Lenore

Rehearsal ticket has been taken. If anyone is interested in the evening performance ticket please let me know, otherwise I’ll be returning the ticket on Saturday.

Hi all Due to unforeseen circumstances I am no longer able to use these tickets for the Patineurs triple bill. The ticket info: - 18/12/18, 11:30AM - Friends Rehearsal Stalls Circle C91, £4 (view obstructed by pillar/padded bench with back) - 18/12/18, 7:30PM - Amphitheatre C41, £19 (steep/narrow stairs/high view point) The rehearsal ticket is an e-ticket so can just be emailed over. The evening ticket is a physical one - I can hand this over in person in London on the 7/8th December. Any questions let me know.

Can’t tell if it’s been mentioned on here yet, but ever since they changed the online booking time to 9am, with telephone bookings remaining at 10am, I’ve noticed a ‘second wave’ of tickets being released each time telephone general booking has opened. They tend to appear in chunks so I don’t think it’s just unpurchased tickets returning from baskets? Anyone else experienced this?

This does make sense in a way... I was thinking the other day just how little she seems to have been cast (i.e. seemingly nothing for La Bayadere). Huge congratulations to Francesca of course, though I’m sure like most on here I’ll be eagerly awaiting her return 🙂

I just type ‘ballet’ into the search bar, set the department to ‘DVD & Blu-ray’ & then filter by New Releases to find the latest DVDs. That seems to work quite well.

I’ve been finding this thread fascinating to read. I have one question about the production (I didn’t buy a programme so it may have been explained): does Odette’s sacrifice at the end break the spell for the rest of the swans? I saw 2 casts: Yasmine Naghdi/Nehemiah Kish (back in May) & Natalia Osipova/Matthew Ball (the matinee performance last week). I don’t typically write my thoughts as I enjoy reading others more, but here I am. I have to confess, I’ve seen multiple Swan Lake couples over the years & have never been moved by Odette/Siegfried, regardless of the dancers (even counting clips I’ve watched online). I’ve never been able to work out if I just have a disconnect to the story or if I just haven’t seen the right performance. I’m also not particularly fussy about choreography, but there were quite a few things I really enjoyed in Scarlett’s production; the costumes & sets for one thing, but also the prologue, the inclusion of Rothbart into the royal court (interesting dynamics), the entirety of act 3 & most of Act 4. I still haven’t fully made up my mind about the ending but I’m inclined to say I actually quite liked it. I’m still mulling things over weeks after seeing my first show. I know I said I don’t find Swan Lake emotional, but I do always tear up at that final piece of music, without fail. There’s just something about it (the entrance music for Myrthe in Giselle has the same effect on me). On another music related note, I dislike how slowly the pas de deux in act 2 has been taken this time around, something I think has already been noted, so perhaps I’m not alone. This always sets my teeth on edge (just another personal issue!). I saw a clip of the act 2 pas de deux from the cinema screening & despite beautiful dancing I just can’t move past the tempo. My only other general note was just to add my agreement with regards to Benno/Siegfried & the amount of dancing for the former (& lack of dancing for the latter). I do wonder if the character of Siegfried is the reason I’ve never been emotionally invested in this Ballet. He’s a rather flat character. This version made no attempt to flesh him out. So, my thoughts on the couples I saw: Naghdi was utterly beautiful. Unfortunately I missed her final act as the heat in the auditorium made me feel terribly unwell, but I’m glad I managed to see her act 2 & 3. I do find a taller dancer works best for me as Odette/Odile & Naghdi had exquisite lines. I found her Odette particularly vulnerable. If you’d told me this was her debut run as O/O I wouldn’t have believed you. I don’t want to add to the criticism of Kish but I found his dancing disappointing. That said, he partnered Naghdi well. I was very impressed with Matthew in the matinee performance. He partnered Natalia extremely well and still gave as much characterisation to the role as I felt possible. I found his dancing very lyrical. I couldn’t help but recall his Lensky during one of his brief solos. I’m probably in the minority here, as after reading previous reviews before the performance I had some reservations, but I didn’t find Natalia overpowered Matthew in the pas de deux. I do think her interpretation of the role is a bit wilder than others (& thus not to everyone’s taste), & I always love how she gives everything on stage, but I also think she’s softened in this role compared to the DVD performance. Matthew (Ball) completely held his own. It’s unfortunate Natalia slipped on her entrance (looked painful) & I thought act 3 started tentatively due to this, which was understandable. I also thought the pique turns started off looking less impressive but the speed she got up to ultimately made up for this, & I didn’t miss the fouettés. Despite having said all that, I don’t think Natalia’s O/O has the same emotion as her Giselle (where, funnily enough, I tend to prefer shorter dancers...). I think her Odette is too human like. Overall it was a very enjoyable performance(s) & I’m glad the choreography exceeded my expectations. Interesting to read a DVD will be released, presumably of the Nuñez/Muntagirov cast (I spent a good 5 minutes wondering why it would be released so far away before I remembered 2019 was next year...!). I’m impressed & very happy the ROH release so many DVDs. (Apologies for any grammatical errors above. I typed this up on my phone & haven’t read it through as I’m too tired!)

It is. Am DM’ing you now.

Hi all. This ticket is still available. Any interest please let me know as I intend to return tomorrow. Thanks. 🙂

Yes, still available. Am responding to your message now. 🙂

Hi all, Selling my last ticket for the new Swan Lake due to unforeseen circumstances. 😞 Will hopefully catch it in cinemas instead! I have 1 ticket for the 15/06/18 7:30PM (Friday evening) performance (Takada/Bracewell). Seat AA-1, Upper Slips Left, £17. Tickets lists the following: view obstructed by tier ledge/side view of stage/padded bench with back. Any questions please let me know.

Hi all, With the bank holiday on the 28th, & no trains running from my local station on that day, I’m forced to sell my Swan Lake ticket. Details as follows: 28th May 7PM, seat A81 Amphitheatre right. £29. Cast is Osipova/Ball. Ticket has the following restrictions: View obstructed by tier ledge/steep, narrow stairs/high view point. Any questions let me know. I’ll be at the ROH on the 12th May so can hand it over then.

Thought I would bump this up now it’s closer to the performance to see if anyone is interested.

Hi all, I have a spare ticket for the Royal Ballet triple bill on the 11th May 2018 at 7:30PM. The bill is the Obsidian Tear/Marguerite and Armand/Elite Syncopations one. Casting on the website shows Osipova/Shklyarov for M&A and Clarke/Hamilton for Elite Sync. The e-ticket is Amphitheatre Right J71. Cost is £14. Ang questions let let me know.

I could definitely see Reece Clarke as Solor. Also would love to see Fumi Kaneko as Nikiya. (jmhopton: Osipova & Muntagirov danced together in Sylvia last year (admittedly only due to Bonelli being injured). I do agree with the excitement of a prospective Muntagirov/Osipova/Nuñez cast for La Bayadere though.) For Don Q: Laura Morera strikes me as another potential Kitri? Also Akane Takada. For potential Basilio’s; Muntagirov/Corrales/Bonelli (with Laura perhaps?)/Sambe (definitely). I love Mayerling so I don’t mind it coming back so soon. Although, my immediate thought was that it’s possibly there to include Ed Watson’s final performance? I would like to see Francesca Hayward as Mary this time around (as well as both Osipova & Morera reprising the role). And perhaps some younger Rudolfs. Speaking of guests, perhaps David Hallberg will be sufficiently recovered to dance with Natalia in Romeo & Juliet. With so many performances it still leaves plenty of spots for in house debuts as well (with hopefully more than 1 performance each, fingers crossed). Would love to see James Hay as Romeo (although unsure who he would be paired with). Almost dreading casting for this, as I’ll know I’ll probably want to see almost all of them & I’ll have to really restrain myself! Very excited for the Mixed Bills. I actually haven’t seen any (!) of them besides 2 Pigeons. I’ll be interested to to see the seat prices for this new season. When are they typically announced? I’m wondering if the prices that were set for Swan Lake are now permanent or if they were solely to help offset the cost of the new production? Maybe it’s obvious, I don’t know. I know what I’m hoping, of course....

I think you both might enjoy this video: https://youtu.be/KfNbFm-zwf4 Different dancers (Natalia Makarova/Kevin McKenzie) but look out for the appearance of the grey jogging bottoms!

Anyuta is available on DVD if you’re interested, with Maximova/Vasiliev amongst the cast. I purchased a copy from amazon but haven’t gotten around watching it in full yet (so can’t comment, unfortunately).

Hi all. Not or sure how much of a long shot this is, but if anyone wants to sell their £25 ticket to the Russian Icons Gala on the 25/02/18 please let me know! Thanks.

Was going to post this with my thoughts on the ENB Jeune Homme/La Sylphide bill, but figured it’d be more appropriate here. I’m really beginning to dislike the London Coliseum as a venue. I’ve been quite a few times and all but once have sat at the Balcony level (the only other place I’ve sat was Upper Circle). Almost every time I’ve been distracted by people talking or whispering, or as the case was on Saturday with the couple who jumped in the seats in front of me; giggling and whispering. They also kept kissing (so kept missing chunks of the performance & then in hushed voices kept trying to figure out what was going on 🙄. Thankfully they moved several seats along after the first interval so they could space out their rucksack & coats). I did manage to block most of it out but did get drawn out of the drama on stage a few times by the whispering. Also during the same performance someone nearby kept impatiently tapping their shoes during La Sylphide, although thankfully they stopped after a while & didn’t restart. Maybe I’m being a bit petty & a bit grumpy but I find it so distracting and annoying. And always at the Coliseum! Does anyone else find this venue is particularly bad for it or am I just unlucky? Anyway, rant over :-)

I also saw the matinee on Saturday & can only echo what others have already said. I loved the intensity of Le Jeune Homme & how both Jia Zhang & Cesar Corrales managed to convey the various emotions so clearly (even from my seat in the Balcony). I loved the music as well. I would love to see more of Zhang in the future. La Sylphide is not something I’ve ever seen before, although before Saturday I did watch the video of Schaufuss/Evdokimova on YouTube (beautiful). I really enjoyed it. I found the ending - when she loses her wings - profoundly moving. Alison McWhinney was a delightfully mischievous Sylph & I also enjoyed Aitor Arrieta. Their smiles were infectious in Act II. Stina Quagebeur is a complete chameleon & always completely inhabits the characters she plays/dances. I do agree with others regarding the corps. I felt some of the dancing was a bit stiff. A minor quibble. Overall, it was a really enjoyable double bill; I only wish I could have attended more performances from this run. I do wonder if the empty seats were indicative of the month (just after Christmas, before payday)? The Balcony was noticeably sparse & I remember Le Corsaire being the same last year around the same time...

I have a ticket available for the ENB double bill of Song of the Earth & La Sylphide at the London Coliseum. Performance is on Saturday 13th January at 2:30PM. Seat is C11 Balcony Centre Right - £13.50. Unfortunately have left it too late to arrange reasonably priced travel. Any questions let me know!

Ticket now spoken for

Selling my SCS ticket for the RB Nutcracker 2PM matinee on the 27/12/17. D33 (standing ticket) - £8 Had a look at the trains last week & noticed they won’t be going to London on that date Any questions let me know.

Bumping this up now it’s closer to the date - no interest thus far.

Selling my ticket for the Amore/Svetlana Zakharova bill at the London Coliseum next month on the 24th November. Start time is 7:30PM. Seat details: Upper Circle Centre - K40 - £20 I’m no longer able to go & don’t really want the ticket to go to waste (they don’t accept returns on tickets). Any questions please let me know. :-)

Bizarre how much it varies around the country! Agree that it's likely due to the various chains rather than the ROH. For comparison, I have 2 nearest cinemas that show RB performances: an Odeon & a Showcase cinema. The Odeon charges £13.50 for an adult & the Showcase charges £15.45 (bigger screen & comfier seats). I checked prices for the upcoming Alice as well as Manon/Swan Lake next year & the prices were all the same. No idea if encore showings vary in price.