RB SEASON 24/25 Announced

[Richard LH]

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

The Royal Ballet and Opera - really? Why not be honest and call it the Royal Opera and Ballet?

Am I right in presuming that in due course the overall "Royal Opera House" name on everything is being replaced by "Royal Ballet and Opera" - except for references to the actual building? So we will receive a "Royal Ballet and Opera" magazine, and be Friends of "Royal Ballet and Opera" and the website will be titled "Royal Ballet and Opera" and become something like rbo.org.uk? Assuming such changes (particularly to the website 🙄) can be engineered without too much cost and disruption, I think it is to be much welcomed that "Ballet" is now included in the name. 

[Richard LH]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

For those who are going to miss the RB Nut this Christmas, don't forget that ENB are going to present a new version.  I can only hope it's a vast improvement on the current one (just my own opinion, of course).

And there is also the BRB Nut.

[zxDaveM]

1 minute ago, Missfrankiecat said:

I think it will be really interesting to see how much sells without fairly obvious discounting.  Cinderella for sure will do well but I'm not so sure about Alice.  Attractive to families perhaps?  But I'm pretty sure warhorses like Giselle would be better sellers.  Even Fille for family fun is better known to non-fanatics but also attractive to enthusiasts.  

 

Indeed - Alice and Cinderella will be family pullers I reckon (the disney effect of the names) and i'd be surprised if they didn't sell well. I wouldn't count Giselle as one of the war-horses, but is one of my personal favourites and would always welcome a run of shows. Last time Fille was on, it was on again not that long after a previous run, and I don't think it sold that well (except to us hard core fans of course)

 

Someone up thread mentioned La Sylphide - much as I'd love that back, it was Johan Kobborg's production, so we're unlikely to see that at ROH - sorry RB&OH - any time soon sadly.

[zxDaveM]

Just now, Richard LH said:

And there is also the BRB Nut.

 

Worth a trip to Brum for a matinee for sure! (an evening show might be possible for me, depending on the train times back to London)

Not so sure about the Albert Hall shows though - bit pricey if you actually want to see anything...

[SheilaC]

As I went through the dates I was delighted at the number of matinees (great for those of us who live too far away to get home after an evening performance, and especially now that hotel prices in central London have gone up astronomically). Not counting schools matinees there are 22 matinees listed. But then I came to the standout programme for me, the Balanchine triple and, as JNC has posted, there is not a single matinee for this triple bill by one of the great choreographers. Unforgivable.

And why is there only one Ashton ballet, given that we have been told that we are in a five-year Ashton celebration? Some celebration!

[JNC]

33 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I see that next year's cinema season includes only 4 live ballet performances: Alice, Cinderella, R&J and the Wheeldon mixed bill, whilr being re-shown are this season's Nutcracker and Swan Lake. That feels as though it shows a lack of faith in the season of live performances having enough appeal to the general (cinema) public. Also if they want to re-screen some of the classics then why not pick performances from a few seasons ago rather than repeating ones we have only just seen?

 

It feels a double insult to not have a Balanchine matinee and it's not being 'compromised' by having a live cinema stream either. We also didn't get the Ashton triple from 2022 streamed, nor the one this year. I'll try not to take it too personally (I am half-joking...!) 

 

I can understand why they have chosen to stream Alice, Cinderella, R&J as those are the 'well known' names. But the Wheeldon mixed bill is an interesting choice, particularly over Maddaddam. 

 

Despite the fact I won't see it in person, I would have been interested to see Maddaddam in cinemas as it's something that I would give a go if I lived in London (price dependant) but it's not worth the expense of additional travel for me now. I imagine if Onegin was advertised well it could be a draw in cinemas too.

 

I'm coming round more to it being the 'Royal Ballet and Opera'. Although I hope they don't spend lots of money on rebranding when finances are tight elsewhere. 

 

Re Giselle - I feel after the Tchaikovsky ballets it's probably the most well known ballet? It used to be the one that companies would bring on tour so I feel it is reasonably familiar. R&J, Cinderella and Alice are known more widely for their plots, but not necessarily as ballets in their own right would be my take.  Looking at youtube clips of Alice, my personal feeling is it feels a bit more like it's trying to be a 'west end' style theatre production, rather than a ballet. 

 

I can see the issue with Fille being an unknown story and the French title perhaps doesn't help things. This is easily overcome with good pictures on posters and videos/relevant advertising. I am hopeful it sells well for BRB, preparing the way for a ROH 25/26 revival. They seem to like reviving things on an 'anniversary' (the press release talks about 60th anniversaries for R&J and Onegin) so with Fille premiering in 1960, 2025 would be the 65th anniversary? Failing that 2030 makes it 70 years, although I hope we don't have to wait that long! We also have the 100th anniversary of the Royal Ballet coming up in 2026, maybe we can hope for lots of heritage works then (like Les Noces, Symphonic Variations etc). Also I imagine Sleeping Beauty is all but guaranteed that season then. 

 

[Sophoife]

46 minutes ago, Silke H said:

I like Serenade and adore Symphony in C 💛  I just wish I didn't have to sit through Prodigal Son

 

I thought the same last year, as I am a dyed-in-the-wool disliker of most Balanchine, then I saw it for the first time in Denver. I was so interested! As it was an early Balanchine, he hadn't forgotten how to tell a story, the costumes and sets were gloriously Twenties, and the music I got to liking after listening multiple times pre-attending.

 

16 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

Indeed - Alice and Cinderella will be family pullers I reckon (the disney effect of the names) 

 

On AusBallet's Book of Faces earlier this year there was a whole thread of people complaining that Alice wore purple and was dark-haired 🤣 Disney effect indeed!

[Jam Dancer]

14 hours ago, MildConcern said:

You will find me at Balanchine, Onegin (multiple casts), R&J (at least twice depending on casting) and Madaddam. So overall quite a lot less than this year.
 

If I had the power to make just one change it would be to replace one of the Wheeldon bills with a classic three acter - Giselle or Bayadere spring to mind.

 

 

I agree but minor quibble - Giselle is a 2 acter and it’s also one of the reasons (minor) it is my favourite ballet …3 acters always make me go - surely they could’ve cut something 🙂. ..I know it’s bordering on scandalous thinking …

[bangorballetboy]

36 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

Someone up thread mentioned La Sylphide - much as I'd love that back, it was Johan Kobborg's production, so we're unlikely to see that at ROH - sorry RB&OH - any time soon sadly.

 

Very unlikely as the production (set, costumes etc.) has been sold to Sarasota.

[Bruce Wall]

30 minutes ago, SheilaC said:

As I went through the dates I was delighted at the number of matinees (great for those of us who live too far away to get home after an evening performance, and especially now that hotel prices in central London have gone up astronomically). Not counting schools matinees there are 22 matinees listed. But then I came to the standout programme for me, the Balanchine triple and, as JNC has posted, there is not a single matinee for this triple bill by one of the great choreographers. Unforgivable.

And why is there only one Ashton ballet, given that we have been told that we are in a five-year Ashton celebration? Some celebration!

 I'm with Sheila on this one.  The 'Ashton Festival' so called was I thought to right a balance.  I thought it was also sharing the defining work of other Company's on Ashton with the Royal's talents.  It seems clear this incentive has definitely been put on the RBOH's back burner.  More's the shame as far as I'm concerned.  

Edited April 30 by Bruce Wall

[jmhopton]

56 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

There's always the option of a book in the Floral Hall (or having a chat with me there, during it)

That was my option, Dave! Perhaps I'll give it another go though I haven't actually given it one go yet as a live performance.  I just thought if a recording of Baryshnikov can't enthuse me then nothing can. But perhaps I'll give it a go though as JNC pointed out previously,  why no matinées for this or the Macmillan triple? Are there any for the Wheeldon triple? Another worrying precedent seems to be being set whereas people who can't get home after an evening performance are being forced to pay over inflated London hotel prices for something they're not sure they'll enjoy.  Either that or not attend, which is what I did with the Macmillan and may well do for other programmes. Even the Balanchine rehearsal is 11.30am, early when you're 200 miles away.

 

[zxDaveM]

1 minute ago, jmhopton said:

That was my option, Dave! Perhaps I'll give it another go though I haven't actually given it one go yet as a live performance.

 

 

oh, I'll give it a go, as I may be misremembering.

What I do remember most was Zenaida and Sylvie as The Siren, as the rest being a load of old.....

[emmarose]

30 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

I think it will be really interesting to see how much sells without fairly obvious discounting.  Cinderella for sure will do well but I'm not so sure about Alice.  Attractive to families perhaps?  But I'm pretty sure warhorses like Giselle would be better sellers.  Even Fille for family fun is better known to non-fanatics but also attractive to enthusiasts.  

 

Can families even afford it as a standard? I know certain families can, but will that many have the spare money for that many tickets in this climate?

[San Perregrino]

50 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

And there is also the BRB Nut.

 

47 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

Worth a trip to Brum for a matinee for sure! (an evening show might be possible for me, depending on the train times back to London)

Not so sure about the Albert Hall shows though - bit pricey if you actually want to see anything...

 

London’s Southbank Centre along with regional theatres will have Carlos Acosta’s ‘Nutcracker in Havana’

Edited April 30 by San Perregrino

[zxDaveM]

5 minutes ago, emmarose said:

 

Can families even afford it as a standard? I know certain families can, but will that many have the spare money for that many tickets in this climate?

 

there was a family of 4/5 in the front row of the Stalls Circle for Swan Lake last night. Children quite young too (but well behaved). Though they didn't see the last act, their seats obviously paid for (and at full price) at what, £140+ each. Think mum stayed for it all, dad looked after the little ones

[zxDaveM]

7 minutes ago, San Perregrino said:

 

 

London’s Southbank Centre along with regional theatres will have Carlos Acosta’s ‘Nutcracker in Havana’

 

😳

[emmarose]

2 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

there was a family of 4/5 in the front row of the Stalls Circle for Swan Lake last night. Children quite young too (but well behaved). Though they didn't see the last act, their seats obviously paid for (and at full price) at what, £140+ each. Think mum stayed for it all, dad looked after the little ones

 

Oh I know they are out there, I just wondered if there was enough of them to shift all of those seats. But I suppose tourists will have the money as well.

[zxDaveM]

2 minutes ago, emmarose said:

 

Oh I know they are out there, I just wondered if there was enough of them to shift all of those seats. But I suppose tourists will have the money as well.

 

true, though it often seems they have no problem selling the higher price-band seats for the 'big' ballets, as it's an 'experience' night out. For most of us here it is a compulsion, so we need the cheaper seats/standing to fulfill that compulsion without ending up in the bankruptcy court!

[art_enthusiast]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

Also if they want to re-screen some of the classics then why not pick performances from a few seasons ago rather than repeating ones we have only just seen?

 

Exactly, surely it would make way more sense to stream the Balanchine triple and Onegin (not sure if there are recent recordings of it? Can't be that many though)

I love R and J but surely there have been enough cinema streams and recordings of it. There are 2 casts already on ROH Stream I think, and way more in the backlog they can share.

[balletyas]

17 hours ago, FionaM said:

Cheap start to season for me as I’m not that keen on ALICE and I definitely won’t be seeing the dreadful CINDERELLA.  I can’t stand the production, costumes, storyline and poor choreography… sorry to Ashton, but Fille and Two Pigeons are SO much better.

Love Onegin and R&J.   I’ll be at plenty of those.  
 

I will try MaddAddam and all the mixed bills at least once.

Quite agree - Cinderella a terrible disappointment - Fille is so long overdue. And Alice - fun once but drags on too long and not enough proper dancing. 

[San Perregrino]

24 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

😳

https://nutcrackerinhavana.com

 

 

Carlos Acosta’s brand-new production Nutcracker in Havana explodes onto its debut UK tour, featuring new choreography by Carlos Acosta CBE performed by more than 20 dancers from his Cuban company, Acosta Danza.

Set to an exuberant Cuban newly-commissioned version of the magnificent Tchaikovsky score, arranged by Cuban composer Pepe Gavilondo, the timeless story is brought to life with ballet at its core, enriched with Acosta Danza’s unique style and with Cuban dance traditions beautifully woven throughout the much-loved and joyful family tale.

Join Clara in her humble home in Havana, getting ready to celebrate Christmas with her family. The beer cans are on the tree and Cuba is suitably hot. When Clara is gifted a Nutcracker doll she embarks on the journey of a lifetime, to defeat the Rat King and travel into the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy accompanied by her Nutcracker Prince.

With spectacular video projection and set design by Nina Dunn (9to5 Musical, Bonnie and Clyde, BRB’s Don Quixote), Cuba collides with the Land of Sweets, bringing snow to Havana. With lighting by Andrew Exeter (Oti Mabuse: I Am Here, The Full Monty UK Tour, Johannes Radebe: House of JoJo) and costumes by Angelo Alberto (costume designer for Goyo Montero’s ‘Imponderable’ and Raul Reinoso’s ‘Satori’ with Acosta Danza) Nutcracker in Havana is a visually stunning spectacular treat for all.

For dance fans around the globe, Carlos is an international superstar of the classical ballet world. Born in Havana and trained at the National School of Ballet in Cuba, he went on to dance professionally with the world’s most prestigious companies, with London’s Royal Ballet becoming his home. Having tackled huge titles throughout his career, from Carmen to Don Quixote, Nutcracker in Havana is an opportunity for Acosta to fuse this festive treat with a little Havana heat.

 

 

[art_enthusiast]

14 hours ago, OnePigeon said:

’m glad there aren’t any of the big Tchaikovsky ballets this time round as I think they need a rest, but there are so many other ballets they could, and should, have done. 

 

Could you name some of the other ones you think they should have chosen? I'm just curious. My knowledge of all the classics aside from Tchaikovsky big 3 and Bayadère isn't very big - I sometimes get confused with what's defined as a classic and what isn't. Is a classic everything choreographed by Petipa basically?

 

I wish they would bring Raymonda Act 3 back, I love the recording with Osipova and Muntagirov. And I would much rather have had Coppelia at Christmas instead of Cinderella which feels way too recent. Oh well, at least I'll be saving money there!

[zxDaveM]

14 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

Exactly, surely it would make way more sense to stream the Balanchine triple and Onegin (not sure if there are recent recordings of it? Can't be that many though)

I love R and J but surely there have been enough cinema streams and recordings of it. There are 2 casts already on ROH Stream I think, and way more in the backlog they can share.

 

I don't think recordings of Onegin are 'encouraged' shall we say, nor Balanchine outside of New York (or so I remember from somewhere).

There are parts of R&J I love (yes, the grand pdds mainly) but I've seen it so often now, I can't say the thought of seeing it again excites. Not even with my favourite dancers cast.

[Sim]

This was in the small print in the Friends email:

 

Pricing will be supplied separately, and ballet casting before booking closes. 

 

I hope this doesn't mean that casting won't be known prior to when booking opens as it always has been?!  I have always been hugely grateful to the RB for the advance casting.  I have even planned holidays around who I wanted to see dance.  I would have felt a lot better had it said 'before booking opens.'!

[Lizbie1]

1 hour ago, Jam Dancer said:

I agree but minor quibble - Giselle is a 2 acter and it’s also one of the reasons (minor) it is my favourite ballet …3 acters always make me go - surely they could’ve cut something 🙂. ..I know it’s bordering on scandalous thinking …

 

I agree with every word of this - no padding in Giselle and the same goes for Fille.

[Lizbie1]

2 minutes ago, Sim said:

This was in the small print in the Friends email:

 

Pricing will be supplied separately, and ballet casting before booking closes. 

 

I hope this doesn't mean that casting won't be known prior to when booking opens as it always has been?!  I have always been hugely grateful to the RB for the advance casting.  I have even planned holidays around who I wanted to see dance.  I would have felt a lot better had it said 'before booking opens.'!

 

Yes it's not much of a promise! Booking (in person) closes a few minutes before curtain up surely?

[zxDaveM]

and ballet casting before booking closes. 

 

3 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

Yes it's not much of a promise! Booking (in person) closes a few minutes before curtain up surely?

 

so if the casting confirmed 5-5.30pm before the show (when they publish the online cast sheet), this statement will be correct  lol

[FionaM]

10 minutes ago, Sim said:

This was in the small print in the Friends email:

 

Pricing will be supplied separately, and ballet casting before booking closes. 

 

🤣🤣🤣

 

this sums up the hopelessness

of ROH communications.  

[Scheherezade]

9 minutes ago, Sim said:

Pricing will be supplied separately, and ballet casting before booking closes. 

Not something I wanted to hear. And yet another example of the management failing to read the room. 

[art_enthusiast]

30 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

I don't think recordings of Onegin are 'encouraged' shall we say, nor Balanchine outside of New York (or so I remember from somewhere).

 

Oh yes, I forgot about all those Balanchine Trust rules. Such a shame!

[bridiem]

30 minutes ago, Sim said:

This was in the small print in the Friends email:

 

Pricing will be supplied separately, and ballet casting before booking closes. 

 

 

I think this must actually mean before it 'opens' and it just wasn't checked? I very much hope so anyway!

[Sim]

Just now, bridiem said:

 

I think this must actually mean before it 'opens' and it just wasn't checked? I very much hope so anyway!

I do hope so....but if it is a mistake it's pretty poor!

[emmarose]

Re Cinderella, I had very expensive, fairly central tickets in the SC and yet I missed one of the big moments of Cinderella walking down the stairs en pointe. I won't be going back for the exact same issue to come up again...