bridiem

Good question. If this is being performed in a location that encourages people to crowd together to watch it, with no advice or requirement for social distancing, it shouldn't be being performed. (If social distancing could just be ignored whenever people felt like it, all our theatres could come back right now!!).

In case of interest: Harmony Lane, a 1954 musical comedy short (27 mins) is being shown on Talking Pictures (Freeview 81) on Sunday 19th July at 8.30pm; apparently it features "Swan Lake" by Svetlana Beriosova and David Paltenghi of the Sadler's Wells Ballet (as well as the Beverley Sisters, Dora Bryan and Max Bygraves and others).

Yes - I realise it could be watched later (as could R&J) - but that implies a certain amount of planning/a more serious interest, whereas my hope would be that airing something on TV would attract casual passers-by, so to speak. Anyway I hope a lot of people will watch/watched both the programme and the ballet.

I've loved watching the old matches/players especially Chris Evert and Evonne Goolagong. The one I'd really like to see is Ilie Nastase but I haven't seen anything of him - maybe he never made it far enough in tournament (can't remember now) to qualify for these programmes (or maybe I missed him - I haven't watched them all). Anyway I think Wimbledon and the BBC have done a great job in the absence of live tennis. And I find that although the game is so much faster and more powerful now, the old matches can still be just as thrilling and really absorbing. And I remember the players and their mannerisms so well even after all these years!

Bit unfortunate that this is on at the same time as the R&J stream, really. Presumably the ROH had no say in the scheduling of this programme.

I don't know how much the tickets for these will be, but I hope they sell well and that they reach people who don't normally see opera or ballet.

As no doubt others will be aware, the Public Campaign for the Arts have sent round an email headed 'The start of something good'. Given what the widespread response would no doubt have been to anything falling even slightly short of hope/expectation, this package is clearly regarded as very and surprisingly generous. So although there are clearly still difficulties ahead (and behind), I'm both relieved and impressed. I hope that the funds will be made available asap.

Yes - lots of competing priorities. I just hope that the financial package for the arts is as generous as possible.

Sorry, Lizbie1 - I didn't register the 'limit numbers' bit! But I fear that some sort of distancing will be part of the equation for quite a well yet.

I've really enjoyed the ones I've seen so far - they're edited to varying degrees but not a lot and you can really re-live them.

But the Linbury is already so small that once you factor in social distancing the audience would be vanishingly small.

You were implying the validity of the arguments against staging it in its current form. But it may well be the case that companies will not want to risk being attacked and so will not programme it at the moment.

I see absolutely no point in re-rehearsing the previous discussion about La Bayadère, which was only closed down after all the arguments had been fully aired.

What a fantastic evening! Of course I'd like more ballet, but I understand why that may not be possible at this stage. Both pas de deux were lovely, but I especially loved the beautiful Concerto pdd with Kaneko and Clarke. All four dancers were terrific. But the music and singing were such a treat too - varied and really enjoyable pieces, and great to hear from the young singers. Rounded off with the rousing Traviata drinking song - superb!

Well at least it shows a commitment to getting to step 5. And steps 1 and 2 have already started. So it gives me a bit of hope. No doubt the financial package will be announced as soon as it's been agreed. Let's hope that is very soon, and that it's as generous as possible in the circumstances.