Jump to content

All Activity

This stream auto-updates

  1. Past hour
  2. No argument from me about your likes, with the possible exception of Song of the Earth. I know it is a masterpiece, but I don't really like the music. I believe that MacMillan created Concerto for the company to make sure they maintained their classical technique, so it seems odd that it should be performed so infrequently. I've seen all 3 of your dislikes at least once, and although they wouldn't be my first choice, I wouldn't sit any of them out. I thought the first two dealt with unpleasant themes, but did so in a very dramatic way. I would far rather see those than some of the angst ridden contortions to ear splitting noise that I have endured at the hands of certain modern choreographers. There was a time when the Judas Tree was THE one act Macmillan ballet in a triple bill. I wouldn't avoid watching it, but it wouldn't bother me if I never saw it again.
  3. Ditto my disappointment about Hay not being in Rhapsody once again!! I agree re: Ball too (why not Hamlet??)
  4. Thank you so much. @lady emily- the PDFs never seem to cooperate with my device. I can sort out my life now. 😀
  5. I received exactly the same email! I assumed it was an error on behalf of the Mayflower, but still panicked for a minute that I’d completely forgotten a booking!
  6. Well, to be fair, McGregor is the current resident choreographer, so you'd expect a lot of works from him (some of which I like a lot, some of which I do not) On a selfish note, I just wish the MacMillan overload included more of the pieces of his I like (such as the current Danses concertantes and Requiem, plus the likes of Gloria, Song of the Earth, Rite of Spring, Concerto). There are others I simply won't watch again - DD, The Invitation, Judas Tree
  7. Lol! Sounds like a couple of careless typos. However, modern society being what it is, I would have deleted it quickly after a glance to make sure I didn't miss anything important, just in case it's a scam and contains a virus or worse.
  8. I’m really sad I couldn’t get to the Frankenstein as I could have only gone on the Thursday but had to be back in Brighton by early this morning so didn’t work out! I usually love Mark Bruce’s work and like his contemporary style ( more than Ingers anyway!) I really enjoyed all the music for Carmen definitely one of its pluses.
  9. ^^thanks, @Sim, that title looks clearer now that there are additional performances discussed 🙂 👍
  10. Today
  11. Of course, I tend not to pay heed to reviews or the stars in the reviews 😀 - if I did I would have avoided La Strada at Sadler's Wells and missed out on an absolutely firecracker performance from Johan Kobborg, whose technique, energy and finesse in his solos outclassed many high profile stars half his age: it was like seeing Vadim Muntagirov, Francesco Gabriele Frola and Roman Mejia combined in 1 person! O..M..G! Former ENB Lead Principal Alina Cojocaru was glorious and beautiful in La Strada as expected of course, but the major revelation was how incredible Kobborg still is technically, and his artistry and acting were of course outstanding, as ever. However I'm still in 2 minds about this production because of the videos from both CND and ENB I've seen and the fact that his style isn't really my thing. I know friends who would love it for the exact same reason that I hesitate. (Unfortunately my friends are abroad and can't travel to Sadler's Wells right now.) But I haven't ruled it out yet.
  12. Attended five very different evenings this last week (21st - 28th March). First up was a trip to Islington, and Kidd Pivot’s Assembly Hall at Sadlers Wells. Dancing whilst lip synching to spoken words almost a Crystal Pite speciality. The decision by committee ruthlessly exposed, and throw in some superb solos/duets, plus Crystal’s astonishing way of moving groups of dancers around the stage, added up to an intriguing evening (apart from a break for a technical hiccup, which broke the mood rather, just as things were getting properly weird!) Next was a slide down into the Linbury to see Sydney Dance Company, with their triple bill Ascent. Loved the short opening piece by AD Rafael Bonachela, the near continuous flow of the two couples of dancers was fascinating, as they filled the space, and veritably bounced off each other. Bonachela came on in the 10mins pause to charmingly introduce the company and thank all involved etc, whilst they changed the flooring/set for ‘The Shell, A Ghost, The Host & The Lyrebird’ (ch Marina Mascarell, plus her dancers). What we saw was as baffling as the title, with people swinging around on ropes, attached to torn flags/sails. I assume they were doing it right, as none were left marooned in the light rig above. Loved the score/forest soundscape (where the Lyrebird made its presence known) but apart from the odd solo, disliked this piece. After the interval (much needed to unscramble brainbox) came Anthony Hamilton’s Forever and Ever. The choreography was stunning and compelling, as the dancers stripped away layers (literally, in most cases, with costumes under costumes) with some couples ‘twinned’ in synchronicity for example - but the ‘music’ was just horrible. The opening solo to blissful silence (I came to relaise very shortly) seemed rather tagged on and as well as she danced it, I felt than an intro of 10-15 seconds would have sufficed. If I see it again, I will enjoy it even more with earplugs Perhaps the quiet highlight of the week for me was at The Place (near Euston) for Mark Bruce’s Frankenstein. After an appetiser of 6 short dances to Mark’s own music (grouped as 'Liberation Day') as a sort of intro to the six dancers (how lovely to some good contemporary dancing to actual music), came a short (50mins) retelling of the Frankenstein tale. Jonathan Goddard was at his most mesmeric as the Monster, though perhaps the star of the show was Guy Hoare’s lighting (despite a technical hiccup - am I a Jonah or something?) allowing maximum use of the space. Came away wishing I had at least one more ticket Wednesday was back to ROH for the MacMillan triple. Charmed by Dances concertante once again, stunned by Sarah Lamb in Requiem, sat out DD in the Floral Hall. (plenty already been said about this bill) Thursday was Sadlers Wells for ENB’s Carmen (ch Johan Inger). Minju Kang as Carmen looks like a star in the making, and surely won’t be a First Artist for long. Found the piece rather episodic, and not particularly emotional or passionate. The movable pillars that acted as scenery seemed more animated at times, than some of the choreography There were moments (mainly when Kang was on stage), but also an awful lot of rolling on the floor or walking about. And Francesca Velicu as ‘The Boy’ ?? The score wrapped around snippets of Bizet’s monumental tunes was well done I thought. Kept feeling there was a great work trying to get out, but it never quite made it. Enjoyable evening though, all told. This week was like recapturing my adventures when I first started to get into dance, when I went to almost everything I could. Sadly though, these days will now need a rest for 2-3 days! (Thank you Easter!)
  13. I’ve accessed all the reviews I can …but not the usual Telegraph and Times ones etc ….and the others don’t seem to be that bad to me probably more favourable than my own anyway! Not exactly 5 star reviews but not a write off!! I always like to judge something for myself anyway not rely on critics views ….some of whom do not have that much experience of ballet and dance either as observers or doers.
  14. I have thought that for some time about Fumi. She is simply sublime.
  15. Selling 2 tickets to English National Ballet - Johan Inger's "CARMEN" for tomorrow, Saturday, 30 March, 2.30pm. Second Circle Row A seats 5 and 6 (£35 each) English National Ballet - Carmen - Sadler's Wells Theatre (sadlerswells.com)
  16. Thank you @Amelie-DALP for clarifying the pony absence! If he wasn't happy on stage it was completely the right decision.
  17. Bad reviews in general, I was waiting to read them before deciding to buy a ticket or not, it's now clear that I will not go
  18. Curious to see what members think as I suspect there isn't an exact equivalent: What are the equivalents of premiere danseuse, premier danseur and etoile in companies like the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre? We know that senior Principal Dancers who are now established stars like Marianela Nunez, Vadim Muntagirov, Natalia Osipova, Momoko Hirata, Celine Gittens and Herman Cornejo are the equivalent of etoile. I would assume that experienced first soloists like Melissa Hamilton, Yuhui Choe and James Hay are definitely premieres danseuses and premier danseur. When Shiori Kase was promoted to Principal Dancer on the Paris Opera stage after Le Corsaire some years ago, Tamara Rojo said in French that she was being promoted to premiere danseuse (I thought she would say etoile so that's why I wondered if there wasn't an exact equivalent). For those who attended the performance/s of La Fille mal gardée this month, what was Marcelino Sambe described in his artist biography in the souvenir programme as - etoile or premier danseur? (The website doesn't have a description yet.) If he's described as premier danseur, I can understand why an audience member might be confused and think he was eligible for promotion. My feeling is that Sambe- assuming that there are no politics involved holding him back - has already attained the hypothetical level of etoile at Royal Ballet. (There are as many discussions and complaints in international ballet cyberspace as to why certain dancers in the Paris Opera haven't been promoted to Etoile from premiere danseuse or premier danseur as there are about why certain dancers in the Royal Ballet haven't been promoted from first soloist to principal.) Very delighted for Bleuenn and a lovely outcome after travelling to London to dance at the Coliseum as well as to take time to get coaching and practice with an Ashton expert like Lesley Collier.
  19. @Sim could you please change the title of this thread so that it is not date specific? Many thanks
  20. In the Ashton Insights link which I posted above the BRB dancers with Dante Sonata 'Children of Light' PDD is at around 15.38, the roles created on Fonteyn and Somes. Beautiful music also. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWfIJilWvII
  21. There’s a lot of laudatory coverage of Fumi Kaneko in the April/May edition of Dance Europe including, in a specific portrait, the following phrase: ”It’s proved: she’s now one of the world’s leading ballerinas.” 🤩😁🌟
  22. There's no automatic movement from ENBS to ENB, but it's not unheard of and I can think of a few dancers that have done this. ENB are certainly getting a very close look at the 2nd years at the moment (rehearsing for My First Ballet). You might find this document useful, which lists where last year's graduates went: https://www.enbschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Our-Year-2022-2023.pdf
  1. Load more activity
×
×
  • Create New...