MAB

The joys of life in the public sector.

I clicked on the link imagining it would be something to do with the novel by Jean Rhys, but see now that it isn't. Aren't there copyright rules about titles?

Lembit Opik and George Galloway have been on shows of this type but neither was a serving MP at the time. She is not serving her consituents at all, simply making herself shedloads of cash whilst the poor devils that voted for her aren't getting represented. I hope she's sacked for turning the office of MP into a laughing stock.

It certainly is new with that colonial story line!

I think for many people the word respect is now tied up with the word 'intimidation', or at least it is in my corner of south London.

No. Much of the conducting was simply a parody of Tchaikovsky's music as far as I'm concerned.

The first RB production I saw was Helpmann's with the prologue and it was very handsome indeed. Eventually the company reverted to the production with the Leslie Hurry designs, a nice nod to the Co's heritage and I'm sorry they dropped it, but there is nothing I like about the current production and it should be replaced as a matter of priority. Alison, I know exactly what you mean about that Mikhailovsky Prince, the kindest thing one can say about him was that he was aping a performance style that is know (thankfully) out of fashion.

Cars with sound systems so loud you think WWIII has broken out, especially at 3am. Call centres, the ones staffed by poor English speakers are the worst. The security queues at airports. Junk mail Generic clothing stores (don’t people want to be individuals anymore?) Tattoos Pavements covered in chewing gum Mayonnaise Celebrity cultrure The Daily Commute because of………………people with blaring ipods; people having really loud conversations on their mobiles; women too lazy to get up in time to put their make-up on who splash foundation on you or flick blusher over you - particularly when you are wearing something pale; rucksacks swung into your face and people taking up two seats with their bags.

The exact dates given on the Bolshoi's web site are 29th July – 17th August 2013

May I ask what has become of Maina Gielgud and Rosalyn Whitten?

M & A is in the repetoire of the Mikhailovsky. Polunin fans may be interested to know that he is appearing with Shapran on Sunday 16th at the Herod Atticus in Athens, with several other RB dancers on the bill plus the Kirov's rarely seen Daria Pavlenko

Richard Addinsell: Warsaw Concerto from Dangerous Moonlight Arthur Bliss: Shape of Things to Come The Chieftains: Women of Ireland from Barry Lyndon

Baroque and Renaissance music are my great loves, but my CD collection is pretty wide, my favourite recording artists are Emma Kirkby and Andreas Scholl. In opera my preference is anything written before 1800 with Handel the supreme favourite, but I adore Puccini too and a couple of months ago made the pilgrimage to his former home in Lucca which was a wonderful experience. Being Irish I've a great love for the Chieftains, my favourite piece by them is 'Women of Ireland', the haunting theme of the film Barry Lyndon. Anjuli_Bai, Mozart wasn't the only composer to die in poverty, though by far the greatest; I like your idea of an annual requiem for him very much.

Last night the Floral Hall was being stripped of its fixtures and fittings before the audience had even left the building. A deep carpet in an unattractive puke-green colour has made an appearance in the amphi bar and corridor, not very good quality as bits were coming off all over it. Wonder who foots the bill for all this?

I thought they were still doing tours of the building, if they are the shop would be a nice earner. Do the profits from all this go to ROH or LOCOG do you know?

Mats Ek's Swan Lake featured a nude female Rothbart, so yes.

Not seen Wenlock and Mandeville?

Of the people I know that go to the ROH, and I lnow a fair number, not one of them would be likely to buy a piece of Olympic tat. This is one of those decisions that seem to defy logic.

John Taras, Christopher Bruce and (I think) Alan Carter.

Would like ENB to revive, Piège de Lumière, Swan Song, Witch Boy and Onegin,

Must be around forty years since they last did Job, though you sometimes see Satan's solo at Gala's etc. Very interesting work but I wonder if many people know this rather obscure biblical story today.

Absolutely no slur intended at all, but the fact that the majority of posts on the site concern the RB, leads me to view the site as RB fan based. I've been watching the RB since 1964 and have witnessed peaks and troughs; sadly the company doesn't currently occupy a peak. As to the pros and cons of guest artists, some companies are in more need of them than others and right now the RB is one of those that need them most.

If Rojo returns as guest then she's not entirely leaving and I imagine she won't break her dancing links to the company entirely. I appreciate that this is basically the fan site of the Royal Ballet, but perhaps it's time to recognize the actual limited ability of so many of the dancers compared with other companies. There is talent there to be sure, though some of it unacknowledged, but on the whole the company is in the doldrums. Perhaps the presence of a dancer like Osipov will act as some sort of spur.

Being a 'gold plated disaster' didn't stop Isadora making a return though did it?

Check out the date, it was written three years ago. I posted it because it gives a good idea of the rep the company dances, including it seems, M & A.