Geoff

What a good idea, thank you! Given the spelling of 'traveling' (usual in the US, whereas 'travelling' is standard in the UK) is this going to be more focussed on the States?

Just seen this, so it seems confirmed:- https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-strike

A few years ago I became rather involved with the London disability lobby, learned many interesting things and made some marvellous friends (by no means all the people I met were exGLC exploiters of political weakness for personal advantage). One of the most thoughtful, intelligent, politically active and compassionate (no names, sorry, he wouldn't like it) was however stumped when I asked for advice as to how I should have reacted at the performance of Parsifal I had once attended. Throughout Wagner's sublime prelude - alone worth the price of admission, I tend to feel, at least if the band is good - my neighbour in a wheelchair made loud involuntary honking sounds, signalling his delight and approval. The rest of us nearby could hear little. It was a while ago so I forget who left first, the wheelchair couple or me. The point of this story is to report that the most balanced and gifted person I met during that year of disability rights was lost as to what response was correct. This was before the new era of these special performances.

Today's review: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/sep/19/royal-opera-house-linbury-theatre-open-up-stanton-williams Has anyone been inside yet?

This ticket is now spoken for.

This isn't ballet but as it is going to be a very special musical evening, I thought it might be ok to offer the ticket here nonetheless. Sadly work now means I can't use my precious side front row (£25, which is cheap for this venue) for my current favourite pianist: https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/elisabeth-leonskaja-201809141930 Please PM if interested.

Amy, might I gently suggest that you are not helping yourself by repeatedly calling yourself an "editor" of the book. Those of us who are familiar with publishing know that editors are rather significant figures (often they come up with the idea for the book; provide support throughout the research; perhaps even producing additional sources; and then frequently, though less often these days, reshape the original manuscript in ways which can extend to rewriting the entire work). For that kind of editor to comment on their book without including a reference to their involvement would indeed be a faux pas. However from what you say it sounds as if a better description of the work you did would be as a "proof reader", in which case I feel you are exonerated on the charge of somehow having been deceptive. Someone who tidied up the author's English is more than entitled to be simply enthusiastic about what they read: they will after all have read the book very carefully. That said my interest is in new historical research so I won't be buying this book.

Thank you for your comments, very helpful. However several times you mention the useful footnotes, although it seems relating only to "easily obtainable sources". Can you explain further, maybe with an example or two? Did you spot any footnotes to any newly discovered historical material? In fact is there anything in this book which is both historically accurate and also not previously known? I am always interested in new research but am not sure if there is any in this book.

https://mobile.twitter.com/TheRoyalBallet/status/1031935346026708992/photo/1 and wp.me/p2HOoN-A7r

Hope this link works ok: https://on.ft.com/2Mm2h8O (apologies if this has already been highlighted elsewhere)

Last Friday's performance had an extra element. The Stage reports: https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2018/audience-member-steps-save-performance-la-boheme-royal-opera-house/

Might I add a piece of evidence in support of FLOSS and others? I have access (from a variety of sources, no more details sorry) to generally unavailable recordings of the Royal Ballet, from the 1950s to the present day. The loss of quality over the decades, in both Petipa and Ashton, is sadly obvious if one compares like with like. Not just the corps, but individual variations and even major roles used regularly to be better danced. There are exceptions, of course, but the general trend is clear. In summary, it is as if speed, precision and musicality has increasingly suffered at the expense of athleticism and "emotionalism". Memory is notoriously fallible - it is as easy to be wrong about how wonderful things used to be as it is to claim things have never been better - so I would encourage the posting of where one can find examples. One from me: Beryl Grey's Lilac Fairy occasionally pops up on YouTube, though I haven't checked recently.

Apologies for the old article (no doubt listed in links at the time) but this report of a new film might still be of interest:- https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/jun/17/rudolf-nureyev-documentary-unearths-unseen-avant-garde-footage-ballet

Here are three links (all already discussed here but so far as I am aware not yet brought together in one place) They go some way to provide a range of opinion: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/dance/what-to-see/swan-lake-review-royal-ballet-covent-garden-staging-yet-spread/ https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/may/27/rambert-life-is-dream-kim-brandstrup-royal-ballet-swan-lake-liam-scarlett-review (followed by some helpful below-the-line comments) and this thread https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/43862-new-royal-ballet-swan-lake/

Only just seen this piece about the troubles of the ENO: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/29/eno-quentin-tarantino-powerhouse-opera-financial-crisis? Unusually interesting comments afterwards.

Do you mean during the show or at the curtain calls MAB (I was not at Glyndebourne so am not clear what happened)? If it was at the end one could imagine alcohol consumed during the long interval may have played a part.

It's all politics. To unpick the history of the recent appointments in Vienna would take pages but, suffice to say, it's not about the work, the dancers or the audience.

Bumping this up as it's on soon. Happy to reduce the price for the same reason!

Many thanks Jan (I don't have Facebook). Is the first half of the show up as well?

I'm being thick and can't find the link to the recording. Can someone help?

Quick shout out to two of the Emerging Dancer candidates who did well on Friday night: Daniel McCormick's Bluebird was greatly appreciated by the crowd (even better on the first night, I felt, but strong nonetheless) and Connie Vowles' White Cat offered a most appealing alternative to the usual gentlemen-prefer-blondes characterisation. Good luck tomorrow!

At the risk of being repetitive, have you tried Googling Wayne Sleep + Neapolitan? That brings up a famous recording showing one way this can go.

Sadly can't now use my ticket for Sleeping Beauty this coming Wednesday 13th (Takahashi). Aisle seat in the balcony £14. Able to meet before the performance. Please PM as well as posting here.

Thanks capybara. Has anyone got a list of all the pieces and performers, for the benefit of those of us who couldn't be there?

Maybe you mean Monday night?