Fonty

I agree, Sim. Unless they consider Covent Garden to be a local theatre!

I was wondering why Ed Watson got an MBE rather than an OBE. According to the official honours website the difference is as follows: OBE: "This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area." MBE: "This is awarded for a significant achievement or outstanding service to the community. An MBE is also awarded for local ‘hands-on’ service which stands out as an example to other people." So what exactly is Ed being rewarded for? Does it say? (Sorry, I am abroad and my connection won't allow me to open the link, it keeps timing out.)

I am just wondering which theatre said, "Infra or nothing; we don't want you unless you bring Infra."

Thinking about it, what would the US have really liked to see that is in the RB's rep? I am assuming that Fille is not very practical in terms of touring.

Oh, ok. Just didn't think they were natural companions, but obviously I am wrong!

I've not really taken much notice of the US tour, the announcement just sort of passed me by. But I think one of the posters has a point in that Don Quixote appears to have been seen there several times over the past few years by various companies. And does it really show the RB to its best advantage? Also, I find the pairing of Song and the Dream to be a bit odd.

No offence to Galeazzi, whose performances I used to enjoy very much, but she isn't quite the superstar that Ferri was/is. I think it really does need someone with both the maturity and the exceptional artistic skills to pull it off, and I am sure her name pulled in a lot of people as well. I don't know that much about Ananiashvili, but love the idea of Durante.

Quote from the National Student: "Woolf Works makes every other ballet seem second rate." When I read things like that, I start to wonder just how many other ballets the writer has seen!

I went last night with some trepidation, as I am not a huge fan of McGregor, but thought I would give it a go. I didn’t do any advance preparation, although I have read all three books in the past. I decided to let the experience wash over me. I am astonished to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and didn’t find any of it boring, which is a first for me with this choreographer. I enjoyed the music, the sets, the costumes and the overall experience. I liked the fact that the middle section was different in its up tempo, disco style jauntiness, and I thought it provided a good contrast to the sombre atmosphere to parts 1 and 3. The lasers in part 2 looked great from the amphi theatre, and I particularly enjoyed the fact that at one point a string of multi coloured lights circled all around the auditorium. Were they placed on top of the boxes? I can’t remember which level they were on, but it took me back to the joy of the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. Great fun! Throughout the evening, I thought the performances were excellent. It doesn’t seem fair to single out one individual in I Now, I Then, they were all so good. If I had to, then I would have to say Watson gave a cracking performance, and his anguish was all too palpable to those of us sitting in the roof. In the second ballet, it was very difficult to make out who was who. I am assuming the lady with the major contortion skills was Osipova, purely because I had read this thread before I went. One blonde lady caught my eye, but it was only when watching the third part that I realised this must have been Sarah Lamb. Macgregor’s style seems to suit her, and she obviously enjoys performing it and looks good doing it. And Ferri was magnificent in Tuesday. She is just stunning, and worth the price of a ticket for her performance alone. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Were there any other dancers on the stage in part 3? If there were, I didn’t really notice them. I do have a few negative observations, but I will put those in a separate post when I have collected my thoughts.

I seem to remember a time, long, long ago, when matinees had new young dancers cast in the lead roles, and the ticket prices were cheaper to reflect that fact that the performance might not be the finished article. Or is my memory playing tricks on me? I also agree with the point that Floss was making in an earlier post - that Muntagirov benefitted from being cast with the experienced Klimentova. If there is no possibility of introducing newcomers to lead roles away from the glaring spotlight of Covent Garden, then surely this should be considered? Someone who has performed a leading role many times, and is comfortable with it is bound to be a huge help to a first timer, surely?

Thanks for that, Floss. Do you know why the RB got rid of the Nureyev version and used the Peter Wright one instead? Does anyone perform the former now?

When did the RB start doing the Nutcracker every Christmas? They never used to perform it at all, leaving the field free for ENB, and the occasional BRB visit to London. However, I can't remember what they used to do instead. Was it Cinderella? This was before they started to pair Les Patineurs with the Tales of Beatrix Potter, which annoyed me a good deal, because I always wanted to see the former, but not the latter.

It puzzled me when I saw the photos as to why a dancer who is physically nothing like Ferri had been picked to play her younger self. I know we have to use our imaginations, but Ferri is small and slight of build. At the very least I would have thought the other dancer should be similar in height, not several inches taller! However, that may just be the angle of the camera?

Talking of picking up tickets from the box office, can you pick these up in advance, or is it only on the day of the performance? I am assuming it is the latter, as with other theatres, but it doesn't actually say so on the website (as far as I can see.)

Well, I still think that the category finals should have concentrated on their routines, not expect us to watch on the web afterwards. Yes, you can throw in a bit of human interest as to where they come from, who they trained with, and so on, but that could easily be managed in 10 minutes. I still have no idea why Lauren Cutherbertson was being interviewed; she wasn't one of the judges, and as far as I could see had no direct connection to the programme. Likewise the bits with their "mentors". It added nothing to the programme, apart from the mentor saying, "So and so has such a lovely personality/smile/physique for ballet". Well, they are hardly going to say anything negative, are they? Concentrate on the dancing, and then have a bit of feedback from the judges. They said about one, "It wasn't his day today", but I have no idea why, because they showed so little of his routine.

I am trying to remember the last Young Musician competition I watched, it must be some years ago. One of the big disappointments I had with the ballet programme has been mentioned by others - the fact that they didn't show the complete routine for everyone. This wasn't a competition, this was the edited highlights of a selection process. I guessed who the winner would be purely because they showed more of his routines then anybody else. I was particularly annoyed by the pas de deux coverage, they showed so little of some of them I don't know why they bothered. Do they do that with the YM competition? I have no recollection of someone starting their piece, and then the programme cutting to the last few bars, but I might be wrong.

I am quite relieved that there have been some positive comments about this. I actually bought a ticket some time ago, on the grounds that at least I would get a chance to see Ferri dance, even if I hated everything else.

I only watched the ballet programme, I didn't get a chance to see any of the others. However, can someone enlighten me? How do they judge the abilities of the dancers in the final? I am not sure how you could compare someone dancing a hip hop piece with someone dancing classical ballet.

Splendid idea, Janet. They could probably use the same carriage, couldn't they? And I am sure the new production of Swan Lake is an excellent opportunity to add a little live animal action, especially as Peregrine's colouring matches that of the swans!

If I was Peregrine, I would be stamping my hooves and demanding an appearance in The Two Pigeons. After all, if they have a couple of birds on stage, they can have a pony as well, can't they?

When I read the cast lists, I found myself looking to see who would be a likely replacement for at least one name who seems to have spent more time injured than actually dancing. It takes me back to the days when Belinda Hatley's name appeared in the cast lists. I don't think I ever got to see her perform, despite booking several times! I do hope I don't jinx anybody.....

How very odd. It took me a long time to warm to Marquez, I don't know why, but once I did I found her delightful in so many things. While it is great to have youngsters taking a turn, it seems puzzling to cut out someone who would be perfect in Pigeons, and I would have thought she would get at least one performance.

Actually, I only jsut noticed that Marquez doesn't seem to be doing anything, apart from one Juliet? Or have I missed here somewhere? And is Salenko making her debut as Juliet?

Well, I don't mentioning a dancer by name. No Morera as Juliet. :sigh: What a pity, but some exciting new casts to look forward to.

Oh right. The blurb on the ROH website says she joined The Royal Ballet School aged 15, supported by a Prix de Lausanne scholarship, so I assumed she joined the school in 1980 when she actually won. No wonder it didn't make sense! Thanks, Jane.