At our first meeting in September, it was a great pleasure to welcome our PresidentChristopher Saunders,Rehearsal Director and Principal Character Artist with The Royal Ballet. Chris gave us an entertaining evening talking about many aspects of his long career after 41 years in the Company. He first spoke about the recent marriage of his son Peter to First Soloist Meaghan Grace Hinkis. We had rather prematurely reported this in a newsletter, as the hen night, etc had occurred somewhat in advance of the wedding due to their work schedules. Chris then looked back on the last season, whichhad included mixed programmes of Ashton’s and MacMillan’s ballets and a brief tour to Jacob’s Pillow in the States. Chris had had littleinvolvement with the Ashton programmes and had missed our Annual Dinner as in May he was staging CarlosAcosta’sDon Quixotefor the National Ballet of Canada. Chris had been involved in stagingCarlos’ version for Birmingham RoyalBallet and spoke of thedifferences between that and the Royal’s, particularly with orchestration. Chris spoke about his role as Rehearsal Director, including working closely with Monica Mason, Christopher Wheeldon and Patricia Neary. He spoke in some detail about the challenges of mounting Christopher’sAlice,with many debuts in the leading roles this season, including somevery young dancers. Chris is looking forward to welcoming Patricia Neary back to the Opera House when they start work on the Balanchine programme in the Spring. We had a very entertaining evening.
At our second meeting of the month, we welcomed choreographer and former Royal Ballet PrincipalJohan Kobborgas our guest. In the absence of our chairman, who had covid, our Deputy Chair Rachel Holland coped admirably, especially when much of the evening was spent talking about his new balletLucilewhich received its premiere in Havana in July, performed by Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Johan spoke about the inspiration for the work, which had been in his head for nearly 30 years, and the various aspects of creating a new work, such as design, lighting, music, casting and working in the studio. Johan spoke of some of the challenges of working in Cuba and the support received from Ballet Maître Linnet González, who had recently been in London with her family. Johan also spoke about his other productions, includingNapoli, Coppelia, La Sylphide,andRomeo and Juliet.Soon after the talk, he returned to Sarasota Ballet in Florida where he has regularly staged works for Director Iain Webb. After that, he returned to Cuba, whereLucilewas performed as part of the Havana International Ballet Festival. Johan also spoke about returning to the stagein Alina Cojocaru’s productionLa Stradaand touched upon some aspects of his career as a dancer. Members have indicated that they foundJohan’s talk fascinating. We apologise that there were someissues with the sound during this meeting.
At our October meeting it was an absolute pleasure to welcome two new Alices, First ArtistViola Pantusoand ArtistElla Newton Severgnini,as our guests.Both had made their debuts in Christopher Wheeldon’sAlice’s Adventures in Wonderlandduring the previous week, so, after some discussion as to how to pronounce Viola, they spoke about the role of Alice. For Ella, this was her first Principal role, whilst Viola had danced as Clara and Perdita during the previous season. They spoke of the stamina needed for a character who is on stage for almost all the ballet. They then talked of their very different experiences in training. Ella had followed the traditional British route, becoming a Junior Associate before joining White Lodge and graduating into the Upper School and then the Company as an Aud Jebsen Young Dancer in 2022. Viola, from Chicago, did join Year 11 of White Lodge, but before that had trained at the Joffrey Academy and then in New York. She then won a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School having won a silver medal at the Youth America Grand Prix. Both followed a similar path through the Upper School and into the Company, Viola one year before Ella. They talked enthusiastically about the various roles they had performed both in School and in the Company, and the pleasures of working with different choreographers. In the programme of new works, Ella had worked with Josua Junker and Viola with Jessica Lang. Ella and Viola gave us a lively and entertaining evening and we greatly look forward to following their careers.
News
As you will have probably heard, after 22 years with the CompanyLauren Cuthbertsonhas become Principal Guest Artist with The Royal Ballet. We send our congratulations to her and look forward to manymore performances. Having created the role of Alice in Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet in 2011, she madeher debut as The Queen of Hearts at the start of this season and will make her debut as Tatiana inOneginin the New Year.
The Royal Ballet School has announced that Royal Ballet First ArtistKevin Emertonwill be joining the School as a Pre-professional Year teacher from January after 17 years in the Company. Kevin trained at Elmhurst Ballet School, before joining the Royal Ballet Upper School and has been teaching at the School and the Company in recent months, as well as teaching in Brazil at the school of his partner IsabellaGasparini’s mother. We will, of course, be sending a present to Kevin and look forward to watching himteach at the School.
Members will be delighted to know that former dancerWayne Sleephas written his autobiographyJust Different.
Membership
Thank you to all who have renewed your membership. For those who haven’t, this is a reminder that it wasdue by the end of October. A form was attached to the last newsletter. It is not necessary to complete the form, but please remember to inform Liz Atkins that you have renewed.
Since Kevin O’Hare has been our Patron, we have made a sizeable donation towards a Royal Balletproduction every two years and Kevin has invited members to attend a studio rehearsal each year. We were delighted to donate £5,000 during the 2023-24 season towards the revivals in the Frederick Ashton programmes in June. To enable us to make these donations, as well as paying for our awards for students,presents for dancers leaving, dancers’ meals at our Annual Dinners and regular donations toDraft Workswe ask everyone to consider making a donation, however large or small, when you renew your membership.
Programmes, etc
A member, Jane van Ammel, is offering some programmes that may be of interest to some members. She writes:-“The items belonged to the sister of a great friend. She died recently leaving a big ballet collection which I was asked to rehome. The Opera House, The Royal Ballet School and the Frederick Ashton Foundation have taken a number of items and now I am looking for homes for these remaining items in exchange for a donation to the Royal Opera House Benevolent Fund. If anyone is interested in any of these items, I can send photos and, if appropriate, put them in touch with the Benevolent Fund contact.”
If you are interested in any of these items, please contact Jane at janevanammel@gmail.com.
Programmes :
11th April 1972 Fonteyn
30th June 1972
Dances at a Gathering, Poème de l’Extase, Raymonda Act IIISigned by Margot
Swan Lake Signed by Natalia Makarova, Donald MacLeary, Ria Peri
Cinderella Signed by Merle Park, Robert Helpmann, Donald
14th December 1972
MacLeary, Wayne Sleep - also a review of the performance
22nd February 1973 Romeo and Juliet Signed by Margot Fonteyn - also 2 reviews of the performance
3rd March 1973 Les Sylphides, Requiem Canticles, Raymonda Act III Signed by Margot Fonteyn - also 2 reviews of the performance
26th May 1973 La Bayadère, Enigma Variations, Marguerite and Armand Signed by Margot Fonteyn
16th June 1973 Symphonic Variations, Giselle Signed by Doreen Wells, David Wall, Monica Mason, Lesley Collier, Sandra Conley, Adrian Grater, Heather Walker, Jacqueline Elliott
6th July 1973 Scènes de Ballet, Enigma Variations, Daphnis and Chloe Signed by Alexander Grant and Frederick Ashton
13th July 1974 Romeo and Juliet Signed by Doreen Wells (her last performance with The Royal Ballet) - also a newspaper photo
Other :
A small autograph book with a page signed by Anthony Dowell
2 Paperweights in original boxes containing a fragment from the old Royal Opera House curtains - part of aDevelopment fundraising appeal in the late 1970’s
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