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Two Pigeons

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  1. Two Pigeons
    I seem to be the first person to raise this issue but I am very disappointed by a significant change to the performances at the Birmingham Hippodrome for this year. Pre Covid I bought 2 front stalls seats for Don Q for June last year. When lockdown cut in refunds were offered, although I understand it was quite onerous to actually achieve this. We were sent the usual plea to leave the money with the Hippodrome as a gesture of support until plans were clearer. About a couple of months ago I exchanged them for 2 tickets for Nutcracker this coming November. I wanted them for 2 family members, 1 of whom has never been to live ballet. I did this in the belief that they would have the experience of the full, glorious, production. Yesterday I received an e-mail saying that what us being presented this year is actually the cut down Royal Albert Hall version, complete with virtual Simon Callow. To this extent the first 4 rows of the front stalls are being reinstated. To this effect the only options are 1) move further forward or 2) lump it. The sweetener is that the production is being refurbished for the 2022 season. No indication of any refunds being available. I very much hope my family members will enjoy what us being presented but I have to say that I feel rather cheated by it all. I see Fiona Allen is leaving the Hippodrome for Opera Australia. I hope this isn't due to embarrassment!
  2. Two Pigeons
    Good! She is an excellent presenter and I really wish she did all the coverage of the Proms. She doesn't grate.
  3. Two Pigeons
    Thank you so much for this link. I Have never seen this extract before.
  4. Two Pigeons
    Interesting that no plans have been announced for the BRB audiences to be inflicted with this work. Maybe Don Q is/was enough for the time being.
  5. Two Pigeons
    I do so hope you are right Kyle - if I may call you that.
  6. Two Pigeons
    I do so agree. The designs could be by Poussin or Watteau
  7. Two Pigeons
    For all that you are completely right Janet, I cannot imagine Hobson's Choice, Far From the Madding Crowd or Cyrano ever being commissioned today. They would all be regarded as being too dated. I do feel that Paul Reade's most untimely death robbed the music and ballet world of a huge talent. For my money David Bintley never found a successful replacement.
  8. Two Pigeons
    That's right, they do. Aurora does a reverse pirouette and then leans back into Florimund's outstretched arm.
  9. Two Pigeons
    Fair point Capybara
  10. Two Pigeons
    P.s. remember, the two most scary expressions in ballet - 1) an imaginative/modern new interpretation 2) a specially commissioned score
  11. Two Pigeons
    Dystopian though this seems I am confident there will still be a Royal Ballet in 10 years time, though i do share concerns about the balance between Classical and Contemporary really shifting. I very much feel that the clock is ticking under the Ashton repertoire and i can see it being crowded out. Were i to worry about the future of a company it would be BRB. i cannot see that continuing without full hearted support from the City Council. As the demographic changes i feel that a full sized classical ballet - and orchestra - is on notice.
  12. Two Pigeons
    Thank you so much. I REALLY enjoyed watching this.
  13. Two Pigeons
    P.s. I had completely forgotten Domingo was the conductor. Shame on me!
  14. Two Pigeons
    I was lucky enough to be at the live recording in 1982 and there was a further 'cabaret item' which didn't make it to the recording. Paul Tortelier played (as I remember it) some Bach with his wife and another member of his family. Relating to the original costume for the Male dancer, an alternative cast was the delightful Ravenna Tucker with Julian Hosking. He wore the dreaded Male toga which was just too camp for words. I can see why Wayne Eagling refused point blank to wear it.
  15. Two Pigeons
    No one has ever matched Merle Park and Wayne Eagling in Voices of Spring. Ever! Technique may have improved but where was elan of the original pairing?
  16. Two Pigeons
    In addition to Jan's suggestion I would recommend and aisle seats on either side block in the stalls. As I remember it the rows end with seats 12, (e.g. H12) or 37. The view from the circle is excellent but I personally am not too good with the lack of leg room. Best wishes and I really hope you enjoy your visit.
  17. Two Pigeons
    P.s. far too much Ore Orduba.
  18. Two Pigeons
    May I add my appreciation for the contribution from New Adventures. I found it genuinely amusing. In fact, it is likely to be the only item I wish to view for a second time.
  19. Two Pigeons
    I am not an authority on this but it has been my clear impression that for the past few years the Royal Danish Ballet has rather turned it's back on the Bournonville style and repertoire. It is mildly terrifying how quickly such a specialised dance school and be devalued, adulterated and then eventually lost. This threat is a real object lesson for those who wish to preserve the Ashton style.
  20. Two Pigeons
    By my reckoning we need DVDs of Month in the Country, Les Rendezvous, Facade and, maybe updates of Les Patineurs and/or Scenes de Ballet. Then there are the really rare gems like A Wedding Bouquet, the Walk to the Paradise Garden etc, etc, etc...... It would be great if there was the clear will to make recordings of these works available to balletomanes every where. Oh yes, and an authentic recording of Cinderella. I think Francesca Hayward could be very busy. Surely she will get a crack at Ondine, preferably with William Bracewell.
  21. Two Pigeons
    Hear, hear!
  22. Two Pigeons
    I have re-read this thread a number of times and I feel that pretty much every posting, one way or another, alludes to the Ashton being undervalued to the extent that its long term future is very precarious. From what I have seen and read the future health of the Ashton style is even more precarious. Marguerite and Armand will always find ballerinas longing to dance it but not as Ashton intended. It is far more likely to be some hybrid of the general Russian/European style, lacking most or all of the Ashton subtleties. There is one person who really tried to preserve both Ashton's works and his style and that was David Bintley at BRB. I was very impressed with his reconstruction of Dante Sonata, which I had never seen before, and his determination to involve as many members of the original cast as were available at the time. Here was someone who had real affection and total respect for Ashton and his style, ably assisted by Marion Tait and others. That link has been broken but I am very grateful that I was able to watch so much of it all. As Floss says, Carlos Acosta has been hired to offer a different direction for the company. Admirable though that is, especially in the current commercial climate, I can only regret the passing of the old guard.
  23. Two Pigeons
    Please may I add my voice to those posters who are praising wonderful music. To me the three most worrying words in ballet are 'specially commissioned score'. My main concern about the description 'relevant' is when a work lapses into preaching. My main interest is BRB but I regret that very little of the expressed plans for that company make me want to rush back to watching those wonderful dancers.
  24. Two Pigeons
    Excellent suggestion!
  25. Two Pigeons
    I share Jan's enthusiasm for Swansong and its continued relevance for the world of today. However, I cannot see it getting full justice in a theatre the size of the Hippodrome. I am sure ENB did perform it there a couple of decades ago but I can see its power being severely diminished in such a large space. Time to mention the much missed mid-scale tour? Much as I admire Mr Acosta's determination to provide high quality ballet for a distinctive company I think many of the responses to this post indicate he has a very uphill struggle.
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