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The Royal Ballet: Manon, London, March-May 2018


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2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I think that’s a very rude and unfounded statement.

A tad blunt, I agree, but probably founded in the actuality.  PM could have married Townsend but did not want to give up being a Princess and all the material goodies that accompany the title.  She probably made the right decision as I doubt the Townsend marriage would have endured, particularly in straightened circumstances.  A tragic life.

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3 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I think that’s a very rude and unfounded statement.

 

I disagree. The statement objectively repeats views that have been expressed openly and publically in print and on TV and presents these as a possible parallel to Manon's motivation. It does not attempt to validate those views, nor does it suggest that I hold those views. For the record, my views are my own business and I would not, and do not, choose to express them on this or any other public forum.

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12 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

 

I seem to remember the young child, too. Unless I am confusing this with another ballet.

 

There certainly was a character who seemed much younger than the others - a girl dressed as a boy, or perhaps the other way round? (Though always danced by a female, I think.) She had a little dance of her own and was clearly presented as an extra tease for the customers.

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3 minutes ago, Jane S said:

 

There certainly was a character who seemed much younger than the others - a girl dressed as a boy, or perhaps the other way round? (Though always danced by a female, I think.) She had a little dance of her own and was clearly presented as an extra tease for the customers.

 

Now it has been mentioned, I remember the young child too.

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29 minutes ago, Jane S said:

 

There certainly was a character who seemed much younger than the others - a girl dressed as a boy, or perhaps the other way round? (Though always danced by a female, I think.) She had a little dance of her own and was clearly presented as an extra tease for the customers.

 

She's still there, so I'm not sure what people are thinking about?  Although it did seem to me that she was danced by a taller dancer than previously on Thursday.

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32 minutes ago, alison said:

 

She's still there, so I'm not sure what people are thinking about?  Although it did seem to me that she was danced by a taller dancer than previously on Thursday.

 

As someone remarked earlier, the girl dressed as a boy used to be very much the domain of Leanne Cope. It was Leticia Stock on Thursday.

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On 31/03/2018 at 14:40, RobR said:

 

Whilst I completely accept that there are two perspectives on the role of those in the background, a hallmark of MacMillan's fabulous ballets is the involvement of those supporting the frontline performers.

 

I always feel that I am emotionally transported to an 18 century Parisian brothel or a bustling Veronese market square filled with tradespeople and bored (but armed) teenagers 'hanging out' with their chums. 

 

MacMillan's ballets are anything but static and that is one of the many great strengths of his productions. 

 

I am regularly frustrated watching the summer performances of the Russian companies, in which brilliant principals perform in front of a backdrop wooden faced, inanimate onlookers who might as well have stayed in the dressing rooms for all they contribute. 

 

Still, it's a matter of style and taste. 

 

I imagine those people laughing at inappropriate moments may well have been newcomers to the ballet that imagined things not happening stage centre were relevant to the action.  On the night I went one of the clients struck one of the whores to the floor, right in my field of vision, distracting and unnecessary. I'm sorry you feet it necessary to comment so negatively about the Bolshoi and Maryinsky, personally I've never found their  dancers 'inanimate'.

 

Sorry 

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I find this thread very interesting reading, especially the fact that many find it uncomfortable viewing in modern times.  I've always seen Manon as a good time gal, using her youth and good looks in order to get the material things she wants.  They are timeless, aren't they?  There are certainly plenty of those around today.  In my day, they were called groupies and set their caps at the top rock stars.  Unless they moved in political circles, in which case they were probably called "society ladies", or something like that.  Nowadays, it seems premier league footballers are the ones to get.  But the end result is the same thing - get involved with an immensely wealthy man, and enjoy the trappings of that lifestyle.  

 

Incidentally, I am not making a moral judgement on the women who live that lifestyle.  Whatever floats you boat, so to speak.  But the idea that she is an innocent victim doesn't match with the story as I remember it.  

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Absolutely, Fonty! And because of the far-reaching moral standards which pervade European art and literature across a number of centuries, we're allowed to see such women getting exactly what they want, as long as they have to die at the end.

 

I haven't seen this yet in the current run, though I have several visits lined up, starting tomorrow.  Last run I saw the majority of performances.  I absolutely love this ballet - as somebody who remains primarily an opera fan rather than a ballet one, I prefer Macmillan's treatment of this story to either of the two well-known - as a number of others do exist - operatic versions.

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38 minutes ago, RuthE said:

 - as somebody who remains primarily an opera fan rather than a ballet one, I prefer Macmillan's treatment of this story to either of the two well-known - as a number of others do exist - operatic versions.

 

I much prefer the operas, the Massenet version delves deepest into the actual story I believe and I particularly like the scene where Manon persuades Lescaut to leave the church, I even have a memory of it given as a gala number years ago. Personally I only see the ballet as a vehicle for the three leads and don't consider it has much artistic merit at all, but it was certainly tighter dramatically and better danced by the ensemble in the past, but then you can say exactly the same about R&J.

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For me it's the music and the pdd's in Manon that I love. That's it. I've seen it several times so made the decision not to go through the expense of going to London to see it this run. Although I will probably go see ENB in Manchester out of interest and because it's quite near.

I sort of feel the same about Mayerling, although I prefer Manon. I love MacMillan's pdd's & non narrative ballets -but not all his full 3 act narrative ballets.....

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Amazing night at Manon. Shklyarov possibly best Des Grieux ever - and I've seen 40 years of Manon! And talking of M - yes Osipova had depeened and tightened her interpretation- her acting and tiny details are amazing. Naghdi one of the best mistresses ever - since Mason, and I loved Sambé as Lescaut. The whole cast and production rocked - an incredible evening.

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10 minutes ago, Vanartus said:

Amazing night at Manon. Shklyarov possibly best Des Grieux ever - and I've seen 40 years of Manon! And talking of M - yes Osipova had depeened and tightened her interpretation- her acting and tiny details are amazing. Naghdi one of the best mistresses ever - since Mason, and I loved Sambé as Lescaut. The whole cast and production rocked - an incredible evening.

 

And I'd like to add a word for Bennet Gartside's Gaoler, too.

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I thought it was an outstanding performance too, reaching a shattering, devastating climax. Osipova's collapse, physical and emotional, in the last act was total. No doubt I'll be in a minority of one in this, but I actually found Shklyarov took a long time to relax into the role; in the first act I thought he was quite stiff, with some heavy landings; only in the last act did he completely convince me, and by then his response to Osipova was tremendous. Sambé was terrific as Lescaut, both in terms of dancing and acting, and Naghdi an excellent and intelligently danced mistress (interesting that she doesn't get given a name). And you couldn't get a nastier pair than Gary Avis and Bennet Gartside...

 

I do find some of Act 2 problematic, in that the tone is too jaunty for the sordidness of the setting. I don't really want to laugh at Lescaut's solo, or the pas de deux with his mistress - both brilliantly performed, but a drunken pimp (effectively) in a brothel doesn't seem that funny to me whatever he's doing. And in Act 1, I find Manon's instant acceptance of Monsieur G.M.'s advances immediately after the ecstatic bedroom scene with Des Grieux quite baffling; she doesn't hesitate for one moment! However, the ballet packs such an emotional punch in the end that all such thoughts are swept away, and Manon's complete defeat and vulnerability turn the ending into a profound tragedy.

 

These dancers really are amazing - to switch from the Bernstein bill to Manon with such apparent effortlessness is incredible.

 

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19 minutes ago, bridiem said:

And in Act 1, I find Manon's instant acceptance of Monsieur G.M.'s advances immediately after the ecstatic bedroom scene with Des Grieux quite baffling; she doesn't hesitate for one moment!

 

That's where you need a ballerina with the acting chops to make Manon's flightiness and change of heart convincing.

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Well, I guess I'm going to be in a minority of ... not very many ... by the looks of things, but I thought tonight's performance was surpassed in the majority of respects by the opening night.  Perhaps it depends on how close you are to the stage, or something.

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5 hours ago, alison said:

Well, I guess I'm going to be in a minority of ... not very many ... by the looks of things, but I thought tonight's performance was surpassed in the majority of respects by the opening night.  Perhaps it depends on how close you are to the stage, or something.

 

There's quite a number on Twitter who agree with you, as do I.

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For me a significant standout from last night's performance was Naghdi's Mistress.  She commanded all her within her over perfumed purvey with an alluringly delicate rue that was - at one and the same time - held at something of a fastidiously determined loft and yet played oh, so wittily to (or is that 'at') heart.  Her chime shot through each flash of rust every bit as much as her smirking self deprecation jaded each seam of her knowing tow.  T'was a mean turn delivered celestially.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
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Saw the Osipova/Shklyarov Manon last night, it didnt move me at all. Beginning to think I'm not close enough to see enough to "get" things. Sadly can't get a central elevated seat close to the action at ROH. I'll take other's word for it that it was outstanding. 

That said Sambe was great and Gary Avis was his usual wonderful self as GM.  Nice to see Melissa Hamilton after her sebatacle. 

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4 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

 She commanded all her within her over perfumed purvey with a alluringly delicate rue that was - at one and the same time - held at something of a delicately determined aloft and yet played oh, so wittily to (or is that 'at') heart.  Certainly you heard her tinkle in rust every bit as much - and oft at one and the same time - as you felt her self smirking self deprecation in the jaded seams of each tow.  T'was a mean turn delivered celestially.  

Bruce I love your use of language, though I barely understand a word of it ! Great to hear that Naghdi performed so well...

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23 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

 

Bruce I love your use of language, though I barely understand a word of it ! Great to hear that Naghdi performed so well...

 

Richard and Sim - best never to read anything I write for at least ten minutes while this well meaning dyslexic has a chance to read it backwards a couple of times in an attempt to find some semblance of forward flow.  That churn has been the spite of my life as much as in some quarters it seems to have been its making - or so I am sometimes told.  Bless you for your patience.   I have so much work piled in front of me - with questions I often do not know how I'm going to begin to answer - that the puzzle above seemed but an easy (and certainly necessary in this mad world) diversion.  :)   

Edited by Bruce Wall
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7 hours ago, bridiem said:

I find Manon's instant acceptance of Monsieur G.M.'s advances immediately after the ecstatic bedroom scene with Des Grieux quite baffling; she doesn't hesitate for one moment!

 

 

 

My take on on it was that I thought Ms Osipova conveyed that revulsion of GM - but oh, look at the jewels, feel that fur - conundrum brilliantly last night. (Binoculars definitely helped there). She sought aid from her brother, even as he sold her out. So her reconciliation with Des Grieux became more realistic later on, despite the finery on offer. 

Some terrific performances all round - Ms Naghdi again dancing beautifully, and acting the character as if she had done it for years, just one more example from the evening - and the leads were superb (others have described better than I can). 

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7 hours ago, Sim said:

A fabulous evening.  Shklyarov's incredibly passionate performance will stay with me for a very long time.  I am in love like a school girl.   More tomorrow....sigh.  

 

Me too SIm!

 

I've read in several places that it was Shklyarov's debut in a role he has always wanted to dance, which makes the performance even more amazing and also goes to explain one poster's impression that he took time to relax into the role but also gave his character time to become part of the story. Given Osipova ALWAYS builds  new layers of depth and understanding into each and every one of her previous performances, I can't wait to see what they produce on the 13th with him (hopefully) more relaxed.

The rest of the cast were also absolutely fabulous.  Sambe, Naghdi, Avis  and Gartside gave outstanding performances; I couldn't help noticing as well Joe Sissons (again) and Tom Whitehead who had an absolute ball in the brothel. (I still prefer his totally nasty gaoler to any others, but it was an eyeopener to see someone usually classed as a villain, first excel as Widow Simone in Fille, and then produce such a naughtily behaved gentleman in Manon.) It is these beautifully observed minor and supporting roles that make The Royal ballet so great....especially as they reach to all parts of the house.

 

I felt it was an incredible evening. I was in tears at the end (which doesn't normally happen) but I have to admit the second Osiopva Ball Giselle moved be more emotionally. In fact, despite  Winter's Tale and the Bernstein in between, I'm still not quite sure I'm over that one. However, GIselle is all about love and redemption and Manon is really about hurt caused to others through selfish and greedy action  resulting in just desserts. They are both wonderful in very different ways and I feel privileged to have seen two such memorable performances by dancers at the peak of their game. We are very lucky to have them all.

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13 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

My take on on it was that I thought Ms Osipova conveyed that revulsion of GM - but oh, look at the jewels, feel that fur - conundrum brilliantly last night. (Binoculars definitely helped there). She sought aid from her brother, even as he sold her out. So her reconciliation with Des Grieux became more realistic later on, despite the finery on offer. 

Some terrific performances all round - Ms Naghdi again dancing beautifully, and acting the character as if she had done it for years, just one more example from the evening - and the leads were superb (others have described better than I can). 

 

I did think that Osipova did this brilliantly, zxDaveM; my problem is with the character/behaviour! To be seduced SO quickly, in spite of 1) Des Grieux and 2) Monsieur G.M. - ?! I know an answer to this would be - she's poor, and the alternative is a convent. But (in the age old argument) not all poor women would react/behave in this way. On reflection, I think that she and Lescaut must have been on the look-out for such an opportunity for a while, and so seized it immediately (in spite of Des Grieux, who couldn't be allowed to derail their plans).

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