PRESS RELEASE: BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ANNOUNCES 2024 - 25 SEASON

[Dawnstar]

6 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Hopefully casting will be announced soon enough for people to book trains and /or hotels if needed, as well as tickets.

 

I've already started worrying in case I have no trains that Saturday!

[Emeralds]

5 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I've already started worrying in case I have no trains that Saturday!

Me too! I'll go on Friday or something! Or perhaps send a petition to ASLEF - "please strike at any other time but not during La Fille mal gardée!"

[San Perregrino]

27 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Do you think it's likely that anyone below Principal level will get cast in the lead roles given there are only 13 performances? Assuming BRB has 5 male Principals next season (current line-up minus Morales) then that would only give each of them either 2 or 3 performances without any lower-ranked dancers getting cast.

 

Personally if I go to 2 performances then I'd ideally like to see Dingman & Monaghan but I suspect that the Sadler's Wells perfprmances are likely to sell quickly enough that I'll have to book before casting is announced.

Though they are more often than not danced by principals, I can envisage the two leads in Fille as providing ideal opportunities for the younger gifted dancers of a Company such as Clara & Hans-Peter do in The Nutcracker.

The BRB reel has Monaghan as Colas in the last run (2018?) whilst he was only made up to principal in 2023 so there is a precedent. 

[capybara]

I half suspected this very welcome programming.
Given that BRB and the RB have the same governing committee, it does rather suggest that ‘political’ sensitivites (if any) lie within the overarching ROH and/or that Fille doesn’t fit with KOH’s (apparently primary) desire to modernise the RB’s rep.

Anyway, WE’VE GOT IT NOW and it will sit very nicely on the BRB dancers.

[Jan McNulty]

And here is the press release:

 

PRESS RELEASE

1 February 2024

 

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET ANNOUNCES 2024 - 25 SEASON

 

●  BLACK SABBATH – THE BALLET IN ROTTERDAM JUNE 2024 PRESENTED BY HOLLAND DANCE FESTIVAL

 

●  THE MAIN COMPANY TO PERFORM CARLOS ACOSTA’S CLASSICAL SELECTION IN ICELAND SUMMER 2024

 

●  AUTUMN SEASON BEGINS WITH LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE AS PART OF 24-28 ASHTON WORLDWIDE FESTIVAL

 

●  WORLD PREMIERE OF THE THIRD PART OF THE BIRMINGHAM TRILOGY, LUNA, FEATURING AN ALL FEMALE CREATIVE TEAM

 

●  THE NUTCRACKER RETURNS TO BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME AND THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

 

●  SPRING 2025 UK TOUR OF SIR DAVID BINTLEY’S CINDERELLA

 

●  BRB2’S THIRD UK TOUR TO FEATURE AN ALL-NEW PROGRAMME FOR SPRING 2025

 

Today, announcing Birmingham Royal Ballet’s 2024 - 25 Season, the company’s Director Carlos Acosta said: ‘I am so happy to be able to share our plans for the future with everyone. Still riding high from the successes of the autumn/winter 2023 season, we have a lot to celebrate, but we also keep moving forward, keep challenging ourselves and keep aiming high, in terms of our goals and ambitions. Everyone at BRB has worked incredibly hard to ensure my vision for this company has been, and continues to be, realised, and I am very proud of our achievements and excited about our plans. This Season exemplifies the importance of balancing the creation of platforms for emerging talents to shine, alongside the joy we bring to the classical canon of work that the Company is so proud to perform.’

Fresh from the sell-out success in Birmingham, Plymouth and London, Black Sabbath – The Ballet has had a raft of international interest. The European premiere will be at the Luxor Theatre in Rotterdam, presented by Holland Dance Festival (13 - 15 June) and we are already in advanced talks about touring Black Sabbath - The Ballet to the USA in summer 2025.

 

In summer 2024, the Company will make its first-ever visit to Iceland to perform Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection in Reykjavik.

 

The autumn season begins at Birmingham Hippodrome (25 - 28 September) where BRB presents Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée, its Founder Choreographer's most popular ballet. This is the first time La Fille mal gardée has been presented by BRB under the directorship of Carlos Acosta, who, for many, is one of the definitive interpreters of Colas in this sunny, effervescent ballet. The production will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal (10 - 13 October) and Sadler’s Wells London (24 - 25 October) and is part of the official 2024-28 Ashton Worldwide Festival. Additional BRB events programmed as part of the Festival include A Celebration of Ashton in February 2025, and a special Ashton Foundation ‘Insight’ masterclass, featuring Carlos Acosta and Sandra Madgwick coaching BRB dancers in the roles of Colas and Lise on 30 April 2024 at Elmhurst Ballet School.

 

Also this autumn, BRB presents the World Premiere of Luna, a 2-act (full-length), abstract ballet in six movements, which forms the final part of Carlos’s Birmingham Trilogy (City of a Thousand Trades + Black Sabbath + Luna). This new work is inspired by the pioneering and socially enterprising women of Birmingham who have contributed to the shape of the city that Birmingham Royal Ballet calls home. Drawing inspiration from the book Once Upon a Time in Birmingham: Women Who Dare to Dream by Louise Palfreyman, it features an all-female, international creative team, including Choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma (Netherlands); Seeta Patel (UK); Arielle Smith (UK); Thais Suárez (Cuba); with music composed by Kate Whitley (UK). Costume Design is by Imaan Ashraf, Projection Design by Hayley Egan and Lighting Design by Emma Jones. The creative team will explore contemporary universal themes including matriarchal roles in society, education, female empowerment, overcoming adversity, and community. The World Premiere will be at Birmingham Hippodrome (3-5 October) before it has its London premiere at Sadler’s Wells (22-23 October).

 

Sir Peter Wright's The Nutcracker was his gift to the City of Birmingham when Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet moved to the city in 1990 and it remains one of the world's most spectacular presentations of this festive tale. After breaking all previous box office records in the Birmingham 2023 run, this year will see the first-ever Relaxed performance at Birmingham Hippodrome, which will bring this story to life for children and young people normally unable to attend theatre productions of this scale (1pm, Tue 3 Dec). The Nutcracker’s Birmingham run begins on 22 November playing through to 14 December. The Royal Albert Hall spectacular presentation of The Nutcracker returns this year (29 - 31 December 2024).

 

The 2025 Spring UK Tour will be Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella, one of BRB’s most popular ballets. With sumptuous sets and costumes by John MacFarlane, virtuoso dance and some of ballet's most memorable coups de theatre, Cinderella continues to thrill audiences across the world with one of the largest UK touring productions. One of BRB's most in-demand ballets, Cinderella opens at the Mayflower Southampton (6 - 8 February) before travelling to Birmingham Hippodrome (19 - 29 February), The Lowry Salford (6 - 8 March), Sunderland Empire (13 - 15 March), Bristol Hippodrome (27 - 29 March), and finally Plymouth Theatre Royal (9 - 12 April).

 

Spring 2025 will see the third BRB2 UK tour, this time featuring an all-new programme, to be announced. BRB2 has attracted a wealth of international talent to the company already. These future stars have already made their mark within the company and, as the 2-year initiative approaches its first conclusion, all eyes are on what these talented young dancers will do next. Watch this space.

 

 

Listings Information (UK only)

Please note, on-sale dates vary across the season. Please check BRB’s website for details.

 

La Fille mal gardée

Choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton
Composer Ferdinand Herold (Arr. John Lanchbery) Design Osbert Lancaster

25 - 28 September Birmingham HIppodrome

10 - 13 October Theatre Royal Plymouth
24 - 25 October Sadler’s Wells London 

 

Luna

Choreographers Iratxe Ansa (Spain); Wubkje Kuindersma (Netherlands); Seeta Patel (UK); Arielle Smith (UK); Thais Suárez (Cuba)
With music composed by Kate Whitley (UK).
Costume Design Imaan Ashraf (UK)

Projection Design Hayley Egan (UK)
Lighting Design Emma Jones (UK)
3 - 5 October Birmingham Hippodrome  

22 - 23 October Sadler’s Wells London

 

The Nutcracker

Choreography Sir Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon Production Sir Peter Wright
Composer Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Design John Macfarlane

22 November - 14 December Birmingham Hippodrome; 3 Dec (1pm) Relaxed performance

  

The Nutcracker

Choreography Sir Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon Additional choreography Sir David Bintley, Marion Tait Production Sir David Bintley
Composer Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky

Costumes & props John Macfarlane Settings & additional props Dick Bird Lighting Peter Teigen
Projection Designs 59 Productions

29 - 31 December Royal Albert Hall 

 

2025

 

Cinderella

Choreographer Sir David Bintley Composer Sergei Prokofiev Design John Macfarlane

6 - 8 February Mayflower Southampton
19 - 29 February Birmingham Hippodrome

6 - 8 March The Lowry Salford
13 - 15 March Sunderland Empire
27 - 29 March Bristol Hippodrome
9 - 12 April Theatre Royal Plymouth

 

Biographies for LUNA Creative Team Choreographers

 

Iratxe Ansa

For more than 20 years, the Basque dancer Iratxe Ansa danced for some of the most important European companies. Basel Ballet, the defunct Gulbenkian Ballet in Lisbon, the National Dance Company at the time of Nacho Duato, the Opera Ballet of Lyon, as well as the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) all form part of her career path.

 

When she left the NDT in 2009, she also left behind a brilliant career as a dancer. A career that started upon her graduation from the John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart, and which took her to hone her skills for outstanding European companies. She danced for legends of the twentieth century such as William Forsythe, Jiri Kylián, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, Ohad Naharin, Wayne McGregor, and Crystal Pite, just to name a few. Nonetheless, she was still far from reaching the end of her career.

Instead she was now set to begin a new chapter in her career as a freelancer. It took her across the world to work for dancers of different cultures, schools, and nationalities. She kept on dancing and creating, increasingly developing her own methodology. In this manner, she delved into matters about physicality and musicality, two principles of utmost importance in her understanding of dance, and which have helped consolidate her as a researcher of the body.

 

In 2019 Iratxe and Igor founded METAMORPHOSIS DANCE, a dance company based in Madrid, since then they have combined directing their own company with their career as guest choreographers in European dance companies.

In 2020 she was recognized for her achievements with the National Prize for Dance in Spain.

 

Wubkje Kuindersma

Wubkje Kuindersma is a freelance choreographer from The Netherlands and is Young Creative Associate with Dutch National Ballet since 2021. Human connection and gender equality are important themes in her work. The leading American publication Dance Magazine included Kuindersma in its ‘Top 25 to watch for 2019’, an annual list of dancers, choreographers and companies the magazine deems representative of the future of dance. In 2019, Kuindersma was nominated for the Prize of the Dutch Dance Days Maastricht, an award for young, promising talent. In 2016 she received the BNG Award for Excellent Talent in choreography.

 

Her acclaimed duet “Two and Only” for Dutch National Ballet delivered Marijn Rademaker a nomination for the Prix Benois de la Danse 2018. Her choreography “Architecture of Hope” for West Australian Ballet won the West Australian Performing Arts Award for Best New Work in 2020. Music plays a vital role in Wubkje’s creations and she loves to get creative with other art forms. She often designs her own costumes and stage design for her creations.

 

Critic's Choice Dance Europe mentioned Kuindersma's "Anatomy of Light" as one of best premieres in 2022, alongside works of Beaujean, Van Schaijk, Goecke and Clug.

 

She currently creates her first full length story ballet “Echoes of Van Gogh” at West Australian Ballet, with premiere september 8th 2023 in Perth. Kuindersma has created new works for Dutch National Ballet and its Junior Company, Korzo&Ndt, Ballett Dortmund, das Hessisches Staatsballett, Noverre Society of Stuttgart Ballet, BalletX, West Australian Ballet, Dansk Danseteater, Ballett Landestheater Coburg, Beijing Dance Academy, the Dutch National Ballet Academy, Bundesjugendballet of John Neumeier, Codarts, Dantzaz, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Skanes Dansteater, Ballet Kiel.

For more info, please visit wubkje.com

 

Seeta Patel

The award-winning choreographer and dancer Seeta Patel was born in London and began her training under the guidance of Kiran Ratna in 1990. She has since worked with a range of Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance professionals including Mavin Khoo, Padma Shri Adyar K Lakshman, Pushkala Gopal and Darshan Singh Bhuller. She has also performed and toured with a number of companies such as DV8 Physical Theatre, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company, David Hughes Dance Company and Mavin Khoo Dance.

 

Seeta has presented solo and ensemble works at the Southbank Centre Purcell Room, Royal Opera House, ROH2 and Sadler’s Wells such as: Cycle of Change (2005), She Was Still (2005-6), Alter Ego (2007), Shringara (2009), Last One Standing (2010) and First Light (2014). Her solo classical London debut, Shringara: Journey of Desire, was performed to a capacity audience at The Clore Upstairs, Royal Opera House (June 2009), and then toured around the UK in 2010/11. She subsequently presented solo classical works Dancing My Siva and Something Then, Something Now to sold out audiences at Sadler’s Wells and the Purcell Room (Darbar Festival).

 

Over the past 12 years, Patel has received numerous awards and bursaries for her creative and professional development. She was awarded the Lisa Ullmann Travel Scholarship to study in India (2005) and at the New York Film Academy (2013). In 2017, she received the Washington S&R Award for her work championing Bharatanatyam in the diaspora.

 

Seeta worked as a choreographic collaborator with the world renowned contemporary circus company, Gandini Juggling, for their production Sigma which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 before touring in 2020 and subsequently won the Archangel Award, Total Theatre Award, and Asian Arts Award.

 

In tandem with her choreographic and performing work Seeta has worked in film, TV and theatre. She produced a multi award-winning short dance film, The Art of Defining Me in 2013, which gained national and international acclaim. She was a judge, mentor and advisor for the inaugural BBC TV Young Dancer Competition and in 2016 choreographed a new play at the Theatre Royal Stratford East entitled The House of In Between.

 

Seeta’s contemporary work in collaboration with the Australian choreographer and performer Lina Limosani is the one-woman show, Not Today's Yesterday which takes a dramatic look at the whitewashing of history around the world. The show was a recipient of the Adelaide Artist Fringe Fund and premiered successfully at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2018 where it won Best Dance, and the Peace Foundation Award. The production toured around the UK in 2018 and 2019, including the Edinburgh Fringe as part of the British Council showcase. During the tour Seeta curated a series of lively and interesting post-show talks in association with a range of activists, historians and artists. The work went on to tour internationally including Australia, India, Italy and Egypt.

 

Most recently, Seeta Patel’s critically acclaimed Bharatanatyam version of the iconic ballet, The Rite of Spring, toured the UK through 2019-2021, winning the 2020 Eastern Eye Arts, Culture and Theatre Award in the Dance Category and being nominated for best stage production by the Asian Media Group in 2019. The work is now developed with an extended cast and full orchestra and premiered to critical acclaim at Sadler’s Well in March 2023.

 

The constantly evolving world of South Asian Dance is developing as an integral part of the international dance landscape and Seeta Patel is a vital part of this growing business; she mentors and supports up-and-coming dancers and produces high quality work which entertains and engages an increasing audience both in the UK and abroad.

 

Arielle Smith

Havana-born Arielle is an Olivier Award award-winning choreographer who crosses dance theatre and film. Her Olivier was awarded for her creation Jolly Folly for The English National Ballet. She has since been celebrated in The Stage 25 list as one of 25 individuals to become the future stars of the UK theatre industry, having also been named on The Guardian’s ones to watch for 2022. Arielle’s theatre credits include Carmen for San Francisco Ballet; Unexpected Twist (Northampton/UK Tour); Orfeo (Garsington); Jack and the Beanstalk (Lyric Hammersmith), directed by John Caird and Blackmail (Mercury Theatre), directed by Anthony Banks. She has a number of classical commissions and theatre projects in development. She has choreographed for some of the largest ballet companies around the world, including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures where she was Associate Choreographer on his Romeo & Juliet. Other credits include Lots.Of.Varied.Expectations and Mañana Iguana.

 

Thais Suarez

Thais graduated from Modern, Contemporary, and Folkloric Dance from the National School of Arts and later from the University of the Arts (ISA) with the highest qualifications. She began and developed her Dance career in the internationally renowned company, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba (DCC), where she spent almost a decade as a principal dancer. She has played leading roles by choreographers such as Mats Ek, Itzik Galili, Jan Linkens, Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio, Fleur Darkin, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Rafael Bonachela, Theo Clinkard, Angels Margarit, Billy Cowie, George Céspedes, Julio Cesar Iglesias, among others. It has been celebrated by the public and critics of the most important stages in the world, namely Sadler’s Wells, Opera de Monte Carlo, Teatro Real (Madrid), Maison de la Dance (Lyon), Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington D.C.), National Auditorium (Mexico City), and deserving of several national and foreign awards and recognitions. In July 2018, she decided to separate from DCC and found, together with her partner Norge Cedeño, OtroLado Dance Company. From there they developed an ascending choreographic career that has led them to collaborate with important international companies such as Gauthier

 

Dance, Aterballeto, Acosta Danza, Malpaso, and many others and together turn the young Cuban company into one of the most unique and impressive voices of the Cuban contemporary dance.

 

Thais Suárez, with her creative singularity and her unique physical and interpretative quality, is recognized both by the criteria of artists, specialised critics, and the general audience, as one of the most incredible artists of Cuban Contemporary Dance in recent years.

 

Kate Whitely

Kate Whitley is a composer and pianist. She runs The Multi-Story Orchestra, which performs in car parks around the UK: “forget fusty concert halls, the future of music is emerging in a municipal car park” (The Times).

She writes music for orchestras, choirs and instrumentalists. Her music has been broadcast on Radio 3 and performed as part of the BBC Proms.

 

Her pieces for choir and orchestra include Alive to words by poet Holly McNish, which won a 2015 British Composers Award and was described as “a remarkable feat” (The Telegraph), and I am I say to words by Sabrina Mahfouz: “a tremendous work” (The Times).

 

Her piece Speak out to words by Nobel prize winner Malala Yousafzai was commissioned by the BBC for International Women’s Day 2017 in support of the campaign for better education for girls: ‘a powerful statement, full of kinetic energy’ (Wales Arts Review) and has been performed by orchestras around the world.

 

In 2018 she wrote Sky Dances for the London Symphony Orchestra, which was performed by an orchestra of over 100 in Trafalgar Square conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

 

Winning a 2018 Critics Circle Award, she has been described as a composer with “a strong, distinctive voice who, without compromising, communicates directly to a wide audience, within the concert hall and beyond”.

 

Kate is a 2018 Bortletti-Buitoni Trust Special Award Winner and a 2013 Sky Academy Futures Fund winner. She was 2013-4 Music Fellow at Rambert Dance Company and 2015 New Music Programmer at Kettles Yard Art Gallery. She is a 2021 Clore Leadership Fellow.

 

Iman Ashraf - Costume Designer

Imaan Ashraf is a London based Costume Designer and Stylist. She is a recent graduate of MA Costume Design for Performing from the London College of Fashion with a BA in Liberal Arts (History major) from King's College London. Her recent work focuses on the experiences of women during points of historical conflict as well as the intersections of nature and the human body.

 

Hayley Egan - Projection and Video Design

Hayley is a Video Designer for theatre, opera and live events. Her previous work includes; Cinders! (Scottish Ballet); Boy Parts (Soho Theatre); The Sound of Music and Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles? (Chichester Festival Theatre); Tomorrow Gala (Old Vic), Pijin (Theatre Iolo); Ruination (Lost Dog); Coppelia (Associate, Scottish Ballet); Everyday (Deafinitely Theatre); The Scandal at Mayerling (Scottish Ballet); Triple Bill: Witch (Royal Academy of Music); A Tale of Two Cities (Associate, Lost Dog); The Boy with Two Hearts (WMC, National Theatre); You’re Safe Til 2024 (Barbican); The Child in The Snow (Wilton's Music Hall); The Language of Kindness (Wayward Productions); I’ll Take You To Mrs Cole! (Complicité Associates); I’m a Phoenix, Bitch! (Associate, Battersea Arts Centre); Grief Is The Thing With Feathers (Associate, Galway International Arts Festival). Carmen (Associate, Scottish Opera); The Handmaid's Tale (Associate, Royal Danish Opera); Litvinenko (Associate, Grange Park Opera); Don Giovanni (Associate, Greek National Opera); Nixon in China (Associate, Scottish Opera); Freedom Season (Welsh National Opera); Orlando (Associate, Vienna State Opera); The Yellow Wallpaper (Channel 4 Random Acts).

 

Emma Jones - Lighting Design

Emma is a Lighting Designer based in Scotland. Emma works across many creative mediums and has worked extensively with companies including Scottish Opera, Scottish Dance Theatre, The National Theatre of Scotland, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, Charlotte McLean Dance, The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Joan Cleville Dance, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, shotput dance-theatre, Dundee Rep Theatre, Derby Theatre and The Citizens Theatre Glasgow.

 

Having a particular passion for dance Emma has designed the lighting for over 16 newly commissioned works for Scottish Dance Theatre, working with both established and emerging choreographers including Damien Jalet, Anton Lachky, Botis Seva and Henri Oguike

 

In 2020 became an associate artist with Shotput Dance-Theatre Company.

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Based at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is the United Kingdom’s leading touring ballet company performing a range of traditional, classical and heritage ballets as well as ground-breaking new works with the aim of encouraging choreographers of the future.

The Company’s Director since January 2020 is the internationally renowned Carlos Acosta. Birmingham Royal Ballet standardly performs at Birmingham Hippodrome for approximately ten weeks of the year and the remainder of the year tours throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. On average, the Company performs 175 shows a year nationally and internationally.

 

The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is Birmingham Royal Ballet’s permanent orchestra, it is also Britain's busiest ballet orchestra. The Sinfonia also plays frequently for The Royal Ballet and other leading ballet companies, including performances with Paris Opéra Ballet, New York City Ballet, Australian Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Kirov, Norwegian Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and La Scala Ballet. www.brb.org.uk

[JohnS]

I see Birmingham Nutcracker tickets are already on sale, Birmingham Fille tickets marked as ‘coming soon’, with other venues saying ‘on sale’ but the links don’t yet seem to be working.
I thought I’d seen something giving Fille ticket dates in the next few days depending on priority but can’t seem to find it.

[Tango Dancer]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

There could be opportunities for dancers not ranked as principals to dance lead roles at matinées. Previously Fille was always danced by soloists, first soloists as well as  principals in the leads. I'm hoping Chou gets London; I've seen a few other principals. 

 

You're right @Dawnstar- that's fast counting! - it's only 13 shows. That's because there's another full length ballet in spring. But there is a gap from 27 Oct to 21 Nov with nothing announced for the company, so they could well be waiting for another theatre to confirm, or there might be scope to add on 1 or 2 extra shows at Sadler's Wells. 

 

Hopefully casting will be announced soon enough for people to book trains and /or hotels if needed, as well as tickets. 😊 I think Sadler's Wells could definitely sell out four performances, though, and probably five. As @FionaM noted, I don't think 3 shows for London would be enough. 

 

Hoping for Tzu-Chao or Matthias for Colas.  I'll book the date I can do best (probably 28 Sept) and see who I wind up with.

[Blossom]

Delighted to see Arielle Smith working with BRB - loved Jolly Folly, the ray of sunshine she created for ENB for their 'coming out of Covid' mixed bill (and a beautifully produced video version. She's also busy at the moment with Carmen for SF Ballet.

[Dawnstar]

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

The press release does I think run the risk of giving the impression to those not in the know that Acosta will be dancing Colas. (Because it says he 'is' one of the great interpreters of the role, rather than 'was'.)

 

Maybe Acosta could give Widow Simone a go! I'm guessing there must be a few dancers who have done both roles at different stages in their careers.

 

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

Me too! I'll go on Friday or something! Or perhaps send a petition to ASLEF - "please strike at any other time but not during La Fille mal gardée!"

 

It's lines closed due to engineering rather than strikes that's my main problem at weekends this season.

[San Perregrino]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

I see Birmingham Nutcracker tickets are already on sale, Birmingham Fille tickets marked as ‘coming soon’, with other venues saying ‘on sale’ but the links don’t yet seem to be working.
I thought I’d seen something giving Fille ticket dates in the next few days depending on priority but can’t seem to find it.

RAH Nutcracker is also onsale

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Maybe Acosta could give Widow Simone a go! I'm guessing there must be a few dancers who have done both roles at different stages in their careers.

 

 

It's lines closed due to engineering rather than strikes that's my main problem at weekends this season.

Off the top of my head the dancers who have performed both Colas and Widow Simone (at different times) I can think of are Michael O'Hare (SWRB/BRB, Kevin O'Hare's older brother), Michael Coleman (at RB although he's now a character artist at ENB) and Johan Kobborg, was a wonderful Colas at RB; when he was Artistic Director of Romanian National Ballet he brought in Fille and danced Widow Simone. There are others but they're the first 3 people I thought of. 

 

Fingers crossed that the engineering work will have been completed on your line by September 2024.! 🍀 🍀 🍀 

Edited February 1 by Emeralds

[Dawnstar]

6 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Off the top of my head the dancers who have performed both Colas and Widow Simone (at different times) I can think of are Michael O'Hare (SWRB/BRB, Kevin O'Hare's older brother), Michael Coleman (at RB although he's now a character artist at ENB) and Johan Kobborg, was a wonderful Colas at RB; when he was Artistic Director of Romanian National Ballet he brought in Fille and danced Widow Simone. There are others but they're the first 3 people I thought of. 

 

Fingers crossed that the engineering work will have been completed on your line by September 2024.! 🍀 🍀 🍀 

 

Gosh, I didn't think of Kobborg as a possibility. I can't imagine him as Widow Simone. Coleman on the other hand I can't imagine as Colas because I've only seen him in character roles. Is it O'Hare who danced Colas, Widow Simone and Alain? I'm sure someone doing so was mentioned on here fairly recently but I'm not vertain if it was him or someone else.

 

Unfortunately they're building a new station just south of Cambridge & it's not due to be completed until some time in 2025.

[Emeralds]

6 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Gosh, I didn't think of Kobborg as a possibility. I can't imagine him as Widow Simone. Coleman on the other hand I can't imagine as Colas because I've only seen him in character roles. Is it O'Hare who danced Colas, Widow Simone and Alain? I'm sure someone doing so was mentioned on here fairly recently but I'm not vertain if it was him or someone else.

 

Unfortunately they're building a new station just south of Cambridge & it's not due to be completed until some time in 2025.

Yes, Michael O'Hare has performed Alain, Colas and Widow Simone- one of the most versatile dancers ever! 👏 

 

Oh dear Dawnstar-is this the line that you said has half the train services cancelled at the weekend but the other half are still running? Hope you have at least that half in Oct 2024. 

[Dawnstar]

4 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Yes, Michael O'Hare has performed Alain, Colas and Widow Simone- one of the most versatile dancers ever! 👏 

 

Oh dear Dawnstar-is this the line that you said has half the train services cancelled at the weekend but the other half are still running? Hope you have at least that half in Oct 2024. 

 

I'm sorry that I never saw him dance, not even in any character roles.

 

There are two London-Cambridge train lines. Some weekends when there is non-Cambridge-South engineering one of the two lines will be running, so I could get to Manon on 20th January because the Kings Cross line was running & hope to get to Manon on 17th February matinee because the Liverpool Street line is due to be running. However when it's a Cambridge South engineering weekend then neither line runs - because the station is being built just before the lines diverge south of Cambridge! - so then I can't get to London at all. (There are rail replacement buses but I can't face them as it was the stress of that tha caused me to have a panic attack during Don Q.) Since work on the station started last year both lines were closed every weekend in October, all but one weekend in November, and Christmas Eve to New Year's Day inclusive. Coming up it's going to be the first weekends in February, March & April and what looks like every weekend in May (info currently only available for the first 3 weekends). Hence at the moment it's a major risk for me to book any weekend performances until I know the engineering status for that weekend. Sorry, this is probably far more info than anyone wanted about my train woes!

[jmhopton]

I've fond memories of seeing Brandon Lawrence in Fille at the Lowry.  I think it was the last Fille I saw live. Fabulous that Carlos is not only staging Fille but doing an Ashton celebration in Feb though no details for that yet. Also David Bintleys Cinderella so all my fears about him just staging classical and modern and ignoring heritage ballets were wrong and I've never been so pleased at being wrong! (OK if I'm being really picky I'd have preferred Hobsons Choice to Cinderella but I suppose Cinderella will be more popular.)

 

Like everyone else I hope this doesn't preclude Kevin staging Fille at the ROH in spring or summer next year.  If London are only getting 3 performances this autumn that shouldn't be enough to mean it can't be staged at the ROH next year.  Also if RB are staging it hopefully it will be filmed for cinema. I keep thinking of all the great RB debuts, though will hopefully see BRB in Birmingham or London. At least Kevin can't be deterred by any pc considerations if BRB are staging it. 

[Pulcinella]

3 hours ago, JohnS said:

I see Birmingham Nutcracker tickets are already on sale, Birmingham Fille tickets marked as ‘coming soon’, with other venues saying ‘on sale’ but the links don’t yet seem to be working.
I thought I’d seen something giving Fille ticket dates in the next few days depending on priority but can’t seem to find it.

The dates for booking for the Birmingham performances are BRB Dancers' Circle: 6 Feb, Gold and Silver BRB Friends: 9 Feb, Bronze BRB Friends: 13 Feb and Public booking: 21 Feb. All at 11am.

At the season launch at the Hippodrome this afternoon we were treated to a truncated clog dance by Rory McKay in full costume and makeup as Widow Simone. The season brochure has Beatrice Parma and Lachlan Monaghan on the cover as Lise and Colas so that is one possible cast.

[alison]

6 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

If they are doing a 2-show day then I'd be tempted to book both, as I've never seen Fille before & suspect one viewing will not be enough, but what one is supposed to do to kill time for about 3 hours in the vicinity of Sadler's Wells I do not know....

 

If it's any help, Dawnstar, Fille is the only ballet I've ever been to for the first time and come out thinking "I just want to watch that all over again!  Now."

 

Also, bear in mind that BRB performs it as a 3-act ballet, so with the extra interval there will be less time than you think between shows.  As some have said, there are plenty of shops around, or you could go and get some food somewhere.  The Sadler's Wells cafe usually produces some good fare, and if you get in shortly after the matinee you ought to avoid any risk of them running out of food. 

 

Actually, can someone remind me of the running time for BRB's, please - ideally with splits?  I'm just wondering whether, if I go to Birmingham, I can stay on for at least part of the evening while I'm at it.

[alison]

PS: There isn't a 29th February next year - presumably 1st March is meant.

[Peanut68]

Haven’t read this thread through yet big saw the announcement about La Fille Ma Garde by BRB… well, you’ve got to hand it to Acosta!!! He’s reading the room & giving audiences what they want!!! Move over KOH…. I don’t wish BRB to lose out but honestly I think CA could be the perfect solution to the feeling of loss of identify of English Ballet. Afterall, BRB’a origins was as the touring arm of the Royal Ballet…so maybe consolidate under one umbrella under one fabulous artistic director again is what’s needed!!! IMHO anyhow! 

[Pulcinella]

3 minutes ago, alison said:

PS: There isn't a 29th February next year - presumably 1st March is meant.

Yes it is. It's correct on the brochure.

[Tony Newcombe]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Gosh, I didn't think of Kobborg as a possibility. I can't imagine him as Widow Simone. Coleman on the other hand I can't imagine as Colas because I've only seen him in character roles. Is it O'Hare who danced Colas, Widow Simone and Alain? I'm sure someone doing so was mentioned on here fairly recently but I'm not vertain if it was him or someone else.

 

Unfortunately they're building a new station just south of Cambridge & it's not due to be completed until some time in 2025.

Coleman as Colas with Collier as Lise Video about 1980. Superb. 

[Peanut68]

27 minutes ago, alison said:

The Sadler's Wells cafe usually produces some good fare, and if you get in shortly after the matinee you ought to avoid any risk of them running out of food. 

And quite often it’s a good place to sit & see the ballet great & good wandering in & out of the stage door area… & even see some sitting at a table close by!!

Edited February 1 by Peanut68

[Peanut68]

I think ‘the powers that be’ at BRB are reading this forum and especially the thread about what we’d like to see from the RB… bravo for ‘getting in there first’ …. In fact for just getting in there as let’s face it, RB programmers seem on a path of complete denial as far as delivering what an audience wants… IMHO

[Jan McNulty]

6 hours ago, Peanut68 said:Afterall, BRB’a origins was as the touring arm of the Royal Ballet…so maybe consolidate under one umbrella under one fabulous artistic director again is what’s needed!!! IMHO anyhow! 

NO WAY!!!

 

They are 2 separate companies with 2 different reps that has some crossover and my guess is that it would be the BRB rep that suffers!

[Mary]

I might be remembering incorrectly, but did Acosta say when he took over that he would not stage 'heritage' works- or am I confusing that with some other company?

 

I once chatted to someone from BRB who had worked there for a long time, who politely asked me what was my favourite ballet. I said Fille would certainly be one of them, although to choose one was obviously rather absurd as I liked a large range, etc..The response was a loud snort and the person said 'Oh, you're one of THEM'.

I was very much disconcerted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, Mary said:

I might be remembering incorrectly, but did Acosta say when he took over that he would not stage 'heritage' works- or am I confusing that with some other company?

 

I once chatted to someone from BRB who had worked there for a long time, who politely asked me what was my favourite ballet. I said Fille would certainly be one of them, although to choose one was obviously rather absurd as I liked a large range, etc..The response was a loud snort and the person said 'Oh, you're one of THEM'.

I was very much disconcerted.

 

It was Acosta. And how awful, both that someone should say that and that they should be so rude.

[Odyssey]

I stand to be corrected , but did Carlos Acosta actually say he wouldn’t stage heritage works? I’ve searched some of his original statements both when the announcement about his taking up the post of director was made, and from when he was first appointed , and I cannot find any direct statement of this kind. 
I also think it’s important to read what he says on his official website. 

 

https://www.carlosacosta.com/birmingham-royal-ballet/

 

[art_enthusiast]

I can’t wait to see Fille live for the first time! Does anyone know when Sadler’s Wells tickets go on sale?

 

Shame it’s only 3 days there

[bridiem]

46 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

I stand to be corrected , but did Carlos Acosta actually say he wouldn’t stage heritage works? I’ve searched some of his original statements both when the announcement about his taking up the post of director was made, and from when he was first appointed , and I cannot find any direct statement of this kind. 
I also think it’s important to read what he says on his official website. 

 

https://www.carlosacosta.com/birmingham-royal-ballet/

 

I remember discussions on this forum in response to him saying that he wouldn't stage heritage works (or maybe classics - can't remember) for a few years; but quite soon afterwards it was clear that he was in fact programming such works. So maybe it was an off-the-cuff comment, or maybe he changed his mind. (Or maybe he was misreported - don't know.) At any rate, I'm very glad it turned out not to be the case.

[Pulcinella]

Carlos mentioned at the season launch yesterday that he hoped to programme some more Ashton works in the future, including some lesser known ones, as part of the Frederick Ashton Foundation's international festival 2024-2028. So here's hoping!

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, Odyssey said:

I stand to be corrected , but did Carlos Acosta actually say he wouldn’t stage heritage works? I’ve searched some of his original statements both when the announcement about his taking up the post of director was made, and from when he was first appointed , and I cannot find any direct statement of this kind. 
I also think it’s important to read what he says on his official website. 

 

https://www.carlosacosta.com/birmingham-royal-ballet/

 

 

He said that he would not be staging any heritage works for at least 5 years when he gave a Zoom talk to friends of BRB in 2021.  (He forgot to mention that that was the initial length of his contract.). This was after he had made some very uncomplimentary remarks about the company when he was the keynote speaker at the London Ballet Circle AGM in 2021.

 

If I don't come across as an Acosta aficionado it is because of these 2 zoom talks.

[Mary]

Thanks Jan- it was your report of those zoom talks I was remembering.

 

Well I'm pleased  he is putting on Fille and Cinderella and hope to see some more Bintley in future, as well as the new things.

 

 

 

 

 

[Odyssey]

That’s very interesting Jan.  I hadn’t been aware of this.  He must have had a Damascus experience!