Beaker

1 hour ago, alison said:

I recall the late Clement Crisp saying in print that the Watson/Benjamin cast of Different Drummer was so good that it "demands to be filmed".  Unfortunately, it never was - I guess 2008 was just that bit too early - but at least we will get some sort of record of the ballet.  But talking of missing the boat, I've said it before, but Requiem with Benjamin and Acosta really ought to have been filmed, and it was done more recently than 2008.

Was that the 2012 one @alison? I think Nunez was also in it? It’s was truly sublime. I recall I was heavily pregnant at the time so hormonal and was completely stunned and reduced to tears at the end. 
 

I think it was also on with Las Hermanas wasn’t it? 

1 hour ago, OnePigeon said:

Yes she did, I have the cast list for one of their performances.  Sadly, I was too ill to attend that night and gave the ticket to my sister, who bought me a programme 😭.

I’m not sure if that is kind or not @OnePigeon! 
 

It was one of my first times at the ROH - but I recall even as a newbie I enjoyed Morera so went and looked at the programme to remember who she was. 

I’m pretty sure I saw Morera dance DC with Kobborg in that triple as one of the casts @alison

@SwanLA65 - thank you from me too!

@capybara - thank- you this is what I was trying ( and failing!) to express. When the acting is truly at one/through the dance it is something so special. Watching it can make you feel as if you understand the character completely in that moment. 

38 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

I sometimes wonder whether an unspoken reason why ADs do this is to discourage people from arriving late or leaving early to skip it.

Quite possibly! I certainly wouldn’t like to end on it. 

Thank you @alison - yes that was it! I wanted to see a number of casts for the other ballets so ended up seeing way too many A Different Drummer, I think it was the middle ballet as well. I may even have sat one out in the foyer as I couldn’t take another! I find it such an unsubtle and heavy handed ballet and that it tips over the line which many MacMillan ballets stray close to for me ( it’s treatment of Marie in particular).

sorry totally off topic there! 
 

I see it’s the middle ballet in the Macmillan triple again! 

As I mentioned previously I am coming back to ballet after a number of years. I ended up seeing this with Campbell/Hayward on both the Saturday and this Friday ( it quickly got its hooks into me!). 
 

One thing that really struck me as I said re swan lake is the depth and breadth of the whole company now. The corps, soloists are all dancing beautifully. It really feels like a world class company at the peak of its powers. 
 

I love Manon and always tend to book it for Des Grieux as much as ( if not more than) Manon. For me he is the emotional heart of the story, the one who changes the most. I also find his choreography one of the best examples of the steps themselves saying everything, when danced well the acting is truly through the dance. Others have said it way better than me but I found Alexander Campbell had such artistry in the role, so much depth and compassion. I actually particularly loved his Act 2, that he shows the frustration and anger at Manon who continues to want the riches - one of the tragedies of course being that Manon can never be the person he wants her to be, she does stay true to herself, and that moment after his outburst when he pulls her back apologising. I was really deeply moved by him ( and feel genuinely sad I missed the middle part of his dancing career!).

For me Manon ( and Lesceut) are survivors in a difficult world. Manon knows that riches are the way to survive, I always tend to see her and her brother as a team, with disdain for those around them. I actually think in many ways her brother is her true love for much of the ballet and the person who fully knows her. I loved Hayward’s grief when he died, the way she ran to him when injured and reached out. To my mind his death and her descent into poverty are what breaks Manon - she has become what she always feared and fought against. 
 

47 minutes ago, capybara said:

I have other comments for the parallel thread but I wanted to say what a pity it was that, last night, the Ushers began to throw flowers so soon after Manon and Des Grieux had stood up after their heart-rending pas de deux in the swamp. 
 

I don’t think that I was alone in needing to stay in the story (as usual), with a brief drop of the curtain drawing a close to the story and a start to the celebrations. 

It is funny you should say this as I also felt this - it didn’t really matter in the bigger scheme of things but I’d have appreciated a quick curtain drop as it was quite jarring to come out of the ballet. 

@Emeralds - I agree danses concertantes can be quite quirky and fun and I really like Requiem a lot when danced well ( and love the music), albeit it is somber. 
 

Have to say even as a huge MacMillan fan I don’t particularly like A Different Drummer, and find it a bit disturbing ( I think it was on a bill with a ballet I must have liked a lot some years ago as I recall seeing it more than once! And even Ed Watson and Leanne Benjamin couldn’t get me to see the value in it! 
 

Will keep my fingers crossed for a return of the Firebird at some point!

Thanks @Emeralds - NB R&J does sound like a good option, I’ve never seen it so helpful to hear it is well done. And May half term would work well. As he is so into drama he may very well prefer more of an ‘acting/clearer story’ ballet ( I mean thinking about it I actually do too for full length!)

Also good point on pricing too - takes the pressure off a bit if he doesn’t like it. 

What he particularly wants to see is a ballet to Stravinsky - in particular the Firebird - as he studied the music a bit at school and really loves it - which did surprise me!
 

It has been a long time since I’ve seen it ( think it might even have been 2009 with Benjamin/Watson). 

@OnePigeon - this is true that it could potentially end up very expensive! 

Im impressed by your eldest @Fiz - my eldest has ADHD and don’t think he could sit through a ballet ( although Tbf he could a football match) 

As a complete aside ballroom and Latin has been fab for a boy like him - lots of spangles and sparkles, but boys a rare commodity so much admired by all the girls! And some really great role models in the dance teachers - particularly the males.  It is also incredibly complex with steps and everyone having their own individual version of each dance. 

I can actually imagine that about R&J @Paco - and I truly fell in love with ballet via MacMillan. Also because he does acting (his other request has been to go and see Shakespeare this year). He’s quite into embracing what would have been termed his ‘feminine’ side in times gone by so luckily don’t have to worry about him finding anything ‘too girly’ ( my eldest is the compete opposite and most definitely would not go to the ballet!)

Yes I would have loved to take him to Fille ( ideally with Nunez dancing 😁).

I think I will try and get stalls circle A ( and use the voucher I have as a gift). As a shortie this is where I like to sit and as mentioned he will want to see the feet I’m sure. 
 

Tbh I will enjoy it even if he doesn’t so at least there’s that!

@Lindsay yes, exactly that. As someone ‘coming back’ it’s really very striking the difference. 

Thanks Sim 😊

I also saw this and can’t really add much to everyone else’s comments.

One thing I would say is I haven’t been to any ballet for the last 11 years, having previously been a very regular attendee shall we say. I was really struck by how Marianela Nunez has developed her artistry in this period - she was always a beautiful dancer, but I was blown away by how much ‘more’ she has become ( also with a partner who matches her so perfectly). 
 

The other - and I noticed this in Manon on Saturday as well - is that the corps and actually all the dancers are so much more consistent from when I last went. There is a greater depth to the dancing, which as a viewer leads to a confidence when watching and a greater ability to totally lose oneself in the dance. 

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses - much appreciated 

1 hour ago, PeterS said:

As a way to introduce children to live ballet you might consider:

 

English National Ballet and English National Ballet School’s

My First Ballet: Swan Lake

4 – 13 April 2024 at Sadlers Wells 

 

followed by a visit to the Royal Ballet in May or June to see the full length production if your son is hooked. ENB are also doing Swan Lake in the Round at the Royal Albert Hall in early June. 
 

Thanks so much Peter - this looks great 

Yes Fiona this is my memory too! He has already been in the foyer of ROH and was wowed by it so I’m hoping he loves the whole experince. 

The marketing department at ROH is relatively underfunded. Like a lot of organisations their focus ( for good or bad) will largely be on attracting new ( and younger audiences), plus taking into account requirements from various funding streams. 
 

Appreciate lots of people ( possibly correctly!) think the marketing they do isn’t great, but it isn’t done without thought ( for example using rehearsal photos will have been done to appeal to a certain demographic). 
 

This doesn’t of course mean they can’t be criticised for the approach they take - but it is a deliberate approach. 

Thanks Sim

I think I will book - as he does ballroom he is very interested in the choreography and suspect he will want to watch the feet so just need to find a good view seat now! Suspect this will be an expensive trip but worth it if it opens the world of ballet watching to him ( fingers crossed!).