Jamesrhblack

Also, I was buying a return and wasn’t given that option. I’ve never had any issues at all in The Grand Tier, so it was a real surprise to have such an awkward view.

I can’t upload the picture I took of the view as it is too big a file. The column is hugely present in your vision and completely destroys any sense of perspective when look at the stage.

Grand Tier C7

Because I’d raised an issue over the view from my seat before the performance with the usher, I didn’t want to be thought of as a nuisance.

Thank you @JohnS and @alison for your kind words of sympathy which are appreciated.

It was possibly a mistake to attempt the Double, particularly as I had been so moved by the matinée and I am unsure whether or not to post my observations, especially as as the whole experience was marred by the strange view from my very expensive seat (the supporting pillar in font of me in the Grand Tier didn’t cut across my view but destroyed any sense of perspective rendering involvement impossible) and the non-stop whispering of the two young ladies to my left as they played with their phones impervious to requests for quiet. Francesca Hayward always makes such a strong impression when I see her in MacMillan (Manon, Vetsera, Marie - haven’t seen her Juliet ‘live’) that I am surprised her dancing per se in a role such as Odette - Odile doesn’t make more impact. Her delicacy isn’t quite what I want from an Odette (I prefer greater length of line and impact of movement) but the musicality and detail are touching, if not moving, and she shirks nothing, albeit adapting her solo to go to the left. She made a rather splendid first impression as Odile, using her eyes and body to create a sense of glamour and allure and was splendid in the pas de deux, her balance long, sure and not lifted too high. She began to fade in the solo, the start of which caused problems for Magri and O’Sullivan too as I recall from 2022, again turning to the left and if she does attempt this marathon again I hope she will determine a different solution to the challenge of the foutées. I got into trouble in 2022 referring to them so will write no more on that. I’d rather lost the will to live by the last act but the wider audience seemed enthusiastic. Matthew Ball seemed in much surer form than at the cinema relay and was a suitably supportive partner although simply as a dancer I don’t find him as beautiful to watch as William Bracewell or Joseph Sissens or as dramatically involving as was Alexander Campbell. As noted, Annette Buvoli injured herself during her Act 1 solo so kudos to Sae Maeda and Bomin Kim for stepping up so seamlessly to rescue the situation in Act 3. At the very beginning of the evening, I had asked the Usher whether she had any thoughts on the view from my seat (I’ve tried posting a picture but the file is too big) and she said it was sold as “restricted view.” I countered that it was sold at full price with no warning on the ticket (showing her my emailed ticket as proof) but she maintained that her information was correct and referred me to The Front Desk. They were rather more helpful, agreed that there was an issue, congratulated me on taking a photograph and suggested I send it to Customer Services, together with my observations. These are obviously personal observations on what was a discombobulating evening when I probably wasn’t in the best mood to watch.

Also on my own. Blue jacket and glasses. Will be in the Conservatory Bar first interval

I thought it a terrific afternoon. Joseph Sissens is compulsively watchable as a dancer, albeit still developing as a partner, and his emotional honesty touched the heart, not only pressing his face to Odette’s lifeless form, but turning away in a rapture of “recongition” at Odile’s swan impersonation. Mariko Sasaki has grand scale, long lines, beautiful feet and is already finding personal touches, particularly as Odile. A nano second of timing adjustment enabled her to finish the solo with a real flourish and I loved her putting on her Odette face as Siegfried brought her over to his mother after the pas de deux. The last act was truly moving and brought tears to the eyes. I think they will develop even more artistically with different partners (slightly bigger for her, smaller for him) but it was a wonderful performance with a big call out for Giacomo Rovero as Benno too. Olivia Cowley was “vamptastic” as Spanish Princess, and I loved the conductor’s energy and wish to keep the score moving between numbers (even if the Act 2 Pas de deux was rather slow), despite what seems to be some all too regularly recalcitrant brass playing.

I’m doing the double too. I’m a big fan of Joseph Sissens’ and Mariko Sasaki, whose work I know much less well, looks wonderful in the pictures from the General. Hesitated about the evening show but a good return came in and I decided to take it. Francesca Hayward is a dancer I really like with a very individual quality. I didn’t think she did very well in her debut run, but understand she was unwell, so am looking forward to see what further experience enables her to achieve, especially as I have a hunch it may not be a ballet she keeps in her active repertoire.

Given that opportunities to see Cuthbertson, Lamb, Nunez and Osipova in the core 19th Century repertoire must be running out, I’m unconvinced by this planning, which i also think will be detrimental to, in particular, the female corps de ballet’s technique.

Knock out suff 🙂

Just back from a very well attended Kino in Rye. Big thanks to jmhopton for passing on their ticket when they were unable to use it. Some, perforce, cursory observations as I’ve had an extremely busy work schedule and sleep is beckoning. I was moved, as I hadn’t been before, by Scarlett’s last act. I’d cut the apotheosis of Odette to reinforce the message that Siegfried has failed, but the pas de deux to the music interpolated from Act 3 is really very beautiful and the Swans turning on Rothbart read powerfully. I’m not sure Matthew Ball was quite on top of his game (was there a near miss in Act 3?) and without, this evening, that technical edge, I found him less involving than William Bracewell invariably seems to be. Nevertheless, there is a connection on stage between him and Yasmine Naghdi that is never less than appealing. Six years ago, she blew me away with the vehemence and freshness of her attack en debut as Odette / Odile. At the moment, I find her now a more polished dancer, but, leaving aside Nunez who is something different altogether, Hayward who I found unsatisfactory in this last time round and Lamb, who does nothing for me in the classics, less interesting than Cuthbertson, less sheerly glamorous than Kaneko (which is not as shallow a judgement as it might read) and less charismatic than Osipova. I share opinions voiced elsewhere that Magri and, particularly, O’Sullivan are currently less consistently impressive than they were as First Soloists and I found Claire Calvert most touching of all for various reasons last time. Naghdi’s technical ability is remarkable, she has the beauty of a Modigliani painting and her musicianship is exceptional, but I don’t always find her emotionally compelling. Some things continue to grate within the concept, notably, 1. If Von Rothbart is known at Court, why does nobody know he has a daughter? 2. Where has Siegfried been between the end of Act 2 and arriving late for the Ball in Act 3 which is, presumably, the evening after? I love the choreography for the Pas de Trois Coda in Act 3. I doubt any cast will expunge memories of Alexander Campbell, Francesca Hayward and Akane Takada, but Joonhyuk Joon, Annette Buvoli (great to see a tall dancer moving at such speed) and Leticia Dias seemed excellent to me. Finally, kudos to the extremely involved and charismatic Maestro who certainly brought everything together through the genius of Tchaikovsky’s score.

A good turn out in The Rye Kino this afternoon, albeit in the smaller room. The cast sheet being distributed is inaccurate listing both Cuthbertson and Ball for Requiem.

I have referenced before the original ending: Siegfried tears the crown from Odette’s head, she dies, the waters overcome them, the swans are seen on the lake. Human aspiration is flawed and fails. Nureyev had an effort at refashioning this ending and although people quibble at its execution the message of the imagery remains indelible for me, possibly because I saw the film at a young age, but had already seen the ballet in the theatre and been encouraged by my parents to discuss and evaluate what I had seen and found this suited both music and message as I understood them. I like much of what Scarlett is trying to achieve in Act 4, but agree that a supine SIegfried isn’t the best solution, whilst thinking the final image is a moving one but would be improved without the vision of Odette. All opinions my own.

Delighted you enjoyed Josef’s singing. He’s the latest addition to my General Management roster 🙂