Tony Newcombe

One former member of the Royal Ballet amongst those promoted

13 minutes ago, Sophie_B said:

I'll just jump in here with a mini-report from today - how utterly lovely to be back at the ROH, and while I wait for the antibodies from that vaccine to kick in I'm doubly grateful for the generous spacing and strictly enforced masking policy. Still buzzing from the whole evening!

 

Still buzzing from the whole evening. Such different works and depth of talent. Within the Golden Hour was the "cast of all recently announced promotions" (Fumi Kaneko, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Joseph Sissens in the male duet and Leticia Dias in the ensemble), also Hay and Clarke in the main couples. Akane Takada and Alexander Campbell mesmerising - I haven't seen Takada dance that much, but she's always grace and loveliness personified for me.

 

I don't think the Kyle Abraham piece will particularly stay with me, although I'm certainly not complaining about watching Sambé and Osipova dance, and the voices in the beginning passive-aggressively fighting were amusing.

 

The Crystal Pite pieces were both very enjoyable and different from each other. I didn't read the reviews in advance so did not know the first one (Statement) was mostly based on spoken word. Not sure I've ever seen something so in-between dance and theatre, brilliant acting from Matthew Ball who brought out both the absurd and the existential angst in his character. The second one (Solo Echo) didn't seem to have a particular story, but I enjoyed all the dynamics going on, and thought the choreography worked well with the Brahms (I'm afraid my ears are not fine enough to comment on the quality of the cellist - I am just fond of both Brahms and cellos). Very much an ensemble piece but the most central were Mayara Magri (another promotion news of course), and an impressive Luca Acri.

Maybe the Kyle Abraham ballet will look different with Claire Calvert and Melissa Hamilton dancing the Osipova role

On 19/05/2021 at 19:27, zxDaveM said:

 

freebies missed, I expect

 

On 17/04/2021 at 13:37, FionaE said:

Tomorrow evening Münich ballet will be live-streaming FREE their Paradigma triple bill which includes Liam’s ‘With a Chance of Rain’

 

7.30pm Münich time on Staatsoper.tv

The stream is FREE and one time only, no video-on-demand.  

It is part of the digital ballet festival week 17-25 April from the Bavarian State Ballet. 

https://www.staatsoper.de/en/staatsballett/digital-ballet-festival-week-2021.html

Bravo Bavarian State Ballet!

7 hours ago, alison said:

Perhaps they'll try for Cuthbertson again?  Assuming she'll be back by then, of course.

She will be taking part in World Ballet Festival in Denmark in July. 

Only one way to find what it will look like. Just booked ticket. 

22 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Strange coincidence. I was thinking only yesterday that I hadn't heard anything more about the second BRB Nutcracker & was wondering if they'd abandonded it, & now here it is. May I ask how/where people found the discount for those who watched the first one? I can't see anything about it on the page that @northstar posted the link to.

I received a email about this and was offered the special price because I had booked for the first cast Nutcracker and Lazuli Sky. There was a promo code to be used to secure the special price

2 hours ago, Lynette H said:

Nice to have news of Muriel Valtat who I remember fondly, particularly in Ashton works. 

Wonderful Natalia Petrovna

A truly great ballerina. So lucky to have seen her take on the Royal Ballet Rep in the early 1990’s

9 hours ago, capybara said:

Meanwhile, on Instagram Christopher Saunders is saying, in response to a question, that he thinks he has been in 450 of the 500. Dr Stalbaum, Arabian, Drosselmeyer, party attender etc.

Amazing!

He was in the Arabian Dance on the first night. Can be seen in the Collier/Dowell video

6 minutes ago, Sim said:

Sadly the article is behind a paywall.  

Look on the bright side. You don’t have to read it. I found it quite depressing in these depressing times.

Revue in The Times is far more uplifting

44 minutes ago, capybara said:

The tiers were on their feet cheering but the stalls stayed seated. Come on folks!

 

It was a lovely performance all round and it felt sooooo good to be in the building with all those familiar faces on stage and in the pit giving their all for us.

Standing in the stalls can be a problem at curtain calls. Prods in the back. Hisses of sit down. I gave my bravos and bravis from the front row and I think one my favourite dancers heard me. Fabulous afternoon

3 hours ago, Mandy Kent said:

Have to say that Leo Dixon has been 'on my radar for quite a while.

If anyone gets a spare ticket for his debut on 31st Dec or 1st Jan PLEASE let me know ( gushing fan) 

Hayward, Corrales, Pajdak and Dixon on 1stJanuary. Dreamy

18 minutes ago, capybara said:

I hope I’m mistaken in this case but it’s usually the ‘people at the top’ who get the top honours.

In the ballet world usually true. Handed out like confetti to actors and opera singers though

8 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

A decent read in the Yorkshire Post:

 

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/no-northsouth-divide-when-it-comes-both-football-and-ballet-jayne-dowle-3036571

More than decent!

I was born in the Midlands. Maybe that’s why I like both

Makes you realise what a wonderful achievement this was.

900 people who obviously have a deep affection for the Royal Ballet. A very moist eyed evening

Interesting comments from a couple of critics in their reviews of The Wells performances.

1. After a try out in Birmingham!!!

2. Premier of Lazuli Sky.

The premier was in Birmingham! Another example of the north/south divide

11 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

I don't know about anyone else, but all this chatter about booking etc, is making me ridiculously excited!!

Not about ROH, But I have just BOOKED my drink on-line for Sadlers Wells tomorrow

Great news. Received email for my priority booking today. Single tickets not available for on line booking but email link

provided. Sent email and The Rep contacted me within 10 minutes. Ticket s for 2 performances confirmed. Impressive.

For some years now it has been iPhone and iPad for me and have no real problems with ROH site. Remember nightmare days with Microsoft and Internet Explorer

5 minutes ago, Sim said:

How is it that I can't seem to watch this again??  I click on the link, log in, and then I just get a big black box where the video should (I assume) show.  I did leave a message for the ROH but needless to say I haven't had a response.  Can any advise please?

Don’t have any advice Sim but I just accessed it via my original booking.

6 hours ago, capybara said:

Some ‘joiners’ who have not yet been announced could be seen on stage at the end!

The new intake of Aud Jebsen dancers are now listed on ROH website. No apparent changes in status of the dancers

15 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

 

Well - I'm just back from Pinter's Betrayal at the Theatre Royal and how wonderful it was to be back in a live audience. They've done an excellent job of making everyone feel safe and welcome: everything worked like clockwork and I had no concerns about the enterprise. Temperatures were taken on entering and hand sanitisers were at the ready, and we were given clear instructions about entering the theatre and getting to seats. Everyone wore a mask throughout.

 

(As an aside - the theatre mentioned that the safety consultants they've engaged are also being used by the ROH "and many West End theatres".)

 

Obviously these things are a personal choice, but if you're in a low risk group, please consider getting back into the theatres. They've worked so hard to be able to put on a show and you can tell how pleased they are to have us back. I'd hate for these green shoots to wither from a simple lack of interest rather than something more serious.

 

Lizbie1, nice to hear. I'm at the Theatre Royal tomorrow.