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JennyTaylor

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  1. JennyTaylor
    You haven't offended me at all. Both these names are well known on social media - Marianela Nunez publicly calls Vadim (Vadream) - so it's in the public domain, and, as someone else has commented, her film featured during the interval was titled Nela. If you go to any RB events/ conversations, the forename is always used to introduce the dancers. For me, calling them just by their surnames is also a little "harsh", so are we expected to call them by their full names every time we want to write about them. So, perhaps, we could all loosen up a little?? Fiz - continue with your affection and pleasure
  2. JennyTaylor
    I went for the first time this evening and came away just so relieved that Symphony in C was as sublime as I thought it would be. Unknown Soldier was OK - good idea, but would benefit from different music. I wasn't moved at all, even though I thought I should be. Nothing wrong with the dancing, it just didn't strike any emotional chord. Infra did strike emotional chords, but in the wrong way. Sorry, I hated it and even having read the synopsis, find the constant background of walking people supremely irritating. Actually, the whole thing was supremely irritating and I wish I had stayed in the bar and done some work. The evening was redeemed by the marvellous, glorious SIC with the most sumptuous cast, all on form. It's a thing of sheer beauty and I wish I could bottle it. I'm going next week to see the other casts: I'm wondering whether just to turn up for Act 3. I know that's wrong but ...…….
  3. JennyTaylor
    I think it was just really bad camera work. The snake was there but the camera didn't catch it. You could just see Luca with it as he ran off the stage, but even that wasn't clearly captured and the snake is small. I went to see the same performance I had seen on stage at the cinema and it is SO different. Loads of close ups and I loved seeing their faces so clearly, which is the reason I try to sit so close to the stage when I go. But you get a different perspective at the cinema from the theatre and both are good for different reasons. I do get really frustrated at the cinema because I want to applaud and no one does where I go (Staines). I took my husband to show him why I spend so much time watching the Royal Ballet and he didn't fall asleep once! This is a major achievement.
  4. JennyTaylor
    Don't worry about what it says about being shown in Portuguese. I'd say it was more than 50% in English. .
  5. JennyTaylor
    Well, what an interesting evening, and I suggest a film viewing is a must for any Royal Ballet fan. It's 90 minutes long and features extensive footage of rehearsals of RB Romeo and Juliet (Thiago and Marianela), Raven Girl with Sarah Lamb and then also Thiago back in Brazil where he is featured producing and performing in a special gala performance. Again Marianela and Lauren feature extensively. Also Brazilian Deborah Colker with whom Thiago created an amazing duet - called Passion. The film gives a real insight into the pain which dancers go through as part of their daily performing life and a realistic view of their working life. Thiago was interviewed after the film and having seen him interviewed at least twice by the Ballet Association, this was again very insightful. I seem to recall that Laura Morera accompanied him to his first interview in case he needed interpretation and in another interview he inferred that he was frustrated as he could not express in English exactly what he wanted to say. No such problems now. In the Q&A at the end, there was a very difficult question asked by a Brazilian lady which covered the state of politics in Brazil and wide ranging complaints against the ruling politicians and state of the arts, education - and anything else. Thiago dealt with it beautifully and would have topped any politician's answer. Another telling comment in the film was something like - I know there are better dancers than me, but it's what I bring to the role that's special/ different that the RB are looking for. Not a direct quote but I think you get the gist. ………...and I think if we consider his Lescaut, Onegin, Romeo, Rudolf - that is so true. Finally - his favourite role is Onegin.
  6. JennyTaylor
    I really enjoyed this evening's performance. If it didn't quite hit the heights of last Thursday for me (v difficult), I was thrilled with Act 1 and then the Kingdom of the Shades was just sublime. I was very impressed with Corrales - he's definitely one to watch and his act 2 solo was greeted with well deserved roars of applause. Interesting to see that all 3 Solor's I have seen do slightly different variations of this solo. Both ballerinas played their parts to the full and it was just fascinating to watch. The Corps were superb once more. Also loved Gary Avis as the Rajah and it was good to see Bennet Gartside back on stage too. BTW - all 3 principals were applauded when they went on stage. Some odd comments on the Twitter feed this evening - made me wonder if I was watching the same performance.
  7. JennyTaylor
    I agree, but I'm sure some must have booked specifically for Steven McRae, but perhaps they were confused by his moustache and beard.
  8. JennyTaylor
    No applause at all for the entrance of all 3 principals on Saturday evening.
  9. JennyTaylor
    Just to make it clear - I don't leave before the curtain calls, but many people do - very irritating if you want to enjoy the curtain calls. But, having a train to catch myself I do understand especially if a performance finishes at 10:30. Last night I ran to Waterloo - I'm sure it's good for me really.
  10. JennyTaylor
    It runs over - 3 hours is more accurate, but depends if you leave before the curtain calls
  11. JennyTaylor
    I went to this evening's performance and the highlight for me was Yasmine as Gamzatti. I felt she really pulled it off in terms of the characterisation and her dancing was superb. I couldn't see any chemistry between Steven McRae and Akane, and I felt a bit flat after the electric performance I witnessed on Thursday. Steven McRae certainly gave us some spectacular leaps (as one would expect from him) but his Act 2 solo did not compare with Vadim's in my opinion. I also need to say, that if you hadn't seen Vadim, you would have thought it marvellous. So, on Thursday, there was a thrill and an excitement in the audience almost right from the start. We were watching something incredibly special. I didn't feel that today though the audience were very appreciative. Akane gave it her best and she is a lovely dancer but I couldn't find any emotional depth there. I know this is a very subjective review so am perfectly happy if others think differently. The Corps were excellent again in the Kingdom of the Shades and overall very enjoyable indeed: it just didn't reach the heights for me. PS. Irek surely wins on charisma.
  12. JennyTaylor
    This was just a stunning performance: the quality of dancing from everyone was sublime - go see it at the cinema if you can't get a live ticket!! Sometimes Marianela just seems to float through the air into Vadim's arms and his solos were utterly sublime. I had the joy of meeting him afterwards and he is just so unassuming and totally delightful. It will also be very interesting to see what happens when the 2 ballerinas switch roles with Cesar Corrales as Solor. How will the dynamics change. I loved them both in their current roles - what a challenge to switch.
  13. JennyTaylor
    This reminds me when I went to a football match in Nice (very low key) and they confiscated a bottle of Sun cream. What did they think I was going to do with it?? I managed to retrieve it at half time
  14. JennyTaylor
    I've been 4 times now since Open Out started. I've got mixed feelings. First of all, it's nice that there is more seating available, but until last Monday night when it was totally deserted, it was always packed when I got there (early or late) so not much help even so. I always feel vaguely guilty if I take all my own food, so I tend to do a mixture. Took Pret sandwiches and crisps last Saturday, but did buy wine on site. In the new open up area - we were given plastic glasses. Hardly in keeping with the price of the wine! I was amazed there were no bag checks, even though you could argue that these were cursory at most when they were implemented in the old world and that any terrorist wanting to do serious damage could still have done so easily. Ticket checks appear to be random. Why remove left and right from the tickets - crazy! That's the basic information you need to know in order to enter on the correct side of the auditorium. I know the opera house well, so always go to the Ladies, via the right hand side downstairs entrance to avoid queues. Last week (out of performance hours - in between afternoon and evening performances), I entered via the Linbury entrance and came out via the right hand exit. At that point, I could have gone anywhere in the auditorium. Very Open Up.
  15. JennyTaylor
    Well, I shall go and see 1 Frankenstein with Alexander Campbell and thankfully Nehemiah Kish as the Creature, who I liked very much last time round. Otherwise not. Multiple interesting R&J's but like everyone else, really disappointed that Campbell has not been cast as Romeo. Really wanted to see him with Francesca Hayward. Is Kevin O'Hare really in tune with what "the fans" want" or doesn't he care. I know I've told him. It seems such a shame to throw away ballet perfection. Now I know the comment will come back that 90% of people who attend performances, don't care what cast it is either. Sorry, cross tonight.
  16. JennyTaylor
    They were Cesar Corrales, Reece Clarke, William Bracewell, Luca Acri - I've seen the latter 3 every time I've been to a performance with Marcelino Sambe and Corrales alternating as 1st Officer. They were really into it last night - they get more and more swashbuckling in Act 2.
  17. JennyTaylor
    I've seen Thiago dance this role on many occasions now and he's always been the one who makes me feel sorry for Rudolf. Last night was no exception and I felt it even more in his interpretation right from the start. Perhaps this is a result of seeing different Rudolf's very recently so there was a very definite contrast. That's what so marvellous about this ballet of course, each Rudolf gives us something completely different. So, little things like - more emphasis on his need / love for his mother even in their first interactions and not so horrid to Stephanie in the brothel scenes. Lauren Cuthbertson was superb as Mary and together they produced great theatre. They certainly had chemistry! I felt Mary was much more in charge than Rudolf at the end and that felt right with the interpretation he had given. Itziar also shone as Larisch - and how I wished we could see even more of those 4 Hungarian officers. They really went for it last night!
  18. JennyTaylor
    For anyone who is interested, Thiago Soares has posted on his Facebook page Dear friends, I'd love to see you all on the 7th of November at 7pm @regentstreetcinema for the special screening of ‘Primeiro Bailarino’ a film by @brgfel @losbragas @hbolatam @reetamoreeyes @alicebraga_oficial and I will be chatting to @gwdancewriter afterwards and would love you all to join.
  19. JennyTaylor
    OK, some light relief. I took my husband to the performance this evening because we already had tickets for West Ham v Spurs in the afternoon and I was desperate to see the Matthew Ball cast again, having been so wowed last week. Only way to achieve this was to book 2 tickets for this performance and go after the football. The last live performance my husband saw was Darcey Bussell's final performance, but Mayerling was actually the first performance we ever saw together at the ROH (early 90s / Irek). I remember, but he doesn't. Last night we had the following conversation: Me - do you remember we went to Mayerling when we visited Vienna and saw where it all happened H - oh, is Mayerling a place? I thought it was a person. You can probably understand now why we have agreed that I go to the ballet on my own and he pursues his passion for diving (equal to my ballet passion) when we are on holiday (I'm claustrophobic under water) . However, he did join in the standing ovation with me at the end this evening.
  20. JennyTaylor
    She was dropped - yes, and I think they missed a lift early on. Interesting, as this pdd was also flawed last week - at different points, but all the other pdds in the ballet were fine. Full marks to both of them for carrying on 110% on both occasions and giving it their all. The physicality was amazing in both performances.
  21. JennyTaylor
    Standing ovation for Matthew Ball and Melissa Hamilton this evening! Utterly mesmerising ......….so I was able to stand up in the Orchestra Stalls and applaud these two as I had so wished to do at last Saturday's matinee. What chemistry they have. Matthew Ball added even more characterisation this evening - just little touches. I'm wondering what makes him so good in this role, and I think it's because he is so believable. There's no OTT acting but such depth of expression even so. There were some mistakes in the Stephanie pdd but there was no hanging back, that's for sure. As for the Rudolph / Mary interactions - electric. Once again, I loved Olivia Cowley as Larisch. She is so expressive, with her face / eyes, but also with her hands. I love this cast - what an evening
  22. JennyTaylor
    I went to La Scala last night to see Manon and particularly to see Roberto Bolle, as I suspect there will not be too many more times for this particular treat. Seeing a well loved ballet performed by another company is always interesting but I was particularly struck by audience reaction and behaviour. So, - Lots of flash photography apparent throughout the ballet. An usher stopped a woman from videoing in the Stalls close to me, but otherwise, it's very difficult to control based on the theatre's layout of individual boxes on all levels except the Stalls. . - Absolutely no reaction throughout the Lescaut and mistress drunken pdd in Act 2, nor any applause at the end. I put my hands together to clap but there was silence. As far as I could see, it was performed extremely well - and it wasn't a Roberto Bolle applause only night - the 2 harlots soon afterwards received a laugh and applause, so I'm mystified. - The French couple behind me talked throughout - very annoying but that can happen anywhere. - Loads of curtain calls at the end - far more than in the UK. I noticed this last year when I went to see Bolle and Marianela in Onegin. If I'm being honest their performance transcended last night's quite significantly, but this curtain call encore upon encore is clearly a thing at La Scala for their favourite etoiles. I love it - you can choose to go or choose to stay, but with no rush to catch the train at Waterloo, I loved it. How I wanted to give the same applause to Matthew Ball last week, but no real opportunity. Finally, the programme was 10 euros which made me blink, but it's like a book with loads of lovely photos and translations in 4 languages.
  23. JennyTaylor
    Go and see Ball - there are still tickets left!
  24. JennyTaylor
    I went to both performances today and was blown away by Matthew Ball, Melissa Hamilton and Olivia Cowley, Wow, wow and double wow. Hard to say where the start, the dancing in the first act was perhaps a little rough around the edges particularly the Stephanie PDD where I found myself fearing for Elizabeth Harrod on a couple of occasions. I was very near the front so had a close up view for which I was so grateful and the passion and intensity they both showed was immense. I thought she performed really well, not holding back at all even though it wasn't always dance perfection. Perhaps the effort Matthew was putting into the lifts even made it more life like than if it perfectly executed. Olivia Cowley was superb as Larisch: mischievous, fun, scheming and oh, those facial expressions and eye movements. So many extra little nuances to the role. Really excellent Then onto Matthew and Melissa. Well, it's the best performance I have ever seen from both of them by far and the pdd - especially the final one were so passionate, so physical. I lost count of the number of times I had goose bumps. His acting was excellent without being in any way OTT. Reminded me a little of how Irek used to play it. I was so excited, that I booked a ticket for next Saturday's performance on the way home. Perhaps it was because the afternoon was so good, that I was strangely unmoved by this evening. I'm afraid Ryo didn't do it for me at all - not a single goose bump, though I can't fault his effort especially in Act 3. The quality of the dancing was very good from everyone. Particular highlights for me were Francesca Hayward as Stephanie - and that was an excellent PDD, Kristen McNally as Elizabeth and of course, the wonderful Gary Avis who I saw twice today as Bay Middleton. I also spent some time wishing Alexander Campbell was on stage for a greater length of time. Everyone who has picked our Cesar Corrales as the 1st Hungarian is absolutely right - can't wait to see him again! .. and there was Olivia Cowley again this time as Princess Gisela. What a trouper that girl is! So for me, the less "stellar" cast turned in the most outstanding show overall
  25. JennyTaylor
    From when I saw him dance it - yes.
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