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The Royal Ballet: Mayerling, Autumn 2018

penelopesimpson
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1 minute ago, alison said:

 

It's actually the second time, although I think the first (with Watson) was a recording rather than a live relay.

 

I didn't know it had been shown in cinemas (presumably just in the UK?) before - was the recording the same as the 2009 one that was issued on DVD?

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alison

alison

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Yes (unfortunately, as I actually thought Watson's second season in the role was his least good one.  I remember thinking that I wished they'd waited for his third).  I seem to remember it showing somewhere around Feb/Mar time, despite having been recorded at the beginning of the season.

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capybara

capybara

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The first filming of Mayerling with Watson was a film which was shown in cinemas, including The Odeon, Covent Garden (in 2009?).  Watson himself was in the audience, suitably equipped with a drink and popcorn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by capybara
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alison

alison

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55 minutes ago, Toria said:

It was filmed again in 2013 I think and shown on the BP big screens. It definitely wasn’t the same 2009 recording but it was Watson again. 

 

Welcome to the forum, Toria.  Yes, that was Mara Galeazzi's "retirement" performance.  I spent the first two acts outside in Trafalgar Square and then moved inside for the third so I could say goodbye.

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Esmeralda

Esmeralda

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On 26/08/2018 at 17:48, penelopesimpson said:

 

Oh, and does anyone know if Ed Watson is fit again??????????

 

This would also interest me: it is actually my fourth try to see Ed Watson in this role, so I really, really hope that he is fit again! Who knows if there is a chance for an another attempt...

 

2 hours ago, alison said:

... and I think with his hands over his eyes much of the time, from what I remember?  I'd forgotten that.

 

Haha, I would have loved to see this. I guess it is really weird to see oneself on a big screen if you aren´t used to it.

 

Otherwise I have to completely agree with the others about Morera/Bonelli: I saw them the last time and was blown away! Everybody who didn´t see them should try to get some tickets. I absolutely loved them so I  got tickets  again for this time even when I have not really the time (and money) for a second Mayerling this season. Compared to them I wasn´t so convinced of McRae even when I am a big fan of him. But  I will definitely watch the live realy in cinemas.

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Esmeralda

Esmeralda

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Thank you alison for your Welcome! And I keep my fingers crossed that definitely we all have the chance to see him (again)!

 

I would also like to apologize ahead for any mistakes since I am not a native speaker. I try my best but certainly there are (and will be) the one or the other error creeping in, I am really sorry!

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saki

saki

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I see, so McRae's is only the first live relay of Mayerling, not the first cinema showing. 

 

According to the ROH database, there were two principals also dancing Rudolph in the 2009 run who were younger than Watson - Soares and Pennefather.

Their names don't appear in the previous run in 2007, so I assume they were debuting in 2009?

If that's the case, then like McRae, Watson was also the youngest principal who was not a debutant in that run to dance Rudolph.

 

So we have an Interesting coincidence - both dancers being filmed for the cinema Mayerling at age 32 to 33, in their second seasons, and both the youngest non-debutant Rudolphs.

 

Are we looking at the beginnings of a formula for cinema Rudolphs?

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Beryl H

Beryl H

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22 hours ago, aliceinwoolfland said:

Has anyone seen McRae in Mayerling and liked him? I could only afford to get one ticket and picked him due to scheduling, and am regretting it based on the comments 😕

Yes, I saw him dance with Akane Takada last time, it was only his second performance and he had to dance with a different partner as Sarah Lamb was suddenly injured,  even in those difficult circumstances it was an incredibly exciting performance. I've booked to see them again this time!

 

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Esmeralda

Esmeralda

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15 hours ago, aliceinwoolfland said:

Has anyone seen McRae in Mayerling and liked him? I could only afford to get one ticket and picked him due to scheduling, and am regretting it based on the comments 😕

 

Don´t worry about it - I am sure you will definitely enjoy the evening! I wouldn´t say that I didn´t like McRae in Mayerling, just that I preferred Bonelli. Nevertheless it was great to see McRae in this role and I am glad I got to see him. And you`ll never know: maybe you will be absolutely thrilled!

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Lizbie1

Lizbie1

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Is it just me or is Mayerling selling relatively slowly this time?

 

I'm not going this time round because it's not that long since its last appearance and because the casting is too similar. Maybe others feel the same! (It's also rather a long run.)

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capybara

capybara

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1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

Is it just me or is Mayerling selling relatively slowly this time?

 

 

 

I thought the same. It's come back a tad too soon. When the RB had Fille in April/May 2015 and then opened the 2016/17 season with it, there was a similar problem, I recall.

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penelopesimpson

penelopesimpson

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23 hours ago, capybara said:

 

I thought the same. It's come back a tad too soon. When the RB had Fille in April/May 2015 and then opened the 2016/17 season with it, there was a similar problem, I recall.

They can have it every season for me!

 

For those seeing Macrae, I am sure you will enjoy the performance.  He brings a lot of energy and technical assurance to the role and never looks remotely tired in what is a flawless performance.  My problem (apart from an addiction to Watson and Kobborg) is that I just don't think its the right role for him and others do it better.  As for the younger Principals being given a chance, I think it is wise to wait until they are older and not just for the physical demands of the choreography.  It is a mature role that requires many nuances in the characterisation which somehow sit better with slightly older dancers.  Even the wunderkind Polunin did not, for me, manage to capture the depth of feeling and total despair that Rudolf needs to exhibit.

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Bruce Wall

Bruce Wall

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32 minutes ago, ninamargaret said:

Heresy but I'd happily ditch Swan Lake for Mayerling at any time! Will now run for cover!!

 

As was so graciously said to me hereabouts by a certain someone - :) - but in reverse ...

 

HANDS OFF SWAN LAKE. 

 

Edited by Bruce Wall
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MissMonk

MissMonk

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On 27/08/2018 at 21:56, saki said:

Hello, everyone 

This is my first post.

 

Here in Asia, I'm almost entirely dependent on the ROH cinema relays to keep up with the company, and I don't usually have the luxury of seeing multiple casts, so the casting announcements for the cinema relays are always a big event for me.

I've not actually seen Mayerling the ballet, so I may not appreciate the full extent of the disappointment expressed here over McRae being filmed instead of Bonelli, but I do share it, because of the raves I've read here, and because I generally prefer Bonelli's subtlety as a performer to McRae's style, and most of all, because there are only so many cinema relays a year and I don't know when or if I'll get to see Bonelli (and Morera) again before they retire.

 

Still, I think it's fair to point out that if McRae has had "more than his fair share" of cinema relays, then so has Bonelli.

 

From notes on cinema casting that I've kept over the years:
 

-----------------------------------------

2011-12 season
Romeo and Juliet - Bonelli
La Fille mal gardée - McRae

 

2012-13

The Nutcracker - McRae
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - Bonelli

 

2013-14

The Nutcracker - Bonelli
The Sleeping Beauty - McRae
The Winter’s Tale  - Bonelli (Polixenes) and McRae (Florizel)

 

2014-15
Manon - Bonelli
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - Bonelli and McRae (Madhatter)

 

2015-16
Romeo and Juliet - McRae
Tchaikovsky pas de deux  - McRae
Rhapsody - McRae
Frankenstein - Bonelli and McRae

 

2016-17

Anastasia - Bonelli (act II pas de deux)
The Nutcracker - Bonelli
The Dream - McRae
Rubies - McRae
Woolf Works - Bonelli and McRae

 

2017-18
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - Bonelli and McRae (Madhatter)
The Nutcracker - McRae
Yugen - Bonelli


----------------------------------------

Incidentally, in the last season, McRae would have had two more relays if he hadn't been injured - The Age of Anxiety and Winter's Tale - so it's understandable that there's a sense that he's dominating the cinema casts. But that's not quite true, and in the upcoming seasons, not just the next, I expect to see as much of Muntagirov and Ball.
In any case, for the coming cinema season, I'm hoping against hope that I'll at least see Morera and Bonelli in the Pite/Wheeldon/Cherkaoui triple bill.

 

 

 

I too relay heavily on the cinema relays from ROH. I haven't read the rest of the thread yet but I'm pretty sure I'm one of the few actually excited for McRae's broadcasts. I make it no secret I am a fan of his (and Lamb especially together), but that aside, casting is not a democracy and the ROH is a company that seeks to make money. Just look at their social media stats and you'll see both McRae and Nunez are amongst the most followed ROH dancers by people world wide so it makes sense that they are cast in more broadcasts. People world wide who can't get to the opera house wants to see them.  It makes no sense to spread the broadcasts out more evenly.  Casting, ballet, and life isn't fair especially where money is involved. If we want to talk fair I don't think its fair to put down the dancers just because they're popular and get more broadcasts. They're popular for a reason, because they're talented and good at marketing themselves and people want to watch them. I get that people are upset and want to see others in the roles but that doesn't mean you need to put down the other people.

 

On a side note with all the lamenting of Bonelli/Morea not getting enough broadcasts compared to McRae, Nunez, Lamb, and Ospiova - No one seems to be commenting on the increased number of Muntagirov  broadcasts in the past year. Or that principals like Kish, Campbell, Hirano, and Soares rarely has any at all.

 

Also if you want to get technical, McRae has 20 cinema broadcasts where he played the lead in case you were wondering. Not including that "Fall of the house of Usher" which is a really weird one, and 5 that i know of where he was minor parts like Bratfish in 2009's Mayerling.

 

Though I would have liked to see Bonelli in this role as I very much like him.

 

I do apologize in advance if i have offended anyone, I just wanted to give my 2 cents on it.

 

20 Mins Later: Ok I read the rest of the thread. Good points everybody. I still stand by mine but meh. Lets just wish them all a great season and call it a day.

 

 

 

 

Edited by MissMonk
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