11 replies to this topic

[JMcN]

Alexander Campbell is listed on the roster of the Royal Ballet for the 2011/12 season as a soloist.

All his many fans at BRB are very sorry that he is moving across but wish him well with his new company.

Alex has had leading roles with BRB since the day he joined the company and is a wonderful Cyrano, Prince Florimund and Will Mossop amongst others.  I hope the management and audiences of the Royal Ballet treasure Alex as much as BRB has.

[Simon G]

JMcN, on 14 June 2011 - 11:40 PM, said:

Alexander Campbell is listed on the roster of the Royal Ballet for the 2011/12 season as a soloist.

All his many fans at BRB are very sorry that he is moving across but wish him well with his new company.

Alex has had leading roles with BRB since the day he joined the company and is a wonderful Cyrano, Prince Florimund and Will Mossop amongst others.  I hope the management and audiences of the Royal Ballet treasure Alex as much as BRB has.

This is another one of those bizarre transitions that the RB likes doing. Alexander Campbell is a nice dancer to be sure, but there's no shortage of nice, functional dancers with a bit of swagger in artist or first artist rank who are ripe for promotion. They'd have been far better off trying to poach Vadim Muntagirov from ENB for first soloist that would have been money well spent as Muntagirov has if nothing else a virtuosity very much lacking in the RB ranks of men.

[JMcN]

I find your comments on this and the other thread we have both been posting on verging on the offensive.

[Simon G]

JMcN, on 15 June 2011 - 06:09 AM, said:

I find your comments on this and the other thread we have both been posting on verging on the offensive.

Why? I've said absolutely nothing offensive whatsoever. Kevin O'Hare is a nice man, not an AD. Campbell is a nice dancer, but in the RB where one of the biggest criticisms being that many talented soloist level dancers are never given opportunities is this cross-hiring necessary? There's absolutely nothing to be offended about in passionate arguments.

[Mashinka]

Over the years dancers have migrated in both directions between the two companies.  Campbell is a very capable looking dancer I'd say and certainly better than a couple currently masquerading as principals so this move doesn't upset me in any way.  Perhaps he is being brought in to replace David Makheteli.

[JMcN]

Simon G, on 15 June 2011 - 06:20 AM, said:

JMcN, on 15 June 2011 - 06:09 AM, said:

I find your comments on this and the other thread we have both been posting on verging on the offensive.

Why? I've said absolutely nothing offensive whatsoever. Kevin O'Hare is a nice man, not an AD. Campbell is a nice dancer, but in the RB where one of the biggest criticisms being that many talented soloist level dancers are never given opportunities is this cross-hiring necessary? There's absolutely nothing to be offended about in passionate arguments.

Being offended is in the eye of the beholder.  I don't really follow the Royal Ballet for a variety of reasons but the harsh way (or the damning with faint praise) that you word your postings makes me cringe and want to leap to the defence of the company!

In my own working life (nothing to do with the arts) I've seen lots of people blossom on promotion in ways that no-one could envisaged and others that haven't lived up to their promise.  Until they were given a chance, however, no-one could predict what their performance would be.

What's wrong with giving these people a chance before leaping to harsh judgements?

[Jayne]

I wish him tremendous success.  He will need all of our good wishes to survive in that snakepit.  I've never really understood the British tradition of tearing people down, and the press really seems to thrill in gleefully tearing down this organization.  Yes, Americans do it to a certain extent, but the British are the undisputed world champions.  Not a distinction of pride or honor.

[Mashinka]

Jayne, on 16 June 2011 - 12:03 AM, said:

I've never really understood the British tradition of tearing people down, and the press really seems to thrill in gleefully tearing down this organization.  Yes, Americans do it to a certain extent, but the British are the undisputed world champions.  Not a distinction of pride or honor.

As a Londoner with an Irish passport and therefore semi neutral, one of the things I admire most about the Brits is their healthy scepticism about 'national institutions'. If we are discussing the Royal Ballet in general here, I deplore the sycophancy towards it in sections of the British press and the willful disregard of the chronic problems, mismanagement and wastefulness. Unlike in the U.S. many British theatres are wholly subsidized by tax payers, a huge number of which can never afford to even step over the threshold of the Royal Opera House. Therefore I consider it incumbent of commentators to go for the jugular when dealing with organizations like these: tell it like it is and take no prisoners - GO BRITS!!!!!!!!!

[bart]

OFF TOPIC. Recently we had a post linking to an article that suggested that Tamara Rojo was a candidate for the position.  Was that a serious possibility?  Come to think of it, who WERE the other possible candidates who might -- or might not -- have been better than, or at least different from, Mr. Campbell?

[JMcN]

bart, on 16 June 2011 - 04:17 AM, said:

OFF TOPIC. Recently we had a post linking to an article that suggested that Tamara Rojo was a candidate for the position.  Was that a serious possibility?  Come to think of it, who WERE the other possible candidates who might -- or might not -- have been better than, or at least different from, Mr. Campbell?

Bart, I assume you mean Mr O'Hare rather than Mr Campbell.  Who knows who else applied or was considered other than the sift-board and the interviewing panel?  Another web-site has highlighted an interview with the AD of the Joffrey where he states that he was approached with a view to applying for the post.

[Simon G]

bart, on 16 June 2011 - 04:17 AM, said:

OFF TOPIC. Recently we had a post linking to an article that suggested that Tamara Rojo was a candidate for the position.  Was that a serious possibility?  Come to think of it, who WERE the other possible candidates who might -- or might not -- have been better than, or at least different from, Mr. Campbell?

Hey Bart,

J has it slightly wrong, the candidates whose names were confirmed are Bruce Sansom, the duo of Michael Nunn & William Trevitt, Alastair Marriott, Ashley Page, Wayne Eagling. Ashley Wheater says he was approached, and rumoured to be on the list were Kobborg, Rojo and possibly Guillem. O'Hare was the rank outsider.

Alexander Campbell is a very nice dancer with a solid technique who is a first soloist with Birmingham Royal Ballet who's decided to take his chances with a demotion and move to the RB at Covent Garden, which is brave within the smaller, parochial BRB he's really shone. BRB have a very different repertory and ethos to the RB, they do many three act ballets by David Bintley which are financial if not artistically sound and a very reduced approach to the classics. Though they do have Peter Wrights lovely versions of Sleeping Beauty, Giselle which they share with the RB. They also have a slightly truncated version of Romeo & Juliet, which is probably no bad thing.

The problem BRB has always faced is attracting star ballerinas to its company, they have some lovely dancers to be sure and it's very much an entity in its own right. Many dancers from Covent Garden who've languished or stagnated make a move to BRB and their careers take off, with the increased opportunities to perform and a wider more commercial rep. Natasha Oughtred moved to BRB to first soloist and then principal, Jamie Bond moved after a couple of years at Covent Garden in the corps and is now a principal.

Moving the other way is risky. Campbell goes from first soloist with a wide principal rep, to soloist. At Covent Garden he'll be up against a much bigger talent pool and jostling for parts as well as far fewer performances. Also at Covent Garden because so few RBS trained dancers ever get to perform principal roles the first soloists and established soloists really guard their roles.

[bart]

JMcN, on 16 June 2011 - 06:22 AM, said:

Bart, I assume you mean Mr O'Hare rather than Mr Campbell.

Yes, sorry for the mistake.  I did mean O'Hare.  But my typing was rushing ahead of my brain.