Jump to content

penelopesimpson

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,958

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by penelopesimpson

  1. penelopesimpson
    All I can see him down for this season is three performances of Raven Girl. What is going on?
  2. penelopesimpson
    Beautifully put. I have experienced it just 3 times: Altynai Asymuritova and Farouk Ruzimatof in Bayadere Cojocaru and Kobborg in Manon and, most outstanding of all: Edward Watson first night of Mayerling in 2013. One of the greatest nights of my life. Unbelievable. Anybody else there?
  3. penelopesimpson
    The first time I saw Hayward and I said that here was the successor to Cojocaru. I haven't seen Naghdi yet and am deeply envious of those who went to her performance of R&J
  4. penelopesimpson
    You may be right but I adore new work and book tickets when I can. However, Raven Girl - no way am I seeing that again! Loved the Hofesh Schechter, Woolf Works and Winter's Tale.
  5. penelopesimpson
    Me too. 'Wasted' my money on Macrae and Salenko who were terrific but left me unmoved.
  6. penelopesimpson
    Edward Watson Alina Cojocaru
  7. penelopesimpson
    No. It's on every performance and its now £110. A trifle irritating.
  8. penelopesimpson
    Am I seeing things or has the price of R&J tickets been reduced? I paid £127 for my Stalls Circle seat and see that they are now on sale for £115. Can anyone help?
  9. penelopesimpson
    'bashing?' Is that how you define expressing an opinion? Odd! Was absolutely no bashing involved at all, indeed have been at pains to stress the positives whilst giving my opinion.
  10. penelopesimpson
    Well said, Aileen. It will be a sad thing is people are not allowed to express their opinions of what they paid to see because people who feel they know better disapprove. As you so aptly say, this is a discussion forum NOT a fan site. We are all free to express our likes and dislikes and that is what has made this forum so fascinating and educational. I winced when I saw that guy's comment which was rude. I rarely leave before the end of the performance - the only time for me was Don Quixote which I found boring in the extreme and full of 'now we will do some folk dancing moments.' However, I didn't comment on it because I felt I hadn't seen it through. The reviews for R&J are not that good and some posters seem to have a hard time accepting that. Whilst I frequent disagree with the critics, this time around I think they are spot on. There is nothing wrong with the R&J I saw, it just wasn't great.
  11. penelopesimpson
    Should have added that most reviewers seem to share my opinion that the cast never catches fire. The Guardian have it right, for me. I think Kevin O'Hare made a bad mistake with Macrae and also Lamb.
  12. penelopesimpson
    So, not just me then. I had a great night on Thursday and enjoyed it but that was it. There was no touching of the emotional heartstrings and I remain firmly of the opinion that Macrae is not Romeo. As for mood, well I was feeling good that night so I'm not going to accept the blame! However, I do agree that as ticket prices become stratospheric, one expects more and more. I paid £127 for Stalls Circle and its a big ask. I know losing Pennefather and then Osipova left RB with a big hole, but I don't think Macrae was the man to bridge the gap. Why on earth didn't they call for Watson? I have a ticket for Muntagirov and Lamb on Thursday but am going to return it and put the money towards something in the Winter season.
  13. penelopesimpson
    Posted on previous page. Basically, did not catch fire for me. I adore Macrae but not as Romeo; I just don't think he has the acting skills although of course his technique is second to none and he gave a flawless performance. Salenko was lovely but the partnership just didn't do it for me but I must stress this is a personal opinion with which other more knowlegeable posters may disagree. Alexander Campbell stole the show and I felt he had everything it takes to be Romeo. Seeing Muntagirov and Lamb on Thurs so will have a comparison.
  14. penelopesimpson
    Oh wow, didn't know that. Would so much have preferred him to Macrae. I wonder why they have given Macrae so many peformances of R&J which surely doesn't use his obvious talents to best effect?
  15. penelopesimpson
    Well, just back from watching Macrae and Salenko. I suspect my thoughts won't be popular but here they are, anyway. A strong four-star performance but it did not tug my heartstrings and at times I felt my attention wandering. High points; Wonderful ensemble dancing and Alexander Campbell quite breathtakingly dynamic, dominating the stage - surely one to watch. Hats off too to Bennet Gartside and also all the corps de ballet and the sword fighting was nerve-janglingly realistic. Salenko fabulous. I've not seen her before and was initially amazed at the slightness of her stature but she made a wonderful Juliet. Not so good: Something wrong with the brass section of the orchestra, particularly in the first Act. I am not knowlegable enough to pinpoint the problem, but it was noticeable. IMPO: Macrae is not Romeo. I adore this dancer. I rush to see him in most things, and have revered him in Woolf Works and A Winter's Tale, but I just don't think he is a romantic lead. He gave a virtuoso performance (my companion tonight was a ballet novice but still commented on the pinpoint precision of his dancing), but I couldn't detect any emotion and for me he changed not a jot through the performance. The only time he came to life was in the fatal sword fight but otherwise... I see that many have praised his partnership with Lamb so it may be that having a different partner threw him off his game but for me, being really picky, it just didn't work. That it is not to say that it wasn't a wonderful evening - just no cigar. I am seeing Muntagirov next week so will have better points for comparison but I was disappointed tonight. I should confess that I am a follower of Ed Watson and I kept wishing he had been dancing the role and bringing all his dramatic physicality to the performance.
  16. penelopesimpson
    Does Edward Watson not do Romeo? I am disappointed that he appears not to be doing much this season. My favourite dancer by a long mile but I haven't seen Muntagirov yet - roll on next Thursday.
  17. penelopesimpson
    In the second act of Woolf Works, Macrae and Osipova just took my breath away with their speed, accuracy and clean lines. It was astonishing.
  18. penelopesimpson
    Very pleased to read your posts and others praising the performance as I have a ticket for next Thursday, Muntagirov and Lamb. Am also there tomorrow for Salenko and Macrae so will have points of comparison. I am not a fan of Lamb but the reports seem as if they will prove me wrong and I will be very pleased.
  19. penelopesimpson
    Well said, Aileen. Would that I had the sort of wallet that allowed me to go to several performances of each ballet so that I could finely judge the nuances of respective performances. In this context I enjoyed Sarah Lamb in Manon, a role which I thought she was well suited for. Equally I adored Francesca Hayward who brought a different and to me greater emotional intensity to the part. Like you, I expect to pay my money and get what I pay for. If that sounds harsh, well it is a harsh world and taken together with travel (5hrs each way for me) my ballet outings are epics of organisation. Injuries are terribly sad, not least for the dancer concerned and everybody who cares about ballet will understand that such disappointments are part and parcel of this particular art form. My argument, if it is an argument, is that having busted a gut and broken the bank to get a ticket to see Osipova and Muntagirov, I am less than thrilled that Juliet is now to be danced by a ballerina I do not especially appreciate and who IMPO is not well suited to this role. In this context I also made the comment that it would be nice if RB had another dancer with the star quality of Osipova. That is not in any way to denigrate others, it is merely to state a fact.
  20. penelopesimpson
    Many thanks for that. I look forward to Thursday's cast
  21. penelopesimpson
    Interested to read your comment but non-plussed. Every time I have mentioned Sarah Lamb I have praised her as a fine dancer with a strong following. I have then gone on to say that I PERSONALLY do not find her emotionally moving and one or two other contributors have made similar comments. So that I do not fall foul of the rules could you please clarify in what way I have been disrespectful? Is it not permitted to give personal opinions or preferences? Surely the fact that one is able to discuss so many different dancers only demonstrates ones commmitment to ballet and some degree of knowlege. I have not seen any post that has been in any way disrespectful or even critical; people have simply stated what moves them. To be honest, I find your post scarily judgmental.
  22. penelopesimpson
    I do not know where to find the complete cast list. Can you help?
  23. penelopesimpson
    Yes, great fan of Campbell. There is a wonderful Youtube piece of him tap dancing in Alice that is so appealling. Anyone know if he and Gary Avis are in Thursdays casts? Can one get the complete cast list online?
  24. penelopesimpson
    I will maybe take your advice as I am keen to see Muntagirov in the role. You may also be right about the critic BUT my problem is that he completely describes how I feel about Lamb. She is a wonderful dancer but I look for huge emotional involvement of the type Alina Cojocaru gave us in bucketloads. Ditto Mara Galeazzi and I can see the same quality in Francesca Hayward. For me neither Nunez nor Lamb have that appeal, particularly Lamb, which is why I tend to avoid her performances. I come as often as I can afford but with ticket prices now so high, plus trains and taxis, I have to be very specific in booking for particular casts. Muntagirov has been rehearsing with Hayward so I wish they had given her at least some of the Osipova performances.
  25. penelopesimpson
    Disappointing review in The Telegraph that confirms my fears about Sarah Lamb in this role. I will be returning my October 1 ticket. I wish Mr. O'Hare had substituted Hayward and Cuthbertson for the sadly injured Osipova.
×
×
  • Create New...