JohnS

Thank you Riva. I’d seen the photos on Twitter and was just checking here if there was news of casting - excellent.

But you might feel better by giving them a piece of your mind which I’m sure will be very well argued.

Many thanks Rob - very good to see but I do wish they’d kept Francesca Hayward’s delivery of the Morgen translation which I thought was very much part of the performance.

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere: You recently signed the petition “Offer more support to the arts (particularly Theatres and Music) amidst COVID-19”: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/320711 The Petitions Committee, which is the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system, has agreed to schedule a debate in the House of Commons Chamber on Thursday 25 June on petitions calling for support for UK industries in response to Covid-19. The debate is being held in response to the huge number of petitions, including the one you signed, that call for the Government to provide support for UK industries in response to Covid-19. The start time of the debate will depend on other parliamentary business, but you can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter @HoCpetitions, where we will post updates on when we expect the debate to start. You will be able to watch the debate live here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/a7b6db44-6101-42c7-b2a0-32abd08b80ef A transcript will be published the following day here: https://hansard.parliament.uk

Looking forward very much to catching up on the second ‘live’ performance. I’ve been revisiting the first performance via the ROH’s website and Radio 3’s broadcast and I’d been meaning to add a few thoughts. I know people were underwhelmed by the programme and found it unsuitable for the occasion of the ROH’s first live performance since lockdown. But the programme had been announced well in advance and so expectations could be reset. With ballet limited to Morgen, there was only ever going to be some 4 minutes of dance. Apart from possibly the Pearl Fishers duet, the rest of the programme was very much not Opera lollipops which might be included in some sort of celebratory night (and possibly the third performance). I thought the generally austere tone reflective of the position we find ourselves in and I have to say I enjoyed the Radio 3 broadcast, particularly the Britten, Butterworth and Gerald Finley’s songs. Back to Morgen which was my main reason for getting round to posting. Certainly the highlight of the first performance for me and I’ve been keen to see it several times. Getting Francesca Hayward to deliver the translation at the outset was genius and added immeasurably to the theatre. I’d love to know whose idea it was. Similarly at the end, the choreography made full use of the pause on the final chord, I think the only pause in the score. So the performance was actually a little longer than a conventional Morgen in the concert hall. I too liked Francesca Hayward’s costume, although thought it orange rather than red. I do find bare chests for male dancers a bit overdone and potentially unflattering. As regards the choreography, I’m not convinced by the rather animalistic movements for the male, particularly at the outset, but enjoyed the female depiction. I didn’t think they were quite together at one point when I assumed they should have been a they had identical steps. But as the pdd developed I was very much taken with the two joining together, through a series of very expressive lifts, and resolving in their sharing of that blissful silence. We all probably have a favourite Morgen and I certainly enjoyed again Bruce’s recommendation with Leontyne Price singing for President Carter at the White House, David Garvey accompanying and wonderfully sustaining such a rapt introduction. But I must say I do like to hear performances that include solo violin, particularly when the violinist has the musicianship of Vasko Vassilev. As a piece of theatre, I think Morgen worked: I certainly found it very moving and more so on repeated viewing. However, I couldn’t help but think what other choreographers might make of Morgen - has anybody else attempted? Dances at a Gathering is still very fresh in the mind, utterly exquisite, and what would Jerome Robbins have treated us to? And dare I ask, what about Liam Scarlett who I find particularly sensitive to music? So perhaps I’m recognising that McGregor’s Morgen is not fully convincing although I remain delighted that a new work was presented, reminding us of the creativity we and the dancers have been missing these last months, as well as giving us a glimpse of the intimacy ballet offers dancers and audiences.

Agreed - I thought a number of questions were read by Chris Mason and not by the person asking the question. A little ironic that the Government that is so keen on claiming world beating status for every initiative, when effective would be more than welcome and has rarely been achieved, has an opportunity to help world ranking ballet, as well as music, opera, theatre etc.

Real contrasts in sightings these last two days. Two tree creepers on one tree just a couple of yards ahead of me in Dodd Wood yesterday and certainly living up to their name. Are two enough to be called a spiral of tree creepers? Today on Whiteside’s Gasgale Crags looking down on a buzzard effortlessly surveying the valley and not bothered by the occasional caw of a crow. A fabulous ten minutes with the buzzard wheeling and turning below and just once at about eye level. A spectacular walk I’d been wanting to do for more than 40 years, straight up the nose of Grasmoor from Lanthwaite Green, pretty steep up the scree but tremendous scrambling afterwards. Astonished to come across an enormous caterpillar just down from Grasmoor End and seemingly making good progress, perhaps taking advantage of a few more legs than me.

Absolutely - what an astonishing surprise to hear her deliver the Morgen translation at the outset. I was in tears before the music. And a beautiful performance from all five artists, achingly blissful.

Sorry - Morgen!

The feature on Today just after 7:40 is well worth catching and was very well conducted by Jim Naughtie. Wayne McGregor’s highlighting of the importance of touch, with Morgan playing, was very moving and I have very high expectations for tonight’s premiere.

A young greater spotted woodpecker at the feeder peanut through much of breakfast. Must be a quick learner as seemed pretty confident and this was the first I’d seen of the young this year. A male adult was at the feeder at one stage but not with the young.

I hadn’t realised the music for the new Wayne McGregor piece this Saturday is Richard Strauss‘ Morgen. Even more intriguing.

Tomorrow 11 June is the last day to see The Cellist via the ROH’s website. I thought it fabulous: and the more I see it, the more I find in it. One of the most moving performances I’ve seen at the ROH.

A male greater spotted woodpecker is now regularly at the peanut feeder, very occasionally a female. Hoping the young might start appearing soon, perched precariously on the fence whilst waiting to be fed before they eventually get the idea and have a go feeding themselves. Also delighted to have a hedgehog at 10:00 pm. There’s been lots of evidence in the garden but I hadn’t actually seen the hedgehog this year. Looks very healthy and I can’t recall seeing such a big one in recent years.

I’m sorry so many people found they were excluded from participating in the full survey. I don’t know what criteria were being used but I doubt very much if age/frequency of attending performances were factors. I do wonder what testing was done of the survey but I’m pretty sure it took be the best part of 30 minutes. At times I was tempted to stop as there seemed to be a great deal of repetition/clarification. Bugbears were trying to discriminate between the various social media platforms used for accessing ROH material and having taken a green and red highlighter to draft advertising blurb then being asked to provide reasons. It may be that the survey will be used for helping set prices for downloading future broadcasts and for seeking donations - the latter featured a great deal for the ROH and other organisations.

It may well be that the performance will be available from the ROH - I just haven’t seen that stated and more information may become available in the next day or two. I guess the ROH will be highlighting donations and being able to access the performance from the website would increase the potential audience/donations.

Highlights from the first concert/performance are to be broadcast by the BBC in July.

I too completed the survey which took me a lot longer than the suggested 10 minutes. I was particularly interested in the questions around on line material as a safe, risk free option compared with attending performances in the theatre.

As in so much else Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand are in a different league compared to the UK: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/417843/government-launches-175m-arts-and-music-recovery-package

Thank you bridiem. I thought one of the strengths of Liam Scarlett’s Swan Lake was his grip on the narrative throughout, culminating in the power of the released swans and their role in ensuring Von Rothbart’s demise and encouraging Siegfried to recover Odette’s body.

Cuckoos pretty constant in Whinlatter and Buttermere woods these last two days. Stonechats on the fellside and skylarks above. And pipits too. One red squirrel in Buttermere village with a large nut from last autumn seemed quite content a couple of yards ahead of me until chance to nip under a garden gate. Four reds in Burtness wood when I stopped for lunch. After lunch I thought a fifth smaller red was coming towards me but it was a stoat. When it noticed me it turned around and eventually left the path. Idyllic walking and good to be on the fells early morning. But rather astonished by the numbers of cars parked on the roadside and appalled by the detritus left for others to clean up, both much worse than bank holiday weekends. A National Park survey found just under 70% of those polled were visiting the Lake District for the first time: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-52889903

Sorry if this is somewhere else but with elite sport/football training now being allowed for English teams, with no physical distancing restrictions during training, does that mean that dancers may soon be able to train/rehearse together?

I’ve been very impressed with how the Box Office dealt with my refund/donation. All booking orders were processed in one go, including one I’d missed. It took a few days to see the credits on my credit card and they all appeared at the same time. I hadn’t appreciated that the Box Office would have to deal with every ticket purchase, albeit my donation covered the first x tickets. It would have been slightly more convenient to me if there’d simply been one credit for the net refund. But the credits came to the expected total once I’d added up the price I’d paid for all my tickets. And as I’d missed one booking order which the Box Office kindly credited, I’ve been able to make an extra donation. I’d like to think the Box Office will soon be getting back to selling tickets rather than processing refunds.

Another fabulous day on the fells. Many more cuckoos than open car parks in Buttermere this morning - just the National Park main car park in the village and the parking area at Lanthwaite Green, with all the National Trust car parks closed. I found myself above a double rainbow on Hobcarton End and then I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of ring ouzles near the top of Grisedale Pike. I’d been disappointed not to see any red squirrels yesterday or at Buttermere in the morning but I saw one in Hobcarton Woods just before getting back to the car. The squirrel’s strategy seemed to be to keep very still so I did manage to get a good look whilst maintaining physical distancing. There are some special cairns and view points I try to visit in mid May and the easing of lockdown restrictions has come at just the right time for me, giving me two memorable days back on such familiar ground.

First walk back on the fells since lockdown on a fabulous Spring day. Cuckoos in the woods, skylarks above, and stonechats on the fells.