Aruna S

Interesting discussion. I lived in Bratislava some years back and apart from the city centre it's not very high on charm. If I may ask a related question, does anyone have experience with booking for the Stuttgart Opera House? I was looking at the Stuttgart Ballet site for Onegin, and it appears that you can't choose your seats other than selecting the price band. While this is also the case for the Paris Opera, at least there you get to see the seat being offered and the view from it before you commit to your purchase, here it seems to be that your allotted tickets are mailed to you and that's it. I am very hesitant to buy blind especially in a theatre I've never been to, but I'm also very keen to see Onegin. Am I doing something wrong or is there another website where it's possible to pick your seat?

No Bright Stream then? What a pity.

Thanks, everyone. Just wanted to be sure I was right to start my Bolshoi piggy-bank fund!

The ROH has posted an "infographic" of the 2012-2013 season on its Facebook page, and the Bolshoi isn't listed among visiting companies : http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151175859647579&set=a.10150297478337579.364782.6597757578&type=1&theater I'm wondering whether this is because the 'season' ends in July?

For me it was Romeo and Juliet with Rojo-Acosta, because it was a wonderful performance, because it was the fulfilment of a promise made to my son when he saw the dvd, and like Jane, in retrospect because it was the last time I'm likely to see them dancing it together. It's a lifetime personal highlight, both for me and for my son.

I loved The Turning Point and Flashdance too. Also the original Beatrix Potter film with Ashton dancing the part of Mrs Tiggywinkle. I remember a French film about a young dancer, with Maina Gielgud also, I think, but it was so long ago that I have no idea what it was called. And there was a Russian film about a Japanese ballerina from Hiroshima getting into the Bolshoi ballet, no prizes for guessing where the plotline went, but I remember it had some quite beautiful dancing from Romeo and Juliet. All that Jazz is another dance-related classic that never grows old, IMO. Black Swan is such a hideous travesty, I couldn't get through it.

I've just read this piece and am rather surprised by such a savage attack being made on someone who has given as much to ballet as Dame Monica has, and at the timing of this attack. Like Alison and Aileen I would like to know if there are facts to back up these claims, IMO tossing around accusations of racism and sexism like this is poor journalism. I think Dame Monica's comment that "Choreography is not a gender issue – it is an issue of talent” hits the nail on the head.

We saw it two years ago too, on the night Tamara Rojo danced Odette/Odile. It was a memorable performance and a spectacular production. But is this going to be the same one or a reworking by Duato?

Great news, I'm fully prepared to cut back on everything else and save up if Bright Stream is on the list. Is there a new Hochhauser website, btw? The one I'm subscribed to seems stuck in a time warp with the latest update showing as the BRB Nutcracker at the O2 in December 2011.

Alas, my computer chose this critical moment to have a nervous breakdown, and by the time I was able to get to the website all The Wind in the Willows performances I could have attended were either sold out or with unattractive seats. So that plan's gone west. Clearly it wasn't meant to be.

Stucha, thank you for the information, I adore Semenyaka and didn't know this DVD existed. It even seems to be available on Amazon, hurrah!

I have also only been in the more expensive seats because for me going there is a rare treat for which I'm prepared to splurge. You should be able to see the exact photoview from your seat when you select it, before you confirm purchase, perhaps that may help you to decide? I've usually been in the Orchestre section but the last time had seats in Balcon, and found the seats themselves significantly more comfortable and with more leg room as well as better views than the stalls.

Thank you so much! It was the bit with most of the dancing of Abderakhman's entourage and his own impassioned solo which I was sorry to have missed.

We lost part of the second act when the satellite connection froze, for 7 minutes according to the Pathe Live rep who was interviewed during the interval that followed. I thought it was a glitch that affected the transmission everywhere but if you had no hiccups that wasn't the case. It was indeed fabulous, a very good end to this season of telecasts. The new season looks wonderful, but with the again very poor turnout in my local cinema I'm not getting my hopes up.

I'm also looking forward to seeing what she'll do at ENB, but from a purely selfish point of view with a son who adores her, I'm glad she will be still dancing at the ROH now and then. The ENB doesn't publish casting in advance which makes planning really difficult.

When I saw it (live) it was the same story. I phoned ahead because we were travelling to another city to see it, and was assured there would be no problem with seats, in fact there were about 20 people in a large, empty hall. Not very encouraging for cinemas to go on screening ballets.

According to Svetlana Zakharova's website she should be dancing in Raymonda on 24th June. My local cinema says it's 3 hours and 45 minutes long!

Thank you very much, Paul, for posting that link, and Alison for writing that analysis. It was a fascinating read. I think the handkerchief over the face is a brilliant touch and very effective, as is the bumping down the stairs. I loved Nunez's Lise, both live and recorded, and saw Collier's (on video) quite a while ago so I'm off to watch the two DVDs again.

I've just checked out the new site and had no problems logging in. The home page looks a lot less cluttered, and I like the way the number of seats available is shown next to each date when you start booking, no more clicking on buy now to find that the performance is sold out. I'm also very pleased by the photo view. BUT I still haven't figured out how to find casting info for the mixed bill which should be easily accessible. At first glance it seems that the pages for individual dancers - also a quick and useful source of casting info - have disappeared

The interview is particularly interesting. She is very, very brave, and very focussed. ENB is lucky to have her.

Wow. I'm just shocked. Didn't see that coming, although I *had* wondered whether she would take over from Monica Mason. The very best of luck of course in her new role, but I do hope she will still perform. She will, won't she? Please?! And I'm so glad we managed to see her last RB Juliet.

My feelings exactly. As a specific example, I remember reading a rather negative Arts Desk review about Sylvia with Marianela Nunez a few days before I went. After I'd seen the performance I really wondered whether we'd seen the same production. I have absolutely no credentials as an expert or critic, but as someone who loves ballet I thought it was a charming production and Nunez was brilliant. I'm now reading the triple bill reviews, and all I can say is, based on the rehearsal footage, I would give almost anything to be able to see Sweet Violets. If wishes were horses...

No, I'm in Italy. I've been wanting to see Aurelie Dupont live for the longest time, and with the POB's policy of announcing casting at the last minute when there are no more tickets, this looked like a perfect opportunity. She was wonderful, but it was a pity that Dorothee Gilbert, who was originally cast as Gamzatti, was injured.

I've just booked ENB's Nutcracker

It's the extras and seeing close-ups that attract me more to the cinema broadcasts. Also that little unimportant aspect of not having to deal with flights, hotels etc to get to the ROH :-) Sadly R&J was not showing anywhere near me, but the POB's La Bayadere was. There were no extras at all, just the view of the audience during the intervals. The Opera Bastille looks like a soulless and depressing venue, never been there so I have no idea of its technological or other virtues but I think I'll stick to the Garnier. I wonder if there's any chance of R&J being repeated, Giselle, which was broadcast live in January 2011 IIRC seems to be getting a lot of repeat outings.