Ian Macmillan

Tony: Thanks for confirming that tomorrow is Press Night - the lack of reviews had pretty much convinced me that something of the sort was in the wind for Links. There are loads of sites with pics from last Saturday, all concentrated on Tony Iommi's appearance - and I've decided that one is enough for our purposes.

Links - Tuesday 26 September, 2023 Feature - Birmingham Royal Ballet, Black Sabbath: The Ballet, Birmingham: Alex Marshall, NY Times Review - Pacific Northwest Ballet, Petite Mort, Sechs Tänze, Cacti, Seattle: Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times Reviews - New York City Ballet, NYCB at 75: Jewels, New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Mary Cargill, Danceviewtimes Review - China National Opera and Dance Drama, Tide of Era, Hong Kong: Natasha Rogai, SCMP Review - Marrugeku, Jurrungu Ngan-ga [Straight Talk]', Perth, WA: Jonathan W Marshall, Dance Australia Preview - BalletBoyz, England on Fire, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Preview - Aditi Mangaldas, Forbidden, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Feature - Get to know Washington Ballet’s Acting Artistic Director Trinidad Vives: Staff, En Face Magazine News - Royal Ballet to perform The Cellist and Anemoi this Autumn: Stephi Wild, BWW UK Regional News - Dutch National Ballet’s Giselle opens next month: Staff, Ballet Herald News - Northern Ballet’s Nutcracker returns to Leeds: Staff, Ballet Herald News - Dance writer Luke Jennings on body shaming at UK’s top ballet schools: Graham Spicer, Gramilano News - Misty Copeland wants Apple to add diverse pointe-shoe emojis. She has a good reason: Alexandra Del Rosario, LA Times

Links - Monday 25 September, 2023 Review - Arpino Chicago Centennial Celebration/Joffrey Ballet, Chicago: Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune Review - Wanjiru Kamuyu, A disguised welcome, New York: Brian Seibert, NY Times Archive Pt 2 (Feb 2023) - San Francisco Ballet, Emergence, The Queen's Daughter, BOLERO, San Francisco: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc News - Los Angeles Ballet 2023-24 Season: Staff, Ballet Herald Report - Tony Iommi makes surprise appearance on stage at BLACK SABBATH ballet premiere: Staff, Blabbermouth.net

The film was on BBC4 this evening, but only featured the Mozart Requiem. Powerful stuff, delivering a work highly penitential in nature, as implied by the Dies Irae which is so predominant in Mozart's work and which is very different in character from the Fauré version used by Kenneth MacMillan.

Links - Sunday 24 September, 2023 Feature - Ballet v machismo: Latin American dancers challenging old-fashioned ideas of manhood: Naomi Larsson Piñeda, Guardian Reviews - English National Ballet, Our Voices (triple bill), London: Toby White, The Arbuturian John O'Dwyer, Seen and Heard Review - Australian Ballet, Swan Lake, Melbourne: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Reviews - Scottish Ballet, Twice Born Double Bill, Glasgow: Mark Brown, The National Lorna Irvine, Fjord Review Review - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, 21st Century Creations Quad Bill, London: Sara Veale, Fjord Review Review - Court Theatre, Dance Nation, Christchurch: Ruth Agnew, Theatreview Review - Matthew Lutz-Kinoy: Filling Station, Ballet at the Pump, New York: Robert Greskovic, Wall St Journal Archive (Feb 2023) - San Francisco Ballet, Kin, Gateway to the Sun, Violin Concerto, San Francisco: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc News - Dynamo – biography of The Royal Ballet star Michael Somes by Sarah Woodcock: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Documentary Review - Lift : a triumphant tale at the Ballet: Joey Moser, Awards Daily

And all a far cry from the days when RAF Gan, at the southern tip of the Maldives, was the RAF refuelling point on the routes to Singapore and Hong Kong. Last flight through Gan was in March 1976, as I recall, as Colombo began to be used instead. At that time, Gan had the only airfield of any consequence in the Maldives, something I believe has changed considerably since then.

Links - Sunday 17 September, 2023 News - World premiere of film of Kenneth MacMillan’s Sea of Troubles: Graham Spicer, Gramilano Feature - Memento: A riveting Holocaust story unlike any other ballet: Uriel Peizer, Jerusalem Post Book Reviews - Ballet Confidential and Soar, by David McAllister: Jennifer Shennan, ... on dancing

See today's Links - Aaron Watkins, ENB's new boss, has some things to say on this topic.

Links - Saturday 16 September, 2023 Obituaries - Erik Aschengreen, historian and critic who illuminated Danish dance: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Marina Harss, Gramilano Interview - Meet Aaron Watkin, British ballet’s new champion: Debra Craine, The Times (+ share) Interview - Julie Kent opens up on helping to lead Houston Ballet: Adrienne Jones, Paper City Magazine Reviews - Ambiguous Dance Company, Rhythm of Human, London: Louise Levene, Financial Times Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Review - Matthew Bourne/New Adventures, Romeo and Juliet, Bradford: James Ballands, BTG Review - Australasian Dance Collective/Maxine Doyle, Salamander, Brisbane: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot News - Vogue World to donate £2m to London-based arts organisations, including the Royal Ballet & Rambert: Nadia Khomami, Guardian Surprise News - San Francisco Ballet to do Nutcracker at Christmas: Staff, Ballet Herald News - Kansas City Ballet to stage N American premiere of Jekyll & Hyde: Staff, Ballet Herald

Yes, I believe so.

Spot the somewhat younger MM, in rehearsal with what was the ROH Opera Ballet, circa 1957/8:

Links - Friday 15 September, 2023 Review - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: 13 September Programme, London: G J Dowler, Classical Source Review - The 10th Hong Kong Tap Festival: Natasha Rogai, SCMP Review - Ambiguous Dance Company, Rhythm of Human, London: David Mead, SeeingDance Preview - New York City Ballet's 75th Anniversary Season: Caedra Scott-Flaherty, NY Observer Preview - Pam Tanowitz & David Lang, Song of Songs, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Documentary Review - Lift : The choreography of mentoring young talents: Claire Shaffer, NY Times News - Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands embarks on six-month UK tour: Graham Spicer, Gramilano

Links - Thursday 14 September, 2023 Feature - Filling Station: Finding ‘Ghost Collaborators’ for an All-American Ballet: Brian Seibert, NY Times Feature - ‘It’s not exactly Swan Lake, is it?’: inside the making of the Black Sabbath ballet: Neil McCormick, Telegraph Reviews - Rupert Christiansen, Spectator - Northern Ballet, Generations Triple Bill, Leeds - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, First programme, London News - Northern Ballet announces a Beauty & the Beast tour: Staff, Ballet Herald News - National Ballet of Canada - Piotr Stanczyk to take a final bow in Passion: Staff, Ballet Herald News - Ty King-Wall is to be Royal New Zealand Ballet’s next artistic director: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing Maddy Briggs, Limelight Andre Chumko, Stuff.co Preview - Sam Steiner/Kristen McNally/Francesca Hayward/Alexander Campbell - The Limit, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Book Preview - New York City Ballet: Choreography & Couture by Mark Happel, Photography - Pari Dukovic: Landon Peoples, Elle And then: ‘Just jump on the spot if you can’t keep up’: my 90 minutes of ballet for beginners: Jennifer Wong, Guardian

Links - Wednesday 13 September, 2023 Obituary - Johaar Mosaval, Dancer: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Reviews - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: All programmes, London: Siobhan Murphy, The Stage In a Sentimental Mood, Dancing Spirit: Vera Liber, BTG 21st Century Creations: Jann Parry, Gramilano Review - West Australian Ballet, echoes of VAN GOGH, Perth: Isabelle Leclezio, Dance Australia Report - Paris: Théâtre de la Ville gears up for reopening with outdoor dance festival: Laura Cappelle, Financial Times Report - Shanghai Ballet returns to Amsterdam with new take on Swan Lake: Staff, CGTN Preview - Ballet National de Marseille/(La) Horde, Dance Reflections, New York: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Preview - Ballet Nights Premiere to feature 3 Royal Ballet stars, London: Staff, Ballet Herald Audio Feature - Ballet Brothers, Isaac and Esteban Hernandez: Elizabeth Loewenthal Torres, Latino USA Feature - In Fort Worth, celebrating the ballet legend Ben Stevenson: Jerome Weeks, KERA News News - Ty King-Wall is to be Royal New Zealand Ballet’s next artistic director: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot News - Birmingham Royal Ballet comes to Orlando: Stephi Wild, BWW Orlando Book Review - Dance Cultures Around the World: Editors - Lynn E. Frederiksen & Shih-Ming Li Chang: David Mead, SeeingDance And on a matter of current interest: 40 ways The Royal Ballet School has enhanced student experience over the past decade: Staff, European Business Review

Links - Tuesday 12 September, 2023 News - BBC Panorama programme - The dark side of ballet schools: Mark Daly, BBC News Laurence Sleator, The Times (+ share). And lots more on 'body shaming' elsewhere. And something of an alternative view: Sarah Dunsby, London Loves Business Feature - War fought on a delicate front: Ballet in the Russo-Ukrainian War: Adrienne Chan, Harvard International Review Review - Tanztheater Wuppertal, Liberté Cathédrale (Charmatz Premiere), Neviges, Germany: Roslyn Sulcas, NY Times Review - Houston Ballet, Midsummer Night's Dream (Neumeier), Houston: Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle Review - Estonian National Ballet, Alice in Wonderland (Schiavoni), Tallinn: Stuart Sweeney, Critical Dance Review - Douglas Dunn + Dancers, Garden Party, New York: Erin Bomboy, Bachtrack Review - Welcome to Campfire, The Pigeon and the Mouse, London: Matthew Paluch, Gramilano News - Australian Ballet 2024 Season - Oscar Wilde’s life story and more: Nadia Bailey, The Age Deborah Jones, Limelight News - City Ballet of San Diego 2023-2024 Season: Staff, Ballet Herald Book Features - The Boy from Kyiv by Marina Harss: Sophie Bress, NY Observer Susan Yung, Brooklyn Rail Interview - Korean dancer/choreographer Eun-Me Ahn and Dragons: Sanjoy Roy, Guardian And: Kizomba culture is a life-enhancing expression of Angola’s diaspora: Oliver Basciano, Financial Times 1923 Archive - Anna Pavlova delivers grace and humour with a touch of the grotesque: Unattributed, The Times (+ share)

My Russian is very many years behind me now but, in anglicised form, his name would have been something like Phokyn, would it not? That may not help!

Links - Monday 11 September, 2023 New York City Ballet at 75 Feature - The Company was in peril. Then came a revival: Javier C Hernandez, NY Times Reviews - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, London: Contemporary Voices Programme: Sarah Crompton, The Observer. Anna Selby, The Arbuturian Ailey Classics Programme: Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide 21st Century Creations: David Mead, SeeingDance Reviews - Northern Ballet, Generations Triple Bill, Leeds: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Donald Hutera, The Times (+ share) Review - West Australian Ballet, echoes of VAN GOGH, Perth: Deborah Jones, FollowSpot Review - Welcome to Campfire, The Pigeon and the Mouse, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Documentary Preview - National Ballet of Canada, Swan Song: Ryan O'Rourke, Collider. Collider/2 Preview - Australian Ballet: Dancers explore good and evil in ballet’s toughest role: Amanda Dunn, The Age Book Preview - New York City Ballet: Choreography & Couture by Mark Happel, Photography - Pari Dukovic, NY Times Feature - Rocío Molina is the queen of modern flamenco: Bridget Stringer-Holden, Straight.com News - Li Cunxin given the keys of Brisbane: Michelle Potter, ... on dancing

Well, it's certainly much different from the stuff the Romans used to build the Pantheon, but the 'C' in RAAC is for 'concrete.' No?

A truly remarkable occasion, by the sound of it!

Links - Saturday 5 August, 2023 Review - Australian Ballet, Jewels, ROH London: Helen Hawkins, Arts Desk - Rubies Video Clip: Gramophone Review - American Ballet Theatre, Romeo and Juliet (MacMillan), New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Review - Ballet 22, Momentum, San Francisco: Rachel Howard, Fjord Review Review - Atamira Dance Company, Tomo, Auckland: Lyne Pringle, Theatreview Preview - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 4 Programmes, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper News - Bolshoi Ballet aims to perform again in the West: Andrew Smith, VoA News - National Ballet Of Canada announces new dancers and staff for 2023-24: Anya Wassenberg, Ludwig Van Toronto News - Ballet roster roundup: Dancers and Directors on the move: Kyra Laubacher, Pointe Magazine News - Los Angeles Ballet launches new Brand Identity: Stephi Wild, BWW LA And: Everybody Dance Now! Here Lies Love dictates your moves: Brian Seibert, NY Times

Further to some of the posts above, can I just say that I'd long since given up on Classical Source for ballet/dance Links. However, this morning I thought I'd take a look just in case and found a neat, new-look website, with a review by Gerald Dowler freshly posted! So it's back on my daily trawl list. And despite that possibly record-breaking list of 12 reviews this morning, there were some notable absences. One posted about an hour later and we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Links - Friday 4 August, 2023 Reviews - Australian Ballet, Jewels, ROH London: Lyndsey Winship, Guardian Marianka Swain, Telegraph Alastair Macaulay, Slipped Disc Siobhan Murphy, The Stage Donald Hutera, The Times (+ share) Joy Sable, Jewish Chronicle Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Stefan Kyriazis, Express David Mead, SeeingDance Jonathan Gray, Gramilano G J Dowler, Classical Source Review - American Ballet Theatre, Swan Lake, New York: Leigh Witchel, dancelog.nyc Review - Dance Plant Collective, Rituals of Similarity, Auckland: Felicity Molloy, Theatreview News - National Ballet of Ukraine to tour Canada: Staff, Yahoo! News - Charlotte Ballet 2023-2024 Season: Staff, Ballet Herald News - 42nd Annual Battery Dance Festival, New York: Staff, En Face Magazine News - Complexions Contemporary Ballet - a balletic Bowie joyride at Jacob's Pillow: Karen Campbell, Boston Globe News - Vancouver Street Dance Festival pops off: V S Wells, Straight.com And still more from the Macaulay Archive: - Royal Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty - January 2023: Blog - Royal Ballet, Woolf Works - March 2023: Blog

Advance Warning: Lots of Reviews in tomorrow's Links!

Links - Thursday 3 August, 2023 Obituary - Magda Saleh, Egypt’s first prima ballerina: Staff, The Times (+ share) London Previews: - Royal Ballet, Autumn Season: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper - Fallen Angels Dance Theatre, Traces Through Time: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Review - American Ballet Theatre, Giselle, Wolf Trap, VA: Carolyn Kelemen, MD TheatreGuide Review - Pilobolus, Big Five-OH Prog B, New York: Sophie Bress, Fjord Review Review - Staatstheater Nürnberg, 4th International Ballet Gala: David Mead, SeeingDance Review - Vail Dance Festival 2023, Two Shows - 28 & 30 July: Michael Wade Simpson, Culture Vulture News - Greenwich Dance boss: 'You carry the stigma of having lost ACE funding': Gemma Nettle, The Stage News - Dancer fatally stabbed in confrontation at a Brooklyn gas station: Staff, NY Times Feature - The Dance of Too-Hot Summer? Melt Into the Pinegrove Shuffle: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Yet more from the Macaulay Archive: - Royal Ballet, The Weathering, Solo Echo, DGV - March 2022: Blog - Birmingham Royal Ballet, Into the Music Triple Bill: Blog

Links - Wednesday 2 August, 2023 Feature/Interview - David Hallberg’s New Job: Decision Maker: Roslyn Sulcas (from London), NY Times -- Preview - Australian Ballet, Jewels & Gala, ROH London: Joanne Shurvell, Forbes Preview - Royal Ballet, The Nutcracker, London: Teresa Guerreiro, Culture Whisper Review - Oona Doherty/OD Works, Hope Hunt and the Ascension into Lazarus, Navy Blue, Jacob's Pilllow: Gay Morris, Danceviewtimes Review - Hong Kong Soul/TS Crew, Two different programmes, London: Matthew Paluch, Gramilano Review - BalletX, Sidd: A Hero's Journey, Philadelphia: Lewis Whittington, Culture Whisper Feature - Ukraine’s secret weapon? The dancers joining the resistance: Blanca Schofield, The Times (+ share) Interviews: Barak Marshall, Choreographer: Michael Wade Simpson, Culture Vulture Jerron Herman: Dancer/choreographer decodes Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man: Jim Provenzano, Bay Area Reporter Harrison Ball looks ahead to life after NYCB retirement: Leigh Nordstrom, WWD.com More from the Macaulay Archive: - Royal Ballet, Like Water for Chocolate Premiere: Blog - Royal Ballet, Mayerling: Blog - Crystal Pite, Light of Passage: Blog And: The 'Flexible Fatty' finds his passion for ballet again after 17 years: Alice Yan, SCMP