Scheherezade

Witness the breathtaking-in-some-things-but-less-so-in-others Ed Watson.

Agreed. Cost as well as Cosi. I'd go for Akhnaten and Mark Wigglesworth but if the awards follow the Oscars' model it will be 4.48 Psychosis and Renee Fleming.

I think most of us would agree. Mr Kessels certainly breathed new life into this Beauty. If not by a kiss, by the energising tempi that transformed the whole production.

Not for me, Lilian88. Nureyev was obsessively committed to ballet and an out and out workhorse, neither of which epithet can remotely be applied to Polunin. Nureyev's wider appeal, outside of dance, was exoticism, generously fed, I will admit, by his extraordinary looks, intoxicating arrogance and the danger and glamour of his defection, added to which, few people in the West had ever seen anyone dance as he did. Whilst Polunin's talent cannot be denied, his commitment to nurturing that talent certainly can and if what is written about him is correct (and I am the first to admit that I have no means of knowing whether or not it is), he would seem to lack any sort of concerted work ethic beyond the belief that his natural ability (admittedly extraordinary) is all that is required.

Whatever the position worldwide, I would be surprised if, balletomanes excluded, the UK public could name a single living dancer apart from Darcey Bussell (and just possibly Carlos Acosta amongst the better informed). A number of my son's friends have been wowed by the 'Take me to the Church' video. Not one has the faintest idea of the identity of the dancer, nor any interest in discovering whom he might be.

My goodness, what a lot of prickly reactions to Ms Osipova from both sides. I didn't see her Aurora so I can't comment. I have deliberately avoided booking to see her in anything strictly classical since her first Odette/Odile, both of which which disappointed me, although I have adored her Giselle since her first, stunning interpretation with the Bolshoi and I have also enjoyed her Lise and Natalia Petrovna (despite not being able to take my eyes off Frankie Hayward's Vera) and I think that it is an absolute tragedy that she and McRae are not repeating their dazzling Rubies performance. From my perspective, I can understand why the Bolshoi chose not to cast her in classical roles but find it a restriction too far to limited her castings to soubrette roles when she has so much to bring by way of both technique and interpretation. I would say that, on balance, I would expect more people on the forum to dislike Osipova's classical interpretations than to like them, although those in the 'like' camp are likely to be extremely fierce in their defence. I second those who find the scope for disagreement on the forum a natural and healthy response to any given performance.

And I'd love to see it again.

Surely - and this is not meant as a criticism but as a fact - many young people show something of a herd mentality, possibly because they are not yet sufficiently comfortable in their own skins to risk the opprobrium of being different. Added to this, most have not been exposed to what is often described as 'the high arts' and many fear being categorised as 'elitist'. As a result, the majority would not even consider attending these art forms and those who do will generally only attend something that is recommended by their peer group.

Love this! And he has just the right attitude.

A generation back it was considered bad manners even to eat on the street. To eat anywhere in public, and to eat anything at all, even something as insignificant as a square of chocolate, was considered a sign of a bad upbringing.

It is never easy to decide whether to push a child to fulfil their talent. Is such a decision in the child's best interests or does it fulfil the parent's need for vicarious glory? My son was a gifted athlete. He was approached by one trainer who said that he could take him to the Olympics. A schoolfriend's father, himself an international sportsman, said something similar and went on to say that in his own family his brother had been the more talented but was less successful since he lacked the necessary temperament and commitment. Interestingly, he felt that my son did have the temperament. In the event, my son did not wish to commit to the all-encompassing training schedule and since I did not want him to be unhappy I let things be. It is easy to make that decision from the relative prosperity of the West. I cannot say whether I would have made the same choice if burdened by poverty. Whatever decision a parent makes, he or she can never be sure that they made the right choice.

Definitely baritonal. Fabulous on stage as he is a consummate performer but less so in recording although I do currently enjoy listening to his voice more than I did a few years back.. JDF, as you say, has a limited repertoire (and there have been murmurs that his voice hasn't been sounding at its best of late) but a big personality. Personally, I'm looking forward to Michael Spyres' up and coming Mitridate. Loved his Benvenuto Cellini at the ENO and his La Monnaie Mitridate was much acclaimed.

Isn't it just!

One of my most amusing experiences was listening to an American mother trying to explain what British pantomime was about to her young offspring at a performance of Stephen Fry's Cinderella around ten years ago at the Old Vic. Quite clearly the combination of the Old Vic and Stephen Fry had led her to believe that the experience would be mind-improving. I have seldom seen anyone so much at sea although she did eventually join in the booing.

As do I (find it depressing), along with the fact that those who feel the lack of adequate coaching most keenly, and have the expertise to criticise and the nous and imagination to offer a remedy, feel that they have to pussyfoot around the matter out of consideration for the fragile egos of those who can implement improvement. Perhaps what is needed is the equivalent of the much lamented Brian Walden interview technique.

I'd be surprised if anyone other than Kaufmann qualifies as a 'hot ticket' these days. Don Carlo, which used to sell out very promptly, still has plenty of tickets for its up and coming run and tickets are still available for the Butterfly 2nd cast (until recently even for the Jaho 1st cast) and this would surely be described as a 'banker'. I don't know that I'd describe Alagna as a draw any more although I would still book to see him. I must say that I did enjoy one observer's comments that the most likely reason for his withdrawal from Trovatore was because he must have seen the production. And as Kurzak is cast as Liu, I'd imagine that he is more likely to turn up for this one. I agree, by the way, Alison, with your views on the lead characters.

I love this idea, Fonty. A temptation I shall find increasingly hard to resist in future.

Just the flash from those watches is enough to raise my blood pressure! Even when the wearer ignores them, the illumination goes on.

Coaching deficiencies. Has anyone written to Kevin O'Hare with their concerns or suggestions?

I feel particularly disappointed to have missed both the Naghdi and Hayward performances during this run. I knew that I couldn't make the Naghdi/Ball dates but had hoped to see Hayward last Monday. Well, that wasn't to be, so thanks to everyone for posting their impressions on her debut, which is the next best thing. As others have said, Takada did a lovely job on Monday, even more remarkable given the dearth of rehearsal time with Alexander Campbell, the Bluebird to her Princess Florine on Thursday. I am assuming that she was standing in for Frankie Hayward on that occasion too? Nunez and Muntagirov were, of course, everything that you expect of them, particularly Muntagirov who, as always, just left me wanting more, and not only me if the bravos from the amphitheatre were anything to go by. Nunez was her usual polished self, hard to fault in any respect, although if I had to criticise I would say that Takada injected more youthfulness into the role when she burst onto the stage in act 1. Nunez, by comparison, was already a fully-formed, mature princess. Jillykins has mentioned that Nunez seemed to be struggling with the Rose Adage. Similarly, on Monday, Takada's balances seemed unsteady. From what I have read, Naghdi has been rock-steady throughout and she also stood out on Thursday as the Fairy of the Woodland Glade and one of Florestan's sisters with her musicality and her beautiful arms. Which leads me on to Yuhui Choe. My daughter asked me on Monday whether she was still dancing as she hadn't seen her for a while. Well, she was dancing on Thursday. She didn't have a lot to do but drew the eye as she always does. And, finally, I absolutely loved the endearing and spontaneous hug that Nunez gave Muntagirov during the curtain calls.

I agree. It shows that the audience has been caught up in the performance and the mood.

Hear, hear, and rather different from the situation in the front few rows of the side amphi on Thursday evening when, after the prologue and act 1, a young women moved into an empty seat in row A. Her phone flashed continually throughout act 2 distracting everyone sitting behind her and she leaned so far forward that the couple next to me couldn't see the stage at all. During the pause before act 4, more than one person sitting behind her asked her to switch off her phone and sit back and when she completely ignored them, my neighbours asked the usher to intervene. I was surprised, first of all, that the usher needed to be asked and even more surprised when, as the young woman ignored him too, he moved away and left her to it with the result that the couple next to me missed the whole of act 3 as well as act 2. My friend and I advised them to have a word with the management. I really hope that they did.

And each type of shoe could be directed towards a particular type of person.

Went through the RBS, was offered a place at the RB, had the technical ability and enjoyed the physical side.

Yes, but upwards of £62 so out of my price range.