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ninamargaret

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Everything posted by ninamargaret

  1. ninamargaret
    Family legs has it that I was taken to the Brighton I've rink at the age of five or thereabouts to see an ice show.I loved it, especially when a man dressed as a devil jumped over a series of barrels. But I howled blue murder because my mother wouldn't let me go on the ice at the end of the show, when the public was allowed to show their skills.Sad to think of another piece of my childhood gone.
  2. ninamargaret
    Thank you for pointing me to that, Have just watched it and enjoyed it as much as when I first saw it. Having seen old clips of him, Robin Cousins and Torvill and Dean I don't . . .think skating has improved. Far flashier, less beautiful, maybe more suitable to be classified as a sport. Never mind, Winter's tale tomorrow - that'll keep.me quiet!
  3. ninamargaret
    Does anyone remember seeing John Curry dance an extremely sultry looking tango with a skater called, I think, JoJo Starbuck?.It was quite something!
  4. ninamargaret
    Don Quixote?
  5. ninamargaret
    Must admit I didn't know that either! To me, John Curry always looked as though he was a dancer who just happened to dance on ice instead of a stage and Robin Cousins with his extra height was, if anything even more elegant. They really don't make 'em like that any more.
  6. ninamargaret
    I think many of the current skaters have sacrificed style and artistry for technique. To me, it's not the number of spins you can do or the height that you can lift your leg that matters, but how good you look when you are doing it! And agree totally about musical wallpaper!
  7. ninamargaret
    Strange to book for two ballets without knowing what they are called, who is in them or what the music is! Shows what a captive audience they've got.
  8. ninamargaret
    Am I the only one to really dislike the mashed up music used for so many of the skating routines? Today we had odds and ends of Swan Lake, and then the Sleeping Beauty waltz with bars cut out. The other day it was Beethoven's turn for the mincer, with a patchwork of bits from the Moonlight sonata. Surely it's not impossible to do better - John Curry could do it!
  9. ninamargaret
    wouldn't it be nice if Future Learn, who do excellent on line courses ( I've done two or three on Shakespeare) could do one on ballet history?
  10. ninamargaret
    what an interesting subject! I was going to say that it seemed to be more popular in countries where there is an appreciation of Western culture, but Jan out paid to this by pointing out that Spain does not have any great interest in ballet. So maybe countries where there is a strong ballet tradition have just been fortunate to benefit from enthusiastic and strong minded people who have encouraged appreciation of their art.
  11. ninamargaret
    maybe I shouldn't have changed it!
  12. ninamargaret
    I know it's a pretty awful production. I seem to remember it was televised a few years ago, when it was relatively new. But as it comes around in London so infrequently I thought I 'd better grit my teeth and see it. I can always close my eyes!
  13. ninamargaret
    Sorry, should have said mercurial!
  14. ninamargaret
    Someone really should do a ballet to feature both of them. So different, McRae, even at that stage, sharp, medicinal, Campbell more lyrical, soft elegance. Marvellous to have both of them here, hope McRae is soon fit.Thank you Oz!
  15. ninamargaret
    I think it's all Shakespeare's fault! I've seen the play in many different productions and it always gets me tearful.
  16. ninamargaret
    i worked at HMV, then a posh record shop, when the Callas/Tebaldi war flourished. There were two particularly partisan gents there, one on each side, and we all learnt to take cover when they started their discussions!
  17. ninamargaret
    Be brave and do the lot in a week! When I did my first Ring i found, at the end of Rheingold that I wanted to see Valkyrie immediately. It helps to keep track of who's who and who is doing what to who! And if you enjoy research I'd definitely recommend some for the Ring. I've got tickets for October at a horrendous price, but think at my advanced age i need a bit of comfort and next time it's on i might not be up to it!
  18. ninamargaret
    I find it rather strange that while I enjoy the music for Winters Tale while I watch it it is totally unmemorable! I've got a pretty good memory for music and can recall music for quite a few ballets but WT defeats me. Certainly no ear worms from it.
  19. ninamargaret
    I was lucky,to have family and teachers who encouraged my interest in the arts. Very little in my school in the 50s so this encouragement was essential. All of the various arts organisations offer so much for children and I suppose it does rub off on some of those who attend. I think those of us with an interest in the arts have always been considered posh, there seems to be some idea that things like opera, ballet, music and art are too difficult to understand. Mind you, seeing the capacity audiences at the ROH, National, RSC etc it's just as well that it's just us posh ones that go!
  20. ninamargaret
    As a frequent theatre goer I am amazed at how dancers manage to turn in such excellent performances in the many story ballets that are in the repertoire. Don't let's talk about their dancing abilities - these days that is almost a given. But imagine an actor only getting a couple of chances to play a part in a run. We'd see some pretty dodgy Hamlets! But a dancer dancing,say, Giselle, will probably only get two or three opportunities over a couple of years, hardly enough to develop their skills at performing a role. I'm not being flippant when I say that the dance is the easy bit - getting used to an audience and bringing the character to life is rather more difficult.
  21. ninamargaret
    I won't be seeing this cast until next week, so won't comment on performances. I particularly love this,ballet and the play. It seems to me that the story seems to demand more mature dancers, but it's also important to give younger dancers the chance to dance an 'older' role. It must have been rather difficult for both Matthew Ball and Ryoichi Hirano to both be newcomers in a ballet that,to my mind,demands great acting ability.
  22. ninamargaret
    Agree with this. Last night it was made very clear that Giselle in Act 2 was an ethereal being; Albrecht's futile attempts to catch her became,very clear and the 'Swallow' lift seems to emphasise this.
  23. ninamargaret
    When I was working I used to turn up at the ROH looking quite smart. Nowadays it's more likely to be something comfortable and I try not to wear the sort of perfume that was being worn at the opera a couple of months ago. Tonight at Giselle there was much coughing at the beginning of Act2; rather spoilt the ghostly effect. But a lovely performance from all, including a rather good Hilarion from Tomas Mock.
  24. ninamargaret
    Saw the Insight on You Tube and it certainly looked worlds away from the usual sort of production. Must admit I liked the look of it.
  25. ninamargaret
    My only Ring performances have been the old ENO ones, a production that I enjoyed greatly. I think the ROH one was televised soon after its first production and I must admit to not liking it. But tastes change so it's fingers crossed f October.
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