The name of Monica Mason’s successor has been known for a few months now, but it remains a surprise for many – Kevin O’Hare, The Royal Ballet’s current administrative director, will succeed her as artistic director at the end of the 2011-2012 season. Here is my take on his appointment, complete with quotes from choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, for the news pages of Pointe Magazine:

Cover of the October/November 2011 issue © Pointe Magazine

When it came to casting the part of next Royal Ballet artistic director, most ballet fans expected that a familiar face would land the job. (Several big names—including Christopher Wheeldon—were repeatedly tossed around.) In the end, however, Monica Mason will be succeeded in July 2012 by an insider no one saw coming: Kevin O’Hare, her administrative director since 2009.

A former principal with Birmingham Royal Ballet, O’Hare retired from dancing in 2000 to train in company management. After stints with the Royal Shakespeare Company and BRB, he joined The Royal’s management team in 2004. “Kevin knows the company and has already established a clear and communicative relationship with the dancers,” explains Wheeldon, who choreographed Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for The Royal earlier this year.

While some have deemed the appointment unexciting, O’Hare is intimately familiar with the company’s English repertoire and won over the selection panel with ambitious plans to bring together “the most talented artists of the 21st century to collaborate on the same stage,” as he said in a press release. He won’t be lonely at the top, either: Both Wheeldon and resident choreographer Wayne McGregor, along with associate director Jeanetta Laurence, have agreed to be part of his “senior artistic team.” The terms of their involvement remain to be defined, according to Wheeldon, but “there are future projects in the works, including another possible full-length ballet.” (…)

» Read the full interview in Pointe Magazine’s news section (scroll down to see it)