JohnS

Interested to see this as I’ve been having difficulties posting photos. I hadn’t appreciated there were limits per member so will need to look at other options.

The earlier snows in the valleys only lasted a couple of days. There’s snow above 1,000 feet and some very good snow on the high fells. Here’s the National Park’s fell top assessor’s photo from yesterday - frozen Red Tarn below Helvellyn. To be honest there’s often more snow in Kent than the Lake District valleys.

On this afternoon’s walk I saw a buzzard swoop down to the ground and then find a convenient branch. Back home I found I’d managed to photo the buzzard plus a vole I think. Sunshine and a very gentle breeze made for a fabulous afternoon, Skiddaw and the fells looking enticing from the local quarry and one or two garden daffodils beginning to show yellow.

The 74% lost nuts made me wonder about other data and I see that up to 25% of buried nuts are recovered by squirrels that didn’t bury the nuts in the first place. Here’s a link although I couldn’t get to the original Richmond article. https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/why-do-squirrels-bury-nuts-and-other-mysteries I’m not sure if you can combine the two findings - if a squirrel buries 100 nuts, 26 are recovered on average but are they recovered by the owner or a different squirrel? However our squirrel may also be recovering nuts it didn’t bury.

21 January and National Squirrel Appreciation Day. Apparently 74% of buried nuts are never recovered. Sorry for the squirrels but it puts my occasional missing book or paper in perspective. Red squirrel in Burtness Wood, Buttermere before lockdown.

Deborah Bull was very good. The alignment of mug handles at the end made me smile and I’m happy to hold my hand up to such fastidiousness.

A dull day in Cumbria but there was plenty of local activity with two crows seeing off a buzzard. I didn’t manage a photo of all three but here’s one of the crows persuading the buzzard to move.

“The fact that musicians and artists in general suddenly have to get visas for Europe is absolutely not the Brexit bonus we were talking about. We will have to fight it.” Saddened to see but I fear this is the reality.

All good wishes to Simon Rattle and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra but desperately sad for London and the the UK. The various discussions on the reasons for his decision (in addition to personal/family reasons) make for very uncomfortable reading.

Rather hoping the hide is in addition to Father Christmas accepting your business case for a longer camera lens.

I saw from a Japanese tweet that Akane Takada is replacing Francesca Hayward who was scheduled to dance Cinderella but Japanese COVID restrictions rather kaiboshed arrangements. Here’s the translation: “Francesca Hayward, who was scheduled to appear as a guest of the February performance Cinderella, was unable to enter the country due to the government's suspension of new entry from the UK, so on Saturday, February 6th The role of Cinderella will be changed to Akane Takada, the principal of the Royal Ballet in the United Kingdom.”

You may find a second viewing of The Cellist more impressive without the surprise of a new ballet and knowing the male portrayal of the ‘cello. On first viewing I had some reservations (the family, the hectic bustle in places, parts of the score) but on second viewing these melted away and I’ve gleaned more and more from subsequent performances. I now look back on this double bill as one of the Royal Ballet’s triumphs. I’m sure there are other posters who also referred to the greater impact of further viewings. If you get the DVD for Dances at a Gathering, perhaps The Cellist will become a treasured bonus?

Not sure if there’s a need for a new thread but I very much enjoyed the New Year’s Day concert and managed to see it live. Very poignant with no audience in the Musikverein, still beautifully decorated with flowers as usual, and the Vienna Philharmonic as fabulous as ever. They too looked so very much the part and it would be far too churlish to mention one wayward tie. As always the Vienna State Ballet provided sparkling contributions. Riccardo Muti was conducting: I hadn’t appreciated that he’s 80 later this year, although I now realise it’s 40 years since his searing Macbetto at the Royal Opera House back in 1981. His brief heartfelt address was appropriately fitting, hitting just the right note. It made for a real change to have the Radetzky March without audience participation and very touching to see the on line audience applaud with a kaleidoscope of multiple screens. Well worth catching on BBC’s iPlayer.

Two positives from me for 2020. After some years I at last got round to getting a new camera. My wife and I had virtually decided on what would be good for us after a few visits to our very helpful and ever patient local camera shop. My wife was always the more IT/technically adept but I ended up getting the camera in the summer and have really enjoyed having it with me when on the fells. It’s certainly given an extra dimension, being able to zoom on distant views or wildlife. Secondly, I found myself listening to Something Understood and a repeat of ‘Seeking Eurydice’. Sadly the programme is not available for download but there’s a description on line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b039yz4g The programme included Rilke’s final sonnet from his 2 Volume Sonnets to Orpheus which has proved particularly comforting. Rilke addressed the Sonnet to himself, reflecting on the loss he felt for a friend of his daughter, a ballet student, who died very young and unexpectedly. Silent friend of those far away, Feel how your breathing expands the space around you. Let this darkness be a bell tower And you the bell. As you ring out, Let your toll become your strength. Move back and forth embracing all. What was the worst for you? Was such drinking bitter? Be the wine. Be in this night’s vastness Magic at the crossroads of your senses. Be the meaning discovered there. And if the earthly has forgotten you, Say to the still earth: I flow. And tell the rushing stream: I am. The Sonnet provides a profound sense of acceptance and I’ve found playing with the first line helpful in addressing particular circumstances: Silent bereaved whose beloved lies far away ... The words stay with me and recalling them on the fells has provided much solace and a strengthening resolution to enjoy what we loved. I’ve shared them with friends who have been bereaved and would like to think they may be of comfort to others.

I appreciate that 2020 has been dominated by COVID but it’s worth remembering just how good the Royal Ballet was before lockdown. The run of Christmas Coppelias ended in January. We were treated to fabulous Onegins with all four casts providing exceptional performances. There was the wonderful Dances at a Gathering/The Cellist double bill. And Swan Lake had just begun a second run of the new production with a number of debuts scheduled which sadly became casualties of COVID. I thought the Royal Ballet hit a real high in all these pre COVID performances and remembering those performances has certainly helped in lockdown and beyond. Fortunately some of them have been recorded and it’s been good to see the Royal Ballet share the double bill recently. It was so good to see the various return to stage performances and galas and I recall the Francesca Hayward/Cesar Corrales ‘Morgen’ as a real highlight. Beginning with Francesca Hayward’s spoken translation was inspired and made for a compellingly poignant performance, and I felt absolutely fitting for our COVID world. Here’s hoping that this new year will see performances return and the Royal Ballet delivering the promised golden age.

New year - still the same joy in seeing a squirrel. Dodd Wood after a fabulous walk in the snow, including Skiddaw. Needed micro spikes for the lower frozen paths but fresh snow above 2,000 feet, not yet compacted, and no real need for spikes. Very pleased to have kept them on as Dodd was very icy. It seemed slightly uncomfortable being able to walk with ease on the ice with everyone else, very gingerly making their way as best they could.

I know we missed so many Nutcracker live performances or live-streaming but we’re enjoying some fabulous winter weather in the Lake District in recent days. Many people out on the fells yesterday and I couldn’t help but think we’re still finding our magical Nutcracker journeys. Here a couple of walkers return to Whinlatter Forest: I was also very taken with a young girl enjoying the winter wonderland with her father heading for Lord’s Seat, dressed for winter walking including spikes, fabulous for walking over frozen ground and ice:

Many thanks Dawnstar - that’s really good to know. I’m very impressed you were dubious aged 9 when I’m afraid I’d not picked up at all on the transformation during the broadcast. I take it Clara and SPF are always two dancers for BRB?

Many thanks Jan and others for reflections on the BRB and Royal Ballet Nutcrackers. It’s always interesting to read alternative views. A couple of points about BRB. It seemed very odd to me that in Clara’s dream she has the fabulous pdd with her Prince but then spends Act 2 seeing him dancing with the SPF? I was going to say wouldn’t it make for a more satisfactory dream if Clara were to become the SPF? But then I’ve just looked again at the posts above and Jan said: “In the "normal" production it is much clearer that Clara becomes Sugarplum and it then makes perfect sense that what has happened has been Clara's dream.” I’m afraid I completely missed that from the relay and would be very keen to see how this is made clear in the theatre, although if we have two separate dancers, isn’t it a bit of an ask? With no back story for Drosselmeyer, I’m afraid I struggle to understand hIs motivation. Is he simply providing magic tricks? Why the bizarre shaking and extraordinary expressions in Act 1? And what’s his role in Act 2? ‘Creepy’ may not be the best description but he certainly didn’t come across to me as genial. In support of the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker, I’m very taken with the stronger narrative, Drosselmeyer desperate for Hans Peter to be released from his Nutcracker imprisonment. The Clara/Hans Peter story I think works really well throughout the ballet, albeit Clara’s partner at the party rather loses out. Clara’s recognition that she has her necklace is a fabulous touch, as is the Drosselmeyer/Hans Peter close, and we’re left thinking/hoping that Clara and Hans Peter may well have a future together and that they will aspire to the ideal they saw in the SPF/Prince pdd. I don’t go along with the criticisms of Act 1, either that too much is going on or that it’s boring. I can quite understand that (pre COVID) the Royal Ballet is choosing to draw on a very large number of dancers, including many from the Royal Ballet School who may be getting their first experience of performing on the main stage. That decision may mean that some of the party dancing is not as elaborate as other productions (and I certainly enjoyed the BRB dancing for Clara and her friends). But I rather like to think that some of the young dancers may well find they join the Royal Ballet and one or two of the youngest girls, who jump on grandpa’s lap, may well dance Clara and SPF (Francesca Hayward?) and I guess a number of Fritzes may also become Hans Peters and Princes. So given that the Royal Ballet’s production is deliberately drawing on students of all ages, I think it’s a bit unfair to complain about too many children (if that’s one of the criticisms): after all it’s very much a family Christmas party for all ages, including the grandparents. I appreciate there are criticisms of Clara and Hans Peter joining in many of the Act 2 dances. I recall (dimly) when Clara was danced by a young student and she and Hans Peter were very much observers in Act 2, enthralled by what was presented for them. But I’ve always liked their involvement in Act 2 and see the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker as very much Clara’s so having them participate and observe seems good to me. I know people see Drosselmeyer as pulling the strings. But he doesn’t have full control: Clara dispatches the Rat King without any help/encouragement from Drosselmeyer; and Hans Peter has to make his own way to Drosselmeyer, with a bit of help from Clara. As I’ve said earlier, I’m very keen to see the full BRB production in the theatre to have a proper chance to appreciate it, even more so now Jan has pointed out that Clara becomes SPF.

A very enjoyable Boxing Day celebration and well edited, thankfully with minimal presenter, although it seemed slightly odd that Sarah Lamb/Ryoichi Hirano weren’t applauded with the lights up as I think others were. Very good to have the compilation available for a month.

Many thanks Jan. I was very conscious of how highly you (and others) rate BRB’s Nutcracker production and would very much like to see the complete production in the theatre post COVID. I was hoping I too would be really impressed and I may well be when there’s chance to see the Christmas tree transformation and the full sets. But from the relay I had my reservations - Drosselmeyer's character and the ‘just a dream’ explanation (which I accept suffices but seems dull). What intrigues me is what you so dislike about the Royal Ballet version? Perhaps you’ve posted on this previously which I’ve missed or it may have been some years ago before I’d heard of BalletForum.

Many thanks capybara - I haven’t seen the COVID safe version and I suppose I’m now hoping that I won’t or it would mean we’re still COVID stricken next Christmas. But at least Clara has her necklace and she hadn’t been dreaming!

I managed to catch the BRB Nutcracker on Christmas Eve and would very much like to see the production in a theatre that can accommodate the sets and designs to appreciate their full impact, particularly the Christmas tree transformation and the John Macfarlane designs. Also post COVID, it would be good to see the full complement of dancers and no cuts. But I’m not sure that the full experience will offset some issues I have with the production, particularly in comparison with the Royal Ballet’s production. Two points seemed really troublesome to me. I found Drosselmeyer decidedly creepy as there didn’t seem to be any underpinning motivation. And the ‘It’s only a dream’ rationale just seemed weak: I recall years ago an English teacher at school witheringly dismissing the device (although I don’t remember what had triggered the criticism). I wasn’t convinced about the SPF/Prince appearing in Act 1 and I’m afraid I even wondered if this were an economy measure, a thought that once in mind I couldn’t quite dislodge, despite the fabulous performances on display. I agree with the comments about some odd cuts and the lack of applause and as I say will look forward to seeing the full version hopefully next Christmas. But if anything, seeing the relay has underlined just how much I enjoy the Royal Ballet’s production: it’s the King’s Christmas Eve Readings/Carols Festival and Clara recognising that she has her necklace given to her by the SPF that for me herald the start of Christmas.

Christmas cheer in Dodd Wood and all good wishes to Ballet Forum members. Here’s hoping for a COVID safe 2021 and a return to more familiar ways.

Many thanks Jeannette. I agree: Christmas and New Year are not cancelled but are clearly very different from what we’re used to or what we might have been planning. It’s still very good to wish people Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year when thanks to the vaccines we’ll hopefully see COVID better controlled and a return to more normal times.