RuthE
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Posts posted by RuthE
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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.
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2 minutes ago, SugarPlum2000 said:
The last time I was booking, when you clicked on the seat that you would like to book it came up with a few images of the view from that seat. This may have changed though since then as it was a couple of months ago
I just checked and this does still seem to be the case
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.
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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.
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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.
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On 06/12/2019 at 18:32, capybara said:
I do agree with the "don't discuss the show at the theatre" mantra. There are patrons of the ROH (small p but might be big P too) who proclaim their views very loudly (and sometimes argumentatively) and risk spoiling the enjoyment of those around them.
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!
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On 07/12/2019 at 08:47, Mary said:
So Coated, was it your voice that rang out, telling someone to Turn off the phone at the opening night of Coppelia?
Good for you for speaking out.
If it was in Stalls Circle Standing Right, I think it was me.
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7 hours ago, HopelessMummy said:
Me neither. I hope we hear soon. I'd like to book my hols whilst there are some good Black Fri deals still on...
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!
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1 hour ago, ninamargaret said:
I enjoyed several of his productions, including his imaginative and moving Mass in B minor, but I was especially interested in his comments, at an ENO event, that setting a play/opera in the period in which it was written made sense. Seeing some of the more recent productions with their insistence on 'relevance' makes me remember his sane and sensible comments. What a sad end for someone with such a brilliant mind.
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!
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The actor, director and writer Jonathan Miller has died...
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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.
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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).
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You're probably right. I remember the feature, but even just after my above post I started thinking it was probably earlier.
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12 minutes ago, alison said:
"The Australian Ballet dancers now do 24 parallel single leg heel raises at the end of ballet barre daily, and the company has seen significant decrease in injury to the ankles and calves. "
Which is what they're now doing at the Royal Ballet, and elsewhere, too.
Didn't they talk about this in some detail during the class footage from World Ballet Day 2018?
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On 02/11/2019 at 14:05, Lizbie1 said:
(This should possibly go on the Opera forum, and apologies if this has been picked up elsewhere.)
Leo Dixon and Elizabeth McGorian will be appearing in the forthcoming RO production of Death in Venice as Tadzio and the Lady of the Pearls: https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/death-in-venice-by-david-mcvicar-dates
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.
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23 minutes ago, Ingrid said:
To your point, Magri did look more slender on the Princess Florine costume yesterday though and I think that’s because the waist has a simpler design and not full of ( unnecessary) big petals crossing the torso like the Lilac has.
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.
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Just now, alison said:
Ooh, thank you, Ruth! Is it just that one date? Wonder if Non-Virgin Trains are offering any decent fares ...
It is just that date, yes. There are fares as low as £6.40 each way on Chiltern, if you don’t mind the longer duration. -
All sorted! And had a stroke of luck re seat availability... thanks to the Hippodrome website going down about an hour ago, just as I was trying to book my one "good enough" ticket option. I checked again just now and was able to get an aisle seat in the fourth row! Even if I did have to phone them to get them to override the "must not leave a single seat available" rule. Got a very chatty, very camp box-office assistant, who thought it was hilarious that I knew both a) the precise seat availability for that performance and b) my credit card number off by heart
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Worth adding, however, that there is also a performance in Poole, Dorset, three days earlier.
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/2020/bso-elektra/
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I booked mine last week! It's a disgrace that Catherine Foster never gets employed in the UK.
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Thanks Jan - very helpful.
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Not too late at all, Lizbie1, so thank you.
Another question - maybe one for Jan... is the Hippodrome good at putting returns online? The performance I have my eye on has one (and only one) seat available that's pretty acceptable to me (yes, an expensive one - but having sold on half my RB Coppelia tickets in order to go on holiday, I could certainly run to it) but am wondering whether it's crucial that I snap it up now, or whether it's a safe bet that odd returns will turn up elsewhere if I keep checking?
And while I'm on the subject, some of you fellow Londoners or others not in the immediate vicinity of Birmingham may be interested to know that the final performances in the Nutcracker run, on 14th December, have been re-timed to 1pm and 6pm. This makes the evening performance much easier to get home from than usual, with a variety of route options.
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Thank you both - very helpful!
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Can any of you comment on the sightlines from the back of the Stalls at the Birmingham Hippodrome? I'm tempted to go and see their Nutcracker (and have no desire to do so at the Royal Albert Hall). I know the Hippodrome pretty well from having seen WNO operas there, but have always sat near the front and know there's quite an overhang. I know the rake is pretty good, but does the overhang cut off the top of the stage to any significant degree?
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I started a thread on this in the News and Information forum yesterday morning...
Royal Ballet - Coppelia (Dec. 2019 - Jan. 2020)
in Performances seen & general discussions
Posted
It seems it's only recently that the RB has started to give her featured roles (she is also dancing Winifred Norbury in one cast of Enigma Variations).
In 2013/2014, when Buvoli was new to the company, she was featured along with Nathalie Harrison in this behind-the-scenes look at the rehearsal process for the corps de ballet women in Giselle: