nickwellings

Thank you so much for your kind words, Bruce. They are very much appreciated. I am still finding my way in terms of writing I think but I am glad you have read and found them engaging! I am only sorry that I missed Paquita! I hope I might be able to see the Zurich Lake to make up for it.

What a shame we have both found La Scala's attendees to be a little boorish. I notice too that Ilona Landgraf made them same points I did about photos, smartphone etc. My whining about poor audience behaviour in the UK is nothing compared to those nights I just spent in Milan!

aileen, I am not exaggerating to say we are angels in comparison. I think the "tourist element" didn't help. A Chinese couple behind me had second row gallery seats and couldn't see anything. They talked a lot/whispered. and left at end of act I. On my first nigth the couple to my right just commented on everything in Italian constantly. I told both couples to please shush. The aforementioned filming lady was right in my eyeline a level below. Her big camera recording/snapping everything. Flash photos from the far side too, people reading their devices during the Panorama/transit scene and moreoever, just talking normally and having a conversation. The constant whispering was horrible too. I have never been in a worse audience, and that includes things like school-kid-heavy matinees where one would expect a bit of boredom etc. I also imagine that a lot of people in the stalls reading their screens/emails are rich enough not to care what's going on, or how others see them. I also got into a polite argument with a lady who wanted to sit next to me, without having booked that seat. I refused repeatedly, because she would have totally blocked my view by leaning.

Here's links to my two posts about the Ratmansky Beauty at La Scala. I went on two nights. The first was me a bit underwhelmed by the dancing and the second is where it really worked well. 

https://theoperatunist.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/the-sleeping-beauty-la-scala-manni-andrijashenko-zeni-october-1-2015/

https://theoperatunist.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/the-sleeping-beauty-la-scala-zakharova-tissi-murri-october-2-2015/

High quality dancing from all, but truly the stand out for me apart from the expected qualities from Zakharova was from Maria Celeste Losa. Just delightful. Stucha is right though it really is a feast for the senses.And I really agree with everything SwissBalletFan has set down!

Such a shame thought that everyone talked during the curtain down moments when music was still playing. I was astounded at the behaviour in the theatre. I have never been in a worse audience in my life. At least I got some lady stopped from filming the entire thing. The ushers were very good when I told them.

I had been looking forward to seeing Mr Hallberg's beautiful classicism in action. I am unsure now how I will find Polunin. I am wondering if the 'reconstructed' style might stifle him. We shall see!

I am seeing it Thursday night and the Sat mat. I am rather excited to be going!

(At risk of going off topic, I have stayed in EasyHotel sites in London for as little as £29 a night. Advance booking helps of course. I favour the Old Street location as it has large rooms and is a 10ish minute jog+walk to Liverpool Street. Yes, I found that out the hard way )

To return to Erehwon's post, finding good shows on holiday is an art in itself. I use Bachtrack for this a lot, but sometimes the best thing is indeed to go to likely candidate venues and click through the calendars. Aileen's idea of a range of shows is good. I hope you find good stuff, E!

It can only be a clever move by management to make people spend lots of £££!

I am hesitant about Raven Girl after the reviews it got (did not go first time). As it involves a lengthy journey to the Garden I am weighing it up in my mind. Like you say Vanartus: WM may well have edited or polished parts for its benefit.

What a wonderful gesture from the ENO Don Q Fan. Certainly sounds like they saved the day!

I really wasn't enchanted at all by this Cinderella, I am sorry to say. I was at the Sat Mat (Saturday Matinee). I wasn't the only one unengaged: the girl next to me on my left was very fidgety and bored, and the lady to my right left at second interval. By chance I met a fellow ballet blogger: the people next to her were "scoring" it, and gave it 4/10! It had nice bits as billboyd says, but they couldn't lift me away into thrill or lose me in magic. I agree with what Beryl H says: it was lovely to see the Coli with few empty seats for a change. Ballet often does well there - if the balcony is open, and it's a famous story! I wouldn't rush out again to see this again personally, but I admire Mr Wheeldon for trying new things.

I see that from today's dance links, Alastair Macaulay isn't too kind to our Ed in his review! The word 'twaddle' appears!

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/arts/dance/review-whelan-watson-other-stories-pairs-stars-of-ballet.html?referrer=

I like Luke Jenning's attitude: 'let's hope its the start of something'. I can see it being a fruitful partnership, but both have busy careers. I wasn't too bowled over by and large. I did find the sliding flats a clever device but the Linbury sound staff (or the musicians?) had troubles with noisy cables, unplugging noises and other intrusive slips. in addition, I really didn't like the crazy drumming solo Wendy danced to. 'Dance Me To...' and Watson's solo were my favourites, despite the slightly bizarre ruby slippers moment!

I notice that some Upper Circle prices now tempting enough (£5,£10) to go to Sylphide more than once, but I have no idea what views are like from row L, or the sides. Also, don't know who are well worth seeing! I have booked for Saturday matinee anyway any advice gratefully appreciated. I would hate to snap up a £5 'deal' only to find mall of the rear of the stage not visible for instance.

That's nice that McKenzie used the diminutive/affectionate form of her name. Shoes they value her, or rather, that's how it comes across

Quite so, it is a fairly recent idea, but its one I firmly believe should be adhered to!

I have recently seen one famous principal walking down Bow Street, cigarette in hand during the day. For whatever reason there will be individuals whom one would rather think are non smokers, who are indeed smokers. And if they can dance as well as this lady can, I have no issue with it, nor do I if they don't!

"Roles will be alternated and certain performances.". I think that sentence got accidentally truncated?

After seeing this on Wednesday, and enjoying Parts I and III, my next thoughts were how they would revive it. Does it necessarily need an older female lead to convince? And would it be as good without Ms Ferri?

I would like to see the second cast for the last show, but I have a feeling that getting tickets might be difficult!

I am suffering from them, alison

I came here to say, on Twitter a commentator noticed that the young gentleman who was 'Flute Peasant' had just finished some flute tootling, and started some 'beats' when the heel of his shoe came flying off! I didn't notice at all! Did anyone else catch this?

In addition, I must add that I thought Osipova's acting and footwork were lovely, but to even my untrained eye, she seemed a bit tense or stiff in the arms. (Ballet fans eh, we're never satisfied !) Aside from that, I am so glad I went. It was another delightful show.

To my mind, Osipova was a delightful Lise tonight. For the first time in this run too, I found her rapport with Simone genuinely touching. I felt that they truly loved each other. I thought McRae didn't quite do the best job he's ever done as Colas, but it was still good.

As with all good ballet nights, favourite moments call themselves to mind: Lise's joy at the end of the 'ribbon carousel', the brief 'door' pdd (if it can be called so, with barely any steps!) and Osipova's last solo variation sparkled.

Perhaps Nunez has the edge in the 'when I get married' mime, but Osipova convinced me that she was a farm girl 100%, whereas watching Nunez, as wonderful as she was I thought 'wow, Marianela is having so much fun!'. I was reluctant to go to the broadcast but on strength of this I probably shall.

Speculation is that it was left over from BAFTA awards! It twizzled down from on high at a wonderful moment. And yet another one dropped on Friday, during the storm section, to be very professionally whisked away by a chicken! Seeing her run offstage with a silver streamer in hand is not something I'll forget soon!

What a shame about the cast lists! 'They' did that at the recent ballet gala too.

I asked for a sheet and got given one though. Perhaps it depends of who you ask, or if it was matinee or not?? (Might be running low in evening?)

I was there this afternoon. The poor old Coli was about half full. I had a seat centre of row A for balcony, bought a long time ago. I made my way to the stairs to the balcony but it was roped off. Uh-oh. A gentleman was there handing out replacement tickets: everyone with balcony tickets was moved to upper circle. Cue some negotiation and wheedling for a nice seat, whch was unecessary, because the Upper circle was itself very empty.

Even so, the performers received loving and heartfelt appalause. Lots of cheers and whistles. I was gladdened. Maillot himself came onto the stage to receive some applause.

The show itself was slick, staging deft. The puppet-show was a delight, the slo-mo sequence aileen mentions truly memorable and one or two other moments (the ending kiss, Juilette's almost orgasmic rapture in the balcony PDD, which I think you can see online) were thrilling. The vocabulary was quite frenetic, and I wasn't too taken with the writing for the Nurse. I first though Friar was "Chorus" from the play, and only until very late did it strike me who he was. Special mention goes to a very menacing Tybalt from Alvaro Prieto and to Juliet (Noelani Pantastico). I found myself thinking that the piece could really be called "Juliet" so heavily is it focused on her. Her solo variations looked quite demanding, and as with her acting, it was all well done. Sadly, I wasn't quite moved, but I was entertained and diverted, and involved, and that's good enough for me.

I saw Acosta and Nunez on Wednesday. I thought them both delightful, frankly. The are obviously good friends offstage and this was all to the good: onstage they sparkled. Nunez's smile seemed unfeigned and unforced, she seemed to be loving every moment. Binoculars revealed genuine joy on her face. Lovely mime too.

Acosta seemed a touch tired in places, but tackled the role with customary chutzpah. The wooing and romance very believable. Nunez a sweet Lise, and Acosta believably smitten (and understandably so: MN truly radiant.)

I have Muntagirov and Morera tonight, and McRae and Osipova next week. At the moment, MN and CA feel definitive to me, unimprovable, by strength of that chemistry. But I do love Muntagirov and am more than willing to be beguiled all over again!

I went too, I enjoyed it, if that's the right word for what was at times quite unsettling. I notice the reviewer for Bachtrack gave it only 1 star! As you say, Coated, some moments genuinely menacing, the whole piece quite violent in tone, but with a sprinkling of humour.

From my seat at the top a lot of images stay in the mind, especially the 'fish out of water' moment and the canoeing lady. The 'forearm sandwich' and 'handjive' were typical Bausch. Ill give her her due, i think she came up with some truly striking theatre, which is what this was really.

I am looking forward to next week's Ahnen.