The Royal Ballet in Cuba

20th July - At last ! Jorge Gonzalez who writes the Cuba Journal has sent me a link to an actual review of one of the performances in Havana, from periodico26.cu, which was a Special Report by Toni Piñera for Granma. There is a reference to "A Month in the Countryside" - the ballet is called A Month in the Country.

Very many thanks to Jorge.

Caribbeannetnews.com reports on The Royal Ballet’s performance on Manon.
"Royal Ballet gives perfect presentation of Manon in Havana".

The Today Programme on Radio 4 has a three minute slot about The Royal Ballet's visit to Cuba.
Scroll down the page to 8.38am.

"If you have a good night, it’s the best place to have it, because the people are really going to know that it’s a good night" – Tamara Rojo on performing to the knowledgeable Cuban audiences.

Here is a BBC video with Michael Voss talking about the Company taking class and of Carlos Acosta and Tamara Rojo dancing Le Corsaire.

The Cuban Government news agency Presna Latina reports on The Royal Ballet.

Associated Press have a short report from Anne-Marie Garcia
on the first performance here.

The People's Daily Online has 7 excellent pictures of the Company dancers in Havana.

Here are some pictures from Havana Times.

The Sacramento Bee has a selection of photo's here.

MSNBC have a report here.

An outside look at the first night in Havana - "Opening Night and the Royal Ballet" by Havana Times

CBS News has a video with footage from the performance.

The Havana Times are "Relishing the Royal Ballet in Havana".

The Havana Times (what would we do without them !) reports on “Royal Ballet closing night in Cuba”. It was also the last performance with the Company for Principal dancer Alexandra Anasanelli.

The Miami Herald carries a picture of Monica Mason bowing deeply to Alicia Alonso (the rest of the report has been widely syndicated).

There is a distinct lack of reporting on all the Havana performances from anyone who was inside the two theatres.

The Guardian reported “In Havana, swine flu disrupted the Royal Ballet's 150-strong tour of Cuba when six of the dancers fell ill, including stars Marianela Núñez and Steven McRae”.

It has also been reported that the Cuban authorities acted very swiftly and isolated the infected people. They were given anti-virals and are now fully recovered. I mention this only because it might have given rise to concerns about Carlos Acosta's upcoming Coliseum performances this coming week, where Stephen McRae is also dancing, but the dancers will do everything possible to avoid disruption to the schedule and after all "the show must go on".

The Cuba Journal has some great pictures here.

Carlos Acosta was on the line from Havana to Radio 4's Front Row programe earlier in the week. It's on iPlayer now - just scroll through to about 16 minutes in.

Click here for the video and photo section of this website - the first listed video shows beautiful footage of Tamara Rojo rehearsing.

Roberto Suárez has more photo's here.

Radio Nuevitas reports “Royal Ballet in Havana, Undying Memory”

The Havana Times has a review on the shows.

The Observer carried this interview with Carlos Acosta and others last weekend in the magazine.