Stevie

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

Dave, I know very little about classical music either but agree with every word of your post!  I was blown away by Flight Pattern.

A good mix, some don't like Gorecki music, some don't like the ballet, but like the music, some changes of mind,  some don't like either and some like both. Sounds like another referendum may be needed.

1 hour ago, zxDaveM said:

 

This 'correct version' extract is from the middle movement surely (Flight Pattern uses the first), so not sure what that proves. The version I'm most familiar with (and I imagine most of the CFM listeners and/or TV viewers that saw it) was the Dawn Upshaw version, who is hardly 'wobble-free' so to speak. I love that version, so wasn't that enamoured by the version used for Flight Pattern - though I did love Flight Pattern in its own right. I don't know enough about classical music (especially when sung) to really make an informed comment about things like the tempi or the voice-wobble, but all I know is that Flight Pattern moved me to my core, and was helped to that by the music, imperfect as it may have been...

 

 

I can only give you the CD version of the first movement as there is no visual reproduction. This is the stated tempo required by the composer. The London Sinfonietta version was to fast as well. Presumably RB to suit the choreographer. Hope this helps.

1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

I was expressing a difference of taste in a light-hearted way. I don’t think that gives permission to be rude.

A quote from 'Urban Dictionary' or any Dictionary cannot be considered rude when they merely provide a meaning.  Of course there are different musical tastes, which most people accept. Perhaps you did an injustice in describing yourself as a 'musical snob', when you are not at all ?  Sometimes difficult to detect what is 'light hearted', in writing, without the Imogi.

There remains the fact, that as of April 2019, Gorecki Symphony Number 3 remains the top of the CFM charts, which it first topped in 1992 and has remained there for most of the time since. Maybe CFM is not everyone's choice, but that's an extremely popular piece of music, impressing a significant proportion  of the population, even without your own support.

30 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

Well - I don’t want to fan any flames but I’m afraid I’m too much of a musical snob to like the piece in the first place, so that aspect didn’t bother me.

Not knowing what constituted a musical snob, I decided to Google it and this is what it told me :-

'a person who believes himself or herself an expert or connoisseur in a given field and is condescending toward or disdainful of those who hold other opinions or have different tastes regarding this field:' a musical snob.

So no surprises really, that it is only a belief.

On ‎09‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 11:57, Lizbie1 said:

Oh! A stray thought I had watching Flight Pattern was that I’d like to see Crystal Pite choreograph or even one day direct an opera - she’d use the chorus beautifully.

Unfortunately Flight Pattern does not use an Opera Score, it is based on a Symphony. And if you wish to see the extremely emotional and moving Gorecki Symphony No 3 destroyed, then this is a very admirable attempt. The Tempi was completely wrong, with Gorecki having stated that of Antoni Wit and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra being the right one.

The requirement for the Soprano is to hold a single note for extended periods across a the full range of the Soprano voice, at regular intervals. It is the opposite end of the scale to Belle Canto vocal acrobatics. This Soprano has a vocal 'woble' on extended notes, much the same as the infamous Callas 'Wobble', for which she was regularly booed when supposedly holding a note. This music has been the most requested score on CFM over the years, but this aberration can only diminish its popularity.

The Choreography amounted to nothing, with the Choreographer admitting in interview that she was playing out her own indulgence, but please not at the expense of wonderful music.

Gorecki may have turned in  his grave if he saw and heard this. Excerpt from a correct version below.

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

It was on the Bolshoi website but now seems to have gone. I managed to get through it before it vanished. I mostly enjoyed Carmen Suite, though I was somewhat confused by some parts of it. Why were the ensemble costumes half black & half coloured? Why no Micaela? How did Don Jose kill Carmen when he had no weapon but she acted like he'd stabbed her? Why did anyone think a pink polkadot shirt, bouffant hair & almost as much eye make-up as Carmen was a good look for Don Jose? Why did the cast look so unenthusiastic at the curtain calls? There didn't appear to be a smile between them!

 

I was expecing Petrushka to be a traditional production. It wasn't. I really disliked it & was counting the minutes until it ended.

Some of the questions need a little effort, but let me try. Costumes are often coloured, but on this occasion, left to right and not top to bottom. Michaela  is a character in Bizet's Carmen Opera, which varies from between 2.5 to 3 hours. She does not feature in the ballet suite however, because it is only circa 50 minutes, so some things have to go. Since her function is to deliver a letter, a kiss, a duet and an area (albeit a good one), her role was one of the things sacrificed.  I avoid comment on hair, since I am a member of the hair loss brigade.  See Etsy for polka dot shirt statements. Since the acid incident, there is a sensitivity at the Bolshoi about weapons and the staff refuse to stab with real knifes, they prefer to act the part. In truth, she looked like she had been stabbed because she was acting instead of being really stabbed. The initial curtain call appeared to be a very emotional affair, ( having just being stabbed), but by the last curtain call, I think the fifth, performers were very happy and laughing with plenty of bouquets handed over.

Petrushka was indeed a new production as you rightly observe. You can. no doubt advise us of the exact duration so that we can be assured that we weren't short changed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this programme and with the added bonus of archived footage of Maya Plisetskaya's original Carmen. I had argued with a friend that Carmen was not Latin American, but when I realised it was Cuban Choreography I had to accept his tenuous link.

I think there were about five curtain calls for Miss Zakharova and co, did anyone count them.

Like others I did like the earlier versions of Petrushka, including the Kirov version which I have on DVD. In this new version however, I found that I had much greater focus and appreciation of the musical score, I don't know why, perhaps it wasn't as 'busy' as the others.

I am really looking forward to the Bolshoi, tomorrow afternoon in Cinema, Carmen and Petrushka. Zakharova, Krysanova  and  all +++ cast.

42 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I felt as though I was sitting next to you (and all my other friends) in the cinema tonight!!

 

I loved (again) everything about Within the Golden Hour.  The whole cast was excellent.  In the preamble it was described as an abstract piece but I felt waves of emotional connection between Sarah Lamb and Alex Campbell.  I thought they looked fabulous together and I hope they are paired together in the future.

 

Having read so many comments I was unsure about how I was going to feel about Medusa.  I enjoyed it more than I expected to.  I thought Ryoichi Hirano was absolutely magisterial and Olivia Cowley was sublime.  Natalia Osipova was just stunning as Medusa, what an incredibly powerful performance.  I loved her connection on stage with Matthew Ball and I thought some of his close-up expressions were absolutely stunning.  @Sharon and I were sat next to each other in the cinema - she thought Matthew looked at Natalia, I thought he avoided looking at her.  You pays your money and you makes your choice!

 

I was completely, utterly and totally blown away by Flight Pattern.  I found it incredibly moving.

 

I particularly enjoyed the interval interview with Jonathan Lo talking about the music used for Flight Pattern.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing this programme on Tuesday evening.

Jan, Was it your enthusiastic tweet that I saw up there tonight on our giant Imax screen ?

35 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I felt as though I was sitting next to you (and all my other friends) in the cinema tonight!!

 

I loved (again) everything about Within the Golden Hour.  The whole cast was excellent.  In the preamble it was described as an abstract piece but I felt waves of emotional connection between Sarah Lamb and Alex Campbell.  I thought they looked fabulous together and I hope they are paired together in the future.

 

Having read so many comments I was unsure about how I was going to feel about Medusa.  I enjoyed it more than I expected to.  I thought Ryoichi Hirano was absolutely magisterial and Olivia Cowley was sublime.  Natalia Osipova was just stunning as Medusa, what an incredibly powerful performance.  I loved her connection on stage with Matthew Ball and I thought some of his close-up expressions were absolutely stunning.  @Sharon and I were sat next to each other in the cinema - she thought Matthew looked at Natalia, I thought he avoided looking at her.  You pays your money and you makes your choice!

 

I was completely, utterly and totally blown away by Flight Pattern.  I found it incredibly moving.

 

I particularly enjoyed the interval interview with Jonathan Lo talking about the music used for Flight Pattern.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing this programme on Tuesday evening.

The turning to stone thing is just a myth, a Greek one in fact. Modern science tells us that you have to be looking for between ten to twenty minutes before you actually turn to stone, dependent on your resistance, condition and the power of the gaze. The recovery rate is also very good.

I thought that everything about the Christopher Wheeldon production was magnificent. Beatrix, Franky and Miss Lamb, what a treat. As for the other two productions, my mother used to say to me, 'if you don't have anything kind to say, then best not say anything at all', so I will respect her values.

One of the funniest sequences of all time, in my opinion, by one of our best dancers. What fun Darcey is.

https://youtu.be/5-wVSK9KuLs

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

Thanks Stevie ... what fun!

Almost as good as watching Liverpool beat Barcelona 4:0 ?

Fingers crossed for the final.

2 minutes ago, alison said:

I could have done without all the hectic camerawork, though.  Made me feel quite queasy at times!

Or were you just trying out your fouettes again ?

1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said:

Loved this.  Thank you, Stevie.  Which theatre is it?

1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said:

Loved this.  Thank you, Stevie.  Which theatre is it?

This was a production for live Italian television in the maxi 1200 square meter studio of the former Milan trade fair.

On 09/05/2019 at 14:59, FLOSS said:

The advertisement for this new post would suggest that the ROH has received such a large number of complaints about the new website and the activities of those engaged in marketing that they have become concerned that their corporate narrative about "accessibility" is in danger of being completely undermined. The jargon in the advertisement merely disguises the fact that the ROH has little idea of what its core audience wants or will like and how to communicate effectively with it. Isn't it strange that the proposed solution to their problem isn't to dispense with the services of those responsible for fouling things up and souring the organisation's relationship with its regular audience but to create a new job. Presumably the person appointed will be line managed by the person or persons who either were told or formed the impression that their main task was to generate income rather than to provide the services and information which keen opera and ballet goers are entitled to expect from an organisation which claims to be  a world class opera house providing world class opera and ballet performances.

 

As a friend pointed out not so long ago the work which is now undertaken by a multitude of people with fatuous titles was once performed by a handful of staff under David Webster's direct control who managed through their knowledge of the world of opera and an understanding of the audience and its expectations to create a world class opera company with a chorus, orchestra, essential support staff, comprimario and house singers from scratch within the space of twenty years or so. This would have been no mean achievement in itself but during the same period Webster through employing the right people managed to stage world class productions and rehabilitate a number of major works which until that time had not been considered as being part of the essential operatic core repertory. I am told that on occasion Webster actually went up to the opera lovers in the cheap seats to apologise for staging a production which had obviously failed, acknowledging that those responsible for staging the piece "had not got it right". Of course apart from employing people who knew the opera business and how to do their job and having a ready made resident ballet company  the real difference is that Webster, almost certainly because of his commercial background running a department store, understood the value of repeat purchasers and had set out to cater for those who came back time and time again. He is said to have identified those who occupied the cheap seats as the house's core audience who attended because they loved opera and ballet rather than for the theatre's social cachet. Perhaps if those responsible for marketing had not become fixated on that part of the audience who attend the Opera House for an annual treat or to celebrate a special birthday it would not be advertising to recruit someone with this particular skill set. But in deciding that its primary objective was to maximise its income in any way it could including applying an apparently arbitrary pricing policy and that its primary role was as a caterer rather than a place where opera and ballet are staged it has managed to alienate rather a lot of people.

 

Perhaps the ROH should begin by asking itself why it has recently become incapable of communicating effectively with its repeat purchasers and keeping them happy? It did not have that problem two or three years ago.What has changed recently and who has created that change? In other words identify those who have created the current situation and dispense with their services and, if they are not one and the same person, dispense with those of the staff who signed off the new website which even now shows that the ROH's priorities lie in catering rather than live theatre. It needs to review what all its support staff actually do and get rid of those who are little better than hangers-on. It seems to me that when you strip the jargon away this new post encompasses activities which a well managed marketing department rather than one controlled by a Director of Media and Audiences would already be undertaking. A well managed marketing department would be able to communicate effectively with its potential audience because it had people with the requisite skills employed in it. It would understand the needs of its core audience and how it thinks. It would not need to recruit someone specifically to undertake work which is essential to its core function but then obviously as the marketing function is controlled by a Director of Media and Audiences it has clearly only just been discovered that the ability to persuade the occasional visitor to the opera house to buy a dinner or two is not quite enough to generate the income it needs.

Your post appears to advocate that consideration should not be made to the vast majority of public who through taxation, fund the Art Council Grant which helps to sustain the ROH, in favour of the minority who through their location in the UK are more able to avail themselves of the benefits of visiting. I am one of those, which you focus upon, who only attend the Opera House for my Annual 800 mile round trip treat and yet my contribution to Arts Council funding will be much the same as yours, with less benefit. 

Roberto Bolle and Elisa Badenes

https://youtu.be/KApm1TEo-GU

Gorecki third Symphony would still be extremely moving and emotional if Chubby Checker danced the twist to it. I have had the CD with Dawn Upshaw for years and seen it live with Gorecki present in the audience, but wrongly bought the DVD, which is horrific. I thought I strength for anything until I watched that.

Two new releases on separate discs for 31st May, both from Norwegian National Ballet and both based on Ibsen. Ghosts and Hedda Gabler, with new musical scores and Choreography by what appears at first sight, to be an all Norwegian team.

Looks like Ghosts is the earlier of the two productions, but both released at the same time.

We will see what they are like.

2 hours ago, John Mallinson said:

Nuñez and Muntagirov to sign copies of their Swan Lake dvd.

Great news, if I can find out when they are signing in Carlisle I will get my blu-ray ready and put the kettle on.

2 hours ago, John Mallinson said:

Nuñez and Muntagirov to sign copies of their Swan Lake dvd.

 

 

 

Watched the new Bolshoi Coppelia on Blu-Ray and although there is no booklet with cast or synopsis, no extras with bonus features or interviews, the Production quality and performances are stunning.

New upcoming release, 10th May, Preljocat - 'La Fresque' (painting on the wall). Never heard of it before so unknown territory for me. Anyone know it ?

1 minute ago, Richard LH said:

 

I would hope critics judge the work on its own merits  rather than according it praise based on a choreographer's other work, or that of the company concerned. In any event, it appears there was  no previous full-length ballet from Akram Khan  to influence them -   the  New York Times describes the origins of the work thus: "Glamorous ballerina takes over beleaguered ballet company, suffering from budget cuts and a second-string reputation. She hires a contemporary dance choreographer, who has almost no experience working with classically trained performers, to re-envision one of ballet’s most famous and best-loved pieces".

 

In fact I may have overstated the degree of praise that the work has gained - on further reading,  various published reviews are pretty mixed. 

I invariably trust my own enjoyment as apposed to media reviews. I actually enjoy 'The Rite of Spring' and Swan Lake didnt turn out to bad either.

5 hours ago, Ian Macmillan said:

Richard:  Perhaps this might help?   https://giselle.ballet.org.uk/the-story       Did Begoña Cao's magnificently imperious Bathilde make no impression?  (I will admit there was a clear division of opinion chez nous about the whole thing - but I've never been a Wili or, indeed, Bathilde.)

Ian, and I hope you never are.

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

I love, love, love Akram Khan's Giselle and the broadcast last night only enhanced my love of it even more.

 

I saw the first "preview" performance in Manchester plus the official first night and another performance and I saw it 4 times in Liverpool, including the 2 nights that were filmed.

 

What came across strongly to me watching last night was that "live" the lighting is much darker and much of the time the dancers are quite shadowy if not in silhouette.  Last night's broadcast made Giselle implying pregnancy much clearer.  Tamara Rojo was my favourite of the Khan Giselles and James Streeter, for me, is the definitive Albrecht.  Last night watching them in close-up I found their acting clear but never of the top and they both broke my heart.  Jeffrey Cirio was much more sinister in close-up as Hilarion - just WOW! Stina Quagebeur was just as terrifying as I remember and the corps of Wilis were outstanding.

 

It's not often that I am as taken with a filmed production as I am with watching a performance live, but along with Christopher Bruce's Swansong this performance achieved that.  

 

 

I suspect it would have got just as much praise from the critics as Akram Khan is very highly regarded and has had enormous success worldwide with his own company performing his productions.  His solo piece Desh remains one of my all-time favourite dance-watching highlights with Until the Lions running it a close second.

As strongly implied in the term 'critic', it is clear that they  get paid to be critical, whereas people like us write a critique about what we have enjoyed without prejudice or commercial interest. A critic finds fault whilst a critique looks for structure to find out what is working. I am right there with Jan on this one, having room for the classical version and the contemporary.