nickwellings

I noticed the little imps especially tonight too! Lots of goading and menacing snatches and clawings! The little guy on stage left got swatted with a fan for his troubles made me laugh out loud....don't think the lady next to me appreciated that!

Crikey!

I saw a guy in lower slips told off at ROH for filming last week. Last night at another Swan Lake (not a ROH) a girl openly filmed the whole final act. Not quite cricket in my book, firstly very distracting, secondly, I doubt you can enjoy it whilst filming and thirdly, it is technically theft. Had to chuckle though when some lusty triangle tingling was going on from the put, the woman behind said quite angrily 'Is that someone's phone ringing??'

There's a picture on Twitter of the poor girls' feet! They deserve their well earned break I can only echo praise for Mr Hay. Beautiful Neapolitan, joie de vivre bursting out! In addition, I thought Ms Salenko gave a legitimately exquisite performance this afternoon. I can see what Dr Wall means about there being a certain coldness. This wasn't a coy Odette by any means. She really was piqued about her circumstances. Not haughty: just in need. And a very 'human' princess. Some might want Odette to more supernatural and ethereal than Salenko gave us. I think Nunez has a similar approach. Salenko's O + O well judged and were nicely nuanced here. My favourite show of the bunch so far!

Add me to those who thought Osipova's Odette wasn't as strong as I hoped for. Act II OK, and her final white act markedly better, but perhaps because it is heavy on acting, where she excels. Her Odile of course sensational. And as to Golding: fantastic.

Were we close by? I was stalls circle left in the D2-4 area. Probably walked past you at some point!

Seconded! Lovely review, Sim, and from all. I wanted to write my thoughts too but I think everyone has covered everything! So glad I got to go. I was standing in stalls circle so had a nice 'close-up' of moments, including some of those wobbles!! What a lovely Odette she was.

Ah, thank you! My silly phone was showing me the previous page of this thread! I don't mind of a moderator wished to remove my comment

I hear a rumour that Salenko will be dancing on Saturday's matinee. (As above, Obraztsova has scheduling conflict.)

That's pretty cool, Don Q Fan! I wouldn't know what Mrs S looked like I just came back here to say that Clement Crisp's only comment on the Gala was in praise of Muntagirov. One assumes he wasn't allowed to review it in full, because Modern Masters (his review of which is where the comment is made) still has a few shows left? Only one paragraph, here: http://m.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e096a9a2-c7d9-11e4-8210-00144feab7de.html

Thank you for the kind words, capybara thank you for reading. I had put Valery O down, then saw Dancetabs had said Sutherland and assumed I was wrong,so I changed it! I can now see from the photos that it was indeed Mr O. Additionally, it seems my link to my review doesn't work, so if anyone really is desperate to read it, it is here: https://theoperatunist.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/the-russian-ballet-icons-gala-10th-anniversary-march-8th-2015-the-coliseum/

Here is Dancetab's review of the Gala: http://dancetabs.com/2015/03/russian-ballet-icons-gala-dedicated-to-the-history-of-russian-ballet-london/ (and here's mine, or rather my thoughts on the evening. https://theoperatunist.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/the-russian-ballet-icons-gala-10th-anniversary-march-8th-2015-the-coliseum/ )

At the Ballet gala in the Coli, a young lady (in seat 37, Row B )was on her phone during the Klimentova/Muntagirov Nutcracker PDD, and thereafter, periodically throughout the rest of the night. This, despite being asked politely by the lady behind her to please stop, as it was quite distracting. I was in Row E, three seats to her left, and it was indeed, quite distracting. I do wish people would be more considerate. Why go to these things, if you can't stay away from texting, messaging your pals? As I wish they would in the cinema: I was earlier that same day at the Haymarket Odeon (poor space, quite cthonic, shabby, with Screen 2 at a bizarre angle to the seating therein) to see the Bolshoi Romeo and Juliet from 2013. During the second half, a man with a loud voice openly talking to his companions. When Juliet has taken her sleeping draught, and the "shades" with lotuses (I think?) have appeared, then glided offstage (in properly spooky mass bourée) this same gentleman let out a very loud yawn, together with an "ohhh dear!" which was probably not done as theatrically deliberately as it sounded. Then, more talking, ruminations. At the end I was a bit annoyed. And I walked up to him after and said that next time, please could he not talk all over the show? thank you. He did mumble a "sorry". As well he should. I do wonder what it is about events, that makes people forget manners.

What a shame that Ganio, and the NYCB are not dancing. I was looking forward to seeing them, but the rest of the lineup looks great.

Unable to edit my post, but here was my source. http://incopix.com/london-2015/ Mearns on video still fantastic though!

If I recall rightly, Sara Mearns will be on video only and not in person.The same for Roth-Constanzo. If I recall incorrectly, she may be there in person of course (bit doubtful for two shows only?) However Mr Roth C is in Indian Queen at ENO, so feasibly could be there live! If SM is there in person I will kick myself for not going.

I thought their Fille was nicely done. I was impressed with the leading lady as Lise, and her partner. I liked the costumes in Coppelia, and the second Act was better than the first in my eyes. I had wanted to see their Swan Lake, but with necessary train travel, tickets a bit too expensive.

This may have already been posted. I just found it on another forum... On Danish TV equivalent you can watch Susanne Grinder and Sebastian Haynes dance a version of Dying Swan. http://vmd.tv2.dk/2014-10-24-se-nikolaj-hubbes-dans-i-dommerdysten-0 Nikolaj Hübbe is a judge and had to choreograph something for a fundraising episode. I might have preferred each or rather either alone, but I post it here to share it. My thanks to a user Syrene Hvid on that other forum for posting it. A small advert will play as is usual, before the video proper.

Ms Osipova didn't quite convince me in the White acts. Something was lacking, I felt. I still can't quite put my finger on it, but Nunez seemed to invest those acts with more urgency and more vivd brushstrokes, to use an arty metaphor. By contrast N.O. a little too finely drawn perhaps, for me to appreciate from all the way in the Amphi. That said, her Odile was great, and her fouettes pretty pyrotechnical. Revelation of the night: Matthew Golding. I very much enjoyed his Siegfried. Noble lines, poise, ardency. And fine acting. His partnership with Miss O seems fruitful and comfortable for both, Golding seeming to be gaining in artistry from it. Final mention for me (beyond the corps and baby swans, who were wonderful) goes to James Hay's PdT solo. Real elegance! And lovely tours as Timmie has said above.

Not ideal! I once did The Stairs at Covent Garden, after getting impatient waiting for the lift. Shan't be doing that again, and not in a hurry, either! The walk to L Square from ROH is not pleasant in my experience, either. One must mingle with a lot of West End theatre/restaurant traffic, foot traffic, with all the attendant pain and frustration this can cause. Holborn is my preference (when I don't walk to/from Liverpool St). Not as many people on that route, I find.

5 stars from Mr Crisp for last night...http://m.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9e47bbe0-b690-11e4-95dc-00144feab7de.html

I have written some thoughts on last night here. The principals were great, as one would expect. (Please bear in mind thought that I don't have much expert knowledge!) http://wp.me/p4kbnM-82

Thank you, Andy! *phew*!

Only 1 date! Might it tour? (Doubtful...) Ms Whelan's calendar indicates no dates after May 2015 currently. I'd hope for more than one lonely date... :-/

I hear that Ms Choe is injured too :/