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Lindsay

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  1. Lindsay
    Here are some examples of composers of “dramatic storylines” that “unfold through catchy tunes” which my ears tell me are vastly superior to ALW’s derivative and simplistic efforts. Hope helpful: Irving Berlin Cole Porter Ivor Novello Leonard Bernstein Noel Coward Jerome Kern George Gershwin Marvin Hamlisch Kander and Ebb Frank Loesser Lionel Bart Stephen Sondheim Lin Manuel Miranda
  2. Lindsay
    I think those engaged in higher level music education know that ALW's work is musically banal with a generous topping of ersatz emotional manipulation. And of course, the reason Roger Waters has a problem with ALW's "genius" has long been known: An astute businessman - undoubtedly. An artist - hardly.....
  3. Lindsay
    I think the corps dances in the street scenes have been compressed and possibly the ball scene too. The overture was also shortened.
  4. Lindsay
    I was actually a little underwhelmed by the film. I'm not generally convinced that a "naturalistic" approach works in the context of ballet - any attempt at immersive realism is constantly interrupted by "oh she's just got out of bed but she has pointe shoes on" or "he's just stopped in the middle of a sword fight to do a pirouette". Also ballet dancers are not professional actors and it shows. Hayward has some talent in that direction and I can see why they chose Bracewell for Romeo, he looked very young on camera and has a nice smile (which they kept defaulting to as obviously it was his expression that came over best on film). Sambe had good swagger as Mercutio and Ball was a moody Tybalt, but neither was subtle (which is hardly unexpected from dancers used to "stage acting") so the overall effect was of slightly mediocre acting. And you couldn't really see how good the standard of dance was (except for a couple of moments during Mercutio's solos) because the film wasn't shot to foreground that, so the camera constantly cut away to reaction shots and didn't show feet. I'm afraid I don't buy that this is an exciting new way of telling a story through dance or that it will bring young people into ballet. It treats the audience in a rather patronising way. If one wants to see a R&J with "real emotion" I would prefer the film of Maillot's Romeo et Juliette - he uses dance steps in a far more intelligent way to remove the barrier of artificiality between the dancers and the audience. Or just see the Macmillan production on stage where it works the way it was designed too. This film is just a superficially attractive mish-mash.
  5. Lindsay
    I believe that Nikisha Fogo was also in that year and she is now a First Soloist, which is the highest rank available, in Vienna.
  6. Lindsay
    I think it’s because Osipova is one of the most famous ballerinas in the world - amongst the RB dancers only Nunez comes anywhere close in terms of global name recognition. And because right from the beginning of her career Osipova made bold artistic choices and her physical gifts and stage presence immediately marked her out as something quite different from the ‘ordinary’ run of talented ballerinas. She is an absolute phenomenon and so people are more likely to have strong opinions about her, for good or for bad, then they will about dancers who turn in excellent but more conventional and predictable performances.
  7. Lindsay
    I think “unpleasant and unprofessional” is a very charitable way of describing her behaviour Lizbie1...... I used to temp at the ROH in the 90s (a couple of years after this so I do not feature in the programme, although my husband does) and do remember it being incredibly ‘jobsworthy’ and unprofessional in some departments. There were quite a few people who had been there for years and considered their way of doing things sacrosanct (for no particular reason except that it had “always been done that way”) and who looked down upon any incoming staff or visiting artists. Especially if they were “foreign”. Unless they were an acknowledged “star” in which case they fawned all over them. Put me right off a career in the arts!
  8. Lindsay
    I also think the Florine tutu is the most flattering. The worst in my opinion are the pouffy Florestan's sisters tutus, with the ugly little neck ruffs. By the way, for anyone wanting a look at the costumes from the 1990s production of Sleeping Beauty, the old (and notorious) BBC six-part documentary on the ROH has appeared on youtube. You can see the final London rehearsal of the production before its Washington DC premiere in episode 2 - which includes Dowell's rather exasperated comments about an injured Darcy rehearsing Aurora on a shiny floor - as well as much amusement from a female dancer at the Lilac Cavalier outfits the men are er 'burdened' with. The US premiere, with the Clintons and Princess Margaret in attendance, appears in a later episode. )
  9. Lindsay
    I agree with this. Osipova is many things but she is never boring. You can tell that she has spent hundreds of hours on stage and is a thoroughly theatrical animal. Although for anyone who has seen more than a couple of Rose Adagios it was evident how much she was struggling in Act I (shaking and at times off the music and what on earth was going on with the hand gestures on the supported attitude turns and constant hand fluttering in her solo?) she delivered it like the pro she is and most of the audience roared their approval. I was then amazed to see her come out and deliver an immaculate and rock steady Act II. I don't know what she took in the interval but it worked. I also agree with Tebalise that Hallberg, although his line is undeniably beautiful, was the weaker of the two in Act III - I thought that skipping all the overhead lifts was shocking - although they sold it with such aplomb that anyone not familiar with the pas de deux would never have known. BUT, and it is a big but, I was not bored at any point in the proceedings. And this is by no means my favourite ballet, even when immaculately performed. Totally agree with everyone that this was not an evening for lovers of pure classicism but as a spectacle it was entertaining!
  10. Lindsay
    I wondered about that too capybara but they were only in the prologue so could have left by the end of Act 1 Lilac Fairy was Mendizabal. And other than Fumi in the prologue none of the “other” Auroras were on tonight.
  11. Lindsay
    I defer to you JNC - I wasn’t that close so you will almost certainly know better. I was however close enough to see and be amused by the corps men coming out as “trees” for Red Riding Hood. I assume they sent the kids home since it was getting so late.
  12. Lindsay
    I thought it was Akane but my eyesight isn’t perfect - would make sense though as there is no real dancing or pointe work required and she was already in the costume.... Poor thing - what terrible luck
  13. Lindsay
    Also James Hay was an incredible bluebird!
  14. Lindsay
    Not obvious, no but Takada looked less secure than she usually does (which is to say she was still very good but not as flawless as I have seen her on previous occasions). They restarted with the Lilac Fairy taking the prince in his boat and Takada stayed to do the awakening scene. Then Yasmine Naghdi danced Act 3. The pas de deux was a bit cautious as you would expect but no major mishaps, extremely professionally done and they were both calm and smiling throughout - and their individual variations were lovely.
  15. Lindsay
    Well much drama tonight - Akane Takada is unable to continue after Act 1 so interval extended while we await another ballerina.
  16. Lindsay
    It did Sim but they are here now, like it or not, and it seems a little unfair for those who have benefited from a more civilised work culture in the past to be making critical assumptions about the mobile phone habits of workers today. I am thankful to be old and senior enough to have some control over my communications (although if I choose to disappear offline it often means dropping more junior people into additional work/trouble) but I know lots of 20 and 30 somethings trying to make their way in the 'gig economy' - not least in the arts world - who cannot afford to miss an single opportunity.
  17. Lindsay
    No excuse for anyone not having their phone off from the moment the lights go down until they come up again but I did just want to point out that in the modern world some of us have jobs or run businesses where we are expected to be in contact and replying to email almost instantaneously at all kinds of unvicilised hours. It can also be wholly unpredictable (which is why I find it hard to book tickets in advance) but sometimes I do 'sneak out' to go to a performance in the knowledge I will have to spend every second of the intervals typing away until the lights dim. Again, I'm not saying it's ok to use your phone in any way during the overture or performance (and neither am I advocating for this being a positive development in workplace culture - I think it's a curse!) but I wanted to make the point that not all phone use is self-indulgent leisure time.
  18. Lindsay
    Agree Sim, it was a splendid second movement with Naghdi’s beautiful lines and Hirano’s exemplary partnering. In fact, with Magri in the third movement and O’Sullivan in the first, the future of the RB’s female talent looks very secure. The evening as a whole was the best I’ve seen from the RB in a while - Morera was at her sensitive dramatic best in Enigma Variations, partnered sympathetically by Christopher Saunders. Muntagirov surpassed even his own high standards in the Raymonda variation - it’s becoming almost comical, as if gravity doesn’t apply to him - lots of fun to watch. And Osipova made me laugh too. I thought she looked a bit tired but she more than made up for it by vamping her way fiercely through the whole thing. It was a long way from the ice queen that a lot of ballerinas deliver for Raymonda but absolutely no one can top her for entertainment value - you just never know what kind of crazy is going to turn up but it is never anything less than fascinating!
  19. Lindsay
    Because the combination of human faces and bodies with CGI fur and tails in the trailers released so far is disturbing and creepy. Even the furries don’t like it. I know not everyone has the same tastes but industry press reaction to the advance PR has been overwhelmingly critical. I’m sure the release will do solid business with Taylor Swift fans who worship anything she does and with ALW nostalgists but I don’t think it will be an artistic highlight of this or any year. https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/cats-trailer-reaction-critics-horrified-footage-1202159139/
  20. Lindsay
    Nothing against Francesca but I think all those involved with this movie are going to be leaving it off their CVs for years to come. The design choices alone leave it wide open to critical savagery and a tsunami of social media derision.
  21. Lindsay
    I thought the Monday Moves segment was respectfully presented in a non-patronising way and I was very interested by the teaching techniques used.
  22. Lindsay
    Awesome - thank you so much BeauxArts
  23. Lindsay
    Does anyone know who any of the Bolshoi dancers currently being rehearsed by Ratmansky in Giselle on the livestream are please?
  24. Lindsay
    They also used to paper extensively for some visiting companies. I saw San Francisco Ballet from the Grand Tier for free, sitting next to Deborah Bull and a very young Edward Watson.
  25. Lindsay
    I used to go to more opera in those days but I do recall productions like the Nureyev Don Quixote and some of the newer works Stretton put on being pretty sparsely attended.
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