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Royal Ballet - Don Quixote - Spring 2019


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I don't hate it, but neither do I love it enough to care about missing even some of the most promising casts.

 

Seeing Nunez/Muntagirov and Kaneko/Bracewell next week, and then right at the other end of the run, Magri/Campbell*.

 

In between I seem to be keeping myself very busy with opera, not at the ROH (ENO, ETO, WNO, UCO and the RCM, among others!)

 

*I'm a bit sorry to miss Naghdi/Sambe, but one of their dates clashes with ETO and the other with ENO...

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It might not be the best production of Don Q- true enough. But on the plus side you get:

A lot of fun

Great casts

Plenty of dancing

Some wonderful virtuoso set pieces in which to enjoy your favourite dancers showing off

A bit of silliness and a few naff moments to provide a chuckle

 

What's the problem??

 

Just what the Dr ordered!

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I agree Mary.  And to be honest, every production of DonQ that I have seen has been silly or naff or both.  I just go along for the fun and sun and don’t take it too seriously.  Having said which, there is some very difficult dancing in it!  

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I'm looking forward to seeing it because I've not seen it before & because it'll be my first time seeing either Campbell or Magri in principal roles in a full-length ballet. I rather wish I was seeing Muntagirov too but the only one of his dates that I can make is sold out so I'll have to see if any desirable returns pop up in the next few weeks.

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19 minutes ago, Blossom said:

Just had an email to say William Bracewell is injured and will be replaced by Daniel Camargo on 23 and 27 Feb - shipped in from Dutch National Ballet. He replaced Cesar Corrales who was out for injury. 

Oh dear... he must be suspect now for his Creature in Frankenstein on 5th and 11th March, if not his later appearances on 20th and 23rd March.

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On a happier note, social media indicates that Kirti's "purple" girl friends tonight will again be the inimitable Beatriz Stix-Brunell and Yuhui Choe.

 

Also that the Dress Rehearsal (about to start) will be the Naghdi / Sambe   cast with Stix-Brunell as Mercedes and Ball as Espada. 

Edited by Richard LH
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47 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

On a happier note, social media indicates that Kirti's "purple" girl friends tonight will again be the inimitable Beatriz Stix-Brunell and Yuhui Choe.

 

That reminds me, have they sorted out the issues with the flooring in this production now?  I think it was the first time I saw it (in the original run) that I saw Yuhui (in this role) slip and fall and have to be replaced for the last act.  There were other reported similar mishaps throughout the run.

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1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

Oh dear... he must be suspect now for his Creature in Frankenstein on 5th and 11th March, if not his later appearances on 20th and 23rd March.

 

:(

 

I'd like to think that his Don Q performances are being sacrificed in favour of those, but suspect I'm being over-optimistic, since I don't know how bad the injury is.

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1 hour ago, Blossom said:

Just had an email to say William Bracewell is injured and will be replaced by Daniel Camargo on 23 and 27 Feb - shipped in from Dutch National Ballet.

 

I'm still waiting for mine - or have they gone back to only emailing those who'd booked specifically for those performances?

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Foteini Christofilopoulou was at a short Royal Ballet photocall featuring Marianela Nuñez & Vadim Muntagirov in Don Quixote...

 


33215593428_216292c93f_c.jpg
Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov in Don Quixote
© Foteini Christofilopoulou/ROH. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr
 

 

32148811197_db55e28c48_c.jpg
Marianela Nuñez in Don Quixote
© Foteini Christofilopoulou/ROH. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr
 

See more...
Foteini Christofilopoulou: Marianela Nuñez & Vadim Muntagirov in Don Quixote
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

Edited by Bruce
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3 hours ago, Bruce said:

Foteini Christofilopoulou was at a short Royal Ballet photocall featuring Marianela Nuñez & Vadim Muntagirov in Don Quixote...

 

Are the costumes they're in the ones for the final act wedding?

 

Is it usual for the RB to have to bring in a replacement from an external company when a dancer is injured or is exception & that they've run out of suitable men with so many injured/off elsewhere recently?

 

(PS If I'm asking too many questions that are blindingly obvious to those of you that know the piece then someone feel free to tell me to stop!)

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16 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Does anyone know about or even seen dancing Daniel Camargo who is replacing Bracewell on the 27th? 

Absolutely! I have seen him many times in Amsterdam where he is a Principal. He's nice and tall too. I've always enjoyed his performances e.g. DonQ and La Dame aux Camellias most recently my only slight reservation is perhaps I don't get much expression/emotion off him. Dance wise he's very good. I think he'll be fine in DonQ here. 

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Sadly they evacuated the building 5 minutes into Act II.  We had to wait about 40 minutes opposite the House in Bow Street before allowed back in.  They commenced Act II again and that was it finishing at 3.30 as originally scheduled.    Not sure if it was a fire drill exercise or there was an incident but no fire engines turned up!

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24 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said:

It seems, based on Social Media photos, that all the dancers were evacuated at this afternoon's rehearsal, and Yasmine Naghdi/Marcelino Sambe danced the General Rehearsal.

 

Yes, there was a fire alarm. The audience were told to stay put until they determined whether to evacuate us, which they did a few minutes later. 

It was a shame as they only got to the end of Act II because of the time wasted. 

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Well I think that was the biggest round of spontaneous applause I’ve ever seen at ROH. Vadim Muntagirov rightly recognised for an outstanding solo during the grand pas de deux. Marianela Nunez looked like she was genuinely enjoying her performance - her enthusiasm (and smile!) was infectious. Electric atmosphere this evening, with a very welcoming audience - I think almost every patron in the stalls gave a standing ovation at the end. 

 

I know it’s not to everyone’s taste but I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening and my mum loved it. Quick note re the general rehearsal today - Matthew Ball looked incredible as Espada, lovely Spanish shaping. Such a shame not to see his act iii!

 

@Thalia I was looking out for you this afternoon, sorry not to have seen you!

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Well that was just STUNNING from Marianela and Vadim. I wonder how they can reach even greater heights, but they did tonight. The choreography lends itself of course, but I feel privileged to have seen them dance this evening. 

 

It was a top class cast with many other excellent performances. Laura Morera as Mercedes and Anna-Rose O'Sullivan as Amour, stood out particularly for me and we also had the joy of Gary Avis as Lorenzo and Bennet Gartside camping it up as Gamache. 

 

A very well deserved prolonged standing ovation at the end too.  I love this ballet, so joyful and feel good factor. Marianela's smile is so captivating and she was mischievous too. A total delight.   

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@Riva Likewise! Next time...

 

I agree with your comment regarding Ball as Espada – my mum was most impressed by him and she’s not easy to please! I’m so glad I have a ticket for that cast later on in the run, as I think it will be a real treat.  

 

It’s good to hear that the first night was so well received. 

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Nunez and Muntagirov blew us away tonight with amazing virtuoso performances-  but also warmed our hearts with their onstage chemistry, sense of fun and showmanship.

On top of that, Hirano was very much back  on form and Morera still in the sizzling form of 2 Pigeons,- Mendizibal and Zuchetti also dazzling- so what a combination. It brought the house down.

Minor quibbles about the design and so forth melted away in the brilliant light of a set of utterly top-notch performances.

 

Fancy missing that!

 

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I'd also like to mention Luca Acri who I think is right back to top form now.  I noticed this in the 2 Pigeons last week where I thought he shone and again tonight as one of the beggars/ artisans?  Never quite sure what they are meant to be but there a 4 of them. Anyway, his dancing on both occasions was excellent.  

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