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BMC

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  1. BMC

    Yahoo email

    BMC replied to BMC's topic in Not Dance

    I think the heat has got to yahoo. Have set up an a gmail account - life too short!! But thanks again for taking the time to reply - much appreciated.
  2. BMC

    Yahoo email

    BMC replied to BMC's topic in Not Dance

    Thanks for prompt response, Alison. No, I'm not an ex BT person - I just keep getting URL not recognised when I go into yahoo mail. It's not the first time there have been problems, but this is the longest it's been down. Think I will give up and try gmail.
  3. BMC

    Yahoo email

    BMC posted a topic in Not Dance

    Sorry for boring subject matter but does anyone else use yahoo for their email and, if so, have you been without access for 6 days (!!)? Even better - any info on reasons for the outtage and when we might be up and running again? Can only find general frustrations when googling but nothing factual! Many thanks in advance.
  4. BMC
    Great to hear that all the presentations and Kevin's speech were included in the screening - will look forward to seeing all the wonderful flowers in close-up. I am a bit ashamed to say that I have become pathetically greedy with these screenings - when I'm at the ROH I wonder what interviews etc are being shown in the intervals and when I'm at the cinema I'm wondering what the atmosphere is like in the auditorium. I count myself very lucky to have an Encore 10 minutes' walk away on Sunday. What a lovely and richly deserved send-off for Zen who leaves us with so many happy memories. Oddly the image that keeps springing to mind today is not Paulina or Queen of Hearts or Manon but the Hostess in Les Biches. Her 'cat got the cream' expression as she skipped around, necklace swinging, with a hunky young man on each arm was priceless. As for Carlos, haven't looked this up (sorry) but I'm sure she danced Agon with him? Oh well, off we go again this evening with - to me - all new casts in the three ballets and then back to reality with the General Election exit poll (and no, definitely not proposing we go there!!).
  5. BMC
    Mary - eerie is a very good word. There was that odd gasp / shriek that Osipova let out that was a very shivery moment indeed. I happened to sit next to a lady who had recently returned to ballet following many years of children and grandchildren - she was coming to these ballets directly from having seen The Dream with Anthony Dowell and M&A with Fonteyn and Nureyev. Her verdict was 'magic' - quite some compliment in those circumstances!
  6. BMC
    My first (of four plus hopefully cinema encore on Sunday) to this triple bill - and what a perfect programme to end the season. It was one of those evenings when I just sat for a few moments at the end and didn't really want to go home! Like some other posters, I felt that The Dream didn't fully hit the mark - for me it didn't quite have that magic ingredient and some of the performances seemed just a notch down from others I've seen in the past and hope to see later in the week. Having said that a 95% Dream is better than a whole lot of other 100% works! I am not articulate enough to describe Symphonic - I don't know whether it's the apparent (although we know differently from hearing dancers talking about it) simplicity of the steps that create that feeling of having entered another, perfect, world. Someone said to me once it was 'just 20 minutes of perfection' and that's just what it is. Such a wonderful antidote to what is going in all around us in the outside world. I, too, thought M&A totally mesmerising - from my seat way up in the amphitheatre it sounded as though Osipova was literally expiring before our eyes - and what a very welcome guest Shklyarov turned out to be. Really interested to see this again on Saturday and whether Osipova changes her performance as is her wont! Roll on Wednesday - for what no doubt will be a very emotional evening.
  7. BMC

    Lynn RIP

    BMC replied to JohnS's topic in Not Dance

    JohnS - may I add my condolences to the others on this site. Sometimes you read something in a post which really brings you up short. I do hope that you will continue to get both solace and enjoyment from the ballet which we all love so much. I remember seeing MacMillan's Requiem shortly after my father died - so beautiful but so, so poignant, but as Jamesrhblack says above, somehow consoling at such a difficult time.
  8. BMC
    Absolutely right - so, back to topic. Has Madame Bovary ever been done as a ballet? Some great pas de deux opportunities.
  9. BMC
    Sorry, birdiem, we're going to have to agree to disagree on the Nadal question - but great champion of course. As you may have gathered, I have a bit of a blinkered approach to double-handed backhands - they seem to me to preclude grace by their very nature. So it will come as no surprise that my sleep, time favourites are Federer, Edberg and Justine Henin. Wandering off the balletic connection a bit, wonder what the upcoming Borg / McEnroe film will be like. I seem to remember the film Wimbledon bring a bit of a dud.
  10. BMC
    Yes, thanks very much, Bruce - really excited to see this (would be great to have this back soon at ROH).
  11. BMC
    Tennis and ballet are two of my passions and Federer is where they meet, but sorry can't agree on Nadal being graceful. All that grunting and ugly double-handed backhand!
  12. BMC
    David Dougall in the Sunday Times thinks she gets a surprising comeuppance (hope that's not correct!).
  13. BMC
    I've thoroughly enjoyed the two performances of this bill I've seen so far - and have just picked up a ticket for Wednesday because I really want to see it again. When it was first announced, I was a bit ho-hum about it as it seemed an odd mix of ballets but, for me, it really works and I love the contrast between the three parts of the evening / afternoon. The Forsythe ballet seems to be one of those pieces which is incredibly short but you feel that you've seen an amazing amount of dancing and on both viewings I could have done with an immediate repeat so I could concentrate on different aspects and dancers. I know what people mean about Tarantella being more of a gala piece but it is so irresistible (particularly with Hayward / Sambe) that you can just feel everyone sitting there with a big smile on their faces. As for Strapless, I'm not only sitting on the fence but rather draped all over it! While I (sort of) agree that it is a bit of a dud and should be quietly put in a drawer somewhere yet I do actually quite like it and on both occasions I have heard audience members around me seeming to enjoy it and find it quite intriguing. I can't quite put my finger on why the parts don't add up (Osipova and great cast, lovely costumes, interesting story) but I do feel that in there somewhere is a good ballet struggling to get out and not quite making it. Despite best efforts, haven't managed to see second cast which is a shame as I would have liked to see Lauren in it as well as Natalia. Really loved the Scarlett - great dancing from both casts, and thought the set and costumes really effective (not normally a fan of the swimwear look but it seemed to really work here). It was very well received and it's great that he has a hit on his hands after a bit if a bumpy road. Very much looking forward to third viewing next week. Finally, having booked today's ticket ages ago, I had forgotten what I paid for it: £6! For that I got a brilliant seat in the amphi with a clear view of the stage, saw ballets by 4 very different choreographers, and enjoyed dancing from every rank of the company, from a global superstar right through to hugely talented corps de ballet members. All for roughly the price of a couple of coffees - amazing!
  14. BMC
    Suspect that's my problem, too, Alison - filed under conveniently forgotten!
  15. BMC
    Does anyone remember the ballet Sissi with Sylvie Guillem? Just looked it up and it was in 1993 at Sadlers Wells. I remember going to see it but very little else, apart from the man behind me saying'how does she do that?' when she did her 6 o'clock position and some lovely costumes. Any memory jogging much appreciated!!
  16. BMC
    Having after Thursday completed all the Mayerling casts, I would like to echo posters above and congratulate everyone involved. Of course we all have our favourites for the various roles and some are better suited to them than others, but how lucky we are to have this variety and ability in all the ranks. I had a bit of an unfortunate incident on Thursday - I developed one of those irritating tickly coughs just as the performance was about to start. It didn't amount to much but it did make me a bit on edge so (very annoyingly) I left my excellent amphi seat to go and stand by those railings under the slips. I had hardly ever been there and you can only see about 50% of the stage, so Thiago kept disappearing from view and I couldn't see any of his interaction with Stephanie in the Tavern scene, for example. However, of the half of the stage I could see, you get a really good view of faces and I was just so impressed with the way everyone, the four soldiers, all the members of the corps were throwing themselves into it and acting their socks off - no just standing around blankly if they weren't involved in the action. No wonder the ballet has come alive so fantastically with such attention to detail from the biggest to the smallest parts - a huge achievement. I'm just kicking myself I didn't get more tickets!
  17. BMC
    I think the general consensus of opinion is that Bonelli has not only triumphed as Rudolf but surprised us all a bit (in fact a man I was sitting by at today's matinee said he hadn't booked to see him because he couldn't see him in the role). I've always liked Federico very much but have to admit to wondering whether his acting skills were up to Mayerling and how wonderful it was to have all doubts quashed! It made me wonder what other pleasant surprises people have had. Obviously we all have varied and differing opinions, but generally speaking the big names are big names for a reason and the up and coming talent seems to be more than fulfilling expectations so I'm thinking of the less starry performers who suddenly make you sit up and go 'wow'! Here are a few of mine from the last couple of seasons: Onegin: I had booked to see all five casts (think it was five) but have to say I went along rather dutifully to the Kish / Mendiabal matinee and ended up totally transported! Similarly, many moons ago, the same thing happened with Soares / Marquez. Two Pigeons: again lots of interesting casts but had reservations about Takada (on the acting front) but all I can say is that there must have been a very cold north easterly wind on the day I saw her and Hay as I seemed to have to wipe my eyes an awful lot! Winter's Tale: with Gartside / Nunez - they just nailed it! I found him far less twitchy than Watson in the part and all the more moving for being that bit more restrained. Giselle: this is a while back now, but while I always had a 'thing' about Yoshida, I think it fair to say she wasn't the greatest of actresses. I remember travelling back from somewhere or other and getting in late with no time to get rid of luggage, thinking I've seen Giselle hundreds of times, shall I just skip tonight? So glad I didn't because I can still see Miyako cradling her Albrecht (guess who - Federico?!) and remember the tears not rolling down my cheeks but literally dropping onto my hands! Would be very interested to hear of others' pleasant surprises.
  18. BMC
    I agree, Lindsay - the performance didn't quite come to life in the same way that the other two casts I've seen so far, although I did feel very involved by the end. It's a bit of a ballet conundrum that if you dance it so beautifully then you don't somehow convey the total despair. Similarly, when Mukhademov (just about my all time favourite dancer) did the wedding pas de deux, his strength meant he could fling poor Stephanie all over the stage but we, the audience, knew she was in no danger because of his brilliant partnering skills - although he did have bags of acting talent to counteract it.
  19. BMC
    Yes, I felt with Federico that there was possibly a good man in there somewhere - if circumstances were different, whereas with other Rudolfs you just feel he is a nasty piece of work. As we keep coming back to, it's fantastic to have a ballet, rooted in actual facts, that allow for such a range of interpretations. I used to find the pas de deux with Stephanie almost unbearably cruel when danced by Kobborg and Cope (I think it must say something rather disturbing about me that I loved them both in the role!). And the moment when Mary stands behind Rudolf in the bedroom pas de deux ( the headache bit if I can put it that way) Laura seemed sympathetic to him whereas Tamara (in my opinion anyway) looked like a praying mantis - a sort of 'got him' feel to the way she bore down on him. And I think if Rudolf had any ideas at all of backing out of the suicide pact, I think Natalia's Mary would have made sure he went through with it! Roll on today's matinee and no doubt new angles to explore! And Thiago in Thursday (very impressed by his performance in the last run). Apart from all the main (wonderful) performances, also unexpectedly enjoying other parts of the ballet e.g. the Hungarian officers' dance with Mitzi on Saturday afternoon - great interaction between the five dancers.
  20. BMC
    I have loved both casts so far (although I'm very much in the pro Mayerling camp - I find that whoever is dancing I am always drawn into the story - and I find it genuinely amazing the way that MacMillan has put a whole royal court on stage). Watson has long been the king of the princes but I also really enjoyed Federico this afternoon - he was one of those Rudolfs I felt really sorry for. That's another thing I really like about this ballet because, for me, being moved is not a prerequisite for enjoying it, it's just one of many reactions I can have to how the dancer presents the part, and how the others interact around him. Endless nuances and permutations! As well as being staunchly pro Mayerling, I am also very firmly pro Osipova - I just find her endlessly interesting and I loved the way she was such an incredible driving force in the relationship. I'm sure she must be a real challenge to partner but for me the physical risks she took in the pas de deux made them seem a bit messy and therefore more real. But great performances all round from Laura, Sarah, both Bratfisches and so on and so on. Really looking forward to the next two casts. Incidentally - does anyone remember the Hollywood film with Omar Sharif, Catherine Deneuve and Ava Gardner as the Empress?! Let's just say a far cry from the ballet (and the facts!!)...
  21. BMC
    Excellent news, Jillykins, must have been a very special evening for you in every respect.
  22. BMC
    I don't want to see SP get his comeuppance - I would just like him to be personally happy (although that of course is non of my business) - and to see him fulfil his talent, if he chooses to use it. And if he doesn't, to do other things that he enjoys more. It seems a sad half way house situation at the moment, and it's sadness I feel about that, rather than any sense of schadenfreude. And perhaps SP is happy with how the programme went - with sold out houses etc. Perhaps many of us are being a bit selfish in wanting him to fulfil his talent in ways we feel appropriate. And now I've got myself in my Polunin tangle again and don't what I really think any more!
  23. BMC
    Lenore - I'm pretty certain Sergei fell too. I thought it might be in the choreography but it seemed to be in a series of repeated jumps so I can remember noticing it.
  24. BMC
    With no disrespect to forum members, I had rather hoped that there was an element of exaggeration in the comments above and I would go along this afternoon and come out saying it wasn't that bad, I quite enjoyed it - particularly as expectations had been very much lowered! Sadly I have to agree with every word - I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. It felt like some sort of elaborate wind-up. I thought Icarus was just about ok but a very strange choice for a programme that was meant to be forward-looking. Tea / coffee (or whatever it's called) just made me want to go home and smash my own teacups, although I applauded very enthusiastically out of sympathy for the dancers. Despite reading all the reviews above and the critics, even then I didn't feel quite prepared for Narcissus, particularly the sets and costumes. It looked like a cross between the musical Forbidden Planet and the school nativity play, where the 'bit box' had been raided. I had to avert my eyes from the poor man with the pink feather - and enough has already been said about Polunin's (lack of) costume. I can't honestly think how anybody could have come up with anything so awful - choreography, sets, costumes, everything. don't have the technical know-how to really say and maybe I have been swayed by others' comments, but even Poluni's dancing didn't seem up to the standard I remember so fondly and I found that I was only really watching Osipova when she was on stage. All in all, it felt like a really sad afternoon. Having said that, there was a queue for returns and some loud cheering - there were also a surprising number of quite young children, all impeccably behaved - I would imagine it was a very long afternoon for them. It certainly was for me!
  25. BMC
    Totally agree, Sim, with your views - Kristen McNally has such a distinctive stage presence, and it was lovely to see her get 'top billing' for a change. Can't wait to see Flight Pattern again - a real achievement to take that subject matter and treat it so sensitively - sometimes I find this sort of thing a bit worthy and squirm-inducing, but this was genuinely moving. A quick question re Human Seasons - was it me, or were there a few slips. Sarah apart, which can happen to everyone, as there were quite a few sliding movements in the choreography, I couldn't tell if it was my imagination, or if the floor was a bit skippy? Not a criticism but just curious?
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