Fonty

Oh, thanks. I meant to put a question mark after my statement, because I couldn't remember where it was created.

No argument from me about your likes, with the possible exception of Song of the Earth. I know it is a masterpiece, but I don't really like the music. I believe that MacMillan created Concerto for the company to make sure they maintained their classical technique, so it seems odd that it should be performed so infrequently. I've seen all 3 of your dislikes at least once, and although they wouldn't be my first choice, I wouldn't sit any of them out. I thought the first two dealt with unpleasant themes, but did so in a very dramatic way. I would far rather see those than some of the angst ridden contortions to ear splitting noise that I have endured at the hands of certain modern choreographers. There was a time when the Judas Tree was THE one act Macmillan ballet in a triple bill. I wouldn't avoid watching it, but it wouldn't bother me if I never saw it again.

I've never been to Glyndebourne, but I thought the whole idea there was to bring your own picnic. Of course, the ROH could create a picnic area somewhere I suppose, but I am astonished that people are openly bringing their own alcohol in. I cannot think of any other theatre in London that would allow that. I remember once I was going to a matinee somewhere, and then on to dinner at a friend's house afterwards. I can't remember the theatre, but they took one look at the bottle of wine in my bag and told me I couldn't take it in. I did say I had bought it as a present for later, and they made me check in my wine bag with my coat. Fair enough, I had no problem with it.

Well, there seems to have been quite a party of ballet forum people there last night. How come I never seem to find anybody? Next time I will parade up and down the floral hall holding a huge placard saying "BalletCoForum make yourselves known." Or better yet, I shall wear a sandwich board with the same message. Anyway, it gave me the chance to finish the cryptic crossword during the intervals, so I suppose that is something. I am really interested to know why people hate Different Drummer so much? I thought it was very powerful. I have sat through things that felt far worse, usually new pieces by current choreographers. Edited to add could the posts regarding the Ashton triple bill be put in a separate thread? Or in an existing one if it has already been started.

Oh, ok, thanks @Emeralds I suppose it makes sense to call her that under those circumstances. It has long been a term that grates on me, as it conveys a legal status that doesn't exist. I know many women were fooled into thinking that the longevity of their relationship meant it had attained recognition in the eyes of the law, when it actually had no such thing.

With regard to food and drink, it would never occur to me to openly consume alcohol purchased elsewhere, surely that wouldn't be allowed in any place that has a drinks licence? I have been known to sneak in my own sandwich/snack into the ROH, but I eat it discreetly. I certainly don't flaunt it, and I would be very annoyed if I saw a table of people who are clearly having a picnic with their own stuff. I have always thought it was daft when the powers that be decided to allow people into the building without a ticket while a performance is on. I often used to take people in for a drink during the day, as it is such a marvellous venue. But as I recall, you couldn't do this on matinee days, and you certainly couldn't do it in evening. You had to show your ticket at the door before you went in. Yes, I know that they think that the Opera House is now a Go To destination for people wanting to dine out in Covent Garden, but it is a theatre, not an eating arcade. Certainly the tables in the bar areas should be for people attending the performances, not for any person who fancies getting their computer out and doing a spot of work, or for gossiping groups who have no interest in opera or ballet. Talking of food and drink, I have never seen so many empty tables in the balcony restaurant in the Floral Hall as there were last night. In the old days it used to be packed. I have eaten up there myself in the old days when tickets didn't bankrupt me. The food wasn't outstanding, but the experience and the view was. I used to love it, especially as you got your table for the whole evening. Fantastic.

@Dawnstar Thanks for that great review of last night's performance. Shame I didn't realise others were there from the forum. I did have a quick look around in the main bar, but the only group near the main stairs seemed to be quaffing champagne and devouring food in large quantities. I didn't like to disturb them, especially as I didn't see anyone I recognised. The first two ballets were new to me. I loved Danses Concertantes. I might have been a bit startled by the costumes had I not seen the photos on here, but they looked so much better in real life. The marks on the male costumes didn't dominate as much as I thought they would, and the female costumes were very flattering. I loved them, I thought they were lively, fun, terrific colours, and I even liked the headdresses. I would still like to know what the different symbols are supposed to represent, assuming they have a purpose, but the fact they were there didn't bother me at all. I thought the whole ballet was witty and amusing, and more to the point the dancers seemed to be enjoying themselves as they danced it. Muntagirov seemed to have a cheeky smile on his face the whole time, as if to say "Isn't this great? I am having a ball!" I'd be very happy to see that again, and please, please don't change the costumes. Wonderful to see something different, after so many offerings recently with grey baggy costumes I must admit that after so many negative reviews on here, I was rather dreading Different Drummer. In fact, I found it intriguing, and was so involved with the action I was quite surprised when the curtain came down. I am glad that I read about the story beforehand, otherwise I might have wondered what the bath was doing there. I thought Reece Clarke was excellent, his eyes popping as he degenerated into madness, and Osipova always excels in these dramatic roles. I loved the way the Captain was depicted, barking out his orders and sending the soldiers to probably certain death, and the Doctor was one of the most repulsive characters I have seen in a ballet, with his reptillian movements. I am not saying I would want to watch multiple performances in a run, but I wouldn't sit it out if it was on another bill, and am slightly puzzled as to why so many on this forum dislike it so intensely. On thing puzzled me – why was Marie listed as a common-law wife? Surely MacMillan wouldn't have called her that, I thought that was a relatively recent expression? Wouldn't she have been called mistress, partner or girlfriend? And so on to Requiem. I have seen this several times, but strangely I couldn't remember either the stage set or the costumes. In fact, the only thing I could remember was the way in which the group show their grief when they first come on stage, a collective expression of rage and pain. Lamb is one of my favourite dancers, and I really liked Hamilton in her role. I thought the whole thing was beautifully danced. However, for some reason I didn't find it as moving as I usually do. I don't know why, perhaps it was the mood I was in, but it just didn't work for me last night. Instead, I found myself thinking that skin tight white outfits for the ladies are not flattering on everyone, no matter how slender they are. The one thing that struck me watching 3 one act ballets by MacMillan was how modern it felt. In fact, if I was a newcomer with no knowledge whatsoever, I might have thought that he had been influenced by McGregor! There were certain movements, hand gestures, lifts, that seemed taken from the modern dance hand book. Yet they flowed, were obviously balletic, and showed what a magnificent choreographer MacMillan was.

But surely one keeps one's diamonds and pearls for life, and one simply gets the maid to polish them occasionally? And if Princess Anne can go out in a couture dress that's 40 years old, then surely the rest of us can too?

Well, you get snobs and rude people everywhere, but I can honestly say I have never felt that anyone was sneering at me for what I was wearing. Generally I would say Londoners are rather a scruffy bunch. I've noticed before than when I visit friends up north, people tend to dress much more smartly for a night out. However, dress standards in general have become more and more casual. I remember in one of my first jobs, men had to wear a suit and tie, and women were not allowed to wear trousers. And I am not that ancient, either. I do tend to put on something I don't wear on a day to day basis, because I take the view that if I don't wear these clothes for such an occasion when else will I wear them? But I wouldn't call myself dressed up, exactly. Having said that, I think it is lovely to see women wearing what my mother would have called a posh frock. But they are in the minority.

Yes, I know. I suppose this change is the same as the changes in Giselle, where the production (at least at the ROH) insists that she is a suicide buried in unconsecrated ground. I never remember this being the norm when I was a child.

Getting back to the topic of Swan Lake, I must admit that I have never thought about why Odile always wears a black tutu. I simply had vague thoughts that it was meant to be a gorgeous evening outfit appropriate to a court ball. It never really crossed my mind that it was apparently supposed to show evil. How would people feel if Odile came out in a bright red number? Or a gorgeous midnight blue? It would certainly be different, and as far as I am concerned wouldn't detract from the story at all.

Really? Why? I thought the photos were rather joyous and fun, why would professional dancers be negative about it? Is there a law that says only they can wear a tutu, unless the individual is under the age of 10? I am sorry to have to say it, but some of the comments on here seem to back up the idea that the usual audience in the ROH are a bit stuffy and boring. With regard to influencers, I am slightly wary of people who are....well, influenced by them. A lot of what they write seems to be about acquiring stuff that nobody actually needs. But in this instance, I think the photos are great.

Absolutely. Go for it. I might wear a ballgown when I next go to the ROH.....

Personally I think the tutu pictures look like lots of fun. Love the furry leg warmers. If it encourages a different, younger audience to see ballet in a less stuffy light I am all for it. I don't object to someone wearing jeans, and my long term friend and fellow ballet companion goes everywhere in a sweatshirt, black tracksuit bottoms and trainers. I generally do dress more smartly for an evening out. Makes it more of an occasion. What I wear depends on the venue to a certain extent. If a man wants to wear a dinner jacket and bow tie, or a woman a long dress, then go for it.

Of course Odette has been changed into a swan, along with lots of other women, otherwise the ballet wouldn't be called Swan Lake. However, at certain times they revert back to being humans for a short while( presumably after dark) I can't remember what the exact reason is given for this in the programme. But this is quite a common concept in stories relating to wizardry, that at a particular point in 24 hours the enchantment is at its weakest and the real person bursts through. But the magic spell means that the memory of the bird lingers in their human bodies, hence swan like movements. Siegfried certainly doesn't fall in love with any kind of bird, but a woman who possesses some characteristics of a swan. The fact that she is wearing feathers is more to do with emphasising the magic than anything else. I suppose all the ladies could revert to the outfits they were wearing when kidnapped and transformed, but it would certainly look a bit messy on stage If Von Rothbart can transform hordes of women into swans, I would assume that making his daughter look like Odette would be a very simple matter. And of course she would mimic the swan like movements, it makes sense that Siegfried would expect this; in fact it would be a bit odd if she didn't. As far as him not realising this is a completely different woman, I don't find that odd at all. I am sure most of us females on here look rather different when dressed for an elegant party than in our usual everyday sensible outfits of jeans and jumpers or whatever. I rather like the idea of Odile being in a brightly coloured costume, as if she is wearing her favourite party dress.

@Roberta I meant the comment about Salut d'Amour to be a general one, as I don't think I am allowed to put the link on here. I am sure that moment at your mother's funeral must have been intensely moving.

Ah, but those qualities alone were still enough to show the audience what a truly magnificent performer she was, and why she was so revered. I envy people who saw her in her later years, even if she no longer had the classical technique she once had. In the recent Magic of the Dance series, I was delighted to see the Salut d'amour choreographed by Ashton. Her grace and radiance were still there, and the moment when Ashton steps out and takes her arm and escorts her off stage for the very last time makes me stifle a sniffle every time I see it. That clip is on Youtube if you didn't see the programme. I've always thought Osipova could be a little untidy(?) in her dancing some times, for want of a better word. But I enjoy the dramatic approach she brings the roles. It is as if she gets so caught up in the character she is portraying, that pin sharp technical precision goes out of the window. You certainly get something different every time she performs. I've always enjoyed galas for the fact that it gives me the opportunity to see dancers I would otherwise never get a chance to watch, doing pieces I don't see very often. They may had to come a fair distance, not have had too much time to rehearse, are dancing on a stage they are not familiar with, and could have had to cope with a last minute change of partner. I am happy to sit back and appreciate the fact that they are actually there, and under those circumstances I don't expect perfection from them.

Regarding the costumes for Danses Concertantes, they look like a lot of fun. I understand from the tik tok clip on the previous page that the hats look like wigs, but is there any information about the ornaments on top? I assume they are meant to represent something, but I am not sure what. The designer wouldn't just add details like that just on a whim, surely? The photos make me think of chess pieces as much as anything.

Oh, ok. I will have another look at the video. Although I am surprised that any professional ballet dancer would suffer from that as an adult.

@Amelia I am trying to visualise what you mean by "X shaped legs", but I am not sure what you mean.

Well, I didn't recognise any of the names of those famous people either. I gave up watching Strictly years ago, when they stopped making the contestants do the same dance. Now, someone doing a zippy jive is likely to be more popular with the voting audience than someone doing the Viennese waltz. It seems that every time Swan Lake is mentioned we have a conversation about fouettes. That clip above is amazing, and I would be absolutely delighted to see a current dancer perform those turns at that speed. It looks thrilling. I believe Jenny Agutter went to Elmshurst. The only thing I know about Susan Hampshire's education is that she suffered from severe dyslexia.

Well, I have learned a new word reading this - undercrackers. Never heard it before, I will have to work it into a conversation at some point. Susan Hampshire is embedded in my memory as Fleur in the Forsyte Saga, a fabulous series that I have seen about 4 times in total and loved every time. It will remain one of the great mysteries as to why people are plugged in to their mobile phones while watching a live performance.

@Roberta I don't think anyone has actually said that those are Campbell's feelings, have they? In my case the grumbles were entirely my own that I never saw him in roles I think he would have been superb in. I am expressing my personal dissatisfaction, not his!

I hesitated to post that I could see him being a terrific Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet, in case people thought it would be insulting to the RAD. I think it is a pity that he never got a chance at Rudolf, and I am also sad that I never got to see his Romeo, although thankfully he was cast as Mercutio. I always feel with Campbell that he was frequently cast in roles that he shared with first soloists, rather than true principal roles. I might be wrong, but that is how it felt to me.

When watching the video, did anyone else feel like shouting at Mr O'Hare, asking why, if he held Campbell in such high regard, he cast him much less frequently than other male principals??