Balletfanp

More madness and mayhem from Vadim....!

That’s really good! 😂

Of course not. I’m not in a fantastic financial position myself. But the ticket money had already gone, and I budget for Friends renewal anyway, so I just help where I can.

From my personal point of view, whilst I may have some issues about the way the ROH approaches things, I am concerned about the future of the company, the dancers and the staff generally (who must be worried about their future and if they will ultimately have a job or not at the end of this). I do not think that now is the time (for me) to make any big points or gestures about some minor unhappiness with the way they do things, their presumed attitude to patrons etc. by not renewing membership/not donating, or any other way I may have considered “making my point.” They may not be perfect but I want them to survive. So I will be renewing my membership and I have donated the value of the one ticket I had purchased for the end of the season. I say this not to come across as holier than thou, but I want to help support them during this time and come out of the end of it with a company still worth seeing. Dissatisfaction can wait until this is all over..... feel free to disagree! 🙂

Great, thank you!

Do you happen to know how long they will stay up?

Brilliant, he is so funny, to say nothing of those stunning entrechats!

They both link to the Teatro Colon?

That’s very funny and absolutely spot on! 😂

Very classy lady. Sad news.

Our street out again clapping, plus someone with a horn, and a car driving by hooting as it went!

He has plenty of time on his hands at the moment, after all!

I don’t see why not, it’s a public post. Can a mod say if it’s allowed?

My whole road out here in Plymouth! And could hear other streets right along the valley 🙂

It wasn’t La Scala - it was the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. I presume just a normal guesting appearance at the time. I know that Takada guested with Muntagirov there one year (which would explain the photo) and Cuthbertson the next. It’s definitely Cuthbertson in the video

Love it!! 😂

Thank you for posting it and well done - very nicely expressed!

Any chance it can legitimately be reproduced here? With Joan Hopton’s permission, of course?

All three episodes of that series used to be available on YouTube, but now only the episode with Muntagirov and Klimentova remains: https://youtu.be/RFU4CBO8D_k Still a fascinating watch, and important to me as that episode reawakened my lapsed interest in ballet and I’ve never looked back since. The interaction between Muntagirov, Klimentova and Deane was riveting and I was really desperate for them to be a success by the end - and of course they were, big time! So interesting, as well, rewatching it, to compare the shy, diffident boy Vadim was then, to the hugely successful and admired artist he is today - but still modest.

Oh yes - I forgot that!! Mind you, he did that in the last run and it was worse than last night - I genuinely thought he wasn’t going to stop in time! it all adds to the drama 🤣....

Well, Swan Lake last night - wow. I had forgotten just how dazzling the sets are when you see it live, especially that Act 3 set, which provoked oohs and ahs from the audience and its own ripple of applause. All a fit setting for some downright wonderful dancing from the whole cast, but particularly, of course, from Nunez and Muntagirov. Her Odile was incredible last night - evil, seductive, tantalising, drawing Siegfried in then rejecting him each time at exactly the right moment. Muntagirov portrayed Siegfried perfectly as the gauche, inexperienced young man overwhelmed by what he thinks is love when seduced by Odile. To say nothing of their dazzling technique. Nunez pulled off at least 5 turns on one of her fouettés - I lost count! - and then couldn’t resist breaking into a grin of accomplishment as people began to applaud! I love that she is so human onstage. And of course, Muntagirov’s sequence of amazing double double tours, landed bang on the nail, and those soaring leaps that seem to hang in the air.... no wonder there was a standing ovation, it was richly deserved. Excellent support from Sambe as Benno (although I still think Benno has far too much to do in this version), and Magri and Kaneko as the princesses - beautiful dancing from them all. The Corps were on fine form too and lovely to see Annette Buvoli as a big swan. I’ve been impressed by her lately and I hope we see a lot more of her in solo roles. Also loved Pajdak and Kay in the Czardas. The orchestra would have been good except for that execrable brass section which always grates on me, and some (to my inexperienced eye) quite sloppy conducting occasionally from Kessels - tempi a bit all over the place, and was it my imagination, or did he start them off too soon for Kaneko’s Act 1 solo? She was still preparing when the music began and she had to move smartly to catch up - which she did very efficiently. And I sure do dislike that ending. Although Muntagirov made it more moving for me than I had previously found it.

Current government advice re Japan is only to isolate if symptoms shown within two weeks. However in lockdown areas in northern Italy (and I believe Milan is one?) it states self-isolation even if no symptoms, so I imagine that is why Cesar Corrales (and probably Francesca Hayward) are being singled out particularly. Although given that she danced a couple of nights ago, it is rather shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted!

What a thought provoking and moving review. Hear, hear, Mr Gompertz. To add, I haven’t seen the Cellist but I’m agreeing with the spirit of the review.

I’ve heard him too but never identified who it is. It can certainly be a bit annoying!

I saw a clip of Beryl Grey dancing that variation some time ago, and it struck me how much faster the tempo was when she danced it. It makes it much harder to do those very difficult steps at a slow tempo - and, I imagine, more difficult to make it flow or look light.