MRR

Nadon is that rare talent who not only lives up to the hype, but stirs the imagination by conjuring images of ballets she has yet to dance. Her performance of Barocco was like a waterfall: sensitive and luxuriant, taking the audience on a dream. Her trust in herself, her partner, the music and Mr. B is remarkable for an artist so young. Lush and expansive, her off-balance lunges are something to behold, leaning entirely off her leg in the adagio before setting her foot down. The gradual descent of her working leg after a long series of turns, reaching for her partner's outstretched hand, showed in one sequence her mystery and beauty. She is also adept at allegro, and while evidently (and forgivably) taxed by the ending steps, she gave a master class in carving the space with those long limbs. A shame she and Balanchine never got to work together. Whenever she dances Diamonds, I'm there. Isabella Lafreniere as the second violin is somewhat straightforward and perfunctory next to Nadon, but she is athletic with great force, shown best in her a soaring diagonal of grand jetes. Gilbert Bolden was mostly stalwart in the pas de deux, flagging just a touch in that exhausting series of lifts. It was great to see veteran Daniel Ulbricht dance up a storm in the title-role of Prodigal Son. His opening solo was buoyant, ferocious, and emphatic, bolting all over the stage. He was perhaps dramatically less impactful in the final scenes as it is difficult to shed that Olympian persona, but no denying a terrific performance. Miriam Miller is statuesque as the Siren with endless arms and legs. As with her Dark Angel in Serenade the previous night, her presence doesn't reach beyond the footlights, but I sense she hasn't yet come into her prime. Bizet finished with a top-down roster. Tiler Peck and Chun Wai Chan were my favorite couple, somewhat of a surprise as I've not always warmed to Tiler's dancing on video. This ballet is excellent for her, especially viewing from third ring which gives full appreciation to the vastness of her dancing. No step is insignificant, nor is it effortful, tossing off the technical challenges with ease, sparkle, and grandness of scale. Her series of turns down the center was tremendous. Chan is ardent with great beats, excellent lines, a speedy if slightly flawed series of triple pirouettes, and attentive partnering. Unity Phelan lacks some of the majesty and grandeur for second movement, and her extension in a la seconde and nose-to-knee penchee could be higher. Nonetheless she is elegant and capable: the way she swirled her torso into every fouette arabesque was lovely, and her arabesque is among the most disciplined in the company. Alec Knight was a strong partner but could have dared more on the trust falls. Baily Jones and Cainan Weber (third) suffered a miscue early where the one-handed turn to arabesque pitched far forward with Baily's legs flying out from underneath her. No big deal as they did two more without incident, and their ballon was well utilized here. Emilie Gerrity was secure and articulate in fourth movement, partnered by the excellent Peter Walker. The previous Saturday evening Sara Mearns led Serenade with plenty of fantasy and drama as the Waltz Girl. Her allegro got sticky in a couple of places and overall I probably prefer her Dark Angel, but her resignation to her fate before being held aloft was riveting. Indiana Woodward was airborne, spirited, and flowing in Russian, the performance of the night. Megan Fairchild began Theme and Variations without obvious magic, but her precision was uncanny in the second solo and her confidence only grew to the finale. Anthony Huxley, textbook in the first solo, unraveled somewhat in the treacherous double tour series (popping the last one to a single), catching Megan's tutu often in the pas de deux and barely holding onto the final shoulder sit. The company gave a spirited polonaise for what is one of the most uplifting finales in all of ballet. The one unfortunate exception was Megan LeCrone in the demis, dancing as if she were marking the choreography.

I don't know exact dimensions, but the ROH stage looks to have considerably less depth than the Bolshoi. But more importantly, the ROH stage is not raked. Many dancers who aren't accustomed to performing on a rake have commented on how much of an adjustment it is, particularly for balances and turns, that I would imagine the reverse is also true. Zakharova and Smirnova can certainly get through a set of 32 fouettes, if not every time, but neither is noted as an especially strong turner.

The Russian Dance from the Bolshoi Swan Lake:

There are subtitles if you click the closed caption feature of the video.

But how much precedence is there, really? Hamilton doesn't even get a public performance of Manon.

I would love to see Osipova and Corrales in Balcony PDD (not to mention the full R&J). Ondine is not one of my favorite ballets, but Hayward dancing the title-role would justify a revival.

Beautiful review Bruce. SFB is an excellent company whom I hope to see in their home theater someday. I completely agree on Chamber Symphony: a magnificent work and vehicle for a leading male dancer. Robison has never danced better and I'm envious you saw Walsh and Birkkjaer perform it too.

Interesting, based their June 1st performance I didn't find Ball's acting diminished from Naghdi's at all. If anything I thought he created slightly more arc in the character than Naghdi with hers, but more important was the chemistry between them; without it the individual performances are meaningless. They had such a tender connection as a couple which made the story come alive. Of course, two performances even from the same cast can be different, so I'm not necessarily disagreeing with anybody here. I would also like to add Ball had some of the strongest partnering I've ever seen in the ballet. Each lift in balcony was effortless and he even got Naghdi up in full presage during the last two lifts (where she runs toward him) when most Romeos only get her up to chest height. I found a lot to admire in his Romeo and look forward to seeing him and Naghdi again when this cinemacast comes to the U.S.

This captures what I felt during the June 1st double header of R&J. Naghdi and Osipova could not have been more different Juliets but I found both their approaches memorable and valid. Naghdi was luminous and gave an especially beautiful account of Act I while Osipova's Act III was a tour de force. Not that I'm necessarily comparing Osipova to Lynn Seymour, whose Juliet I never saw, but I feel very fortunate to have witnessed both those performances on the same day, which showcased the different ways Juliet can be interpreted. I think Hayward's Juliet would be divine, based on watching her Vera in "Month in the Country." Certainly all the reviews here suggest this.

Beatriz Stix-Brunell? She danced Lead Harlot in the first Naghdi/Ball performance (and was superb).

Sorry, I forgot to answer this earlier. The only difference in the step was that Hallberg's assemble had a single (360 degree) revolution while Ball/Tissi's rotated twice. The preparation, air position, and landing of the step were all the same, with Ball/Tissi (and presumably other Romeos) rotating an extra turn in the air. Can't recall if Zuchetti's Mercutio solo was any different than Sambe's though it is possible. Sambe's technique and musicality were much cleaner and clearer, even while his pirouettes attempted more revolutions than Zuchetti's did. However, in the mandolin dance Saturday evening, Benjamin Ella added a barrel "540" jump which was not done by the other mandolin soloists (Sambe and Sissens).

Saw the "new" ROH for the first time two weeks ago and wasn't a fan. The new space makes the ROH feel like two different buildings: a Marriott juxtaposed with a beautiful opera house. Not sure what I feel about letting the public in at all hours of the day. It would be fairly easy for someone to attend a performance having not purchased a ticket (provided it isn't sold out, as the mixed rep wasn't last Tuesday/Wednesday), particularly after first interval when ushers aren't vigilant. I was also hoping the new space would provide an expanded gift shop or a real box office, but to no avail (supposedly the box office is moving?) Overall the new space feels perfunctory, not a good thing when part of one of the leading opera houses in the world. Personally I don't mind a bit of opulence, especially having just toured the beautiful Staatsoper Berlin. Covent Garden is one of my favorite theaters, but the open-up doesn't do it justice.

Also attended last Wednesday: Mendizabal as Firebird made a strong impression in the opening solo with big, twitching eyes and an exaggerated epaulement. Her arms were fluttering and birdlike, but her positions went unfinished in the pas and she lacked the authority of Naghdi on opening night, particularly in the scene with Koschei. Nonetheless Firebird is one of her better roles and one to which she is suited. Much to my surprise Kish made a stronger impression than Watson as Prince Ivan. Perhaps his added stature helped visualize the story more, but I found him utterly convincing in his fascination with the Firebird, love for the Tsarevna, and fear of Koschei. Alas, in his most climactic part of the ballet he succumbed to the egg, which decided to split in half well before he was supposed to drop it. Perhaps his days as a prince in the classics are gone but I second the proposal for him as a permanent Character Artist: he has a natural, unforced stage presence and remains a fine partner. Claire Calvert normally doesn't do much for me beyond her gloriously arched feet, but she was radiant and romantic as the Tsarevna, and technically strong later in "Symphony in C." A great night for her. Chris Saunders's Koschei was considerably muted compared to Gary Avis the night before. As for Osipova/Hallberg in "Month," I am torn. Technically, Osipova didn't impress to the extent of Nunez in the first solo, with the epaulement and precise footwork sort of washed over. There was also some suspension of belief that Osipova's Natalia was much older and wiser than Hallberg's Beliaev: artistically the two seemed on the same plane. However, this was the most introspective and restrained Osipova I've seen, with the sadness and melancholy of Natalia completely captured especially in her closing walk downstage. Nunez was more a Grande Dame of the household; Osipova a lost soul. I found both approaches fascinating, with Osipova's Natalia becoming more vivid in the days after than immediately in the theater. Hallberg has unmistakable deportment -- he runs onstage as if he were above water -- and the sculptural purity of his work was in a far away league from Ball the night before. Where he suffered in comparison were the security of pirouettes, his partnering (in particular with Vera and Katia, with whom he seemed to forget a couple steps), and his character's sense of naivety. Throughout the evening I didn't see him so much as Beliaev but as David Hallberg. He did achieve a kind of cosmic connection with Osipova in the final pas, but the Nunez/Ball partnership rang truer to the story for me, as did their interactions among the ensemble. Meagan Grace Hinkis as Vera and Luca Acri as Kolia were good if not to the level of their first cast counterparts. In certain ways "Symphony in C" looked more sure-footed the second night. With her diamond cut positions and lines, Fumi Kaneko is ideally cast for first movement and danced even freer Wednesday, reveling in the nuances of Bizet and Balanchine. I'm very envious of those who will see her Aurora. Nunez had a rather extravagant, dramatic presentation to second movement with Hirano as her stalwart partner. Her abandonment, complete security of technique, and ability to make every step fresh and alive were impressive as was her final balance in arabesque which luxuriated forever. As I mentioned upthread, Campbell seemed more subtle in third movement, and the last partnered arabesque with Choe (faulty on opening night) was perfect Wednesday. Naghdi was rock-solid in fourth movement with no problems navigating the numerous pirouettes which were a bit of a white-knuckle ride with Hayward. Other mentions: first movement had some luxury casting with Cesar Corrales impressive for his long arabesque and textbook entrechat six. I would love to see him as first movement principal. Claire Calvert and Beatriz Stix-Brunell were dynamic as the two ladies and Joseph Sissens held his own against the high technical standard of Muntagirov and Corrales. Muntagirov was gallant and impeccable as always.....until fourth movement where he missed an entrance. He is human, after all.

The photos on the ENB Facebook look spectacular. I see it Sunday.

Richard, it was more the manner in which he communicated his thrill of dancing "C" rather than him expressing himself at all. Of course third movement is joyous and I would never suggest the company look sullen during this ballet, just that Campbell (for me) tends, slightly, to "milk" some of his big technical moments in the ballet, and has a somewhat exaggerated way of relating to his partner. I wish I could explain it better but that's how I saw it, and I don't intend these as major criticisms. I know not everyone will agree and am happy for those who enjoyed his performance (in fact, as did I, with a minor reservation).

It's not him smiling, per se, it's the big smile and open mouth after a difficult series of steps which I noticed a few times. Somebody commented on this back in the autumn (not specifically about Campbell, but the company), that excessive smiling after difficult passages was threatening to turn the Royal's "Symphony in C" into a Petipa ballet. I wouldn't go that far, but I understand the point and suspect the small affectations were not to Balanchine's taste, particularly after reading fascinating insights from John Clifford (former NYCB principal). Genuinely was not meaning to be disrespectful to Campbell whose dancing was on very good form both shows. While he isn't my favorite, I respect the quality, consistency, and versatility he brings to the table. Again, the second night either Campbell was more reserved or I just exaggerated this in my brain, and I didn't intend it as more than minor criticism. Choe was the main weakness of third movement for me, for the reasons I stated.

Meaning he has sort of a "ta-da" look whenever he finishes something difficult. I don't mind it so much in difficult classical variations but from my understanding Balanchine hated these affectations. However, Campbell seemed more reserved tonight, or maybe the first night I saw a couple instances of this and exaggerated them in my brain. I believe we're referring to the same thing.

It's frustratingly rare to get a mixed bill where you like all three ballets, but such was finally the case here. In her debut Yasmine Naghdi's Firebird is already headed in the right direction and then some. She pays scrupulous attention to the music as well as nuances within her hands and eyes to bring this exotic creature to life. Her legs are like knives, piercing through the air. She had a strong solo and PDD in the opening with a fraction less intensity than I recall from Benjamin, but she was at her best in the standoff against Kostchei. Her gaze dominated him, and Gary Avis was masterful here in how he showed a certain fallibility in this villain with the mile long fingers. Overall I found him much more suited to Kostchei than Tybalt. Watson has almost nothing to do as Prince Ivan besides the first PDD and dropping of the egg, but good to see him back. Christina Arestis was elegant as the Tsarevna. "Month in the Country" is a masterpiece not performed often enough, which I had only seen once before with Guillem. For me Nunez was *almost* sublime, with a technical masterclass in the first solo featuring rich epaulement and tremendous precision of her lower extremities. The PDD with Ball was ravishing, but there were certain instances of overacting instead of letting the choreography speak for itself. Nonetheless, Natalia is a beautiful role for her and I was entirely captivated last night in a way I never was with her Juliet. Ball has excellent turns and a developing pathos as Beliaev, but his arabesque doesn't shape and stretch to the degree needed, particularly on a role created for Dowell. Francesca Hayward doesn't yet have the luscious upper body of Nunez but her allegro work is a marvel, every step buoyant and effervescent. Her Vera was the perfect foil for Nunez's Natalia. James Hay darted around the stage in a dizzying array of gyroscopic steps all rapidly strung together. There was a slight hiccup on the opening series of turns but another great performance. Very interested to see this tonight and hopefully Osipova is back; I'm curious to compare given my lack of familiarity of the ballet. The setting and story is refreshingly simple, requiring no program notes or synopsis to know exactly what is happening. In Symphony in C Kaneko acquitted herself admirably in the first movement (frankly can't picture Osipova in 1st, she belongs in 3rd) with a precision of line and strength of technique particularly in those hops in arabesque. In the finale she was especially radiant. Muntagirov can give a clinic when it comes to entrechat six and double tour, and his line extends for days. Lamb had her usual Old World glamour in the second movement, creating an air of mystery while also being ingratiating to the audience. Late in her career Lamb has maintained a beautiful extension though she eschewed the nose to knee penchees (I'm not aware if this was the staging or a personal preference). There was one partnering fault where Nicol Edmonds was supposed to descend her between the demi soloist couple's arms, instead carrying her so far upstage that Sarah's leg brushed the demi guy's head. Third movement was the weak link of the evening. Yuhui Choe seemed miscast with her lack of elevation and penchees barely extending above 90 degrees, and while Campbell was technically strong there was a bit too much audience-faced mugging. Hayward in 4th struggled with the pesky pirouette---a la seconde--pirouette both times, but was otherwise spirited, once again, in her dancing with James Hay.

Kaneko replaces Osipova in Symphony in C.

At least in the U.S. I've always heard that step (in the videos of Muntagirov/Acosta) referred to as a double assemble, with double meaning two revolutions. "Double" is deceiving, because when done on a diagonal it's more like 1 1/2 revolutions. Suppose double assemble en tournant would be the proper turn? Or grand assemble en tournant.

I'll try and join all of you tomorrow too. I'm very tall (6'4'') and typically in all black. Attending the mixed rep June 4 and 5.

Keep in mind Romeo's double assembles in MacMillain's staging aren't the traditional version of the step. Most double assembles (such as in Bayadere) will involve a battement (the front leg brushing), and the back leg reaching the front leg in a fifth (soubresaut) position while rotating as close to two revolutions as possible. In the MacMillan production Romeo has to enveloppe the leg by brushing the leg straight, bringing it to his knee and down to fifth as he lands, instead of coming immediately to fifth. So this version of the step is more difficult. Of the Romeos I saw Tissi's were quite good; Ball's less so. Acosta, as one would expect, did an excellent one Vadim doing the traditional double assemble in Bayadere. Notice his right leg stays straight once it is in the air.

Grateful for this. I miss Eric Taub's reviews.

The Saturday double header of R&J was one of the most satisfying days at the ballet I've had in a long time. I hesitate to write about it, having so many impressions about the two casts of ill-fated lovers, interpreting the same story but in ways worlds apart. Naghdi/Ball in my first live viewing were tender, playful, childlike, and at the same time a framework of their company. This performance was in no way a "star turn" but rather one where the title roles became part of an entire ensemble in 16th century Verona, their relationships to every character unique and delineated. However, the evening was very much the Osipova/Hallberg show: whenever they danced together everything faded into obscurity. The second they locked eyes no one else mattered, and to the end they were onstage to die for one another. With four great lead performances I must single out Osipova, whose Juliet -- particularly her Act III -- was one of the most memorable nights of theater I have ever witnessed. Without question Osipova has her flaws. Her classical line poses problems for a tutu ballet, but even as Juliet her extremely tattered and dead pointe shoes give way to a sickled foot and an often splayed position in arabesque. Some of her transitions are muddy; her turn out and placement suspect. Nor does she always hit the mark with her artistic choices: the frenzied way in which she darted around the stage before seeing Friar Lawrence appeared manic rather than theatrical. However, where Osipova's Juliet is uncommon is that her character does not act upon choice, but on impulse, something deep inside her creating the space, the music, the story, right in front of our eyes. At first her Juliet seemed to fall too quickly for Romeo, because if she's head over heels from the start how does that love evolve? But just when you think Osipova can't peel off any more layers, she does, tenfold. Her walk downstage with Hallberg at the start of balcony PDD became not just a walk, but something dangerous and profound, the both of them realizing there was no turning back. By the end of the act Osipova had unbridled ecstasy, each glissade seeming to travel 10 feet, daring Hallberg to catch her. However, Act III was Osipova's real triumph, where her Juliet somehow coalesced Shakespeare, Prokofiev, and MacMillan into one. Every emotion came from the inside: her anger but at the same time her love for Romeo, her defiance of Paris, her terror in taking the potion. Especially riveting was how she peered from beneath the bed to look at what the Friar had given her, before turning to pray, and out of nowhere running to take the bottle. There was no calculation, just complete abandon and compulsion. Seldom has a Juliet imbued every step with such consequence; in her hands this centuries old story became suspenseful, with every scene bleeding into the next. Her "death" was like nothing I've experienced before: limbs flailing, every bone limp in Hallberg's arms. When she wakes up she doesn't do so from a rested sleep, but from a drug-induced state, pulling and pulling herself up to realize Romeo beside her. Her scream may as well have been audible it was so deafening. After the scream she held onto Romeo until the last possible moment before she could stab herself. The entire third act felt as though Osipova came to that rare space, where as an artist she was never thinking, but believing, creating her own tragedy in front of us, as though the 2300 in attendance were really just flies on the wall in 16th century Verona. As for Hallberg's Romeo, after all the injuries I'm just grateful he's back onstage let alone at Covent Garden. Technically his amplitude and stamina aren't what they once were: in the ballroom solo he watered down the double assembles to singles, and throughout the evening he was quite apparently pacing himself for the big moments. His partnering, never a strength, suffered in comparison to Matthew Ball's, with a hairy moment when Hallberg stood up from the drape lift in the balcony pas, and Osipova needing to support him during the lift on his knees. However, architecturally his dancing is still the work of Michelangelo: his line extending into a posture for days and a perfectly proportioned, elongated leg with an impeccably shaped foot. His Romeo didn't go for literalism -- he wasn't boyish nor especially naïve -- but Osipova drew him to become virile. The balcony pas showed him as more than elegant: impassioned, erotic, desperate to realize his true love. And some of the nerves which were perhaps there in Act I dispersed by Acts II and III. His fight with Tybalt, though not as physically visceral as Ball's with Avis in the matinee, was still an intense standoff with Ryoichi Hirano, and in the balcony pas he masterfully conveyed his insistence in leaving Juliet but his turmoil in doing so. Visibly crying as he cradled Osipova's lifeless body around the stage, Hallberg's death scene was shattering, for to lose to Juliet was to lose everything. He did not use her hand to drink the poison, as with Tissi and Ball, but the way he slowly descended from the tomb was devastating. Maybe this wasn't the Hallberg of old, but it was still a Hallberg whose Romeo would die for his Juliet, leaving her in his grasp until the last breath. The matinee of Naghdi and Ball didn't plumb to the same emotional depths as Osipova/Hallberg, but there was much to admire. Naghdi is a notator's dream: every step is given its full integrity, her transitions like crystal. Her Juliet was angelic, lyrical, if at times too regal, but always beautiful in discovering her first love. Unlike Osipova she has a textbook classical line and the solos in Act I were gorgeous with sinuous, luxuriant extension and shy but affectionate glances at Romeo, almost letting the music push her into some other realm. Her relationship with Ball was more of a storybook approach, tender and youthful, resembling teenagers and their innocence. The balcony pas was technically about as flawless as it gets though the ecstasy Osipova created in the evening was somewhat missed by Naghdi's more streamlined portrayal. I agree with some of the reservations over her Act III in particular the stab which wasn't as gut-wrenching as needed. Nonetheless, Naghdi has a natural stage presence with an ironclad technique, which makes me want to see her in a variety of roles, Aurora and Giselle chief among them. Her movement quality is striking, like rippling water. Ball is not the quality of technician as Naghdi but a finely developing actor and phenomenal partner. Unlike Hallberg, Ball lifted Naghdi like paper: the famous lift on his knees during balcony, Naghdi never needed to support him even while descending into arabesque. But the strength of Ball's portrayal was how integrated into the company his Romeo became: his friendships with Mercutio and Benvolio completely organic in a way which escaped Hallberg somewhat and completely alluded Jacopo Tissi on Wednesday. His fight scene with Avis also has to go down as one for the ages: intense, brooding, menacing, as the two of them threatened to destroy the set if not each other while still never missing a single hit of their swords. Ball's Romeo somehow managed to be endearing while being an indefatigable alpha male; his chemistry with Naghdi very much there even if it didn't feel as much life or death as Osipova/Hallberg's. Technically he has a lot of room to polish: his arabesque lies 4-6 inches too low and his foot leaves the line unfinished, sickling slightly. Particularly during long series of jumps his feet get sloppy and the fifth positions don't' close fully. However, his pirouettes and jumps were solid throughout the show with a flawless series of five consecutive double saut de basque in Act II (Hallberg did four, if we're counting). Evidently I'm now writing a dissertation but a quick word on Mercutio and Tybalt. James Hay was phenomenal in the evening with a fully realized character not to mention a dynamic allegro technique. His death scene was everything it should be, a flirt and joker to the end but reeling in agony. Zucchetti in the matinee was mischievous but some of his timing and positions were muddled. Hirano's Tybalt I also preferred (and it was vastly improved from Wednesday): he was formidable with an almost sociopathic demeanor that reads to me in the character. Avis's characterization was more deranged, inebriated to the point of not being able to stand up before the fight scene, and feeling remorseful, at first, for Mercutio's death.

Yanowsky also debuted O/O as a first soloist in fall 2000, and when SL was reprised in July 2001 she was promoted to principal. Bussell was promoted in 1989 and danced her first SL in 1990. Of the first soloists I would say Kaneko is the most likely to debut it. Calvert doesn't strike me as having the strength technically, especially for Odile. I hope Hayward gets a chance even if O/O isn't the first role you would think of her.