pasdedeux

How fantastic. Will definitely be booking for Flames and have a think about whatever Smirnova is cast in - she left a deep impression in Jewels last time. In my opinion the best young female talent currently!

Same mixed opinions on last night's performance. I agree on the physical incompatibility between Golding and Hayward; it was particularly evident in the balcony pdd where some of the partnering was awkward and was only saved by the fact that Golding is, in general, a very sensitive and responsive partner. You can see that he did his best to overcome the physical difficulty. However, it did mean that many of the lines and lifts were somewhat distorted. I was surprised to learn that both Hayward and Golding debuted in Macmillan's production this run, which probably accounts for some of the tentativeness. Hayward was sweet but too arch and not quite a luminescent Juliet in the way that Nagdhi was. I very much felt that she wished to maintain a modicum of control over every aspect performance, thus everything was very clean and neatly executed but lacking the exhilaration that dancing on the knife's edge brings. Juliet is a technically easy principal role; I wished she could have considered her emotional portrayal further. Mercutio always receives great applause but I agree that Sambe was out of place next to the bigger Golding and Edmonds. The mask pdt was indeed uncomfortable to watch. I also thought the sword fight was taken slightly too fast - a theme recurrent through an evening where the rhythm was ragged and no-one (aside from the ever fantastic Gary Avis) seemed to truly settle on stage. An interesting night, but not superlative by any measure.

As a student, I can understand how our SCS ticket allocation has been off-putting for others. But I do think it has had a tremendous impact on accessibility. I might point out that it's very rare that casual, uninterested students manage to get SCS seats. Even though they are released exclusively for us, they are still gone by 9:30am, as was the case this Monday. Thus most of those 'annoying' members standing behind you are articulately passionate members of the community. There are many students like me who visit the ROH at least once every month, if not fortnight, and who like to see different casts within the same productions. Undoubtedly, we are the greatest beneficiaries. Case in point, I secured standing tickets to 3 Giselle performances (Osipovax2, Lamb/Hiranox1), Tosca and EO within a comfortable five minutes. There are many of us; at any point in the SCS, I'll run into at least three fellow students who are equally devoted. I also suspect that there are many more senior audience members abusing student accounts (perhaps using a young family member's details) to reserve these seats - at least two people have blatantly admitted this to me before. One of these people I see nearly every single time I attend a ballet performance, always in one of the most central standing places. It is aggravating, to say the least. But it is not at us that the initiative is aimed - we who would begrudgingly pay for more expensive seats if the scheme wasn't there. Even though it is rare, it does happen that students have somehow meandered into the SCS places without much previous knowledge of understanding of either opera or ballet. But nearly always, they are tremendously moved. It is most likely their first journey to the ROH; instead of craning down to see 1/4 of the stage from the upper slips or basically nothing at all from the balcony standing places (which really shouldn't be sold - the most dreadful place in the entire house) they receive full access to a sublime performance. I remember, last season, watching L'elisir D'amore beside a self-proclaimed first timer who sneezed and fidgeted so much I thought he was dying of boredom. To my surprise, however, that I heard a loud sniff during Nemorino's aria and glanced around to see him crying profusely. It was almost laughable. I have seen him at least twice since. It is the same elsewhere; in my degree of roughly two hundred people, at least fifty of them have graced the ROH before which is a disproportionately large amount. At least some of them have taken advantage of the SCS, and it is these people who are most likely to return. It becomes a new enjoyment to explore and slowly they delve deeper and deeper into the somewhat inaccessible art forms to become the audiences of tomorrow. Strangely, I feel perversely proud whenever I see this.

It seems fair enough that the RB cancelled all Osipova autumn roles. Even if the injury was not completely awful, it was at least quite debilitating to spend at least a month away. Given that most of her castings were due to take place in October (Juliet, Connectome, and a brand new Carmen) it seems to have worked out smartly. Imagine if they had kept the last Juliet date as Osipova's - the mad rush to find tickets, subsequent weeks of constant moaning at uncertainty and potential outrage should she pull out of that one too! Someone close to Hallberg told me a while ago that he and Osipova were racing to get fit for La Scala, having been scheduled to dance together a few times last season but not making any. They're very fond of each other. I hope they make it!

An oddly discombobulated sort of evening - some magnificent highs and equal lows. Muntagirov didn't quite make Romeo his own in the way that he embraced Macmillan's other great romantic hero (des Grieux), but especially from my spot in the stalls, the refinement of his dancing was most pleasing. Lamb soared quite beatifically in the first act - particularly the balcony pdd, which was much more earnestly convincing than with Mcrae - but faded towards the end. I was particularly disappointed by the crypt scene - I won't go into great detail, but this review seems to echo my discomfort. I'm not surprised the Sarah and Vadim seem so at ease with each other despite short notice, they danced together a lot in galas during the off-season and seem fast friends. Without trying to wade too deeply into the above debate about choice of cinema cast, I admit that Mcrae has never fully convinced me in any dramatic role. I can appreciate his quicksilver steps and technique but he always seems to skirt superficially around the emotional burden of a role and seems painfully aware of the audience. It is a great shame that the run has had such a mixed start as I find I am already beginning to tire of R&J - although I still have the Naghdi and Ball matinee to go.

From what I hear, Natalia's old foot injury (she recently described herself as 'disabled') has worsened quite a bit. I'm guessing she'll undergo surgery on it soon, wishing her a speedy recovery! A little placated by having seen Lamb and Muntagirov's sublime Manon last season, but my Connectome ticket has definitely got to go...

Oh my word - Osipova/Muntagirov pairing should be fantastic! Also thrilled for the Naghdi/Ball; they really shone in Onegin earlier this season. No Morera Juliet though! On another note, Salenko seems to be becoming a permanent fixture at the ROH, dancing in R&J, Two Pigeons and the Nutcracker, I believe. I enjoyed her in Swan Lake this season, but can't help but think that it's not a desperately necessary move.