bridiem

1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

I'd be surprised if that's it - as I commented above Peter Wright had a similar experience. 🤷‍♀️

I don't know what he has said elsewhere, but in his autobiography he said that Cojocaru 'was a great Giselle when she first did it with me in 2001. We worked well together and she won rave reviews, but later when she went off onto the guest artist circuit she never recaptured the original impact of her early performances'. Though I have to say that her later performances had no less of an impact on me than her stunning 2001 début.

The ROH has tweeted the sad news that Anthony Russell-Roberts has died:

https://www.roh.org.uk/news/remembering-anthony-russell-roberts-cbe-1944-2024

22 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Going through the reviews in the last couple of days of Links & I am completely baffled by this section in the Seeing Dance review:

 

 

Is Act II meant to be mostly Albrecht's dream? Because if so then this the first I've known of it!

I'd missed reading this review. How bizarre! The reviewer has clearly completely misunderstood what's going on (and clearly hasn't read the programme, which you'd think a critic would do if only to get the background facts about the production correct). And it wouldn't really make sense anyway - if Albrecht wakes up and it was all a nightmare, Giselle was sleeping peacefully in her grave all along anyway. (And, of course, reducing the whole thing to a bad dream rather than a 'real' tragedy of loss, forgiveness, redemption, etc, would be awful!).

12 minutes ago, Roberta said:

Whose shed is it anyhow?  How is it Albrecht has access? If it is his as part of his estate how is it that no-one recognises him until the hunting party with potential father in law & fiancé arrives?  Does it belong in fact to the Duke?  So many questions! 

In the programme, it says that Giselle's heart 'belongs to Loys, a young stranger who has recently occupied the cottage opposite'. However, Loys is actually Albrecht...' etc. So he's her new(ish) neighbour; whether he 'occupied' the cottage because he'd already met Giselle, or before meeting her, who knows.

1 minute ago, Roberta said:

I've always thought he was fully aware that Albrecht was 'up to no good' and trying to shield Giselle from her youthful folly and possible deception. Sadly, his beard in many productions and his rough clothing don't show him in the best light. 

 

It's clear Giselle's mother no father around) would like him as a son in law, she sees him as someone good who would look after them both, bringing food from the forest, though with Giselle's weak heart marriage was always going to be risky. So many died giving birth. It's doubtful Giselle would have survived that. 

Yes, I do think that Hilarion was fundamentally well motivated; I just think that there is a range of possibilities for how he can be interpreted/performed. (And I'm sure that part of his anger at Giselle's death is directed at himself as well as at Albrecht.) And I think that his beard and clothing show him to be a real, honest person in contrast to Albrecht's smarter but fundamentally dishonest presentation.

I suppose Hilarion does expose Albrecht in the most public and devastating way possible for Giselle - he could perhaps be considered to be motivated more by his own jealousy and anger than by his love for Giselle. Not that I'm defending the Wilis or anything!!

42 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

I've been asked quite a few times and the requests have always been courteous. Most recently it was for a group of visitors from Africa who wanted a photograph in front of Charles Wesley's statue. I'd have felt very churlish refusing, but that's not because they'd have set out to make me feel that way.

 

It's good to be in a position to do something nice for people, especially strangers!

Yes - my only fear is that I will take a rubbish photo of their big moment!

2 minutes ago, annamk said:

Has anyone seen confirmation of casting today yet ? Does no confirmation mean it’s the scheduled cast ?

Casting as advertised, except that Alison McWhinney replaces Angela Wood as Myrtha: https://www.ballet.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/14-Jan-2.30.pdf

2 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I was pleased to see in the art gallery section if the Guardian article the suggestion not to use an audio guide. I never do myself so it's nice to feel vindicated! Though I'm not sure it's really a point of etiquette in terms of adversely affecting others.

I do find it quite annoying when lots of people stand in front of the same picture for ages because they're all listening to the audio guide. There are (or should be) written guides to an exhibition and brief notes next to the picture so you can then look at it for as long or short a time as you wish. It's an exhibition, not a TV show. However, I have to be honest and say that I think my dislike of the audioguides is mainly for personal reasons in that I think they're unhygienic.  

I think that Gary Avis is absolutely INVALUABLE where he is at the moment!

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

They've only gone & swapped almost all the lead cast for tonight. Yes, I know cast changes can happen at any time but after weeks of crossing my fingers for the scheduled cast I'm very disappointed to read this. Also if the dancers were already looking tired last night after their Nutcrackers then what are they going to be like tonight having to dance 2 nights in a row?

I'm so sorry for you Dawnstar especially since you come such a long way to see performances; and for everyone else who is disappointed. I didn't think the principals looked tired last night, though, and I'm sure they'll rise to the occasion tonight.

I know that casts are always subject to change, but I do think that when it's the leads involved there should be some indication of a reason, no matter how vague. 

59 minutes ago, Sim said:

Yes, although he still manages to get in his usual dig at the Royal Ballet!  

And he gets the name of ENB's AD wrong, twice. Just saying.

4 minutes ago, Silke H said:

I am going tonight.

 

I was wondering whether running time really is 2:15 hrs.  (I have a late call with our SF head-office and am wondering how late/quickly I'll be able to join it).

Yes, pretty much. Maybe allow an extra 5 mins for possible late start/curtain calls, but the performance length is accurate.

20 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

One slight bother though, was whenever the Wilis were chasing anyone but Albrecht, the lighting went into 'save mode', so it seemed, making it quite difficult to see.

It was a bit difficult to see at times, but (given that I already know the story!) I really liked the lighting - a reminder that this is actually all happening in the dead (literally) of night, but lighter when showing the Wilis in their element.

This is such a beautiful production, like a Romantic painting brought to (vivid) life. I thought the dancing was excellent; like Mary, I wasn't hugely moved but I think that was at least in part because I was physically uncomfortable for various reasons including the Coli balcony seats... But I did think that Aitor Arrieta was a wonderful Albrecht - so tall, so handsome, so charming in Act I - the happiest Albrecht I've ever seen. No-one has ever said no to this Albrecht. Which made his demeanour in Act II all the more tragic. Beauty brought low. Katja Khaniukova was excellent in both acts. I loved Alison McWhinney's Myrtha, and the Wilis were brilliant and terrifying - really malevolent. Fabian Reimair was a terrific Hilarion - clear and convincing. It all looked gorgeous and the company looked to be in fine form. And lovely for ENB to have proper curtain calls!

35 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Another question what is a promenade performance? I was thinking of booking 16th Feb …as up for Manon on 17th ….I  think it’s called Dark with Excessive Bright and I thought was in the Linbury but it says promenade performance so not sure now can’t be main stage as there’s another performance there 

This is the ROH blurb for the Linbury performances:

'Dark with Excessive Bright imagines the invisible forces of our universe in human form. The dance captures the growth, decay, chaos and consistency that always co-exist in our world. The music acts as the gravitational force, holding these elements in orbit. Dark with Excessive Bright reflects the world we live in, but with the addition of the principles we need in order to shape a more possible future – care and community – bubbling to the surface.

The audience enters an environment already alive with music, light and movement, staying for a period of 45 minutes and then moving on to make way for another wave of people who enter as they exit. With the floor clear of seats, each individual can define their own experience of the work by moving between three performance areas or standing back to take in the full picture. Moments of extraordinary intimacy – watching a person dance just a metre away – can be contrasted with a bird's-eye view of the entire performance from the balcony.

The movements are never improvised but exist within a structure that holds multiple possibilities through in-the-moment decision making from the dancers. This means music, dance and light are constantly realigning so that with each performance this ballet is created anew and never replicated. Audience and performers both have freedom to shape their experience and that of each other, making this ballet an intimate exchange and an expression of free will.'

42 minutes ago, Fonty said:

I've just seen something odd about the Live Screenings on the ROH website.  I went to check the date of the Manon screening, put in my postcode....and found the only one close to me was in Leicester Square.  Took out the postcode, put in London, and got the choice of about 6 -  one in Leicester Square, 4 I've never heard of, and would have to look up,  and one in Dagenham.  

 

Eh?  Went and checked the website for 2 cinemas that I normally go to, and Manon is definitely listed on their websites.  

I never use that ROH info because I've found in the past that it doesn't necessarily show venues where I know a live screening is happening. So I just go straight to the websites for the venue/s.

2 hours ago, Rob S said:

Have I missed something somewhere? I've just noticed the New Choreography dates appear to have split in to 'New Works' on the main stage at 1900 and 'Dark with excessive Bright' (which describes many of my curtain call snaps)  at 1930/2015/2100 as a 'promenade performance'. When did this appear? 

 Have I fallen foul of my 'main stage' filter on my what's on bookmark?

I noticed this some time last month, I think. (I was terrified that I'd booked a 'promenade' performance by mistake!! But I seem to have booked the main stage, fortunately.)

I've received this too. To be perfectly honest, I'm delighted that I don't have to watch another work by Joseph Toonga (though I find it difficult to believe that any injured dancers couldn't be replaced by any other dancers in the company, given his style of dance). However I'm also somewhat dismayed to hear that it's only a postponement to next season, implying that his involvement with the company will continue for at least another season. 

So it sounds as if there will only be four works on the programme, and it will presumably be pretty short, hence the refund. It's rather disturbing that it seems to be so difficult to find new works worthy of being on the main stage in what is billed as  a 'festival' of new choreography. But there you go. At least I'll get home earlier than usual.

Apologies for this churlish post. I found the email rather irritating on a number of counts (as you can no doubt tell!).

Not the best way for such news to come out, really. 

The article in today's Links from the Independent is SO annoying! Making a false distinction between 'behaviour' and 'etiquette' in a theatre (a distinction that I suspect even the writer doesn't really believe in).

In general I prefer fast to slow, but very fast can be pretty stressful to watch in case someone ends up on the canvas...

45 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Indeed it is, but I thought I would watch one or two on a weekly basis, thoroughly enjoy them and relish the anticipation of the next programme.   
 

Am I very peculiar in that I never binge watch anything?

I usually (but not always) binge watch drama because if I wait a week I'll probably have no memory whatsoever of what's happened so far... but for something like this, I quite like watching one by one and relishing each episode. 

Maybe Fille will indeed be on, just after this?! Would be like going from Inferno to Paradiso...

I thought Madman...

I think I will also be saving some money on this; much as I've enjoyed Woolf Works and Dante Project, I have no wish to see, effectively, more of the same but this time with source material that holds no attraction for me. And McGregor is really very hard on the eye, and on the dancers' bodies.