SusanR

Well yes, it was one person, Joy. But had a very bad experience with lots of Russians staying at the same hotel as us in Crete last year.Unbelievably rude! My last word on the subject too.

Frankly, Joy, Russian audiences are some of the worst I have ever come across! When I was at the London Coliseum a couple of years ago for the Russian Icons Gala, my evening was ruined by an incredibly rude Russian man. The curtain had gone up after the interval, the orchestra was playing & this individual barged into the seat next to me without apology.He then preceded to film the performance on his phone, holding his arms in the air without consideration for the people sitting behind. He was wearing a lot of jewellery too which was clanking every time he moved. When the show ended he pushed past me again & trod on my foot. I complained to the manager & she was very sympathetic & I gather I wasn't the only one to complain!

Susan

Ah yes, the cinema I was referring to was the Komedia in Brighton!Thanks for reminding me,Beryl.

Susan

I used to go to the Duke of York's too Lin. I think they now show the ballets, Opera etc in their other cinema but I can't remember what it is called.... I went to Cineworld in Chichester & the audience was very well behaved! They usually are there or I wouldn't bother going.

I enjoyed Don Q yesterday although, as others have said, the scenery was a bit busy in the first act & it was difficult to see Kitri & Basilio clearly. Initially, I wasn't keen on the idea of seeing Krysanova but, boy, she bowled me over. Such fast, precise footwork & I enjoyed Chudin's performance too. Unfortunately, in the last act, you couldn't see his legs because of the background. I do find it irritating that the dancer's constantly stop to take their applause, it stops the flow of the Dancing.I was pleased to see Vitaly Biktimirov dancing the Bolero. I noticed him when the Bolshoi came to London a few years ago & I have a soft spot for him. New costumes are very pretty & the dream scene beautiful but I'm not sure if I prefer it to the previous version.

Susan

I agree Caveycapers!For many years I went to the ballet alone, but then, through this forum, I met a lovely lady.If we are at the same performance we often have lunch/dinner together. As you say, it is nice to discuss the performance with someone.

Off now to see Don Q in the cinema, alone!

Thank you Ballet forum.

Sorry to go off topic again but I just wanted to say that I do understand where Fiz is coming from! I once stayed in a small hotel & woke up during the night feeling incredibly unwell. The culprit was a plug- in air freshener. The point I was trying to make was that perfumes, hairspray etc are not just used by elderly people & it's unfair to blame them.The old get blamed for everything, from living too long & costing the government too much money in pensions!

Surely perfume & hairspray is used just as much by young people?

Penelope, I did explain why I said what I did. I have severe allergies and strong perfume and hairspray knock me sidewise. I was in two minds whether to go home because of it. I have never experienced this at a mixed age screening. As far as age is concerned, I am getting towards pensionable age myself.

Thanks for posting, Amelia. Looking forward to the cinema tomorrow!

Susan

Poor Matthew Golding seems to get an awful lot of criticism too!

Further to my earlier post, I would like to say that a lot of older people cannot travel far due to their age & often don't have a lot of money. It is wonderful that they can see world class ballet at the cinema! Oh & by the way old people were young once.....

Well, I am a pensioner who loves ballet. I neither use Parma violets or hairspray! Rather an unkind observation, if I may say so.

Susan

I should have added Ed to my list too!

Susan

I have had an email from the Mayflower in Southampton.Tickets reduced to £15 for 1984. Code is BALLET2257

It is showing from 4th-7th May

Susan

My favourite of all time is Altynai Asylmuratova. Others I love are, Tamara Rojo, Alina Cojocaru, Zenaida Yanowsky, Natalia Osipova, Viviana Durante, Sarah Wildor, Agnes Oakes,Sylvie Guillem, Marianela Nunez, Martha Leebolt,Ekaterina Shipulina & Nina Ananiashvili.

I'm sure others will come to mind after I've posted this!

Susan

Goodness, I can't believe I forgot Jonathan Cope!

Susan

Reading this thread has evoked some wonderful memories for me.One of my best experiences was seeing the Kirov at the Business Design Centre in Islington in the late 80's. I was really stressed as we arrived late due to train problems! However, when I saw Farouk Ruzimatov dancing Ali I forgot all that, he was sensational & he has been my favourite dancer ever since.

Other dancer's I love are,

Irek Mukamedov,Roberto Bolle, Igor Zelensky,Gary Avis, Sergei Polunin, Vadim Muntagirov, Thomas Edur& Nicholas Le Riche.

I am sure there are others I may have forgotten.

Susan

I don't like Sleeping Beauty either!

Although I loved Matthew Bourne's version.

Susan

There is only one Espada for me, Merkuriev, but very much looking forward to seeing this cast in the cinema.

Thank you for posting.

Susan

I have a pair of pointe shoes signed by Lucinda Dunn. I bought them when the Australian Ballet were performing at the Coli in 2005.

I saw this in Southampton last week.Well worth seeing.My friend & I loved it. Stand out performance was Adam Maskell as Carabosse/Caradoc.I couldn't take my eyes off him. The rest of the cast were brilliant too. Go see!

Susan

Altynai is one of my favourite dancer's ever but, alas, I never saw her dance Natalia!

Janet,

Altynai did dance Natalia whilst guesting with the Royal Ballet

I have just received an email informing me that Northern Ballet's 1984 will be shown on BBC4 on 28th February!

Susan