RuthE

I didn't notice any production tweaks (favourable or otherwise) except for a bit missed out to accommodate the fact that there is now a big cut in the middle of the Act 2 chorus. I do wish they had got rid of the bit at the start of Act 3 when first the Herald and then Desdemona make their entrances by popping up through the floor. It looks silly. Also, in Act 2, Iago's blatant brandishing of the stolen handkerchief where the audience could see it but Otello could not, was all a bit lacking in subtlety. The singing and general performance, however, I thought was terrific - I'm looking forward to seeing it from closer quarters.

Indeed, but if what you want is the view from a seat for a production that's not yet on sale, I think the only way to do it is to find a random on-sale performance for which the seat in question has not yet sold.

On the RT website it says it will "start to appear" in shops from Saturday 7th (now in the past) and should be fully available by tomorrow.

Lise Davidsen has sung in London several times - she won first prize in the Operalia competition the year the Royal Opera House hosted it, and has since sung Verdi's Requiem at the Proms and the Royal Festival Hall, as well as another Prom. I've also heard her sing at Glyndebourne (Ariadne) and Wexford (Medea). And like bangorballetboy, whose reply appeared while I was typing the above paragraph, I too am most interested in the upcoming Fidelio because of her.

One thing I really hate is when people - including people I know - take the opportunity of a 2-minute scene change, or the moment after the applause starts at the end, to say related but irrelevant things, like asking me if I saw such-and-such a cast last week or last run. Kindly let me focus on what I'm currently at, and maybe we can talk about the other casts later!

If it was in Stalls Circle Standing Right, I think it was me.

Sorry for the off-topic remark, but THANK YOU - I don’t often book holidays as such, but had been looking at a particular option (actually a choice between two) and, after reading your post, I checked if either of them had a deal on. And one of them had basically a third off. So I’m now booked, thanks to you!

I would be interested to know what his exact words were, given that many of his most popular productions (Rigoletto, The Mikado for example) are updated to other periods!

The actor, director and writer Jonathan Miller has died... https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/jonathan-miller-death-dies-theatre-director-writer-beyond-the-fringe-a9219786.html

The one I particularly recall was in the front row of the Balcony. I'm aware of the general sightline there, through the handrail, but there was a bracket or something attached to the outside of the ledge which cut right through my view.

A small word of warning on these; last year I used a From the Box Office deal to book for some ENB Manons, and ended up in seats with an unadvertised view restriction (which because I had bought them through a third party, the Coliseum staff wouldn't do anything about).

You're probably right. I remember the feature, but even just after my above post I started thinking it was probably earlier.

Didn't they talk about this in some detail during the class footage from World Ballet Day 2018?

I was at opening night yesterday and thought it was utterly stunning including in its use of dance. Elizabeth McGorian's character was a non-dancing role (just a "impossibly elegant lady of a certain age" wordless acting part, which I'm sure you can imagine plays to one of her other strengths!) and besides Leo Dixon, there was a substantial supporting ensemble of non-RB dancers. Dixon was terrific. More thoughts later on the Opera & Music forum - as I'm at work, I imagine somebody else will get there first.

I think the Florine tutu always makes everybody look lovely and slender. But I don't have a problem with the Lilac Fairy costume on the curvier dancers I've seen in it - I haven't seen Magri, but think Claire Calvert looks stunning in it. Admittedly I never saw the old costumes.