Geoff

The apparent confusion between this news and the RB position is likely to fuel the rumours that her absence has other reasons, not to do with her foot. Let's hope all gets cleared up, and that she is back dancing in London, just as soon as possible.

As someone who lived in Vienna for a few years, let me tell it like it is. Yes there are two stage doors: one is the major one, the other being more of a sneaky side door although superficially similar in look.

 

The form is simple: one goes to the proper stage door (out by the side doors by the new cafe inside the house / to the square where the outdoor projections take place / where the staff tell you the "Buehnentuer" - stage door - is) Those performers who leave that way know that people may be waiting for them. If you go to the other door, you will ambush those performers who have chosen that door precisely because they don't want to meet anyone (maybe they have something to do, aren't feeling great or whatever)

 

By the way, by waiting patiently by the correct door my (then) 7 year old daughter got not only an autograph, but a picture and a nice conversation with the charming Polina Semionova, who she subsequently met up with in London. Happy days!

People may be aware of the various reviews this show has attracted. Given my comments above here, in the interests of balance, is a wholly positive review from a popular site:-

 

http://seenandheard-international.com/2015/09/imaginative-and-perfectly-executed-orphee-et-eurydice-at-covent-garden/

 

Also, friends sitting in other parts of the house tell me the sound is not awful everywhere. Maybe I shouldn't generalise from my own experience.

Gluck operas a rarity?

This French version? I think it can be fairly described as rare: it's not that often performed.

Well, having asked the question, here is my take, for what it's worth. I thought the production was chaotic garbage, uncertain whether it was satisfied by being merely "decorative" or whether really to engage with the material. But then Fulljames (on the strength of his other work at the ROH) is an over-intellectual beginner with little handwerk, whereas Schechter (as others have commented) was miscast.

 

Musically, the production (not uniquely at ROH) tried hard to work against good acoustics. Placing the band on a moving platform halfway towards the back wall did nothing for the sound, in fact it over-exposed some playing and deadened the rest. Florez, as a critic or two has already published today, was not as exciting as perhaps one hoped. The chorus and Lucy Crowe sang their hearts out to great effect.

 

Definitely more for Gluck enthusiasts than dance types, unless you are a Schechter completist. As a rarity, it's good to have this much effort (money?) thrown at this work. Shame the result isn't more compelling, to me anyway.

Anyone else at ROH tonight for the General rehearsal of Gluck's Orphee, co-directed by Hofesh Schechter? What do people think of his work on this show?

Interesting that London is currently home to both Guillem and Ferri

Does Ferri LIVE in London, Geoff? I had thought otherwise.

Perhaps the two of you can argue this out, I have no further information!

Ferri is an incredibly tough act to follow....but I can imagine it with Zen or Laura Morera.

Or how about Viviana Durante (remember her Anastasia, just one example)? She lives in London too.

I enjoy reading Opera Chic though her style is a little, er..... idiosyncratic, and she covers the international scene, but unfortunately she doesn't allow for comments

  

 

There's Intermezzo, but that's more of a blog, really.

Both Opera Chic and Intermezzo stopped adding to their blogs last year (Intermezzo still tweets). The nearest so far to what I have in mind is http://www.talkclassical.com/opera - but this hasn't (yet?) got a great variety of different opera sections (compared to what is on offer for ballet here) Nor, as I said earlier, is this forum aimed at us in the UK (though, as luck would have it, a conversation about Krol Roger has just started up over there, not particularly clearly labelled so easy to miss).

discussion forums on the two spin-offs from the BBC Radio 3 Messageboards: http://r3ok.nfshost.com/ and http://www.for3.org/forums/forum.php.

Many thanks Alison. The first seems to have died out (so far as opera postings are concerned) last September and the second doesn't really do opera as such. So it seems we're still looking!

Someone once sent me a link to an opera forum but the language was so foul I felt it wasn't a forum I'd feel comfortable contributing to.  If you are able to discover a place with a friendlier atmosphere I'd love to know about it too.

Thanks Mary. I think I can guess which site you mean. Someone has suggested here instead:- www.talkclassical.com/opera

 

But this one isn't that great for those of us in England - although friendly enough - and it certainly isn't as large or as organised as this forum (with our sections for ticket exchanges, individual productions etc etc etc) The search continues!

I lurked on BalletCoForum for about a year before finally joining (have posted a little now) and am just so impressed by the work of the committee: this is a limitlessly interesting place, kudos all round!

 

But - can anyone recommend a similar discussion forum for opera? By similar, I mean one with a focus on the UK / Covent Garden etc?

I was wondering about whether we would expect another DVD of Fille too - were Osipova's other performances also filmed or was it just this one?

 

They filmed a "safety" version last week so, yes, that is perhaps a clue that maybe they are planning a dvd.

The English version of the French documentary 'Ballerina' is currently on YouTube:-

 

http://youtu.be/AXSqObTHvEs

 

Here is some of the blurb from Amazon:-

 

In the grand tradition of the Ballets Russes comes a portrait of five Russian ballerinas from the Mariinsky Theatre (also known as the Kirov)...From Swan Lake to Romeo and Juliet, from the backstage studio to performing on stages around the world, Ballerina captures the sublime beauty of ballet, in all its resplendent glory.

FEATURING

Diana Vishneva, Svetlana Zakharova, Ulyana Lopatkina, Alina Somova & Evgenia Obraztsova

Reverting to the clip I posted, everyone seems to agree it's Yanin as the Widow. However scrolling down the YouTube comments under the clip one finds a comment posted by Becca Hague: "Its Stanley Holden! (my great great uncle)" No view on this - or indeed further information - just wanted to point this out in case someone knows eg the Holden family and can clarify either way.

I would agree with comments re the clog dance. Although I enjoyed Moseley's interpretation of Widow Simone, the clog dance seemed slightly out of time with the orchestra.

Yes. Absolutely. Before one gets to questions of interpretation I've seen a couple of different Simones this run and it seems to me as if the company has maybe forgotten the first and (I would think) obvious point about the clog dance: the sound of the clogs is meant to join the orchestra as if the clogs are part of the score. The intention is to hear the clogs as a solo percussion part, certainly in time with the music (just as any instrument plays in time).

 

In case it's not clear what I mean here's how to do it (my memory of Simones years ago is that this is how it went whoever danced it so it surely can't be a question of technique, but one of understanding):-

 

Just wondering about the best strategy for booking ENB Corsaire (for when it comes to London next January)? The best value seats tend to go so I want to book well in advance but of course no casting has been announced.

 

Might someone more experienced care to comment? I don't love Corsaire SO much that I want to spend money on every single night so what is a sensible strategy? Book something and hope (in which case who might one expect to see in this show)? Book the first night of the London run as that's when the critics will come? Or the last night as the company will want to finish their London run on a high? I'd be most grateful for suggestions.

Indeed, I keep going to the ROH website to see if they have decided yet. I'm going on the 9th and whilst I would love to see Salenko or Obraztsova, I can't help but feel that it would be nice if the last performance of this version of Swan Lake was danced by a company member - but who? Nunez would be my favourite. Takada would also be nice, and she has partnered Muntagirov before. Come on ROH, tell us please!

This exchange has been online (ROH News comments) for a couple of days and perhaps solves the mystery:-

 

>>r.a. responded on 20 March 2015 at 6:10pm Reply

another item on the website suggests Iana will also be dancing with Muntagirov in his two performances later in the run. Please can you confirm this and update the casting information on the Swan Lake page where it is still showing as TBA

 

>>Ellen West (Head of Online Content) responded on 20 March 2015 at 6:39pm

Yes, it has just been announced that Iana will be dancing with Vadim, but I am afraid that the team who look after casting will not be able to make this update until Monday morning.

I don't think anybody was "slating" Osipova, ENBlover.

Well, just to point out that only a couple of days ago, a couple of pages back on this thread, several people posted variations of "I didn't get tickets to any of her performances this run because I really didn't like them last time". Interesting to read these comments interspersed with opposite opinions (calling Osipova a "national treasure" for example).

 

Osipova certainly seems to provoke some people to strongly hostile comments whereas criticism of others is more nuanced and muted. Why? Maybe ENBlover has a point.

So, did anyone see Osipova / Golding last night? What a roaring-cheering-clapping-feetstamping there was!

When might we get some casting details?

Anybody see Osipova last night?