loveclassics

I noticed it when I saw Vadim's debut on Sunday but I assumed he simply hadn't had enough time to break them in, not even having had a stage call before that remarkable performance. Linda

Well said Anjuli, you express something I have often noticed, especially in the works of certain choreographers. Ashton, for example, created wonderfully strong, even wilful female characters but most of his male protoganists are so wet they leave footprints. Linda

Re past critical comment: was this to Ratmansky, Kilyan et al's versions of Romeo and Juliet? Personally I have vivid memories of Neumeier's version of this classic even though it was back in 1976 when the Royal Danish Ballet performed it in Copenhagen and have posted very favourably about it on Ballet.co. And is there any particular reason why the text of your post is all in bold style? Do you feel extra strongly about this ballet/ballets? Just wondering. Linda

I read the links every day and I really appreciate the effort put in to make them available to us. What I do miss is the facility to comment or add to them as we had on the old site. Re subscriptions, I used to think the digital sub for the Times was quite reasonable at under £9 a month - much cheaper than the print version. But now it's going up to £6 per week, a huge increase and one I think many will find excessive. It's possible to negotiate a discount for a few months if you're already a subscriber and I'm told that there will be new packages available in December but I am still wondering if it is really worth it. As for tweets - well you can't give much useful information or profound comment in such a sparse allowance of text so it can't ever replace the sort of detailed review I want to read. All I can say is please keep up the good work! Linda

Why is it meant to be? Manon is not a documentary. Factual film/tv programmes often contain distressing images which are accepted as being unpleasant facts which people should know about. But ballet is art, not reality, and gratuitous/sexual violence is something many choose to avoid, just as they avoid 'splatter' movies and other gore-fests. Deliberately making scenes hard to watch is not a recipe for success and may explain why Macmillan's ballets are not as widely admired outside the UK as those of Ashton. Disappointingly, quite a few of the RB's upcoming choreographers seem to be influenced by Macmillan's more violent obsessions. I certainly don't want to see 7 Deadly Sins again and was happy to pass on Sweet Violets. But another ballet like Fille or Dream would be very welcome. Linda

Good point Alison. Aramis in The Three Musketeers is also studying to become a cleric but he happily joins in with his companions rowdy and sometimes licentious behaviour. Also,, I'm pretty sure that Macmillan decided that 'his' Des Grieux is a student of poetry, not religion. As pointed out by others, Macmillan's Manon is only very loosely based on the book. I have to agree with this, Macmillan's love of brothels and harlots can be very irritating and sometimes downright silly: I hate the Keystone Cops routine when the brothel in Mayerling is raided. As a feminist I don't find the subjugation of women entertaining and the rape scene in Manon is hard to watch. Like Sunrise, I often went to see Manon in the past just for the wonderful pairings of great dramatic dancers. In this run I have only booked to see dancers new to the role and discover if their interpretations match up to those of the past. Sadly, I won't get to see the one I was really interested in: Lauren's Manon.

I'm amazed that there are so many unsold tickets left for Manon. Having read the reviews here I've just bought a ticket for the 10th at less than half the usual price. I'm delighted but it can hardly be good for business. I hope others will read the excellent reviews and the ticket sales will pick up. Could it be anything to do with the fact that the season has started a little earlier than usual? It's going to be a very weird experience being in a less than full auditorium. In the last 10 years I can't remember a performance of Manon that didn't sell out. Linda

Alison, BT is just about the most expensive broadband supplier going and is no longer the gold standard it once claimed to be. Have you investigated one of the others - Plusnet for example? I'm with Talktalk - the customer service is nothing to write home about but it is considerably cheaper and, like Plusnet, is more generous with monthly allowances. It's nowhere near as traumatic changing ISPs these days as it used to be and is worth it for the savings which you can spend on more ballet tickets! Linda

I remember one noted American critic describing Manon as 'a steamy little shocker' - he was VERY disapproving. I can understand a mainstream audience used to pretty Nutcrackers and Sleeping Beauties thinking it a little intense but I would have thought an experienced critic would find it a refreshing change. One possible objection would be the athletism of the remarkable lifts and jumps in the pdds. Macmillan was influenced by figure skating in some of his work and every time I see the final pdd I can't help thinking ' great caught axel' when she does that double twist in the air. Mind you I saw Guillem many times and she emphasised the gymnastic aspect more than some other dancers. I do hope I get to see Lauren do it one time as I think she has something of the same quality (but never at the expense of the drama). Linda Linda

Time Out are now also offering reduced prices. Tickets for orchestra stalls are £35 (mats) & £44, Amphitheatre £22 & £27. September 30th, Oct 1st, 5th & 9th. There's no booking code but a link from Timeout: https://uk-offers.timeout.com/deals/entertainment-manon-at-the-royal-opera-house?cid=TOL|DD|EM|_CTA|entertainment-la-boheme-london-coliseum|2014-09-23T23:19:48 You may need to register with Time Out for their emailed offers first but I am happy to forward my email with the link to anyone who sends me a pm. But booking must be made before Oct 6th, 11:00 a.m. Linda

Ivy House is transferring its dance events to a new venue: JW3 (341-351 Finchley Road, London NW3 6ET). As I'm on their mailing list I have received an invitation to a free event tonight but I can't go. Is anybody else interested? The event is: Silent Force – Gross Dance CompanyGDC was founded in 2011 by Israeli-Dutch choreographer Sagi Gross and multidisciplinary artist Jeroen Fransen, and brings together former dancers of Nederlands Dans Theater, Royal Danish Ballet and others. Please click here <http://www.jw3.org.uk/event/silent-force-gross-dance-company?pid=8904#.VCAH0U10zIU> for details. Just call the JW3 box office on 020 7433 8988 and quote MARKOVA for your free ticket. Hope whoever goes enjoys it. Linda

Aileen, I'm sure you didn't mean to be discourteous so may I offer some advice? I have only been following ballet seriously for the last ten years so I frequently come across names that are new to me. So I look them up and if it is someone, like this photographer, who has a body of work or is well-known to others, I assume that it is just me who doesn't recognise the name. The use of 'a' has been seen in this forum before but usually when referring to complete unknowns/newcomers. And of course, the great thing about Ballet.co is that you can always ask for information. I've always found that there is someone who can enlighten me when I come across something/one new to me. Linda

Well I seem to get every reduced price offer going so I will do my best to share the opportunities with everyone at Ballet.co! Trouble is, all you Friends will probably have already bought your seats. I have to say that the Friends of Covent Garden is one supporters' scheme that does not seem to be acting in the best interests of the members. Sad. Linda Edited to correct typo.

Aileen, isn't "a" Jane Hobson a little impolite? You may not be familiar with her work but that is not really acceptable usage. See http://janehobson.photoshelter.com/

Well I'm not a Friend though I used to be several years ago. I gave it up because it didn't help me get the tickets I wanted. Funny that I've never had a mailing inviting me to re-join....... Linda

It came to a different email address from my usual one. I had already bought a ticket for the Sunday matinee but not using that email address so that may be why I received the offer. It may also be why I regularly receive letters from the ROH recommending opera performances 'specially selected for me'. I NEVER go to the opera at the ROH as I prefer opera in English. Linda

I've just received an email offering special prices for these performances: Matinee performances on Saturday 27 September at 12.30pm and Tuesday 30 September at 1pm Orchestra Stalls £45 (usual price £77 - £71) Amphitheatre £26 (usual price £47 - £30) Evening performances on 1 and 8 October at 7.30pm Orchestra Stalls £52 (usual price £97 - £88) Amphitheatre £34 (usual £58 - £40) To get the cheaper prices enter the promo code manonreturns into ‘Do you have a code box?’ which is situated above the seating plan and click ‘update'. Usual Ts & Cs apply. Linda

At various events I've attended at the ROH, dancers have discussed their working hours and, as mentioned above, Deborah Bull has also given useful information about working under an Equity contract, that is the standard contract for performing artists in the UK. I'm pretty certain that a dancer is 'on the clock' only from 12 noon. The contract may stipulate the taking of morning class for a minimum 4 days a week but that time is not paid for. So unless there's a performance the standard working day is about 6 - 7 hours. That's pretty good when you look at the hours performers work in the film industry though admittedly, most of the time in a film studio is spent hanging about whereas a dancer's day is pretty much non-stop physical activity. Also, companies like the RB often stipulate that the dancer must be available for educational events and other activities such as press and photo calls etc. and this time is also unpaid. When I worked for the National Theatre, actors under contract to the company received a flat salary according to age/ experience etc. but that was supplemented by a fee for each performance given. Performers who are not on members of a company but hired for one particular production have slightly different contracts which often stipulate lower rates for rehearsal days but higher amounts per performance. I assume that dancers have a similar contracts as they also need to be members of Equity to perform in the UK. Certainly, dancers in the Russian state companies receive extra pay for each performance and some have been quoted as saying this arrangement is absolutely essential as the basic salary is quite low. Well known dancers often appear in gala events for other companies/opera houses but only by permission of their home company. These pay much higher performance fees but some contracts permit the company to reduce the dancer's regular salary for the time away so it's not such a money-spinner as it might appear. Linda

Thanks for the update. I've been watching the concert for so many years but completely failed to notice that the company name had changed. Linda

Thanks for the information. I suppose it isn't cost effective to keep a core of dancers on the regular payroll but don't other opera companies do this? I'm sure the Vienna Opera does since their dancers appear every New Year's Day in the annual concert. Linda

I remember Clive James reviewing this for Punch. He rather liked it and particularly commented on one pdd in which he described the dancers as trying to undress each other but only using their teeth...! He remarked enviously that it 'looked like a lot of fun'. Sad that the rest of the ballet was quite the opposite. Linda

Any fans out there of the Ballet Stroganoff books by Caryl Brahms & S J Simon? I have been going through my collection of ballet books and found I had an extra copy of '6 Curtains for Stroganova'. If any ballet.co-ers loved 'A Bullet in the Ballet' and would like to read more, this is the true, unexpurgated, story of how the Ballet Stroganoff started in Imperial St Petersburg and I would be very happy to give it away. PM me if you're interested - it will help to pass the rainy days of Autumn. Apologies to the moderators if this should be in another thread but it IS about dance, (well loosely if Arenskaya is to be believed). Linda

At first I thought I should put this in the Not Dance forum as it's not about ballet BUT it is about dancing. I was watching Turandot from the ROH on Sky Arts tonight and wondered who the dancers were. There's nothing on the ROH site so can anyone tell me where the dancers come from? Presumably not the RB but is there a regular troup of opera dancers (as ballet dancers were once known) or are they hired on an ad hoc basis for each production? Linda

Re the comments about Robert Parker and Jonathan Cope giving up ballet briefly: they both seemed stronger for the break, Robert Parker saying that for the first time in his career his body had time to fully recover from all its injuries. Physical stress must be a real problem, possibly even greater than the emotional burnout that accompanies early promotion. I can't help wondering if all dancers should be allowed a gap year during their early years with a company instead of going straight from the intense competition of vocational school into the even more intense competition of a professional company. I know it's a short career but all the more reason then to enjoy it.

May I suggest you start a new thread to discuss the Mariinsky's problems for those who are interested? Those of us who prefer to discuss their performances of Swan Lake may then stick to this one. Linda