

[alison]

Even knowing whether there are two or three casts would help. But then if you're planning on casting bracewell, say, in more than one it might prove tricky.

[Rob S]

When did they announce the cast for Dante? I was rather disappointed to find I'd booked two performances and they ended up being the same cast (admittedly I slept walked to the second one assuming I'd booked one for each) 

Edited December 6, 2023 by Rob S

[Guest oncnp]

24 minutes ago, Rob S said:

When did they announce the cast for Dante?

 

Principal casting only was included in a 9 Aug Friend's e-mail. 

 

And I'm guessing the 4 April and 9 April casts will be the same as they are both being filmed. 

Edited December 6, 2023 by oncnp

[Rob S]

7 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

Principal casting only was included in a 9 Aug Friend's e-mail. 

 

Hmmm ok. Its's probable I missed that and was just going by whatever was mentioned on the booking page on Friends booking day....of course it's possible I just misread that page and booked the wrong date.

[Emeralds]

17 hours ago, The Sitter In said:

ROH Patrons and super Friends have had to book without casting and still no sign of it for lesser Friends.

Is this a first?  If so, it is worrying.  Surely someone MUST know, so why the secrecy?

For the RB/ROH to state (as they seem to have been doing) “well, it doesn’t matter because the company is so good” is not to accept that some patrons might just possibly want to see some dancers and not others.  I can think of several dancers who I wouldn’t want to see in the lead roles of Requiem…

Shame on the ROH/RB management…

It's not a first, but once again, it is a sign that the marketing team are not interested in selling, and the leadership are not interested in getting funds in the bank and attracting advertising-I suppose they assume one or two of their millionaire donors who love ballet and bankrolled them before will bail out poor sales again. 

 

Even putting names next to the bill without saying which ballet next to the programme without saying which ballet they will dance in will be better than zero names - for example,  I'm sure Muntagirov, Nunez and Osipova have been told their dates already, to fit their international guesting engagements, some of which may already have had contracts signed.

 

This will help to start sell chunks of tickets among Friends who want a familiar or favourite artist to look out for and might not be too bothered about which work it is or have not seen any of the ballets before. It maybe not necessarily help veteran regulars who have already seen many previous casts of Requiem and Different Drummer, plus even a few of Danses Concertantes at its last revival who might be discerning about which ballet exactly Vadim will be dancing or if eg Yasmine Naghdi will be Marie in Different Drummer or in Pie Jesu of Requiem, for example, but it will still help to get the ball rolling. 

Edited December 6, 2023 by Emeralds

[Guest oncnp]

Probably (undoubtedly?) pointless but I have e-mailed ROH Customer Service and the Friend's office to ask.  

[Suffolkgal]

What with ticket prices trains general

hassle of ballet excursions from Suffolk... I’m waiting on the casting. 

[Emeralds]

"Even putting names next to the bill without saying which ballet they will dance in will be better than zero names." 

 

Apologies for the typo! (Not sure why my device repeated my phrase.)

 

I'm waiting on the casting too. And where feasible, rail union announcements.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Emeralds

[Mary]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

Even putting names next to the bill without saying which ballet next to the programme without saying which ballet they will dance in will be better than zero names - for example,  I'm sure Muntagirov, Nunez and Osipova have been told their dates already, to fit their international guesting engagements, some of which may already have had contracts signed.

We don't know that, though, so it is just speculation at this stage.

 

2 hours ago, Emeralds said:

It's not a first, but once again, it is a sign that the marketing team are not interested in selling, and the leadership are not interested in getting funds in the bank and attracting advertising-I suppose they assume one or two of their millionaire donors who love ballet and bankrolled them before will bail out poor sales again. 

 

I am sure the leadership are actually very interested indeed in getting funds in the bank. If there were enough 'millionaire donors' I guess we wouldn't have the price rises we do. My understanding is the theatre had government loans which have to be repaid  - but I could be wrong.

As others have said though it is unlikely this will be the bill to fill the coffers,  and if casting isn't ready, it isn't ready.

 

A, B, C casts would be a good idea I agree. The point about filming on 2 nights is also very helpful...that rules out one date....

- and it really isn't going to sell out immediately.

 

 

 

 

[Lizbie1]

7 minutes ago, Mary said:

I am sure the leadership are actually very interested indeed in getting funds in the bank. If there were enough 'millionaire donors' I guess we wouldn't have the price rises we do.

 

You say this, but I am given to understand by some posters here that running a large ballet company against strong economic headwinds is actually a relatively straightforward affair.

 

It is a mystery how so many of our large arts organisations are currently having similar problems, they must all just be very badly managed!

[TSR101]

At the very least, this is poor communication to its regulars for whom it has supporter membership programmes who have earlier booking dates and that they know book for dancers. It would not have taken much to state clearly, casting will only occur for the triple at X point in time, We appreciate that loyal supporters do prefer to book for specific dancers and casts but for X reason on this occasion it will not be possible for Y reason to cast the performance before booking opens. It really wouldn't take very much. 

[Peanut68]

On 05/12/2023 at 18:58, Lizbie1 said:

don't know who's staging them but could it be that the MacMillan estate wants to have a good look at some dancers first?

Slightly off topic - my apologies - but I’m interested to know the ‘copyright’ associated with ballets (the choreography, the music, the dramaturg & staging etc) and anything associated in gaining the rights to use a certain ballet or piece of music or story…? How does one find out about this type of stuff? 

[Naomi M]

Slightly off topic but I would also like to know why the MacMillan bill (and The Winter’s Tale) is only shown in cinemas in the UK. Very disappointing. 

[Guest oncnp]

2 hours ago, Naomi M said:

Slightly off topic but I would also like to know why the MacMillan bill (and The Winter’s Tale) is only shown in cinemas in the UK. Very disappointing. 

 

When I asked the ROH why there is no cinema in the US at all, I was told " This is for a variety of reasons ....." 

 

Edited to add: And thanks to today's links, I see the Dutch National Ballet's Giselle is coming to a cinema near me in January 2024

Edited December 7, 2023 by oncnp

[bangorballetboy]

16 hours ago, TSR101 said:

At the very least, this is poor communication to its regulars for whom it has supporter membership programmes who have earlier booking dates and that they know book for dancers. It would not have taken much to state clearly, casting will only occur for the triple at X point in time, We appreciate that loyal supporters do prefer to book for specific dancers and casts but for X reason on this occasion it will not be possible for Y reason to cast the performance before booking opens. It really wouldn't take very much. 

 

I am a loyal supporter (loyal enough to have been quoted on the stage during the Friends anniversary performances!).  I have absolutely no issue with the lack of casting for the MacMillan triple and don't feel any need to receive a communication such as that described (I'm a big boy and am capable of thinking for myself and understanding the pressures that artistic enterprises, particularly extremely large ones, are operating under); I have happily booked my tickets.

[Richard LH]

Booked three dates and looking forward to casting in due course. At the ROH you can cancel for a credit very easily if need be.

[capybara]

12 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

I am a loyal supporter (loyal enough to have been quoted on the stage during the Friends anniversary performances!).  I have absolutely no issue with the lack of casting for the MacMillan triple and don't feel any need to receive a communication such as that described (I'm a big boy and am capable of thinking for myself and understanding the pressures that artistic enterprises, particularly extremely large ones, are operating under); I have happily booked my tickets.

I sense that there are wide variations among BCF users in terms of our ability to spend on ballet tickets. I have ‘taken a punt’ with my MacMillan triple booking on the basis of probability. But I am fortunate in being able to do so. If I had to pick just one performance, I think that the casting would matter A LOT.

However, as I said upthread, there is probably space to wait a while longer before booking and, as @Richard LH has pointed out, the ROH has arrangements for returns/credits.

[Guest oncnp]

23 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I am a loyal supporter (loyal enough to have been quoted on the stage during the Friends anniversary performances!). 

 

How nice for you.   I chose not to be an unquestioning member of any organization I give a that much money to. 

 

Edited to add: I have no problem with no casting but communication as was suggested above is only polite and respectful to the people who the ROH keeps telling us they could not do without. 

Edited December 7, 2023 by oncnp

[Ondine]

To add to any other constraints there may be with regard to announcing casting for this triple right now, there is the injury problem. Aren't several dancers out with injuries, and it possibly isn't clear if they will be back to dance by then?

 

Let's hope all are making a good recovery; I know they could simply be sidelined, however that would be very unfair.

[bangorballetboy]

16 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

How nice for you.   I chose not to be an unquestioning member of any organization I give a that much money to. 

 

Edited to add: I have no problem with no casting but communication as was suggested above is only polite and respectful to the people who the ROH keeps telling us they could not do without. 

 

I respectfully disagree with your final proposition (as I did above).  I am merely pointing out that some people on here speak as if they do so on behalf of all supporters and this is not the case.  

 

BTW I am not an unquestioning member (as many on here and elsewhere will confirm).

[alison]

5 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Booked three dates and looking forward to casting in due course. At the ROH you can cancel for a credit very easily if need be.

 

Of course, and that's very welcome, but for some people with the cheapest tickets that £4 cancellation fee may represent a significant proportion of their ticket price.

 

If the casting isn't out by the time public booking opens (next year sometime, I think?) I'll probably just buy one performance and wait and see on the rest.

[Guest oncnp]

And there you have it from the Friend's office 

 

Due to ongoing discussions with stagers and the healthcare team due to injuries, it will not be possible to confirm casting for this programme until the new year.

[alison]

2 hours ago, alison said:

 

Of course, and that's very welcome, but for some 

If the casting isn't out by the time public booking opens (next year sometime, I think?) I'll probably just buy one performance and wait and see on the rest.

 

Actually, what am i saying? It's got Requiem in it, so I'll probably be booking every performance.

[Linnzi5]

Booking opened for me today (yet again Insights all sold out already! 😡) I booked for opening night of the triple - the tickets have already sold really well and I thought that if that cast isn't my favourite, I'll just try and book my preferred cast after they are announced - I'm sure I'll be able to get a ticket to a performance somehow. Even one of the Swan Lakes I wanted to see has already sold loads of seats!