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I've always felt too shy to go to the stage door and my teenage daughter is always dead sent against it thinking that it would be really embarrassing. I wish that I'd gone to the stage door after some of the Corsaire performances.

You should go if you want to, don't be shy. I was really glad I went. I have been again once or twice, depending on my travel arrangements. The dancers I have met have all been very friendly and happy to talk. I have also been round before the performance to see the dancers arrive. There isn't usually anyone else about then and you can have a one2one provided they are not in a rush. I met Ulyana Lopatkina that way. Largely because the Mariinsky had a tendency to start and therefore finish late, I couldn't hang around after the show as I had a coach to catch or be stuck in London for the night. Ulyana appeared and I asked if she could sign my programme. She told me - rather imperiously - to come back after the performance. I said I couldn't do that as I had a long journey and I would be very grateful if she could sign there and then. So she did. I think she was rather surprised that I didn't take her nyet for an answer! But it was all good humoured. I think it was anyway. It certainly didn't put her off going on to give a magnificent performance. 

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I must admit I always loved Johan Kobborg's interpretation of Albrecht. Totally believable; no doubt helped by his chemistry with Alina but memorable in its own right.

 

Indeed.  One of the three finest Albrechts I've ever witnessed.

 

 There are plenty of thankless roles that depict men as not too bright, over dependent on their mothers and with little to do except wait for the princess to show up. Albrecht goes through several transitions during the course of the role and played well, he should be a very interesting and perhaps even sympathetic character. 

 

Quite.  Or even unsympathetic :)

 

Yes, until now, the most moving Giselle I have seen was a matinee on 5 February 2011 with Cojocaru/Kobborg.  Alina's performance was so touching that there was complete silence for a while after the curtain came down of Act1.  It wasn't long before someone broke the spell and applauded but I can still remember the atmosphere and the silence

 

I think that was the one I was at: it was truly remarkable, and I think everyone felt the same.  I think Sim had brought a first-timer, or am I thinking of the wrong ballet, Sim?

 

A bit off topic, but are there usually people waiting at the stage door after a performance? I've never even considered doing it, but, if so, it must be nice for the dancers (or annoying, if they just want to get home).

 

Oh yes, definitely.

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This reminds me that I miss Kobborg /Cojocaru very much- but how lucky I was to see them in all their best roles (Midsummer Night's Dream-most beautiful perhaps of them all).He was the finest actor of all the male dancers I have seen and I am sure he still is. She was the most exquisite Giselle ( and Juliet and..and..) I do agree. Their partnership=pure poetry, Joyful memories!

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I had to queue for a day ticket on 22 Jan ( first time that I have ever done so) but it was worth it to see Osipova's Giselle with the RB. What a lovely production it is. I thought that act 2 was superb, the corps were so other worldly. Osipova was truly a spirit and she was very moving. However, I think that for a truly great performance there has to be an emotional connection between Giselle and Albrecht, after all the power of her love does save him. That is what I missed when I compare it with the performance with Vasiliev and the Mikhailovsky last March. Others will have different views I am sure.

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All these memories of Cojocaru and Kobborg make me so sad.  They are still overwhelmingly in my mind and for me they are a great loss.

 

The only performance I've seen that moved me as much was Edward Watson on opening night of Mayerling last year.  Truly one of the most special nights of my life.

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Would love to see some comment on the Nunez/Soares cast last night.

 

And who danced Myrtha, please?

Martha was danced by Tierney Heap. She was perhaps not the most elegant Myrtha I have seen, but I quite liked her. Like Claudia Dean, she came across as very statuesque with a great 1940's fierce diva expression.

 

Nunez's Giselle was a little shy and so very happy and trusting at the beginning that it was hard to watch knowing what was to come. Her dancing was as great as always but the thing that really stayed with me was her acting - she was Giselle, and her meltdown was worthy of a tragic pre-raphaelite heroine, just beautiful. Soares was a selfish but sweet Albrecht, slightly understated but dancing better than the last couple of times I've seen him. Their stage chemistry worked its way all the way to the back of stalls circle and their tender slow pd2 in Act 2 was truly beautiful. (Oops, welling up just thinking about it)

 

Francesca Hayward and Yasmine Naghdi were dancing in the Pas de Six again, and their sequence together is so incredibly in synch it's spellbinding. I could happily watch them all day long and hope they are cast again on Monday.

 

I won't start rhapsodising about the corps since I don't have enough superlatives in my vocabulary and need to go to sleep at some point so I just stick with bravissime.

Edited by Coated
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Coated, that sounds amazing. I am now quite annoyed with myself that I didn't book to see both the Osipova and Nunez Giselles. Oh well, I have already ensured that I won't be making the same mistake with Sleeping Beauty :-). Experience is showing me that you only ever regret missing a performance; I have never come out of a show wishing I hadn't been. So now, if there's any doubt, I just book the tickets :-). The trick is knowing how far I can go before my wife (not a fan) divorces me ...

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A really lovely Giselle from Lauren Cuthbertson this afternoon including beautifully danced Act 2 - shows there's more than one way of looking lighter than air!

Damn - had a standing ticket but been having intenet and email problems and didn't get to town in the end. Duh.

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I must admit I didn't really connect with Lauren Cuthbertson in Act 1 but I did in Act 2, and she was truly lovely. Gorgeous Frederico Bonelli is always great to watch. 

The statuesque Tierney Heap (Myrtha) was suitably authoritative but I found her facial features to be invisible from where I sat in the Amphi and the finer details got lost. Marianella Nunez's beautiful interpretation of "Myrtha" is far too much engrained in my memory... 

Yasmine Naghdi, partnered by Fernando Montano in the Pas-de-Deux, was outstanding as the Lead dancer in the Pas-de-Six. Her strong, clean classical technic combined with her lovely lines made this a beautiful Pas-de-Deux to watch. Really enjoyed it!

 

I am looking forward to watch her and Francesca Hayward dancing together in the Pas de Six during the Cinema relay broadcast on Monday, and of course Natalia Osipova, whom I haven't seen yet.

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I forgot to give the ladies of the Corps a very special mention: they were absolutely outstanding and made me rather emotional towards the end of Act2. They danced "Willis" so beautifully, so together, so synchronised, they are a true credit to the company!

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This run of Giselles is turning into a gift that just keeps giving. Cuthbertson and Bonelli were truly moving today and whilst both are beautiful dancers individually, this was a performance where the whole exceeded the sum of part(ner)s.

 

I'm getting my hammer ready to break into my piggybank for any future [insert any romantic or serious ballet] where they are cast together.

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Fingers crossed for Winter's Tale, lucky me already has tickets for both casts (managed to end up with multiple performances of one of the casts initially and 'had' to buy additional tickets after they announced the casting...)

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What about the new Winters Tale ballet I know Cuthbertson is cast not sure who she will be dancing with!

She'll be dancing mostly with Ed Watson who plays her husband,but also with Bonelli,the cause of her husband's irrational jealousy.

The alternate cast has Nunez and Soares in these roles. The other Polixenies is still tbc

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All I can say is that tonight was astonishing. I thought I had arrived at the cinema nice and early, only to find nearly all the seats had gone.People had to sit in the front row, and how often do you see that in a cinema. Lovely start to the show with Darcy doing the introductions, but they could have done with some subtitles when they were interviewing the dancers as Natalia only speaks Russian and there was no translation. Then the performance, What a fantastic display of dancing from ALL the cast and what a treasure we have in Natalia, the lady can really dance. I have noticed that "encore" showings are being made of some shows, if there is one for this, do not miss it, it was truly wonderful.

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Just returned from the ROH. I'm still dumbstruck by Osipova's performance tonight, a true display of magnificence. She had all the delicacy of Cuthbertson (exemplified by her performance in R&J) and the technical skill of Obraztsova.

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O wow. The standing ovation was definitely deserved. I nearly gave my ticket for tonight away since I double booked with H&G, am I ever glad no one wanted it.

 

Osipova's rebirth as a Wili redefined art and beauty for me.

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Mind you, won't be going back to that Vue cinema again, as they lopped off the last minute or so, and all the curtain calls

 

Oh, Dave :(.  Mind you, I wouldn't go to that Vue after dark anyway ...  How full was it?  It only looked about 50% sold last time I checked.

 

All I can say is that tonight was astonishing. I thought I had arrived at the cinema nice and early, only to find nearly all the seats had gone.

 

You mean they didn't allocate seats?  My cinema was completely full, and I gather some people had had to come in from further afield (like me) because their local cinemas were fully booked/hadn't anticipated the demand accurately.

 

Lovely start to the show with Darcy doing the introductions, but they could have done with some subtitles when they were interviewing the dancers as Natalia only speaks Russian and there was no translation.

 

Oh?  There was in mine.  And whatever Darcey was saying was subtitled, too.

 

I have noticed that "encore" showings are being made of some shows, if there is one for this, do not miss it, it was truly wonderful.

 

If it's Odeon, good luck in finding them.  Their website is garbage, and has nearly driven me to distraction over the last few days.  You select a cinema, then click on the Culture offering you want to see, and - get offered "pick a day".  Heaven help you if you're just a casual visitor who isn't on the ball with these things.  Assuming you know the correct date and click on it, you then get "Films have not been programmed for this date yet" or words to that effect (even this morning, for this evening's showing!).  *Then*, because it's completely stupid and can't recognise that you've already picked your cinema, it asks you to select a cinema ...  Staff at my local Odeon had told me a couple of weeks ago that they would schedule an Encore showing, so I clicked on the "Giselle (Encore)" link, but still have no idea whether it's on, or when.

 

/rant

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If I were on Twitter, I would doubtless have been tweeting something along the lines of "Congrats TeamRB on a superb performance" by now.  The company really did themselves proud tonight, and I have to pick out the peasant pas de six, and particularly the "bookends", for special praise.  It should make a stunning DVD, even if I have my usual cavils about some of the shot selections: there were a few places where close-ups blocked people making entrances and exits that needed to be included to make sense - Wilfrid bringing Albrecht's cape over to encourage him to make his getaway, rather than the cape almost magically appearing round Acosta's shoulders; the nobles approaching Albrecht from all sides rather went for nothing, as did one of Osipova's exits in Act II, when she suddenly comes back and you haven't even realised she's gone.  But it all looked pretty stunning on the big screen.

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Also was at live relay in Nottingham. Osipova was superb, indescribably sublime. Gasping at her technique and acting.  Acosta well matched with her - lovely partnering and emotion between the 2. Rest of cast fabulous. Reeling, won't be able to sleep.......

great that u had a great time i was there but as there was so many ppl there did not get time to see u

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