The Royal Ballet: Mayerling, Autumn 2018

[capybara]

3 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Well we can't have that !

.....just kidding, really, but  harking back to what we were discussing above about scene stealing, if there were ever an argument for holding back a little from showing off your full skill set, it would be when dancing as one of a group  where I would imagine an element of  uniformity is ideal. 

 

 

But he was the leader of the pack!

And, believe me, the ROH hasn't seen Corrales's full "skill set" yet by a long way.

[Richard LH]

16 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

But he was the leader of the pack!

 

Fair point.

[Ivy Lin]

I saw the cinema relay. I have a question for those who have seen Mayerling over the years:

I've never seen Mayerling live. I have seen all three videos: Mukhamedov, Watson and McRae.

 

Mukhamedov was more of a Byronic hero, and there was almost something sexy about his Rudolf. Watson and McRae both emphasize his sickness. They wear a white-blond wig and have a ghost-white pallor. I know this is more historically accurate but is this a general trend for Rudolf portrayals over the years?

 

[bridiem]

47 minutes ago, Nogoat said:

 

Going on potentials, my ideal cast is...

 

Rudolf - Corrales

Bratfisch - Corrales

Four Hungarian Officers - Corrales, Corrales, Corrales, Corrales

Mary Vetsera - Corrales

Mary Vetsera as a Child - Corrales

Larisch - Corrales

Mitzi Caspar - Corrales

Archduchess Sophie - Corrales (or Campbell - I don't wish to appear biased... )

 

Thank you Nogoat!! I'm still laughing!  

[Sim]

Certainly not in recent years!

[bangorballetboy]

1 hour ago, Ivy Lin said:

I saw the cinema relay. I have a question for those who have seen Mayerling over the years:

I've never seen Mayerling live. I have seen all three videos: Mukhamedov, Watson and McRae.

 

Mukhamedov was more of a Byronic hero, and there was almost something sexy about his Rudolf. Watson and McRae both emphasize his sickness. They wear a white-blond wig and have a ghost-white pallor. I know this is more historically accurate but is this a general trend for Rudolf portrayals over the years?

 

 

The only bewigged Rudolf I can recall in recent years was Johan Kobborg, and that’s because he didn’t have much hair of his own.  Both Watson and McRae have natural ginger hair and fair complexions, so I don’t think there’s any artificial “enhancement“ there.

[Sophoife]

11 hours ago, Sim said:

Has she refused requests to do it there Sophoife?  Or hasn't anyone asked yet?

 

I have been told by the AD of Australian Ballet that the opinion is that the stage of the Sydney Opera House theatre is too small to accommodate the sets. And a big production like Mayerling would have to run in both Melbourne and Sydney, and that AB is locked in to using the Opera House on a long-term contract. 

 

I understand that to break that contract and use, say, the Capitol Theatre, would be prohibitively expensive, and that to add an extra Sydney season and book the Capitol would be logistically difficult given the existing performance commitments of the company.

[LinMM]

Love your post Nogoat!! 

Maybe nearer the truth than we realise ....I'm sure he could have a stab at all those roles Hee hee

Made me laugh anyway.

Im trying not to get too excited about Bayadere next week (5th) but don't want to start expecting impossible standards from him! 

He has come a long way since his 2013 Prix de Lausanne Blog where I first came across him. 

 

[Nogoat]

16 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Love your post Nogoat!! 

Maybe nearer the truth than we realise ....I'm sure he could have a stab at all those roles Hee hee

Made me laugh anyway.

Im trying not to get too excited about Bayadere next week (5th) but don't want to start expecting impossible standards from him! 

He has come a long way since his 2013 Prix de Lausanne Blog where I first came across him. 

 

 

You are right. Given the skills the Trocs have shown us over the last month or so, and the role-blurring joys that await us in the Bolshoi's Bright Stream next year, I don't think my tongue should have been quite as firmly in my cheek as I thought...

[alison]

12 hours ago, capybara said:

 

This really made me smile. I don't think I can recall a Hungarian Officer ever before commanding so much attention.

 

Not even Polunin?

[alison]

13 hours ago, Nogoat said:

Having said that, and given the sheer complexity of the artifice the cast attempts to construct on stage, exceptional individual performances cannot guarantee an overall exceptional experience, and I didn't feel that happened last night. I don't think this is being overly harsh; there must be an element of 'luck' involved in everything and everyone working together seamlessly - and small issues can bully their way to the front of one's perceptions, like a small scratch on a vinyl record.

 

The biggest small issue, to me, was Bratfisch. He just didn't convince me in either his dancing or overall characterisation; maybe this is because, for me, James Hay had set a new standard the week before (and that is both a blessing and a curse - a blessing as I was lucky enough to see it, and a curse as having seen it I cannot help but compare!).

 

Yes, overall I didn't think it quite scaled the heights of the best I've seen - although coming close in many respects.  I've not been particularly taken with Dyer's Bratfisch (having seen it 3 times in this run), but this last time I found myself struck by his facial expression and his obvious desperation to try and avert what he could see was coming in Act III.  I was a lot closer than normal, so wonder if he just doesn't project as far as some others?  (I had the blessing/curse of not seeing James Hay this run - or Paul Kay - which may have coloured my perceptions somewhat.

 

Quote

I thought Bonelli's Rudolf was perfectly credible and his downward spiral into abject despair captured my sympathy; he is an exceptional actor

 

I found myself wishing last night that we could access the old Ballet.co forum of some 15 years ago: I'm sure some (re-?)viewers used to find his acting a bit perfunctory back then.  How things have changed!

[capybara]

6 hours ago, alison said:

 

Not even Polunin?

 

Who? 

[Mary]

It is quite a switch from Mayerling to Bayadere..

Is there a thread yet? Can't wait.

[John Mallinson]

1 hour ago, Mary said:

Is there a thread yet?

 

Yes.

[FrankH]

Sorry  to intrude, but I think I may inadvertently "reported a post" on this thread. My connection to the website is far from perfect, and sometimes jumps about. I may have clicked on something when I intended to merely scroll the view up!

 

I wouldn't have the arrogance to report any post - unless it were grossly offensive, which few if any of the posts on this supremely civilised forum have ever been.

[bangorballetboy]

Just now, FrankH said:

Sorry  to intrude, but I think I may inadvertently "reported a post" on this thread.

 

You haven't, so all is well.

[FrankH]

Thanks, bangorballetboy.

[aliceinwoolfland]

My review of 'Mayerling' is up Hope you like it. https://aliceinballetland.wordpress.com/2018/11/02/review-mayerling-royal-ballet-27-10-18/ 

[alison]

Alice bumping this thread has reminded of some additional thoughts I had about the ballet.  In addition to noting, as I did a few pages previously, just how much simple bourrées can speak (e.g. Act III, scene 2), it's amazing the number of ways a crooked arm can say "attend me, wife!" (Act I, scene 2, I suppose, technically).

 

Another thing I was aware of, from my close-up view the other night, was how well this ballet is constructed for the sightlines of the Royal Opera House, which MacMillan was obviously very familiar with.  Provided that you can see the whole of the front of the stage, there is relatively little that is vital which takes place outside an isosceles triangle, or possibly a trapezium, pointing towards the back of the stage, yet the whole stage is used.  Excellent stage design, and something a lot of other choreographers could take lessons from.

 

Finally, and rather more inconsequentially: why on earth are the police so incompetent that they can only round up the girls, never any of the punters (even the insignificant ones), given that I assume they are supposed to be raiding it to break up the Hungarian conspiracy?

[Richard LH]

14 hours ago, aliceinwoolfland said:

My review of 'Mayerling' is up Hope you like it. https://aliceinballetland.wordpress.com/2018/11/02/review-mayerling-royal-ballet-27-10-18/ 

Great review, thanks Alice. I love "The impossibly graceful Akane Takada".....

[Fiz]

She is! The Royal Ballet has so much talent at the moment that I wish we could bottle it and freeze time for a while because it won’t last forever.

[Guest]

Just watching bits of the old South Bank Show documentary. It says 'Countess Larisch brought Mary Vetsera to the Hofburg for the first time on November 5th, 1898' . 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Darlex

[MissMonk]

I love the music arrangement of this production. Does anyone know if there's been a CD release? I've been searching but apparently not in the right places?

[ninamargaret]

2 hours ago, MissMonk said:

I love the music arrangement of this production. Does anyone know if there's been a CD release? I've been searching but apparently not in the right places?

Yes, I love it too, it's so right for the whole style of the ballet. There's never been a CD release, although much of the music is available in its original form on different CD s. 

[bridiem]

2 hours ago, MissMonk said:

I love the music arrangement of this production. Does anyone know if there's been a CD release? I've been searching but apparently not in the right places?

 

Me too, and I've also been looking in vain for a CD.

[alison]

Well, I thought last night's Bayadère might have cured me of this, but no, I wake up and I still have little snippets of the Mayerling score running through my brain.  It's not even what you might call "major" bits, more things like the maids' dance, the dance of the ladies-in-waiting in the Empress's bedchamber, and so on!

 

Which in turn merge into bits of La Fille Mal Gardée, so I guess it must be the Lanchbery connection at work there!

[ninamargaret]

Ear worms strike again!!

[Mary]

Bayadere is not, for me, the most memorable or striking score but that wretched Bronze Idol music goes round and round and round- wish it wouldn't!

[Mary]

Sorry, that has 0 to do with Mayerling- the Mayerling music is wonderful I do so agree - we owe a great deal to John Lanchbery.

[JohnS]

6 hours ago, MissMonk said:

I love the music arrangement of this production. Does anyone know if there's been a CD release? I've been searching but apparently not in the right places?

 

Isn't it possible to record the audio from your DVD - not that I've done so and I'd be the last person to suggest how it's done?  And you may be wanting a version without stage/audience noise but I think a CD 'concert performance' is unlikely.

[miriskusnik]

I have a new blog post up about the Soares/Cuthbertson cast of Mayerling - well, mainly about Soares but I couldn't resist discussing some of the other dancers as well.  It's here if anyone's interested (warning: it's quite long).

 

Also, on the topic of the music - I also find it so frustrating that it's never been released on CD.  I put the DVD on in the background sometimes if I want to hear it, but I'd love something more portable.  I think the music selected for the ballet fits it perfectly so it's disappointing that after all this time there's still nothing.

Edited November 6, 2018 by miriskusnik

[penelopesimpson]

2 hours ago, miriskusnik said:

I have a new blog post up about the Soares/Cuthbertson cast of Mayerling - well, mainly about Soares but I couldn't resist discussing some of the other dancers as well.  It's here if anyone's interested (warning: it's quite long).

 

Also, on the topic of the music - I also find it so frustrating that it's never been released on CD.  I put the DVD on in the background sometimes if I want to hear it, but I'd love something more portable.  I think the music selected for the ballet fits it perfectly so it's disappointing that after all this time there's still nothing.

So agree with you about the music.  It would be great to have it.

[alison]

6 hours ago, miriskusnik said:

I have a new blog post up about the Soares/Cuthbertson cast of Mayerling - well, mainly about Soares but I couldn't resist discussing some of the other dancers as well.  It's here if anyone's interested (warning: it's quite long).

 

Also, on the topic of the music - I also find it so frustrating that it's never been released on CD.  I put the DVD on in the background sometimes if I want to hear it, but I'd love something more portable.  I think the music selected for the ballet fits it perfectly so it's disappointing that after all this time there's still nothing.

 

Thank you, miriskusnik - I'm amazed at the amount of detail you managed to remember!  I'd need a filmed version and to go back to it again and again to produce anything like that.  You're making me regret even more that I had to watch that cast from the amphi, without binoculars, because most of that passed me by.