30 replies to this topic

[Leigh Witchel]

It was announced today by Monica Mason at a press conference that Alexandra Ansanelli would retire from the Royal Ballet, and from dancing, in June.

She will perform throughout the season and at the Kennedy Center as previously announced.

[abatt]

That's shocking and very unfortunate.  I believe she is relatively young, although I don't know her age. I also know that she has suffered some serious injuries over the years. She has accomplished so much. I'm sure she had to work very hard to become a principal at the Royal after leaving City Ballet.  I always enjoyed her performances at City Ballet.

[Natalia]

Her June 24th performance as Natasha in A Month in the Country, at the Kennedy Center, will now be extra-special. This will probably be her last performance in ballet, anywhere. There should be "busloads" of admirers and friends from NYC and beyond. It will not be an ordinary, run-of-the-mill curtain call!

[Farrell Fan]

Sorry to hear this. I wish her well, and as the title of one of my favorite novels had it, "A Long and Happy Life."

[Leigh Witchel]

The Royal Ballet has further tours to Barcelona and Cuba.  Is she not going on them per Mason?

[Old Fashioned]

This is shocking.  Was any reason given for her retirement?

[carbro]

I feel like someone's punched me in the stomach.  It's probably too much to hope that after a year or so away from dancing, she'll change her mind and find a hospitable performing situation.

The news of her growth since joining RB have been so heartening.  I'm sorry I never got to see her after she left NYCB.  She has rare intelligence and imagination.

[Helene]

We're waiting for either a press release or reports from the press conference.

Right now, all I can find are the press releases about next season's ballet and opera, and Domingo singing Simon Boccanegra.

[abatt]

Helene, on Apr 22 2009, 04:35 PM, said:

Right now, all I can find are the press releases about next season's ballet and opera, and Domingo singing Simon Boccanegra.

I know this may be off topic, but Domingo will also be singing Simon Boccanegra for the first time at the Met next season.  We got a little preview of him in this role at a big gala a few weeks ago, where he sang an aria from that opera.  He was wonderful.  Can't wait to see him in the full opera next year.

[Leigh Witchel]

I'm going to take my prerogative as Editorial Advisor here.  Alexandra and I are friends and we discussed this prior to the announcement.  The decision was not due to working conditions at the Royal Ballet or to physical injury.  It was her decision solely.

[Estelle]

abatt, on Apr 22 2009, 09:29 PM, said:

That's shocking and very unfortunate.  I believe she is relatively young, although I don't know her age.

Her biography on the ROH web site says that she was born in 1980, so she's only 28 or 29. What a young age for retirement ! I regret never having had any opportunity to see her :-(

[Old Fashioned]

carbro, on Apr 22 2009, 03:31 PM, said:

It's probably too much to hope that after a year or so away from dancing, she'll change her mind and find a hospitable performing situation.

You never know.    Barbara Bears returned to Houston Ballet after "retiring."  Perhaps the management at Royal Ballet could be so kind as to make some sort of "if you ever decide to dance again, you still have a place here with us" arrangement.

[vipa]

Old Fashioned, on Apr 22 2009, 06:41 PM, said:

carbro, on Apr 22 2009, 03:31 PM, said:

It's probably too much to hope that after a year or so away from dancing, she'll change her mind and find a hospitable performing situation.

You never know.    Barbara Bears returned to Houston Ballet after "retiring."  Perhaps the management at Royal Ballet could be so kind as to make some sort of "if you ever decide to dance again, you still have a place here with us" arrangement.

I'm old enough to remember Cynthia Gregory's retirement and come back.  Cynthia had just had it with being a dancer for a lot of reasons.  After a time away she came back and was great.

I'd be sorry to not see Ansanelli dance again.  Interesting to note she started late and ended early!!

[Drew]

This makes me very, very sad.  Seeing her with NYCB I found her to be a really remarkable dancer and was delighted to read about her rise to principal at the Royal Ballet. I actually saw her twice with the Royal -- as the first of the gift bearing fairies in the prologue to Sleeping Beauty and as a lovely though not yet fully realized Lilac Fairy in the same production.  In the first fairy solo I found her simply gorgeous--almost hauntingly so. I wish her the very best.

[nysusan]

I'm sure she has her reasons - but this is very sad news. I found her to be a wonderful dancer with NYCB - one of my favorites. I only saw her in her first season with the RB, when she was still adjusting to their style. It was great to hear of the progress she made there and it makes me very sad to think that I'll never see her dance again. She's still so young, hopefully at some point she will change her mind...