capybara

Available now from:  fromtheboxoffice.com  Quite a bit of choice.

3 minutes ago, Sim said:

Even if I were doubtful, I would still go and see them for the very reasons I stated above:  it's always exciting to see whether or not a pairing will work.  There are some which (in my own opinion) will always work (Kaneko/Bracewell, Naghdi/Ball), so it is interesting to see how they (especially the ladies) work with others.  Sometimes they click, sometimes not, but that's what makes it fascinating.  

Completely agree. My response was in the context of the question about casting recommendations to a ballet newbie which had become rather complicated.

Kaneko/Muntagirov or Naghdi/Ball all the way.

28 minutes ago, Sim said:

Thanks.  That's why I missed her.  Having seen their Mayerling, I think they might well work very much better in SL if they had another chance. 

But, since Yasmine and Vadim aren’t cast together, it isn’t really an issue.

Their one and only SL was very last minute and I thought it was such a shame for Yasmine to be virtually ‘thrown on’ on opening night (and yet so typical of the wonderful company player she appears to be).

I have seen Vadim and Fumi dance a full length R&J and several gala pdd together and they worked for me. If anyone remains doubtful, then why not just go for another pairing and be done with it?

Nice that the comments on Dante have now gathered pace. Thank you everyone.

22 minutes ago, AnnabelCharles said:

I don't often post because I know my opinions don't chime with the majority view. I also tend not to express my dislike for particular ballets, dancers , choreographers etc - because I don't think it's interesting to anyone else and it can spoil others' enthusiasm or upset the people involved. I do find some comments on this forum overly negative and they sometimes seem to brook no disagreement - or at least assume that others share the same view.

Thank you for saying this @AnnabelCharles  The point you are making is food for thought for us all.

The day after the opening night of Don Q there were 2 BCF pages of comment.

The day after the opening night of Dante, there are just 14 contributions in all, with some of them focused more on other roles which William Bracewell might essay than the show itself.

This kind of speaks for itself.

Just now, alison said:

 

I'm getting to like this guy 😀. He may only be being used as "background" thus far, but what he does in that background is always well considered and detailed without detracting from the main action.  (Actually, I think you could say that of several of the recent intake).

Caspar Lench does seem to being given quite a bit of prominence - definitely not in the 'background background' if you know what I mean.

He has an immensely likeable stage personality.

In the large group of interesting posts I have just read (above), there is one which mentions many current RB Principals, but not Yasmine Naghdi. This happens A LOT  - and yet:

• she was a stunning Kitri
• she is not only an amazing technician but she can inhabit all kinds of characters (way better than (e.g.) Darcey Bussell)
• she is capable of transforming the 'ordinary' (Like Water for Chocolate) into a completely different, extraordinary piece
• she is obviously very supportive of her partners (e.g. as Mary in the beyond astonishing Muntagirov-led performance of Mayerling this time last year)
• she appears to be a real 'team-player', often stepping into roles at short notice.

There are many dancers one could name from both the past and the present who have benefited from having a 'fair wind behind them', having a 'partner of interest', or being 'plain amazing'. But for some unfathomable reason, Yasmine does not get the attention she deserves.

It's high time the RB put the spotlight on her more.

Post moved to the DON Q thread where it should have been in the first place.

7 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

I think it’s hard with the Mercedes role as it was created on Morera, an experienced and very beautiful principal dancer with a strong artistic sensibility - not to mention a Spanish dancer who was collaborating with a fellow Spanish speaker which probably helped bring so much more authentic feeling and fire into the role.  I wonder if the role should have possibly gone to a principal, as it did with Morera and Hirano, with a bit more artistic flair - possibly Magri could have done more justice to Mercedes.  I definitely felt the fire and sass required was underwhelmingly conveyed.

Magri was Mercedes on opening night only.

Now that the DQ run has ended 😥 I’d just like to say what a super thread this has been. Thank you everyone for the ‘reviews’, contrasting opinions, insights and information herein 😊👏. BCF at its best!

Michael was at the RBS, then moved to ENB to be ‘in charge’ of major donors and now has a similar role at the ROH.

I ‘know’ him and am writing to him.

2 minutes ago, Paco said:

Tonight, at the end of the performance, during the curtain calls Kevin O'Hare went on stage to celebrate the 10 years of Natalia Osipova at the Royal Ballet, with a beautiful moving speech. Standing ovation and lots of flowers.

 

Such a nice, charming initiative!

Agree that such recognition is very nice but I can't quite get my head round the rationale: Marianela was celebrated at 20 years, then again at 25; for others, 25 seems to be the norm, with some notable exceptions (e.g. Christopher Saunders at 40 years.

2 minutes ago, postie said:

Quite the cast today. Will we get a full list of runners and riders?

 The full cast for the General can be accessed in the usual way: 

https://www.roh.org.uk/about/cast-sheets

9 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

Interesting that the first cast is also doing the rehearsal, isn’t it normally the other way around?

Fielding another cast only usually occurs when the opening night is on the same day as the General.

6 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

The same person that wrote that has very kindly informed me of a cast change in an opera performance they are welcoming me to despite me not having a ticket for that performance or any opera ever

Me too @Rob S 🙃

20 minutes ago, theorist said:

The ROH has just posted on Facebook that the Dante Project is a "brand new ballet". Who writes this stuff?

Someone pulled out old copy and used it without engaging their brain.

I think I saw that phrase somewhere else earlier in the week and cringed.

It is going to be very interesting indeed to see how this will ‘play out’ for the Bolshoi Ballet.

Yuri Fateyev has only ever had the title of Acting Director at the Mariinsky, presumably because Gergiev was in overall control. However, at the Bolshoi, Makhar Vaziev does not appear to occupy a subservient role of that kind.

Michael O’Hare was truly memorable in everything he danced.

I think I saw him as Colas, Alain and Widow Simone in Fille.

He must be well over 60 now?

There is a nice tribute on the BRB website.

11 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

The way this season‘s massed banks of unsold tickets disappear, again en masse, as part of the great giveaway (sorry, selective discounts). 

Yes -it looks as if, for the first two performances of Dante, the House has been 'papered'.

10 minutes ago, Sim said:

I don't see why.  There isn't that much exchange between them and DG, and they still have a couple of months to rehearse.  

Exactly.

Alexander Campbell is dancing both roles, admittedly not debuts but obviously possible. And Hirano has a very experienced Manon in Lamb.

Lescaut, Mistress and M GM were all definitely there at one point. Christopher Saunders was listed for M GM on the two dates where Ryo is now Des Grieux.

So Hirano has become, I think, the most used of the RB male Principals this season:

3 Espadas

3 Dantes

now 4 Nutcracker Princes

4 Lescauts

now 2 Des Grieux

It must feel awful for Steven McRae when substitutions get announced. All good wishes to him with his ACL recovery.

22 minutes ago, JanetW said:

I wonder if the one who stood out to you is who also stood out to me? Blonde, not tall, he did a fantastic split jump a la Muntagirov that was past 180 degrees. 

He was also always very lively and technically impressive: Marco Masciari I think ? (I hope I have his name correctly.)

 

I'll write further about the performance on Saturday afternoon as soon as I can. 

Probably Marco Masciari. He has changed his hair colour and style quite recently.

31 minutes ago, Silver Capricorn said:

If the principal, at the peak of his artistic career, has 6 performances scheduled in his home ensemble for a period of 6 months, it is not surprising that he tries to dance elsewhere, and it is certainly not just a question of money.  In addition to hosting, the head of the local ballet discusses with Kevin O'Hare.

I’m not arguing with that at all - indeed, it is a (beneficial) consequence of the serious under-use of RB Principals by the RB.

HOWEVER, guesting needs to fit with ‘home’ commitments in such a way as to ensure that there is no detriment to scheduled Company performances.

Some ADs do indeed make contact with KOH but there are many commercial promoters out there as well …

Edited to add that I  remember well Osipova’s cancellation of her performance at the Mariinsky - good for her: she had her priorities right.