The Royal Ballet: Mayerling, Autumn 2018

[Vanartus]

For me Bonelli is a supreme dancer/actor. MacGregor always got this aspect of him. He brought a very special quality to his role in Raven Girl, and his quality in Woolf Works was luminous. Sadly I reckon I’ll not get the chance to see him as Rudolf...

[Anna C]

17 minutes ago, Vanartus said:

For me Bonelli is a supreme dancer/actor. MacGregor always got this aspect of him. He brought a very special quality to his role in Raven Girl, and his quality in Woolf Works was luminous. Sadly I reckon I’ll not get the chance to see him as Rudolf...

 

I agree. He was also a wonderful Romeo alongside Cuthbertson’s Juliet.  That was another memorable partnership.

 

But I digress; apologies.

[JohnS]

Many thanks for all the reviews of the Bonelli/Morera Mayerling and very much looking forward to seeing the final performance this run, will be half way through the Ring for me.  Keeping the finest wine for last?

[loveclassics]

3 hours ago, Darlex said:

Minor point about a minor character, Princess Valerie. If Vetsera as child and teenager can be danced by the same dancer, then why not Valerie? I suppose most people wouldn't remember who she is anyway once she comes to do her pointe work exercises in the fireworks scene!

Talking of minor characters, I don't understand why the Emperor's mother, the Archduchess Sophie is included in the ballet.  She had been dead for nearly a decade when Rudolf married Stephanie but there she is in both the wedding and the Emperor's birthday scenes.  I assumed that Macmillan included her for some good dramatic reason yet she seems to take little part in the action.  Any ideas?

 

Linda

[Sim]

23 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Many thanks for all the reviews of the Bonelli/Morera Mayerling and very much looking forward to seeing the final performance this run, will be half way through the Ring for me.  Keeping the finest wine for last?

Definitely, and one whose deep and delicious taste will long remain with you.

[zxDaveM]

22 minutes ago, loveclassics said:

Talking of minor characters, I don't understand why the Emperor's mother, the Archduchess Sophie is included in the ballet.  She had been dead for nearly a decade when Rudolf married Stephanie but there she is in both the wedding and the Emperor's birthday scenes.  I assumed that Macmillan included her for some good dramatic reason yet she seems to take little part in the action.  Any ideas?

 

Linda

 

I think she's there to frown sternly, when the empress gives that portrait of his lover to the emperor and earlier, when Rudolf cavorts with Stepanie's sister in front of the whole court. Stern frowns must have been morally crushing, back in the day, much like a Paddington 'hard stare' is today...

[Xandra Newman]

56 minutes ago, Anna C said:

 

I agree. He was also a wonderful Romeo alongside Cuthbertson’s Juliet.  That was another memorable partnership.

 

But I digress; apologies.

 

...and also how wonderful Frederico Bonelli was when partnering Naghdi in Swan Lake last June. He came totally alive. It was a beautiful partnership between those two and I am wondering IF we'll ever get to see them dance together again. (sorry digressing too)

[penelopesimpson]

Wonderfully expressed, Sim.  Can’t wait for Tuesday

[Richard LH]

Akane Takada and Steven McRae were on fire tonight!

[Nogoat]

On 26/10/2018 at 12:28, Fiz said:

It snowed very heavily during the two nights that Rudolf and Mary stayed at Mayerling. It was the end of January so it’s probably meant to be snow or sleet. 

 

What struck me was just how bright the 'snow/sleet' was.

 

At the risk of over-analysing this (well, it is Saturday night and there's nothing on the telly, so I'll have a go), given that snow/sleet isn't luminous in its own right, a few possibilities spring to mind...

 

- Perhaps the grave-diggers had set up some arc lights to help with their nocturnal preparations and these were illuminating the downpour (arc lights were invented in the early 1800s, so the technology existed).

 

- Perhaps the moon was near to full, and was illuminating a localised shower of sleet/snow. Unfortunately, this can't explain the brightness of the precipitation as there was a New Moon at the end of Jan, 1889 (though this actually lends further support for the 'arc light theory', above, as it would have been pitch-dark in the graveyard).

 

- Or perhaps the burial coincided with a particularly spectacular meteor shower, and that's what we witnessed on stage. The Quadrantids happen in January, and meteor showers used to be thought of as presaging disasters, which make this explanation appealing (though they peak in early Jan and the 'disaster' of WWI didn't occur until many years later  ).

[Richard LH]

12 minutes ago, Nogoat said:

the risk of over-analysing

....is well founded!

[aliceinwoolfland]

I've never seen Mayerling before so have nothing to compare this performance to, but I thought McRae and Takada were outstanding tonight. A chilling performance with a good supporting cast - Laura Morera was a particular standout. I had been worried from some of the earlier comments that McRae's interpretation would be over-egged, but Ioved the subtle character development throughout and he has great chemistry with the effortlessly youthful Takada.

 

A couple of minor niggles - from the distance of the Amphi it is sometimes hard to tell some of the more minor characters apart, even with opera glasses. And the firework display on the screen looked very silly and unrealistic from high above. But the whole experience was brilliant overall.

[alison]

On ‎27‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 23:47, aliceinwoolfland said:

A couple of minor niggles - from the distance of the Amphi it is sometimes hard to tell some of the more minor characters apart, even with opera glasses.

 

It happens even from a lot closer than the amphi, too, Alice!

 

I must say, Takada, and Magri as Mitzi Caspar - plus various people I'd seen previously - really made the performance for me last night.  I'm glad people had enthused about Takada last time, because otherwise I might well not have bothered booking the advertised cast.

[Richard LH]

I was quite close to the stage and was able to see a lot more of the acting than a fortnight before - for example I had not noticed previously how Marie Larisch switched  the cards in the fortune telling scene so that Mary got the "right" one. Also the brothel shenanigans of various couples were more obvious, and distracting, and detracted a bit from Bratfisch's solo. Mind you, for me Campbell previously  commanded the stage at this point  better than Acri.

I agree that even up quite close it is difficult to pick out which dancer is playing which of the minor characters, but I suppose this is always going to be the case in those ballets where a similarity of dress, hairstyle etc. is wanted, for conformity and artistic effect in the group dancing.

I was well positioned, though, to see how Takada developed Mary Vetsera's character, from her rather girlish dreaming in the fortune telling scene, to frankly intense carnal excitement and delight with Rudolph in their first PDD, which was particularly mesmerising, and to the remains of desire mixed with despair by  the end of the last Act.   I thought she did  fantastically well with what she was given,  as did McRae, so perhaps their frequent partnering (which I have rather questioned before) is actually paying dividends - let's hope so, for La B, Don Q, and R &J. 

I though Meaghan Grace Hinkis was very sharp in her PDD with McRae, though I think I still prefer Hayward's interpretation - perhaps more fluid.

I am very glad to have seen two live performances but I don't think Mayerling is ever going to be a favourite for me. I can't really get  emotionally attached to this true, depressing story, and Rudolph in particular, and find it a pretty jarring sudden transformation for him to go (via a bit of botheration  with his mother and some Hungarian separatists) from princely rake to someone prepared to seriously abuse and scare his  new wife. Similarly I can't really understand  Mary's own  transformation into a young woman apparently prepared to sacrifice herself at the whim of an unbalanced misogynist, albeit the leads playing Mary give it everything they have got. Also I find the music, for the most part, more by way of a disjointed soundtrack than a wonderfully themed score that enhances the dancing.  

 

Edited October 29, 2018 by Richard LH

[Lynette H]

A trivia question: what do you think is the card that Larisch selects and hides and then produces in triumph to convince Mary that she is meant for Rudolf ? 

 

King of Hearts ? Queen of hearts ? Just wondering......

[bangorballetboy]

1 hour ago, Lynette H said:

A trivia question: what do you think is the card that Larisch selects and hides and then produces in triumph to convince Mary that she is meant for Rudolf ? 

 

King of Hearts ? Queen of hearts ? Just wondering......

 

 

[alison]

I've always thought it was an ordinary pack of cards?  Will try and look tomorrow - I should be close enough!

[bangorballetboy]

5 minutes ago, alison said:

I've always thought it was an ordinary pack of cards?  Will try and look tomorrow - I should be close enough!

 

It probably is.  I chose the lovers tarot card from Live and Let Die as it's another moment where someone is similarly deceived through the use of cards.

 

A quick google search suggests most of the hearts cards would be useful in this context, but it could be the ace of hearts, representing a new relationship, the jack, representing a male lover (particularly good if one of the cards on the table was the queen of hearts).

[James]

From the recording with Merle Park as Larisch, it is an ordinary pack of cards. It would make sense for the concealed card to be the Ace of Hearts as, apparently, that can signify a love letter as well as the start of a love affair. An early reviewer read the momentary expression of horror on Park's face as meaning that Mary's third card signified death - the Ace of Spades perhaps.

[ninamargaret]

1 hour ago, alison said:

I've always thought it was an ordinary pack of cards?  Will try and look tomorrow - I should be close enough!

I'll look too, I'm in front row SC right on the side!

[alison]

9 minutes ago, James said:

From the recording with Merle Park as Larisch, it is an ordinary pack of cards. It would make sense for the concealed card to be the Ace of Hearts as, apparently, that can signify a love letter as well as the start of a love affair. An early reviewer read the momentary expression of horror on Park's face as meaning that Mary's third card signified death - the Ace of Spades perhaps.

 

I've wondered that at times - although she's already decided to secrete the Hearts card on her before she turns up that card.

[zxDaveM]

It is an ordinary deck of cards.

Hikaru Kobayashi deliberately pulled out and hid the ace of hearts - some others just pluck a random card, so it slightly amuses to see someone going doo-lally over the 5 clubs or whatever...

[alison]

I love these little details!  It was only recently, when I was close enough to see - or was it in the cinema? - that I realised in Manon that GM actually twigs that Des Grieux is cheating because he picks up two cards which are actually the same! (2 of clubs, I think)

[alison]

Well, it's official.  I am now back in love with this ballet again.

 

Given the right cast and performance, of course  

[capybara]

12 minutes ago, alison said:

Given the right cast and performance, of course  

 

 ............... and it certainly was that tonight (Bonelli/Morera). What a way to end the run.

[bridiem]

Breathtaking performance from Bonelli/Morera tonight. She totally in control, yet unable to hide her horror at what she can see is happening and will happen to both of them. As if they've both been caught in a tidal wave; she knows it will sweep them away, but has no choice but to allow it to happen. So she rides it, dives into its heart, and they fall together. Such incredible physical and emotional engagement between them; absolutely seamless and mesmerising. And he in his weakness and his pain allows himself to be taken - by her, by life, by death.

 

Stunning.

 

 

 

[ninamargaret]

For me, it was one of the finest performances of any ballet I've seen . I think Bonelli plays Rudolph with rather more sympathy than other Rudolphs and to me it really works. The pas de deux with Morera were passionate, deeply felt and intensely moving. The couple in the seats next to me were visitors from Canada and were completely blown away by it, hardly surprising. What a pity there wasn't more time to do more for Hikaru, but maybe she wanted a quieter send off.

[JohnS]

As promised by a number of posters, keeping the finest till last.  Fabulous Bonelli/Morera performances, so well matched and so human; Itziar Mendizabel's Elisabeth a revelation; and lovely to feel the warmth from Royal Ballet and audience for Hikaru Kobayashi's final performance.

[penelopesimpson]

Mixed feelings, mostly because it never seemed to catch light with the audience.  Okay, I am a Watson groupie, but nobody else charts Rudolf’s disintegration in the way he does.  Bonelli and Morera were magnificent tonight but, for me, it wasn’t enough to set light to this tinderbox of emotions.

 

Specific observations:  nobody needs to ask which one Corrales is!

 

Emma. Maguire fabulous as Stephanie but for the rest, all a bit of a blur.  I was sitting there thinking that this ballet, possibly above all others, demonstrates the power of Principal Dancers.  Yes, any dancer in the senior ranks can turn i

 n agood performance, but a Principal has that little something extra.  Mendizabal was not remotely credible as Rudolph’s mother, lacking the gravitas and icy hauteur essential to this role.  Stix-Brunell lacked the sassy ness and ‘older woman’ assurance of Marianela and Bratfisch was just dong a few comic turns.  Even Kish, in his small role had the stage presence of a Principal.

 

i had not seenMorera and Boneli before and expected much based n Forumcomments.  Mostly, they delivered, particularly in the final Act where ai found Morera utterly convincing as a woman in love with her own sexual power.  Bonelli  was wonderful and if I have a criticism it would be that he doesn’t chart Rudolf’s decline sufficiently in the first two Acts.  If only he and Morera had been given the first cast t work with rather than Hirano who did not impress.  I

 

 

 

 

o

Edited October 31, 2018 by penelopesimpson

[JohnS]

Always interesting to read others' views but I found Itziar Mendizabal more chilling in her treatment of Rudolf than others, absolutely the ice empress when it came to her son, and very convincing in her relationship with Bay.  I was less impressed with Emma Maguire's Stephanie where there seemed rather too many pauses between some of the steps for my liking in the bedroom pdd.

[Sim]

My two posts about last week’s Bonelli/Morera performance still hold.  Tonight was a master class in how it should be done.  Speaking of class, this was a first class interpretation of MacMillan at his most complicated.  I will never forget.  

[penelopesimpson]

10 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Always interesting to read others' views but I found Itziar Mendizabal more chilling in her treatment of Rudolf than others, absolutely the ice empress when it came to her son, and very convincing in her relationship with Bay.  I was less impressed with Emma Maguire's Stephanie where there seemed rather too many pauses between some of the steps for my liking in the bedroom pdd.

Translated:  ‘I think your views are rubbish!’

 

Quite apartfrom anything else, Mendizabal didn’t look remotely look  like Rudolf’s mum.  She looked like and danced as if she was his girlfriend.  Nobody can touch Zenaida who has left a big hole.

Edited October 31, 2018 by penelopesimpson

[Sim]

There is a wonderful review of this cast by Jann Parry for Dance Tabs in today’s links. I think it’s a crime against ballet that this cast hasn’t been filmed, or even reviewed (except the aforementioned).   There was a film crew tonight filming for a Japanese TV programme....maybe we can beg them to issue it.  A pipe dream, I know!