neil

Steven McRae will replace Vadim Muntagirov in tomorrow evening's performance

Speaking as someone who knows virtually nothing about ballet, it seems to me that the fundamental requirements of dancing and pas de trains must be to make it seem like all three people are dancing together, and to perform the steps in time to the music. Last nights pdt was a lot better in both these regards than the previous performance I saw. I defer to those with the knowledge about the performance of the steps but since I don't have this knowledge I liked it.

I thought the Muntagirov was very good in the solos but not quite as spectacular as McRae. However, unlike Coated I thought he and Takada were excellent together. On the whole the corps did well and the Act I pdt was pretty good to my layman's eyes. Apart from the fouettés where she appeared to run out of stream Takada gave a pretty good account I thoight. The orchestra was average tonight unfortunately. The strings sounded fine, the woodwind sounded a bit muted and they weren't together all of the time. The tuba was excellent as always. I asked my son whether he was the one doing the evil dance but he didn't know what I meant so it was probably his partner. Managed to get back in to see Act IV after collecting him and I was glad I did. Muntagirov's dramatic plunge into oblivion was worth the entrance fee in its own.

I was there, what would you like to know?

Currently they are planning to go ahead with tonight's performance: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/power-outage-in-holborn-affecting-the-royal-opera-house

Seems to be labelled variously as 16th March and 23rd March: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b055j325/inside-out-yorkshire-and-lincolnshire-23032015 Starts at 20:08

Odette/Odile Natalia Osipova Prince Siegfried Matthew Golding The Princess (Siegfried's Mother) Elizabeth McGorian An Evil Spirit (Later von Rothbart) Gary Avis Tutor Alastair Marriott Benno Ryoichi Hirano Act IPas de tois Francesca Hayward, Yuhui Choe, Alexander Campbell Chaperones Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani, Nathalie Harrison A General Erico Montes Young Girls (daughters of the Ladies-in-waiting) Manon Forssell Pyk, Emily-Rose Holland Waltz Christina Arestis, Fumi Kaneko, Kristen McNally, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Sander Blommaert, Tristan Dyer, Valeri Hristov, Fernando Montaño Emma Maguire, Paul Kay Artists of The Royal Ballet Polonaise Artists of The Royal Ballet Act IICygnets Francesca Hayward, Meaghan Grace Hinkis, Emma Maguire, Yasmine Naghdi Two Swans Melissa Hamilton, Itziar Mendizabal Act IIILord Chamberlain Erico Montes Six Princesses Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani, Olivia Cowley, Natalie Harrison, Mayara Magri, Yasmine Naghdi, Beatriz Stix-Brunell Spanish Dance Christina Arestis, Kristin McNally, Kevin Emerton, Thomas Whitehead Czárdás Claire Calvert, Bennet Gartside, Artists of The Royal Ballet Neapolitan Dance Laura Morera, Ricardo Cervera Mazurka Jacqueline Clark, Sian Murphy, Demelza Parish, Lara Turk, Sander Blommaert, Nicol Edmonds, Fernando Montaño, Donald Thom Act IVTwo Swans Melissa Hamilton, Itziar Mendizabal Swans, cygnets, peasants, Ladies-in-waiting, cadets, servants, pages, dwarves Artists of The Royal Ballet, Students of The Royal Ballet School *Correction On the cinema cast sheet the Co-concert Master was published as Sergey Levitin. For the performance on Tuesday 17 March Vasko Vassilev is the Concert Master.

I feel like that as well LinMM - I'd rather my son stays at home until 16 but he is adamant he wants to go to a vocational school at 11. Of course I will support his goal but part of me wants to tell him to go to a regular school and continue his dancing extra curricular. But another part of me thinks: what if this would prevent him from achieving his ultimate potential? Who would be parent?

You'd think after her first couple of attempts she'd just slink back to her actual seat. Some people have no shame.

Acosta's performances were last month.

I would echo most of this I was less concerned by the behaviour in the pause between Acts 1 & 2 than by the absolutely coughtastic audience in the Amphi (where I was) who seemed to time their fits with the most intense parts of the drama. I thought McRae was outstanding and commented to my neighbour it was such a shame he didn't have anything to do in Act 1. Sambe was fantatstic, but I agree the Act 1 pas de trois was a bit of a mess. My son was one of the pages/minions (Acts 1 & 3 respectively) and he was totally starstruck by being so close to McRae on stage. I had to leave at the end of Act 3 so can't comment on the last.

On the face of it for 75% of pupils to be told they are doing fine for 5 years and then, just before GCSEs, be told they are no longer of the required standard would be shocking, but my understanding is that this is not really how the school currently works. From what I gather, until now the upper and lower schools have been essentially different schools, albeit under the RBS banner. If so then it probably shouldn't be such a surprise that sometimes only a few pupils will move from one to the other although this will be of little comfort to those who are disappointed. I think it is telling that in the latest RBS annual report, the chairman's review says "... we were gearing up to come significant restructuring." ... "we are moving towards integrating the work of White Lodge and the Upper School... and the timely need to reconsider old practices" Too late for the current generation, perhaps, but maybe those coming up will be more fortunate.

I asked at the WL fair last summer, they said on average about 25% go all the way through.

I find your comment quite condescending. I didn't say what my preference was as I recall.

Very nice but I doubt you'd see anything approaching that angle, even from the most extreme seats at Covent Garden.

Maybe this is why they wear them then - you don't really see real swans' legs either

Well the run of swan lake is only for a few days and then a big gap before it starts again in March

My son is in the rehearsal on Tuesday but not in either of the performances being recorded.

Hi Cara I just wanted to wish you and your daughter good luck with your audition! Neil

We are going to see the ZooNation show on 27th. We all enjoyed "Some Like It Hip-Hop" at Sadler's Wells and I think the more contemporary style appeals to our younger son more than ballet would (he does gymnastics whereas his brother and sister are both dancers) I've been looking out for trailers but so far I haven't seen anything. I did notice that ZooNation were advertising for a male dancer for this show and that rehearsals were due to start this month.

I know someone who turned down a Y7 offer at WL. She had applied for MA and they invited her to WL final auditions anyway. She did a year in a local school and did MA classess. They offered her a place in Y8 at WL and she accepted. I also know someone who was offered a place in JAs who turned it down. They were offered a JA place the following year which they accepted. So, people can and do turn down places offered by the RBS and it seems that, quite rightly, they don't hold that against you in future years.

To me, the rat catcher both symbolises the men who all want to capture or own Manon (Lescaut, the old gentleman, M. GM, DG, the Gaoler) and also fortells Manon's future as a prisoner.

Maybe to begin with...

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If the mountain won't come to Mohamed...