MAB

The arts in the US ARE subsidized - by wealthy individuals that get substantial tax breaks in return for their generosity, take a look at US ballet programmes and you will discover that that form of sponsorship even extends to sponsoring individual dancers. Of course sponsorship exists in Britain too but nowhere on the same scale. And by the way, are you aware that the US is the only major country that doesn't have a National Theatre? Sponsorship only extends so far. Perhaps it would be a better idea to compare the situation with that in Europe where the arts are taken more seriously - govenment funding is never an issue there.

No subsidies = vastly diminished audiences, therefore the arts in this country will die, all we will have will be the tacky east European touring groups and Glyndebourne. Is that what you really want?

Marieve, post 108, made the point succinctly: the company exists to perform for British audiences. If the criteria for receiving public money is to exclude non Brits (which would by the way be illegal) then it would be bye bye Royal Ballet too.

The O/P seems to only regard British dancers worth watching. The only form of dance I am familiar with danced solely by Brits is actually Morris dancing. Again a statement of truth.

I stated the truth, what is childish about that?

Agreed. As they say in the world of football 'the boy done good'.

It is British because it is a British company founded in Britain by British dancers Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin some 60-odd years ago. Ballet is an international art, if you don't like it go and watch Morris dancing.

"Simple Russian people", "fading ballet stars". You are very free with your insults, Clarissa.

This gets ever stranger, they stiched up his eyes to prevent damage while they were operating to restore his face? Surely the priority would have been his eyes?

How about some of the successes from the back catalogue? Night Shadow, Piege de Lumiere, Witch Boy, Le Tricorne, Swan Song could all be revived, it always seems to me a pity to disregard a company’s heritage.

Not waste money on advertising that doesn't work for a start and rethink Corsaire as the majority don't read Byron and would have no idea what a corsaire was. How about re-naming it Pirates of the Aegean? That might do the trick.

The Ecstasy and Death programme was two thirds made up of ballets already in the rep, the ugly posters campaign was a ghastly expensive error and virtually the whole audience was sitting in 'special offer' seats. As for Corsaire - if that puts bums on seats outside of London I'll be very surprised. So no, don't agree with previous post.

It's not really that many when you consider that just about every company has a production of R& J and some actually have two or three.

ENB has given performances at Sadlers Wells in the past but the seating capacity is only 1,500 compared with 2,350 at the Coliseum. I know a ballet fan who won't go to the Wells as it is too difficult to get to in her opinion. The Coliseum is very central though and has terrific sight lines unlike the god-awful ROH.

You are quite right, Ivan Vasiliev's 'breakneck style' would not fit in with the Royal Ballet.

I hope Dmitichenko does get bail; with no previous offences to his name it was inexplicable he wasn't offered it in the first place, clearly the Russian system is different from the UK.

Have a care when booing a villain, I heard of a singer in Hansel & Gretel reduced to tears after she was booed as the witch at Covent Garden. On the other hand the Kirov's Islom Baimuradov told me he LOVES it when his Carabosse is booed. Many years ago I booed a conductor who completely sabotaged a ballet performance, but that's it, though the most boo-worthy thing I ever saw was a Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne where the main design feature was a pile of excrement and the last act 'feast' was a dead horse whose innards were pulled out and eaten. Lots of boos and cries of 'Shame', rather annoyingly I had a bad throat that day or I would have booed as loudly as possible.

Wonderful news for us Putrov fans but spare a thought for poor Yonah Acosta, another victim of the great visa cock-up at ENB.

I can't get that performance of Giselle out of my mind, totally unique, not like a performance at all more like watching an actual tragedy being played out. Novikova was so unearthly in the second act and her balon made it seem as if the stage was a trampoline. Sarafanov was superb all through and the final moments as he lay beside her grave beating his fists on the ground in anger and frustration at his loss........... what an artist! He would be a great asset should the RB care to consider him, but Novikova too could bring a lot to the company and don't forget they are two female principals down at present. She is not among the 'favoured few' at the Kirov, but if I wrote here about how I consider the company to be seriously mis-managed I would probably earn my first public warning!

Surely if she dances Don Q. it would be with Acosta.

Why is Tsiskaridze not listed?

Yes, but Polunin knew exactly what Schaufuss's stock in trade was when he signed up for this. Unless he is injured (and there is no mention of injury) then he should have honoured his commitment to dance. End of.

This may be the final nail in the coffin of any hopes he might have of an international career, To walk out on one company is bad enough, but to walk out on two.... If I were a director looking around for a guest artist I'd choose someone reliable.

A dancer I adored. My trips to the RB will be decreasing after this.

Irmgard, I saw the two different casts last time around and I remember they brought more drama to the ballet than last night which was for me little more than gratuitous bravura. There were clips of Nureyev dancing this on TV a week or so ago and he was both elegant and more exciting in my view. Perhaps it is all a question of approach. Glad you mentioned Sabina Yapporova (I love that girl) and Oksana Bondareva as both danced quite beautifully, even with such strong competition as Osipova on stage.