Scheherezade

11 hours ago, Richard LH said:

14 hours ago, aliceinwoolfland said:

 

Yes the music is wonderful. Each time I hear it I pick up on another lovely theme I hadn't really clocked before. Well done Martin Yates and the whole orchestra !

But you don't like the fabulous music in Mayerling, Richard LH?

7 hours ago, alison said:

...didn't the interaction with Lescaut after GM has found his watch missing use to be that Lescaut - realising that the Beggar Chief is inevitably going to be found out, and severely punished - persuades him to pretend he found the watch and return it to GM, hence why GM tosses him a bag of money instead as a reward? 

I'm pretty sure that this was Sambe's interpretation during the Osipova/Shklyarov performance that I saw but not during the recent Hayward/Bonelli performance with Campbell as Lescaut. I was struck by the incongruity at the time.

I find that my reactions to individual dancers can change as the dancers themselves develop and mature. For a long time, whilst I had nothing but admiration for Nunez' technique and sunny personality, her dramatic interpretation failed to touch me emotionally, then she seemed to move into another gear and I was totally converted. The same, I would say, is true of Takada. I still find Lamb emotionally detached but find her comic timing exceptional. I generally adore Muntagirov but this isn't, and couldn't be, true of every role. He left me cold in Two Pigeons, unlike Campbell, whose chemistry with Choe was so convincing. Campbell does, come to think of it, seem to have the uncanny ability to forge convincing chemistry with pretty much everyone he is partnered with. I won't get drawn into the Hayward/Naghdi debate, Both are utterly superb but whilst for me, at present, Naghdi appeals to the head, Hayward stirs the heart. She really does seem to have it all, which I find quite extraordinary at her tender age. I would add my vote to the 'Ball for principal' campaign as I find that he also has the ability to engage my emotions and I find that Magri draws and holds my eye every time I see her. Hay seldom fails to impress and I look forward to seeing more of Sissens and, from September, of the superb Corrales, who was mooted as a partner for Osipova on a different thread. I can see the logic here since there is something of the Vasiliev firecracker about him, whereas Ball, who is already partnered with Osipova, has that Hallberg danseur noble thing going on. I find the current RB quite exceptional - I haven't felt this kind of buzz since the early 70s - although I wouldn't say no to a Shklyarov or Lantratov.

11 hours ago, John Mallinson said:

He will be 'in conversation' at the London Ballet Circle meeting on July 9. (This from a recent newsletter but not yet on their website.) Get there early!

 

Well that's after ENB Sleeping Beauty. Does that suggest a more permanent UK commitment?

8 hours ago, ninamargaret said:

in the good old days of The Ring at ENO i used to prepare a Ring Supper for husband and self to enjoy in the interval. A nice salad, dessert and a good bottle were all consumed in the auditorium, and we were by no means the only ones doing it. I think it would be frowned on now - and certainly not when I go to The Ring at ROH this autumn! But having seen their prices for a 'package' of dinners for that production i suspect there will be many surreptitious packets of sandwiches appearing!

I've seen people fairly recently - well just before the amphi bar was closed - quite openly consuming their picnics - sandwiches, cake, wine, champagne, own plates and glasses, the lot - at the tables opposite the bar. 

2 hours ago, Jane S said:

Just as a footnote to this: I saw the dress rehearsal of the 1963 revival of House of Birds , at Covent Garden, and a couple of performances later on tour, and I'm interested to see from the notes I made at the time that I thought it looked far better on the bigger stage - rather against what I've usually found for ballets originally  made for Sadler's Wells etc.

I agree with you Jane S and with Alison earlier that the stage did not feel big enough for House of Birds. I'm not entirely sure why this should be the case since Laiderette was not exactly sparsely cast but somehow there seemed to be much more room.

I certainly hope that he is a permanent addition to ENB. I was blown away by his performance with the Trocks last time they were here.

Forgive me for being smug. I had the two end-of-row tickets on the back row (Row H) so no-one in front to spoil my view.

I can't add anything to the tributes that have already been made to the wonderful dancers. Loved the programme, the talk afterwards and so glad that these and other rarely performed works are likely to be revived in the Linbury.

48 minutes ago, RuthE said:

 

Watching the first night of the Royal Opera's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk on Thursday, for some reason I was struck by the fact that nobody ever washed their hands after handling dead rats, nor indeed partially decomposed human body parts...

 

(Aaaaand back on topic...)

And I am already more than a little concerned about issues of hygiene in the scheduled next run of Frankenstein ...

Does anybody know anything about Kevin Jackson?

I am glad to see that the mood appears to have lightened upon the choice of dress at the ROH and am at a loss to understand the reason behind what came across to me as an uncalled-for and stinging attack upon Penelope Simpson for expressing legitimate views in a totally civil manner. Penelope's gripe was expressly directed at scruffiness, not at smart-casual dress nor at people exercising their right to dress as they choose. I frequently wear jeans to the ROH but out of respect both for myself and for anyone forced to look at me I would not want to turn up looking like Vicky Pollard. Neither, for that matter, would I want to look overdressed, and these days this is more of a problem, but, like BeauxArts, I also enjoy the diversion of a passeggiata in the Floral Hall.

Netrebko truly was a powerhouse and utterly riveting, as you say, from the get go, although I was also really moved by Lucic, who actually managed to make me feel sorry for Macbeth by the end. And how refreshing to have a modern. minimalist set that  actually works for once - atmospheric, aesthetically pleasing and sympathetic to the music and the story at the heart of this dark, tragic tale.

37 minutes ago, capybara said:

A lovely review for Ksenia Ovsyanick in Giselle in Berlin: http://ballett-journal.de/staatsballett-berlin-giselle-the-last-ksenia-ovsyanick-denis-vieira-2018/

 

Although the term First Soloist is initially used to describe her, Ksenia is, in fact a Principal.

What a wonderful review, Capybara, and how lovely to see that Ksenia's interpretative powers and technique are being so richly appreciated.

18 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

Wonderful night at Macbeth on Wednesday, apart from adjoining mother and daughter.  Mother had to get up to go to the loo after an hour of Macbeth and was let back in again.  Unbelievably, same in second half.  Yes, its a long opera, but...  Daughter had fur coat, raincoat, hand baggage and carry-on suit carrier.  Unbelievable.

It really is unbelivable that they were let back in, Penelope. The only time that this has happened to me (or, more accurately, mine) was some years ago when my then fairly young children wanted to see La Cenerentola. We had deliberately chosen seats at the back so that no-one would be disturbed if they became fidgety, arrived just before the lights went down due to parking problems and the usher, bless him, suggested that they might need to go to the loo as it would be an hour and a half before the interval, assuring us that he would quickly and quietly bring them back in which he duly did, with no fuss, no noise, no disturbance to anyone and three very grateful children.

Coming back to Macbeth, and wasn't it fabulous, did anyone else notice that the choreographer was the much-acclaimed Michael Keegan-Dolan?

3 hours ago, Mary said:

 

I love that solo ( which always reminds me of a v similar moment in Onegin)- how true that there are often many wobbles, and no wonder; I am interested to know who was the best exponent of this tricky piece of choreography: for my money probably Johann Kobborg.

 

Dowell. Unquestionably.

Jillykins, I hope that the performance brings you as much enjoyment as the Insight rehearsal.

3 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I think that’s a very rude and unfounded statement.

I disagree. The statement objectively repeats views that have been expressed openly and publically in print and on TV and presents these as a possible parallel to Manon's motivation. It does not attempt to validate those views, nor does it suggest that I hold those views. For the record, my views are my own business and I would not, and do not, choose to express them on this or any other public forum.

I always felt that there was something of the publically-perceived Princess Margaret about Manon in her choice of creature comforts and status above love.

10 hours ago, Mary said:

I can't remember what exactly used to be depicted, but seem to recall, for example, one of the girls being very young, a child in fact, and this has, perhaps been changed-?

 

 

I seem to remember the young child, too. Unless I am confusing this with another ballet.

Interestingly, on Tuesday night the biggest cheers from the front/side amphitheatre were for Age of Anxiety, which also drew lots of chuckles during the performance.

Of the three, Yumen remains the one I prefer. Very beautiful in parts and, yet again, the music added so much. And, again, I started to fidget before the end of Corybantic Games which, to me, would benefit from being half as long.

On 29/03/2018 at 07:55, bangorballetboy said:

I'm beginning to feel a bit like Father Ted stuck in the lingerie department...  

The #metoo brigade would have a field day with that comment, BBB. Very Richard Madeley, I might add.

I also like the Ondine music but remain to be fully convinced of its merits as a ballet score. I do, however, think that Ligeti's Three Bagatelles would work remarkably well in much the same way as Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances.

On 28/03/2018 at 16:11, Geoff said:

Not much to add to the above except to point out that Jaho is back, good news. And I too support Forza: I continue to go each time it is put on in the hope of one day seeing a production which works. 

 

As to the countertenor business, this is presumably something to do with JEG. Hope we get an explanation.

 

 

I totally agree regarding Jaho and Forza. As to the countertenor business, and excluding the output of Iestyn Davies and others in new works, could this partly be down to the fact that the ROH feels that it ought to give a belated nod to the European enthusiasm for casting them in baroque? Witness the inappropriate use of Fagioli in Idomeneo a few years back.

9 minutes ago, MAB said:

 

I think you'll find there is no compulsion to go.

Phew! Major relief!

Although others may have had a better experience last time round than mine.