Scheherezade

If Pappano were to resign tomorrow I, for one, would hope that we would be talking about the wonderful Semyon Bychkov! Me too. The 'dream team' of Kaufmann, Gheorghiu and Terfel. And again with Gheorghiu in Andrea Lecouvreur and Don Carlo with Harteros. Like Sim, I was also at the Winterreise recital and I saw him in Carmen some years ago with the fabulousAnna Caterina Antonacci. It's an odd thing with Kaufmann, he isn't the best tenor ever (Bjorling, Wunderlich, Gigli anyone?) or even, to my mind, the best tenor right now but he is, without doubt, the most consummate performer. What's more, he seldom cancels so I'm sure you will hear him before you die, Penelope.

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET IN BBC FOUR TELEVISION WORLD PREMIERE The King Who Invented Ballet: Louis XIV and the Noble Art of Dance and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s newest work The King Dancesto be broadcast on BBC FOUR on Sunday 13 September at 8pm.

Bruce has been very eloquent about the first night performance and I could not hope to compete. Friday night had the same cast and, by the way, cast lists were freely available, with instructions to ignore the previous night's date since the castings were identical. On the positive side, Kolesnikova's arms and back were beautiful and it was difficult to criticise her performance technically. On the negative side, I felt that she was projecting to the audience rather than to the rest of the cast or, more particularly, to her prince, and what a handsome prince Rodkin made, I just wish that there had been more opportunity to see him dance rather than stand around and/or look attentive or distressed. I found the jester predictably annoying, the 'happy' ending unconvincing, Rothbart somewhat underpowered and had to try hard not to laugh at the fight between Siegfried and Rothbart at the end. And was it just me or were the orchestra on go-slow during Odette's solos and pas de deux? In parts, the pace was so turgid that there was almost time for her to milk applause mid-solo. I found the corps well-drilled in the lakeside scenes although, from my position up in the balcony, some of the shapes looked less aesthetically pleasing than they might. The national dances seemed mediocre and I wasn't sure what was supposed to be going on between Siegfried and the princesses. Part of the problem may well have been that the last time I saw Swan Lake at the Coliseum was the electrifying ENB Rojo/Lendorf performance and there was no way that this was going to match up. For all of that, and despite appearances to the contrary, I did enjoy the evening. I am not sure, however, whether or not to risk Bayadere for the chance to see more and better things from Rodkin.

I have recently been at the Coli for Cinderella, La Sylphide and, yesterday, for Swan Lake. For Cinderella and La Sylphide, the audience was perfectly behaved, and how wonderful to get an upgrade to row H in the stalls for our £10 Sylphide tickets, although my daughter remarked that, although the view was fantastic, she preferred the atmosphere in our usual seats up in the balcony. Last night, at Swan Lake, I was horrified by the loud and ongoing clamour of conversation whilst the orchestra was playing, before the curtain went up, at the start of each act. It was far worse than the murmur that can sometimes be heard. If anything, it seemed to get louder. And people sitting a few rows from the front came forward to balance their glasses on the ledge at the front. As my friend and I did not finish our drinks before the start of the performance, I asked, in the usual way, to leave our drinks at the bar for the interval and was encouraged by the bar staff to take them in. The waitress looked very surprised when I said that I would rather not take drinks in to the auditorium. I did not recognise the bar staff and I have never had this reaction from the usual staff. As to letting people in after the start of the performance, I imagine that this is dictated by the lack of a TV for latecomers. I am not sure whether things have changed recently but, for opera at least, the ushers used to allow people to stand at the back of the dress circle (or, I imagine, other areas if this became too full). They were admitted quietly and discreetly and if there was a suitable break, they were filtered in to free seats near the back and allowed to remain there until the interval. This system seemed to work extremely well.

Thank you, Bruce, for your many updates and video clips. I do hope that this wonderful production makes it to London before too long.

I do so agree with you, Floss. The performances are largely indistinguishable. This may go some way to explaining why some consider this ballet holds less appeal for modern tastes.

And it would give under-used principals a chance to be seen more often on stage. Or have these roles now become so under-valued by the R.B. that principals would feel diminished by dancing them?

Yes, happy birthday, Bruce, and what a remarkable interview, more particularly given your tender years at the time.

Never underestimate the Kaufmann effect! Not even J.K. could tempt me back to yet another run of this rather pedestrian Carmen although I did succumb to the wonderful Anna Caterina Antonacci last time round. Did you get your Kaufmann tickets, Penelope?

I find that the ENO are generally fabulous. On one occasion, having sprained my ankle, I felt that it would be difficult to take up my seat at the front of the balcony due to the steep rake and asked if I could exchange my ticket. The ENO offered to seat me and my companion in the dress circle for no extra cost. This is how to treat your customers; take note, ROH!

Ashton is Ashton and, to me, difficult to surpass. I haven't seen the Nureyev POB version and shall enjoy watching it. I must say, however, that I far preferred the Wheeldon to the Ratmansky Cinderella, which I found charmless, tedious and over-long.

I should add that whatever the shortcomings in the choreography, and I don't have the technical knowledge to judge, I found the production charming and thoroughly enjoyable.

I so agree! I hadn't seen Anna Tsygankova before; she was exquisite. I hope she returns to dance in the UK again soon.

I was in the balcony at the Coli on Friday, Ruth, and an usher pounced on a mobile phone user within seconds of the phone coming out at the start of the first act. The same usher was visibly prowling the aisles at the end of the intervals. Perhaps they are less vigilant in other parts of the house - if, indeed, you were sitting in another part of the house.

Almost every other seat (or standing place) in the balcony seems to be listed as having a restricted view but I still love the theatre.

Admittedly. And the leg room's not great either but the prices are good, as is the view, and for anyone on a limited budget that has to represent value for money.

There are seats in the balcony at the Coliseum that are equally affordable, often at the front, and the view from the front of the balcony is far better than the front amphi at the ROH. Plus (and more importantly for opera) the balcony provides the best sound in the house.

Have you been to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse?

Bluebird's post may well help in accessing any future U.S. reviews or articles where a zip code is required. I entered the zip code for the New York Met and found that it did the trick beautifully.

Thank you, Capybara, it was indeed Osiel Gouneo and doesn't he look amazing! Does anyone know whether he will be dancing with ENB in any of their forthcoming programmes?

I seem to remember reading, not too long ago, about another potential male signing/guest (Cuban?) for ENB. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I see that the castings for the Queensland Ballet Sylphide are now up on the Coliseum website. I don't know anything about the dancers and, yes, Francesca Hayward is not longer listed. The Cuban Yanela Pinera would seem to be the Sylphide to go for, but which James, Qi Huan or Luke Schaufuss? Does anyone have any ideas?

This is presumably the ABT dancer featuring in certain named performances of The Car Man at Sadler's Wells. Do others on the forum feel that The Car Man is worth seeing and, if so, would they recommend seeing the ABT dancer?

I totally agree. I wonder, however, whether there is an element of rooting for the home team, and not altogether unsurprisingly. It does, after all, take some time for non-home grown dancers (or those who have not come through the RBS) to be given fulsome praise here in the U.K. The Alastair Macaulay review gives an entirely different slant and didn't the Russian critics go wild for McRae?

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said but, having seen the second cast, I, too, thought Olivia Cowley was fantastic. And, having tended towards the (New York Times?) view of McGregor as the cuckoo in the R.B.nest, I may well have to re-think. Loved it!