Several cast changes due to injuries. I'll just outline the changes from the BP3 booklet.<P>26 Mar, 3 Apr<BR>Yoshida, <I>Putrov</I><P>6 Apr and 20 Apr(m)<BR><I>Tapper, Coppen</I><P>Full casting details for Giselle, Albrecht, and the recently added Queen of the Wilis and Hilarion are here:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.royalballet.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=173&cs=359" TARGET=_blank>http://www.royalballet.org/ballet/index.cfm?ccs=173&cs=359</A> <P>Personally I'm really looking forward to these 2 casts!<p>[This message has been edited by sylvia (edited March 11, 2002).]

Thanks for this Sylvia. The RB 'Giselle' by Sir Peter Wright is a wonder and he is still in great demand around the world to stage this production. There is a wealth of riches with the various casts. Leanne Benjamin is an excellent Giselle and for the future it will be very interesting to see Jamie Tapper and Nathan Coppen. <P>On ballet.co, Suzanne McCarthy has written an article about the excellent 'Giselle' Insight Day. The RB Education Department can feel justly proud of this event. Here is the link to Suzanne's very good description:<BR> <A HREF="http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_02/mar02/sm_rb_giselle_study_0302.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_02/mar02/sm_rb_giselle_study_0302.htm</A>

The ROH hasn't yet confirmed this but there are some doubts over whether Alina Cojocaru will be dancing Giselle.<P>From 'the guide' bookletin the Guardian (not yet online). "The advertised cast this season had been the sublime pairing of Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg, but Cojocaru has been told to take a much needed break by her doctors. Her replacement is likely to be one of the other Giselle's dancing this month..."<P>If it's true then I'm absolutely heartbroken...and rather mad since a) she danced Bayadere a couple nights ago and was recast for 'Vertiginous' yesterday and if she's that injured she should be resting, and b) the booklet probably WAS published a few days ago and if the Guardian can get that much notice then the ROH should make an effort to inform the rest of us through it's website. I've emailed ROH - sometimes they reply and sometimes not.

We'll have to see what the official word is. If her doctor has counselled her not to perform in the arduous role of 'Giselle', I'm pleased that she has taken the advice for her sake and ours in the long run.<p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited March 17, 2002).]

I had a chat with the ROH box-office who contacted the RB company - they said that Cojocaru is still on for Opening Night and that apparently newspapers tend to exaggerate.

<B>Death and the maiden</B> <BR>How did Giselle, a twee tale of wronged peasants, dastardly noblemen and jilted ghosts, become a ballet classic? By Judith Mackrell in The Guardian<P><BR>In 1841 Europe was in the grip of ballet-mania. Middle-class audiences thrilled to the art form's fashionable Romantic excesses as overwrought fans disputed the rival claims of leading ballerinas. In the new wave of sexy, populist ballets, female dancers were kitted out as exotic odalisques, bold-eyed gypsies and adorably fresh peasant girls. Most seductively, they appeared as ghosts and sylphs, flitting enchantingly across the stage with the aid of their new-found skill of dancing on the tips of their toes. <P>As ballet went supernatural, the magical effects of its storylines were heightened by the gas lighting that had recently been installed in theatres.<P><A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4378446,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A>

Latest change:<P>6th April, 20th April (m)<BR>Ivan Putrov has replaced Nathan Coppen in both his performances with Jamie Tapper.<P>I'm a little disappointed and was looking forward to seeing Coppen.