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penelopesimpson

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Everything posted by penelopesimpson

  1. penelopesimpson
    Me, too. Just got one. Couldn't decided between Campbell and Hayward or Naghdi and Ball and went for the latter. They better be good because I hate Sleeping Beauty!
  2. penelopesimpson
    eaten?
  3. penelopesimpson
    I agree. A very odd description of a character who oozes pathos
  4. penelopesimpson
    I would have called a member of staff. I did this at ROH when a woman was on her phone the whole time and I got moved to a better seat and she was told to close the phone or leave.
  5. penelopesimpson
    Janet - I rather think you may be right. Taking it easy this morning I can remember so many wonderful bits. Even seeing it for the first time last night, I noticed the subtle complexity of the much of the choreography. I will definitely see it again - but not next year!
  6. penelopesimpson
    Moving on from audience behaviour, a word about the cloakroom staff at ROH. Guys, you really need to get over this renovation business. Yes, it's a bind but if the Box Office staff can handle operating out of a tiny shop on the corner of the piazza with great efficiency and courtesy, then you surely need to stop being quite so precious. Tonight was the third time I've had problems and I'm getting just a little fractious. We GET that space is limited and that you'd prefer us not to arrive with a couple of steamer trunks, a complete set of lycra or a hostess trolley, but one lightweight jacket and a small basket really shouldn't send you into spasm. My nimby award goes to the lady in the foyer who earnestly explained that the best cloakroom for those of us with Grand Tier seats was the one outside the Ampitheatre Restaurant! When I demurred, she shunted us off to the Conservatory where I was 'instructed' that due to shortage of space, my jacket would need to be folded and packed into my basket. This was said (with a straight face) against a backdrop of rows of empty hangars, the same ones that greeted us on our return three hours later. My jacket now looks like a rag. Some of us travel great distances to visit ROH. I left home at 1300 and do an eight hour round trip. I bring as little as possible but need flat shoes for hoofing it over Waterloo Bridge and a book for the journey. Given the cost of tickets, I don't think its unreasonable to expect to be able to leave a coat and a small bag. God help us when the weather turns cold. There is a degree of officiousness creeping in at ROH which I don't appreciate.
  7. penelopesimpson
    Oh dear, my first Fille and I'm not going to be as glowing as others. Yes, I loved it and it made a perfect choice for my guest as a second-timer to ballet. We giggled in all the right places, went moist about the eyes towards the end and thoroughly enjoyed what was a good romp. However, I can now understand why it isn't selling because having seen it, I won't want to return for at least a few years. Like chocolate, the first experience is wonderful, a whole bar even better but a constant diet satiates. There are simply too many performances so soon after it was last staged. A rare scheduling mistake from KOH, I think. A few observations which are 'amateur' as I've not seen this ballet before but,... Muntagirov was wonderful - is there nothing this guy can't do? Fabulous in every way. Morera was certainly faultless but she did not excite me. I found her lacking in energy and the essential pertness which I can imagine Lise needs. She was effortlessly outdazzled by Muntagirov and I found myself thinking that these roles are tailor-made for quicksilver Osipova and cheeky-chappie Macrae. For me, a feelgood evening but I won't be rushing back, Give me the dark depths of Mayerling, the emotional rollercoaster of Winter's Tale and the beguiling mystery of Woolf Works!
  8. penelopesimpson
    Tonight looking worryingly empty, despite it being Muntagirov. Maybe I can find 100+ friends to take along!
  9. penelopesimpson
    Another great post Floss which nails all the issues. I just threw Kobborg in for discussion, not really having any idea of the totality of his experience. I guess I still smart from the way they were 'let go.' But yes, seems to me KOH has done and is doing a pretty good job. We have had some interesting new work and he has allowed his choreographers to experiment, even when the results have been poor as in Raven Girl. I think his judgement deserted him when he allowed Accosta to choreograph. Don Quixote did not demonstrate any particular talent for this role so mounting the expensive abomination that was Carmen seemed ludicrous. I still wonder what went on there. His judgement his more evident vis a vis his casting (with the exception of putting Hayward and Golding together) and recent promotions. I appreciate there is a considerable body of opinion that would have liked to see Yuhui Choe as a Principal and I admire that he didn't bow to buggins turn and instead appointed Principals who have that little extra sparkle. That is NOT to denigrate Ms Choe who is a lovely dancer but, for me and many others, lacks stage presence. So, all in all, we seem to be in good hands with KOH.
  10. penelopesimpson
    An interesting thought. And Mr. Kobborg?
  11. penelopesimpson
    Having paid full price (hefty) when booking opened, I do feel a tad annoyed! Perhaps it would be wise in future for the management not to schedule such long runs of ballets that have been performed recently. Endless Sleeping Beauty and La Fille, but a scant few Mayerlings.
  12. penelopesimpson
    I'm going tomorrow and its the first time for this opera for me. Really looking forward to it. I used to work at The Barbican and adored Bartoli there - lucky you.
  13. penelopesimpson
    Is the premiere on a Sat? I would also appreciate some guidance re seating as I last went the Dominion about thirty years ago!
  14. penelopesimpson
    I didn't see it - was it terrible? Considered booking this time but took one look at the reviews, and... Are you going to Norma?
  15. penelopesimpson
    Still looking worryingly unsold, particularly when compared to Anastasia. Are there just too many performances of a ballet that was performed relatively recently? Perhaps, also, audiences are becoming more discriminating. I have a ticket for the new production of Norma which is pretty nearly sold out, yet Manon Lescaut which received shocking reviews last time around, is very unsold.
  16. penelopesimpson
    Sad that Edward Watson not mentioned. Macrae is marvellous but, for me, Watson is in another league. Saw that they mention American in Paris coming to London. Does anyone know where this will be put on?
  17. penelopesimpson
    I always thought things might go bad for Tom. He has courted publicity, spending endless hours on Twitter, and I doubt the media circus can have been helpful to his development. I have always wondered if it is actually celebrity he wants rather than an Olympic medal. Whatever, it was a shock to see him crash and burn and I feel for him.
  18. penelopesimpson
    I have mixed feelings about the Olympics. Yes, most enjoyable to watch, particularly the London ones, but all this money spent in Brazil where audiences have been poor. Then all the facilities just stand there and rot. You can see the Bejing and the Athens ones online and it is a terrible waste of money. Why not decide on one venue and always have them there? Athens would be the obvious place and would give a boost to Greece. I am also uneasy about the success of Team GB. Sure, they have been terrific but isn't it a bit odd that such a small nation as we are suddenly excels at all sports? This can only be because of the huge amounts of money that have been poured into sport but when was it decided that this was a priority for our nation? Many of the activities being funded are minority sports and yet the funding is seemingly endless. I am NOT saying it is necessarily a bad idea - just asking when it was decided that the UK must become the top sporting nation.
  19. penelopesimpson
    Is it a wonderful experience? It's the principal reason for me for going to Venice which I haven't visited before so any tips on the House welcome.
  20. penelopesimpson
    Grand Tier one time, Stalls Circle the other. I think it is a fabulous ballet and I looked for tickets to go a third time but couldn't get any. Weird. And yes, I did go for the Watson Cuthbertson cast which may have had something to do with it. It's a pity the RB publicity machine didn't get behind it more effectively because it actually is a great ballet for newbies. It has everything - wonderful dancing, a dramatic plot, a fun-filled light-hearted 2nd Act and some fab character roles.
  21. penelopesimpson
    I am hoping to visit this Spring and I have no idea where to sit. Can anyone help? I am willing to pay for a good seat and don't want to be at a great height.
  22. penelopesimpson
    I'm surprised to hear that. I went twice and it was jammed both times.
  23. penelopesimpson
    I wondered about the pricing Floss, but then I looked at Sleeping Beauty which is, predictably, selling well, so ????
  24. penelopesimpson
    I was just wondering why this doesn't seem to be booking terribly well when compared with Anastasia and the Triple Bill. I know there are a lot of performances but even the ones with Osipova still have a lot of seats left. It will be my first time for this particular ballet so I was interested in people's thoughts.
  25. penelopesimpson
    I have to say that one of the major reasons I stopped booking to see the Russian guests when they come to London is the type of audience they attract. Okay, some will say that sounds elitist. For me it is simply that I give up a lot of other things in order to afford a nice seat at the ballet and I expect to enjoy the experience in peace. For whatever reason, the guest ballet companies seem to attract a lot of people who are only interested in saying 'i went to see the Bolshoi.' I am no expert but I love ballet and yearn to learn more at each performance I go to. I don't want the evening spoilt by noisy guests who spend most of the performance working out the correct angle for their camera. I don't hesitate to tell ROH staff when things go awry.
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