ninamargaret

Hopefully seeing this cast on Saturday. Having been left in tears by Alex Campbell in Two Pigeons and Manon I have prepared an extra large quantity of tissues for the occasion!

Don't forget that now there are no.longer printed cast sheets, audiences are actually told that they can digitally access cast information before and during a performance! Not sure how you do this if you've abided by the rules and turned your phone off.

14 hours ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

.  Alex Campbell performed well as always but had too much of a ‘boy next door’ look

A fair comment, but I was so involved with his dancing and obvious enjoyment both real and acted in dancing with Francesca that it didn't worry me! He does seem to excel in roles like Manon, Two Pigeons, although I have greatly enjoyed him as Florimund. And I thought his second act was superb - perhaps the comments made by other posters that some dancers seem better in one act than the other also applies to Albrecht?

Couldn't agree more with thefts previous posters. Beautiful performances from Hayward/Campbell and the corps were quite simply breathtaking!

I admit to missing the Arab dance in the RB's Nureyev version - a perfect mini ballet by Ashton.

Haven't seen the production for many years, although am pretty familiar with it from various DVD s . Enjoyed the older version of the Arabian Dance more,but I do like the way Clara and the Nutcracker are involved in the dances in that act. Enjoyed Joe Sissens mime, and loved seeing Yuhui Choe back on stage. Nice start to Christmas but an occasional Nutcracker is all I need!

38 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

Alex joined BRB as already a complete package from RBS.  I think he is an exceptional actor as well as a beautiful dancer.  I will never forget his performances as Will Mossop and Cyrano and, for me, he actually managed to make the Prince in Sleeping Beauty a real person.  IMHO the Royal is very lucky to have him.

Agree totally, and I would love to have seen him as Will Mossop. Very envious of Jan!

Very much looking forward to seeing the Hayward/Campbell cast on Saturday. Finances will only run to one Giselle, but I selected this very much in the strength of Alex's performances in Manon and Two Pigeons. For my money he's one of the best actors currently dancing and I don't think I'll be disappointed!

I'm seeing Nutcracker on 23 Nov - ashamed to say it's many years since I 've seen it. Delighted to see Joe Sissens but I'm beginning to think I must put a jinx on James Hay - I always seem to miss him when he is dancing lead roles - Sleeping Beauty notably.

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

Are entrechats six becoming the new 32 fouettés?  On the whole, I do not give a toss how many are done (or if something else entirely is done) as long as it is appropriate to the music and action (and for the record no-one has ever, for me, matched up to Chi Cao's with BRB).

Agree totally - I really don't want to spend my time counting how many entrechats or whatever they are are performed by A in comparison to B! Interestingly, I watched the DVD with Nunez and Muntagirov a few nights ago, and I cannot see how 12 jumps could be fitted into the music at that point. 

Well, she managed to produce tears in this hardened old biddy and that was just the brief rehearsal! Probably just as well I wasn't at the performance. Look forward to the streaming.

3 hours ago, Anna C said:

Bonelli is not a rotter

Having seen him in Giselle during the last run, I would agree. I love him as Des Grieux, Armand, think he is the perfect Onegin, but felt that neither his Rudolph or Leontes were quite right. I found myself feeling too much sympathy for his Rudolph, and he couldn't show that curdled jealousy that Ed Watson brought to Leontes. Having said that, no one has played Polixenes as well as he has done. I've not seen his Romeo on stage -will remedy that next year.

As an idle thought, who will take on roles like Rudolph and Leontes in the future?

Seems to have crashed again. Got tickets in the basket and then got error message.

Just a thought - maybe the streaming has been delayed so that they can include Ed's farewell curtain etc?  

Not sure if this is the right thread, but have just received an email from the ROH advising that tomorrow's stream has been postponed to December. Date to be advised.

10 hours ago, Sim said:

often find that people laugh at things they don’t understand…or when they are scared

Very true. At the RSC in a production of Lear poor demented Lear, clad in a nightshirt and garlanded  with flowers came on to be greeted with huge guffaws of laughter from two young girls in the front row. 

First of all, what a great to be returning to the ROH! Staff all seemed super helpful,even coping with one lift on the left hand side being out of action,which didn't help the several wheel chair users and many, like self, with mobility issues.

I think Dante is pretty stunning. I admit to being a Bonelli admirer, so I booked this and decided to see Ed Watson n the streamed performance. I thought the whole cast were on excellent form but due to the already mentioned lack of cast sheets I found it difficult to identify who was who. Trying to unscramble a complex cast list on a small phone screen is not good for my eyesight or temper. I suspect Bonelli's performance is a lot softer and less sharp than Ed Watson's - but to my mind a totally acceptable interpretation. I think I was most struck by the production as a whole. I loved the simple sets offset by stunning lighting. And musically it's a superb score. Look forward to seeing the stream - and would be more than happy to see it again at any time.

Is the ROH selective about the recipients of their emails? I haven't received anything about packages although I'm a Friend.

Haven't walked out of any ballet, although I have a small selective list of things I wouldn't see, even if they were free, again. I have walked out of opera at the Coliseum - twice! A dreadful Mazeppa which sickened both me and my pretty tough husband, and an awful Fledermaus. On that occasion an usher saw us leaving, at the interval and when we said we thought it was awful he replied regarding us,with scorn ,'_well, this is an experimental house' . My suggestion that they should charge for seats on that basis was not appreciated.

5 minutes ago, Jane S said:

Well,  for older people - like me - I think a good idea would be a 10p-in-the-slot printer in the foyer - a nice familiar technology we could all manage and no wastage. 

 

 

Yes, but think of the queues!  Added to the queues for drinks, then the loo, and possibly lift, not to mention any Covid related requirements, I can see an evening at the ballet becoming an assault course!

And if we, as audience members print them out,as has been suggested, paper is still used! Like many others I would be happy to pay a small sum for the convenience of a cast sheet 

Pity the poor occasional visitor who forms out £8 for a programme and the discovers it doesn't give information about who is dancing/singing!

Think I've been persuaded!

The carrot,of  a freebie may entice me to watch this. For some unknown reason I find Czech music difficult - I have tried, have seen a couple of Martinu operas, Mackropolous Case, listened to quite a lot of chamber music, but it's tough going.

I'll probably be shot down for saying this but here goes!  It seems to me that styles of dance, particularly for men, have changed somewhat. Dancers like Bonelli, Campbell, have a rather more elegant style than some like Sambe, Corales,whose dancing seems to be to be rather more ' flashy ' - very exciting to watch, but quite different to dancers like Campbell. I found it very interesting to watch them both in DAAG. Quite different, both enjoyable - just a case of individual preference. Perhaps Muntagirov manages to combine both styles! I should add that my poor mobility means I can only see RB dancers so my views are a bit limited.