Fonty

Even so @alison They go into a chap's bedroom. I mean, is nothing sacred??

Did they? I've just scrolled back and I can't see anything like that. But even so, I don't see why on earth not. Could someone who knows it PM me? And if even that is not allowed, then if someone who knows it sends me a message, I will give them my email address. Edited to add that I have just received an email from the ROH. Alas, it doesn't mention any ticket reductions, it is another wretched survey. Which I will dutifully fill in.

Is there a promotion code? And if so, what is it??

With regard to last night's performance, I thought the scene where the Gaoler gives Manon the bracelet and subsequently forces himself upon her looked as though it was done differently to that performed in the cinema broadcast? Also, I am always puzzled at the ease with which GM and Lescaut gain access to Des Grieux's lodgings. Do they just barge in, or do they bribe the serving women?

No I haven't, not yet. I was hoping there would be an offer.

Could you see all the SCS places @PeterS ? If you can draw me a floor plan, and show that you counted every single space....then I might consider sending the tenner. Actually, it doesn't really matter if these people were in a cheap seat or an expensive one. The point is they left after the first act. They seemed to be saying that the performance wasn't a good one, and they gave the impression they were cutting their losses and going home early. I think these people must have been a bit mad, to be honest. And occupying places that dedicated Campbell fans would have killed for.

Am I allowed to mention that Mr Campbell is also rather gorgeous looking?

Where?? Is it with an agency? I get emails from the ROH, and religiously fill in their surveys, but I haven't seen any cut price ticket offer.

Oh, what a pity @Richard LH I do sympathise, I get the visual disturbances myself and I appreciate there is absolutely nothing that can be done except find a quiet place to recover. Fingers crossed you are better for next Friday. And if not, you know where to send the ticket! I did search for @Jamesrhblack and @Beaker After seeing a lot of women in green dresses, and accosting two gentlemen with glasses wearing blue jackets, who were not James, I bumped into an old friend at the bar. Spent the rest of the intervals gossiping with them, although I did manage a brief encounter with the two strangers I was seeking as I dashed off to the Ladies before the last act. Maybe get together next time we happen to be there on the same day.

A fabulous evening last night. This was by far the best thing I have seen Hayward do; she was scintillating. Campbell was as wonderful as I thought he would be. Des Grieux is a difficult character to perform, as if the dancer is not careful he can come across as a bit of a wimp, unable to stand up and fight for his woman. This was never going to be an issue with Campbell. I felt the struggle between him and Lescaut was a genuine battle which the latter was always going to win because he knows his sister so well. Hayward and Campbell seem to fit together perfectly. During the bedroom pdd, I felt a bit like a peeping Tom, their dancing was so intimate. The final was truly tragic, especially as I know I will never see them together again. Unless I am supremely lucky and manage to get a ticket for next Friday. On that topic, I was sitting in the bar during the first interval and I overheard a conversation between two people. They had clearly been to the matinee as well, and seemed to think the rest of the evening performance was not worth staying for. They went off to catch an earlier train. I am prepared to bet a tenner that this couple were not in expensive seats, and were probably occupying two SCS places. To say that I was angry was an understatement, with tickets for Campbell's last performances like gold dust. Why do people do this? I call it being greedy.

I am going to be there too. I shall lurk, and if I recognise you from your descriptions, I will approach. Can't say what I will be wearing, I haven't decided yet. But I might also have a red wine if I am feeling rich.

The topic of Bussell is an interesting one. Certainly she was extremely capable technically, but I never found myself booking for any of her performances that required any acting skills. I always felt she was much better in the purely dance roles, and even then she wasn't my first choice. Looking back now, I find myself wondering why that was, especially as she was held in such high regard by both Mason and Dowell, plus her peers. Was I missing something?

I can't remember what the levels used to be. They have changed most of the names of the ranks now. Nobody is in the Corps anymore, and they have done away with the rank of Coryphee. Did they just have the 4 ranks - those, plus Soloist and Principal? And what exactly is the difference between an Artist and a First Artist? Longevity? Leading the Corps sorry Artists whenever they move? Edited to add I adored Yoshida. She had a glorious technique, but there was nothing showy about her dancing. I can't comment on her dramatic skills, I only ever saw her in the pure classical ballets such as Sleeping Beauty.

I seem to remember Clement Crisp, in one of his more controversial moments, saying that several noted female Principals would only have been first soloists in the old days. Yoshida was one of the names he mentioned, and Bussell was another. (!)

I think this is how Morera got promoted to Principal as well? With regard to other dancers who perform lead roles but never get promoted, I wonder if this is either a height issue because there is a lack of male partners tall enough, or because they are regarded as being too useful in their current position. With regard to the latter there are always dancers who are wonderful in things such as one of the most technically difficult fairy variations in Sleeping Beauty, superb as the Lilac Fairy, or make a fabulous Myrtha in Giselle. I can't be the only one who thinks when I hear of a new promotion: "Great, but what a pity I will never see them do that particular role again". I know there have been times in the past when Principals have been cast in non lead roles, but I think it is unusual now?

I do wish there was a Laugh response to your comment!

To a certain extent, yes. But to have principals who are very rarely cast in principal roles does deserve criticism. Morera herself said she begged to be able to dance the role of Juliet just once....and never got the opportunity. Not as if she wasn't capable of it, after all. She was wonderful in all the other MacMillan roles she was cast in.

I cannot understand why there has been a tendency over the last few years to have so many principals doing fewer performances of roles. As has been discussed elsewhere, Campbell was woefully underused. IMO of course, but it must have been galling to see younger, more junior dancers given leading roles when he was not. I know you have to bring younger members on, but not at the expense of older, more experienced, and frankly better performers of certain roles. As you may have guessed, I was a huge fan of Mr Campbell, who was/is not only a fantastic dancer, but a terrific actor as well. Someone who brought real depth and presence to any role he danced. Likewise Morera, another superb actress/dancer, a principal who was never cast in roles she would have been fabulous in.

Personally I don't think the story works at all if Manon is portrayed as an innocent young girl having to choose between her one true love and material wealth. I think it works much better if she is portrayed as a bit more worldly, with brother and sister both in pursuit of the good things in life. As a bonus, she has a handsome young man on the side who will do anything for her, and whom she fancies like crazy! A win win situation for her....until it all goes wrong.

@Sophoife I can't remember what was discussed at the end of 2023 without being reminded! You don't expect me to remember something from 6 years ago, do you??

I am not sure I approve of a minimum height of 5' 6". That seems quite tall for ladies. Especially when they go up on pointe, that means that the male partner has to be over 6' tall, in fact probably about 6' 2". Unless these women are simply being engaged for the corps, but even then are girls really getting that much taller, so that someone of under 5' 6" would stand out? I know the average height of a woman in the UK has only just gone up to just under 5' 4". The average height for men is about 5'9 or 5' 10". So why this demand for females with a minimum height of 5' 6"? I know other countries may be taller on average, but even so, are there that many males over 6' 2" training as ballet dancers? Of course, a talented lady of 5' 10" is probably automatically guaranteed some juicy solo roles if hired; not many men tall enough to partner her! In the interests of research, I have just measure my feet. I am not very tall, about 5 ' 2", and I have fairly small feet as well. (Size 4, or 37). My feet are exactly 8 inches long. I would expect a woman with a height of 5' 6" plus to have correspondingly larger feet. I know that on pointe it doesn't add the full length of the foot, but even so those with bigger feet will probably add 7 inches to their height. I don't think it looks right at all if the woman is much taller than the man in pdd work.

And I have just managed to get a ticket for the 2nd. Way more than I normally pay, but it is a special occasion.

Oh, and I hope Mr Campbell reads this forum, or knows someone who can pass on the comments on here.

I am shocked to hear this. He is one of my favourites, and to lose him so soon after Morera is a terrible blow. He is such a good actor, and can be genuinely funny, which is a rare talent for any dancer to have. Sadly, I never saw his Romeo, a role that I know he played at BRB, but never seemed to be cast in very often at RB? I saw him dancing Mercutio at one of the performances I did see. Not sure who danced Romeo, but I remember thinking at the time that if I had been Juliet, I would have gone off with Campbell's Mercutio instead! I am not clear what the AD for the RAD actually does?

It isn't just dance that suffers like this. Why, why, why is it necessary to have everything SO LOUD? I went to a performance of Rocky Horror last year, and my friend and I sat there with our fingers stuffed in our ears all night. And she is hard of hearing! It was so loud, it was impossible to make out any of the words when they were singing. Nobody else seemed the slightest bit bothered, which was even more startling. .