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BEST PERFORMANCES OF 2018


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4 minutes ago, capybara said:

You’ve been rumbled, RichardLH. You have now had two ‘goes’ and have mentioned two female dancers several times each 😀

Well spotted! I thought I had beat the system by distinguishing between performers and performances ....

Edited by Richard LH
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1. Vadim Muntagirov in everything he has done this year - utterly stunning and on a different level

2. Alexander Campbell as Des Grieux

3. Will Bracewell as Siegfried (Madrid)

4. Matthew Ball as Rudolf in Mayerling

5. Marianela Nunez in Swan Lake in particular, although stunning in everything else too 

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Greetings from the USA! Five favorite ballet performances seen in 2018 - either in cinemas/online or live in NY, Berlin and San Juan (Puerto Rico, where my family resides):

 

* RB in cinemas - Bernstein 100 triple bill...such innovative steps and designs! Especially loved Wheeldon’s CORYBANTIC GAMES...Mayara Magri & Marcelino Sambe short but fiery PDD!

 

* NYCB live in NY - I made several trips to experience rarities by Robbins, in honor of his 100th b’day. I particularly loved LES NOCES (those four grand pianos at the back of the stage!) and MOVES, performed in silence. Among many fantastic up-and-coming dancers, I particularly admired Ashley Laracey and very young Roman Mejia in everything they did.

 

* ABT live in NY - Ratmansky’s HARLEQUINADE reconstruction. Absolute delight, particularly as performed by the 2nd cast of Lane, Cirio, Abrera & Hallberg. Among younger corps dancers, I’m keeping my eyes on Aran Bell and Catherine Hurlin.

 

* Berlin Staatsballett- My big overseas trip was to experience the opening of Ratmansky’s BAYADERE recon, with glorious designs by J. Kaplan. Polina Semionova, Alejandro Virelles and Yolanda Correa did not disappoint, although the latter two mostly mimed.

 

Last but not least, an unusual experience:

* Ballets de San Juan (Pto Rico) at Centro Bellas Artes, presenting a difficult triple bill in April - headlined by David Keener’s CARMEN, set in a Puerto Rican coffee plantation - just seven months after the devastating hurricane Maria. Truly uplifting.

 

I wish all balletcoforum readers a blessed 2019! I’m particularly looking forward to my upcoming visit to Sarasota Ballet for the long-awaited revival of Ashton’s APPARITIONS. 🤞 

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47 minutes ago, Jeannette said:

I’m particularly looking forward to my upcoming visit to Sarasota Ballet for the long-awaited revival of Ashton’s APPARITIONS. 🤞 

 

If there's one company I'd make a special trip for, it's Sarasota Ballet - I wish I could be there too!

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I’m afraid I’m rather RB-centric, but for what it’s worth, my top 5 of the year, in no other order but chronological... 

 

1. Giselle - I think 2018 is when Giselle really ‘clicked’ for me. Loved the Nunez/Bonelli and Osipova/Ball performances, very different but both exceptionally moving 

2. Lauren Cuthbertson and Matthew Ball in Marguerite and Armand - I’m afraid I’ve never seen the original cast, but I’ve seen a lot of modern ones and this pairing has blew me away. They are both terrific actors and I’m really enjoying seeing their partnership develop. I’m excited to see their Romeo & Juliet (and Naghdi/Ball too, naturally!)

3. Francesca Hayward in Manon

4. The Christmas mixed bill - so much joy in Les Patineurs and The Concert

5. Seeing Carlos Acosta rehearse Luca Acri and Marcelino Sambe as part of th Frederick Ashton foundation - I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this deviation from the normal ‘rediscovered’ sessions. 

 

Quick note - the act 3 set in swan lake deserves an honourable mention!

Edited by Riva
Pressed send too quick!
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I think the standouts this year have been beginning with a bang in January Cesar Corrales and Jia Zhang in Le Jeune Homme et La morte ...ENB .....just absolutely riveting edge of seat stuff! As someone else said .....recover soon Cesar we are missing you already! 

And the two lovely  Giselles of Hayward and Naghdi ...what a weekend that was. Completely different but absolutely engrossing. Still cannot decide any favourite probably by just a whisker Hayward .....who know s what I said way back then ....but from my memory right  now it's the lightness and musicality of Hayward that seems to have lasted in the memory.

I loved Bayadere and the switch of Osipova and Nunez ......just by a whisker again Nunez as Nikiya and Osipova as Gamzatti!

I haven't yet commented on the recent triple but Muntagirov and Lamb ( who hasn't been a favourite until now) in Winter Dreams were simply wonderful .....not sure what I feel about the ballet as a whole .....but that pas de deux was just stunning ....and in the end turned out for me to be the highlight of the triple ....even though I expected it to be Les Patineurs. 

I hope I haven't got this wrong but the ENB in Le sacre du Printemps at Sadlers Wells was pretty good too!! 

In terms of dancers I would say that these have really come to the fore in 2018

Marcelino Sambe 

James Hay 

Akane Takada 

Francesca  Hayward 

Yasmine Naghdi

Anna Rose O Sullivan 

and the wonderful Joseph Sissens ( think I've finally spelled his name correctly!!) and Cesar Corrales. 

As soon as I've posted will no doubt think of other ballets and other performers etc but this is what first comes to mind on 2018 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I knew it!! .........also loved Jane Eyre by Northern Ballet as a dramatic ballet as a whole .....and BRB Nutcracker particularly Brandon Lawrence and Celine Gittens ...loved those two in particular and the production as a whole a great Nutcracker to see and end the year with! 

 

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Typed that far too quickly as I was being nagged at by family! I’ll need to substitute one of mine to make way for Matthew Ball as Rudolf in Mayerling - a performance which will stay with me for a long time. The development of this terrific dancer over the last few years has been a joy to behold. I do hope his injury is not too serious and he is back dancing again soon. 

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10 minutes ago, Mary said:

Reviewing 2018 made me get out my ROH 2019 calendar and look at the photos of 2018 productions..and - I'm afraid it's going to be November all year round in my house! ( though March is  a very beautiful picture as well)

🙂

 

Hahahaha!!!!!

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31 minutes ago, Mary said:

Reviewing 2018 made me get out my ROH 2019 calendar and look at the photos of 2018 productions..and - I'm afraid it's going to be November all year round in my house! ( though March is  a very beautiful picture as well)

🙂

Errrr....is Vadream Mr November by any chance??!!  :)

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36 minutes ago, Jeannette said:

 

Thanks for this. I’ll make a point of seeing ABT in Jane Eyre next spring.

 

Hi Jeanette - here's an earlier thread with some comments about NB's Spring Tour.  Please do let us know what you think when you see ABT performing the work:

 

 

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I fear that my favourites have been covered already: Ball’s Mayerling, Naghdi and Ball in Giselle, Takada and Bracewell in Swan Lake, Lamb and Muntagirov in Manon, and Osipova/Muntagirov/Nuñez in La Bayadère. 

 

So, in the interest of being a little bit different:

  • Takada and Hay in the Giselle Pas de Six: I normally find this to be the dull bit, but these two kept my attention throughout. Razor sharp technique, great chemistry, and an engaging stage presence. 
  • Naghdi as Mistress in Manon: again, I’m not normally a fan of the Mistress solo in act two, but Naghdi made it work for me. Her characterisation was so good throughout and she squeezed every last drop out of, what often seems like, an unrewarding role. 
  • Ella as Benno in Swan Lake: a difficult role to get right if the discussion on the Swan Lake thread is anything to go by, but I thought Ella nailed it. Impressive dancing, explosive barrel turns, and a warm understated stage presence that made a positive impact whilst never threatening to upstage his Siegfried. 
  • Kay as Bratfisch in Mayerling: a favourite in this role, Kay brings great character and pizazz to his Act 2 solo and real pathos to act 3. It may have helped that he was in my favourite cast this run, but I felt the same last run as well. 
  • Avis as Kulygin in Winter Dreams: a dramatic tour de force, incredibly nuanced acting with every movement imbued with deep meaning. This performance was made even more special having read the social media posts and understanding what the role means to Avis. I will sneak in a mention of Bracewell and Edmonds who I thought were fantastic as well. 

I also have to add a heartfelt thank you to ENB for a wonderful 6 performances of Manon in four days in Southampton. It was an amazing experience all round and it would feel churlish to single out one performance, but I found Takahashi/Cirio and McWhinney/Frola particularly moving. If you can get to the Coliseum in January definitely see a performance, the company really is on excellent form and all casts were different and marvellous. 

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  1. Cesar Corrales and Jia Zhang in “Le jeune homme et la mort” (ENB)
  2. Luana Georg in her farewell performance of “Giselle” with Sergei Upkin and Estonian National Ballet in Mary Skeaping’s production
  3. Begoña Cao, Aitor Arrieta and Junor Souza in “Manon” (ENB)
  4. Begoña Cao and Aitor Arrieta in “Swan Lake” (ENB)
  5. Fernanda Oliveira, Aitor Arrieta and Ken Saruhashi in “Song of the Earth” (ENB)

 

As I mostly attend dress rehearsals of the Royal Ballet, I can’t really count them as performances but Vadim Muntagirov is always the highlight of whichever ballet he appears in.  I also loved Jurgita Dronina in everything I saw her dance with ENB this year but her partners did not always match her artistry, otherwise her performances would have tied for second place in my list as nothing (for me) can beat those electrifying performances by Cesar Corrales and Jia Zhang!  

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Lots of great ballets for me as well this year but only two performances stood head and shoulders above the rest.

At number two is Yasmine Naghdi with her marvellous tear-inducing Odette/Odile in her Swan Lake debut.

But an easy number one is Alina Cojocaru as Aurora in ENB’s Sleeping Beauty. It was a sleepy mid-week matinee audience, in a far from full London Coliseum, that was woken up when the divine Cojocaru gave a performance that not only entranced the audience but seemed to raise the game of the whole ENB company.

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Of course, it is all personal, and I am limited to the Royal Ballet. Anyway, my top five standouts in alphabetical order 

 

Federico Bonelli / Laura Morera  as Crown Prince Rudolf and Mary Vetsera

Alexander Campbell as Des Grieux - astonishing that this was a last minute jump in

Tierney Heap in Corybantics

Yasmine Naghdi as Odette / Odile

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18 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:

Of course, it is all personal, and I am limited to the Royal Ballet. Anyway, my top five standouts in alphabetical order 

 

Federico Bonelli / Laura Morera  as Crown Prince Rudolf and Mary Vetsera

Alexander Campbell as Des Grieux - astonishing that this was a last minute jump in

Tierney Heap in Corybantics

Yasmine Naghdi as Odette / Odile

 

I'd forgotten about Tierney Heap in Corybantics! She was brilliant and for me far the best thing about the ballet. I can't wait for her to be back on stage.

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Most of the works that I’ve seen this year are mixed bills, and so the performances that I’ve enjoyed most all relate to mixed programmes or part thereof. In chronological order

Mixed bill Jerome Robbins/En Sol, Dwight Rhoden/Verse Us, Oscar Araiz/Petrushka, Ballet Nice Mediterranee

Marco Goecke/Almost Blue, Stuttgart Ballet

Double bill Jerome Robbins/Dances at a Gathering, John Cranko/Initials R.B.M.E., Stuttgart Ballet

Uwe Scholz/Air!, John Cranko School

Kurt Jooss/The Green Table, Ballet de l’Opera du Rhin

 

Edited by Duck
typo
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In no particular order:

 

1. Danii Simkin/Anna Ol -  Ratmansky's Bayadere (Berlin); totally committed performances and spectacular dancing in a spectacular production.

 

2. Vladimir Shklyarov -  Onegin, Spartacus and  Des Grieux: a beautiful and multi-faceted dancer.

 

3.Laura Morera -  Winter Dreams; a clever artist -less is more.

 

4.Alina Cojucaru - Sleeping Beauty; exquisite in every way, 

 

5.Matthew Ball's debut in Mayerling - a bit of a white-knuckle ride but for me it was really impressive.

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1. The Mariinsky's two March performances (Tereshkina/Shklyarov and Novikova/Askerov) of Sergei Vikharev's masterful Sleeping Beauty reconstruction, which I thought I'd never see again--a gorgeous production that captures the glory and grandeur of Petipa in this, his 200th anniversary.

2. In a lesser production, the by-no-means lesser, and definitely exquisite, Aurora of Alina Cojocaru.

3. Hugo Marchand's and Vladimir Shklyarov's Onegins: very different but each masterful, and oh so moving, in his own way.

4. Bits and pieces culled from various galas:  Guillaume Cote & Friedemann Vogel in Songs of a Wayfarer(Houston); Leonid Sarafanov in Tarantella (Tokyo); Elisa Badenes & Daniel Camargo in the Taming of the Shrew pas (Tokyo); Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov in the Margot pas de deux from Nureyev (Tokyo).

5. Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz in Tschai pas (which, alas, we'll probably never see again).

6. (I hope I'm not REALLY limited to 5) Mathieu Ganio's Armand in La Dame aux Camellias.

7. The Awakening of Flora with Olessya Novikova and Philipp Stepin--Petipa's fabulous Faberge jewel box, in this, his 200th anniversary.

Edited by now voyager
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