JMcN

Neither the van nor the technical equipment has been retrieved so the money will be going towards that.

18 minutes ago, Ashton Fan said:

 

It has been known for some time that Willian Bracewell will replace McRae at all performances. McRae has been out through injury for much of the season.I saw what is now the Bracewell, Takada cast last night. Bracewell was pretty impressive at what was only his second performance as Siegfried. On last night's showing he has good technique, is a secure unobtrusive partner and does not waste a minute of his time on stage. He actively responds to what he is being told in the mime passages and even makes what can seem merely to be "arm and hand gestures I have been taught"  into gestures which have meaning in the context of the narrative. I have seen him in smaller roles but not in anything so long,exposed and demanding in terms of stamina and technique . I fear yet another name to add to the list of dancers whose performances have to be booked, if at all possible.

 

BRB fans have known for some time that William Bracewell is pretty well unmissable!  I remember seeing his Romeo at The Lowry a couple of years ago and immediately declaring that he was the best Romeo I had ever seen in that production!

I love the Cuban Giselle!  Anette Delgado is one of my all time favourites in this role.

Thanks for your report.

(I saw 2 performances in Paris last year with hideously expensive tickets and recorded music!)

Indeed.  Hopefully the success of the television series will spark the interest of potential new audience members too!

I was interested to see that the announcement was made on what would have been QV's 199th birthday.

The costumes were found dumped in a garage in the area the van's tracker had last been logged.  No further news on either the van or the equipment.

The JustGiving campaign has raised just over half of the target amount.

The tour has continued.

https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2018/stolen-costumes-from-central-ballet-recovered/

The company has also announced that Jenna Roberts is leaving.  Her final performance will be as Juliet on Friday 29th June.

https://www.brb.org.uk/post/news-dancer-departures-1718

Northern Ballet commissioned Cathy Marston to create a production of Jane Eyre in 2016 to tour in smaller theatres.  It was critically acclaimed, so much so that it has made up the bulk of the Spring tour this year.  It sold to more or less full houses at Sadler's Wells last week.

On Monday the Company announced that Cathy Marston has been invited to create a new ballet based on the life of Queen Victoria which will be premiered in March 2019 and will tour the UK extensively in the Spring.  Details here:

https://northernballet.com/media-releases/2018-05-24/world-premi-re-announced-for-2019

The Insight evening is being live streamed via Facebook, starting in just over an hour.  It will probably be available via YouTube at some time.

https://www.facebook.com/royaloperahouse/?hc_ref=ARQFMqwzMe8tEGC8dnNGqnlM6PHTikGmw-MaAptQD80Uklz1O2NiGvTFrTopOA-XAiE

Nao Sakuma has announced on her FB page that both she and Chi Cao are retiring from BRB this summer.  Their final performances with the company will be in Romeo and Juliet on Saturday 30th June.

They joined the company at the same time in 1995 in the season that David Bintley became director.  They were frequently partnered together, especially in the classics but both dancers also enjoyed wonderful on stage partnerships with other dancers - Nao Sakuma notably with Robert Parker and Chi Cao notably with Ambra Vallo.

They will both be hugely missed by their fans.  I would like to wish both of them well for the future, whichever direction they both take.

https://www.facebook.com/nao.sakuma.7792

No Anette Delgado?

She is one of my favourite Giselles ever and she was sublime in Paris last summer.

Who rules the world would be who you would make a special journey to see.

I'm looking forward to seeing 2 performances next month - should have been one but Mr Campbell is now dancing Des Grieux so I have managed to get a restricted view ticket (hopefully not too restricted!).

I'm afraid I prefer the English more subtle style and the Danish to Russian bravura.  Which does not mean to say that there are not wonderful dancers from all over the world and with all different training backgrounds.

I have see Francesca Hayward perform live.  I saw her debut in Manon around 3 years ago and she was just incandescent.  I'm looking forward to seeing her in that role again in May.

Her bouree entrance in Rhapsody was so beautiful I was moved to tears.

She was sublime as Giselle.

I think she is very special indeed.

In the prologue of the BRB production her "role" danced by a 6th Fairy.

2 hours ago, California said:

ENB just announced some additions to their schedule: https://www.ballet.org.uk/whats-on/

Most notably, they're doing Manon in London in January 2019. Interesting choice, given that Royal is doing it this year in April and May. Aaron Robison did this ballet at Houston a couple of years ago, so that might have helped a tad in deciding to program this.

Also, Derek Deane's Swan Lake at the Coliseum.

They are in the 2018/19 season.

What are thoughts on Lilac as a tutu role or character role?

SPW's version for BRB has Lilac as a character role and for me that works best.  Her dress is almost a mirror image of Carabosse's and they seem much more equally matched.  You get a bit of an idea in the animated header for BRB's current tour:

https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-sleeping-beauty#gallery

(Try  refreshing the page if a still image appears)

I would like to see continuity which, after all, has made the company what it is today.  I do hope that the current Bintley masterpieces in the rep are retained (Hobson's Choice, Madding Crowd, Cyrano and many one acters including his jazz-based ballets).

My vote would go to Robert Parker (currently AD at Elmhurst School for Ballet) or possibly Iain Webb or Cathy Marston.

The AD does not have to be a choreographer.

I'm in shock.  I wish David all the best for the future.

That is horrible.

Could a moderator please change the heading to correct the spelling of Akram Khan's name?

I saw last night's performance with Hayward/Campbell and this afternoon's with Naghdi/Ball.

I found the performance of both leading couples overwhelming.  Not only glorious dancing but they all inhabited the roles and gave them an emotional depth that had me reduced to sobbing out loud.

I think the RB has found 2 exceptional partnerships - let's hope these partnerships are nurtured and allowed to grow...

I have been following his career since he joined BRB from RBS!

I managed to get a ticket for Friday evening's performance when the cast change was announced and am so over-excited it is ridiculous!

I would endorse California's recommendation - it's a wonderful programme (and dropping Firebird makes it a more manageable length for travellers - I missed my train home after the matinee at the Barbican!).

No, it dates from 1987 and I gather that over the years the set (particularly in Act 3) has been tweaked to make it even more fussy.

The reviews showing up on Google from the 2015 performances are not good.

http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/swan-lake-by-anthony-dowell

59 minutes ago, nanushka said:

In other words, basically the equivalent of a firing without just cause, yes?

Exactly.