JohnS

I may have missed things/got the timing wrong but didn’t Giselle at the close drop a few petals on Albrecht? But definitely no flower for Albrecht.

Much to admire in last night’s Giselle and fabulous dancing: I was hugely impressed by Khaniukova, Frola, McWinney, and the ENB Corps. Authenticity certainly has merit and particularly when handled with such care. But on first viewing of the Skeaping production, I thought the production so favoured authenticity that some of the dramatic appeal of Giselle was lost and I can appreciate the comments much earlier in the thread about audience members feeling less engaged. I apologise in advance that I’m contrasting the Skeaping production with the Royal Ballet’s but I found throughout that I was missing the Royal Ballet’s heightened dramatic impetus and fleshing out of all characters. I rather like how Hilarion and Berthe are presented in the Royal Ballet’s production, Hilarion giving the brace of pheasants to Berthe and Berthe clearly favouring Hilarion. I find it odd that Bathilde presents the necklace to Giselle because they’re both engaged rather than for Giselle’s dancing. Might Bathilde offer every engaged girl she encounters her necklace where, despite her wealth, surely Bathilde would run out of necklaces in short order? I missed the artistry of the Royal Ballet’s PD6 and recall so many fabulous performances by young dances who are now Principals. The PD2 didn’t hit such a high mark for me. And I much prefer the Royal Ballet’s nod to suicide (better fitting the location of Giselle’s grave) rather than Skeaping’s ‘weak heart only’ explanation for Giselle’s demise. In Act 2 I did like the first interaction with Hilarion and the villagers and their brush with the Wilis. But I had the distinct impression that the villages had fled so was surprised to see their reappearance which to me slowed the drama down where I thought Hilarion could have done with a bit more of the action. But I think I was most surprised when Myrtha’s spell was broken so early in Act 2 where I’m afraid I found the fugue straight after quite incongruous, for me breaking the drama. And despite the impressive programme notes, I really struggled to see how Act 2 could be sustained when Myrtha had been vanquished so much earlier. I find the final scene of Giselle one of the greatest scenes in all ballet which often breaks me when Albrecht finds Giselle’s flower at the end of the Royal Ballet’s production. But despite last night’s fabulous dancing, I wasn’t as moved as I often am which I think largely results from the production’s quest for authenticity. That said I’m very much looking forward to Thursday’s matinee and I’ll be interested in how I find a second viewing after further re-reading of the programme.

A very special bonus Giselle for me this evening having made a weather enforced late change to my London trip, travelling a day early to ensure I made tomorrow’s Manon GR/opening night. I wonder if tonight will provide the highlight of my Giselle/Manon/Elektra performances?

Have they disappeared again? Or perhaps it’s Avanti’s broadband?

Many thanks @PeterS. I’m more interested in finding out about the staging role rather than the overall MacMillan custodial role. For Nutcracker the cast sheet shows Christopher Carr, Gary Avis and Samantha Raine were all responsible for staging. In addition principal coaching lists: Alexander Agadzhanov, Darcey Bussell, Olga Evreinoff, Isabel McMeekan, Christopher Saunders and Edward Watson. We often see dancers with their coach in Insights, World Ballet Day, the cinema interval features etc. But I don’t know what staging covers and what the relationship is between those staging and those coaching. Perhaps staging becomes more important where choreographers/producers are not available for revivals etc but I’d be keen to know more rather than speculate.

That really was a fabulous Insight setting up next week’s Manon run. Laura Morera’s Midas touch continues to dazzle me and I’m very much looking forward to seeing all the dancers perform their roles. I was delighted to hear that Laura is ‘staging’ Manon so has a role beyond that of principal coach for some of the dancers. But I’m unsure what the staging role entails and would be very interested to hear what it covers. Would anyone be able to provide some enlightenment please? Many thanks.

It worked brilliantly before Christmas.

Hugely enjoyable Nutcracker tonight, albeit the biggest smile for me was Hans-Peter wearing his medal for the last two scenes and hence the curtain calls. It was good to hear other audience members behind me immediately notice the medal’s reappearance. On the train to London I’d emailed Kevin O’Hare asking about the discarding of the medal as it seemed so odd given Clara has her necklace, and how it looked as if Hans-Peter had been cashiered. I saw Kevin at the Stage Door and the medal is definitely back. I’ll post some thoughts about the performance later.

Many thanks nyyy - the ticket is yours. I’ve replied to your email.

This is one of the Friday Rush standing places which is now spare. Please dm me if you’d like it.

Apologies - I put on the Christmas TV thread that the 6 episodes are all now available on iPlayer for 1 month. I’m assuming the month starts now rather than when the episodes are broadcast. Also I Player refers to The Magic of Dance series 1 but was there a second series?

The iPlayer refers to Magic of the Dance series 1 episodes 1 to 6 (just 6 episodes). But I’m afraid I don’t know if there was a second series.

I see all six episodes of the Magic of Dance are currently available on iPlayer but each episode says only for a month. I’m assuming that means the month has already started rather than it’s a month following the scheduled TV broadcast.

https://www.balletcoforum.com/topic/28783-congratulations-to-ashley-dean-benjamin-ella/?do=findComment&comment=426555 @Rob S posted a fabulous photo of Ashley Dean and Benjamin Ella on the congratulations thread above when they’d been dancing Clara and Hans-Peter in 2022/23. At the curtain call Hans-Peter was looking particularly resplendent wearing his medal and Clara of course had her necklace. I’ve been meaning to ask why in 2023/24 Hans-Peter no longer has his medal in the brief closing scenes when he meets Clara and then Drosselmeyer. I think in one of the performances I saw before Christmas the medal may have fallen off and was retrieved but in the closing scenes, there’s been a decision that Hans-Peter should no longer wear his medal. It’s a break with what I thought had been presented for many years (since the production was first presented?) and I struggle to understand why the change has been made. It also looks very odd as in all the curtain call photos we can clearly see the scuffed mark where the medal had been attached. One of the joys of this production is Clara recognising that she has her necklace and so it wasn’t a dream. But it doesn’t seem as well matched if Hans-Peter’s medal has ‘fallen off’. I’d love to see the medal reinstated and wondered if others agree?

Fabulous photo. And what’s interesting here is that Hans Peter wears his medal - but hasn’t the medal gone in the 2023 revival when H-P returns for the short final scenes? I think a medal fell off in Act 2 at one performance I saw but I don’t think any H-Ps wear their medals in the final scenes/curtain calls. I’ll try and post something on the Nutcracker thread.

No sofa but it took several attempts to get past the ‘all tickets sold’ message. I could try for the Hansel & Gretel 30/31 performances pretty much immediately but I assume it took a few minutes for Nutcracker Friday Rush tickets to be released. Things must have gone reasonably smoothly as Nutcracker tickets were pretty much all snapped up before 1:20 and we’re back to all performances being sold out. Returns appear but for only a few minutes.

Just received the following cast change after getting a returned ticket for 3 January: Monday 1 and Wednesday 3 January, 7.30pm Leticia Stock is replaced by Sophie Allnatt as Clara

One of the joys of the last couple of days has been my good fortune in finding myself in conversation with Royal Ballet School mothers. On Friday evening (Naghdi/Ball) I was chatting to my neighbour in the theatre and she told me she was over from the US to see her daughter who was a Snow Flake and Angel. She’d joined the Royal Ballet School from the US as a 15 year old and would be graduating in the summer. Apparently the corps were split between Claras and her daughter was dancing whenever Viola Pantusu (that performance) and Sophie Allnatt were dancing which, with the cast changes, meant more performances for her daughter and of course the cinema relay. Her daughter moves on from Nutcracker to Manon, most probably part of the crowd and great experience to be on stage. Her mother was over for Christmas and able to see three shows and will be back for the School’s annual performance. At the stage door the same night, I’d been seeing friends after the performance so wanted to check if dancers had already left. Yasmine Naghdi had been out early (I think so that younger audience members aren’t having to wait) and then gone back inside. I found I’d asked the mother of one of the party children: her daughter was the young girl who jumps on Grandfather in his wheelchair who was collecting autographs of the Viola cast. She’d also done the cinema relay as part of Sophie Allnatt’s cast. I said I was pretty sure Francesca Hayward had taken that part some 20 years ago - I think this was mentioned in a documentary, perhaps in Dancing the Nutcracker? A real pleasure to hear about the RBS dancers and then see them on stage the next day at the Saturday matinee. And very good to see Yasmine and Matt at the stage door after their fabulous performance.

Many thanks @Dawnstar. I do appreciate that some people may prefer to do as you suggest. If a dancer has to withdraw at short notice, I don’t see any problem in asking for the flowers to go to the dancer originally intended. If it’s at the performance, front of house staff can pass messages on. I don’t get round to organising flowers until a day or two before the performance and I think there’ve only been a handful of occasions when intended recipients have had to cancel but as you say there have been a number of late Nutcracker changes. Rather than having to deal with a late cancellation by contacting the stage door/front of house, I guess it’s quite reasonable for the sender to include a ‘flowers for named person only’ tag.

Delighted to have stayed for the matinee and blown away by Fumi Kaneko and Will Bracewell - it’s so good to appreciate all the posts on earlier performances having had the thrill of seeing their live performance. Sorry - posted prematurely as the train started. Good news that at least one train is running but terminating at Preston and the train is trying to accommodate 3 train loads. Anyhow I have a seat and expect to get home this evening.

A fabulous Nutcracker this evening, Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball ethereal, Viola Pantuso and Daichi Ikarashi hugely impressive, and Gary Avis working his magic, albeit it didn’t extend to keeping the meter topped up at Drosselmeyer’s house where the final scene was played largely in the dark, just a glimmer of Hans-Peter’s portrait, until an orange (safety?) light came on. I succumbed and managed to get a ticket for tomorrow’s matinee so will add some thoughts about five Nutcrackers on the journey home.

You’re quite correct @Dawnstar. I should emphasise I’m very happy with what happened. When I give flowers and if I have chance, I like having a word at the stage door. If there’s been a substitution and the flowers are given to the substitute, the ROH remove the original message so it may be the case that the bouquet doesn’t include the sender’s name. In those circumstances I like to offer congratulations, say I’m delighted the dancer has the flowers, and ask as to the dancer who was scheduled. But I’m not at all sure if there’s a standard practice. I do recall there were late changes for Mayerling towards the end of the run (perhaps when Laura Morera was injured) and a number of dancers changed performance in a 48 hour period. At the first interval I asked if flowers I’d ordered for one dancer could be given to the substitute that night and it seemed the flowers had already been put in the dancer’s dressing room.

The cast sheet hasn’t as yet been updated and bizarrely Clara’s partner was omitted - Liam Boswell in another stunning performance from someone who always makes the most of his role.

I saw Sophie Allnatt at the Stage Door and she thought Leticia Stock was hoping to dance Clara in the new year so it may just be this one show Leticia misses: unfortunately I’m not planning a new year Nutcracker trip although I’m very tempted. I’m sure I’ve seen Leticia dance Clara but not recently given Covid and maternity. I was very pleased Sophie was presented with the bouquet I’d ordered. She impressed in the cinema and in the theatre. Had I known she was dancing, I’d have ordered the flowers for her.

I see Sophie Allnatt replaces Leticia Stock as Clara for tonight’s Nutcracker. While I’m delighted to see Sophie in the theatre after the cinema relay, I’d been very much looking forward to seeing Leti in a principal role as she’s so often leading the corps.