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Royal Ballet - 2013/14 booking period 1 - casting

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Beryl H

Beryl H

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I'm pleased for Steven McRae to have 3 exciting new partners,  Evgenia Obratsova should be wonderful as Juliet, she was a tragic Nikiya recently,  never heard of Iana Salenko before but they would appear to be a golden couple, just wish I had been able to buy a ticket for the amphi on 18th October, lucky Students!

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gingellgingell

gingellgingell

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I would also prefer to have seen Kitri and Juliet danced by RB artists. I have been watching the RB avidly, even fervently, since the last couple of years of Mason's directorship. What riveted me was discovering  the exciting dynamics and artistic cohesion of a true company. Much as I admire Obratsova, I really don't want to see the RB become a background for "star" visitors. The whole interest for me is that the RB has been producing fabulously tight and thrilling drama, where the dancers of the smaller parts count as much as the leads and contribute as much to the ballet as the principals do. This is something that very rarely gels when a guest has a major part (though I must add that I thought Reilly's wonderful Onegin last season was an exception to this).

I don't sit down to book thinking "Oh dear, I'd really like to see some new stars..."  I sit down thinking "Wow! I wonder what the configuration of the company will be?"

Edited by gingellgingell
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SMballet

SMballet

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I'm chiming in to agree with those of you lamenting the bringing in of "guest stars". I am an unabashed fan of the RB company, and feel certain that they could have picked a Kitri and Juliet from within their ranks and I would happily have gone to see the performances, even with "unknowns". Of course I would gladly go just to see Steven McRae, who is such a fantastic dancer, with an energy which is so particular to him, and I think his dancing is just....swoooooooooooooon...perfection. Why don't RB management have confidence in their own rank and file?I know losing Alina so suddenly must have hurt, but surely it was a wonderful opportunity, just like the one which brought young Alina to the fore so many years ago, for someone else, young, talented, and just waiting in the wings to be discovered? Ugh. I dont think I'll ever understand the murky world of ballet casting.

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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For myself I think that one has to give support to the Director.  Kevin O'Hare is relatively new in his post.  He has given more opportunity to young dancers - taking more in at the bottom of the ranks this season - than many other more recent former RB artistic leaders.  He obviously has a vision he is trying to grow and does, I think, quite rightly not want to 'over-promote'.  I, for one, applaud that.  He has said he wants to concentrate on the development of the assignment of the British creative team (x3 in this case) and is building the shape of the company around this as is now reflected in ALL work.  I also think that he has shown himself to be quite generous in giving a wide range of opportunities in a variety of works to the rank and file while not pushing the envelope beyond the appropriate guidelines which, as we have seen, can be even more damaging.  In this specific instance he is balancing the opportunities offering a soloist much cherished on these boards an opportunity which might not otherwise have come (so soon) as well as bringing in guest artists from whom hopefully all (including they themselves) will profit.  I think that is as prudent as one can be under the circumstances.  As to the results of the gamble - of ANY such gamble - as ever - only time will tell.  Blessedly this is not a fixed science - or we Balletcoforum types would have precious little to speak (or is that squawk!) about ... LOL :)   

Edited by Meunier
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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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I think I have mentioned before that I prefer to see the dancers of the companies I follow rather than guests.  However, we were talking to a dancer some years ago about guest artists who were appearing at the time.  He said he welcomed them because it was interesting to see how other dancers worked and the home dancers could learn from them.

 

I would never like to see a company just become a vehicle for a series of star guests but I suppose the occasional guest could have more positives than negatives.

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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Janet, I agree with you vis a vis balance.  As I have said before, I think once Carlos goes - and surely it can't be that very long - that I very much hope that the RB powers that be use the monies set aside for the PRINCIPAL GUEST ARTIST contract (the '25 performances per season' as established for Guillem) to fund a variety of 'guests' ('a principal guest artist' itself has always been a contradiction in terms at least to me) to show their skills honed in works for which they have been uniquely trained/tailored and for which the sharing of their expertise will be of the greatest benefit for ALL at the Royal Ballet (and here I would include audiences in the proverbial mix).  That way ALL other monies and opportunities - such as have been earmarked for the RB dancers themselves - can be 'ring-fenced' (hate the word) for the further development of those within the ranks, e.g., ALL ranks.  I agree with O'Hare that the focus at the bottom is most crucial given that is where the future top is to be defined and clearly needs to be cherished  Such will I think re-establish the balance you are encouraging/desirous of Janet.  

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chrischris

chrischris

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Really looking forward to seeing Cuthbertson back on stage, and having enjoyed some of the clips of her and Bonelli on youtube, am excited about their partnership. Seeing Hamilton and Watson as well, as I love Hamilton and am intrigued to see what Watson is like in a romantic role. Also seeing Lamb and Pennefather as they have been my favourite partnership since Manon.

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Coated

Coated

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I loved Hamilton/Pennefather in Mayerling, and am really looking forward to Hamilton/Watson and Lamb/Pennefather in R&J. Quite excited about Soares/Nunez as well, but I'd be excited about watching them stuffing envelopes.

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capybara

capybara

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I appreciate that I am entering this debate rather late in the day but I have only seen Kevin O'Hare's e-mail to Friends (and the above posts) on return from holiday and am really rather upset by the news of Alina's replacements in DQ and R&J.

 

I understand Kevin's dilemma insofar as not every aspirant Kitri or Juliet suits Steven heightwise, but I would much rather have seen another RB Kitri (as well as Akane) than Iana Salenko (whom I only know by name and am unlikely, perhaps, to see again) or another guest (unless, perhaps, it was an RBS graduate such as Elisa Badenes who has quite a reputation as Kitri). And, while Eugenia Obratsova is lovely, of course, it is surely time to give another RB ballerina a go as Juliet. Yuhui and Leanne C have both had many advocates on here; or how about a return to the one-time 'tradition' of plucking a Juliet from among the newer members of the corps - Francesca anyone?

 

I wish that Kevin could be disabused of the notion that a missing 'star principal' needs to be replaced by a guest and, rather, demonstrate the confidence in his company which he must undoubtedly have. After all, that is also how he will secure its future.

 

I, for one, am very happy to support the 'home team' and, as I am sure I have said before, derive immense joy from seeing younger dancers get their chances, build on them and develop into special artistes.

 

By the way, this time around, none of the R&J pairings quite do it for me and I feel the need for a 'pick and mix' option!!!!!!

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aileen

aileen

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Let's be honest; we don't really like guests, do we? We feel that it's a bit insulting to the 'home team'. They rarely seem to be better than members of the home team. Personally, I make an exception for dancers who are coming to dance one of their signature roles or a role in which they excel eg Nicolas le Riche in Jeune Homme et la Mort or Alban Lendorf in Etudes (although the latter came in as a last minute replacement) with ENB. Having said that, I have booked to see both guests, as I've not seen either of them before, in addition to an Acosta/Nunez Don Q. I really feel that it's men which the RB should be bringing in as guests, rather than women. Regarding Akane, I saw her perform an excerpt from Don Q at Alina's gala in May and I have to say that she looked rather ill at ease. I hope that this was down to the gala format and lack of rehearsal time with an unfamiliar partner and that she will be much more convincing in her single performance.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Bluebird

Bluebird

Posted
Posted (edited)
  • Just noticed that the title and first cast for the new Dawson are on the ROH website. 
  •  
  •  
  • The Human Seasons:
  •  
  • Bonelli
  • Watson
  • Underwood
  • Trzensimiech
  • Stepanek
  • McRae
  • Cowley
  • Nuñez
  • Mendizabal
  • Lamb
  • Hamilton
  • Cuthbertson
  • Stix-Brunell
  •  
  •  

http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/the-human-seasons-by-david-dawson

 

These dancers are only listed for the first two performances.  The casting for the later performances is still TBA

Edited by Bluebird
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Anna C

Anna C

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I loved Hamilton/Pennefather in Mayerling, and am really looking forward to Hamilton/Watson and Lamb/Pennefather in R&J. Quite excited about Soares/Nunez as well, but I'd be excited about watching them stuffing envelopes.

Yup, me too.

 

I had to choose between Cuthbertson/Bonelli and Nuñez/Soares (painful choice; I'd love to see both). In the end I went for the latter having seen them in Onegin and been wowed by the emotions they projected.

 

I have a sneaky suspicion that Lauren and Federico will always be my favourite R&J but I am VERY excited about seeing Marianela and Thiago.

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LinMM

LinMM

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Yes making decisions as to who to see can be so difficult. In the end I chose Osipova and Acosta for this largely because one never knows how long Osipova will be around in the Royal to see her. Otherwise Nunez and Soares would have been my choice too!!

 

I am looking forward to seeing Cuthbertson in Fille and hope she is cast soon (even though Nunez is delightful in this role)

 

And just thinking about Fille....sorry slightly off topic Ive decided that it is Fille I'd take to a desert island I'd could only take ONE ballet.

 

If I was up against it on an unihabited island I think Giselles character would drive me mad....wasting her time with a womanising bit of upper crust! Romeo and Juliet is just far too tragic when I might be up against death myself! Swan Lake is just far too arty and lofty when I'm trying to build a shelter and find a bit of food so yes it would have to be Fille....down to earth, funny, colourful and a bit of romance that is successful as well. Needless to say love all of the above in normal circumstances though.

 

To return to thread....so....Cuthbertson for Fille? I hope so sooner rather than later.

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alison

alison

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As if that wasn't bad enough, the ROH website is currently throwing a bit of a wobbly and offering £10 tickets for various performances.  Needless to say, they aren't there when you try and get hold of them!

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