hephaistion03 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Its some time now since Queen Elizabeth the Second passed away, yet her monogram still adorns the curtain at the ROH I have asked numerous staff at the ROH as to why the monogram of the new King does not now adorn the curtain. Amongst the replies I have been given is that King Charles wants the previous Queens monogram to remain in her honour / the cost of changing it prohibits the change / the Queen loved attending performances at CG so it would be left as is in her honour. Can anyone please advise why no change to the monogram has taken place / Thank You 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 I think Bangorballetboy posted some months ago that the cipher of the monarch at the time something was created remain on that something. Like pillar boxes, where the cipher doesn't change with the monarch, I guess. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 I don't think the reason is anything to do with the late Queen loving attending Covent Garden - I suspect the King has been a far more regular and enthusiastic supporter of opera and ballet over the years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 8 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: I don't think the reason is anything to do with the late Queen loving attending Covent Garden - I suspect the King has been a far more regular and enthusiastic supporter of opera and ballet over the years. Yes….the late Queen was not a culture vulture and much preferred the horses than Covent Garden! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Queen Elizabeth gave the Royal Ballet its name on its 25 anniversary in 1956 by Royal Charter and the Covent Garden Opera Company was given the title The Royal Opera by her in 1968; I understood King Charles asked that the cipher remained to acknowledge this link with his mother 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 1 hour ago, alison said: I think Bangorballetboy posted some months ago that the cipher of the monarch at the time something was created remain on that something. Like pillar boxes, where the cipher doesn't change with the monarch, I guess. Yep: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Though pillar boxes are rather more difficult to alter than ciphers on drapes! The ER cipher was put in place in June 1952. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 True, EIIR did start to appear on pillar boxes in 1952 - but I may not be alone in recalling that this was not universally well-received in Scotland, where the argument was that there had been no previous Queen Elizabeth north of the border. In the extreme, there were a few incidents involving explosives in boxes before things settled. 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Anent my post, above, I've found a fuller report on events back then: https://www.postalmuseum.org/blog/the-battle-of-the-cypher/ 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 I suspect that post boxes with King Charles' cypher won't be numerous. The obvious reason of his age of course (we older people do have to face our mortality) though also, as the postal service is really becoming worryingly dire and so is used less and less, especially in the age of electronic communications, I wonder if we will need them! On the positive side, we have the rise of the knitted post box topper. This King Charles III one ended up in Australia. I've not, as yet, seen a ballet related one, but who knows? They add hugely to the gaiety of the nation don't they? https://www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk/2024/02/05/king-charles-post-box-topper/ The Prince of Wales is always known as The Duke of Rothesay in Scotland. 😉 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 2 minutes ago, Roberta said: On the positive side, we have the rise of the knitted post box topper. This King Charles III one ended up in Australia. I https://www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk/2024/02/05/king-charles-post-box-topper/ It even looks like him!! Brilliant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 (edited) 17 minutes ago, bridiem said: It even looks like him!! Brilliant. There were many magnificent ones for the coronation. Such talent! The latest theme is the celebration of 200 years of the RNLI. Yarnbombing is fun. I'm no knitter, though I do appreciate the talents of others. https://m.facebook.com/groups/876920579707070/permalink/1042769046455555/ This is getting off the original topic, here's a dancer who yarnbombs. https://magazine.workingnotworking.com/magazine/2016/8/17/nd6d7bzja05xisijv1rl4ctwmvis11 Edited March 6 by Roberta 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 12 hours ago, Roberta said: Though pillar boxes are rather more difficult to alter than ciphers on drapes! The ER cipher was put in place in June 1952. Are there photos of the previous ‘G’ curtains? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 48 minutes ago, Peanut68 said: Are there photos of the previous ‘G’ curtains? I can't find one rapidly, though I'm sure there will be, and the cipher itself is readily available by a Google search. I did find this, however. https://www.gerriets.com/uk/royal-opera-house-london-theatre-curtain/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Aside from all else, changing it would cost rather a lot of money. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 hour ago, taxi4ballet said: Aside from all else, changing it would cost rather a lot of money. Yes. I suspect that has something to do with it too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 From Alex Beard in today's The Times: "The King's view is that these things should be done organically, not immediately. So when the time comes to replace the curtains we will proudly display C III R. That will be quite soon, because they date from the 1999 refurbishment of the theatre. After 25 years of being pulled up and down twice daily [sic] there's quite a bit of wear and tear." 4 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 From tomorrow's Times: "And the Royal Opera House, where the Rausings have funded numerous opera and ballet productions over the years, gets £10 million to upgrade its staging and lighting and replace its front curtains (which will finally carry the emblem CIIIR, rather than EIIR)." (Paywalled link.) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted July 11 Share Posted July 11 I would rather they spent money on improving the sightlines at the Linbury which I found very poor on my 3 visits to Sarasota ballet. Most of the side seats especially seem to have some form of restriction. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Never understood why they changed the place. It was fine as it was. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 1 hour ago, MAB said: Never understood why they changed the place. It was fine as it was. I like what they've done with the foyer space, opening it up and all that. The actual auditorium looks very pretty, but you might as well do away with most of the side seats (and especially the standing spots), unless you're happy seeing only 30-40% of the action on stage 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 14 hours ago, Lizbie1 said: "And the Royal Opera House, where the Rausings have funded numerous opera and ballet productions over the years, gets £10 million to ... replace its front curtains (which will finally carry the emblem CIIIR, rather than EIIR)." Personally, I'm in no desperate hurry. They don't look nearly as worn as the previous ones were, to me, although obviously I don't have practical experience of them. The lighting upgrade is apparently rather more urgent, to judge by one of the interval features I saw during one of the live relays. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 1 hour ago, alison said: Personally, I'm in no desperate hurry. They don't look nearly as worn as the previous ones were, to me, although obviously I don't have practical experience of them. The lighting upgrade is apparently rather more urgent, to judge by one of the interval features I saw during one of the live relays. I recently thought I saw a large tear at the centre edge of the LH curtain where the chain might have worn through. I might have been imagining it though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 yes, they need to replace those meters on the lighting rigs from 50p up to £2 at least! And must be near even money that within a couple of years of replacing the monogram, we'll be on to a new King again.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke H Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 1 hour ago, zxDaveM said: And must be near even money that within a couple of years of replacing the monogram, we'll be on to a new King again.... My thoughts exactly. But I guess if donors stipulate what the their money is to be used for the funds' recipient can't just go and spend it on other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 I'm not crazy about talking about this stuff, but since it's been raised: there is serious longevity on both sides of the King's family and there is no history of monarchs abdicating because of old age in this country. Anyway, assuming that this were a concern, the design of the curtains may allow for a simpler change next time: only the change of the crown shape presents a challenge as they currently are and a reversion to the St Edward's shape next time - if such is chosen - would probably be easier to manage. Quite apart from that: I'm not going to quibble with someone donating £10m (on top of previous funding) over how he wants it to be spent. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Will we see RB dancers prancing around Salzburg (or London) in 'play clothes' made from the old 'drapes'? Just wondering... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Sometimes (not necessarily at RBO) when old, cherished items are replaced they are sectioned up so that people can buy a piece of history... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 I hope they spend a portion of the £10 million on a fish smell removal system....or just change the menu, whichever is easier 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 1 minute ago, Rob S said: I hope they spend a portion of the £10 million on a fish smell removal system....or just change the menu, whichever is easier oh yes!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 I can’t read behind the paywall but it’s already been suggested that this was a donation made for a specific reason and most likely following discussion with ROH staff. after all, . e.g. people donate money to have seats named for themselves or a loved one, people sponsor a role or a production in memory of a loved one too. A donation to pay for new curtains has to be welcomed and, for the donor, what a wonderful gentle reminder of a loved one and their favourite place than to see the curtains on each visit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 This is from this evening's Friends' update: The Royal Opera House has today been announced as one of the first recipients of The Julia Rausing Trust. Launched today, the Trust has been created in memory of the late philanthropist Julia Rausing and will see £100 million donated to UK charities and organisations in its first year. We are grateful to receive a grant which will go towards essential infrastructure upgrades relating to the ballet stage and other projects to improve the environment for artists to create and for audiences to enjoy. Alex Beard, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, said, 'Julia Rausing was a dedicated patron and true lover of the arts. We are extremely thankful for this generous grant in her memory, which will be providing vital funds needed to help us renew our stage infrastructure in order to deliver the state of the art facilities that our artists deserve and to allow our audiences to continue to enjoy performances in our beautiful Grade I listed building in Covent Garden.' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 I must admit, I know technology and so on has made major advances in the past quarter-century, but I don't like the prospects for the theatre world in general if infrastructure is going to need updating on a regular basis now 🙁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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