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Thalia

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Posts posted by Thalia

    The Royal Ballet: Les Patineurs, Winter Dreams, The Concert, December 2018

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    I personally think this was a bit of genius programming by the RB.  

     

    I took a group of eight (three adult women, three adult men and two girls 12 and 14) to watch it before Christmas, none of whom, apart from me, were ballet goers. It was a pre-Christmas treat and something different for them to go and see. I was a little apprehensive because I was concerned they might find Winter Dreams boring, but at the end of the night all but one declared it to be their favourite work of the evening, including the girls. I know they’re not exactly tiny tots, but still... After the farewell pas de deux, I heard one of the girls whisper to the other ‘That was SO beautiful’. 

     

    I think the programme was an eye opener for the group – the change in mood between each piece showed them how versatile, emotional, engrossing, entertaining and hilarious ballet can be and they just soaked it up. Any preconceived ideas they had were blown away. They all say they’d definitely go back to see more ballet just because of seeing this programme and they’re still talking about it now, even after all the excitement of Christmas and New Year. 

    • Like 16

    The "new" Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Xandra Newman said:

    .....Revenue from bars and restaurants is critical...

    Well I hope Mr. Chairman realises that the price for food and beverages is out of reach of many, incl. myself! I was shocked when looking at the price of the various offerings in their new "Open Up"/ canteen space. On top of the cost of transport, the cost of buying a ticket I will not spend on any of their offerings. His customers being elitist???? 

     

    At the Friends’ Rehearsals they usually offer a fairly reasonably priced pot of pasta (currently £6) which has always been delicious every time I’ve had it.

    If they could offer that (along with a gluten free option or just make it all gluten free) at other performances, perhaps as part of a deal including a drink for around a tenner and/or a sweet of some kind for a little bit more, I would certainly prefer that than some overpriced sandwiches or a paltry ramekin of crisps. 

    • Like 4

    Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, 2018-2019

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    13 minutes ago, LinMM said:

    So does anybody know who will be taking Balls place on Friday? 

     

    I’m guessing it’ll be Will Bozier as Max Westwell is dancing tonight in Ball’s place  and then  tomorrow and also Saturday as “himself”. Bozier is due to dance both the matinees at the weekend so if Ball is not back on Sunday evening, Westwell will need to step in for that performance. If Westwell dances Friday that would be five days on the trot without a break on top of a pretty intense week of performing between Christmas and New Year. 

     

     

    • Like 1

    Favourite (and not so favourite) Nutcracker productions

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Ivy Lin said:

     

    I think that for Nutcracker whichever version you grow up with becomes your favorite. It's odd because I don't feel this way about, say, Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty. But I have noticed this with Nutcracker above all other ballets ...

     

    I think this is because of the association with Christmas. Nutcracker is all pervasive at that time of year — it’s the one ballet

    you can sure will be on. If you were taken to see it as a child it’s likely tied into happy memories. Plus, nearly everyone knows most of the music regardless of whether they’ve seen the ballet. 

    I do like the RB version because of the distinct narrative of Clara on the cusp of womanhood and I have many good memories of being taken to see it when younger. I go on a total nostalgia trip when I see it now. 

    The RB wasn’t the first version I saw, though. I have vague, hazy memories of seeing a version by the London Festival Ballet on the south bank. I think it was one where the SPF (or someone, might not have been her!) came down some steps en pointe. I don’t know which version that was or exactly when it was but think it was early/mid 80s. Is my mind playing tricks – am I conflating it with something else and mixing my ballets or companies up? Perhaps someone here can shed some light on it. I don’t trust my kiddy memories. 🙃 I remember more about the shop than anything else. 😆

    • Like 1

    The "new" Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Jane S said:

    Hmm   a bit of care needed here, perhaps? It's all very well slagging off the new development here, but imagine you're a newcomer who's ventured in for a first look - and is beginning to feel that the ROH is actually quite relaxed and not that different from places you often use - and you overhear a remark like the one mentioned above  - "this rubbishy cafeteria" - and by extension, you might easily think this implies "and the rubbishy people who are using it" and decide at the very least that some of the audience are indeed as snobbish as you've heard, and perhaps go further and think that despite all the publicity, people who use Westfield etc are not welcome here?

     

    Well, my friend and I would never say that out loud in the ROH so no worries there. 😊  Besides, anyone who hears us talking will just have to hear our accents and they may well be the ones having the snobbish reaction! 

    As for the ground floor, I just feel that some music or something to lift the deadened feeling in there would go some way in helping improve the atmosphere. I’ve always felt the ROH is very relaxed and I’m probably the type of demographic they are after as part of Open Up. It’s just that I discovered the place years ago and I’ve already been reeled in. 

     

    • Like 2

    The "new" Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

    in Performances seen & general discussions

    Posted

    26 minutes ago, Beryl H said:

    Lots of good names for the new café area: Stansted Airport, Euston concourse, staff canteen, rubbishy cafeteria, I've probably missed some!

     

     

    My regular ballet-going friend and I refer to it as Westfield (it has that shopping centre soul-sucking quality to its ambience and, like Westfield, you can have a glass of champers while sat in the middle of the thoroughfare) or the caff. 🤣  I feel a bit bad referring to it as the caff, though, as there are plenty of decent eateries of that variety which I’d rather frequent for refreshment. 

    • Like 1
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