mijosh

Edward Watson is replacing the injured Rupert Pennefather as partner to the debuting Melissa Hamilton at this Saturday's matinee of Romeo & Juliet..

Sad,sad,sad!

The really upsetting thing about this otherwise splendid news is that I will be away for the whole time they are here. And where will I be,you ask. In San Francisco! Irony hurts. :-(

Not especially in any hurry to see "Gong" again (though it was pleasant enough on it's one season's showing) but I really would love to see more of Mark Morris' work on the ROH stage. If not a new creation,at least,being so prolific, there are any number of extant ballets which I would relish seeing the company tackle. I know BRB danced Drink to me Only and that would be a good starting place.Such a delightful work. I also have a yen (after watching Erico Montes take on #3) to revisit Cranko's "Brandenberg 2 & 4"

I don't recall ever seeing a performance of TWO PIGEONS which didn't have me in tears at the end. A brilliant combination of choreography,performance,music,design and,the clinched when the moist eyes overflow,the return of the prodigal pigeon.Bliss!

Thank you John.Sadly it seems to get more tenuous by the day! But it appears that I am able to recall performances seen decades ago with far better clarity than something I saw last week. Unless it's Marianela of course!

The RSC performed Ondine as part of it's second season at the Aldwych Theatre in 1961.Directed by Peter Hall it starred his then wife Leslie Caron and Richard Johnson.Among small part actors were Diana Rigg and Ian Holm.I chiefly remember a delightful performance from the late James Bree as the King (with the formidable Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as his Queen) and beautiful designs ny Tanya Moisewitsch. It was also,of course, this play which made a star of Audrey Hepburn on Broadway and led to her becoming so celebrated in movies.

A big yes to The Invitation,Symphony (with the Sonnabend designs) and Baiser de la Fee (with the Kenneth Rowell designs)., I wonder too whether House of Birds would bear revival.I so loved the Mompou music.Also why did they go to all the trouble and expense of renewing and reviving Danses Concertante 10 years ago and then allowing it to disappear? I certainly would love Two Pigeons back at the Opera House (in a bill with Monotones maybe) but I fear it's a lost cause.Though I do know that Jeanetta Lawrence favours it. Rendezvous I love,but,oh dear those hideous costumes and decor! I would like to see Lieberslieder Walzer back but fear it's another forlorn hope.And Bugaku,a great piece for Eric Underwood and Melissa or Akane. Would Jazz Calendar revive today;and Ashton's Sinfonietta.Slight pieces but worth a look I would have thought. Certainly Shadowplay needs reviving, and even Tudor's Knight Errant created for David Wall. The mind will continue to whirl!

Joby Talbot has written new music and Wheeldon created a new solo for Jack/Knave of Hearts. Sadly we won't be seeing what Polunin would have made of it.

I'd give him a pass considering the lack of rehearsal and preparation he must have had,but I think Ricardo Cervera,had he been given the opportunity to fulfill his long-held ambition,would have been as good and probably,because of his experience in dancing Ashton,a greal deal better. And why,since he's the cover,couldn't have been given the pleasure of seeing James Hay dance Puck in the absence of Zuchetti? However,all this is quibbling when one remembers the other half of the evening and the transcendent debut of the sublime Marianela Nunez in MacMillan's masterpiece Song of the Earth.If further proof were needed, she demonstrated once and for all with her totally commited, heartrending and quite incandescent performance what a truly great ballerina she is.

Just posted this news and other Polunin changes on that thread

Marcello Gomes is dancing Oberon on February 9th Federico Bonelli will dance Romeo on March 10 and 22 He is also now partnering Lauren Cuthbertson in Alice and is replaced as Sarah Lamb's partner by Steven McRae

My gut feeling is that the very wealthy gentleman behind the Mikhaylovsky has been poaching again.