ninamargaret

Please see the Friends Office response to my query about the availability of Stalls Circle seats for those buying packages. Would have been nice to be told! Wonder if there's any change in amphi seats? "Thank you for your email. There has been a change in the range of seats available to book as part of a package. I will pass on your feedback regarding sharing this information. "

Morera/Bonelli for me, and I'll also see Hayward /Campbell. Have seen them both in the roles but not together.

I kept getting messages telling me I hadn't bought the right number of tickets and the seating plan kept disappearing. I've just started using Microsoft Edge - maybe the ROH web site doesn't like it.

What- the survey or the demo?! The latter was composed by a motley collection of men,women and a small child who stood in a circle near to the entrance of the PH while a member of the group intoned statements that I could not make out, the PH having strange acoustics.

no, the ones I have bought are just before the fabled seats! Incidentally, all of these on both sides were fully occupied last night. Obviously, Mozart is bearable!!

Last night, in the Paul Hamlyn bar, a member of staff was carrying out a survey of audience members. Questions like 'is this your first visit', ' Do you feel welcome' and generally questions about the level of satisfaction with performances, costs of food, quality etc. I mentioned that the main problem was,the ever increasing cost of seats, particularly for the traditional ballets and opera. I was told that this was the biggest message coming back from most people responding. There was,also a demonstration against BP's sponsorship - rather oddly, a gentleman near me asked one of the demonstrators, very politely, to be quieter so he could enjoy his conversation with his companions, and was told rather sternly by a security man not to do this!

I am totally confused. I understood, from information sent with my Friends mailing and from information on the web site that packages were only available for top two price levels of stalls circle. I looked today and have bought the extreme side stalls circle without any problems. Certainly not the top two prices. This doesn't seem to apply to opera. Have I misunderstood something? The web site was,definitely playing up and kept telling me I hadn't booked enough tickets.

it seems to.me to really just be a calendar of events and advertising goods and drink. It used to show so much of interest - I always enjoyed reading comments about performances but it seems now that these are prohibited, unless it's to comment on a screening. Other major sites, e.g. National Theatre, RSC, have a wealth of information on them, I can't see why 'upgrade' seems to equate with minimalism. The information that serious ballet and opera goers want is not available on the social media sites, so where is it to.be found?

My late husband would have agreed with you! He loved ballet, but wasn't keen on 'white' ballets where he got tired of all those ladies in white frocks hopping about on one leg!

Jenny's report sounds like ballet heaven! The audiences have obviously been so enthusiastic, which has been marvellous for the company. I'm sure the American visit will be as successful.

Thanks for the correction, Pulcinella - you're perfectly correct. Put it down to old age!

i know it may be unpopular but I would love Mayerling to feature! Plus Manon, Winter's Tale, Les Noces, Firebird, La Sylphide, the proper Napoli, Apollo, Symphonic Variations, Onegin, Sleeping Beauty. All of these would, of course, be at an affordable cost!

it's almost as though he had become tired of playing handsome young men and either decided to play the opposite or maybe just to prove he could really act. Who knows?

For anyone interested in his career after leaving the Royal Ballet look for his marvellous performance as Percy Grainger in Ken Russell's film about Delius, A Song of Summer.He also played a severely disabled boy in a tv play. it was almost as though he was trying to obliterate all memories of the beautiful dancer he had been by playing such parts.

No, it's just behind the staircase leading to the PH bar.

If I may go back to the discussion about Paris, surely his behaviour is, in the context of the period in which the story is set, pretty normal? The marriage would have been arranged, very likely with much payment, Capulet might have gone to great lengths to get a good deal and his annoyance at Juliet's behaviour is understandable under these circumstances. Similarly, Paris has been promised a good match, and expects a nice compliant wife. Juliet was considered as property and would be expected to do what she was told!

sorry, my bad wording. You're perfectly correct. it was Choe in Pigeons and Takada in Manon in the performances i saw.

This should be a very interesting thread. My personal high was Morera/Bonelli in Mayerling - and a low that the only DVD of them is Frankenstein. Highs were Campbell's De Grieux and his Lescaut, also his performance in Pigeons with Takada. Most surprising high was thoroughly enjoying Don Q with Osipova and Muntagirov - hadn't planned to see this at all, as it is not usually a ballet I enjoy, but a friend couldn't go and I helped her out! Low meant that my financial situation did not permit me to see as much as I would have liked to, so I have missed many performances I would like to have seen. Firebird a huge high and I suddenly 'got' Month in the Country, although low is not seeing it with Muntagirov. A real high is the overall standard of the company with so many young dancers looking more than able to replace some of those who have left, or who will be leaving.

Seems to me that they just want to put news items on the web site and totally stop any public comment, which I suppose they think should be confined to Facebook or whatever. I get the impression they would really prefer to use the web site purely as a booking tool.

And why are the public barred from commenting on News items? Both announcements about Sambe and Kish are 'closed to comnents' . I can't see what is wrong with people offering their good wishes, and if any inappropriate remarks are made surely moderators can deal with them.

I didn't even know it was him, just thought he was an anonymous member of staff! And, Penelope, it was to thank BP for their support in making the 'big screen' showings available.

I'm certainly not a fan of the caff, as I rudely call it, but I would like to make a couple of points,in its favour. Last night I was with a friend who is,elderly and very frail. Add to this I have mobility problems and between us,we look a pretty decrepit pair.Although we both like the PH bar the caff is more convenient for her, saving extra lift journeys. And the staff are pleasant and helpful, happily taking our drinks to a table. And I did notice the box office - it certainly looked like an afterthought, but is at least better than nothing.

This,was my only R and J during the present run and I was certainly not disappointed. I understand the comment about Naghdi being 'too. classical', and thinking of someone like Lynn Seymour there is,a huge difference in the interpretation. But, to me, both valid. I found Naghdi's grace touching in itself and was very impressed by Matthew Ball - first time I have seen him in a leading role. It was a beautiful and moving performance. I don't think there can be definitive performances - all dancers bring their special gifts to the parts and, from what I've read on this forum, there have been many interesting and differing interpretations of the two main roles. I loved Garry Avis's Tybalt and thought Christopher Saunders made more of Capulet than most. And an excellent Paris from Nicole Edmonds. A.lovely evening.

Can't really see why a wig is necessary. Given that dancers in this role are generally young and have perfectly good hair it would seem better to discard the wig. There's no way any dancer can look like a 7 year old boy even with the addition of just about the ugliest wig ever seen, so why bother?

agree totally. Always enjoy his performances and look forward to seeing him in many other roles in the future.