Fresh off the heels of Aurélie Dupont's appointment as artistic director at the Paris Opéra Ballet, and Julie Kent's appointment to the same position at The Washington Ballet, further changes are hitting the ballet world.
This morning Johan Kobborg, international star and director of the National Ballet of Romania, tweeted that his name had been removed from the company's web page listing artistic staff. It's now, strangely, listed under "Artists"—the equivalent of the corps de ballet.
Indeed, the only name currently listed for company management is interim general manager Tiberiu-Ionuț Soare. As of yesterday, Kobborg was two years into a four-year contract and had instigated upgrades to the company's repertoire and physical infrastructure. In December, 2015, Kobborg and his on- and offstage partner, the iconic Romanian ballerina Alina Cojucaru, organized a gala to raise awareness for the company. Neither the company nor Kobborg have yet responded to inquiries about the situation.
Additionally Ballet Nacional Sodre artistic director and former American Ballet Theatre star Julio Bocca is taking an undefined leave of absence from the company. In a statement, he wrote that it was "not a goodbye, but a see-you-later." Sofía Sajac, who Bocca describes as his "right hand," will step into the leadership position during his absence. Reasons for his leave aren't clear. Argentine newspaper La Nación reported that Bocca had faced bureaucratic obstacles, including union protests (follow the link for reporting in Spanish).
In happier news, Scottish Ballet assistant artistic director Hope Muir has been selected as Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux's successor at Charlotte Ballet. Her tenure begins in July, 2017.
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Muir with Charlotte Ballet dancers. Photo by Justin Driscoll, Courtesy Charlotte Ballet.
