When Ross Stretton was interviewed by Valerie Lawson during the week for The Age, he confirmed to her a number of decisions about next year's repertory that had merely been hinted at in his recent remarks to the Ballet Association. There was also one very important new fact.

Natalia Makarova is to produce the new Sleeping Beauty, which will be designed by Luisa Spinatelli. Ross Stretton also confirmed that Mark Morris would work with the RB in 2002-3, and that the coming year's rep would also include a work by Kylian. Valerie's piece is available on this link, while the Ballet Association report is in the February magazine

Next year's rep will be announced on March 27th.

Not madly excited at the prospect given Makarova's half-baked Swan Lake for ENB and dreary Bayadere.

Let's hope she's found some more flair and theatrical nous in the interim. Who knows anything about Spinatelli?

I am must take the opposite view with Markorova - I was very impressed with her Swan Lake (as seen on DVD) despite the happy ending! Her Bayadere is pretty good - it had the right emphasize on drama as well as dance. Nureyev supposedly better production just incorporates a few more dances in the over long betrothal scene and has no restored 4 act! Hardly anything to write home about!

Undoubtely, one of her masterpieces is the scenery and costumes for Pierre Lacotte's "Paquita" which I could admire on the POB-stage a year ago...."breathtaking" !!!!!

I'm not surprised she worked/is working with Roland Petit ! Currently I'm reading a book about all famous artists (designers, painters, sculptors) who collaborated with him. From Cocteau and Picasso, Bréard, Wakhevitch, Fini, Delvaux, Buffet, Niki de Saint-Phalle, Ernst, Hockney, Coltellacci, Wunderlich, Haring, Erté (and many more !)...to Dior and YSL.
An enchanting, creative world with lots of reminiscenses to the Diaghilev-period !

All of which suggests to me that we will see a traditional Beauty of some grandeur, the designs helping to tell the story.