Scheherezade

They would but that was definitely being put about during the run this time last year so let’s hope that Dawnstar is right about a reprieve. 

I would also like to say thank you to Sebastian for providing, as always, such a clear and informative explanation. 
The problem that I have turns on the increasing confusion between emotion (a genuine response which can be beautifully defined by pure dance and I see this as idiomatic emotionalism) and sentimentality (a contrived representation of what is supposed to express intense feeling, which I see as very much a 21st century disease and, in this context, non-idiomatic emotionalism). 
I am not convinced that characterisation in itself robs classical ballet of its authenticity. The dancers that truly touch us do characterise, albeit by dint of the sheer beauty of their movement and interpretation of the music, and without this the art form would be reduced to a series of sterile tableaux that we cannot connect with in any way beyond that of an intellectual exercise but this is not the same as the over-emoting that inevitably accompanies the merciless onward march of sentimentality in life and in art. 

If we take idiomatic emotionalism as the language we associate with a particular branch or style of an art form, that implies that any deviation from a purely intellectual interpretation  is non-idiomatic, and I get that, it may be emotionally engaging but it’s inauthentic, but where does the response of the audience member come in?

10 minutes ago, Geoff said:

No more guessing, no more assumptions about "Maoism", no more gossip or backstage rumour. The Arts Council has just issued a lengthy report telling us what it thinks about opera (spoiler alert, basically the Arts Council hates opera). Their report can be accessed here:

 

Lets Create_Opera and Music Theatre Analysis_Full report.pdf

 

I can't claim to have read the whole thing yet but I notice with a smirk that one of those involved is a well-known dodgy person operating inside the arts, who was once characterised in print as "the worst executive I have ever dealt with". So the Arts Council clearly chose carefully when putting together their team of writers and advisers. 

 

For those who would like a quick guide, the Observer newspaper has an article about the report out today:

 

In the name of anti-elitism, Arts Council England has declared war on opera and excellence | Catherine Bennett | The Guardian

 

 

I felt too depressed about it all to even

comment. 
 

Is there any hope that all-things-to all-men Keir and opera-loving, two homes Ange will do things any differently?

I rather wish I was going but the wrong time and date for me. 

46 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

The last rumours I heard on opera Twitter was that it was going to be scrapped but then got reprieved. I suppose we'll only know for certain when/if it reappears. Fingers crossed...

Fingers very definitely crossed! 

Well I would take non-idiomatic emotionalism as meaning a natural response, not something informed by any sort of preconception of what you’re supposed to feel, so - I think - along the same lines as @Linnzi5 but what do I know? I think we need a dictionary corner here. Anyway, if it is a natural response to what you experience, I would imagine that would be pretty much impossible from your restricted view seat, Dawnstar. 

56 minutes ago, Balletbloke said:

Sorry Geoff, but you'll have to explain what "non-idiomatic emotionalism" is.

44 minutes ago, Geoff said:

Have to? Well, perhaps it would be interesting to see what other people understand by what I wrote. For those with an interest in Petipa and Ivanov I don‘t think it is obscure. 

6 minutes ago, Balletbloke said:

Well that leaves me none the wiser.

Perhaps if you ask @Geoff what, precisely, he means by non-idiomatic emotionalism rather than what other people understand by what he wrote, @Balletbloke …

Am I wrong in thinking that the rather thrilling ROH Turandot, has gone the way of so many of its other wonderful productions and now seen its last due to cultural stereotyping and the outdated notion that spirit-crushing, non-contextual greige productions are the way forward? How much longer can the current Butterfly last?
 

On which note, my booking for later on in this run is entirely down to Asmik Grigirian’s casting as Butterfly, which I see the critics are singularly raving about. Did she do it for you, @JennyTaylor?

My thoughts: the weakness in Act 4 revolves almost entirely around the lack of agency given to Siegfried. This apart, there is a strong religious thread running through Act 4. We have the ascendancy of the swans over evil/Von Rothbart, the resurrection of Odette’s spirit representing the ultimate victory of good over evil through sacrifice and death, and the return of her mortal, human body in death, emphasising the difference between human frailty and betrayal with unconditional love and eternal life. I don’t think that Siegfried’s contrition is anywhere near enough but if he were to take more of an active part in the defeat of Von Rothbart, the ending would ultimately feel far more satisfying and this would perfectly carry the swell of the closing part of the score. 

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

Swan Lake at its best is not so much emotional as transcendent, which is ultimately even more powerful. 

I find the Tchaikovsky score in itself transcendent (and I think that’s such an accurate description, Bridie).

1 hour ago, capybara said:

I rather think that it is the coaches who are in luck with the extraordinary talent now at the top of the RB.

A happy confluence, I'd say.

Just read this, Blossom, and glad to see that your tickets have been snapped up. Thanks so much for asking and, yes, I am sorted. Should have confirmed sooner. 

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

Both practices are fine with me as long as the portrayal is convincing. And there’s no reason why a GM can’t be Siegfried the following week if he has the technique for it. 

Absolutely. It all turns on the portrayal and the technique. 
 

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

a shoutout for the excellent trio of Leo Dixon, Taisuke Nakao and Joonhyuk Jun as the three young gentlemen in Act 2 on 8 March, who had beautifully complementary lines and positions while jumping, on the ground or when turning, and were neatly synchronised while having their own distinct personalities. 

They were stand out, weren’t they? Unfortunately some of the other trios somewhat suffered by comparison. 

And on the topic of gaffes, I received an email from the ROH apologising for an error in the Coming Up section of the recent Friends newsletter advertising a signing by Angela Gheorghiu in the Linbury foyer on 13 March. The signing took place on 13 February.

The various posters on Slipped Disc are pretty much in agreement that ChatGPT wouldn’t have made such obvious gaffes. There are some rather amusing responses. 

Agreed. I was just about to say he could show his versatility by doing them all but you beat me to it. Why not?

8 minutes ago, FionaM said:

 

It’s not easy being a character artistic and still having strength for lifts.   As I mentioned elsewhere I noticed the better fluidity of lifts when Lukas BB performed Rothbart last week.

He made a great gaoler too. 

Thanks Silke. Have sent you a DM. 

10 hours ago, Roberta said:

 

He is one of the 'incredible people' and I suspect he never quite grasped how incredible he is.

That’s the thing about incredible people, Roberta, they never do believe that they are particularly incredible whereas some of those who are not find it much easier to believe that they are. 

36 minutes ago, Fonty said:

When watching the video, did anyone else feel like shouting at Mr O'Hare, asking why, if he held Campbell in such high regard, he cast him much less frequently than other male principals??

First thing that came to mind. 

12 hours ago, EveM said:

I believe Harris Beattie was meant to be performing yesterday and tonight as Mercutio, however has been ill. He hopefully will be performing his debut as Romeo on Tuesday next week. Fingers crossed. 

 

Yes, he impressed me in the lovely programme NB brought to the Linbury. 

NYCB at Sadler's Wells. Let's start at the beginning. Rotunda. I wasn't expecting to be wowed, but this? It started with a group session involving much running round in circles and, believe me, it didn't improve. Dull doesn't begin to describe it. It was so painful I felt in need of an anaesthetic. Around half way through, two audience members in my line of vision separately got up and very visibly walked out and I knew how they felt! One of them could only get out by dislodging people closer to the end of her row and as I counted them I felt a rush of envy at what I took to be four people lucky enough to be escaping together but inexplicably three of them came back. What a mistake!

On then to the costumes in this piece, and they were dire. They made the grey vest and knickers combos so often favoured in the RB's forays into contemporary dance look like haute couture. I have to say, though, that the men drew the short straw here, with one particularly unfortunate victim - the male half of the pdd with Sara Mearns (Gilbert Bolden III?) - wearing what could only be described as an extremely unflattering romper suit.

Very occasionally we were given half a glimpse of what this excellent company might have been capable of had it been given the chance to partake in something approximating engaging choreography. The lucky recipient of one such isolated occasion was (I think) Daniel Ulbricht but even he couldn't escape the curse of the dreaded running around in circles. What a waste! If this is Justin Peck, no thanks!

At least we had some Balanchine after the first intermission and, yes, it had its edgy, quirky side and it was beautifully danced by Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley, but it was far from being my favourite piece of Balanchine, and it wasn't nearly enough, and along with @Lizbie1 I could have done without the lengthy bits at the start of each segment where the two dancers stood awkwardly by the piano while the music played on.

We then had the pause before the Tanowitz where people got up and began to move towards the exit until they were sternly reprimanded and told to stay where they were. By this time, you will not be surprised to hear that my hopes for the rest of the evening were not particularly high but surprise surprise, I found that I didn't mind Gustave Le Gray No 1 at all. It might have been my high vantage point, right at the back of the second circle, but the unusual red costumes, the geometric patterns and the serene movements and interplay between the dancers were aesthetically rather pleasing. The music worked too, and apart from the somewhat unnecessary relocation of piano and pianist, sans stool, from one side of the stage to the other - (and the point of that was?) - I rather enjoyed this piece. And found it way more satisfying than any of Tanowitz's creations for the Royal Ballet.

Which leaves Love Letter (on shuffle), Kyle Abraham to James Blake, and - even bigger surprise - I really liked it. At last, a platform to show what these dancers could do, and if it was something of a love child of Playlist, Blake Works and the Orlando section of Woolf Works, it was none the worse for that. I loved the costumes, thought the music sat well on the choreography, felt the lighting and the shifting, wavy projections on the floor enhanced the mood that the work was looking to create and, best of all, the company seemed to be having a blast performing it. I did feel that it could have done with more of the rapid fire pieces and wonder whether these might have been the sections that @Bruce Wallreferenced as having been omitted from the evening performance. Either way, it brought a curate's egg of an evening to an uplifting and enjoyable close.

The illusion of height also depends upon body proportions. People with short bodies and high waists look taller than their height and those with longer torsos look shorter. 

39 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I'd say among the 9-12 year old boys we took who are not into dance or who have never seen it, R&J (for the sword duels/fights) or Nutcracker (for the toy soldier vs mice battle) were the most enjoyable of all the full length ballets.  R&J worked slightly better as there is swordplay for two thirds of the ballet whereas for Nutcracker they said Act 2 dragged on for them after the battle was over in Act 1.

 

Don't be too shocked if you go to R&J and the adults say the love story was the best bit while the boys say the sword fights were the best but 😉....they still enjoy the dancing and the production at least. By the time they're older, GCSEs approach and they have a lot of Shakespeare in school,  they appreciate the whole ballet more 😀.

 

I think NB do the sword and crowd scenes well in R&J so I'd be confident taking 10 year old boys who haven’t attended a ballet before to see it. 

Thanks for this, Emeralds. Sounds like a plan for the May half term.