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Last week, I attended Staatsballett Berlin's last performance for this season. We saw Messa da Requiem. Music by Guiseppe Verdi, Choreography by Christian Spuck. Onstage were the Rundfunkchor Berlin and 4 soloist singers from Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Staatsballett of course. I was very sceptical before the show, usually I'm not a fan of both classical singers and dancers onstage, my concern is always, that either the dancers or the singers are just "decoration" for the other artists. Here, I was very moved and surprised how well the mingle of dancers and singers worked. It was a total work of art. My personal highlights were: - the many beautiful Pas de Deux, especially when performed by Polina Semionova and David Soares - the "mass scenes" were singers and dancers were floating like waves across the stage - the soloist singers, especially Tenor Andrei Danilov with the voice of an Angel Here's a review I can fully support: https://kultur24-berlin.de/messa-da-requiem-von-verdi-vom-staatsballett-berlin/#english Before the performance, I attended the annual meeting of the Ballet friends where we said Good-bye to Christiane Theobald who had worked for ballet and companies in Berlin since 36 years. I don't know if I'm happy with Theobald's idea to merge all 3 ballet companies in 2004 to one big company. A lot of dancers left then, among them many I loved to watch. Her last job was interims AD when Oehman/Waltz left in 2020. But her commitment to dance and dancers is undeniable, and she overtook the helm in difficult times, especially with the unforeseen Covid disaster. After curtain call, the former Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and the current Senator for Culture in Berlin Joe Chialo thanked her in very warm and appreciative words. She received Honorary Membership of both Staatsballett Berlin and of the Circle of Friends&Supporters of Staatsballett Berlin. The following reception was also a nice opportunity to gather with dancers and supporters of Staatsballett.

Just to say, I have only just noticed that there are lots of the better Upper Slips seats for sale for the performance of Traviata, at the relatively unusual (but potentially appealing) time of 12.30pm on Saturday 6 November 2021. I wouldn’t normally comment on a repertoire show many of us will have seen lots of times, but this cast: Oropesa!!! Christian Gerhaher!!!!! Or else this is all yet another mistake by the clunky website and the tickets aren’t really for sale. Which would be a pity.

A bonus in seeing Giselle on Friday was to go to the Macbeth General Rehearsal on Saturday morning. I hadn’t seen Macbeth since Muti conducted back in the early 1980s and I think I saw a later revival of that production. Very impressive musically and for the most part I enjoyed the production. I just wish the designer hadn’t gone quite so overboard with the golds and bling for the Macbeths which (I understand) would have looked way too outlandish on ‘Strictly’. Macbeth is being streamed from 26 November and will be well worth seeing. Dark glasses recommended for the Macbeths’ coronation - unless you’re watching in black and white.

Listening to excerpts from Verdi's Vespri Siciliani last night on Classic FM, brought back vivid memories of MacMillan's The Four Seasons. This ballet had some wonderful inventive choreography - most notable perhaps the Spring section - I can still see Lesley Collier being partnered by Eagling, Ashmole and Hosking - simply ravishing. The original sets and costumes were rather "chocolate box", but when designs were revised by Deborah MacMillan using bare stage and leotards, the ballet really did not work. With so many ballets being revised this year in honour and memory of the great Sir Kenneth, what a shame this choreographic jewel was missed out. I am sure it would work beautifully if costumed well. May be I should put together some designs - would love to!!!!

Had to laugh. I came in last night from the opening performance of this new production 'Otello' - a generally fine one, well done by all - to turn on the BBC's Newsnight - only to find the last seconds of a feature on Jonas Kaufmann. I pushed the 'info' button and a list of that evening's guests came up in the BBC listing. They had him down as 'Yonas Kaufman'!! Bet you anything he's used to it ... and, hey, as long as they get it right on the cheque ... or .. erm ... electronic transfer