The Royal Ballet: Jewels, April 2017

[Fonty]

I am slightly puzzled by the comments that ticket sales have been poor.  I remember when booking was first announced I was away, and when I finally got around to going on line, there was practically nothing left for the days I could go.  I was rather surprised when I went on line again some time later, to find loads of tickets suddenly seemed to have appeared from somewhere.  I've found this a couple of times recently.  It is almost as if an organisation has pre booked large amounts of tickets, and then decided they didn't need them.  

 

I must confess that Jewels is not my favourite, or at least hasn't been in the past.  However, after the rave reviews given here I bought a last minute ticket and shall give it another go.  But I am slightly annoyed that there are so many performances, and so few of the Dream triple bill.  Again, I was away when booking opened, and there doesn't seem to be anything decent left for that.  I shall be very annoyed indeed if there is another rash of tickets suddenly appearing for that programme nearer the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[penelopesimpson]

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

I am slightly puzzled by the comments that ticket sales have been poor.  I remember when booking was first announced I was away, and when I finally got around to going on line, there was practically nothing left for the days I could go.  I was rather surprised when I went on line again some time later, to find loads of tickets suddenly seemed to have appeared from somewhere.  I've found this a couple of times recently.  It is almost as if an organisation has pre booked large amounts of tickets, and then decided they didn't need them.  

 

I must confess that Jewels is not my favourite, or at least hasn't been in the past.  However, after the rave reviews given here I bought a last minute ticket and shall give it another go.  But I am slightly annoyed that there are so many performances, and so few of the Dream triple bill.  Again, I was away when booking opened, and there doesn't seem to be anything decent left for that.  I shall be very annoyed indeed if there is another rash of tickets suddenly appearing for that programme nearer the time.

 

The booking does seem odd.  I went through torture to get Mayerling tickets and then, like a rabbit out of a hat, a raft of them appeared.  I was lucky enough to have Dream tickets for 5 and 10, having had a hunch that the TBC would turn out to be the elusive Mr. Polunin, but a similar thing is going on in opera.  Traviata on the date I wanted was sold out from day one and then  about two days ago, something like 40 tickets appeared.  Interestingly, they always seem to be the same - a block in the centre of the Stalls, a pair in the front row of Stalls Circle and another smaller block left hand side of Grand Tier.  Maybe these are held back for sponsors or something - any ideas?

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aileen]

This sudden appearance of a whole raft of tickets (sometimes dozens) happened with ENB's recent sold-out triple bill. I've not noticed this happening with the RB before. As you say, Penelope, it's often the high priced and best located seats that become available, sometimes only a day or two before the performance in the case of ENB. My theory is that seats are held back for patrons, major donors and VIP guests. They can't just be random returns when virtually whole rows suddenly go on sale all at the same time. Alternatively, the ticket agencies may have the option of returning unsold seats a week or two before the performance. As I've said on other threads about ENB, it's always worth checking (and rechecking) the theatre's website regularly from about a fortnight before the performance and particularly in the 72 hours before the performance. Good tickets can pop up even on the morning of a matinee but you may not have enough time to get to the theatre. You could of course go on spec. I sold a ticket at Sadler's Wells (via the box office) for the last ENB Triple after arriving at the theatre  just before 7pm.

[alison]

I think we've speculated before that late blocks of tickets appearing may be down to agencies returning their allocation a short while before the performance.  There's frequently also a block in the back row of the Balcony which I notice.  I suppose some stalls/stalls circle tickets may also be press seats.

[ninamargaret]

 I find buying tickets at ROH a bit of a lottery. I'm on the lowest level of Friends , like sitting in side SC, but these seats have often sold by the time I get to them. So I buy something a little more expensive and then find cheaper seats become available later. Especially true of opera seats which are even m ore eye watering expensive. I've often decided against going to an opera on grounds of cost and then been able to buy a decent relatively cheap seat later on. Glad that I'm not an opera fanatic - keeping up with ballet performances is bad enough!

[Bruce Wall]

Bringing the board back on topic ... I caught Diamonds at yesterday's matinee.  Sarah Lamb was entirely Farrell-esque ... in that she danced through the music and - as a consequence - you could feel the majestic rapture of her breath.  She came. We saw.  She conquered. 

 

Standing there I simply wanted to weep for joy.  I floated out with a gigantic smile embedded in my heart. 

 

Easter indeed!

 

Brava!

Edited April 16, 2017 by Bruce Wall

[Gargouillade]

I rarely post in this section of the forum but I just wanted to say that there was something very special about the Takada/Campbell Rubies pdd last night. I've now watched every cast from this run and the 2013 season, and they've displaced the McRae/Osipova pairing for me. Takada was perfectly sensuous and slinky and I am  now a Campbell convert! Completely electrifying when they looked into each other's eyes at a still point in the Stravinsky. 

[LinMM]

Taken a bit of time to report back on Wednesday evenings Jewels but have been on an intensive Russian Language Course all week and brain nearly imploding.....nobody told me that written Russian and printed Russian are nearly entirely different scripts so that was a learning curve by half!!

Anyway to Jewels

I have never seen this ballet in its entirety before ....just seen the odd pas de deux or one of the acts only ...Emeralds I think it was before so was looking forward to it. My overall view is that this ballet ...and in fact Balanchine in general ...rarely moves me but I'm glad his choreography exists. Am not sure what that means ....maybe we don't always need to be "moved" at the ballet ...sometimes the choreography stands on its own for pure enjoyment for what it is. 

I thought I would have a favourite but in fact didn't ....maybe at a push Diamonds...because there were particular parts of each Act that I really enjoyed.

I really couldn't fault the dancing in any of the Acts Jasmine exquisitely joyous in her role in Emeralds and for me Isabella Gasparini dancing delightfully in this piece suited her perfectly.....and McRae and Lamb absolutely perfectly cast in Rubies....suited their roles down to a tee. I was interested in the Stravinsky music for this as I'm not that familiar with it but really quirky and almost modern Jazz like and I love that Rubies pas de deux which McRae and Lamb really could not have bettered ....great dancing from both.

On Wednesday it was Cuthbertson and Muntagirov in Diamonds and loved the dancing from this ....again a lovely pas de deux ...

but sensed a touch of humour here from Balachine in what seemed like references to Swan Lake and Raymonda and Sleeping Beauty and again for me the Tchaikovsky music was not familiar but loved it and has been a bit of an "ear worm" ( reference to a different thread on the Forum) ever since!! I really love Muntagirov he is so wonderful in the air .....a true classical dancer...such style but effortless at the same time. 

A couple of dancers from the corps stood out in this particularly Mayara Magri .....and I think she was dancing in Rubies as well definitely beginning to stand out ....and another young Chinese dancer ...I think I may have seen as a student nearly two years ago now and sorry don't know her name and apologies if Japonese ....but I only have the cast list so no corps dancers are mentioned on this...but great performances from all in Diamonds.

However this particular evening at the ballet was made that more memorable by having such lovely chats with Balletcoforum member Jillikins and her friend Maria before the performance and in one of the intervals ....so lovely to meet people so knowledgable and passionate about the ballet ...almost like old friends!! 

A jewel of an evening in the end! 

 

 

 

 

[Odyssey]

I write as someone who only saw the cinema relay of Jewels, but was nonetheless carried away by the sheer beauty of this work. I have long wanted to see it in Its entirety having only caught sections in various Balanchine documentaries - most memorably Farrell and Martins in the Diamonds pas de deux. What a triumph for RB- surely Mr B would have approved ( well his two ambassadors certainly seemed to think so in their insightful rehearsals . Thankfully this is one aspect of the RB production we can revisit on YouTube in the absence of any DVD). Others have remarked on how individual dancers have gone beyond the challenges of the choreography to inhabit the roles dancing with an expansive, luxurious assurity which Balanchine's ballets require. Now, almost a week later, I still find myself able to recall much of the experience and although I am reluctant to single out any one dancer, Mariana's exquisite performance will be with me for some time to come.

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by Odyssey

[Nina G.]

I have seen Jewels performed by the RB in previous Seasons but never have I enjoyed it as much as this Season. The various casts have all been interesting to watch but if I had to choose THE Jewels cast it would be made up by Emeralds: Naghdi/Ball as principal couple with Moreira, Rubies: Lamb/McRae (although I very much loved Takada/Campbell !!) with Heap, and Diamonds: Nunez/Muntagirov.

 

For me, each one of these dancers perfectly and totally captured the mood and style of Balanchine's Jewels. 

In this video we see Violette Verdy dance the 3 title roles and Naghdi/Lamb&Takada/Nunez just got it all right.

 

 

[LinMM]

I think the young dancer who had just a touch of extra sparkle in Diamonds on Wednesday was Chisato Katsura.

[Scheherezade]

I have now seen two of the casts (the Cuthbertson/Muntagirov and Nunez/Soares Diamonds casts but Takada/Heap and Campbell in each) and, having loved McRae in Rubies last time round, I have to agree with Nina G's definitive casts. As with so many other posters, I am really bemused as to why Nunez and Muntagirov were not cast together, more particularly when past form dictates that they are in a league of their own in pieces such as this and bounce off each other in such a breathtaking way.

 

I am a big fan of Campbell but Rubies really is McRae's stand-out piece. His speed, flair and quicksilver qualities bring this piece to life in a way that I have yet to see with anyone else although I was impressed by both Takada and Heap.

 

Naghdi, as is increasingly the case, brought her own special lyricism to Emeralds and, again as usual, it was impossible to drag one's eyes away from the wonderful Morera, who really seems to be achieving the recognition that she deserves under O'Hare's stewardship. As others have already said, Gasparini also stood out for me. I agree with To the Pointe's observations on Emeralds, which held my attention far more than previously, no doubt due to the quality of the performances.

 

Overall, just lovely!

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by Scheherezade

[Alice Shortcake]

Although I didn't think the set was in the same league as those used in the POB and Mariinsky productions of Jewels, it was servicable enough...with the exception of the curly-wurly alien life form hovering over Emeralds!

[JohnS]

We also have so enjoyed the run of Jewels.  In addition to many of the highlights commented above, I wonder if it is the overall excellence of the corp which has made the performances so special?  For example the four men in Rubies have been brilliant in all performances we've seen and it's been a joy to see Anna Rose O'Sullivan and Benjamin Ella as partners.  What a season Anna Rose is having and we're very much looking forward to hearing what she has to say at the Ballet Association meeting towards the end of the month.

 

in addition to various suggestions for dream cast soloists, I'd add Francesca Hayward (such exquisite footwork) and Melissa Hamilton.  James Hay and Emma McGuire have been wonderful.  But I think this just highlights the overall strength of today's Royal Ballet as there simply aren't enough places to accommodate all these special talents.

 

Whilst there have been one or two slips from some soloists, I was astonished to read Jeffrey Taylor's Sunday Express review and his savaging of Lauren Cuthbertson.  We were certainly blown away by Vadim when we saw him dance but also found much to admire in Lauren's performance in total making for a truly memorable performance.

 

I agree that some of the cinema work didn't enable the audience to appreciate the overall flow of the ballet, with far too many close ups, but it's also a great shame that there isn't to be a DVD.  I'm sure the Royal Ballet will have tapes in its archive so future dancers will be able to draw on the performances.  What a treasure trove that archive must be and let's hope that documentary producers etc will have access to it and we might have more glimpses into it.

[aileen]

Whilst I thought that his Sunday Express review was rather harsh and rather personal about Lauren Cuthbertson I too felt that she was nondescript in the role and was completely outclassed by Vadim Muntagirov.

[capybara]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

I agree that some of the cinema work didn't enable the audience to appreciate the overall flow of the ballet, with far too many close ups, but it's also a great shame that there isn't to be a DVD.  

 

I'm quite glad that there isn't going to be a DVD. I regret to say that I didn't think that the RB put its best face forward for worldwide screening and one or two 'elements' of that particular performance are maybe best forgotten.

 

On the positive side, I enjoyed the alternative views and close-ups afforded in the cinema although I do agree that the focus on individual dancers somewhat interrupted the flow of the corps work in Diamonds in particular.

 

18 minutes ago, aileen said:

Whilst I thought that his Sunday Express review was rather harsh and rather personal about Lauren Cuthbertson I too felt that she was nondescript in the role and was completely outclassed by Vadim Muntagirov.

 

When I read Jeffrey Taylor in Links I did rather wonder how he would be 'dealt with' on BCF if he were a 'poster' rather than a critic ! ! !

[tabitha]

I'm afraid I don't share half the enthusiasm for many of the dancers mentioned on here. I found Heap (and Storm-Jensen) laboured and half a beat behind; Hamilton seemed unprepared and hesitant in places; Stix-Brunel lacked interest and Morerra's arms are a distraction. However Nunez was simply breathtaking and really was in a class of her own. Maybe she just set the standard too high and the others dimmed in comparison. 

[Beryl H]

Last night had another fascinating mix of dancers, I had already seen the "heavenly" Naghdi/Ball in Emeralds, this time I also noticed the softness of Itziar Mendizabal and Nicol Edmonds in the other pdd, Marcelino Sambe was very fast and bouncy in Rubies and Mayara Magri and Gina Storm-Jensen seemed to be having fun, and lastly, "worth the price of the ticket" performances from Iana Salenko and Steven McRae in the Diamonds pdd, he has a different classical perfection to Vadim Muntagirov but how lucky the RB is to have two such dancers, watched the whole pdd through opera glasses as I couldn't take my eyes off them, beautiful flow of movement, she has particularly lovely port de bras.

 

Still have one more different cast to come on Friday in Emeralds, Yuhui Choe and Francesca Hayward with Valeri Hristov and Valentino Zuchetti, not sure of the pas de trois.

 

[Tony Newcombe]

Pas de trios has been Stock, O'Sullivan and Richardson with this cast

[Beryl H]

1 hour ago, Tony Newcombe said:

Pas de trios has been Stock, O'Sullivan and Richardson with this cast

 

Thanks, sounds good!

 

 

[Tony Newcombe]

Just to prove me wrong tonight is Maguire, Crawford and Hay. Dreamy.

[Sim]

Weren't they just, Tony?! I would love to see Maguire and Hay dance together more.

[Tony Newcombe]

So would I. Sadly I don't think it will happen. Emma was under appreciated for a long time and now there are so many good young dancers in the Company. Still, we should enjoy her while we can

[Bruce Wall]

Hay was sublime tonight.  He uniquely ushered out the wit - as well as the dash and splendour in the Emeralds' PDT.  This made his final haunting shadows all the more deep; all the more poignant.  Hay is a very special artist ... and I think this season has seen - especially with that extraordinary performance as Florimund - him grow into true principal status.  He deserves every honour; every opportunity that might - and should - be tossed in his direction.  It can but benefit us all.  

 

Nunez outdid herself herself this evening.  That first Diamonds' solo was the very personification of musical beatitude.  Forget catnip; what she so generously offered was PURE balletic Nirvana.   

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by Bruce Wall

[standingticket]

Have to agree about Hay. Kept finding my eyes drawn to him. Makes me all the sadder I missed his Florimund!

 

I have always struggled with Emeralds, but last night Stix-Brunell and Morera both brought such musicality and warmth, which together with a lovely pas de trois and Hay stealing the show, meant I was riveted! Something different here from the naghdi /ball/mendizibal cast last week (although Hay was also sublime in that cast)

 

Takada and Campbell seemed more confident and zingy second time round - a joy to behold. As was Nunez, who truly is the diamond in the crown of the evening. Interestingly I missed the warmth of the partnering between muntagirov and cuthbertson, but in providing more of a 'supporting' partner I wonder if Soares actually accentuated Nunez's brilliance even more.

 

Sad to have missed Hayward and Sambe this time round, but glad they have acquitted themselves well from reading above!

[Mary]

Thanks to the forum I looked out for Hay (and remembered him from Woolf Works especially) and agree he is a special dancer. I too love the ending of Emeralds and keep seeing and hearing it in my mind's eye- what a sublimely lovely moment that is, with the placing on the stage somehow so brillliantly evoking romantic melancholy.

[Fonty]

I enjoyed last night's performance very much, a huge improvement on the last time I saw it several years ago.  Once again, Emeralds was my favourite, I loved the music, and the gorgeous costumes, and it gave me the warm feeling of being caressed by a gentle summer breeze.  It puzzled me that this seemed to get such a muted reception from the audience.  There was barely enough applause from the stalls to merit a second curtain call.  Disgraceful, I think.  Especially when Rubies got such a rapturous reception afterwards.  

It struck me last night that a fair bit of the staging for Emeralds seems to place the dancers towards stage left.  I noticed because the man in front of me was sitting at a very odd angle, and kept moving his head around.  I couldn't keep shifting my position, so resigned myself to missing some of the action.  Consequently, the pas de trois was frequently a solo from my perspective.  Very annoying.  I was only there because of the cheap deal in Time Out.  In future I shall stick to the amphi.  

 

Great to see Takada having such fun in Rubies, and Heap seemed well suited to that style of choreography.  I am a massive fan of Campbell, but while I thought his dancing was great, I think McCrae is superb in this part.  Quote of the day from someone sitting in my row:  "Alexander Campbell and Tierney Heap.  Which one is the man, do you think?"

 

I can only add to what others have said about Nunez in Diamonds.  She was just wonderful last night. I thought Soares gave a respectable performance with some solid partnering, but in his solos he didn't seem to have a particularly good jump.  I can't remember the last time I saw him in anything; has this always been the case?

 

Anyway, a lovely evening and I am glad I decided to snap up a last minute ticket.  I wish I'd seen a few more of the other casts now.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by Fonty

[bangorballetboy]

20 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Quote of the day from someone sitting in my row:  "Alexander Campbell and Tierney Heap.  Which one is the man, do you think?"

 

 

What a very odd (and extremely rude) thing for someone to say.  The speaker would probably have received a very sharp comment or two from me had I been within earshot.

[Fonty]

I don't think the person was being rude, or at least it never occurred to me.  They had heavily accented English, and Alexander sounds like a unisex name if the spelling doesn't register with you.   And Tierney is not a common one either.  I've never met anyone called that.

 

I got the impression it was a genuine question, and I was amused.  You'd get a shock if you went to see something, and were expecting a woman, and the handsome Mr Campbell leaped on stage.  

[David]

40 minutes ago, Fonty said:

I don't think the person was being rude, or at least it never occurred to me.  They had heavily accented English, and Alexander sounds like a unisex name if the spelling doesn't register with you.   And Tierney is not a common one either.  I've never met anyone called that.

 

I got the impression it was a genuine question, and I was amused. 

 

And Tierney, both forename and surname,  is the anglicised form of the Irish for male! 

 

Edited: And I've just remembered that the father of the great Hollywood actress Gene Tierney  (Laura; Heaven can Wait) was of Irish descent!

Edited April 20, 2017 by David
Afterthought

[bangorballetboy]

1 hour ago, David said:

 

And Tierney, both forename and surname,  is the anglicised form of the Irish for male! 

 

 

I really don't know where you got that from, but I don't believe it.  The Irish for man is fir (a bit like the Latin, vir) and the adjective 'male' is derived from that as either fierann or fearga depending on the context.  Anglicising any of those wouldn't result in Tierney.  Tierney in Irish means nobleman (or son of a nobleman) but is generally used these days as a unisex term (and a unisex name) as noble.  

 

Says the Irishman with a unisex name meaning meadow...

[David]

32 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I really don't know where you got that from, but I don't believe it.  The Irish for man is fir (a bit like the Latin, vir) and the adjective 'male' is derived from that as either fierann or fearga depending on the context.  Anglicising any of those wouldn't result in Tierney.  Tierney in Irish means nobleman (or son of a nobleman) but is generally used these days as a unisex term (and a unisex name) as noble.  

 

Says the Irishman with a unisex name meaning meadow...

Well try Wikipedia for a start - "It is an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Tiarnaigh (male), Ní Thiarnaigh (female), also spelled Ó Tighearnaigh/Ní Thighearnaigh. It is derived from tiarna, the Irish word for lord or master".

 

Mind you I’ll take your word over Wikipedia any day and I’m happy to stand corrected. We Celts should stand together.  

 

But Hey - I did think though on the basis of your past contributions that you of all people would be a fan, and not be able to resist a response when I mentioned the wonderful Gene Tierney!!!!!  

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by David

[bangorballetboy]

37 minutes ago, David said:

Well try Wikipedia for a start - "It is an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Tiarnaigh (male), Ní Thiarnaigh (female), also spelled Ó Tighearnaigh/Ní Thighearnaigh. It is derived from tiarna, the Irish word for lord or master".

 

Mind you I’ll take your word over Wikipedia any day and I’m happy to stand corrected. We Celts should stand together.  

 

But Hey - I did think though on the basis of your past contributions that you of all people would be a fan, and not be able to resist a response when I mentioned the wonderful Gene Tierney!!!!!  

 

 

Was more in the mood for a debate than a celebration of the lovely Gene Tierney (never seen enough on our tellybox, these days),

 

I think this has come about from a misunderstanding - the reference to male and female there in the Wiki extract is just the gender equivalences of the surnames, rather than a translation.  Lord, Master, Noble all the same sort of thing!

 

We can't fall out over Tierney (see my instagram for a few recent examples)!