SPD444

I see Lauren's name has been removed from the list of dancer's, feel really sorry for her. I wonder if Francesca is going to dance, hope so. Plus Alina has been added along with Johan, so that is great news.

I too was a bit concerned whether Matthew would be completely swamped by Natalia's power but at the rehearsal he more than held is own and I was impressed.

To all those out there who have been frustrated today and previous days it can tell you its all about money. For 36 years I worked in the city, in I.T. I was I.T.Director and my systems had to cope with transactions worth hundreds of millions of pounds every day 365 days a year 24 hours a day. Big money - so I paid big bucks to people who made sure the I.T. systems worked. Top staff got well over £1k per week most over £2k per week. If the system failed clients took their business elsewhere - big loss to the company. The ROH do not have this problem. For systems to show error messages means software has been changed and not tested properly and released into a live environment without proper testing and no back up in place. Disaster. But they really don't care because they will sell the tickets anyway. We can't go somewhere else because there is nowhere else to go. We want to see the RB so they know we will moan but do nothing about it. We are a captive market. The old adage says if you pay peanuts you get monkeys and that is what the people who are employed by the ROH are poor quality programmers, system designers and software testers because if they were any good they would be sacked for releasing rubbish like this on there customers. The people who apologise are the same people who are creating this mess.

English National Ballet is the Outstanding Company. Carlos Ascosta De Valois Award For Outstanding Achievement Winner: Awards now finished.

Grishko Award For Best Female Dancer Winner is Natalia Osipova.

Natalia Osipova has just won the outstanding female performance (classical) award for Giselle. Francesca Hayward is the Emerging Artist winner Best Classical Choreography winner is Christopher Wheeldon for Winters Tale. Great day for the RB so far.

Just back from the general rehearsal and very pleased to let everyone know that Natalia danced as Tatiana, and rather splendid she was as well. Matthew Golding made a very good fist of Onegin and Matthew Ball an excellent Lensky with Yasmine Naghdi completing the leads as Olga. My first viewing of Onegin and looking forward to my next one. Natalia really does not hold back and is very exciting to watch, made me gasp a couple of times and well played Matthew during their very difficult pas de deux's. The boys and girls doing all the corps things were good too with all the boys having moustache's ( but not the girls ) they must have been a fashion item in those days. Musn't leave out Bennet as the Prince, he accompanied Natalia in their bit beautifully. Main news, of course, is that Natalia is back dancing.

Will Alina dance in every performance do you think?

This will be a very non-balletic review of tonights performance with Alina and Ivan. Terminology is not my forte, I either enjoy it or I don't and tonight was wonderful. I agree the pace of the Act 11 pas de deux did seem on the slow side but Alina nailed it. I am sitting here reading through the cast list and I cannot find anyone who did not give a great performance. At the end the bouquet presented to Alina she gave to the Corps, which I thought was really sweet. I know, I am very biased, but Alina is an absolute treasure, I was in bits by the end. She could dance the Hokey Kokey and it would still be wonderful. Sorry to gush but tonight was fantastic.

Following my disappointment over Don Q then, if this is true, it is brilliant news.

I have a DVD of Lauren dancing SB with Frederico I think, is that the same as the Sky version?

I too new nothing about Anna T but I did comment to my wife that they did seem to give more vigour to the kissing than normal in as much that it was a proper kiss rather than a stage "kiss". Like others I was initially saddend by Natalia injury but, in the end, I loved the performance. Matthew was a total revelation. I saw him dance with Tamara in the ENB's R & J at the RAH last year and thought him a bit wooden but it seemed him dancing with Anna freed him up to express himself. They both obviously enjoyed themselves hugely and this was felt by the audience. I do hope the RB use Anna T again, she was lovely.

Unfortunately the RB have just announced that Natalie will not be dancing on the 5th January What a shame. Replacement to be announced shortly.

Like you, Vanartus, I booked to specifically see Osipova ( on the 5th so fingers crossed ) having seen Nela the last time around, so I can understand your disappointment but in fairness to the RB it is a hard call to on the one hand give the artist as much time as possible to recover but have a replacement ready and available in the event of injury. I am not sure how they could send an email as they have to be addressed individually but the use of Twitter is the best they can do. If Natalie is still crocked I would not be crying to see Nela again as she was/is wonderful.

Tried looking at the web site but could not find english version. Where can I find out when Alina is dancing?

Strange, so I wonder how this works. Shame on me but I forgot these tickets came on sale today but read this thread and it reminded me. I logged on at 11.30 to find "Sold out" being shown. I left the screen on the relevant page and kept refreshing, initially to no avail, until at 1205 it changed to "Buy" with over a 100 tickets available spread across the range of tickets. How it can change from sold out to over 100 tickets available is a complete mystery, but maybe a lesson learnt, don't believe what it says and keep trying. Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to you all.

Yes, I connect my laptop to my television by using a HDMI cable direct into back of t.v. every Sunday night to watch NFL. Works perfectly well.

Just seen that the recording of La Corsair with Alina dancing as Medora is being released digitally this Thursday by Digital Theatre to stream, rent or buy. Great news

Just noticed Alina is dancing SW on Thursday in Liverpool in place of Elena Glurdjidze. Wonder how many will complain about this.

Bravo, I think so to.

You are right, Bruce. I remember reading about it on this forum but could not remember where it was. ( Call it a senior moment, seem to be getting more and more of them!!!) Perhaps a mod. can decide whether it should have a seperate thread or merge it with the previous one.

This has just been re-listed on the Sadlers Wells website, and should be a wonderful, if very sad, night. Please support

When does booking open for performances in May?

My thoughts exactly I can just see Francesca as Mary and Juliet, when those much wiser than me think she is ready for it then that is the right time. If I see something that so thrills me then that actor/dancer/sportsmen will get my unreserved praise.