ninamargaret

Yes, his elegant dancing was very much enjoyed and appreciated. But I really wish Shadowplay had been recorded - quite different from his usual style. Very happy Birthday.

Really enjoyed this and at last I've got to see James Hay! Super dancing from him, as usual. Think I enjoyed this performance more than the Naghdi/Ball. Was it streamed to cinemas?

4 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

But not available in the catch up on the website.

Thanks for explaining this Jan.  Was watching on catch up so may try again if it appears in Arte.

Any idea why the Christopher Wheeldon was not shown?

Good to see that Petipa is listed as a co-director of this!

Happy Christmas to the Moderators of the forum and all the contributors who make it such an interesting, enjoyable, amusing and informative place. Various ailments mean my days of attending performances seem to be over but it's lovely to be able to keep in touch with what's  happening. Thank you to everyone.

10 minutes ago, Robin Smith said:

Am I allowed to say I miss the old choreography relating to the Arabian Dance? Far more enticing and matched the music to a tee.

 

The last 10 minutes of Act One and the whole of Act Two remain glorious visually and contain some of Tchaikovsky's most memorable, rhapsodic melodies. 

If you mean the Ashton one I totally agree. A mini ballet in its own right.

I know it ages me, but I remember seeing Moyra Fraser as one of the sisters when I saw my first Cinderella with Fonteyn/ Somes. Totally different to the Ashton/Helpmann version but both, to my mind, valid. 

What is it about Laura Morera? The performance tonight was beautifully  danced but to my eyes really lit up when she appeared. The pas de deux were taken, I think, more slowly than I have seen them in the past, were passionate, conveying every emotion possible and totally conveying all of this to the audience. I thought Matthew Ball danced superbly, although I think the first act will get better with time. Maya Magri was an excellent Larisch. Am I right in thinking that the sets, and possibly costumes have had a bit of a makeover - not for the best, I fear. Mitzi  Caspar's dress looked.  extremely odd

Signed up with no problems, but it appears that my Amazon Fire stick is too old for the ROH app. However, I seem to be able to access it on my TV using my link to the ROH stream, so at least I can play around and see what happens while I've got it for free!

Anyone else having difficulty in getting this  via Marquee? Can't find any way of changing my out of date credit card number and Marquee are totally unhelpful.

I think we were promised some sort of deal to replace the package scheme, but it looks as though it's been quietly forgotten. The outlay for stalls circle seats, which I need because of access problems, plus greatly increased costs of getting taxis to and from the theatre mean, I'm afraid, that ROH will become a rare treat.

And please let us have the Nunez/Bonelli Manon!

On 06/06/2022 at 17:38, capybara said:

I was referring to someone else, not the ‘lady in black’ who felt that she needed to be present whenever Anthony Dowell was dancing.

But, hey, every theatre needs its characters and they were a feature of a 20th Century ROH experience too.

I'm afraid my.late husband always referred to her as Dowell's mum!

My first visit was in the mid fifties when a very courteous man, approved by my parents took me to see Traviata, may have been the Sophie Fedorovich designs. At that time, there were ladies loos at the back of the stalls circle, where our seats were, and my very discreet escort pointed them out to me saying 'I think that's where you go if you want to powder your nose!' And I was entranced by the plush carpets, pretty dressing table and black clad attendant who guarded them and assisted ladies by doing up buttons or even,I believe, making running repairs to any clothing malfunctions!

7 hours ago, ellyb said:

Did he not do rather well in Onegin though? I would think that might indicate suitability... I did book to see him but unfortunately he didn't turn up and I had to suffer through Roberto Bolle instead! 🙄🤩 (who I believe was considered not likely to be a good Onegin, and who I personally found wonderful). I'm pretty particular about Rudolf's, I want a lost and flawed human I feel sympathy for rather than an obnoxious madman who I am happy to see blow his brains out... I think caring about the characters is key to Mayerling, and maybe a reason so many can't understand its appeal? 

Think it depends whether you want the historical Rudolph or the balletic one. Bonelli.   definitely the former - anguished, more sympathetic, or Watson McRae, Soares more volatile, bordering on unhinged. .  I haven't seen enough of Bracewell to make a sensible view but I would have thought he would be in the first category. Reece Clarke I would certainly like to see in the role.Must admit I find it a particularly fascinating ballet and I look forward to seeing the casting for it

My only complaint is that I can only see this programme once! I thought Morera was absolutely perfect for the role and she and Vadim were so well suited to the  choreography - a perfect interpretation of this glorious ballet. It really should have been the last ballet - even Rhapsody couldn't follow it! Certainly not Steven McRae's fault. He seemed a little tentative at first but maybe I just felt slightly concerned on his behalf. So good to see a whole Ashton programme. It seems that he has been shoved  into the background for far too.long. The audience reaction would seem to agree with me!

18 hours ago, LinMM said:

Have just been looking at the Chopin pieces used in Month and the song will be in the bit that uses:  Fantasia on Polish Airs so am more sure it’s there now. 
Sorry to go on about the music but the blend of dancing and music in this Ballet is just so delicious! 

I've got a lovely CD with the Don Giovanni variations, Andante spianato, and rondo Krakowiak etc and I think I've nearly worn it out I've played it so often! 

2 hours ago, MJW said:

 

He has ! I saw on Liam Boswell's IG that he wasn't wearing it either so with any luck it has been destroyed !

Having read that Luca  Acri danced this role at the matinee I tried, and failed dismally, to imagine him in a blond wig. I will be seeing this programme next Saturday and was preparing myself for the wig's  appearance, but can now relax and prepare to enjoy it, as I'm sure I will. Thank you for setting my mind at rest!

7 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

I'm 50/50 with McGregor - some of his works I love a lot, others, not so much. But agree the resident choreographer for a classical company should be producing classical style works.

Who do you suggest? Ashtons or Balanchines seem to be a bit thin on the ground these days! It seems to me that so many current choreographers are so concerned with producing work that is 'relevant'  or 'accessible' that coming up with a ballet that simply tells a story,or just celebrates dance is alien to them.

Hope no one on the forum will shoot me down, but SL.is by no means my favourite ballet. Last night I took a friend who wanted to see it so I was kind and took her. My real plus points were O'Sullivan and Sambe - she in particular was so beautiful - particularly loved her Odile - a genuinely nasty piece of work. She and Sambe complement each other so well. The corps is, as other people have said, superb. A stand out performance for me was David Yudes- I first enjoyed him as Puck and was pleased to see him in a main role. But what do I have to do to see James Hay? Think there is some sort of gremlin  that let's whoever does casting know when I am coming and make sure he's not dancing when I'm there!

It's also insulting to the dancers. I've had people ask me,sometimes at the end of a performance, who was dancing? I wonder if some pressure couldn't be put on the management by the dancers themselves?

Please, for those of us that fumble with phones, have ageing eyesight, leave home before the ROH has remembered to update the cast list, or likes a paper copy without using our paper and printer ink, bring back cast lists! Would also help new visitors, who pay £8 for a programme that doesn't tell them who is dancing and keep searching through it in vain. A real false economy.

Have just received the email advising the change of cast for 30 April. 

1 hour ago, capybara said:

Just think of all the things which need to be done when changing jobs, including all the 'domestic' arrangements. 

Committing to the rehearsals for Month as well as the actual performance was probably a bridge too far.

Fully understand the reasons, just wish the ROH had handled it properly instead of appearing to ignore the fact that he wouldn't appear on 30 April.