Ianlond

Richard LH, yes Leticia Dias was absolutely delightful as the maid; great energy and it felt as though she was enjoying every minute!

Fantastic evening at the ballet yesterday with standout performances from Marcelino Sambe in Rhapsody, a role that very much plays to his strengths as a charismatic performer and technical powerhouse, Matthew Ball, Marianela Nunez and Anna Rose O’Sullivan in Month with Matthew Ball demonstrating some superbly controlled pirouettes as well as great characterisation and Marianela Nunez putting her heart and sole into the role. What to say about Scene de ballet? Truly, it’s a marvel or construction and technical precision with beautiful dancing from all involved (Calvin Richardson looking particularly strong as part of the male quartet). Sarah Lamb brought her icy, intelligent glamour to what, to me, is one of her best roles while it was simply a privilege to watch Vadim Muntagirov dance; such technical precision, beauty of line, musicality and nobility it made each moment sing. Looking forward now to this evening’s performance!

Dancers are usually their own critics. It’s a beast of a role at the best of times & I’m sure that next time he’ll be back to his technically assured self. As others have said, it was certainly still a very enjoyable performance as a whole.

Very nice to see that the men of the company also get flowers.

Great tributes to the Sainsburys to start & then Scenes wonderful this eve. Could watch it again & again, and can’t wait to see other casts in this all too short run. Although largely ‘pure dance, it’s such an emotional ballet for me and I always have tears by half way! Super technical to dance but beautiful. Very much enjoyed seeing Laura Morera in month; she can really dance the fleet of fit choreography & draw you in to a character so quickly. But possibly even more pleased to see the lack of wigs!! I feel bad saying so after he’s come back from such a serious injury but Stephen McRae seemed to be having a bit of an off night (particularly regarding pirouettes) and was clearly pacing himself. However, Rhapsody certainly did the job of ending the night on a high. Yet again it did make we wonder though why, since their founder choreography produced works of such genius, there is not more consistent commitment to performing them.

As has been mentioned, with a stingy grant from the government compared to many comparable companies in mainland Europe, this is clearly a budget-conscious season and I am relieved to see that there is still commitment to new work. The absence of Nijinska’s Les Noces though is concerning. Yes it’s not ‘easy’ but it’s also an important, compelling work for many reasons and should be being performed (as has been said before, the RB is in possibly the unique position for a large classical company in having a repertoire which could be make a largely heritage triple bill choreographed by all female choreographers). Fantastic, fantastic that Cinderella is to be back although very disappointed that this is the *only* Ashton. Surely it would make sense for the company to dance something, even if it ‘only’ La Valse, in preparation for what will be a new production for almost all the dancers (not to mention that there should be more Ashton anyway!). Wouldn’t it be great to have The Dream again (I’ve given up with Daphnis and Chloe!)? I do very much hope it is seen as successful & the combination of highly idiosyncratic classical choreography with panto/ music hall elements is appreciated. Does anyone know why one of the three big MacMillan ballets usually starts a season? I guess R&J gets tickets sales going but does Mayerling? However, depending on casting, will be very happy to see it + am glad it’s just the one act Anastasia being done (farewell performances for Laura Morera?) rather than the over-long, overblown three act version. Most of the ‘Diamonds’ programme sounds interesting but a shame it’s so few; could they not have included another triple bill with Diamonds as part of it? I do hope there are still plans for Prodigal Son and the Bintley (Tombeaux?) that were cancelled due to covid, at some point. Very happy to see Wolf Works return and will hopefully get to see Corybantic Games as I’ve had to cancel for various reasons in the past. It will be interesting to see in what direction Crystal Pite takes her new full length work but what a fantastic opportunity for the dancers. It does however make the season seem overly weighted towards full lengths. ££ I guess.

Having read comments on here, last night I was surprised just how much ballet there was in The Weathering, particularly for the male ‘corps’ as well as the parts danced by Amelia Townsend and Melissa Hamilton. Yes, there were also long passages of more contemporary choreography (not something I mind!) but it didn’t seem particularly out of place on the ROH stage. I especially liked the lighting and the way the costumes made the whole piece have a golden glow. I also loved the part where Amelia Townsend performed chaine turns off stage to be replaced by two male dancers doing the same - the transition made me smile. However, it in the end it really didn’t seem to go anywhere and, after what I thought was a very promising start, didn’t seem to hang together as a piece. BUT I would much rather see this than ‘new’ choreography by company members that is just a re-hashing of traditional classroom steps prettily put together. There is enough fantastic classically based choreography from Ashton etc. that is not being performed already. Solo Echo was great and the dancers looked wonderfully strong; they seem to have really committed to Crystal Pite’s style although, as has already been said, perhaps not with the personality of earlier casts. Unlike The Weathering, there seemed to be an urgency and purpose to the work as a whole. It was good to read in the programme how much work had been put into ensuring a more ‘grounded’ movement style was used, essential for a work originally choreography on NDT but not always realised when contemporary dance is performed by highly trained and skilful ballet dancers. It did make me wonder though that if, as was the case, the Royal Ballet dancers are dancing these kind of pieces so well, what is the point of Rambert which - in my eyes at least - should be its natural home. Hopefully it’s not squeezing out audiences but just broadening perspectives. Having known DGV since it’s first performance and again in subsequent revivals, I decided to skip it and get home early. Glad to read that the ‘Bussell lift’ was in place though!

It was wonderful to see Phoenix once again, after too long a break. Harmonica Breakdown was, to me, worth the price of the ticket & my first thought when it finished was ‘can I watch that again?’ Having studied its significance at dance school, it was great to watch again. Absolutely loved Heart of Chaos with some very strong performances from the whole cast. Phoenix is a very important company & it did make me think once again how much ‘historical’ contemporary dance is not being performed alongside more recent choreography. More power to them!

LinMM, I believe Prodigal was danced by Sylvie Guillem with Carlos Acosta (I think! I haven’t checked) last time it was revived by the RB so I assume 15-20 years ago? Re. new seasons: I’m sure that, for all, having a healthy bank balance will be what comes first so, like many others, I don’t expect what I’d like to see come to fruition. However, I would like to hope that there will still be some creativity in programming. RB: I would love Ashton’s (please, only Ashton’s!) Cinderella but I’m not sure problems with the rights holder over designs have been sorted out. Otherwise, certainly La Fille. Daphnis and Chloe is in dire need of being performed again. I wonder if we might get Symphonic Variations? Vadim in The Dream too, I hope! Please not M&A. De Valois The Rake’s Progress. Najinska’s Les Biches (like Daphnis, this is danger of being forgotten I feel). The Ashton Foundations rehearsal video of Raymonda Pas de Deux by Ashton has made we want to see it performed somehow - could it be used before a longer, contrasting ballet as part of a mixed bill? As others have said, some of the ballets cancelled in previous seasons I would love to see: Prodigal, Tombeaux, 24 Preludes. By the resident choreographers Yugen, Infra. Wheeldon’s Polyphonia. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland along with Nutcracker (I assume there will be Nutcracker) at Christmas although I could see another run of Swan Lake around Christmas time selling well. Balanchine: 4 temperaments, Theme & Variations. Have the RB ever done Symphony in 3 Mocements? I love the idea of Glass Pieces by Robbins as mentioned above. Maybe a revival of The Cellist? I’m sure there will be a three act MacMillan since there always is. Gloria I would like to see again. I know it won’t be, but Symphonic Dances by Scarlett I do think deserves to be seen again (I’m sorry if that offends anyone). ENB i really hope the new Raymonda sells well for them 🤞 would love, love to see a revival of their beautiful traditional Giselle. NB i don’t see them much now but they hold a special place in my heart as the first ballet company I saw. A Christmas Carol inspired me to become a dancer; do others think it could be/ should be revived at all? Rambert (not strictly ballet I know!) As well as new work which is essential, a commitment to exploring the rich history of modern/ contemporary dances which are basically never performed. Cunningham is essential but there is so much more and if the national, subsidised company can’t or won’t then which company will? BRB I just hope everything works out well! Would love to see Hobson’s Choice but I doubt I will.

I want last night expecting to fall in love again with Giselle; it’s the only 19th Century ballet that holds my interest all the way through. And there were certainly many things to enjoy: Yasmine Naghdi’s beautiful line and exquisite sense of movement & stillness in act 2, the wonderful, constantly in the moment Myrtha of Marianela Nunez (really, worth the price of the ticket alone), the powerful and beautifully danced massed ranks of Wilis (the work from these artists is incredible) plus the heartfelt performance of of Matthew Ball as Albrecht. But I - largely - remained unmoved. Probably it was just my mood, maybe the Stalls Circle wasn’t the best place to watch from. However, I did find some of the tempi extremely slow & variable (does it really *need* to be that slow? I thought the streamed rehearsal also slow to the point of pedestrian so I assume it’s what is wanted!) but especially in act 1 it seems to undermine essential nature of the ballet itself. Also at one point the brass section of the orchestra sounded rather disjointed - was it just me or did anyone else notice that? The pas de six seemed somewhat dull (& I have very much enjoyed it in the past!). Was it again the speed or just that the dancers were having an off night? Joseph Sissens is a dancer I like a lot and who has beautiful lines but seemed to struggle with some aspects of the choreography and while David Yudes was good his more compact frame was highlighted when dancing in unison with his compatriots. William Bracewell may have been a better match. Megan Grace Hinkis did nothing wrong (those pirouettes - on her ‘wrong’ side I believe - to attitude are tricky & were well done) but she is not a dancer I warm to. I did however like Isabella Gasparini + Ashley Dean. The latter I think may be promoted to Soloist next? Giselle as a ghost seems to be great fit for Yasmine Naghdi’s undoubted gifts as dancer but I wasn’t so so convinced by her act 1, Giselle as a village girl. She danced beautifully but she just seems too aristocratic! This very much works in Sleeking Beauty, Swan Lake etc. but in some ways I could see the roles being reversed: Giselle the noble daughter & Albrecht the boy from the village!

Lovely to have met you LinMM! I agree Ed was amazing - I hope you enjoyed your evening.

Third and last time for me last night and, having seen both casts, I think the first two thirds are great but not so sure about most of Paradiso; it just seems to be a lot of the same. Maybe this is due to the music, the repetitive ‘spirals’ used by Thomas Ades and probably Wayne McGregor is being deliberately repetitive, but I found it less than enthralling (and I’m someone who absolutely loves ‘abstract’ dance - give me Merce Cunningham any day!). Visually the whole thing is fabulous and the cast wonderful. Calvin Richardson exceptional as Ulysses and I was very moved by the duets between Edward Watson & James Hay in Inferno and Watson and Gary Avis towards the end of Purgatorio. Sarah Lamb exquisite. Last night I was also impressed by the choreographic variety in Purgatorio which I hadn’t appreciated on previous viewings. I do think that Inferno could work as a stand alone ballet in the future but could do without *quite* so much dry ice! LinMM I wonder if you were sitting at the front of the balcony and if it was me you asked about Marco Masciari?? 😊

To some, any sort of movement can be ‘dance’ (see the Judson Church movement/ Judson Dance Theatre). Ballet is, in my eyes, a *way* of dancing rather than anything to do with narrative. There are many, many non-narrative ballets from the Romantic Pas de Quatre onwards (& possibly before too). Symphony in C, Concerto, Scenes de ballet etc. There are also narrative dances which are not ballets (or at least don’t use ballet technique) e.g. Appalachian Spring (Martha Graham).

Congratulations to all of them! I don’t personally ‘get’ Mayara Magri as yet (lovely dancer though she is!). I do hope that James Hay is given Romeo at some point, even though he seems destined never to be a principal.

Regarding the wigs, I just went to check if my memory was deceiving me but no; from the Nutcracker with Miyako Yoshida & Jonathan Cope (I’m not sure what year but have a vague (teenaged!?) memory it was on TV over Christmas & that Johan Kobborg should originally have been the prince) they are *not* wearing gold wigs but rather dark hair/ wigs with glitter sprinkled on. I think it looks rather good (like sparkly icing sugar?). I think that when it was broadcast (??) again with Stephen McRae & Yoshida the blond wigs were back (or were they actually new at that point?) Certainly I think it’s now well past time that blond wigs should be needed/ expected! Sorry for any inaccuracies regarding the spelling of names btw... Lovely pictures 😊

Thanks Jeannette 😊

Fabulous. What a ballet! Moving, joyous, heartfelt & some extremely challenging choreography for all concerned. I’ve only ever heard about it so what a joy to see from home! Is it only ever (understandably) danced by Stuttgart Ballet or do other companies have it in their rep?

Although I enjoyed both Acis and Galatea and The Winter’s Tale, I agree the choices have been somewhat unexpected! I’m afraid I find Anastasia largely padding, & not very interesting padding, until Act 3. I wonder what will be next? Wolf Works (which I love!)? I do hope that it will actually be something by Ashton since, by then, we will have had McGregor, Wheeldon and MacMillan!

What a joy to watch this today, especially joy seems in somewhat short supply at the moment. Act 3 is fabulous and just a feast of wonderful Bournonville choreography. Alban Lendorf - what a dancer. I remember seeing him guest with ENB but here he seems so natural and of course he has technique in spades. Toursenlair - many thanks for the link!

Thanks!

FLOSS many thanks for (as always!) such a detailed, and interesting, post. Even though it is not a ballet I especially warm to, I agree very much that is is good to see the full variety of ballet steps (not a very descriptive/ appropriate word I know) used; how boring it would be if everything was the same! Having looked at the ROH database on RB performances though, it is startling how few performances of Coppelia there are; three in 1954 of this (then new) de Valois production then some more (but not that many) until 1969. Then the big gap to 2000. I assume from the posts here that the performances 54-69 are very incomplete? Was there a previous production prior to the 1954 de Valois one? (I assume so?) if not, it does seem a little late to get one of the key ‘classics’.

FLOSS many thanks for writing such a thoughtful account.

I couldn’t attend yesterday’s performances of Sleeping Beauty so can’t comment on any dancers technical proficiency but it seems that some posters are putting Ashton/ MacMillan together when comparing them to full length tutu ballets by Petipa. Are they? To me it very much seems that dancing some Ashton full lengths (Cinderella, Sylvia) are similar in some ways to the classical full lengths. Haven’t a few dancers commented upon how hard Sylvia is? Admittedly Francesca Hayward hasn’t danced these either (yet! Hopefully Cinderella will come). Romeo and Juliet, Manon etc. do seem less exposing technically. Sorry - just random thoughts.

Indeed! That evening was very special.

There is also a clip floating around of her dancing the pas de deux from Agon with (I think) dancers from NYCB.