Balletfanp

I agree Lizbie1. The main concern I have (as an outsider), and which seems to mirror other comments on here, is that the whole issue appears to be being brushed under the carpet without a full and non-biased objective investigation into the dancers’ complaints taking place. Whichever way you look at it, this should be happening. I’m not aware that anyone has suggested that Tamara should leave/be removed from her post, but there would appear to be issues that need to be addressed to ensure the dancers’ - and the Company’s - future wellbeing.

Looking at the article, I would say that is the case. Not good enough. I’m sure ENB have procedures in place. Whether or not they are being used properly is quite another matter. Of course the Board will tell the AC what it wants to hear. Who is asking the dancers?

An investigation certainly needs to take place. But it needs to be by an external body with no connection to ENB and the results made public.

I don’t think the injury issue is the only issue from what the article suggests.

All very well - but it seems to be clear from the article that the dancers concerned had already gone through the approved routes to raise their concerns and were not listened to. The article looks like a pretty desperate attempt to try to do something about their grievances. With all due respect to Mr Watts, he does not know (any more than the rest of us) what goes on behind closed doors at ENB and it is not for him to accuse the dancers of cowardice by not wishing to be named or to suggest that there is nothing in their allegations. And, if his career depended on the person he was raising a grievance against, would he be willing to "stand up and be counted?" I rather doubt it. I sincerely hope that this article triggers off a thorough and objective review of the internal workings of ENB so that if - if - there is any substance to the allegations (and dancers leaving in droves suggests that there is at least some), they can be properly addressed.

Reading between the lines, it sounds as though the Rojo/Hernandez relationship isn’t the only problem in ENB, although the article focusses on that (I suppose it’s an aspect that creates more interest in the general readership). There is nothing intrinsically wrong with Rojo and Hernandez having a relationship, but I suppose issues arise if either or both of them are perceived to be not maintaining a proper separation between the personal and professional relationship - which seems to be what the dancers are hinting at.

I think that people are being a little unfair. No one has seen it yet!

I don’t know if anyone else heard it (we were quite close), but when she threw the second flower there was a small crash in the wings and the tinkle of somethIng breaking - definitely not very ghostly! Made me giggle.

Well, I saw him and couldn’t agree more, Capybara. I’m very much looking forward to seeing him dance it again. Like you, penelopesimpson, I wasn’t sure it would be “his” type of role but I very quickly realised that it was, and was blown away. An extremely moving and incredibly technically accomplished performance.

I was also there - a very accurate review, bridiem. I loved Heap's Myrthe - that face! Marianela was, of course, a joy to watch. Her mad scene is so natural and convincing it brings a lump to the throat. Bonelli was a likeable Albrecht and his acting got stronger as the performance went on - his ending was lovely. However, in comparison with Marianela, I felt he didn't quite reach the same level of dancing - and when one knows what Muntagirov can do with it.... Naghdi and Campbell in the Pas de Six were superb, and a special mention to Joseph Sissens, who quite rightly is being given some plum roles - he has particularly beautiful feet. I don't know if it was where I was sitting, but the orchestra seemed a little leaden under Kassels, and there were some rather obvious bloopers from the horn section in a couple of places. The applause for Marianela in the middle of an Act 2 solo was mentioned. I am all for showing appreciation for dancers, but (again, maybe because I was sitting quite close to the applauders) I found it somewhat inappropriate and quite annoying - it happened several times (they were obviously Marianela fans!) and there was actual whooping going on! Call me old fashioned, but for me it broke the spell of the ethereal Act 2 and was out of place. I've never seen that happen before. I'm quite happy to be told I'm a Grumpy Old Git! ☺

No offence to Bonelli, but so disappointing..... Get well soon Vadim!

Weird. Just looked and the casting has been removed.

🙁🙁🙁

Most admin related posts ask for proficiency with the Microsoft Office package as it's what most offices use unless they have a specific reason to use Apple. Yes, it gets updated every few years, but the changes are usually pretty minimal, and if you have basic knowledge of the package already, aren't difficult to take on board. I would go for it.

Oh my word, how could I have forgotten that?? I was already pretty tearful at the Balcony pas de Deux, but when he fell on his knees I almost lost control and started bawling out loud in the Albert Hall! Had to swallow very hard a number of times and concentrate furiously in order not to disgrace myself....🙂

It was Akane Takada as Princess Florine.

The ROH said on Twitter that the police gave it the all clear - seems it was a false alarm, but better safe than sorry.

I watched the Nunez/Muntagirov Giselle DVD last night, having not done so for a while, and ended up tears once again from the expression on Vadim’s face as he does that perfectly timed walk forward at the very end. Muntagirov often moves me, both from the sheer beauty and purity of his dancing, and the sincerity of his acting. His Des Grieux (looking forward to seeing that again!), and his sheer elegance and perfection in Diamonds. Other then that - Symphonic Variations for the wonderful music and the choreography that expresses it so perfectly. The Nutcracker Grand Pas de Deux, mainly for the music, which always gets to me. The final Pas de Deux in the Two Pigeons. The Pas de Deux in the middle of Rhapsody (the combination of the music and choreography again). Marguerite and Armand - enough said. I could go on....

That’s why I said ‘hope’ 🙂

Well, they haven’t yet announced a replacement for him on the 16th so I deduce from that that they hope he will have recovered by then?

Like Timmie, it was my first Sylvia last night and I enjoyed it immensely. To begin with, it’s so pretty to look at, with those Arcadian stage sets and colourful costumes, and then, of course, you have the music. All the dancers were on excellent form - a shame Diana doesn’t have more of a role because I enjoyed Itziar Mendizabal’s all too brief appearance. Not sure about Soares’s Orion - I didn’t find him sufficiently menacing. Marianela’s Sylvia was just lovely - the pizzicato solo exquisite. And I can’t really say anything about Vadim that other members of this forum and the reviewers haven’t already said, except to say that the plaudits were all fully deserved. And to add that I adore the way he just seems to radiate happiness when dancing things like the Act 3 solo so that the whole auditorium seems to hum with it. That, and the fact that I swear he has springs in his legs. That apparently weightless bounding around the stage is mighty impressive and a joy to watch.

Thanks Sim, you put it all so much more eloquently than I can! It really was a great evening.

I saw Alice on Saturday night with the Stix-Brunell/Muntagirov cast. I had seen it last time around at the cinema, but never live before. I really enjoyed it and the effects came over just as well live as they had on the cinema screen. Acts 2 and 3 in particular were fantastic. A friend with me commented that there was so much going on that everywhere you looked on stage there was something to watch, some little detail - I think it's the kind of thing you could watch again and again and still see something you hadn't noticed before. I am in fact taking my mother-in-law to see the cinema broadcast tonight so it will be interesting to see what I notice this time! Beatriz Stix-Brunell was just perfect as Alice. Her sunny, lively personality seems made for the role, and her dancing is well up to the mark as well. Muntagirov was lovely as Jack/the Knave, but had too little to do really, until the act 3 solo showed off his beautiful lyrical dancing, his easy graceful leaps and acting skills (he really is more than just a danseur noble). Itziar Mendizabal was the Queen, and brought the house down - deservedly - with the Tart Adage! A great actress as well as a lovely dancer. I enjoyed James Hay's White Rabbit - he captured the twitchy fussiness perfectly. A good time had by all! Edited to add that I think the Muntagirov/Stix-Brunell partnership works beautifully - they have real chemistry and appear to enjoy dancing together. I'd like to see them cast together a bit more (I know they are cast in the Winter's Tale).

Muntagirov as Armand! What I wanted to see last time around.

Tierney Heap posted a photo of herself on Instagram, being fitted for the Queen of Hearts costume....