Geoff

The latest:- https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cei8gSiWwAIbIrL?format=pjpg&name=large

Mark Wigglesworth has broken his silence in today's Telegraph:- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/12204446/Letters-Farmers-will-be-better-off-when-Britain-leaves-the-European-Union.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/12204556/Mark-Wigglesworth-writes-ENO-must-change-but-cuts-are-not-the-way.html

Just read this set of postings alongside the other, opposite, list (for our *favourite* ballets). Surprising little crossover, though Jewels and Isadora seem to do well on both lists, i.e. they arose some strong feelings as personal favourites as well as least favourites!

Rather a revealing discussion. Funny to see Acosta's Carmen make somebody's all-time list, that didn't take long. I agree, Carmen was infuriating in a way which lifted it beyond merely new-ballet-which-doesn't-work-and-will-be-forgotten. Not just poor, inept, vulgar, pretentious etc etc, it was head in the hands awful, and at the same time so irksomely full of itself. A special case and a horrible way to remember Acosta (imho RB management did him no favours by allowing him to make such a fool of himself but maybe they had little choice, given the circumstances). SB has had a lot of comments. But surely saying one doesn't like Sleeping Beauty is like saying one doesn't like an encyclopaedia.

Here is Cressida Pollock's "manifesto", published just before the Wigglesworth announcement:- http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/features/eno-head-cressida-pollock-s-exclusive-manifesto-to-save-her-company-i-cant-allow-it-to-fail-a6944756.html

This is a terrible blow. Wigglesworth is a great artist and was a statement of intent when it came to the ENO being taken seriously.

Just in case people did not watch every single minute of Crufts, some might appreciate one particular competitor. The item starts around 13:18 (sorry that I am not clever enough to extract part of a YouTube video):-

My curiousity having been aroused by the promise of a free Parsifal live stream from Vienna (see separate post) I found this:- http://www.theoperaplatform.eu/en/opera The shows (including eg a Walkure and a Eugene Onegin) are free to watch (paid for by the EU so as it's our money we might as well take advantage) and work fine. A couple of clicks and they play. There is also the option to subscribe to get advance information on what is coming up. As someone said in another context, fill your boots!

Suggest you check the fine print: in the past they used to allow a certain amount of time- shifting, up to (if I remember right) 48 hours after the start. So if nothing has changed one should be able to pick a later start time.

Just in case people are interested in a free live stream:- http://www.staatsoperlive.com/en/live/289/parsifal-2016-03-30/#tab_0 This exceptionally intelligent show (which I saw live with the first cast) is cast to a high level and conducted by Adam Fischer, so should be good.

Anybody see Spartacus yesterday (recorded in 2013 but I don't remember it being broadcast till now)?

Given how difficult it can be to get tickets for ROH Insights I thought people might like to know that there are currently some tickets available for next Tuesday evening:- http://www.roh.org.uk/events/x2d65

The hollowing out of ENO goes way back. It is a crying shame that their training system was broken: over many years repetiteurs and permanent music staff guaranteed continuity, a secure company and the next generation of British singers. This made ENO indispensible and undoubtedly deserving of government support. What happens on stage was only the most visible part of the operation. But backstage (and therefore invisible) cuts, however disastrous, do not provide good opportunities for political posturing. I have absolutely no idea how to get out of the mess but it seems far too late to rely on old-school union arguments, even if they have merit.

On 3rd March there was wave after wave of undisciplined coughing (no efforts made to stifle the sound), particularly during quiet passages, almost as if some people were bored by "nothing happening". Yet the stalls stood up and gave Jaho a sincere standing ovation. When I went back on the 8th, nobody coughed but there was no standing ovation either. Jaho was wonderful again. Apparently she is coming back next season as Butterfly.

By the way, it was great to see the Moshkovsky Waltz (Daria / Vadim). Apparently there is a ballet school which requires everyone to dance this as part of their formal graduation. Blimey!

If we're picking one favourite, mine would be Daniil Simkin / Corsaire (apologies for typos in my original post, it was late)

Just back from this. What do people think? I had the usual wonderful if rather weird evening. This time my astonishment was capped by seeing, in amongst the Russian splendour waiting to go in, a strangely familiar face, someone who turned up again backstage at the end when I popped round to greet a friend. Yes, the "ballet fan / member of the public" interviewed in Bolshoi Babylon had somehow made it to London along with the visiting dancers. Curiouser and curiouser (see postings on Bolshoi Babylon for more about this individual). Some absolutely glorious dancing, much cheering and quite few astonishng frocks.

This week's open letter by Cressida Pollock is interesting:- https://www.eno.org/news/further-update-on-eno/

It doesn't take long to sign the petition. It takes a little longer to read another side of the argument, presented in an open letter from the ENO this week:- https://www.eno.org/news/further-update-on-eno I will also put this up as a separate posting.

Wow oh wow, Ermonela Jaho, who I had never seen before, is the real deal. Just had my breath taken away and my heart broken by Jaho in Suor Angelica (middle show of ROH Trittico one-acters). Can't wait to see her again. Nothing to say about the rest of the evening (didn't stay as the thought of singers from the first show reappearing after Suor Angelica suggested they might spoil a peak experience). Go, if at all possible, and see the wondrous Ermonela Jaho. Extraordinary coughing, though, particularly from the amphitheatre (the quieter she sang, the more they coughed). Audience then somewhat made amends with a standing ovation for her.

Just read through last night's Twitter. At the end one person thought they had been watching Osipova. Note to self, don't trust Twitter reports without corroboration

But I think next Wednesday's event is still on, as above!

Wednesday 2 March DANSOX (Dance Scholarship Oxford) distinguished guest lecture Frederick Ashton: Steps, Stories, Style Alastair Macaulay (Chief Dance Critic, New York Times) 5.30pm St Hilda’s College Jacqueline du Pré Building Followed by drinks reception Open to all; booking required at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dansox-presents-alastair-macaulays-lecture-frederick-ashton-steps-stories-style-tickets-21057199651

Thanks Sim. In fairness I should report that a quick skim of Twitter just now suggests the crowd went wild for the cover at the end of the evening - so either she got better in the second half, or a generous audience rewarded her for stepping in to an impossible role at the last minute, or my ears were tired last night and I made a poor judgement.

Correction to my post above: the cast change WAS tweeted out in good time. Apologies all.