From the ROH website.

The Royal Ballet are pleased to announce that with immediate effect:

Jaimie Tapper has been promoted to Principal

Deirdre Chapman and Isabel McMeekan to Soloists.

Biographies for all are on the link above.

I'm delighted! I thought Jaimie was a wonderful Larisch with Cope, enjoyed her Giselle a great deal last season and am looking forward to her London debuts in Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. I always thought she'd make a beautiful Juliet, I hope it's not too long before we find out!

Likewise for Deirdre Chapman, liked her a great deal as Mitzi Casper in Mayerling recently, eagerly waiting to find out what else she's capable of. I think I noticed Isabel McMeekan for the first time in Tryst recently - has she had any other significant roles?

<small>[ 11-13-2002, 19:01: Message edited by: sylvia ]</small>

Jamie Tapper has always impressed me as a versatile and pleasing dancer and her performance as Marie Larische was a finely observed character study.

This is Deirdre Chapman's first season with the Company after good experience at Rambert and before that san Francisco Ballet. She has had the good fortune to arrive when the RB was performing Mats Ek. She had the benefit of a lead role in Ek's "She Was Black" with Rambert and it showed in her performance as one of the girls in "Carmen". She is a lovely dancer and it's good to see the flexibility to promote her soon, rather than a time-serving approach. It was a bold step to return to ballet and I'm delighted that it is working out so well for her.