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The Royal Ballet: New Swan Lake Production, Summer 2018

Ian Macmillan
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Mary

Mary

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

Well of course both Alexander Campbell and William Bracewell honed their stage craft at BRB and ardent followers of BRB already knew that they were both wonderful when they joined RB!

Indeed, and having been thrilled by Mr Bracewell in the BRB The King Dances fairly recently I was so much looking forward to seeing him at RB. Missed him this weekend alas. I too would like to hear more about the performances....

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MRR

MRR

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was there Saturday for Takada/Bracewell.  Thomas Whitehead was Rothbart, with Marcelino Sambe as Benno and Fumi Kaneko/Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Siegfried's sisters.  

 

Takada gave a creditable--if detached--debut of Odette/Odile.  Dramatically she was weakest in Act II, carrying one frightened expression throughout the act and seldom deviating from that.  Technically she was very fine with greater pliancy in the exposed adagio than Nunez and an excellent diagonal of turns in her variation, though she omitted the double rond de jambe (perhaps at Scarlett's request).  However, throughout the lakeside scene Beatriz Stix-Brunell as one of the Two Swans was far more anguished than Swan Queen Takada.  Odile was better: she didn't go for vampy seduction but rather a cold, crystalline glamour.  Black Swan was the only part of the ballet where she experienced technical hiccups and they were minor, just a few less than great finishes from attitude turns in the variation.  Her balance in the adagio was held for considerable length (though with a lowish arabesque and quite a bit of shaking in the middle) and fouettes were strong, with patterns of single-single-triple or single-single-double for the first 16 counts, following with straight singles to a double pull-in.  In Act IV, nerves long gone, she finally came alive dramatically, though her leaving Siegfried to jump into the lake was a rather casual affair compared to Nunez's full-throttled drama two nights before. Where Takada should be credited is her attentive musicality and phrasing, which clearly differentiated from act to act.  She has great ability to both luxuriate in the steps as well as attack them, providing (along with her steely technique) a good backbone for future success in the dual role.  For subsequent performances she should work to be more physically and dramatically expressive in both swans.

 

Contrary to Takada, William Bracewell is an actor first, dancer second.  His showmanship sometimes borders on mannerism, but always emanates distinction.  Siegfried does not have much dancing in Act I of this production, but his interactions with the Queen, Rothbart, Benno, as well as his brief solo before the transition into Act II were all auspicious indicators for the rest of the night.  His partnering of Takada in Act II was stalwart with effortless lifts and buttery supported pirouettes.   Act III revealed more weakness technically: he is a stronger turner than jumper, so the double tours which were so buoyant from Muntagirov became labored with Bracewell, forcing the tempo to slow down during the variation and the theatrical momentum to wane.  A la seconde turns in the coda were generally solid, showcasing some nice triples with arms aloft before pulling for a quad, traveling quite far stage left leaving Takada about two inches worth of room!  Some fine-tuning needed for sure, but no visible nerves and a strong dramatic presence suggest a lot of potential for this dancer.

 

Marcelino Sambe as Benno had a different version of the Act I variation ending with barrel leaps instead of the consecutive double tours on the diagonal.  Sambe's happy-go-lucky demeanor was the perfect foil for Bracewell's intense Siegfried, with great line and amplitude onstage.  But count me in among those who want Benno with a different jacket in Act III, as this is not the time of year for Nutcracker.  Fumi Kaneko and Anna Rose O'Sullivan in the pas de trois sailed through their variations, illuminating the depth of ballerinas in the company.  Of the two I preferred Kaneko who has a freer upper body as well as ingratiating presence onstage.  The Cygnets and corps were once again disciplined with some of the faults from opening night Act IV improved.  Beatriz Stix-Brunell was sorrowful and regal in Two Swans, but she and the reserved Yuhui Choe were not well-matched dramatically, nor well coordinated in their port de bras in Act IV. 

 

In the character dances, Olivia Cowley was strangely banal in Spanish compared to Tierney Heap on opening night.  Nathalie Harrison has a wonderful sophisticated air in the Mazurka and Isabella Gasparini/James Hay were great fun in Neopolitan even if not to the level of Hinkis/Sambe.   Among the four princesses, Melissa Hamilton and Beatriz Stix-Brunell were especially haughty, turning their heads away from Odile in disgust.  

 

The dual Rothbart has taken some getting used to, especially as his relationship with the Queen (explaining his presence at the ball) closes one plot hole only to open up several others.  Thus far Bennet Gartside has upstaged Thomas Whitehead for the character's villainous ardor.  

 

 

Edited by MRR
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alison

alison

Posted
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5 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

Well of course both Alexander Campbell and William Bracewell honed their stage craft at BRB

 

Checking back on casting, it does indeed look as though Bracewell only danced Benno with BRB.

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Richard LH

Richard LH

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Takada gave a creditable--if detached--debut of Odette/Odile.  Dramatically she was weakest in Act II, carrying one frightened expression throughout the act and seldom deviating from that. 

 

3 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

For subsequent performances she should work to be more physically and dramatically expressive in both swans.

 

(Sorry the quotes above are MRR's originally - I mistakenly quoted penelopesimpson's re-quote, but I can't find a way  to delete or re-attribute quotes when editing)! 

 

Interesting - I  actually loved  her dramatic approach - which I would characterise as subtle and reserved, rather than detached. I don't think her expression in Act II was simply frightened - there was a lot of pathos  and also a queenly quality there.   The character and the drama is also expressed physically, as you say, coming not  just in the face but in the whole body, and  (for me at least !)Takada's  graceful, and beautifully timed movements were indeed very expressive both as Odette and Odile.

Edited by Richard LH
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capybara

capybara

Posted
Posted
42 minutes ago, alison said:

By the way, was anyone else as disconcerted as I was by being able to see the cygnets' legs after all these years?!

 

Not at all and the tutus were bright white too.

However, although I 'get' why the Princesses are in tutus, I don't think that they go well with their waltz as that kind of dance seems to call for skirts with more movement in them.

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Anna C

Anna C

Posted
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2 hours ago, RuthE said:

Noooooo!!!!

 

Nothing against Takada but I've been waiting my whole ballet life to see Lauren's O/O because she was injured for both of the last 2 runs...

 

Same. I have tickets to see Cuthbertson on 2nd June.  I seriously hope the injury is minor.  😔

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Jillykins

Jillykins

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Posted

So disappointed not to be seeing Lauren tomorrow. However probably not as disappointed as she is! Grateful to Takada for stepping in, so still looking forward to seeing this new production. Have enjoyed all the forum contributions so far. Will ask my wheelchair pusher to take me to bottom of escalator in case a friendly face is around in the interval. 

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HappyTurk

HappyTurk

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I have a feeling that if the Royal Ballet ever releases a DVD of this production in 2020 (as that should be when they revive swan lake again), it'll most likely be of Takada/McRae. If not, probably Lamb/Hirano. I'm hoping Takada as I would like to see them feature some of the newest female principals in these great roles. Though, I wish Hirano would be granted that opportunity since he tends to be overlooked. He is definitely one of my favorite male principals. 

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Coated

Coated

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I assumed that the 'A' cast is stuffed to the rafters with principals and filmed so that they can then release that as a DVD. Perhaps it's too early, but it would make sense to me to whet people's appetite for future runs...

Edited by Coated
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Sim

Sim

Posted
Posted
59 minutes ago, HappyTurk said:

I have a feeling that if the Royal Ballet ever releases a DVD of this production in 2020 (as that should be when they revive swan lake again), it'll most likely be of Takada/McRae. If not, probably Lamb/Hirano. I'm hoping Takada as I would like to see them feature some of the newest female principals in these great roles. Though, I wish Hirano would be granted that opportunity since he tends to be overlooked. He is definitely one of my favorite male principals. 

My dream DVD would be Naghdi/Ball in the lead roles.

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Sharon

Sharon

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24 minutes ago, Sim said:

My dream DVD would be Naghdi/Ball in the lead roles.

Oh yes  I agree. It would be amazing to see this beautiful, talented couple rewarded / acknowled like that. Also it would be important as a piece of dance history, capturing them now at the  cusp of stardom. How many times have you heard people say they wished there were more films of Sibley & Dowell dancing together, that more of their performances had been filmed?... Let's not repeat that.

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alison

alison

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Coated said:

I assumed that the 'A' cast is stuffed to the rafters with principals and filmed so that they can then release that as a DVD. Perhaps it's too early, but it would make sense to me to whet people's appetite for future runs...

 

Well, they've done it for more or less all new productions, regardless of whether major changes were later made, so I'm assuming that will be the case here too.

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