Jan McNulty

Bacl to BRB: I would love to see Vicky Marr get a shot at Maggie Hobson and Tyrone Singleton get a go at Beenstock

I'm looking forward to seeing their Sleeping Beauty again at the Liverpool Empire in the Autumn. Tickets are already on sale

Here's a preview of Ballet West's Swan Lake, which is touring Scotland: http://www.list.co.uk/article/40148-ballet-west-swan-lake/

Not in the current BRB rep but I would like to see Chi Cao as Carabosse; I think he would be sensational! Newbie soloist Tzuchao Chou was like lightening as the Raven, I hope he gets to do Take Five I'll keep thinking about this one!

No, Alex didn't do Fille at BRB but he did do Romeo, Mercutio, Puck, Bluebird and Florimund in the cross-over rep (and (yes, I know I am biased) did them wonderfully well). I know what you mean about a dancer getting an opportunity too early. I remember a dancer many years ago at Northern Ballet who got an opportunity where it didn't go awfully well and it seemed to really knock his confidence. I know I have seen some wonderful debuts over the years in midweek schools' matinees. I think the wildly enthusiastic children can give a newbie in a role a real confidence boost. It must be a balancing act for companies to give someone an opportunity that may not go well when you have got a paying audience. I know I have seen debuts where I have been thrilled that someone has got a chance but perhaps needs more time to grow but, as I go a lot I can see other performances. Perhaps for others it' a once a year performance and they would remain unsatisfied. I hope you can make sense of this ramble but suffice to say I do not envy the role of an Artistic Director! Funnily enough, I tend to refer to the political pundit as Alex Campbell these days! (edited to add this facetiousness!)

As such an infrequent visitor to the Royal Ballet I can't really comment on the current guest artist situation. I do believe that companies should have an appropriate amount of cover. I think probably there should be a minimum of three dancers prepared for each major role to cater for the possibility of injuries. Of course, even the best laid plans can come unstuck. A few years ago we went to Paris to see Lady of the Camelias. I don't know who we should have seen dancing but we got Jiri Bubenicek, who wasn't even listed in the programme. To this day it is one of the most memorable performances I have EVER seen. Similarly I was fortunate to see Artyom Maksakov guesting as Heathcliff with NB. I would seriously like to see that young man dancing again! On a more general note, I have mixed feelings about guest artists. I used to be opposed to the idea as, with the companies I follow, I want to see the dancers I like. However, speaking to various dancers over the years, they appreciate the occasional glimpse of a different perspective and don't seem half as bothered about the concept of guesting as I do! Therefore, the occasional treat of a guest artist I now welcome but I would not like companies to use guests as a matter of course.

I picked up a couple of articles from the Yorkshire Post. Sorry I haven't worked out how to neaten the links: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifestyle/the-arts/rise_of_dancers_who_stepped_up_to_the_challenge_1_4209024 http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/lifestyle/the-arts/best_foot_forward_for_dancer_s_debut_as_choreographer_1_4208999 We were lucky enough to see Kenneth Tindall's Project#1 at Northern Ballet's choreographic show last year and it's super. Here are details of the mixed programme: http://northernballet.com/?q=perpetual-motion

Nice one Alison! I like a mixture of photographs really. Sometimes looking through programmes the performance photographs are of dancers long since gone from the company. Unless they are being used in a specific context I would prefer rehearsal or (a category you didn't mention) studio photographs of current dancers. I don't like the use of photographs from other companies where a work is being performed by "this" company for the first time (again unless it is a hisoric context). Where ballets are frequently revived perhaps more rehearsal photographs of the current dancers would be nice There again, I go a lot and like to get one programme per production per season; perhaps if I was an infrequent visitor I would prefer more performance photographs. I appreciate that a constant stream of new photographs would cost the companies money. Here's another thought - with the advent of internet resources, are so many photographs necessary at all? The company websites that I look at have plenty of performance photographs to admire. Would people prefer cheaper/free programmes if there were fewer or no photographs at all? When I first started watching dance the London Contemporary Dance Theatre handouts were free. They contained enough information to aid enjoyment of the performance and basic headshots of the dancers.

One of those strange coincidences of programming mean that both Northern Ballet and Operal North are performing their productions of Madame Butterfly in Leeds in a couple of week. As a taster, the companies organised a joint event in Leeds last night under the title of Butterfly (from the) Wings. The evening was led by Jon Hammond who had a Q&A session with Martin Pickard from Opera North and David Nixon, Artistic Director of Northern Ballet. The was started by Maribeth Diggle, accompanied by Martin Pickard, singing Un bel di so beautifully that I had shivers running down my spine, The Q&A session covered the approach taken to the opera and ballet productions (unsurprisingly similar) and the background of the productions and also some specifics about both the productions. It was very insightful. During the course of the Q&A we were treated to the ladies of Northern Ballet performing a dance from the Tea House scene where Butterfly first meets Pinkerton (to traditional Japanese music) and Ms Diggle singing Butterfly's final aria (caused big lump in throat). The evening ended with Micaela Paolacci dancing Butterfly's final dance, which again is performed to a traditional Japanese song. It was breathtaking and I know that I am going to need plenty of tissues for the performances I am seeing in a couple of weeks! I find these types of evening really enhance my experience of the actual performance - long may they continue! Thanks to all the participants for giving us such an interesting and rewarding evening.

Thank you John, I've very much enjoyed reading today's links.

I've just tried sending myself a message and you are quite right, you can't!

Birmingham Royal Ballet enjoyed a successful week of David Bintley's Beauty and the Beast at the Lowry last week, with near capacity audiences at every performance. The tale is told quite darkly and the lighting is very dark. I asked some people who were sitting in the circle if they could see everything ok and they said yes so I guess the lighting must be cleverer than I thought. From the front row, I would still prefer more light! We saw seven performances split between three casts. What is so interesting is that all three leading couples interpret the roles so differently but all so well. The leading couples we saw were Robert Parker/Elisha Willis. Iain Mackay/Nao Sakuma and Tyrone Singleton/Ambra Vallo. While all the performances were terrific, Thursday evening was particularly special and, for me, the best performance of this production I have ever seen. It was Robert Parker's last scheduled performance as the Beast and the whole evening was touched with magic dust and will live on in my memory for many years to come. All the dancers contributed to the overall wonderfulness of the evening but I must mention that, apart from Robert's powerhouse performance, both Elisha and Ambra (as the wild girl) were spectacular. Thanks BRB for a super week. We've already booked for Swan Lake in the Autumn.

I click on any links relating to the companies that I follow, anything written by Clement Crisp, anything that has an interesting quote. It probably averages at 3 or 4 a day.

John and Ian, I am incredibly grateful and humble that you continue to provide us with links for our delectation. I haven't found any to add in yet but if I do I will. Thanks again to you both and to anyone else who chips in.

It still looks like a really good lineup of dancers and an interesting programme. I hope people will post their thoughts after the event.

There's a really nice interview in today's Yorkshire Post about the diet of three dancers from Northern Ballet. Some delicious sounding recipes are included in the article. http://www.yorkshire..._well_1_4181858

Congratulations to all the winners.

I found this wonderful Youtube clips of the opening night of Romeo and Juliet, London Festival Ballet in the summer of 1985, with Sir Frederick Ashton taking the curtain calls. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2NlXJhtElk&feature=related I was following a completely different thread and also discovered quite a few clips of RDB performing this production during Peter Schaufuss tenure as AD with Johan Kobborg as Romeo (I was very glad I wasn't Tybalt in that fight scene!).

I agree with Bruce. English National Ballet rested their Nureyev production and brought it back. In between times we had the glorious Ashton production and an attractive one by Derek Deane. We were very lucky to see both and then be able to see the Nureyev one, which I first saw on its revival (the Ashton being my first Romeo). I've also seen three different productions at Scottish Ballet over the years. A change can be as good as a rest and then we can come back refreshed in the future.

As with everyone else I will really miss the links and give thanks to everyone who has contributed over the years. I use google alerts, which comes up with some good results but they are nothing like as comprehensive.

For some years now the annual Evening of Music and Dance at Symphony Hall has been one of my most-looked-forward-to events. This year's evening is on Friday 17th February and the following information has appeared on the Company website: An Evening of Music and Dance 2012 Join the UK’s leading ballet orchestra, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and dancers of Birmingham Royal Ballet, stars of 2010’s BBC Christmas ballet, for a truly memorable evening of beautiful music and stunning dance. Narrated by the Company’s Director, David Bintley and conducted by Music Director, Koen Kessels, the programme includes: Festival Overture Dmitri Shostakovich Checkmate: Dance of the Four Knights, Entry of the Black Queen and Red Knight's Mazurka (Victoria Marr and Iain Mackay with Joseph Caley, William racewell and Benjamin Soerell) Arthur Bliss Gold and Silver Waltz Franz Lehár Plymouth Hoe (Danced by students of Elmhurst School for Dance) John Ansell Daphnis and Chloë Suite No.2 excerpts Maurice Ravel The Two Pigeons: pas de deux (Jenna Roberts and Jamie Bond) André Messager Samson et Dalila: Baccanale Camille Saint-Saëns Far from the Madding Crowd: Bathsheba and Troy (Elisha Willis and Iain Mackay) Paul Reade Manon Lescaut: Intermezzo Giacomo Puccini Coppélia: Ear of Corn pas de deux (Laëtita Lo Sardo and Joseph Caley with Maureya Lebowitz, Arancha Baselga, Samara Downs, Laura Purkiss, Laura-Jane Gibson and Callie Roberts) Léo Delibes Psyche: Eros et Psyche César Franck Le Corsaire: pas de deux (Nao Sakuma and Chi Cao) Riccardo Drigo Symphony Hall 17 February 2012 David Bintley is hosting the evening for the second year running. He is a wonderful raconteur and made last year's evening very special indeed. http://brb.org.uk/ma...=22765&tsk=show

I've received a "What's coming up" email from the Lowry this morning. BRB will be at the Lowry from 19-22 September performing Swan Lake. I think this must be before the Birmingham autumn season unless that has been moved drastically forward this year.

But only if she used Easyjet or Ryanair!

Ian - thanks for posting the link. It looks fabulous and I wish I could see the whole work. I well remember from Tale of Two Cities that Cathy can fill in a character with just a few movements, a rare talent.

Apologies for getting Mr Putrov's nationality wrong. I think my comment would still stand thoug, given his early background.