Booing at the ballet?

[alison]

As do standing ovations...

VERY rare in the UK. Standard in the USA...

 

Betterankles, I'm guessing you don't go to Sadler's Wells that much?

[Fonty]

Maybe this is completely mistaken, but I always thought the lack of British ballet booing (that's great fun to say!) is partly connected to the lack of British (particularly ROH) standing ovations. The audiences aren't apathetic, but they're not particularly keen to rouse themselves to show enjoyment, or lack thereof. I think we're just a dour, crusty lot. Whereas opera audiences consistently stand during the curtain calls and have been known to boo replacements (I have a sad memory of Emily Magee being booed at the Bayerische Staatsoper) as well as awful new productions. They just seem to have more openly emotional reactions. 

 

Speaking personally, I think I have only ever seen one genuine standing ovation, and that was at a preview of a play many years ago, starring Sheila Hancock.  She was magnificent in it, but sadly I can't remember the name of the play. 

 

I've seen plenty of "Let's stand up and cheer our favourite" reactions from the audience, at musicals in particular.  However, I got the impression this was the normal behaviour of a specific performer's "groupies", (for want of a better word) rather than a spontaneous response to a truly exceptional performance. 

[Vanartus]

First night of WW revival the other week - standing ovation...

[capybara]

First night of WW revival the other week - standing ovation...

 

I have been present for McGregor standing ovations before and I'm afraid to say that they have always seemed orchestrated. 

 

However, WW is, I think, attracting more of a Sadlers Wells type audience which is less inhibited and more willing to stand up than the usual ROH clientele - and that is all to the good.

[VickyPage]

Really? I've seen a fair amount of operas at the ROH, and practically no standing. First nights tend to bring out the booers, but that tends to be reserved for the production team.

 

I wasn't solely talking about the ROH, nor am I doubting your expertise (which is certainly greater than mine; I'm not the biggest opera fan), but I did notice a fair amount of people standing for the curtain calls of Rosenkavalier last month at the ROH, and in the slightly more distant past, the Ring Cycle was notable for getting quite a few people on their feet. In terms of the continent, not only was the audience on their feet for Parsifal at the Vienna Staatsoper a few years back, the people in the stalls rushed down the aisle to the edge of the orchestra pit to get closer to the singers. 

[ivyvaine23]

I never understood why people need to boo in the first place. Not clapping or just clapping half-heartedly is enough in my opinion. Booing just sounds so disrespectful in my opinion, for any artist. 

[MAB]

I never understood why people need to boo in the first place. Not clapping or just clapping half-heartedly is enough in my opinion. Booing just sounds so disrespectful in my opinion, for any artist. 

 

Not a Royal Opera regular I assume.

[Quintus]

I never understood why people need to boo in the first place. Not clapping or just clapping half-heartedly is enough in my opinion. Booing just sounds so disrespectful in my opinion, for any artist. 

 

 

I could not bring myself to boo at the ballet.  There are so many contributory elements to a given production, not all of which would be at fault, that you would inevitably be causing 'collateral damage' of the innocent.  The worst production I ever saw was a touring Canadian company's reworking of the Romeo & Juliet story, which was largely a rip-off of La La La Human Steps' style,  with a large dose of Wayne McGregor-on-amphetamines.  The choreography was awful to watch but incredibly difficult and exhausting to perform, and though I hated it overall, I still felt I had to clap the dancers' athleticism, skill and indeed survival.  The dancers looked very pleased with themselves at the end, and a small number of young spectators were on their feet hollering their support, which was also a reminder that sometimes when you hate something, it may be that you are just the wrong person to be watching it.. 

[Coated]

How do people feel about pantomime booing at the ballet? There seemed to be a fair amount of it for Carabosse this run. I usually roll my eyes a little and keep clapping, though another part of me thinks it's oddly charming, especially when there are a large number of children in the house.

 

I remember reading somewhere that at least one of the visiting Bolshoi Evil Genius enjoyed getting pantomime booed.

[bridiem]

How do people feel about pantomime booing at the ballet? There seemed to be a fair amount of it for Carabosse this run. I usually roll my eyes a little and keep clapping, though another part of me thinks it's oddly charming, especially when there are a large number of children in the house.

 

I remember reading somewhere that at least one of the visiting Bolshoi Evil Genius enjoyed getting pantomime booed.

 

I think it's great, as long as it's combined with applause! Shows the artist has done their job really well.

[Scheherezade]

I agree. It shows that the audience has been caught up in the performance and the mood.

[MAB]

A Kirov Carabosse once told me he LOVES being booed by London audiences.

[ivyvaine23]

I could not bring myself to boo at the ballet.  There are so many contributory elements to a given production, not all of which would be at fault, that you would inevitably be causing 'collateral damage' of the innocent.  The worst production I ever saw was a touring Canadian company's reworking of the Romeo & Juliet story, which was largely a rip-off of La La La Human Steps' style,  with a large dose of Wayne McGregor-on-amphetamines.  The choreography was awful to watch but incredibly difficult and exhausting to perform, and though I hated it overall, I still felt I had to clap the dancers' athleticism, skill and indeed survival.  The dancers looked very pleased with themselves at the end, and a small number of young spectators were on their feet hollering their support, which was also a reminder that sometimes when you hate something, it may be that you are just the wrong person to be watching it.. 

Exactly what I feel, So, not everyone thought the production was bad? Interesting how much opinions vary actually... I'd loved to see that production just to figure out what my reaction to it would be, 

 

 

A Kirov Carabosse once told me he LOVES being booed by London audiences.

Really?? Why's that? Any particular reason?

[FLOSS]

 Presumably he sees it as a positive endorsement of how malevolent and wicked he has succeeded in being.

[MAB]

Indeed.  As an English speaker he had already picked up on the English pantomime tradition and saw the audience reaction as appreciation of his acting skills.

[Scheherezade]

One of my most amusing experiences was listening to an American mother trying to explain what British pantomime was about to her young offspring at a performance of Stephen Fry's Cinderella around ten years ago at the Old Vic. Quite clearly the combination of the Old Vic and Stephen Fry had led her to believe that the experience would be mind-improving. I have seldom seen anyone so much at sea although she did eventually join in the booing.