Lizbie1

Another vote here for the Imperial hotels.

43 minutes ago, MAB said:

Never really liked him but now like him a whole lot less.  Played a Franco Corelli CD afterwards as a kind of antidote.

I don't dislike him as such, I just don't really rate him. It's also, contrary to a lot of the commentary about him, not a large voice.

Franco on the other hand...

3 minutes ago, MAB said:

...however as bravo is a foreign word the rule shouldn't apply. 

 

Perhaps Amelia would be kind enough to give a definitive judgement on this.

Unless it's been sufficiently assimilated?

It occurs to me that the question might have been about the different endings to the word, in which case I'd say that the Russians aren't generally very fussy about getting that kind of thing right when it comes to imported words.

Anyway, this is definitely one for a native!

7 minutes ago, Yaffa said:

What is the norm in Russia? From watching Russian ballet performances online, I don't recall hearing anything other than 'Bravo.' The fascinating/spooky 2013 NY Times article on claquers  (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/arts/dance/designated-cheering-spectators-thrive-at-the-bolshoi-theater.html) mentions them shouting 'Bravo' after a pas de deux. 

I *think* it's just "bravo", but for most Russians the rules of pronunciation mean that the -o becomes an unstressed -a anyway!  My memory may be at fault however - others will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong.

This may well be peculiar to me, but the one thing that I can't stand is when someone near me has a particularly loud and piercing way of clapping. I always have to exit before the curtain calls are done - it hurts my ears too much!

I think that one can definitely be filed under "optional". Once upon a time I may myself have made those distinctions but I long since got over it.

6 hours ago, ChrisG said:

I agree that his music doesn't seem an obvious fit for a ballet, but I guess it is Macmillan's genius that he saw something in Das Lied von der Erde and was able to bring it out so wonderfully.  And I would think there are Mahler works that would more obviously fit the ballet bill, especially given his love of folk song and of dance rhythms, such as the Austrian ländlers that crop up again and again in his music.  I was thinking Das Knaben Wunderhorn would fit the bill and a quick google search shows that John Neumeier has already choreographed it - that's a ballet I would go and see!

And even more credit is due to Antony Tudor for setting Kindertotenlieder (not exactly jaunty stuff) back in 1937, perhaps: MacMillan would unquestionably have been aware of, if not familiar with, Dark Elegies.

In their (slight) defence, the Manon and Swan Lake runs, as with Alice, Nutcracker and Giselle, are very long. I haven't counted the number of nights each company gets (and how it compares with previous years) but I don't think it's so much a stronger leaning towards opera as the ballet company preferring to put on fewer productions.  Not that I was that impressed with the season announcement, mind!

As for the Ring, they aren't performing it until October - as I understood the rumour (and I've no idea what the source was), they're only rehearsing it during the summer

Apologies for reviving such an old thread, but is it news that Will Tuckett's Elizabeth will be on at the Barbican from 16-19 May? It's in the ROH Spring Magazine but it's the first I've heard of it I think. (I can't see anything on the ROH website.)

There's no casting information given, in case anyone is wondering.

5 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

I tweeted him to ask if is okay but nothing so far which is also strange as he usually responds.  Does anyone have any idea?

I have no inside knowledge but I think at this point we should let it rest. If he wants anything known he'll respond.

12 minutes ago, Bruce said:

 

 

The House of Birds pdd was a particular revelation - would love to see that brought back again, if not the complete work. More details:

http://www.kennethmacmillan.com/house-of-birds

 

 

ICYMI... you may be in luck:

Those interested in lesser-performed MacMillan might find this post of interest: http://www.balletcoforum.com/topic/16323-viviana-durante-macmillan/

Buried at the bottom of today's Times article about MacMillan is this listing:

● Viviana Durante Company
The former ballerina directs extracts from MacMillan’s House of Birds and Danses Concertantes with Laiderette staged in full. Dancers from the Royal and Ballet Black. Barbican, London EC2, April 18-21

I can't find any sign of it on the Barbican website or elsewhere on the internet. One to keep an eye out for!

So good to read about this - was sorry not to be able to see the Bradford run but I'll certainly be there in Leeds!

1 hour ago, Nina G. said:

 

Who is the fifth Royal Ballet Principal besides Edward Watson, Lauren Cuthbertson, Yasmine Naghdi and Francesca Hayward who attended both White Lodge and the Upper School? Laura Morera? 

 

Yes, Laura Morera.

Capybara, I tend to agree. I'd have liked a lot more time with the Judas Tree rehearsal in particular, given the rather stellar line-up (both coaching and being coached).

Even Koen Kessel there, overseeing the pianist!

This is quite a gathering of talent for the Judas Tree rehearsal.

According to their newsletter the Bristol R&J has been replaced with Fille - I had wondered what had happened to the R&J as all references had disappeared from the BRB website. Possibly it's because ENB are presenting the Nureyev R&J there next month, and I guess that it's due at the RB in 18/19 unless normal service is very much interrupted.

I'm disappointed in a way, but I'd never pass up an opportunity to see Fille - multiple viewings might be in order

27 minutes ago, Sim said:

Love it....class to California Girls!

We've had Waltzing Matilda and Land of Hope and Glory too now - anyone picked up on the Canadians and the Bolshoi being so honoured yet?  (The latter might have been covered by the burst of Tchaikovsky I guess.)

At least BRB are giving some *actual* timings https://twitter.com/BRB/status/915547430359326720 

If I'm reading it correctly it starts at 12 noon (frustratingly the timings are in PDT).

The RB schedule looks very interesting: http://worldballetday.com/session/the-royal-ballet/

No sign of the ROH casting anywhere?

I don't think the Sadlers Wells crowd is always very considerate

That said, there were some beautifully behaved young children on my row yesterday afternoon (the oldest not more than seven, I'd guess), who put some of the adults to shame.