Jane Simpson

I happen to have a copy of the brochure about a much earlier - 1957 - American tour of 'Eight Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet', which includes this photograph and some biographical information: "Werner Anderen was born in Copenhagen is in the classical pattern of the Danish Ballet. He combines not only the pure classic style and lyrical qualities in roles such as that of the "Poet" in "La Somnambula" and Bournonville's "Napoli" and "Konservatioriet", but his wide range of expression extends to roles in which he adds characterization as the extra dimension of dance..... He has also been seen in the United States on the recent tour of the Royal Danish Ballet, dancing the leading role of 'Frantz' in "Coppelia"...and has been acclaimed for his brilliant performance particularly of the Hungarian solo and colorful Czardas in this ballet....He is the husband of the ballerina Ruth Andersen, and has just during this spring been appointed to the rank of Solo Dancer." According to this article, Andersen and his wife gave their farewell performance on the last night of the 1966/7 season, and google turns up a reference to them teaching later at the Jysk Ballet Akademi in Aarhus.

Loads of photographs of Cavallo's farewell from David Amzallag.

It's Caroline Cavallo's last performance tomorrow, and the RDB website has a page of photos etc, and a space for people to add their own farewell messages - a very nice idea.

I was a bit worried when I saw this described as a 'ballet week', but it's been a lot longer than a week now so maybe they'll stay there. I have one problem with the films - The Lesson and R&J are properly framed but the other three look as if they were originally 4:3 and have been stretched to fit a 16:9 frame, so everyone is shorter and squashed - does this happen for everyone, and is there any way of fixing it?

First review - from Eva Kistrup in her DanceView Times blog

Yet one more short video about Alban Lendorf - from the newspaper Politiken this time - but he's no longer dancing the Prince at the Sleeping Beauty premiere. Cast changes this morning 'due to injury' show that the first night will be done by Caroline Cavallo and Ulrik Birkkjaer instead of Gudrun Bojesen and Lendorf. Lendorf does the Bluebird, but let's hope he and Bojesen will get some performances before the end of the run.

Joan - I only found out because the theatre put up a note about it on Twitter! More casting: The Lesson (Enetime) has Flemming Flindt, Anne-Marie Vessel and Vivi Flindt; the Napoli is Linda Hindberg and Arne Villumsen and I assume it's the one which has been available commercially for some time.

The cast for La Sylphide is Sorella Englund and Flemming Ryberg - I've never seen this one before!

Incredible! Danish television has just put up a page of information about various ballet topics and links to FIVE complete performances by the RDB: La Sylphide from 1977 Napoli from 1985 The Lesson from 1975 Romeo and Juliet (Neumeier) from 1988 The Triumph of Death from 1973 Link: http://www.dr.dk/P2/tema/Ballettens+Verden/20101116164800.htm

Yes, it's a new production, but not for the new house. I got to talk to Wheeldon when I was last in Copenhagen and he told me some of the background - it's written up here if you're interested.

...and the casting for the first few performances has now appeared on the RDB website.

I've seen a few copies in bookshops in Copenhagen quite recently but it's showing as 'sold out' on the publisher's website.

papeetepatrick and Anne - thank you, you are very kind! I have to say I would hate to be a critic on a daily - so hard to say what you think is important in 400 words or whatever, and so difficult to find space for 'on the one hand...but on the other...'! Dronina's technique: I meant that she does all the things that seem to be expected these days, especially from younger dancers - high extensions, splits jetes etc - which would fit in well in many companies but have not yet become the norm among the senior casts in Copenhagen. So to me it's as if she was speaking a different language. But she does what she does very nicely, though not in Osipova's class as a virtuoso.

I finally got to a couple of performances - Dronina/Lund and Bojesen/Lendorf. I didn't hate the production quite as much as some do, and found a lot to enjoy in the dancing. Full details now up on the ballet.co magazine. My final conclusion was that the best dramatic partnership would be Bojesen/Lund at last night's last-of-run performance and I gather I was right!

Thomas Lund dances Siegfried for the first time next week, with guest Jurgita Dronina as Odette/Odile: David Amzallag has some nice rehearsal photographs as a taster.

RDB principal Caroline Cavallo has announced that she will retire from the company in December, giving her last performance on the 15th, as Aurora in Christopher Wheeldon's new production of Sleeping Beauty. She's recently turned 40, I think, which is the normal retirement age in the company - and she hasn't been seen much in the last couple of seasons as first of all she was off on maternity leave and then - from what she says - she was injured. But Aurora is not a bad role to go out on! There's a nice interview with her (in English), on the RDB website.

Thank you for another detailed review, Anne - it's very good to hear about the soloists as well as the principal dancers. Also it's interesting to read someone who sees a lot more good in this production than many people do! I'll be thinking of what you said, when I get to see it myself. Hope they don't change the casts before then!

EVa Kistrup reviews three performances for DanceViewTimes - she's very enthusiastic indeed about some of the leading dancers, less so about the choreography. "Alban Lendorf has already established himself as the leading dancer of the company " "...only great misfortunes such a severe injuries will hinder [Guswiler] in becoming a leading star within the foreseeable future." Bojesen/Lendorf and Grinder/Kupinski Guswiler/Dean

The ROH's attempt to control the reproduction of photographs now seems to be a small part of a much wider policy of control: Rights Grab at the Royal Opera House

Thank you for these, Anne - it's interesting to see two such totally different views of the production. And good to read such fine reports of Bojesen and Lendorf, too. I hope there'll also be reviews of the later casts. (And I'd guess Lendorf would like your translation 'Alban Lendorf as the prince proves once more that he is made of star material' rather more than Google translate's 'Alban Lendorf...proves... he is made of the same stuff as asterisks'.)

Also, I was impressed by the way they handled the announcement of Susanne Grinder's promotion - short notes on both their Twitter feeds and on Facebook, a proper long piece - with lots of links - on the theatre's website, and an e-mail to their press list, all within half-an-hour of the onstage announcement, late on a Saturday evening. Neat.

Susanne Grinder was promoted to Solodanser (principal) of the Royal Danish Ballet after her debut in Swan Lake this evening. Press Release

David Amzallag has added some photos of two of the new aspirants - Benita Bünger and Ida Praetorius - to his photoblog pages. (There are also some nice shots of Bojesen and Lendorf and of Carling Talcott, all in Swan Lake, on adjacent pages.)

Jane Pritchard (taking time out from organising the big Diaghilev exhibition about to open at the V&A in London) reviews this book for the ballet.co magazine - with some delectable illustrations.

London ballet-goers can actually see this solo later this month, when Romany Pajdak dances it in a gala given by RB dancers in aid of the charity Ashanti Development. The progrmme also includes the pas de deux from Ashton's Birthday Offering and Anton Dolin's Pas de Quatre, as well as pieces by Ernst Meisner, Vanessa Fenton and Erico Montes. A Dream of Africa 2010 Sunday September 19th 2010 at 7.30pm The Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Rd, London SW7 2BS Tickets £28 from RCM Box Office 020 7591 4314, www.boxoffice@rcm.ac.uk