Birmingham Royal Ballet: Carmina Burana & Serenade, London, March 2015

[capybara]

I have tried in vain to match the casting for this afternoon's rehearsal with the dancers listed for the actual performances. Please can anyone help identify the leads?

[zxDaveM]

was at the dress rehearsal but only for Carmina burana. Here are a few pics....


BRB: Carmina burana - artists of the company
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr


BRB: Carmina burana - Jaimie Bond and Elisha Willis (with Maureya Libowitz, Angela Paul, Laura Purkiss)
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr


BRB: Carmina burana - artists of the company
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

See more...
Set from DanceTabs: BRB - Carmina burana
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

[capybara]

The BRB Friends didn't get to see many dancers in costume, alas. But the rehearsal was very enjoyable nevertheless.

[alison]

Were they doing what ENB sometimes do, and just having one dancer in a specific costume, in order to check the lighting?

[Quintus]

I went to the performance last night, primarily for the Carmina Burana.  First time I've seen it and the production was a bit of a curate's egg for me - excellent in parts, rather pantomime in others. It's clearly designed to be a crowd pleaser and verges towards 'West End show'. I had a rather rollercoaster response; at times I was thinking 'this is a show with some simple ballet in it, rather than a ballet', and then it would redeem itself in the next song.  I didn't like Floret Silva with all the chairs business, and which didn't need ballet dancers to execute it really, but then ironically I did like the roasting swan, which was full of  business.  Overall, glad I went but also glad i didn't pay for an expensive seat.  First time in the Coli balcony too and was wound up by that wretched safety rail that obstructs the view from pretty much anywhere. Take the damn thing off - the loss of an occasional punter over the edge would be worth risking!

[alison]

That's why they're supposed to make the tickets cheaper - grrrrrr!!

[Don Q Fan]

I have never seen Carmina Burana  but have no idea what it is about - anyone help me out?  It looks great from the photos so am tempted to go to Brum in June to see it.

[Jan McNulty]

It was created using Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.  Here is a link to the Wikipedia entry for that piece of music.

 

The ballet opens with Fortuna, Empress of the World and moves on to follow the fortunes of three seminarians.

 

The first Seminarian covers the In Spring and In the Meadow sections - he is naive.

 

The second (raging) Seminarian cover the In the Tavern section

 

The third Seminarian is In the Court of Love (with Fortuna).

 

This was David Bintley's first creation when he became Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1995.  I was there at the first night, loved it then and love it still!  It's very colourful but it does seem to divide opinion.  Do come to Birmingham Don Q!!!

[Don Q Fan]

Thank you Janet that's great. I think I shall have to it looks good! Will check dates etc...

[alison]

Depending on your age, you may recognise some of the music from the Old Spice advert ...

[toursenlair]

Well, here's an interesting statement from Jann Parry's review in Dancetabs:

"Carl Orff, Bintley and his designer, Philip Prowse, know how to work on an audience’s sensibilities, stunning most of its members into compliant enjoyment."

 

So, wait. She makes this sound like a BAD thing. How dare they, composer, designer, choreographer, create something enjoyable? Shocking that they should be such professionals that they know how to communicate with an audience. (and how does she know that the rest of the audience -- not her, of course -- are "stunned"?)

[Paul Arrowsmith]

The company is on magnificent form. Carmina was a big hit with Friday's audience. A tremendous roar of approval at the end. Wonderful theatre thought my guest.

 

 

William Bracewell, Joe Caley and Tyrone Singleton were an excellent trio of seminarians, neatly characterised and danced with enormous physicality. Ex Cathedra was the impressive choir. Bintley's always inventive choreography here was seen to great advantage on the wide Coliseum stage.  

[Jillykins]

Well what a contrast to the start of the week with two a Swan Lakes! I had a perfect seat in the dress circle and really enjoyed being able to see the faces of the dancers. I enjoyed Serenade, a competent and pleasant performance. I love the way the flowing costumes compliment the choreography. Carmina Burana , new to me, left me confused. I loved the colour,the music and enjoyed the dancing. Would I want to see it again? I don't know but hope to at some future date. The evening left me pleasantly relaxed but not stimulated. I don't know why.

What a contrast, not part of this thread but I have to comment own last nights Insight lead by Hotesh Shechter in the Clore. I find a lot of modern dance not to my taste but am thrilled to find I am moving with the times. What a wonderful evening, I am so looking forward to the first performance next Friday. The four Young men working with Hotesh were nothing less than magnificent. I will watch out in future for the young man called Luca.

What a wonderful week, highlights film with Osipova who manages to portray her feelings to the amphi and Hortesh with his enthusiasm and talent.q

[Coated]

I think what I will take away from this BRB stint in London is that I luuurve Celine Gittens, hate oversized clown suits and am not a fan of dancicles.

 

I saw them Thu and Sat night and really appreciated the corps in Serenade both times, I thought they looked better than any recent Serenades I'd seen elsewhere. Whilst the leads didn't leave a deeply memorable impression apart from Gittens, I enjoyed their performances on both nights. On Thursday I was trying to spot Celine Gittens, who for some reason I decided to remember as having light brown hair. Couldn't see her, but was mesmerised by a beautiful dark haired dancer. Saturday I finally figured out that it was her all along in Thursday's Serenade. Her Fortunata made bits of Carmina watchable for me on Saturday, but I won't regret not seeing it again (preferably ever). However, I was blown away by the choir - literally on Saturday, sitting about a meter away from the baritones and practically feeling the wind in my hair when they went for it. I'm a little deaf now, but it was worth it.

[Two Pigeons]

Celine rocks! Especially when she is dancing with Tyrone. Long may they continue.

[Bruce Wall]

I too much admire the provocative Ms. Gittens, even when embodied, as she so devotedly was last night at the Coliseum, inside the large (albeit substantively hollow) frame of Bintley's Carmina burana.  Bintley's is a piece of entertainment by way of the Great White Way rather than a ballet proper; one where semaphore - be it either of a practical or metaphorical nature - plays a crucial role.  Its tin proclaims all.  It is almost Brechtian. Gittens gallantly riveted beyond demand.  In her final pas her tongue was literally - and wisely - caressing its cheek.  Her partner, the svelte Mr. Singleton was happily more than decorous as the third seminarian 'sick with love' whilst Mr. Bracewell's frenetic 'naive boy', Joseph Caley's thronging 'boiling rage' - forever on dry spin - and most especially - the wonderfully winsome Momoko Hirata's toying 'lover girl' were - each in their own way - pleasantly alluring.  There can be no question but that this piece was a mass.  For me what real variety there was present was indicated by the product of its shrewdly savvy scenic makers.  How wonderful to be reminded of Philip Prowse's prowess as vividly rendered here on his - as ever - broad canvas.  It was oh, so akin to those art-form-altering-designs he stunningly effected in the 70's and 80's for the vivid Glasgow Citizens' Theatre.  (Their memory even now is buoyed via enduring admiration in the imaginative work of Lez Brotherston, Bob Crowley, etc..)  Certainly that aspect I found transportive as was the rich baritone of William Dazeley in his clear sequential depiction of the Latin text.  

 

Balanchine's Serenade is, of course, an entirely different kettle of fish and I think Jillykins has well defined this BRB take as being 'competent'.  Sadly some of the exactitude necessary in travelling 'through the music' - so crucial here - was lacking on this occasion.  It is just that which oft gives this magnum opus its rightful glow; one which can so easily and magically elevate.  Miki Mitzutani as the fast (sometimes called 'Russian') girl made a brave stab - and appeared to be much more comfortable with both the speed and off-balance elements than many others aside her.  That said her efforts certainly fell short of that glory exhibited in this role in London by either NYCB's Ashley Bouder in her brilliantine bedazzlement at this address in 2008 or Osipova's brave insight during the last RB outing at the ROH.  Iain Mackay in the final 'Dark Angel' movement was by some distance the better overall male partner in last night's BRB Serenade.

Edited March 22, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[Two Pigeons]

I see that the review in the FT mentions the dark 'lighting' for Serenade. Good to realise that we oldies with imperfect vision and a desire to see the dancers ars not alone.

[Barnes2]

Views on this double bill seem mixed. All I can say is that I saw the Rehearsal and all 4 performances and thought the whole evening was stunningly good.

I do not agree with those who felt the corps in Serenade lacked cohesion. I thought it was in excellent form (so did the Evening Standard and the gentleman behind me in the Stalls who loudly expressed his view that the Corps was exceptionally good) and I was pleased that the piece was taken at a proper pace. In the two casts Gittens (of course!) Hirata, Willis, Mitzutani were all excellent. Pirouettes were finished with sweet perfection, jumps were light and the whole thing had drive and real NYCB energy.

 

Carmina Burana was marginally better with the second cast, though Singleton and Mackay were both in terrific form  in The Court of Love. Joseph Caley threw himself into Boiling Rage with extraordinary technique and real passion, which Dingman nearly nearly matched at his second performance. Samara Downs was terrifying as Fortuna but Gittens gave it an extra layer of cruel sensuality which was devastating. William Bracewell in Spring had a wonderful innocence which, allied to his gorgeous seamless flowing technique,was very moving.

The whole company performed with total commitment and disciplined energy.

 

It is a real pity that Birmingham Hippodrome cannot accommodate the musical forces that the Coliseum can.

 

I think a lot of nonsense is talked about David Bintley's production and choreography. He creates a real unity out of this succession of songs, and his choreography makes constant, and clever, reference to the words of the songs, sometimes directly, sometimes tangentially and the movement is always just so musically right. The pas de deux for Fortuna and the 3rd Seminarian is beautiful and very sensual and that for Boiling Rage full of inventiveness and physical excitement. I wish some people, some critics would realise that this isnot meant to be  another Swan Lake, or a Beauty And The Beast. It is a real piece of dance theatre, a modern morality, entirely contemporary and deeply felt.

 

On my way home via Tube and Train I experienced something quite novel. People carrying programmes of the evening engaged each other in conversation like people who,having experienced something wonderful,needed to share in that experience with others. That has never happened to me before in 54 years of ballet-going and it was extraordinarily moving.

 

There was in the Critics an element of the usual Metropolitan patronising of anything not emanating from London, but the audience reaction in the theatre and the lasting impression the evening seemed to leave with that audience showed that thishad been an evening of moving and powerful theatre. Well done and thanks BRB.

 

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks for this Barnes - you are so descriptive I almost felt as though I was there!  Hope to see you in Birmingham at the end of June!

[serenade]

I really enjoyed this show.  I love the BRB and I went to see this a few days after my Swan Lake and £96 down the drain disaster and was so happy to watch something so enjoyable.  Serenade is one of my favourites (obviously haha) but I'd never heard of Carmina before.  Although Serenade was definitely my favourite part of the evening the music from Carmina totally blew me away.  I had heard some of the famous parts before but it was incredible hearing it live sung through.  I downloaded it as soon as I got home!  I have to admit I liked the music more than the ballet itself as I wasn't a big fan of the choreography (although I really love some of Mr Bintley's choreography, Still Life for eg is one of my favourites) it was still a great evening. 

[tabitha]

One of the best BRB performances I have seen. The Company was on top top form! Loved seeing them at the Coliseum, shame it doesn't seem like we will see them there again according to David Bintley's interview.