Rob S Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) Announced on the RAD Instagram account....sounds like he's leaving the RB!!??? Last performance on 8th March as Des Grieux https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/rad-announces-alexander-campbell-as-its-new-artistic-director/ Edited February 21 by Rob S 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Rob S said: Announced on the RAD Instagram account....sounds like he's leaving the RB!!??? https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/rad-announces-alexander-campbell-as-its-new-artistic-director/ Alexander’s last performances with The Royal Ballet will be as Des Grieux in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon on Saturday 2nd and Friday 8th March 2024. Edited February 21 by PeterS 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke H Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) Instagram RAD + ROH I was just starting a topic on this too ☺️ Might that be the reason Alexander isn’t cast in SL etc? Possibly his De Grieux on 8th March his farewell? 😢 Congratulations to Alexander but sad if that means he’s leaving RB Edited February 21 by Silke H 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) What?! Here’s the link https://www.instagram.com/p/C3m9hO3oflc/?igsh=bzhjcmhweGt5a2h3 I can’t believe he’s no longer going to dance. This is too soon. Edited February 21 by FionaM 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVWS Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Wow, he will be very missed! This does explain his lack of casting in anything after Manon. Will definitely try and see if there are returns for the 8th March Manon performance now! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/rad-announces-alexander-campbell-as-its-new-artistic-director/ Royal Academy of Dance announces Alexander Campbell as its new Artistic Director Alexander joins the RAD in his first Artistic Director position since departing from The Royal Ballet Today the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) announces Alexander Campbell as its new Artistic Director. Alexander will begin his tenure in April 2024. Succeeding the RAD’s previous Artistic Director Gerard Charles who retired last year, Alexander comes to the RAD after over a decade at The Royal Ballet. Alexander has performed across the breadth of The Royal Ballet’s classical and contemporary repertory. Principal roles have included Albrecht (Giselle), Basilio (Don Quixote), Franz (Coppélia), Prince Florimund (The Sleeping Beauty), the Prince (The Nutcracker), Colas (La Fille mal gardée), Young Man (The Two Pigeons), Oberon (The Dream), Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), Des Grieux and Lescaut (Manon), Florizel (The Winter’s Tale) and roles in Dances at a Gathering, Jewels, Within the Golden Hour, Woolf Works and Carbon Life among others. Born in Sydney, Alexander trained locally at Academy Ballet. He has longstanding connections with the RAD, completing all RAD examinations up to Advanced 2 and winning a silver medal at the 2003 Genée International Ballet Competition (now The Fonteyn) which was held in Birmingham. Through this experience Alexander was introduced to Birmingham Royal Ballet, the company he joined upon graduating from The Royal Ballet School in 2005. In 2011 he joined the Royal Ballet as a Soloist; promoted to First Soloist in 2012 and Principal in 2016. As well as having an exceedingly successful career as a professional ballet dancer, Alexander runs a production company called Alexander Campbell Productions which has spearheaded projects for theatre and dance including Sleepwalker, featuring the differently-abled dancer Joseph Powell-Main, and The Limit in association with The Royal Ballet for which he provided the original dance concept and performed in at the Linbury Theatre with fellow Royal Ballet Principal Francesca Hayward. Alexander’s last performances with The Royal Ballet will be as Des Grieux in Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon on Saturday 2nd and Friday 8th March 2024. Speaking of the news, Alexander Campbellsays: “I’m thrilled to be joining the Royal Academy of Dance and feel privileged to have been offered the role of Artistic Director. The RAD was formative in my training and I believe has the power to shape how people interact with ballet and dance. I am motivated and excited to play a part in how we develop and offer these exceptional and positive interactions, not only for our current and future members and students but also for society in general. I have been fortunate to enjoy a wonderful career performing with The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet with experiences and friendships I will cherish for a lifetime. My thanks to Kevin O’Hare for supporting me in this next step in my career and I can’t wait to get started.” Tim Arthur, Chief Executive of the RAD, says: “I am delighted that Alexander is joining the RAD at such an exciting time for our organisation. We have big plans for the future that we can’t wait to share with the world, and Alexander will play a key role in helping to define and be part of that journey. He has a wealth of experience, passion and knowledge, and is admired by so many of our RAD students and members. I can’t wait to start working with him to build on our Artistic team’s brilliant and diverse body of work.” Dame Darcey Bussell, President of the RAD, says: “As a friend of Alexander, I’m thrilled by this news. He has such great passion for dance, and I look forward to seeing all the exciting developments his time at the RAD will bring.” Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, says: “Alexander has been a key member of both our Royal companies for almost two decades. His passion for dance has always been obvious from across his many stage performances in a vibrant and diverse range of roles, to his great aptitude in more recent years as a presenter for World Ballet Day and his concept production for The Limit. I know he will continue as a wonderful advocate for dance in this exciting new role and I look forward to our continued working relationship providing more people with positive experiences of our powerful artform.” Edited February 21 by FionaM 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Just read this on Facebook. Lovely for him and may be the reason not seeing him cast so much recently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cescablue Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I'm thrilled for him, but am surprised - I thought the quality of his dancing at the Saturday matinee was fantastic (not that I'm an expert at all!). I'll miss him! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmarose Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I saw on Insta, amazing position for him but sad to see him retire from RB 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I’m sad about this but perhaps he and his wife Claire Calvert want to be more settled now they have a child? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Gosh, that's a real shock to read. With so many dancers going on well into their 40s nowadays, I would have expected him to dance for several more years. (It's not as if he's had lots of injury problems like the similar-age McRae has either.) It feels very sudden, considering while he's not cast in the summer period ballets he was supposed to be in Different Drummer next month. I'm now really kicking myself for deciding that seeing him as Lescaut at the cinema was sufficient & not seeing him live in the role as well. I have been planning to get a rush ticket for 8th March ever since Hayward replacing Takada was announced but it's now going to be almost impossible to get one. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiari Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Congratulations to him! I was wondering why he was casted so little this season, probably because they knew he was leaving and he was busy settling in a new position. It is sad to see him leave but wishing him all the best in this new role. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Congratulations to Alex. He will be much missed but what a great opportunity for him. I wouldn't be at all surprised if 10 years hence he is the AD of a ballet company. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 He's 38 and hasn't he recently become a father? Jobs like this (which possibly has more sane hours than ballet dancers have most of the time) don't come along often in the dance field, especially based in London, where he and Claire Calvert presumably are based, so yes, too young to retire as a dancer really but possibly just at the right time for him to make his next move. A loss to the RB but realistically, a very wise one for him. Congratulations to him. 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I have to say that I am quite heartbroken at the thought of not seeing him dance (and act!!) any more. He is still at the height of his powers and as his Lescaut last week showed he is a really superb dance-actor. But he has been very under-used in recent years so I'm not surprised he's been looking elsewhere, and this does sound like an excellent opportunity for him. Of course it's good to stop dancing before you decline, but it does make it very hard for your audience! I hadn't booked for 8th March but have just gone online and booked the last seat in the Amphi - restricted view and if I can find something better before then I will, but at least I will be there! The RAD are, I think, very fortunate to have acquired his services and I wish him happiness and fulfillment in his new role. 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmarose Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 1 minute ago, bridiem said: I have to say that I am quite heartbroken at the thought of not seeing him dance (and act!!) any more. He is still at the height of his powers and as his Lescaut last week showed he is a really superb dance-actor. But he has been very under-used in recent years so I'm not surprised he's been looking elsewhere, and this does sound like an excellent opportunity for him. Of course it's good to stop dancing before you decline, but it does make it very hard for your audience! I hadn't booked for 8th March but have just gone online and booked the last seat in the Amphi - restricted view and if I can find something better before then I will, but at least I will be there! The RAD are, I think, very fortunate to have acquired his services and I wish him happiness and fulfillment in his new role. I agree, he's been underused quite often the last few years and has had quite a few quiet moments where he's not seen the stage for a big space of time, so even though I felt this was very early in his career (especially one that hasn't been impacted with injuries) I actually wasn't at all surprised when I saw this news. It felt inevitable he might look for something else. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 P.S. I'm surprised that his departure from the RB has effectively been announced by the RAD (since for them, the main news is his appointment with his departure from the RB the secondary news). I would have thought it should be announced simultaneously by both organisations. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Oh my goodness- Alexander Campbell leaving RB?!! Has someone told @Jan McNulty? He still is young despite having danced many leading and featured parts at BRB & RB and I'd been hoping to see him in more roles. Glad I've booked to see his Des Grieux. Congratulations to him for getting the RAD post and to the RAD for securing such a great person for the role. Still, it feels like he's leaving too soon, when he still has so many great performances in him and is at the top of his game. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 No point in publishing the official press release then! Congratulations to Alex and very best wishes to him for the future. Sadly I won't be able to get to his final performance but I've got so many wonderful memories of his performances tucked away in my memory banks. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenHelen Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Too soon for him to retire!! I agree that he has been woefully underused recently and can't blame him for doing things with his own production company and thinking about life after performing. It sounds like it was too good an opportunity to pass up. I am sorry not to have a ticket for his final show but it seems fitting that, although not as originally cast, he has Francesca Hayward alongside him - theirs has been a special partnership. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 He is also a great presenter for the RB for World Ballet Day....I wonder if those Days are over? 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 9 minutes ago, bridiem said: P.S. I'm surprised that his departure from the RB has effectively been announced by the RAD (since for them, the main news is his appointment with his departure from the RB the secondary news). I would have thought it should be announced simultaneously by both organisations. Looking at the instagram post the same post was simultaneously placed on each organisation's account...although there's nothing yet on the ROH website 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I agree with @Sim- he is such a great presenter; it's always reassuring to see him presenting Insights or World Ballet Day. I assume he could still continue presenting these and also hosting cinema relays as Darcey Bussell did so when she was working for RAD too. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Just realised that means no Alex Campbell for any of the Ashton ballets in June! (Sob). 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenHelen Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Just now, Emeralds said: Just realised that means no Alex Campbell for any of the Ashton ballets in June! (Sob). This too, and I'm now kicking myself for not booking to see him and Hayward together in Cinderella, thinking that they were both still young enough to be around the next time! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Funnily enough, I was watching all the focus interviews with principals up on the ROH streaming last night and it was striking how much Alex's talked about projects away from classical dance [it was obviously recorded before The Limit was performed] and about possibilities for 'giving back' after his active dance career was over. He spoke a lot about his growing confidence that he had something to offer in roles other than performing, so it has obviously been on his mind for a while. Sorry to see him go so soon - a final Les Grieux with Frankie Haywood as Manon will be epic [they were my favourite Clara and Peter]. I envy those with tix on Friday next. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 10 minutes ago, Rob S said: Looking at the instagram post the same post was simultaneously placed on each organisation's account...although there's nothing yet on the ROH website Thanks, Rob S. Not sure why Instagram should be considered the right place for such an announcement, but at least they did both announce it. (I only check Instagram occasionally since I think of it as a site for photos/videos rather than news.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 5 minutes ago, Rob S said: Looking at the instagram post the same post was simultaneously placed on each organisation's account...although there's nothing yet on the ROH website The ROH are pretty terrible at putting news on their website in recent years. Looking at the news pages right now, the last item was posted over a month ago & there are only 7 articles for the entirely of 2023. Also they never put cast changes in the news section now, which they used to. Nothing on the ROH Twitter about Campbell either so far so it seems to be only Instagram where they have announced it. Instagram having kicked me off, if it wasn't for this Forum I'd never know what was going on in the ballet world. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Congratulations Alex Campbell and so pleased he will be dancing Des Grieux to bring the curtain down on this particular chapter with the Royal Ballet. What a special evening 8th March promises to be. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Such brilliant news for him, for the RAD and a generation of new dancers. Truly delighted - he obviously has a commitment to dance teaching through his other project with a ballet school, plus it's only a few years before he will be re-entering the ballet schooling system as a parent! I am very interested to see what this means for the syllabus in terms of learning a craft as well as ballet for enjoyment and music appreciation. Is there a place where the public can access information on artistic vision (I'd love to look back at previous changes to the syllabus, music etc as well)? I do find it hard to believe though that this is recent news for KOH/RB and therefore disappointed that Alex's last performances are so soon, with little chance of getting tickets - unless KOH has been incredibly flexible on his notice period. I don't feel there has been enough opportunity to see him dance of late - glad to have seen him in this run of Manon, but a shame that the large number of principals means fewer performances for each one. I wonder if this will be considered to free up a principal slot or not. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 7 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: He spoke a lot about his growing confidence that he had something to offer in roles other than performing, so it has obviously been on his mind for a while. Yes. And while audiences will miss him, it's a fresh beginning for him, building on all he has achieved in his dance career, on and off the stage. At 38, bodies begin to ache more, niggling injuries don't heal so readily, and possibly, the appetite to carry on day by day pushing yourself as a dancer, doing class, rehearsing, performing begins to dim. So many different opportunities in this role for him. I'm very pleased for him, and it must be a relief for Claire too to know one part of their family's future is secure. It's a short life is dancing, and finding what to do next never easy. Wise man. There's a whole new ballet related life ahead. He's given so much pleasure as a top class performer. Let's be pleased for him. Let's be delighted that he's been given this opportunity to give to others. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 11 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: The ROH are pretty terrible at putting news on their website in recent years. Looking at the news pages right now, the last item was posted over a month ago & there are only 7 articles for the entirely of 2023. Also they never put cast changes in the news section now, which they used to. Nothing on the ROH Twitter about Campbell either so far so it seems to be only Instagram where they have announced it. Instagram having kicked me off, if it wasn't for this Forum I'd never know what was going on in the ballet world. Ok I've checked and it's the RAD's post and they've then added ROH and Alexander as 'collaborator' which means it will automatically show up on their account. So strictly speaking the ROH and/or RB have announced nothing themselves yet 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 35 minutes ago, HelenHelen said: it seems fitting that, although not as originally cast, he has Francesca Hayward alongside him - theirs has been a special partnership. Indeed, certainly for me...it was Alex and Francesca who really introduced me to this beautiful art form in their BBC "Dancing the Nutcracker" documentary, setting off my visits to live ballet, one the earliest being their partnership in Giselle in 2018, and later in Manon that same season. After which there have been so many wonderful moments seeing him on stage! So it will be a poignant moment to see Alex dance in Manon with Frankie again in his last RB performance. Wishing him and his family all the best for this exciting new chapter in his career. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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