Mummykool

I don't recall, either - I think it would be etched in everyone's memories if she had! Unless I've got my definitions wrong, Dudinskaya starts with runs of single piqué turns interspersed with chaines turns, and finishes with a continuous run of single piqué turns. My recollection of Osipova is similar - and just as fast!

I seem to remember Osipova doing exactly the same steps back in 2018 when an injury prevented her from doing the 32 fouettes. It was sensational

Thank you Geoff for encapsulating my feelings exactly. It was indeed a privilege to have been there on Saturday afternoon.

Two front row amphi seats have popped up for the Saturday matinee

It's a shame neither character gets to take a bow at the end. I thought it was lovely that Gary Avis made sure Lukas Braendsrod got a well-deserved round of applause after hoisting Gary onto his shoulder. How he kept a straight face through the antics of both sisters last night was beyond me.

When I received the offer, I looked up the prices of the discounted seats available. I can get a better view from some of the remaining amphitheatre seats than from any of the discounted seats, and at a cheaper price. Basically the seats on offer are STILL beyond what I'm willing to pay! Pricing is becoming a serious issue.

Wow! I've just found the printout I made of that web page about eight years ago, and then used as the basis to search for a CD set containing as much of the original material as I could. The 4 CD set I ended up buying was Franz Liszt: Complete Symphonic Poems - London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bernard Haitink, from the late 60s (you can find it on Spotify by searching for Liszt: Tone Poems Haitink - the cover is orange). I think it's wonderful to listen to: the music is at the same time both completely familiar and yet powerfully different in pace, tone and emphasis. Lanchbery did a truly amazing job compiling the pieces into the ballet score. On a different tack, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Kobborg/Cojacaru Mayerling. We were lucky enough to get return tickets to what turned out to be their truly memorable farewell performance. Really enjoying seeing the different casts and how their interpretations vary. Loved every one so far!

Will Tuckett's " Elizabeth"

Over the years I have been lucky enough to see (and be blown away by) her Giselle, Mary Vetsera, Sylvia, Anastasia and Nikia but I think my all time favourite was the last performance of Onegin with Matthew Golding. That one will live with me forever! Like many here, I'm not so fond of her Aurora but I will willing pay to sit through the rest of the ballet just to watch her dance the dream sequence. I'm also not so keen on some of the modern stuff she has done but there are exceptions! Top of that list would be an absolutely fabulous performance in In The Upper Room which we saw her dance at the Coliseum when still with the Bolshoi (for which I think she won an award). More recently I loved Facada and The Mother and am really hoping that someday she will be able to bring Two Feet to London. From bits I have gathered on YouTube - Corsaire with ABT, Bright Stream both with the (Bolshoi and ABT), and Pharoah's Daughter with the Bolshoi come to mind. I am sure there are others. Above all I love her ability in inhabit whatever role she is playing and take me with her on her journey. She stays in character throughout and never milks the applause she rightly is given. She is an unbelievably gifted artist who seems to have managed to become a superstar without acquiring the airs and graces that so many adopt. We are so lucky to have her.

You are not in a minority of one ChrisG as the husband and I loved it, as did the guys sat next to us (who were among many who stood and cheered loudly at the end!) Yes it was loud, but nowhere near the unbearable volume we were subjected to at the ROH in McGregor's piece to 'It's Gonna Rain'.....that made my ears bleed! OK it's not as easily accessible as Giselle (but we all knew the back story and the music in advance) but I think it will definitely grow with a second viewing and am looking forward to seeing another cast next week.

For what it's worth Scheherezade, we went again on Sunday afternoon to see the other cast and Natascha Mair looked equally uncomfortable in the Corsaire Pas de trois as she had in the Black Swan pas de deux on opening night. The rest of the programme was wonderful. Like you, can't wait for the Forsythe evening next year!

We also went on Wednesday and Irmgard's excellent review sums it up nicely. Our highlights were pretty much the same as those who have already reported: Erina Takahashi and James Streeter were incredibly moving in the duet from Dust, as were Emily Sazuki and Victor Prigent in Hollow. Le Corsaire pas de trois was sensational with Shiori Kase and Francesco Gabriel Frola being worth the admission price on their own and Forsythe's Playlist was a fitting showstopper to end the evening. If we lived in London, I'd be there every night!

We thoroughly enjoyed it too and thought it far better prepared (and rehearsed) than usual. I usually prefer my ballet classical over modern but highlights for me were Finding Light and Dust. I found both extremely moving.and both got a huge amount of applause. The one thing I really didn't like was Naghdi's un-ghost-like bright red lipstick. For me it totally destroyed the ethereal affect she worked so hard to achieve. Other than that, I found the whole evening very enjoyable

They have also listed all the Naghdi/Ball performances the same way. I wrote via the website but have also called the box office to point out the mistake. The lady I spoke to hadn't seen the new website so accessed it while we were talking. She checked the web info against the box office listings so they were obviously unaware of the error. Somebody is now on the case and presumably it will be fixed before public booking. Much as I personally love Anna Rose and Joseph Sissons, they really need to have the principals listed if they want to sell tickets...... Progress? I think not.....

Absolute highlight of my season was La Bayadere. I think Osipova/Nunez/Muntagirov just edged it over Nunez/Osipova/Muntagirov but both were absolutely wonderful. How I wish they had filmed both (but with Sambe as the Bronze Idol both times!) Other standouts have been Sarah lamb's Marie Larische and James Hay's Bratfish in Mayerling William Bracewell, and Yasmine Naghdi in Winter Dreams Osipova's stunning Juliet on June 1st and Matthew Ball's Tybalt I have also very much enjoyed watching Anna Rose O' Sullivan and Joseph Sissons light up the stage whenever they appear and (of course) almost everything danced by Vadim Muntagirov The exception to the latter is Don Quixote as even a dream team of Osipova/Muntagirov couldn't rescue it for me. The music has had the life sucked out of it, the choreography is a mess and the costumes ugly. Both ABT and Bolshoi versions are so much better. I didn't particularly enjoy Flight Pattern. I'm not so keen on some of the modern pieces and the gloomy lighting didn't help (although I thought the music lovely). However, bottom of the pile has to be Unknown Soldier. That was so awful words fail me......