Royal Ballet, Viscera / Infra / Fool's Paradise, November 2012

[alison]

The final rehearsal and first performance of this bill are today, so I've started this thread for discussion.

 

I don't suppose anyone's found out the running time yet? I don't imagine it'll be terribly long.

[AnneMarriott]

2 hours and 35 minutes (approx) including two intervals, according to the box office recorded information announcement.

For a first night I'm thinking two and three-quarter hours is probably nearer the mark.

[alison]

Thanks, Anne. I hadn't thought to try that approach - assumed that if the website wasn't showing it it wouldn't be anywhere else. Longer than expected, then.

 

BTW, a little grouch: when the ROH sends us reminder emails, is it really too much to ask for the "click here for casting" link to send us to the page with casting, rather than just the front page of the site?

[John Mallinson]

Viscera 20 mins

Infra 30 mins

Fool's Paradise 29 mins

+ two 30 min intervals

[aileen]

Two 30 minute intervals! Are the sets, lighting, costumes perhaps, very elaborate?

 

 

 

[Sim]

No, they want everyone to spend their money for as long as possible

[AnneMarriott]

It ran pretty much to time. I suppose it takes a while to set up and dismantle the Julian Opie installation for Infra so that could explain the two 30 minute intervals, but there was more interval than dancing, which can be a bit frustrating.

[zxDaveM]

It ran pretty much to time. I suppose it takes a while to set up and dismantle the Julian Opie installation for Infra

 

Actually, that's just hung from the ceiling like the wings or scenery - in the rehearsal we watched them set that up before the first piece started, so they just have to drop it into place and switch it on. And then reverse that ready for the next piece. I can't imagine it takes 30mins for either process - UNLESS it goes kaput!

[aileen]

Leaving the intervals to one side, what did people think of the evening?

[Bruce]

Liam Scarlett's piece seemed like 'standard' neo-classical with a Tryst (Wheeldon) pdd in the middle. Confident and competent work but still don't know what his voice is. Must have looked sharper on American dancers.

 

Infra: Opie animations are a continual distraction. There is some wonderful movement but somehow I never get drawn in to a deeper level - the movement caries no emotional tug. It's astounding, but all surface. Excellent to see Eric Underwood to the fore.

 

Wheeldon: The evenings triumph for me - effortless, deep and beautiful without being twee. Strong cast, great custom score and best designs of the evening too. And one of the best ever endings to a ballet.

 

Scarlett has a strong following so I suspect others will rate it higher. Pleased to say that Jann Parry is reviewing for DanceTabs so if you think I talk tosh you may do better there!

[mijosh]

I think that the two 30 minute intervals are just to give Yuhui Choe a breather; she's was in all three ballets!

 

Loved the evening,especially "Viscera".

[Ian Macmillan]

Just tripped over Sarah Crompton's 4* review (Telegraph) for tomorrow's Links:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/9652020/Mixed-programme-Royal-Ballet-Covent-Garden-review.html

[alison]

I'll say one thing: if she thinks there are only 8 dancers in Infra there's something wrong with her counting. And the picture of Leanne Benjamin and Eric Underwood used to illustrate only made me realise how much I missed Benjamin last night.

[Ian Macmillan]

The Royal Ballet has been much derided in recent years as sometimes not much more than a museum curator - I exaggerate a little but, for some, I think, not too much - so how odd to find that the archive piece in this latest Triple Bill is by the supposedly iconoclast McGregor and barely four years old. Reminds me of visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC on stopovers some 35 years ago, looking at Apollo capsules and the like and thinking, "Good grief, museum pieces already!"

[zxDaveM]

Some photos from the general rehearsal on Saturday. Fantastic dancing/choreography - horrible lighting (to photograph in)

 

Royal Ballet - Viscera (Fumi Kaneko)

© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

 

Royal Ballet - Infra (Dawid Trzensimiech)

© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

 

Royal Ballet - Fool's Paradise (Brian Maloney, Nehemiah Kish, Yasmine Nagdhi)

© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

 

See more...

 

Set on Flickr - Royal Ballet's early November triple bill

Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

By kind Permission of the Royal Opera House

[AnneMarriott]

Actually, that's just hung from the ceiling like the wings or scenery - in the rehearsal we watched them set that up before the first piece started, so they just have to drop it into place and switch it on. And then reverse that ready for the next piece. I can't imagine it takes 30mins for either process - UNLESS it goes kaput!

 

Crumbs - that's technology for you. I imagined all sorts of complicated electronic wizardry having to be wired in and out before and after the performance. Somehow the fact that it's pre-prepared and then simply hung from the ceiling makes it seem rather humdrum!

[Nina G.]

Even with horrible/difficult lighting to photograph in...the photos are still gorgeous Dave!

I really can't wait to see this cast in the Mixed Bill on Wednesday.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Nina G.

[Jan McNulty]

I'm there on Wednesday too!

[sonik1965]

looking forward to it

[Beryl H]

One of the good things about this triple bill is the different cast permutations, 2 for Infra and Fool's Paradise and 3 for Viscera, Laura Morera must be dancing different roles in this, plus the much cheaper prices. The only downside is that they have a similarity, this worked against Fool's Paradise for me on Saturday evening, also I saw it at SW and don't remember it being so "dreamy", only Steven McRae gave it more punch. I liked the central pdd for Viscera, danced to strange desolate sounds from the piano, not so keen on the outer movements, did look very much like Balanchine. Infra gets better every time I see it, really looking forward to the second cast, Dave's photos answered my question of who dances Eric Underwood's role - Dawid T!

 

 

 

 

[Ian Macmillan]

The critics are catching up this afternoon:

 

Clement Crisp, Financial Times

Judith Mackrell, Guardian

Zoë Anderson, Independent

[zxDaveM]

I certainly enjoyed this triple bill enormously.

Infra is easily my fave McGregor piece (out of several I like); the music is so emotionally engaging, could feel myself welling up whilst it was being played. The pdds in it are mesmerising, and the 'big walk' never fails to move me. Seeing the 'other cast' in the rehearsal freshened it up for me, so will look forward to seeing them in performance, as the 'main cast' were magnificent. Familiarity certainly hasn't bred contempt in this quarter, just a deeper appreciation and enjoyment of it.

Liam Scarlett's 'Viscera' flew by, and not just because it was only 20mins long. I really liked the fast bits that sandwiched a middle slow pdd, the choreographic response to the bright music (sparklingly played by Rob Clarke on the piano) was near perfection. The middle section did sag a little for me - here the music started out more akin to listening to a piano tuner, though once the melody kicked in it did improve. Intrigueing movement, but I still was wishing it along so the fast bit would come back.

The evening closes with Wheeldon's 'Fool's Paradise', which has interlinking pdds, and pas de trois segments, between 5 men and 4 women (and a cascade of falling petals in the background). As with most of Wheeldon's pieces for me, repeated viewing improves the experience, and so it was here.

 

Look forward to seeing them all again, and with changed casts.

[Nina G.]

I really loved "Infra"s other cast . I have seen the original cast with Melissa and Eric but this cast brought a lovely freshness to it. Loved it more now, compared to when I saw it first time around. It was danced by a younger cast, including the upcoming and recently promoted Yasmine Naghdi, Fumi Kaneko and Meagan Grace Hinkis. The Fumi/Dawid pdd was a joy to watch and Yasmine was stunning in the Finale pdd-with Johannes Stepanek. She was a hard act to follow dancing in Viscera, Infra and Fool's Paradise!Fool's Paradise was like a beautiful painting to me, lovely to just sit back and enjoy: Marianella simply beautiful as she always is (love her), she shared the stage with Leanne Benjamin and Yasmine Naghdi (loved the part when Leanne danced a "pdd" with Yasmine: the mature and the young ).I must admit I was greatly impressed with Yasmine and cannot wait to see her tackle even bigger roles. All in all a very enjoyable Mixed Bill (and very welcome during this overlong run of Swan Lake).

Edited November 9, 2012 by Nina G.

[Jan McNulty]

I saw the performance on Wednesday evening and tremendously enjoyed all three pieces.

 

I could recognise that Viscera had been made on a company grounded in Balanchine but I felt it had a softer edge to it than most of the Balanchine I have seen. I think Liam Scarlett has made a very attractive piece and I cant wait to see more of his work. I loved Laura Morera and Federico Bonnelli in this and Dawid Trzensimiech stood out from the crowd too.

 

I'm only just starting to get acquainted with Wayne McGregor's work. I loved Infra.

 

Fool's Paradise, for me, was a lovely frothy dessert on which to end a splendid evening of dance.

[Sim]

I saw the triple on Monday and really enjoyed it. I loved Viscera and so look forward to what our new young Artist in Residence has to give in the coming years. For some reason I much preferred Infra this outing to the last. Maybe this time I could relax more and not spend so much time looking wildly around the stage trying to ingest everything at once. The final pdd, with Richter's string music, was incredibly moving; indeed the woman sitting next to me had tears rolling down her cheeks at the end. Fool's Paradise was perfectly fine, but not my favourite piece of Wheeldon choreography....although who could forget the wonderful, final tableaux?!

 

What I really appreciated was the total contrast to Swan Lake; the Royal must surely have one of the most varied repertoires in the world, and that's what keeps me going to see them, year after year.

[Buddy]

I saw all the "Viscera" performances when they premiered last January with the Miami City Ballet in West Palm Beach and I enjoyed them very much.

[Beryl H]

I liked Viscera more the second time and am looking forward to seeing it again with yet another cast in the pdd, there is a good review in the Sunday Times plus a photo of Claudia Dean and Dawid T.

 

 

[Paul Arrowsmith]

I saw the performance on Wednesday evening and tremendously enjoyed all three pieces.

 

I could recognise that Viscera had been made on a company grounded in Balanchine but I felt it had a softer edge to it than most of the Balanchine I have seen. I think Liam Scarlett has made a very attractive piece and I cant wait to see more of his work. I loved Laura Morera and Federico Bonnelli in this and Dawid Trzensimiech stood out from the crowd too.

 

I'm only just starting to get acquainted with Wayne McGregor's work. I loved Infra.

 

Fool's Paradise, for me, was a lovely frothy dessert on which to end a splendid evening of dance.

 

 

Janet - wondering whether you were sitting in your preferred location at the front of the stalls?

 

Wondering how intrusive - or not - you found the design in Infra?

[Jan McNulty]

Paul,

 

I booked late on and was very lucky to find a single seat on the front row of the stalls, so yes I was in my preferred position! I didn't find the Infra designs in the least bit intrusive. Having read reviews over the last couple of years I was wondering how I would find it so I did give it some thought in the second interval. I think it's because I was sitting in the front row that I didn't find them intrusive - from this "low" position my eyeline was such that unless I specifically looked up (which I did occasionally) they were not in my sightline! Being a shortcake does have its advantages! I would be interested to see this work again from a different (higher) position to see if I did find the lighting figures intrusive.

[JaneL]

I saw Infra both from Stalls Circle Standing and from the amphitheatre and I have to say, seeing it from high up did give the bit where they all walk across the stage something especially moving. I didn't find the digital display distracting from either position. I actually really like it and the way it makes the dancing seem like it's underground or 'beneath the surface' of the seemingly calm pedestrians walking by.

[Paul Arrowsmith]

From the comments here, interesting that viewers are looking past the designs and able to concentrate on the choreography.

[alison]

I've never had a problem with the designs being intrusive, but then I don't think I've ever watched Infra from below amphi level. That was how it started out, and then it evolved into a sort of conscious decision because people down below did seem to find them rather intrusive.

[aileen]

I saw this programme tonight. I really enjoyed Viscera and it was my favourite ballet of the evening. For me, Scarlett is better at abstract ballets (this and Asphodel Meadows) than narrative ones (Sweet Violets and Diana and Actaeon) Laura Morera and, I assume, Leticia Stock (who was dancing with Nehemiah Kish) danced really well. There was a clear structure to the piece. Infra (which I hadn't seen before) was absorbing enough. The score and visuals really make the ballet. The choreography involved the usual extreme contortions of the dancers' bodies. I actually felt quite concerned about what some of the dancers, particularly Sarah Lamb, were required to do. The most striking part of the ballet was when all the dancers except one (who was left stranded and disorientated) were walking in the same direction under the people walking in the panels. I feel that I may have seen enough MacGregor choreography now (I've seen four ballets). Most of the costumes were hideous as usual. I can't get my head round that pants and t-shirt combo. Only Eric Underwood was wearing trousers (but was bare-chested). I had mixed feelings about Fool's Paradise. I found it a bit too long and it seemed to meander in parts when my interest waned. It all felt a bit inconsequential. It was not helped by its position (last) in the programme. After two quite vigorous ballets it felt a little twee and flat and this was reflected in the polite rather than enthusiastic applause which greeted it.