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Saodan

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  1. Saodan
    According to my records (which are not always correct!), Cuthbertson was programmed for three performances with Muntagirov. Salenko danced the first, Takada the second, Salenko and McRae the third. Takada had two scheduled performance with Bonelli.
  2. Saodan
    Indeed, I don't want to jinx it though!
  3. Saodan
    I don’t want to set any pulses racing, but the Romeo and Juliet cinema relay is being advertised with a picture of Naghdi and Ball. Probably doesn’t mean anything…
  4. Saodan
    Thanks very much for that. I usually walk but I guess it will be the tube for me. Hopefully it will all be cleared by the evening.
  5. Saodan
    On my way to Manon today I noticed signs on Waterloo Bridge indicating that it would be closed on 28th May between 8am and 2pm due to the London 10k. This would affect anyone trying to get to the Naghdi/Kish Swan Lake Matinee from Waterloo Station. There are more road closures so other might be affected as well. Does anyone know what the implications of this might be? Will pedestrians be able to cross the Strand? Will buses be running? The website isn’t particularly forthcoming, so I thought a knowledgeable balletco Londoner might be able to help.
  6. Saodan
    Personally, yes. Favourite books or performances, not authors or dancers. I do take your point though. The difference, to my mind, is that dancers perform the same ballets whereas authors write different stories. When comparing different performances of the same role I feel an element of competition can sometimes creep in, which I don’t think is conductive to art. Nor should you. I do full accept that this is my own existential crisis. I used to post reviews a year or so ago, but as I have been to more performances I have lost my appetite for it. I enjoy reading others comments, though.
  7. Saodan
    Chance certainly plays a big role. Especially when financial constraints mean only one cast. Who do you choose? Someone you know or someone new? I have made a conscious effort to see different dancers, and I have been very lucky with the frequency of my visits recently, but its difficult. I consider Takada to be one of my favourite dancers, but this happened purely by accident. During the 2015 run of Giselle the company performed a short piece in the Clore before a few Main Stage performances. On the date I booked, Takada happened to be the main event. She was a late replacement when I booked to see Hayward in Sleeping Beauty and the McRae/Lamb Mayerling. This season my mother wanted to see McRae dance Albrecht, Takada just so happened to be his Giselle (and I got to see Ella). I don’t think I have ever booked specifically to see her, but I have been impressed every time. Similarly, my view of Hirano has completely changed this season. I never used to think much of him, but having seen him dance Elite Syncopations (booked for Naghdi), Leontes (replacing Watson), and Lescaut (booked for Lamb/Muntagirov), I consider him to be a highly accomplished, versatile dancer and an engaging actor. Again, purely through chance and quirks of casting. I now hope to see his Rudolph next season. This is why I don’t post reviews anymore. I find it difficult to praise a dancer without slipping into saying “I saw the best performance ever and no other dancer could even come close." I loved Hirano’s Lescaut, and I can’t imagine anyone doing it better, but I haven’t seen Campbell, or Hay or… How do you praise the former without tacitly denigrating the others? I think I am going through a phase of being acutely aware of how talented the company is and how many great performances I’m missing. Picking favourites seems almost churlish when the company has this much talent.
  8. Saodan
    From an interview with Osipova: “The new version will still retain a lot from the traditional classical production: the white set, the swans, the duo. The choreographer is planning to slightly shift the focus of the performance and change the last scene. Nevertheless he is very careful in his treatment of the classical choreography. Actually, his version is closer to the Russian one, as I now understand. His own choreography will feature in the fourth scene (the dances he will stage himself) not be processing old versions. Perhaps, he might change something else, but he will leave the famous black pas de deux and the white scene virtually unchanged.” On Matthew Ball: “We first danced together in Giselle, and very successfully. He is a very pleasant person, very talented, handsome and with a very big heart. And I hope that we are going to be an inspiration for each other. So, to me, this is a very pleasant partnership.” Both parts of the interview are worth a read. https://www.russianartandculture.com/natalia-osipova-part-ii-so-while-i-am-carried-away-by-dancing-i-must-give-myself-to-it/
  9. Saodan
    An unlisted youtube video of Cuthbertson and Ball rehearsing Marguerite and Armand has been put on the production page. It’s not all that visible, so I thought I would link it directly here so that nobody misses it.
  10. Saodan
    Just to be clear, I didn’t mean to imply that Hayward is unsuited to classical roles. The phrase I used was ‘not favoured’. I was simply observing that, where there are limited casts and a choice has to be made, other dancers seem to have been favoured for debuts in certain major Classical roles: Naghdi for Swan Lake; Naghdi and Takada, among others, for La Bayadere. On the other hand, Hayward was favoured for a debut as Lise, she got her Manon debut ahead of Takada, and Hayward and Naghdi have danced Juliet whereas Takada has not. All three have of course danced Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker. Within the context of a discussion of casting, I think it is interesting to note these differences and consider what past casting decisions may suggest for the future. This is not a commentary on the relative ability of the dancers. I think they are all extraordinary, would like to see them cast broadly, and am sure they will be in time. Personally, I was hoping to see Hayward in Swan Lake, Naghdi in Mayerling, a Naghdi/Corrales/Hayward Bayadere, and want to see Hayward and Naghdi as Kitri and Takada as Juliet.
  11. Saodan
    I stand corrected already! Thank you all for your knowledge, this is why this forum is so useful. I would go back and correct the errors if I could. It is true that in some cases injury is the culprit. I think the point stands though: not everyone is destined to dance everything, for one reason or another. I can answer with more accuracy (hopefully) on this year's Don Q: One less performance than last time (17 rather than 18) and we are down two Kitri's (Marquez and Salenko) and two Basilios (Golding and Acosta) with question marks over whether Soares will dance it. Vacancies there one would think... Hayward, Corrales, Naghdi, Sambé, Magri...
  12. Saodan
    I am also a relative newcomer so stand to be corrected, but going down the current list of (more experienced) principles: Bonelli hasn’t done Colas and didn’t get Rudolf until he was 38ish; Cuthbertson hasn’t done Lise, Kitri, or Tatiana; Lamb hasn’t done Lise; Morera hasn’t done Juliet, Kitri, or Odette/Odile, and performed Vetsera for the first time at 39ish; Nunez hasn’t done Vetsera; Soares hasn’t done Des Grieux, or Colas; and I don’t think Watson has danced any of the classical roles. It seems that even being a principle doesn’t guarantee a dancer will get all the ‘big’ roles. Considering that Hayward, Naghdi and other young dancers have already danced roles that more ‘senior’ principles have not, I guess we should be grateful for what they are given even if we would cast them in everything right now! I have no doubt that in time they will dance most, if not all, of the roles they want.
  13. Saodan
    A few quick (grossly uninformed) observations: Casting for Mayerling seems unbalanced: 6 Vetseras for 5 Rudolfs, Lamb giving up what would have been her 3rd performance so Takada gets one. This was always going to be a problem with Hamilton coming back and Takada getting an unexpected debut last season. No opportunities for debuts there at all. 2 Vetseras also dancing Larisch, rather than giving others debuts. I could see Naghdi starting as Larisch before graduating to Vetsera. Only 3 Elizabeths and nothing for Arestis. Heap is trusted with 5, she really is being channeled into Yanowsky's roles. McRae gets the Cinema (and dvd?). I thought he was promising last season, I look forward to seeing his Rudolf mature. Hirano is obviously favoured for dramatic roles (following his Leontes). Big opportunity for him, I think he will be excellent. Is Muntagirov too young for Rudolf? No Solor for Bonelli or Kish. Nothing in Bayadere for Morera, Choe, Mendizabal, Kobayashi. Corrales gets a big debut as does Ball. I guess Hayward is not favoured in Classical roles, missing out in Swan Lake and now Bayadere. No Nutcracker Prince for Ball or Kish, whilst Clarke is only dancer to take 3 performances. No Sugar Plum for Hamilton. No Clara for Stock despite there being only 5 Claras for 7 Hans Peters. There are less Nutcrackers than in previous years, but these seem like deliberate (unnecessary) omissions. Will be interesting in due course to see the casting for the Patineurs mixed bill, which overlaps with Nutcracker. May explain some things. O’Sullivan gets cinema as Clara. Pleased for her, and Ben Ella, Ashley Dean and David Yudes on their debuts. Naghdi gets Jackson. Winner - Magri gets a big autumn with debuts as Gamzatti and Mitzi Caspar. Fully deserved. Loser - Kish only gets Bay Middleton this autumn? Congratulations to all debutantes. Once again, I wish I could see it all, but alas I will be living vicariously through this forum for most of it.
  14. Saodan
    You might be thinking of Corrales’s Instagram post announcing his resignation. He wrote of his (then) upcoming performances of Le Jeune Homme: “This will also be one of my final performances with the English National Ballet at the Coliseum following my resignation with the company.” From the ENB press release: "Corrales... leaves English National Ballet at the end of the 2017/2018 season." (emphasis my own) Sounds to me like he is still a fully paid up member of the company and available to perform until the end of the season allowing for injuries.
  15. Saodan
    If I remember correctly, the last time they ran a whole house student performance (Frankenstein) there were quite a few returns so keep an eye on the date. Your daughter might get lucky. I have found student booking to be temperamental in the past. In a previous booking period the site didn't recognise me as a student. I had to contact the box office to manual reset my status so I could book. Now I make sure to resubmit my student profile a few days before booking opens just to be safe. Makes you wonder why they are creating more problems for themselves with the new 'dynamic' system! I hope general booking goes well for everyone. This was my last booking period as a student, so next season I will join the scrum!
  16. Saodan
    That's a shame. I guess something must have gone wrong for her because the tickets didn't seem to go that quickly. More website problems? There are still some tickets available, although only around the top of the amphitheatre. Maybe you could suggest she has another try.
  17. Saodan
    I am happy to report that my student booking experience has been fine. This is mostly because it appears that they have reverted back to the old layout. I guess someone was listening...
  18. Saodan
    I’m late to this, but is this ticket still available? I would be interested if so. Have sent you a PM.
  19. Saodan
    I was at the Royal Albert Hall a few weeks ago to see Cirque du Soleil. When the lights went down, a message was played telling us that “our performers love to have their picture taken. Please feel free to snap away during the performance and record short videos to share on social media using our hashtag.” A vision of the future?
  20. Saodan
    I wasn’t going to comment, as I have no previous experience of either piece, but as Alison wants more comments… I was at the first night of Le Jeune Homme. Vasiliev was technically astonishing, such high jumps and such striking characterisation. A picture of desperation as he hangs in the air. Rojo was stern and domineering, goading her man in his agony. That said, I didn’t sense much chemistry between the two. It didn’t seem to matter though. The fans were in and the ovation was one of the most enthusiastic I have heard. Vasiliev had so much energy he vaulted over the bed during his curtain call. Alison McWhinney was a wonderfully seductive Sylph, mischievous whilst seducing James and heartbreaking at the end. Aitor Arrieta was mightily impressive as James, a very fine dancer indeed. I didn’t feel entirely engaged with him emotionally, but that might be more to do with the production than anything else. Henry Dowden stood out for me also as Gurn. The show, however, was well and truly stolen by Stina Quagebeur’s Madge. Gloriously evil and funny. I had reservations after hearing mixed reviews of other casts, but this cast was superb and I would highly recommend them. Clement Crisp seems to agree! Overall, a very enjoyable evening. Interesting to see how French ballet changed in the just over 100 years between the premiers of the two pieces in Paris (allowing for the fact that La Sylphide is the Bournonville production, of course). I was left thinking about endings. I felt both pieces built up to powerful dramatic climaxes, only for the tension to be released by an (inadvertently?) comic inversion. It must be so difficult to find effective endings for such pieces. Did anybody else feel similarly?
  21. Saodan
    Am I correct in thinking that Osipova and Ball danced a pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet at the Gala in Hull earlier this season? If so, was anybody there to see it? Edit: I might have answered my own question. Link to a rehearsal picture on Ball's instagram
  22. Saodan
    I discovered a similar site a few years ago (it might even have been the same one) that sold recordings of Royal Ballet cinema performances. It looked dodgy so I contacted Opus Arte who confirmed they were bootlegged and had them removed. I would steer well clear of that site and report it if you know who the relevant parties might be.
  23. Saodan
    Thanks for the advice on seats everybody. With the cost of a train ticket as well, I don’t really want to risk a bad view. Will be careful with row C. I agree, it would be nice to have a little more variation in cinema casts, but I thought Sarah Lamb was dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy this year. It will be three years in a row for Hayward and Campbell though.
  24. Saodan
    Are these the tall balcony seats? Are they good? I was looking at getting one for Sylvia but ended up passing because of the note that patrons in front may obstruct the view. This may be an issue for me as I’m quite short. Has this been an issue in your experience?
  25. Saodan
    A stonking performance from Anna Rose O’Sullivan on Thursday. Assured, colourful, and beautifully danced. It must be such a tough role; on stage most of the time and always on the go dancing or acting, but she took it all in her stride. I find that Anna Rose is one of those rare dancers who can project a character all the way up to the amphitheatre. She fully deserved all her flowers including the bouquet Laura Morera tried to steal during the curtain call! I’m very jealous of those who have tickets for her other performance. Hopefully this is the first of many lead roles. She has certainly earned more opportunities. Kevin… Joseph Sissens was an impressive Mad Hatter, such great characterisation. I felt his tapping was a little unclear initially, but I think this was mostly due to the portable stage. He was on fire in act 3. McRae was as strong as always and the perfect partner for a debut. Campbell carried off the idiosyncratic choreography for the White Rabbit well. Morera looked like she had a whale of a time as the Queen of Hearts, staying in character all through the curtain call including having a tantrum when she didn’t get any flowers. Edmonds was a fine caterpillar and got warm applause. Avis and Crawford were a good double act as the Duchess and the Cook. There were a few prop issues, most notably in the trial when the plate of tarts fell off its plinth as the Mad Hatter took one. Full marks to Alexander Campbell who got up, picked up the plate, moved back to collect the tart from the dormouse, then picked up the fallen tarts one by one, without missing a beat and staying in character the whole time with rabbit steps and frustrated tail wiggles. It almost looked like it was supposed to happen! A fantastic performance from all involved.
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