Richard LH

I wonder if Polunin was considered for playing Nureyev rather than Yuri Soloviev.....

Our local cinema initially listed Sergei Polunin as playing Nureyev, but this has now been corrected.

Anyway, thanks to those responsible for the restoration! If only the ROH could restore missing website pages as quickly.....

Sim I can't find the original BCF discussion thread for the Royal Ballet's performances of La Bayadere last November. I remember that it was closed for further discussion after a time, but has it now been removed completely for some reason? For example this link no longer works http://www.balletcoforum.com/topic/18748-the-royal-ballet-la-bayadère-london-november-2018/

I would suggest Monotones 2 is not the best example of the use of slower tempi and the resultant effects. Having looked at both versions in some detail, I find that the modern (2013) RB recording of Monotones 2 (Nunez, Watson, Kish) is played to music no slower than the Derman Silver and Deane version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1iFPJdnFSo. In fact if anything it runs very slightly quicker. I also don’t find there to be any excessive “freeze frame posing” in comparison to the early version, or differences in terms of the flow of movement. In the latter regard, I don’t really see the movement as completely continuous in either case; indeed the choreography appears designed, on occasions , for slightly “pausing” (rather than “posing”) on the third beat of the fairly deliberate 3/4 time signature. There is also this filmed version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0ppAEMpaVQ performed by the Joffrey Ballet and shown in 1989 as a tribute to Robert Joffrey following the latter’s death in 1988: here Parkinson, Edgerton and Mossbucker do dance to music noticeable slower than both these RB versions. Presumably this was not anathema to Ashton, as in the introductory interview (only a few months before his own death) he explained how much he had trusted his late friend Joffrey with his work and how the latter took great pains to get it correct. Symphonic Variations is another case where the earlier version (1977 Park, Jenner, Penney, Wall, Coleman and Eagling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYQNqj3CCVQ runs at a very similar tempo to the recent RB recorded version (Nunez , Muntagirov, Naghdi, Hay, Choe and Dyer). Other examples, though, do illustrate a more recent slowing of pace – such as in The Dream, and in Voices of Spring. Possible pros and cons of this are touched on in the following paragraph. I found a good discussion about the use of slower music relating to Princess Florine’s variation in Sleeping Beauty here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P8dYv2BZ4w where arguments are proffered against the slower versions, particularly the Russian ones, going back as far Kolpakova. The pros and cons might be summarised as faithful characterisation (requiring speed in this case) vs beauty of form and luxurious ease of movement. On this scale Sibley’s is clearly the fastest (even so, from the discussion, it is arguably still a fair bit slower than the original intent) and I think she does best represent the quick fluttering of the Princess mimicking the actions of the Bluebird. Personally I do find the slowest Russian versions rather too laboured and lacking in portrayal of bird-like movements. Perhaps there is a balance to be struck because I do admire “beauty of form and luxurious ease of movement” as well as good characterisation. I believe Ratmansky has been trying to replicate the original intent of Tchaikovsky / Petipa as far as possible; his ABT version with Cassandra Trenary (the last in the list and starting with a little slip) is a fair bit slower than Sibley (though much faster than the Russian ones). This is more akin to the timing of the recent RB version (Choe) that is included. In the similar Takada RB version http://picdeer.com/media/1921443087995266538_1526149934 I find she includes some particularly graceful and extended slower movements of arms, body and legs that are (understandably) absent in Sibley’s version. Sorry that the latter strayed from Ashton himself, but I think the example is still relevant to some of the discussion on this thread.

John I suggested a way to access the calendar earlier in this topic http://www.balletcoforum.com/topic/19491-new-roh-website/?do=findComment&comment=276236

Yes that's broken, but this one still seems to work for What's On https://www.roh.org.uk/events?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInZjemJGV4QIVwiaGCh2S0AMaEAAYASABEgJhrPD_BwE and for Upcoming Productions http://www.roh.org.uk/productions?_ga=2.139804410.835951387.1553237162-1432497339.1553237162

As Gary Avis mainly undertakes "principal character artist" roles, perhaps it is easier for him to know, and set out, his schedule so far in advance, compared to other cast members? I have yet to come across other dancers having personal websites similar to this one. Indeed do any other dancers publish their own schedules anywhere? I would far prefer to see such information properly displayed centrally on the ROH website than trawl around to try and find it from various other random sources. If casting information to the end of the season is generally available for most main characters, it is annoying that the responsible people at the ROH have not yet seen fit to share it with us on the website.

Weren't those for the Deutsche Oper? I imagine they are not likely versions for the RB in the context of their choices for 2019/20.

I am right in thinking these comprise: Romeo and Juliet Manon Mayerling Anastasia, and The Prince of the Pagodas Are there any others?

Thanks Josephine. You do get ballet and dance related Insight events that way, but also performances in the Linbury, so it is still not entirely narrowed down. However in itself, that is not as much of an issue as the filters re-setting, along with the various other problems with the recent changes.

Sort of "I will be passing the buck", John. No commitment to anyone taking any notice of your concerns or getting back to you thereafter. They should sort out the rough user experience they have just created, rather than introducing any new pages ( heaven forbid that they try to mess with the actual booking pages). I sent the following on 16 March. I don't think I put things quite as politely as you! I haven't had a reply yet. I am sure you will be receiving many complaints about the retrograde and user-unfriendly changes to the site. I particularly object to the removal of the previously helpful "Whats On" and "Upcoming Productions" pages, along with the extremely useful historic Calendar links. The replacement "Tickets and Events" page and the related links are very poor at showing any comprehensive information relating to either Tickets or Events. The excessively sized pictures require so much scrolling to see all the events, that I imagine many potential ticket buyers will lose interest before they get very far. Also the related "filters" are awkward and cannot be saved, so need re-entering each time. And they are limited for narrowing searches – for example selecting “ballet and dance” and “talks and insights” gives you all ballet and dance and all talks and insights, not just talks and insights relating to ballet and dance. I used to love your website, its usability, and its copious information, but I fear it is rapidly now going downhill. Image over substance and practicality appears to be the current approach. Can you please simply restore the website to what it was previously, or if "Tickets and Events" has to be there, at least still also include all the former "Whats On" and "Upcoming Productions" pages and “Calendar” links?

At this stage I wouldn't write off the contribution R&J will be making to this season's takings. There are currently only a few tickets left up to 01 May, and thereafter for most dates a large proportion of the more expensive seats are already "sold". I recall Don Q was thought by some at the outset to be selling poorly but in the end it has been a virtual sell out. But either way, surely there is no likelihood of R&J being brought back for 2019/20? I would love, though, to see Swan Lake again and also Sleeping Beauty (having yet to see the RB do it live), and if that also helps the coffers, all well and good!

There is a review here which I think has been missed from "Dance Links" https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/dance/linbury_theatre_introdans_dutch_masters/12922

Sim any chance of changing the title to the more positive "Respecting dancers"?

Sorry John I can't say, as I have never been.

Not a theatre, no, but I think it is fine as a studio for these rehearsals, provided they make the best of the sound issues. Being "in the round" it is probably better visually than the Clore ( or at least offers some different perspectives to the usual audience/stage view).

Thanks capybara. I have certainly noticed a mass exodus of the orchestra after their stage acknowledgment!

I also found it hard to hear much of what was said in the first rehearsal, despite being in row A downstairs for that one. Viviana Durante does seem to speak very quietly, such that the miking had little effect. The Hall is very echoey. Yes the second rehearsal was far better for sound, David Pickering and Ricardo Cervera spoke very clearly and were also better at engaging the audience. I wouldn't rule out Row B by any means, as I indicated above - we saw the second rehearsal from there and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sorry Saodan, but what is this curfew exactly?

Agree about the excellent dancers who showed tremendous skills and dedication. "Polish Pieces" was very striking and colourful with excellent timing as the cast struck identical poses. "Andante" was an enjoyable, and slightly comic PDD. "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen" was a series of nice PDDs described as "reflecting the diverse emotions" of Mahler's composition, but there was relatively little diversion away from a rather generalised display of angst. The choreography had become rather "samey" by the fourth work, Cantus, with a lot of squatting, tumbling, spreading of legs, "planks" and other potential yoga positions. Lacking narrative, identifiable characters, or much acting as such, for me these works, in the main, became more of a display of what is possible in flexibility of movement and co-ordination, rather than dances that affected me emotionally. But certainly worth seeing! P.S. The Linbury would have benefited from better house lighting...we couldn't read the programme where we seated, and it felt like a rather claustrophobic black hole. It must be pretty deep below ground level!

That's strange Bruce...for me, once I get back to an older calendar page that includes performances for a particular day, if I then click on that performance I get all the usual details about it.

Hopefully plenty of us will be contacting the ROH using this link: http://www.roh.org.uk/contact and selecting "website", to express our views on the recent changes.

https://www.roh.org.uk/events/calendar/2019/03/11?_ga=2.210123029.1694789846.1552744106-235432184.1552744106 A former Calendar page for a specific day (example being 11 March 2019 --- just change the bold date parameters e.g. https://www.roh.org.uk/events/calendar/2017/11/24?_ga=2.210123029.1694789846.1552744106-235432184.1552744106 and for 24 November 2017 Hardly a user-friendly approach though!

And this is the cached version of the previous "upcoming productions" page. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:yzm49uSwIHkJ:www.roh.org.uk/productions+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk