zxDaveM Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 I was in attendance at the dress rehearsals, armed with the camera. So here are some photos :-)The Two Pigeons - Vadim Muntagirov, Lauren Cuthbertson© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / FlickrMonotones I - Yasmine Naghdi, Tristan Dyer, Emma Maguire© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / FlickrMonotones II - Edward Watson, Marianela Nunez, Valeri Hristov© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / FlickrSee more...Set from DanceTabs: RB - Monotones I & II, Two Pigeons Courtesy of DanceTabs / FlickrBy kind permission of the Royal Opera House 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Wonder why Bonelli's not in the cast for II this time? He, Nunez and Watson were very good together last time around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Looking forward to this tomorrow, though I must admit the first thing that the Monotones costumes brought to mind was Woody Allen's 'Everything you wanted to know about sex'. If you know the film you'll know the scene.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Ooooooooooh, Dave. Lovely. Thank you. Your photos of Two Pigeons capture the different moods of the piece wonderfully. And the photos of Vadim Muntagirov are simply gorgeous. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted November 18, 2015 Author Share Posted November 18, 2015 thanks Capybara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Looking forward to this tomorrow, though I must admit the first thing that the Monotones costumes brought to mind was Woody Allen's 'Everything you wanted to know about sex'. If you know the film you'll know the scene.. I remember that Sylvie Guillem once said she was asked to dance in Monotones, and refused for exactly the same reason. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 I remember that Sylvie Guillem once said she was asked to dance in Monotones, and refused for exactly the same reason. Really? I thought top dancers were supposed to transcend their costumes? (and the sexual orientation of their dance partners, for that matter, remembering that she famously said she wouldn't be able to dance with a gay Romeo because she wouldn't be able to believe in him onstage). 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Well, we are talking about Madame Non here! I wish I could find the piece on line, but I clearly remember that it was suggested that she appear in Monotones, and she said she would not do so unless they got rid of the caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Edward Watson's lines are superb 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Looking forward to this tomorrow, though I must admit the first thing that the Monotones costumes brought to mind was Woody Allen's 'Everything you wanted to know about sex'. If you know the film you'll know the scene.. Thanks for that! It hadn't occurred to me the last time the RB did Monotones, but now I'll never be able to un-see it... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) Over the years a number of Ashton's ballets while attracting approval for the quality of their choreography have been criticised for their designs or redesigns.If some of the comments here are anything to go by Monotones could well be the next Ashton work to have the "benefit" of a redesign.So far none of the redesigns of ballets by Ashton or Cranko have proved to be an improvement on the original designs however imperfect the originals were thought to be. It would be interesting to know what you could put in the place of the original designs for Monotones without destroying the mood of the two works.As Monotones 1,green and earthbound, was created as a contrasting companion piece to Monotones 2, a white celestial exercise in pure flowing line even changing the colour of the costumes would alter the audience's perception of the works. I think that the skull caps are intended to focus the audience's attention on the nature and quality of the dancers' movements rather than their gender.The standard Balanchine uniform for purely abstract works does not seem appropriate nor does the knicker and vest style of costume so loved by contemporary choreographers. I think that there is something wrong with set designs for Two Pigeons,or at least there was at the open rehearsal and the lighting was not quite right either.I shall be interested to know what other people, particularly those who remember the old Royal Opera House sets for this ballet, think. Edited November 18, 2015 by FLOSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 They already have changed the costumes for Monotones - the green trio used to wear more elaborate headdresses, like Phrygian caps. Can't think why they changed them - they looked fine and made a clear distinction between the twp groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted November 18, 2015 Author Share Posted November 18, 2015 In 'Pigeons' I think the lighting designer was very fond of magenta coloured gels, especially for gypsies! As for the bathing hats in monotones, they would be the only element I'd change myself. Everything else is near perfect and so meddle proof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) I prefer the look of the new headgear; I found the more elaborate ones distracting. I'd somewhat prefer to see what it looks like without the headgear, though, because I think it makes the costumes look like something out of a low-budget sci-fi TV series. Edited November 18, 2015 by Melody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 zxDaveM, I shall be sending you a large bill as the photos are so beautiful I've had to buy some more tickets.... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 They already have changed the costumes for Monotones - the green trio used to wear more elaborate headdresses, like Phrygian caps. Can't think why they changed them - they looked fine and made a clear distinction between the twp groups. The old-style headdresses are shown in this photo of ABT's Studio Company in 2004. It appears in Alastair Macaulay's NYT article of a month ago about Monotones. ©Andrea Mohin/The New York Times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Goodness, those pictures make it look as though the dancers have giant codpieces on their heads. Of course, it could just be the angle of the photo. I like the neat, clean lines of the current caps shown in Dave's lovely photos. I can't see anything wrong with them, personally. I can see the reasons for them, and the only alternative would be to have the men and women wear matching wigs. which would probably look very odd indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) Well, the show was terrific and had a wonderful, enthusiastic reception from the audience. The three leads (Cuthbertson, Muntagirov (who hardly leaves the stage) and Morera) were all on top form - as were the pigeons So nice that Christopher Carr (who was responsible for staging Two Pigeons) came on stage to take a bow and was receiving congratulations at the Stage Door afterwards. Edited November 18, 2015 by capybara 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Why have we had to wait 30 years for Two Pigeons? A wonderful evening, and for the first time since Friday night I felt happy, although a bit sad that London has been deprived of this ballet for so long! 2P was totally charming and enchanting, with the three leads all on scintillating form, as was Marcellino Sambe and every dancer on the stage. Perfect pigeons, too! This ballet is set in Paris, and Kevin O'Hare came out at the beginning of the evening to dedicate tonight's performance to all those affected by the tragic events there, an announcement that deservedly got a big round of applause. The beautiful performances were a very fitting tribute, and reminded us that the best side of humanity will always win over the evil side. Monotones 1 was my favourite of the two, with Yasmine Naghdi and Emma Maguire giving a fine rendition of this difficult choreography. 2 was greatly enhanced by the presence of Marianela Nunez, but I thought that Ed Watson and Valeri Hristov were a bit underpowered and not always to time. So for me, the girls carried the ballet this evening. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 (edited) London has seen performances of the Two Pigeons in the last thirty years the problem has been that the resident company at Covent Garden has chosen to ignore it. Ballet goers intrepid enough to make their way to the theatres at which Birmingham Royal Ballet/Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet perform have been able to see it from time to time and befor Gailene Stock's directorship it was often to be seen at the Royal Ballet School's annual main stage performance. The performance by last night's cast made the company's neglect of the work totally inexplicable. They have set the bar extremely high for the rest of the casts who are due to dance in it. It was very clear that the bulk of the audience had never seen it before. At the interval there were lots of people expressing surprise at how good the ballet is.A lady sitting next to me told me that she liked Ashton's ballets but had never heard of the work.Let us hope that the reviews stimulate interest and ticket sales. Edited November 19, 2015 by FLOSS 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I have seen BRB do it in London. I suppose I should have been clearer and asked why we have had to wait 30 years for this to be taken back into the London-based RB's repertoire. As Floss said, an inexplicable absence! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I have seen BRB do it in London. I suppose I should have been clearer and asked why we have had to wait 30 years for this to be taken back into the London-based RB's repertoire. As Floss said, an inexplicable absence! Importantly, we have it back now. Another lovely 'feel good' ballet - valued all the more in the midst of this strange old world. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Thanks, I logged on all agog to see what the view from the forum was- really looking forward to Tuesday even more now to see that cast- but also to seeing the next cast. The rehearsals on World ballet day certainly showed how hard Christpher Carr was working on this ballet- it sounds as if he has saved it for the repertoire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I am very much looking forward to the performance on 5th December evening. Fans of BRB have been so lucky to have seen this wonderful production so many times over the last 15 or so years. I have many happy memories of glorious performances - my 2 favourites being a Saturday afternoon in Birmingham with Nao Sakuma and Robert Parker and the same Saturday evening with Ambra Vallo and Chi Cao. What a day that was... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Janet, thank you for the correction, I meant the RB repertoire, of course. I shall be especially interested to hear what you think about how the new RB production compares to the BRB one . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I shall be especially interested to hear what you think about how the new RB production compares to the BRB one . Does it differ? I'd assumed they were borrowing BRB's sets for the duration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Does it differ? I'd assumed they were borrowing BRB's sets for the duration. Yes. There are new sets that have been "opened out". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulcinella Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 The Royal Ballet's set has always been slightly different to that of BRB. The stairs on the side of the studio are a lot higher and the "arch" with the draped cloth over it enables the dancers to go round it whereas their is no gap in the BRB set. If this sounds peculiar you'll see what I mean when you see the ballet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Oh, I see. Thanks. No wonder the ticket prices are so high, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Can't remember exactly when I saw The Two Pigeons before, might have been 30 years ago but as soon as I heard the music it all came back to me, last night's cast was as good as it gets, apart from Lauren Cuthbertson and Vadim Muntagirov whose dancing and charm I took for granted, I was so pleased to see Laura Morera and Marcelino Sambe on such great form too, made me realise just what a master choreographer Ashton was, and a relief after the Carmen bill, this time I felt real emotion, in fact I couldn't watch the last pdd through opera glasses, Lauren and Vadim and the two perfect pigeons were too much! Pleased that it got such a warm reception, especially for Christopher Carr! Monotones on the other hand has lost it's charm a bit, the white one felt rather heavy going instead of the "walking on the moon" feel it used to have, and the green one didn't have the Oriental quality I remember, think the Rhapsody programme will be even better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 (edited) As far as the Two Pigeons is concerned I thought that some of the lighting was more atmospheric than it used to be.In the first act the entrance of the Gypsy and her Lover was,I seem to recall,better lit as was the Young Man's return to his studio in act two.Was the gypsy encampment better lit? I seem to think that it was. I don't recall the RBS performances of act two being performed on quite such a darkly lit stage. I seem to recall the suggestion of dusk and darkness at the back of the stage but the beginning of the first scene, at least, being better lit. I don't think that I am "misremembering" the old Covent Garden production but after being beaten up by the gypsies did not the young man find himself being thrown out of the gypsy encampment through a door or gap in the fence,rather than wandering in from the wings? It was a much stronger entrance for his solo which is really there, in large part, to cover the dismantling of the gypsy encampment and setting up the artist's studio. Now all that needs to happen is that people are persuaded to buy tickets to see three ballets by one of the master choreographers of the twentieth century.It is far too easy to take a choreographer like Ashton for granted. He is dead,after all, and he made his ballets a long time ago in the dark ages of technique. After some of the offerings that have graced the stage recently it comes as a pleasant surprise to watch a programme of ballets made by someone who knew what he was doing theatrically and choreographically.Ashton had a complete understanding of how long a particular pas should last; how to make his dancers look good on stage;how to create characters and give them depth through classroom steps and natural un-balletic gestures;the need to modify the speed and the direction of movement during the course of a pas and finally how to tell a story. Why are his works given so little stage time at Covent Garden during the course of a season? Is it their apparent lack of seriousness,their lack of popularity with some dancers because they must never let the audience see how difficult the choreography is or fashion and the fear that comparison with acclaimed new works may reveal how threadbare the new works are? Edited November 19, 2015 by FLOSS 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted November 19, 2015 Author Share Posted November 19, 2015 As far as the Two Pigeons is concerned I thought that some of the lighting was more atmospheric than it used to be.In the first act the entrance of the Gypsy and her Lover was,I seem to recall,better lit as was the Young Man's return to his studio in act two.Was the gypsy encampment better lit? I seem to think that it was. I don't recall the RBS performances of act two being performed on quite such a darkly lit stage. I seem to recall the suggestion of dusk and darkness at the back of the stage but the beginning of the first scene, at least, being better lit. I don't think that I am "misremembering" the old Covent Garden production but after being beaten up by the gypsies did not the young man find himself being thrown out of the gypsy encampment through a door or gap in the fence,rather than wandering in from the wings? He did appear through a gap in the 'fence' thing, being manhandled by a couple of chaps, though it was quite near the wings The lighting was a bit gloomy wasn't it! I had been expecting it to be much brighter, not sure why. Perhaps expectation of a 'good-time' ballet, is that its bright and 'cheerful' on the whole... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Yes, he was definitely thrown through the door, with the rope around him still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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