fashionista

16 hours ago, fashionista said:

I am now unable to make this Saturday's show of Alice - gutted as it is Anna Rose dancing Alice.  Please pm me if you would like to buy Stalls Circle standing, D6 and D7, priced at £8 each.

Many thanks

Amanda

Further to my notification of yesterday, D7 Stalls Circle now taken for Alice this Saturday matinee - still have D6 at £8.00 if anyone wants to purchase.

Thanks

Amanda

I am now unable to make this Saturday's show of Alice - gutted as it is Anna Rose dancing Alice.  Please pm me if you would like to buy Stalls Circle standing, D6 and D7, priced at £8 each.

Many thanks

Amanda

16 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

She was indeed.  Here is the cast list from the premiere:

 

Prologue		Ria Peri
Prologue		Jacqui Tallis
Prologue		Wendy Ellis
Prologue		Sally Inkin
Prologue		Rosemary Taylor
Prologue		Anita Young
Prologue		Susan Lockwood
Prologue		Jennifer Jackson
Prologue		Artists of The Royal Ballet
Winter		Vergie Derman
Winter		Marguerite Porter
Winter		Donald MacLeary
Spring		Lesley Collier
Spring		Michael Coleman
Spring		David Ashmole
Spring		Wayne Eagling
Summer		Monica Mason
Summer		David Wall
Autumn		Anthony Dowell
Autumn		Jennifer Penney
Autumn		Wayne Sleep
Finale		The Entire Cast

I know, amazing cast, and indeed it was Monica in Summer - Seymour danced at later casts.  

3 hours ago, FLOSS said:

Bearing in mind that the section of the Four Seasons which was shown at the RBS main stage matinee in 2011 was a section for the corps that seemed like padding in the context of the entire ballet it says a great deal for the quality of the ballet as a whole that the choreography for the corps was found at all interesting..

 

The original designs by Peter Rice were far too literal. They looked as if they had not simply been inspired by prints of Italian peasants from the 1840's but as if they had been copied from them. There was a redesign by Barry Kay that was used for the POB 1978 staging which reportedly caused all sorts of outrage in Paris and then there were the generic ballet designs by a certain Deborah Williams which were used for the RB's second production in 1980. The problem with Lady M's designs is that they could have been used in almost any non narrative ballet of the period they were so deliberately non specific.They looked to me like a cheap washed out version of the designs for Dances at a Gathering. I have always thought that the reason the ballet slipped from the repertory was that it demanded too many technically accomplished dancers with real stage presence than the company could supply in the 1980's . Finding twelve dancers with technique and personality became an increasing problem as the eighties progressed.

 

I think that the designs remain a problem. I don't think that designs which suggest nothing about time and place are the solution as the ballet is so obviously set to nineteenth century Italian ballet music.  Lady M who provided the designs for the 1980 revival would probably expect to provide the designs again.Perhaps designs based on the sort of thing that you see in the Dane's traditional productions of Napoli are what is needed but somehow I don't see Lady M offering anything that specific or colourful. I would love to see Seasons revived as the company could currently provide two if not three casts. I wonder whether the problem is that Kevin will never have seen the ballet and the limited performance history does suggest that it has weaknesses or whether it is that he would far rather stage new works. Personally i should be far happier about the MacMillanfest if there was greater emphasis on MacMillan as classical choreographer who was as demanding in his own way as Ashton was. A few more less regularly performed pieces would have been nice. I recognise that it is important that people outside the South East should have a chance to see MacMillan's major works.but it would be great if the RB could be a bit more adventurous about the "heritage works" it chooses to revive. Showing a wider range of the works of both MacMillan and Ashton would benefit all of us.

 

I am not entirely convinced that Images of Love would work in revival but that does not mean that we should not have the opportunity to assess the work for ourselves. Images received its premiere on a mixed bill which saw the first performance of The Dream and a revival of Helpmann's Hamlet. I always have the feeling that MacMillan had expected his work to have staying power and that Lady M has never come to terms with the fact that Ashton's ballet which he saw as an occasional piece has stayed the course while her late husband's work has not. The performance database suggests that the entire ballet was not revived after 1965.  I don't know if that is correct. A section of it was revived in 2003 with Coyle and Seymour both involved in the staging. I think that there must have been an earlier revival or perhaps a partial revival of it as I am sure that I have seen a section of the ballet on the Internet with Seymour and Eagling among the cast. That clip suggested that the choreography was rather awkward but perhaps the dancers did not have enough time to rehearse or perhaps the cameras were too close and simply emphasized the joins.

Thanks FLOSS for such an interesting and detailed response.  I totally agree that the level of choreography requires the highest standard of dancing - the original cast was stellar, including Collier, Ashmole, Eagling, Hosking (Spring); Seymour, Wall (Summer); Penney, Dowell, Sleep (Autumn); Parkinson, Derman, MacLeary (Winter).  Yes, indeed, one does think of "Napoli" style designs and costumes for a revival and definitely not the washed out leotards and non-scenery style of Lady M!!!!  The fact that I remember the casting and probably only saw the ballet 3 or 4 times, shows what a "whow" impact it had on me!!!!  I know that the current MacMillan revivals demonstrate what an emotive choreographer MacMillan was, but I also feel that his brilliance as a choreographer of pure classical style needs to be shown as well.  We can but hope .......................

Listening to excerpts from Verdi's Vespri Siciliani last night on Classic FM, brought back vivid memories of MacMillan's The Four Seasons.  This ballet had some wonderful inventive choreography - most notable perhaps the Spring section - I can still see Lesley Collier being partnered by Eagling, Ashmole and Hosking - simply ravishing.  The original sets and costumes were rather "chocolate box", but when designs were revised by Deborah MacMillan using bare stage and leotards, the ballet really did not work.  With so many ballets being revised this year in honour and memory of the great Sir Kenneth, what a shame this choreographic jewel was missed out. I am sure it would work beautifully if costumed well.  May be I should put together some designs - would love to!!!!  

Many thanks Tykva and noted )))

Oh dear, just investigated and the Mathilde premiere on 26 November is sold out ((((

Does anyone know whether this film is to be released in cinemas in UK or just on u-tube/Amazon?

Many thanks

Amanda

Just following this thread and have to say, that especially at today's prices for tickets, I think it is essential that principal casting is given ahead.  As an example, I have just booked for the RB's Winter Season (public booking opened today).  When booking for say, Giselle, having seen the ballet many times before, I booked those casts new to me as I was restricted by budget.  I would have been rather miffed if the casts had not been announced and it transpired that I had booked identical casts for the same ballet.  Of course, one can never be assured of a certain cast due to illness or injury, but one hopes that the cast booked in advance will be dancing.  

2 hours ago, BristolBillyBob said:

Hi Amanda,

 

You might get more views if you put this in the folder above this one ('ticket exchange and special offer') and put 'wanted' in the title; this subforum is mostly for special offers, so people exchanging tickets may not make it this far.

 

CSBBB

Thanks BristolBillyBob - I will move 

Just seen that Anna Rose O'Sullivan is now dancing Alice replacing Sarah Lamb (such a shame for Sarah that she has been off for so long).  

Please advise if anyone has spare ticket (possibly pair of tickets, but happy with one) for the matinee on 14 October as I really would love to see Anna Rose (I am away for her debut on 28 September).l

Many thanks

Amanda

Dear Sim, I think Taxi is right with the vocational school route.  I know when I sold my parent's home and had to "dejunk", I had a collection of around 400 beautiful ballet books.  I offered to the RBS White Lodge, but they were unable to take as the school was undergoing refurbishment.  The collection found a home at the English National Ballet School.  I vividly remember the couple from the school who came to collect them, they could hardly see out of their car windows when we had packed all the books in.  I felt that I was passing on a legacy and hoped the ENBS kids could get as much pleasure and learn as much as I had from them.  

I do so hope they re-introduce the ROH Proms - I remember my first stint when I saw 9 ballets new to me in one week - terrific triple bills comprising, Dances At A Gathering/Monotones/Raymonda Act III; The Four Seasons, Daphnis & Chloe, The Concert: Scenes de Ballet, Four Schumann Pieces, Song of the Earth - it was amazing!!! The all day queue was worth it and each show cost, I do believe, £1!!!!! 

I really do think it is bad form not to announce principal casting ahead of booking.  I have just read through this thread and my impression is that the BRB management need to re-think their current policy.  I am sure that the "powers that be" at BRB would not want to book for a play or classical concert without knowing who would be taking the leading roles in the play or be the violinist/pianist in the concert ??  Most ballet goers need to watch their budgets, and as such, need to spend wisely and therefore need to make the right selection.  It seems to be a very negative and short-sighted policy from management.  I do hope that in the not too distant future, this policy will be rectified - we can but hope. 

17 minutes ago, assoluta said:

I am not sure how an (artistic) failing can be remedied by knowing that it was " a question of artistic choice". Mixing multimedia with live dancing is spreading like a disease these days, I have a feeling it is supposed to draw away attention from the failings of the choreography.

Assoluta - well said - couldn't agree more !

On 8/12/2017 at 12:43, Vukasin said:

 

The point is supposed to be that the projected figures are ordinary people going about their supposedly banal and non-descript daily lives, drifting along, like commuters on a bridge, and the dancers represent the complex inner lives of these same people, as MAB said. "Actually, people are quite interesting" probably isn't the most profound idea McGregor has ever had, but the stick figures aren't there for no reason.

Not wishing to prolong this discourse for too long, but I still maintain that the choreography should be innovative enough to put across the message of our daily lives and the complexity thereto, without the need for electronic add-ons!!!

So what is the point of Infra?  Exactly!  Personally, and I fully appreciate that we all have different tastes (would be boring otherwise!!!), I don't think there is a point - gymnastic display of dancers' skills disturbed by the unnecessary addition of electronic moving figures.  Apart from Chroma, I am afraid to say that McGregor does not do it for me.  Chroma showed great potential, was "different" and had a creative pulse.  I think that subsequent McGregor works are variations on the Chroma theme and I am not a fan of using "effects" - the "effects" should be in innovative choreography and not electronic gimmicks. 

Interesting to read reactions to the Maryinsky's triple.  Overall, I was disappointed with the evening.  Carmen had potential but I felt Vishneva, danced impeccably but without the sexy seductiveness which this role demands.  Was so surprised and disappointed as she is such a superb artist.  Infra is not on my list of favourites and the repetitious filmed figures are really irritating and serve no purpose!!!  The dancers tackled the tortuous choreography wonderfully but not a work for me.  Paquita displays the Maryinsky at its classical best.  Tereshkina I found too hard and brittle - I would have loved to have seen Yevseeva in this role.  She has an unforced brilliance which is a delight to watch.  Its a shame that she has not been cast more during this London season. 

On ‎05‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 19:08, Sim said:

I have just been to the matinee and Elena Yevseyeva was stunning.  One of the best Kitris I have ever seen.  Aside from her magnificent technique, her characterisation was beautiful, cheeky, flirtatious and fun. She sparkled throughout like the Mediterranean sunlight dancing on a Spanish sea.  Gorgeous!  

Enjoyed the adorable sparkling Elena Yevseyeva with Sim on Saturday - she was absolutely brilliant - such a wonderful sense of fun and her technique was brilliant without being flashy - one of the best Kitri's I have every seen - loved her performance, a pure joy !!!

7 hours ago, Coated said:

Xander Parish has been promoted to principal after today's performance, according to Graham Watts on Twitter. 

Huge Bravo to Xander - wonderful achievement !!!

Well, much of what I was hoping for!  Campbell to Principal, Naghdi and Stix-Brunell to First Soloists, Ball to Soloist....and promotions for others who were on my list.

 

I must say I am very surprised that Hayward has been promoted to Principal already, but they clearly think she is ready and can do it.  Am very pleased for Akane and her fans, but I seem to be one of the few who isn't.  She is a nice and very lyrical dancer, but she doesn't do anything for me emotionally.  And I am also a bit surprised at Hirano's promotion, but hey ho.  Poor Yuhui Choe is passed over again.  My preference would have been to promote her to Principal and Akane at a later stage.  But hey, what do I know.

 

Many congratulations to them all, and also to the whole company for a wonderful season (albeit with a few blips!). 

Pleased for those who have been promoted and congratulations.  However, I have to agree with Sim and do feel that Yuhui Choe should have been promoted and has been overlooked - I hope her chance will come.