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bridiem

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Everything posted by bridiem

  1. Talk about leaving the best til last... I thought that Twinkle (in spite of the name!) was incredibly beautiful. An absolute joy. Lyrical, fun, gorgeous music, beautiful expressive choreography, wonderful performances from the cast led by Bracewell and Kaneko; I didn't want it to end. Lovely having Kate Shipway doing her pianistic tour de force in full view and as part of a cleverly designed set. I thought it was interesting that in the short introductory film (which preceded each of the works), Jessica Lang said that she always works with the type of dancer/s in front of her - their style is her starting point. And she used the classical technique and sheer beauty of the dancers in front of her to superb effect. Whereas two of the other choreographers imposed their style on the dancers in front of them - and extremely well they danced the works, but they could have been dancers from any other company with any type of training. Whereas Twinkle shone and glittered and displayed the multi-faceted beauty of classical ballet and of classical ballet dancers to joyful effect. For me, Boundless (Gemma Bond) started well but I found myself losing interest after a while. I found a lot of the choreography overly busy (whereas Jessica Lang had the courage in Twinkle to have many moments of great and striking simplicity), but I thought it was at least a serious attempt to make a serious classical work, and as such should be applauded. The influence of Crystal Pite on at least the first part of Never Known (Joshua Junker) was clear, and not necessarily a bad thing. I thought this was a competent example of this kind of contemporary choreography, but not something that I would particularly want to see again. For What It's Worth (Mthuthuzeli November) started well with a beautiful, lyrical solo for Mayara Magri, but the choreography did become rather repetitive and this was my problem with the rest of the work too. It was bright, colourful and pleasant to watch, but I couldn't see much more than that. Judging by the whoops from the audience, the Junker and November pieces went down best (but who knows the composition of the audience); for me, the other two were more impressive. I would happily see Twinkle brought into the main repertoire.
  2. If you're only able to have one triple bill, I really don't think it should be devoted to only one choreographer. It makes the season incredibly limited - both Giselles were done last season and the only other offering (at least at the moment) is a new Nutcracker.
  3. Me too. But at least it saves me money, and I hope it brings £££ to the ROH.
  4. Having only just vowed not to go to TWT mainly because of the prices, some of this casting is so interesting that I'm already weakening... well, we'll see.
  5. I was in two minds about whether or not to book for The Winter's Tale, but these prices make it an easy decision (i.e. no). I'm normally side amphi a bit further back, but for Manon I'm much further back... and would have to be for TWT too. So it's a big no from me. However I'm very pleased with the Ashton prices (assuming I can get 'my' tickets). Odd that the biggest draw of the season from my point of view is at the lowest price point. Does make you wonder how these prices are decided.
  6. Odd that the headline refers to the comment that the choreographer is not without talent when that's pretty much the only (semi) positive thing in the whole (damning) review!
  7. There's currently a separate thread for this work, Geoff. (Not sure if that should stay or if there should be one thread for the whole festival?).
  8. I noticed that when this was raised, she immediately deflected the attention away from herself by just saying that she'd learnt so much - placing the attention/credit back on MacMillan. She strikes me as a modest person and I don't think she really wants to talk herself up, or to talk about herself when the attention should be on others.
  9. I don't know how widely known her dyslexia is, but the point is that she has many talents that could (and in my view should) be used during these screenings and in other contexts; being a formal presenter is not what she's good at. And I think the presenters, even if not perfect, should not distract from the subject matter they're there to present. I think she is very generous to the current generation of dancers and a wonderful ambassador for ballet, and for dance more generally.
  10. Completely agree. And, fond as I am of Darcey Bussell, I've got to the stage where I just find it too nervewracking watching her. She's still so clearly petrified, and because she's having to read and speak prepared texts rather than just talking, she really isn't comfortable and makes too many mistakes and says things that make her sound vapid when that's the last thing she actually is. Petroc Trelawney is excellent and very kind, but even with his support for her I find it quite agonising. I think she should be used for rehearsal extracts or informal chats with dancers, not for formal presentation or interviews.
  11. Back from the live screening - cinema nearly full and very appreciative audience. A few random thoughts: - Osipova lived and breathed the character of Manon from the first moment we saw her. Complete absorption in the role. Absolutely heartbreaking when she placed her head on the bed she had just shared with Des Grieux, knowing she was about to sell herself (and be sold) to the loathsome Monsieur G. M. And although she loves and needs the wealth that it brings her, she also hates herself for what she's doing. She's agonisingly conflicted. By Act III, she's in a stupor of misery and disbelief and dies as much of despair as of any physical cause. A stunning performance - Reece Clarke looked magnificent, danced magnificently, and partnered magnificently. Absolutely beautiful. I don't feel that he has great dramatic strength or depth, but he does enable Osipova to take flight and then goes with her - Alexander Campbell was a tremendous Lescaut - scheming, charming, pimping, dancing beautifully and acting wonderfully. The drunk scene this time made complete sense since it became a metaphor for his situation - out of control but thinking he was in control, lost but thinking he was making his way, almost funny but actually tragic. Brilliant. Mayara Magri strengthened this sense with her subtle, beautifully danced Mistress - superb acting from Gary Avis, Lukas BB and the whole company AND - magnificent solo cellist in Act III. So moving. I wished he'd had a bow all of his own at the end
  12. It doesn't inform my response to the artistic qualities of a dancer; but I do have a particular care about and interest in the history of ballet in the UK, the quality of current ballet training in the UK, and the quality of current dancers from the UK. So yes, nationality does have some relevance for me.
  13. If so, surely they could add some new rehearsal footage? And/or interviews, as @Blossom has suggested above.
  14. I've done the same. I'm delighted that Sarah Lamb is doing Requiem but I wish that she was first cast or live screening cast or most cast... which she almost never seems to be. I feel as if she is taken for granted rather than ever being really promoted as the star that she is.
  15. From what I remember, the fat/thin thing about the sisters is just a visual joke; I wouldn't assign any deeper meaning to it, and I also wouldn't worry at all about it. (What did worry me was that I found the choreography and the humour rather crude and unfunny. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, and I think I've only seen this production once so perhaps I should try it again.)
  16. Can't wait to see this cast in the live screening! Thanks for all the evocative reviews and photos.
  17. I remember discussions on this forum in response to him saying that he wouldn't stage heritage works (or maybe classics - can't remember) for a few years; but quite soon afterwards it was clear that he was in fact programming such works. So maybe it was an off-the-cuff comment, or maybe he changed his mind. (Or maybe he was misreported - don't know.) At any rate, I'm very glad it turned out not to be the case.
  18. Not quite the same, but I half heard an item on the Today programme on R4 yesterday, about San Francisco Ballet's new AI-related ballet. Honestly; the media are so shallow and impressionable. They ignore all sorts of artistically interesting happenings, but mention AI and they're all over it even if it's a company in San Francisco.
  19. It was Acosta. And how awful, both that someone should say that and that they should be so rude.
  20. The press release does I think run the risk of giving the impression to those not in the know that Acosta will be dancing Colas. (Because it says he 'is' one of the great interpreters of the role, rather than 'was'.)
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