SheilaC

I'm not sure anyone has listed the Bolshoi 'Live' performances next year. According to French Pathe they will include: Giselle (Grigorovich), 11 October; Jewels (incl. Smirnova, Lantratov, Krysanova amongst others), 8 November; Dame aux Camelias, 6 December; Taming of the Shrew (obviously it will be the new Maillot), 24 January; Spartacus (incl Lobukhin, Zakarova, Lantratov, Nikulina), 13 March; Don Q, 10 April. Apologies if someone has already posted these details

I saw two performances yesterday, in Newcastle, in the last stage of the run. It is a lovely child friendly production, with, as posted above, Clara being performed throughout by a child (Amy Pollock or Robyn McKie, equally convincing). I especially remember the second act, which Peter Darrell choreographed first and which used to be performed as part of a mixed bill (just as, earlier, London Festival Ballet used to tour mixed bills that included Act 2 of Swan Lake; surely a policy that could be tried again to try to make triple bills more box-office friendly?). In this revised production Lez Brotherston has redesigned the decor for Act 2 but in accordance with the original concept of Christmas baubles; the effect is equally attractive as Philip Prowse's. Throughout the designs and costumes are stunning although the dark blue costumes for the Waltz of the Flowers don't look floral but shimmer beautifully. Most important, the choreography for that act is lovely with no trace of the vulgarity in many productions. A case in point is the Arabian dance, which is lyrical and sinuous, danced by Araminta Wraith at the matinee, who used epaulement seductively, and by Eve Mutso in the evening, always a compelling performer. The leading dancers are hard worked with the Sugar Plum, the Snow Queen and Nutcracker Prince all performing in the Entertainers pas de trios in Act 1, the major piece of choreography in that act, again more attractive than in most productions. All gave good performances but they were not entirely technically assured and partnering was shaky at times; maybe the small stage and its raking caused problems. The company is planning to do a new production of Swan Lake next year and if the director, Christopher Hampson, and proposed choreographer, David Dawson, are anticipating a classical version, they will need to continue to strengthen the classical technique of the company. That said, the company is overall on fine form. The dancers are all round performers, in Act 1, everyone had a particular character, they acted in role throughout (including the two aunts: my one reservation about the party scene is the ageist stereotyping. Whilst it amuses the Nutcracker audience it is too exaggerated; now that the Royal has mercifully subdued the grotesque ageist overplaying in the Onegin party scene surely a newly revised production should not be so crude). The company has a diverse rep, in the autumn they did contemporary pieces, in the winter a classical Nutcracker, in the Spring they will be reprising the highly dramatic A Streetcar Named Desire, which won major awards and will be seen at Sadler's Wells as well as Inverness and Edinburgh.

I presume you are referring to the last piece, by Shechter. Yes, I found the music too strident, even aggressive, and the piece as a whole far too long, self indulgent and pretentious. But some of the choreography was interesting and the dancers were very good. The first piece, Smile, was the most accessible, being based on the Chaplin character and with popular music, but too long and didn't fully bring out the pathos of Chaplin. The best piece was Crystal Pite's, interesting use of text, voiced beautifully, very good dancers and an interesting concept.

BRB has started its latest run of Coppelia in Edinburgh at the Festival Theatre. I missed the opening night but reports claim that Elisha Willis, Joe Caley and Michael O'Hare surpassed themselves. The Thursday matinee was notable for finally giving Samara Downs her first leading role, as Swanilda- previously she's always been a Friend, never the lead. Her dancing was confident and her interpretation impressive. Jamie Bond was a convincing Franz and Rory Mackay a touching Dr Coppelius: modern British productions underplay the sinister elements of Hoffman's eccentric scientist but within that approach Rory's sensitive and detailed characterisation is very effective. In the evening Momoko Hirata's dancing was technically assured and elegant and Cesar Morales's Franz a sympathetic chancer, danced with his usual stylistic aplomb, and Jonathan Payn an effective conventional Coppelius.The Act 3 solos were well done in both performances; Jenna Roberts danced Prayer sensitively in both performances- it's a difficult solo to pull off but she had the necessary gravity and control. As Dawn, Karla Doorbar and Yvette Knight, very different dancers in physique and style, were equally good. In Act 1, Daria Stanciulescu, a dancer new to me, and Maureya Lebowitz, again very different dancers, were sultry Gypsies. On Friday BRB premiered First Steps: a Child's Coppelia. I was unable to see it but it sounds an interesting variation on the child-friendly performances that British companies have been introducing. It was the Festival Theatre iwho suggested it, professional dancers will be performing and talking about their roles and the orchestra will be playing so it will be quite a full scale introduction.

The Chatelet will be closed next year, Aileen, and I'm not sure if it will reopen in time for the July festival. Initially, 10 years ago, the festival was open air in the Marais, then after a few years moved to the Grand Palais, and then the Chatelet. That is a beautiful theatre, incredibly important to ballet history with its Ballets Russes heritage, and has wonderful views of Notre Dame and the Seine and other landmarks from the bars and salons on the first floor, but sight lines in the auditorium aren't universally good. The box office staff are very helpful. Anyone definitely planning to go this year and to use Eurostar, book quickly; I booked today for mid July and weekend prices are already getting high. Booking for the festival usually opens in early February, I think

I'm surprised they aren't ending each performance with the wonderful Revelations, as they usually do. It will be good to see Ailey's The River again. I have read that the invited company next year, 2016, will be New York City Ballet.

In December The Paris Opera Ballet always has big classical ballets running concurrently at the Bastille and the Garnier- this season it was Casse-Noisette and La Source. The company also has problems with injuries causing cast changes and some etoiles not appearing as frequently as one would expect, just like RB and ENB!

I have just had an email from the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, announcing that the (Kobborg/Steifal) production of Giselle will be performing there next October (27-31). I would guess there may be a wider tour- even Sadler's Wells?

I haven't seen it yet but earlier this week booked for 2 performances in Newcastle. Very few tickets left- so hurry!

It's on in London, at the Coliseum, Queensland Ballet, August 4-8. Earlier than that, the company in Nice, will be dancing it, with Robbins' En Sol, in April (17,18,19,23,24,25).

The second major ENB debut this week in Liverpool in Swan Lake took place this afternoon when Shiori Kase did her first Odette/Odile. Partnered by Yonah Acosta, she was assured technically and her dancing was expressive and beautifully phrased while her acting in both roles was convincing. It was difficult to believe that this was her debut. The performance also saw the first performance in the pas de trois of Senri Kou, always an impressive dancer, who some might feel has not always been given the opportunities she deserves. Unfortunately it seems that the Artistic Director was not able to stay in Liverpool to see the two major debuts.

What surprises me most is that the dates, July 2 - 10 apparently, clashes with the period when Paris Opera Ballet are performing the piece that McGregor created for them in 2011 (L'Anatomie de la Sensation pour Francis Bacon, to Mark Anthony Turnage): July 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 14, 16. You would think he would want the best dancers for both shows. POB dancers like dancing McGregor so there could be some top dancers from the Opera.

As someone who travelled from the North East of England specifically to see Alina I was very disappointed she let us down. I cannot understand why Neumeier could not find another dancer. Paris Opera Ballet has very recently performed it and he has close links with them- he is creating a new version of Song of the Earth for them (world premiere 24 February, 2015) However, Laurretta was outstanding, both as Odette and Odile (she more than rescued herself after an early mistake in the fouettees). I can't help feeling that if the performance had been scheduled for London Alina would have gone ahead with it. It's typical of how regional audiences are treated, second best. In September, at great inconvenience, I travelled to the Sage (Gateshead) to see Inala, partly to see Dane Hurst. But he did not appear, nor did two other dancers named in the programme, including Camille Bracher. There was no announcement, no cast change slip, no notice. This was disrespectful to the dancers who did appear, who had to double up, I presume, to dance extra pieces; and certainly disrespectful to the audience.

BRB started its Northern tour in a new venue, Shrewsbury, last week, and are now in Durham for four performances. It starts with one of their new ballets, Quatrain, Kit Holder's third piece for the company. It is less original and more accessible than Alexander Whitley's ballet in the South West tour. Featuring four couples, from some of the company's most interesting dancers, it has very good design, with an attractive set and costumes, well lit by Johnny Westall-Eyre (albeit a little dark for my tired eyes) and to a tango infused score that I found repetitive and boring but which other people would probably enjoy. The middle section of the programme is a repeat of the bite size approach of recent regional tours, although not in this year's South West one. The first section is 2 excerpts from Hobson's Choice, Will's clog dance, followed immediately by the Lily of Laguna dance from a much later part of the ballet, after the wedding. Mathias Dingman made a very believable Will and Ruth Brill was a convincing Maggie. Next came the first pas de deux of Belle and the Beast, in which Elisha Willis was very touching. Finally, after the darkness, literally and figuratively of Beauty and the Beast, came the brightly lit and joyous harvest pas de deux from Fille, with Cesar Morales and Momoko Hirata, plus Lise's friends. The stage was too small, which cramped their delivery a little, but it was well danced in the circumstances. More Ashton closed the programme with Facade. Kit Holder and Lewis Turner were suitably blase in Popular Song and Rory Mackay an amusing Dago, although I suspect that nowadays the humour may be broader than in the days when Fred performed the role himself. Altogether a varied and well danced programme.

I saw all 3 performances in Cheltenham. It's a well balanced triple and the dancers were worked very hard, especially Laura, Delia Mathews and Brandon Lawrence. The garish set and costumes for Les Rendezvous are a total, and deplorable, travesty, that reveal no understanding of what Les Rendezvous is about- understated elegance and refinement. The dancers coped well with the choreography but there was not enough bending and twisting for a true Ashton performance. Nao and Chi did the two evening performances and Delia and Brandon took the leads at the matinee. Alexander Whitley's Kin was a revelation. Testing original choreography. A dark piece, both literally with the currently fashionable low lighting, and the angst-driven movement, it proved a remarkable vehicle for Jenna Roberts at the first performance. Delia Mathews and Will Bracewell gained in confidence in their two performances. At the matinee the little six year old next to me found it boring- it is certainly not a ballet for young children, there's not enough colour and variety- but her Laban-trained mother loved it. Elite Syncopations was a hit, as usual, with warm applause for the band and enthusiastic dancers. It made me think of how wonderful David Wall, soon to be commemorated, was in it, and other great dancers such as Donald Macleary and Monica Mason, Vergie Derman and Wayne Sleep. But the young BRB dancers did it proud, with, at various performances, Jenna Roberts, Delia Mathews, Brandon Lawrence, Nao Sakuma, James Barton, Samara Downs, amongst others, strutting their stuff.

I have just noticed that the performance of the company in Paris, at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, in June, has been cancelled. I hope it doesn't indicate problems.

Hello Fullcontretemps. I don't think there is any way you can get to KX from RAH on time. But, if you have a car and could drive to Doncaster or Leeds, there is a final train at 11.30pm, gets to Doncaster 1.24 am, Leeds 2.36 am. I did it some years back. Quite tiring! Otherwise book a hotel and cheap train tickets through Superbreak,(often better to ring than the website: 01904 717351) the Tavistock is quite cheap and just 8 mins walk from KX. (If you quote the code MASTE you'll get a further 15% off, including off the cheap train fares)

i am watching Prime Minister's Questions, which opened with both the PM and Leader of the Opposition paying heartfelt tributes to Ann Maguire.

I agree with all the comments about Darcey, I found her patronising treatment of Kevin O'Hare excruciating. I watched at Cineworld, Middlesbrough (just £11.43, as Cineworld gives 10% discount for on-line booking, plus senior concessions, no booking fee). The audience was larger than I expected, three quarters full, and there were quite a few people who applauded. I agree with some earlier comments about how well the ballet came over on the screen, even the MacMillanesque contortions for Leontes, which had seemed to me, when I saw it at last Saturday's matinee, exaggerated. Ed's performance was absolutely stunning, both his dancing and acting and Zenaida, too, should get an Oscar. It felt like watching a film!

Although I referred to the advantage of switching to the Barbican from the Coli, in terms of attracting a new audience, I don't like the Barbican any more than some others; it's difficult to get to, ugly dark and depressing, although I do like the legroom and comfortable seats. So Sadler's Wells would get my vote. (The audience responded like a Wells audience). But.... please could a moderator explain why my post had a reference to warning points? (Even though it says 0 warnings). Most posts don't get it so my paranoia is going into overdrive!

I totally agree that Elena would have been wonderful- in any of the three pieces. I just cannot understand how a dancer capable of such emotional depth as Elena was not one of those inspiring the creation of one of the ballets- and not even second cast. I saw the final three performances, desperately hoping to catch Alina in at least one, but that was not to be. From the reviews of Alina's performance in Second Breath I get the impression that she imbued an extra aura to the piece that the dancers I saw could not match, even though they danced very well. Although I have always loved Maliphant's choreography, I found it a bit repetitive and it suffered, in my view, by its position as the third part of the overlong second section of the programme. Had Firebird, which was quite irrelevant to the theme (the justification given in the programme was risible!) been ditched and Second Breath come immediately after the interval, it would have registered more powerfully. The difference that exceptional dancers can make was clear in the final performance of Dust, the only one I saw with Akram Khan and Tamara. In the two previous performances Erina and Fernanda had danced really well with James/Fernando and Fabian. But with Akram and Tamara it was on a different level, Akram's movement was quite incredible and Tamara's emotional intensity was heartbreaking. The programme theme, introduction of more contemporary choreography and switch to the Barbican have all worked really well to bring in a new audience and revitalise the company.

Last week I saw two performances of the Vienna State Ballet of the mixed 'Masters' bill. Their performance of Suite en Blanc was careful and exposed their weaknesses, unlike performances I have seen by Paris Opera Ballet and ENB which were technically exciting. They were much more comfortable in Christe's Before Nightfall, an angst ridden piece of Dutch contemporary ballet in Van Manen/Kylian style. The final ballet, Petit's L'Arlesienne, was superbly done, with Ioanna Avraam moving as Vivette, her first attempt at the role, and both Kirill Kourlaev and the veteran Denys Cherevychko finding the stamina, technique and emotional depth to convince as Frederi. If anyone is planning to see Mayerling at Vienna in the autumn I recommend the Kaiserhof hotel, where we stayed, as it has portraits of Franz Joseph and Sissi and an extensive family photo display of Rudolf and his family. Very atmospheric for the Macmillan ballet- and quite close to the theatre and serving brilliant breakfasts!

I've never needed to use a taxi. But one of my favourite restaurants anywhere is the Luden restaurant, perhaps 10 minutes walk away. Has a good tripadvisor rating, too.

I spoke to Mark Baldwin last night at Newcastle and he said that the show will also be at Sadler's Wells in September. I got the impression it might also tour to at least one other venue. He said that Dane Hurst and Mbulelo Ndabeni would both perform.

Thanks, Meunier, fantastic to see this ballet again, with favourite dancers from NYCB's golden years. But there is also an incredibly exciting version on the Paul Czinner Bolshoi Ballet film, the one featuring Ulanova and Nikolai Fadeyechev in Giselle. Among the diverts, filmed in Croydon, the wonderful Raissa Struchkova (another candidate for great ballerinas, an amazing Cinderella) bounds across the stage into the arms of her husband, the very fine dancer, Lapauri. Sorry, I don't know of any links but I'm sure someone more technically adept than I am might find one.