Romeo And Juliet, Yasmine Naghdi; Matthew Ball; Royal Ballet, listed on Amazon for 28th May release

Now streaming on BBC iplayer.

Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev star in a performance of Sir Frederick Ashton's ballet Marguerite and Armand, which was inspired by Dumas's love story La Dame aux Camelia

19 hours ago, Jeannette said:

 

Update: There is now a Youtube option for watching the Joffrey’s Bolero tonight, although I can’t tell if it will remain up after the initial airing.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDaTgOkW-SJShYCqHR7jsKA

An exceptional production, thanks for the tip. And she can keep my white shirt, it looks much better than it ever did on me. 😁

1 hour ago, Jeannette said:

On a more positive note from the USA...

 

Ballet West continues its Friday evenings of free streams tonight at 6pm est (11pm UK) with Garrett Smith’s classical Facades, to baroque music - viewable for an entire week via its YouTube channel:

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh9GSKCxKmaY49wgZxOp1Dg

 

From the look of snippets seen elsewhere on Youtube, this is a tutu-and-pointes ballet...bright red tutus, to be exact. Whee! 🎉 

 

Sneak peak from the choreographer’s own Youtube site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNLXkhgP0L8

 

 

 

I used to confuse these with the Ballet West located at Taynault in the West of Scotland, but now aware that there are two companies with the same name. I have only seen the Scottish one who are mainly training with a limited number of performances.

42 minutes ago, oncnp said:

POB addresses diversity....

 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/feb/08/paris-opera-to-overhaul-recruitment-practices-in-diversity-push

The article mentions Millepied without mention of his fate. Do you recall the headline. 'Benjamin Millepied is about to dramatically shake up, upset and rejuvenate the prestigious French institution, l’Opéra National de Paris, as he prepares to unveil his first ballet.'

Well he was shaken off without shaking much up, but he did upset them. The inside workings then, of POB were slightly revealed in the film RESET.

It looks like a tall order to ring changes there. We will wait and see what the outcome is.

 Another good insight is in the film La Dance into POB workings, which takes us through the workings, dancers training through to costume making, painters, bee keepers, canteen, including all the issues of pay, pension rights, status, strike action, etc, etc..

14 minutes ago, SheilaC said:

Rojo's Raymonda rather proves my point! How on earth can a ballet about Florence Nightingale ( a woman who spent much of her life in bed- but presumably the plot will focus on her active nursing, and possibly the long struggle before then to persuade her aristocratic parents to let her become a nurse, in those days a job regarded as sex worker) use the Petipa choreography ?

Presumably by substituting the Crimea for the Crusades. Raymonda was first performed in 1898, 42 years after the Crimean war ended and a relevant period. It states that it is in the spirit of Florence Nightingale, not a ballet about Florence Nightingale. It also says it takes the score of Alexander Glazunov and the classical choreography of Marius Petipa, which is good enough. Although a beautiful score and choreography, the original synopsis of Raymonda never provided suspension of disbelief. One day we will be able to see for ourselves.

The Entract is amazing and I cant wait to see and hear it.

https://youtu.be/5n6X5HBEYCQ

1 hour ago, oncnp said:

 

….and if you'd like to help them out,  the production is shortlisted (https://www.fedora-platform.com/discover/shortlist/raymonda/340) for the Fedora Van Cleef & Arpels Prize for Ballet, along with BRB's Hotel and the Edinburgh Festival/Scottish Ballet Coppelia in the Digital Age. The prize is 50,000 GBP. 

20 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

….and if you'd like to help them out,  the production is shortlisted (https://www.fedora-platform.com/discover/shortlist/raymonda/340) for the Fedora Van Cleef & Arpels Prize for Ballet, along with BRB's Hotel and the Edinburgh Festival/Scottish Ballet Coppelia in the Digital Age. The prize is 50,000 GBP.  You do have to register. 

They don't exactly make it simple to vote. Having to open an account first ??? However, looks like the best thing on the list to vote for. I hadn't realised that Tamara had choreographed it.

10 hours ago, SheilaC said:

I hope ENB do show La Sylphide again soon, Alison, but my fear is that companies will in the future only show classics that are safe, in terms of ticket revenue, so rep would be limited to Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker: Sylphide has never sold well. And most ballet companies (ENB, Scottish, BRB under Acosta, even the Royal) seem to be giving increased emphasis to more contemporary works, possibly under Arts Council pressure, and showing fewer 'heritage' works.

 

Returning to the Polish National Ballet galas, in each of them Dawid Trzensimiech, who longstanding Royal fans will remember well, dances 2 pieces, a mix of classical and contemporary ballet. He's on good form.

The last production by ENB before they were placed into enforced shutdown was to be Raymonda. I have seen nothing during the ensuing period to indicate any change of direction or policy, just the will to get back to work and back to normal.  So, long may they support the classics as well as contemporary. It would be a waste of the production costs if they didn't complete the program when allowed.  

1 hour ago, Jeannette said:

Exciting streaming announcement from my native island 🌴 of Puerrrto Rrrrrico!

 

Ballets de San Juan - the first ballet troupe that I saw live, in 1962 - has been streaming works that premiered during their most recent shows (Dec 2020) at Centro de Bellas Artes. Up next: Amores (Loves), by esteemed local choreographer Ramon Molina, to the music of Cuba’s Ernesto Lecuona. Among the dancers are guest artists Nayara Lopes (first soloist of Pennsylvania Ballet - a personal fave of mine!) and Telmo Moreiro (principal of Orlando Ballet and Prix Lausanne winner).

 

Link to BSJ’s Youtube page, which goes up this Thursday, 4 February, at 8pm EST (1am Friday in UK)...but it will be up for 24 hours...so catch it while you can...for FREE!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb4eY3OCDB0

I had not heard of this company before, let alone seen them, so I checked them out. Looking at the cold and snow through my window,  it put me in a holiday mood when I watched Ballet Nostalgia Borincana and a few other things, so have set my timer. Many thanks.

9 minutes ago, DanJL said:

This was briefly streamed during the first lockdown and was wonderful. So I expect / hope it's the same version. Also featuring Martina Arduino, so similar to the casting of their Giselle.

It's released by C Major and this is the C Major clip. Perhaps you can recognise it'

https://youtu.be/_D4fx6M_7G8

This is possibly the version of Le Corsair starring Nicoletta Manni, by Anna- Marie Holmes. If so, the you-tube tasters look very promising.

3 minutes ago, DanJL said:

The first Royal Ballet gala was certainly in front of a selected audience. I had forgotten this originally. The second set of gala type performances were intended to be in front of a paying audience, but only one night was possible due to the lockdown. However a further night was filmed and streamed (on stage) with only a small number of ROH staff in the audience.

 

I think the original point that these are difficult times and that performing in front of an empty theatre is very difficult was well made to be honest. I also echo an earlier post in greatly appreciating all companies who stream content for us in these times. I did enjoy the POB gala, but was just a little confused by some aspects of the presentation, which I decided to explore in case there was a useful style explanation. It seems like there probably wasn't. Maybe it was even a function of my mood at the time I watched it. I haven't seen much by POB, but I will be exploring further and may even re-watch this gala if I have chance before it disappears 🙂

3 minutes ago, DanJL said:

The first Royal Ballet gala was certainly in front of a selected audience. I had forgotten this originally. The second set of gala type performances were intended to be in front of a paying audience, but only one night was possible due to the lockdown. However a further night was filmed and streamed (on stage) with only a small number of ROH staff in the audience.

 

I think the original point that these are difficult times and that performing in front of an empty theatre is very difficult was well made to be honest. I also echo an earlier post in greatly appreciating all companies who stream content for us in these times. I did enjoy the POB gala, but was just a little confused by some aspects of the presentation, which I decided to explore in case there was a useful style explanation. It seems like there probably wasn't. Maybe it was even a function of my mood at the time I watched it. I haven't seen much by POB, but I will be exploring further and may even re-watch this gala if I have chance before it disappears 🙂

Thanks Dan, such a relief that someone understood the point I was making. I will now concentrate my efforts into persuading Donald Trump that he didn't win the election. 😂

58 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

I may be missing the point but the 13 Nov stream that I saw (Within the Golden Hour) was clearly on the ROH stage so I think qualifies as a gala......

 The original point that you believe to have missed, is that the Royal Ballet performed their Gala in front of a live audience on 9th October and this contrasted with the POB Gala being in front of an empty theatre.

The distraction of the 13th Nov performance, not in front of a live audience, not really relevant, because we were in lockdown and was introduced later. I cant think of a better explanation

 See attached extract from Royal Ballet Live on 13th Nov. This is really only a distraction from the original point being made

https://youtu.be/XwDax5tmFtw

Attached below is the Gala from the 9th October and you can clearly hear the applause from the live audience.

https://youtu.be/eEV-WOnJv2U

11 hours ago, Stevie said:

England's second lockdown started on Thursday November the 5th, almost a month after the Royal Ballet presented their Gala performance, to a live audience on 9th October. At that time there was great optimism that things were gradually getting back to some form  of normality. Alas, it wasn't to be and hence the POB being reduced to a Gala in front of nearly 2000 empty seats.

 

 

The initial discussion was around the differences between performing in front of a live audience and an empty theatre. The live theatre streaming on 13th November was filmed in the isolation of a rehearsal studio and hence not a Gala as such. That is yet again very different to performing in front of a large empty theatre. 

1 hour ago, capybara said:

Yes, correct Stevie. I was mentioning the 13th November and put IIRC because I wasn’t absolutely sure. The UK was definitely in lockdown then.

 

England's second lockdown started on Thursday November the 5th, almost a month after the Royal Ballet presented their Gala performance, to a live audience on 9th October. At that time there was great optimism that things were gradually getting back to some form  of normality. Alas, it wasn't to be and hence the POB being reduced to a Gala in front of nearly 2000 empty seats.

2 hours ago, capybara said:

The Royal Ballet’s gala, which was streamed on the 13th Nov did not IIRC have an audience.

 

But, no matter, each and every offering is appreciated at the moment. So thank you POB.

Attached extract from Royal Opera House news update. 

"The Royal Ballet is Back on Stage and returns for a special live-streamed celebration performance on Friday 9 October at 7.30pm BST.

This milestone performance follows one of the most challenging periods for the Royal Opera House and will be treated as an important pilot on the road back to public performances adhering to government guidelines. A specially, socially distanced audience, including student and health workers, will join us in a first live performance with an audience since the beginning of lockdown."

4 hours ago, DanJL said:

Sorry, I wasn't thinking of the Grand Defile. I did wonder if it was due to the lack of audience, which as you say would understandably have an effect. I just found it a contrast to the joy of the dancing in the Royal Ballet galas and genuinely wondered if it might be an artistic decision - to let the steps speak for themselves.

The Royal Ballet Gala from October, unlike this POB Gala, did benefit from an appreciative audience, albeit made up mainly of school children and health workers. A completely different atmosphere for performing artists to react. 

I compare with the performance of football teams, playing mainly in empty stadiums.

1 hour ago, DanJL said:

I've just seen the POB gala. I'm not familiar at all with POB. I enjoyed and thought the dancing was beautiful and precise from start to finish, but at the same time I have to confess I didn't feel a lot of personality from the dancing - the facial expressions were generally very blank. Is this a deliberate style choice?

Did you not notice all that facial expression underneath their face masks ?

It is very difficult for artists to perform in an empty theatre of this size without the atmosphere created by a large audience. They coped extremely well under the circumstances.

16 hours ago, Naomi M said:

Paris Opera Ballet's Gala is already available for streaming.

https://chezsoi.operadeparis.fr/videos/gala-ouverture

 

Ballet Defile
Choreography: Albert Aveline, Serge Lifar
Music: Hector Berlioz

 

Grand pas Classique
Choreography: Victor Gsovsky
Music: Daniel-François E. Auber
Costumes: created by CHANEL

 

In the night
Choreography: Jerome Robbins
Music: Frédéric Chopin
Costumes: Anthony Dowell

The vertiginous thrill of exactitude
Choreography: William Forsythe
Music: Franz Schubert
Costumes: Stephen Galloway

 

Distributions
Grand pas Classique
Valentine Colasante, Etoile Dancer
Hugo Marchand, Etoile Dancer

 

In the night
1st pas de deux:
Ludmila Pagliero, Dancer Etoile
Mathieu Ganio, Dancer Etoile
2nd pas de deux:
Léonore Baulac, Dancer Etoile
Germain Louvet, Dancer Etoile
3rd pas de deux:
Alice Renavand, Dancer Etoile
Stéphane Bullion, Dancer Etoile

 

The vertiginous thrill of exactitude
Amandine Albisson, Etoile Dancer
Ludmila Pagliero, Etoile Dancer
Paul Marque, Etoile Dancer
Hannah O'Neill, 

Pablo Legasa

One of the best treats for me since lockdown started.

Hamburg Ballet, John Neumeier, 'Ghost Light', is available to pre order for a 19/03/21 release date on Amazon. As far as I am aware, it is the only new full length ballet to be produced during the Covid 19 epidemic. Set to the music of Franz Schubert, the entire company are performing, the only contact is between those that are married or couples. A Ballet in the Time of Corona, Ghost Light is the glow of hope during hard times.

Currently available free on Amazon Prime is 'Raymonda'  from POB starring Marie Agnes Gillot and Jose Martinez

Virtual Scottish Highland Dancing during lockdown

https://youtu.be/VgMoCHDOpQM

8 hours ago, Naomi M said:

 

Still Life at the Penguin Cafe is from 7:00am in UK so maybe a little more practical time? 

What is it being shown on ?

1 hour ago, Jeannette said:

At this point in time, I’d be grateful to see anything BUT a Nutcracker! 😂 

Happy New Year -2021, please!!!

Just wait a week and watch Sleeping Beauty. When Marianela appears as Lilac Fairy, you just know everything will be alright.☺️

4 hours ago, Balletfanp said:

I was getting very irritated by the camera angles - why would we want to see a view from the side, for heaven’s sake?? And the sound was completely out of synch with the dancers in the pas de Deux part of the the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. Thankfully they had sorted it by the time they did their solos and coda. But Muntagirov had to cut off the end of his manage because there was no room on the stage for him to finish it.

 

All that said, I’ll take what I can get at the moment!

I am very grateful for ALL the events given to us in the times of this coronavirus pandemic thread, and to be in sufficient good health to be able to enjoy them. I suspect my 91 year old friend would have appreciated this Gala, were he not in a neurological hospital being treated for delirium, brought on by Covid infection.