Shade

We gave them all a good reception 👏

Hi they were not all together, at least when I saw them but were being subject to many requests 😊

Dreaded rail replacement bus service plus dreaded trespasser on the line this morning made it a nail biting journey to ROH for the matinee but it was more than worth it.

I haven’t recovered sufficiently to write about the performance but brava all round. I salute those of you who can manage 2 performances on the same day! I found it too harrowing.

As I had time I made it to the stage door, quite a number were gathered there. Mr Avis, Ms Osipova and Mr Clarke were gracious, signing programmes and having photos taken. Wonderful.

Would love to see Potskhishvili live. From the clips I have seen he is a very exciting dancer.

Friday evening's performance was warmly received. I thoroughly enjoyed it, exception being the eating, drinking and giggling at inappropriate moments!
 

The music was at a pace that gave it great impact and moved the action on.

This production is one to treasure, no doubt. I prefer the peasant pdd as opposed to pds but I felt that it needed more crispness yesterday evening.

In my view the night belonged to the ladies, expressive Giselle and implacable, merciless Myrthe. Fabulous Wilis.

Reading all the posts so far I am excited to go Friday evening as that fits best with work schedule. 

56 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Thanks for all the reviews above. I love Giselle and was delighted to get to see opening night. Have been a fan girl of Aitor Arrieta since Emerging Dancer 2017. I didn't miss the entrechat six so much, but was truly bummed they didn't do the iconic horizontal lift in Act II. The aptly named angel lift. It's my fave moment in ballet period. I guess it isn't in this version? (I was holding my breathe for it and it didn't happen lol.)

Don't have a good memory of Berthe's mime in other versions. If I didn't already know the story, I would not really understand what she is on about. 

 

To me, the audience chuckles when a Wili goes flying by, et al, are more an automatic appreciation of the stagecraft than finding the show funny. They don't bother me. And I felt lots of love and appreciation in the audience for the dancers.

Want to give a shout out to debutantes Ivana Bueno and Daniel McCormick for a fab Peasant pas de deux. Wish I could see his Albrecht.

I am truly grateful to be booked for two more casts. Thanks to reasonable prices to begin with, and ENB allowing great offers on the public discount sites, I get to see Giselle three times in top tier seats, for less £££ than one stalls seat in the ROH. Bravo ENB.

I know the lift you mean but was that a later Soviet addition?

Happy New Year to the Mods & all Forum members and looking forward to wonderful ballet performances in 2024

Gargouillades - looks like the dancer is trying to shake something unpleasant off the foot😂

Very exciting- costumes look wonderful. Do report back any of you who get to watch this

Following the celebration of Ms Osipova’s ten years at the RB I have been thinking- I saw her first Swan Lake with Acosta but that was 2012 and her Giselle with Acosta in Jan 2013. Was she a guest artist for that SL?
 

thank you ms Osipova for an unforgettable decade of dance. I have seen more ballet in that decade than all the previous ones! More productions and other dancers too. I trust to see many more.

What a joyful end to the Don Q run. I count myself lucky to have been there as I didn’t realise that there would be a flower throw (first time that has happened when I have been at ROH). 
 

I did enjoy the performances and was happy that Cupid was danced by a woman, very delightfully too. In fact Act 2 was a pleasure to watch but I can’t get used to the shouts etc. I did think the music seemed very slow though or was that just my impression.

Osipova and Clarke they were funny and charming and lit up the stage.

It helped buoy me up on the very long journey home due to signal problems 

Thanks for all the feedback- can’t wait for Friday’s performance, which will be my only one. Crossing fingers that all the performers are ok. 
From previous experience Ms Osipova likes to end a run on a high note (thinking of a Giselle run) so I am hoping for excitement and have treated myself to an expensive ticket. 

If they have filmed more than one performance could they edit that out?

10 hours ago, trog said:

The Core Theatre in Solihull is closing because of RAAC

 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/solihull-core-theatre-closes-after-27657953?utm_source=mynewsassistant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop

 

Also of worry is Birmingham City Council issuing a Section 114 notice, being "in a negative General Fund position" according to Fiona Greenway, the council's interim finance director and S151 officer. What can't she just say they have no money? Only essential services such as rubbish collection will be provided. This probably means no more funding for the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Museums, etc. The Birmingham Museum and art Gallery is closed until 2024 for maintenace work and I'm guessing this will stop with immediate affect.

The news about Birmingham is very concerning for culture. Is the museum and art gallery where the Pre-Raphaelite paintings are displayed?

I was with a non ballet going friend Friday evening and we both thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I think Jewels is a good ballet for an infrequent attender as it offers three different styles and music (terrific yesterday).

Diamonds is my personal favourite but not sure about my friend. She was surprised at the difference between Emeralds and Rubies.

Curtain down at 10.00 despite late start meant we had to dash for trains. At least the weather was better yesterday!

ROH has a YouTube video up of Laura’s curtain call and the flower throw

A great ballerina deserves a great send-off. Hope it’s fabulous 

Hi sadly cannot attend so this tkt is free if any one can make it tonight.

For those who have attended is approx finish time of 10.20 accurate? Need to look at train times for home.

thanks

Hi Sim 

yes good first round. Interesting repertoire. 

BBC4 coverage of this competition has started, for those with an interest in opera.

I think my Swarovski bins are 8x20 and I find that field of view a bit narrow if you are not just focusing on a couple. Excellent optics but v expensive now. Binoculars seems to have gone up astronomically!

Oh dear…

Yes please Rob