Welcome!

Thanks for the posting the information. It is exciting to have guest-dancers, but the news does concern me as it would suggest that dancers who should be performing in "Etudes" may be ill or injured.
However, with so many ballets being rehearsed and performed this season, it could be a way of keeping dancers fit and fresh for other ballets. In any case, best wishes to any ill or injured dancers for a full, quick and uncomplicated recovery.

If you see either of those performances, or any others, do post! It's nice to hear about the performances that I cannot see, and to have other viewpoints on this thread!!

Cheers
Kate

<small>[ 11 October 2004, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: ksneds ]</small>

Greetings!
Details about Mathieu Ganio's guest appearances has been posted on the RDB website.
Click here for more information and links to Ganio's CV and picture.

Casting for the next performance of 'Etudes' has been updated on the website. As a note, casting is only available on the Danish version of the website.

Kate

Which of the two soloists' roles will Mathieu Ganio dance this week - the 'turning' soloist as danced by Kenneth Greve on the opening night, or the other role as danced by Jean-Lucien Massot?

<small>[ 16 October 2004, 04:10 AM: Message edited by: Kevin Ng ]</small>

Greetings!
As of the the last update to the RDB website was updated, Ganio was supposed to perform alongside Kenneth Greve, so I would presume he is dancing the role that Jean-Lucien Massot has done previously. However, there are many ways of splitting up the solo male dancing, with two or three dancers, so it's hard to know exactly what sections of the ballet he will do.

Did anyone see the performance on the 13th, when Ganio first danced, and want to comment on how the dancing was distributed amongst thee men (I would presume Blangstrup did just the 'Sylphides' section, but he did more than that in at least one earlier performance).

Kate

The Jyllands - Posten has an article and photos of a photo shoot that RDB dancers Mads Blangstrup and Gitte Lindstrøm did at a local pool for use in promoting the upcoming season for younger ballet-goers. Unfortunately these shots are not the most flattering of either dancer!

The full article (in Danish) and most of the full-size photos are available only to subscribers, but you can see several of the photos here.

The introduction essentially says - and please corrent me if I'm wrong - "that 2005 is the 200th anniversary of Bournonville's birth. To celebrate , the Royal Danish Ballet is mounting new productions of the old masters works. In order to show that the ballet is more than just dusty crinolines and pretty steps, the company has engaged photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen for a photo shoot aimed at young people (18-35 ish). The Jyllands Post, along with principal dancers, photographers, coordinators and divers met in Vestbadet to create new pictures for another (or possibly second?) act of 'Napoli'. It was a long and cold afternoon!"

The caption for the second photo seems to indicate that the photos may be for a calendar and that they are ideally being taken 4m below the surface.

Kate

<small>[ 26 October 2004, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: ksneds ]</small>

The company has launched a site for young (15 - 35 years old) ballet fans, but it's worth looking at for ages. It's in Danish, but there are plenty of fun photos.

Click here

<small>[ 27 October 2004, 08:00 AM: Message edited by: ksneds ]</small>

Greetings!
The announcement for 'Fancy Free' and 'In the Night' and casting are now available:

PRESSEMEDDELELSE
Fancy Free og In the Night
To værker af Jerome Robbins i program med Bournonvilles Fjernt fra Danmark

Premiere 3. november kl. 20 på Gamle Scene
Opføres også 4 | 5 | 18 nov. 29. dec. 2004
19. jan. 2005

Det er to på én gang meget forskellige og meget ens værker, Den Kongelige Ballet har valgt at sætte på plakaten af den verdenskendte koreograf, Jerome Robbins. Forskellige, da Fancy Free tilhører Robbins tidlige Broadway-periode, som er mere show-orienteret, mens In the Night hører til Robbins sene periode og er mere klassisk i sin stil. Og ens, idet begge balletter har den særligt Robbin’ske humor og vedkommenhed, som har gjort koreografen populær i hele verden.
De to værker af den amerikanske koreograf kan nu opleves sammen med August Bournonvilles klassiker, Fjernt fra Danmark, som ikke har været danset på Det Kongelige Teater siden sidste Bournonville-festival i 1992.

Fancy Free
Den muntre ballet fra 1944 er Robbins debut som koreograf og er oplægget til den kendte musical, On the Town. Den handler om tre sømænd, der er på landlov på Manhattan. De ryger på bar og begynder her at dyste om to smukke pigers gunst. Dansen er munter, frisk og underholdende med musik af den dengang ukendte komponist, Leonard Bernstein.

In the Night
Værket fra 1970 er tre billeder af kærlighedens mange facetter. Først den følelsesfulde og lyriske, dernæst den lettere og mere legende kærlighed og til sidst jalousiens gnistrende følelse, hvor brud og forening hele tiden er nærværende. Musikken til de tre pas de deux’er er Chopins Nocturne spillet live af pianist Julian Thurber.

Fjernt fra Danmark
Det maritime tema går igen i Bournonvilles ballet fra 1856. Handlingen udspilles et sted i det eksotiske Sydamerika, hvor den unge danske søløjtnant, Vilhelm, bliver så voldsomt betaget af konsulens datter, den sydlandske skønhed Rosita, at han næsten glemmer sin forlovede hjemme i København.

Fancy Free
Koreografi: Jerome Robbins
Musik: Leonard Bernstein
Scenografi: Oliver Smith
Kostumer: Kermit Love
Iscenesættelse: Jean-Pierre Frohlich
Dirigent: Henrik Vagn Christensen

Den Kongelige Ballet
Det Kongelige Kapel

Rollebesætning
(Der tages forbehold for ændringer)

Premiere onsdag den 3. november:
1. sømand Tim Matiakis
2. sømand Dawid Kupinski
3. sømand Jean-Lucien Massot
1. pige Cecilie Lassen
2. pige Gudrun Bojesen
3. pige Haley Henderson

Torsdag den 4. november:
1. sømand Thomas Lund
2. sømand Morten Eggert
3. sømand Julien Ringdahl
1. pige Amy Watson
2. pige Femke Slot
3. pige Maria Bernholt

In The Night
Koreografi: Jerome Robbins
Musik: Frèdèric Chopin
Solopianist: Julian Thurber
Kostumer: Anthony Dowell
Iscenesættelse: Bart Cook
Dirigent: Henrik Vagn Christensen /Graham Bond

Den Kongelige Ballet
Det Kongelige Kapel

Rollebesætning
(Der tages forbehold for ændringer)
Premiere onsdag den 3. november:
1. pas de deux Marie-Pierre Greve og Mads
Blangstrup
2. pas de deux Silja Schandorff og Kenneth Greve
3. pas de deux Caroline Cavallo og Peter Bo
Bendixen

Torsdag den 4. november:
1. pas de deux Gudrun Bojesen og Thomas Lund
2. pas de deux Caroline Cavallo og Mads Blangstrup.
3. pas de deux Gitte Lindstrøm og Jean-Lucien
Massot

Fjernt fra Danmark
Koreografi: August Bournonville
Musik: Joseph Glæser, H.C. Lumbye og A.F. Lincke
Scenografi: Henrik Bloch
Iscenesættelse: Anne Holm Jensen, Frank Andersen
og Flemming Ryberg
Dirigent: Henrik Vagn Christensen

Den Kongelige Ballet
Det Kongelige Teaters Balletskole
Det Kongelige Kapel

Rollebesætning
(Der tages forbehold for ændringer)

Repremiere onsdag den 3. november:
Rosita Marie-Pierre Greve
Wilhelm Mads Blangstrup
Don Alvar Jean-Lucient Massot
Konsul Fernandez Peter Bo Bendixen
Poul Diana Cuni
Edvard Izabela Sokolowska

Torsdag den 4. november:
Rosita Gitte Lindstrøm
Wilhelm Andrew Bowman
Don Alvar Fernando Mora
Konsul Fernandez Poul-Erik Hesselkilde
Poul Cecilie Lassen
Edvard Susanne Grinder

Yderligere information eller aftale om interview kontakt venligst Thomas Beck Sørensen på tlf. 3369 6610 eller pr. e-mail: tbs@kgl-teater.dk

Pressebilleder kan downloades fra den 2. november. Læs mere om dansere, koreografer, komponister og scenograf på teatrets hjemmeside www.kgl-teater.dk

Med venlig hilsen

Thomas Beck Sørensen
Presse koordinator
27. oktober 2004

I find it hard to believe that an incredibly talented dancer like Yao Wei is a little underused by this company. She is just as good or even better than Sokolowska, and certainly better than Amy Watson, in my eyes. I think it has to do with the traditional policy of this company. Hopefully she'll be doing more soloist roles than the Nutcracker and Octet, which she did last year.

<small>[ 27 October 2004, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: Xanga ]</small>

Greetings!
The 2005 Bournonville Calendar is now available at the Royal Danish Ballet website.

The photo shoot covered in previously mentioned Jyllands-Posten article was for some of the photos in the calender. Based on the small images on the website, the pictures in the calender are of the dancers in various settings - not pictures of the ballets themselves.

Kate

Casting is now up for three ballets:

Fancy Free

November 3, 5 and 18
Tim Matiakis
Dawid Kupinski
Jean-Lucien Massot
Cecilie Lassen
Gudrun Bojesen
Haley Henderson
Thomas Flindt Jeppesen

November 4 and 11
Thomas Lund
Morten Eggert
Julien Ringdahl
Amy Watson
Femke Slot
Maria Bernholt
Thomas Flindt Jeppesen

In the Night

November 3, 5 and 18
Marie-Pierre Greve and Mads Blangstrup
Silja Schandorff and Kenneth Greve
Caroline Cavallo and Peter Bo Bendixen

November 4 and 11
Gudrun Bojesen and Thomas Lund
Caroline Cavallo and Mads Blangstrup.
Gitte Lindstrøm and Jean-Lucien Massot

Far From Denmark

November 3, 5

Rosita: Marie-Pierre Greve
Wilhelm: Mads Blangstrup
Don Alvar: Jean-Lucient Massot
Konsul Fernandez: Peter Bo Bendixen
Poul: Diana Cuni
Edvard: Izabela Sokolowska
Bådsmand: Kristoffer Sakurai
Rosita's four friends: Cecilie Lassen,Susanne Grinder, Femke Mølbach Slot, Alba Nadal
Solo Chinse dance: Morten Eggert
Chief: Dawid Kupinski
Female Eskimo: Ellen Green
Male Eskimo: Gabor Baunoch

November 4, 11

Gitte Lindstrøm
Andrew Bowman
Fernando Mora
Poul-Erik Hesselkilde
Cecilie Lassen
Susanne Grinder
Kristoffer Sakurai
Yao Wei
Izabela Sokolowska
Femke Mølbach Slot
Alba Nadal
Tim Matiakis
Dawid Kupinski
Louise Østergaard
Ulrik Birkkjær

November 18
Gitte Lindstrøm
Andrew Bowman
Fernando Mora
Peter Bo Bendixen
Diana Cuni
Izabela Sokolowska
Kenn Hauge
Cecilie Lassen
Susanne Grinder
Femke Mølbach Slot
Alba Nadal
Morten Eggert
Dawid Kupinski
Esther Wilkinson
Kristoffer Sakurai

December 29

Tina Højlund
Nicolai Hansen
Morten Eggert
Poul-Erik Hesselkilde
Cecilie Lassen
Susanne Grinder
Kenn Hauge
Yao Wei
Izabela Sokolowska
Femke Mølbach Slot
Alba Nadal
Tim Matiakis
Marcin Kupinski
Esther Wilkinson
Gabor Baunoch

<small>[ 28 October 2004, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: ksneds ]</small>

There is a very nice gallery of photos from the Royal Danish Ballet's August 21st performance at the Kastellet [b[here[/b].

First row:
"Etudes" - Kenneth Greve, Caroline Cavallo
"Etudes" - Kenneth Greve, Caroline Cavallo, Kizzy Howard(?)
"Etudes"-Kenneth Greve, Caroline Cavallo
"Abdallah" - Haley Henderson(?)

Second row:
"Abdallah" - Haley Henderson(?)
"Abdallah" - Haley Henderson(?) and Morten Eggert
"Abdallah" - Haley Henderson(?) and Morten Eggert
"Etudes" - Caroline Cavallo and Kizzy Howard

Third row:
"Etudes" - Kizzy Howard and Mie Fjelstrup
"Baschert" - Cecilie Lassen
"Baschert" - Cecilie Lassen and Nicolai Hansen
"Baschert" - Cecilie Lassen and Nicolai Hansen

Fourth row:
? - Swan Lee (band)
? - Cecilie Lassen and Swan Lee (band)
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)

Fifth row:
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)

Sixth row:
? - Cecilie Lassen, Byron Mildwater and Swan Lee (band)
Swan Lee
Swan Lee
"Festpolonaise PdD - Thomas Lund and Gudrun Bojesen

Seventh row:
"Festpolonaise PdD - Thomas Lund and Gudrun Bojesen
"Anna Karenina" - Gitte Lindstrøm and Mads Blangstrup
"Anna Karenina" - Gitte Lindstrøm and Mads Blangstrup
"Anna Karenina" - Gitte Lindstrøm and Mads Blangstrup

Greetings!
Yao Wei's been on stage at just about every performance and not just in the corps. She is scheduled to do a solo role in "Far From Denmark" , has been one of the four ladies in the dream scene pas de cinq in "The King's Volunteers on Amager", danced one of Irma's friends in "Abdallah" and has done the opening solo in "Etudes".

Yao Wei is very talented, but there are plenty of great women in the company and only so many roles to go around. Also remember that she's only been in the company about two years and unlike the dancers who have grown up in the company's school, she hasn't had the extra years of Bournonville experience. I'm sure with time she will get many opportunities!

And, keep in mind that casting is never as simple as it seems... The company is performing and rehearsing a large number of ballets, so it may not be feasible for a dancer to be in every ballet or at least have solo roles in every ballet. Also, casting has to take into account compatible partnerships, so a ballerina may not be able to dance if she is too tall or too short for the men in the cast. Finally, you never know when injury or illness are affecting the dancers that are available for casting. Even if a dancer is perfectly healthy when a ballet is performed, they might not be in the ballet, or at least the early performances, if they were ill or injured during the rehearsal period.

But, for those reading this topic...if you could cast Yao Wei in any role(s), what would they be?

Cheers
Kate

<small>[ 01 November 2004, 11:30 AM: Message edited by: ksneds ]</small>

Press release with details of the 2005 Bournonville Calender:

PRESS RELEASE

Bournonville meets Abrahamsen

Photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen’s interpretations of August Bournonville’s classic ballets sheds new light on the work of the Danish Golden Age artist.

The “Congratulations, Bournonville” calendar for 2005 will be available from 29 October at major bookshops and lifestyle boutiques, including Pede & Stoffer, Casa Shop, Flying A, and Wallace. For a retailer near you, call +45 3369 6980 or order online at www.kgl-teater.dk. Price: DKK 159.

What happens when one of Denmark’s most expressive photographers is asked to provide his personal vision of August Bournonville’s Romantic ballets from the mid-19th century? The results can now be seen in the 12 photographs that illustrate a new calendar published in celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of August Bournonville.
The photographs were taken by Per Morten Abrahamsen, who over the past 15 years has distinguished himself with his own particular brand of dark-humoured, expressive photography. His work has been published in art photography books, has graced numerous magazine covers, and has featured at exhibition.

The photographs illustrate 10 of the Danish ballet master’s most popular works. However, classic Golden Age aesthetics have been replaced with modern sensibility. For example, the Neapolitan folklore setting of Napoli becomes a hot summer’s day in August on Bellevue Beach, north of Copenhagen. The love triangle of The Flower Festival in Genzano no longer transpires on the edge of a crater on Lake Nemi, but in a shady courtyard on Islands Brygge, Copenhagen.
But not just the locations are different. Per Morten Abrahamsen also wanted to focus on other aspects of the Bournonville narratives. Abrahamsen explains:
“Behind all the henpecked husbands and stifling bourgeois respectability lies passionate desire, existential longing, heartbreaking disappointment, and violence – all of which are repressed. These aspects often emerge in the form of a surreptitious glance, a sudden farewell, or an unexpected act. These moments, where deeply sublimated feelings are briefly expressed, are what I have chosen to illustrate in my photographs.”

The calendar is part of a marketing initiative by the Royal Danish Ballet intended to reflect the development the ballet company’s undergoes during the Bournonville bicentennial year. Communications director Kresten Schultz Jørgensen:
“The aim of the calendar is to explore Bournonville’s cultural reach. For over 150 years, Bournonville has played an important role in Denmark’s cultural heritage, and we plan to ensure he maintains that importance over the next 150 years. Meeting a goal like this requires continually seeking out new forms of expression.”

Congratulations Bournonville
Photography and concept: Per Morten Abrahamsen
Assistant: Vibe Bauer
Graphic designer: Søren Ajspur
Project manager: Mette Bødtcher
Editors: Sten Hassing Møller
Thomas Beck Sørensen
Sofie Rask Andersen
Mette Bødtcher

News from Det Kongelige Teater:

"Congratulations, Bournonville!" calendar 2005
For the 2005 Bournonville Calendar the Royal Danish Ballet has asked the photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen to tell a new story about the old master - to let a contemporary visual provocateur reinterpret a latter day avant-gardist of ballet.

Ten of Bournonville’s ballets have undergone photographic scrutiny by Per Morten Abrahamsen resulting in twelve evocative images full of spirit and zest. Timeless images that you can revisit over and over again, just as with Bournonville’s ballets.

The 2005 Bournonville Calendar is available at the price of DKK 159 at the Royal Danish Theatre store, at the box office and as online purchase.

http://www.kgl-teater.dk/dkt2002/bournonville2005/dk/butikken/kalender.htm

Postage Stamps from Post Danmark
The Danish Postal Service, Post Denmark, will celebrate the Bournonville bicentenary in May next year by issuing two commemorative postage stamps. The stamps depict silhouettes of ballet dancers and a portrait of Bournonville.

http://www.kgl-teater.dk/dkt2002/bournonville2005/uk/butikken/postdanmark.htm

Dancers of principal parts through the ages
How many different dancers have performed the role as James in La Sylphide at the Royal Danish Ballet? And what are their names? When did Rose Gad hold her debut as Eleonora in The Kermesse in Bruges? And when did Margrethe Schanne hold hers? Who has first performed as Gennaro in Napoli? Who was the most recent? And when did Nikolaj Hübbe first appear in that part?

Find the answers in ‘Dancers of principal parts through the ages’ offering a complete historical list of all principal dancers. The lists are featured under each individual festival ballet

http://www.kgl-teater.dk/dkt2002/bournonville2005/dk/program_for_festivalen/balletterne/balletterne.htm

Reviews of the 'Far From Denmark'/'Fancy Free'/'In the Night' program which opened on Nov. 3 (in Danish).

Henrik Lyding's comments in the Jyllands-Posten.

Erik Aschengreen review inthe Berlingske.