Jan McNulty

I believe everyone should tut about anonymous letters. On the old ballet.co my tag was my initials but my signature was my full name. My full name is now shown on postings for full accountability. I haven't seen the Ballet Russes programmes because I had booked for BRB before I realised they were on and it is not a cheap undertaking to travel to London with the possible requirement for overnight stays. Sadly ENB no longer tour their mixed programmes to the provinces.

NORTHERN BALLET - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - SHEFFIELD Northern Ballet are currently touring their new production of Beauty and the Beast. Having seen two of the opening performances, I was very glad to see another performance later in the tour. The stage in Sheffield is really small so I was very glad that the trees that blocked my view in the forest scene in Leeds were not in use. Additionally I was sat further back in the stalls than usual and so was able to further admire the beautiful lighting that enhances the production so much. My enjoyment from December was consolidated. This really is a super production. Ashley Dixon was the Beast with Martha Leebolt as his Beauty and Kenneth Tindall as the arrogant Prince. All three have grown into and enhanced their roles. I don't know if it was my imagination but after Beauty has been at the Castle and seen some of the Beasts redeeming feature as their love grows, I felt that the way the Beast moved became "more human" as this section of the ballet progressed - I mean that he gradually had a more upright rather than simian stance. He reverted to Beast movements when he was distressed that Beauty has gone back to her family. Again, I found the opening of the second Act, where Beast is imagining himself as he would be if he became human again and sees himself dancing with Beauty, very moving. I still love the wit of the bailiffs scene and the humour of the silly goblins. The Prince/Beast manservant role is, for me, absolutely pivotal to the action. He tries to (unsuccessfully) advise the Prince and looks after the Beast and then Beauty. Hiro Takahashi brings his wonderful stage presence to this role and its very stylised movements. It was a great afternoon. Beauty and the Beast is touring to most NB venues this year so I hope you all get an opportunity to see it. PS - I know I have already mentioned it but the lighting for this production really is spectacularly gorgeous and truly enhances the performance. The front row in Hull is quite a way from the stage and I must say the lighting looks even better from further away. The lighting designer, Tim Mitchell, is, IMHO, a genius! (edited to add the PS)

I made a day of it last Wednesday and saw At Swim Two Boys in the evening (after Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker in the afternoon). This work is about the growing relationship of two boys at the time of the Easter Uprising of 1916 and the trench warfare of WW1. The boys enjoy swimming and the set has a lot of water. The back of the set looks like the outside of a corrugated container and has water trickling down constantly. The water lands in a shallow pool that comprises the performance area. The dancers get very wet. The performance lasts minutes over an hour and it is a very intense and moving hour. You see the boys being by turns playful, physical and lyrical as they are, perhaps, falling in love. The commisioned score has slow moving lyrical sections as the boys are being reflective and faster, more aggressive sections as they play vigourously in the water. Occasionally film of WW1 is projected onto the back of the stage. As the evening reaches its climax, events take a tragic turn that I was not expecting at all. This is an intense, moving and thought-provoking production.

Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker was at the Lowry last week and my friend and I went to the matinee on Wednesday. It may not be a "conventional" ballet I love this production of Nutcracker. The opening scene in the children's home is hard hitting and moving. I adore the "snowflakes" skaters with its Patineurs overtones. I think it has become my favourite in any production of Nutcracker. I love all the divertissements! The performance was terrific throughout. I can't mention any dancers except one by name as I am not familiar enough with the Company to recognise them from their baby pictures in the programme (I personally find these very irritating if you want to try and identify dancers). I can, however, say what a pleasure it was to see Carrie Johnson back on a British stage. She was terrific as one of the Cupids. There was a Lowry fund-raising event after the performance that included a Q&A session with Matthew Bourne, hosted by Donald Hutera. Matthew came over as very committed, charming and approachable. I don't think I had fully comprehended before that he had had no formal dance training before he started at Laban at the age of 22. He really is a remarkable man who knows how to put on an excellent show.

In respect of post no #146, which suggests that a dancer's rapid rise was due to "luck": surely that could, (and has), happen(ed) with many people. In all walks of life there is an element of "being in the right place at the right time". The talent must also be there though.

George Lamb is a TV (mainly of the reality variety) and radio presenter. He's got an entry on Wikipedia that gives more detail if anyone cares to look him up. I only saw bits and pieces of the day - it looked good though. Perhaps he was invited to present the day in the hopes of attracting some fans of reality television.

I've just had a look at the NYCB website. Of 22 principals listed, 3 did not go to SAB at all - one Spaniard (trained in Spain), one Spaniard (trained in San Francisco) and one French (trained in France). Perusing the biographies, not all of the SAB-trained principals went there at the youngest age (they take students from 6) and some only did the last couple of years (equivalent of US?). SAB is described as the official school of NYCB so perhaps it is not surprising that most of the dancers come from that school.

I was under the impression that it was sold out (or nearly so). Someone must like it! And surely variety is the spice of life...

I don't like the Bastille. The impression you had in the cinema is the one when I have attended a couple of performances there.

A lot of it seems to be to do with the size of the photograph file. The oneg I use on twitter is one that was sent to me and the file is considerably smaller than any taken with my current camera. This photograph was set up using Gravatar.

Re the 2 B&Bs - obviously there is a certain similarity in the storyline because they come from the same source but they are completely different in style. NB's production has one dancer for the Prince and one for the Beast which leads to some interesting scenes where the Beast is thinking back to the way he was. I enjoy both versions but then I am a Gemini and don't feel the need to compare!

Re the BRB dancers, they have all risen through the ranks and have spent their careers so far with the company, except for Natasha Oughtred, who transferred over from RB. It's a similar story at NB. One or two danced for other companies but have then devoted their careers to NB. It should also be noted that at BRB a number of the other dancers, non-British, came through Upper School and have devoted their careers to BRB for which, I applaud them. On a slightly facetious note, what is it about the water in Hull? Mark Silver, Michael and Kevin O'Hare, Robert Parker, Neil Westmoreland and Ashley Dixon are all from Hull. Come the Autumn, three of those named will occupy three of the most influential posts in British ballet...

I just had a look at the BRB and NB websites. Excluding the retiring Robert Parker, 5 out of 12 principals are British, 3/4 senior soloists, 4/9 soloists and 6/8 first soloists are British at BRB. At NB, 21/37 are British (7/12 at senior level). I think with some of the countries listed eg Spain, Brazil, Japan, either the working conditions are not as good or there is not as much opportunity professionally, which may explain why so many dancers from those countries seek opportunity abroad.

Northern Ballet are touring their Beauty and the Beast at the moment. Their season finishes with I Got Rhythm in Leeds and Norwich at the end of May/beginning of June. It's a good, fun piece to end the season! http://northernballet.com/index.php?q=whats-on-tour If you are thinking of going to BRB's NE midscale be aware that Durham usually sells out fast. Additionally I no longer sit in the stalls in York. Buxton is a new venue for the company (we're going).

Northern Ballet have made a brief announcement that the Company will be premiering a new ballet "The Great Gatsby" in Leeds on 2nd March 2013. http://northernballet.com/index.php?q=news/12-03-19/northern-ballet/great-gatsby

Although not as close together, they were still incredibly bright in the clear sky last night. A stunning display of the heavens even in my light-polluted area.

I think Onegin is performed by all the "big" companies in Germany plus POB, RDB, Australian Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and SFB that I know of. Much though I adore Onegin I suspect that it could not be put on in this country by more than one company at a time. I have always been sorry that ENB let it go from their rep.

Aileen, you wrote as you saw and I don't think you were being hypercritical. I have come to realise that everyone sees things differently and it's very much personal preferance. I enjoyed Nao and Joe very much and I felt there was a connection between them but that is how I saw it, you just happened to see it differently and your point of view is just as valid. (I saw three performances in Birmingham and three at the Coli so six in all.) Actually at the Coli, I was discussing differing views with some friends and we all agreed that we should celebrate our differences! Edited to add a missing word

I enjoyed very much the three performances of Spring Passions that I saw at the Coli. Tuesday evening marked Robert Parker's fnal performance on a "main stage" as he danced Two Pigeons with Nao Sakuma. It was a very special and emotional performance. He danced with such youth and vigour that it is hard to realise that he is retiring. For me, Wednesday evening's performance of Two Pigeons was the highlight with Ambra Vallo and Chi Cao performing the honours. They were totally subsumed into their roles and were so believable. The final reconciliation duet was incredibly moving. Carol-Anne Millar and Iain Mackay were spectacular as the Gypsy and her Lover. I thought the whole company were on sparkling form.

The Scotsman liked Northern Ballet's Beauty and the Beast: http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/performing-arts/dance-reviews-northern-ballet-beauty-and-the-beast-edinburgh-festival-theatre-1-2177167

I am disappointed that only two of the listed mixed programmes have matinees. I like the look of a lot of this season but I expect I will make it to few, if any, performances. Re casting: I think it is probably harder for ENB and BRB to predict casting too far in advance because they tend to do blocks of performances and casting order can change frequently at short notice. BRB used to announce casting months early but it nearly always used to change by the time you got to the performance. I'm afraid the lack of casting tends to make me book more tickets! I book for when I know I can go and then book extras if there are other casts that I am desperate to see!

Re the Newsnight interview: I saw it with a friend who has no interest in ballet. The first thing she said on looking at his body language was that in her opinion he was "burnt out"

Northern Ballet's short run of David Nixon's elegiac Madame Butterfly in Leeds ended on Saturday evening. I was lucky enough to catch the final three performances. Madame Butterfly was the first ballet that David Nixon mounted for NB when he had just taken over as Artistic Director. I loved it then and I love it now, time has in no way diminished its power to move and its beauty. The set is a simple Japanese style house at the back of the stage with various side and hanging sections depicting either blossom or Autumn leaves. It's very simplicity lends itself to the story. David Nixon also designed the beautiful costumes - adaptations of traditional kimonos for the Japanese ladies being particularly striking. I was able to see all three casts over the weekend. On Friday evening we were able to enjoy Keiko Amemori gracing NB's stage again with Kenneth Tindall as her Pinkerton. They have often danced together and were very comfortable in the choreography meaning they were able to give their all to the characterisations. Kenny has got to be one of the best actors around on the dance stage today; you utterly believe in the character he is dancing. He seemed genuinely fond of Butterfly but was ultimately cowardly when faced with the reality of his situation. I'm surprised his wife Kate (gorgeously realised by Martha Leebolt) didn't run off with Sharpless (or maybe she did after our story was ended!). Saturday afternoon was one of those magical afternoons when the air is sprinkled with star dust and we were treated to a breath-taking and extremely moving performance from Pippa Moore and Toby Batley. I was in floods of tears by the end and, yes, I was one of the people on my feet at the end acclaiming this wonderful performance. Georgina Roberts greatly enhanced the performance as a sympathetic and caring Kate, she was genuinely distressed by the torture that Butterfly was going through as she reached her decision to give up Trouble. Michela Paolacci and John Hull took the honours on Saturday evening and gave a beautifully nuanced and moving performance. I particularly enjoyed Sebastian Loe's performances as Goro - he had just the right amount of obsequious money-grubbing and danced the role beautifully. Martin Bell was similarly excellent in the role and, in another performance, as Sharpless. Darren Goldsmith also brought gravitas to the role of Sharpless. Saturday evening saw Yi Song's final performance with Northern Ballet. He danced the triple role of Father/Bonze/Prince Yamadori with sharpness and an enormous stage presence. At the curtain calls, David Nixon gave a short speech thanking Yi for his contributions to the company, explaining that he will be undertaking a university course in Japan. All Yi's many fans will really miss him and I would like to send very best wishes to him for the future. Madame Butterfly is being performed at some venues during the Autumn tour and I would highly recommend it.

What is it about the water in Hull........ Ashley Dixon of Northern Ballet and Hull talks to the local paper about his creation of the Beast in David Nixon's Beauty and the Beast: http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Ashley-s-beast-artisic-performance/story-15496419-detail/story.html

I was in Sunderland for the first three performances of Coppelia. Sir Peter Wright's 1995 production is handsome and very traditional and still looks as fresh as a daisy. Opening night honours went to Elisha Willis and Matthew Lawrence. Elisha is terrific as Swanilda - her outrage at Franz' flirting is a joy to behold and she is very deft of foot in Act 2. Matthew Lawrence "acts big" and Franz suits him. He's a terrific partner. On Thursday evening we were treated to a delightful performance from Laetitia Lo Sardo and Joe Caley. Laetitia is sublime as Swanilda; she is totally subsumed into the role. I adore Joe as Franz - he really is a cheeky chappy with just the right amount of frivolous flirting and enormous energy in his perfomance. The highlight for me was the schools' matinee on Thursday afternoon. The children present were, without exception, wonderfully behaved and created a very enthusiastic and enjoyable atmosphere in the audience. They were treated to a dazzling virtuoso performance from Nao Sakuma and Chi Cao. The roles fitted them like gloves and they brought just the right amount of humour, flirting and pathos to their sparkling, fizzing performance. Bravi to them! The whole company were on joyous form. I particularly enjoyed Callie Roberts as Dawn at one performance and we had three terrific "Call to Arms" leaders in Tyrone Singleton, Matthias Dingman and Tzu-Chao Chou. Jonathan Payn, Rory Mackay and Valentin Olovyannikov are all notable and enjoyable as Doctor Coppelius. Coppelia is at the Coliseum at the end of the week - I do hope you can all get along to see a performance and record your thoughts here!