MJW

Yet more strikes announced - BBC News - "Members of the RMT union from 14 train operators will strike on 16, 18 and 30 March, and 1 April, the start of the Easter school holidays for many."

James Hay is an excellent Mercutio in it.

Thank you for taking the time to contact ROH and for updating us.

Just to forewarn you, I've had this message from the BM about next week - If you are planning to visit the Museum next week, I wanted to make you aware of the possibility that our ability to open the exhibitions and galleries may be affected by strike activity.The Museum’s Director, Hartwig Fischer, has issued a statement about how strike activity may affect our ability to open exhibitions and galleries between 13 and 19 February. You can read the full statement here.How will this impact me if I am planning to visit next week?We will be working very hard to try to open the Museum each day and to ensure that, wherever possible, we can maintain access to Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt. We will need time in the morning to assess the impact of the strikes. We will then update our website by 11am daily with the latest information about what is open to Members and the public.What about the Member late night and early morning viewings of the Hieroglyphs exhibition?We have taken the difficult decision to cancel our late night and early morning viewings of the Hieroglyphs exhibition on 13 February and 18 February. This is to avoid last minute inconveniece and is not a decision taken lightly.We recognise that this uncertainty will be disappointing. As Members, your satisfaction is our first priority, and we are happy to speak with anyone whose enjoyment of their Membership is affected next week.Thank you again for your support of the Museum.

Managed to get round to seeing this exhibition today at the BM. It ends on the 19th Feb and if you can I would recommend it. I would however caution it can get quite crowded and I had to go back and forth to see exhibits when there were fewer people around them. The BM website link - https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/hieroglyphs-unlocking-ancient-egypt My photos - https://www.instagram.com/p/CoaN_xrIRUU/

I thought it was being streamed tonight but I can't see anything mentioned.

From the ROH's Flickr - "Secret Things" https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72177720305821114 Not quite sure what Brayden Gallucci is wearing !

Unfortunately it doesn't https://www.juliahansrausingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/JHRT-Funding-Allocation-2021.pdf.

I don't think they do that much. Some companies advertise that they support Britain's Olympic team for example ("Proud supporters of...etc etc") but otherwise they seem pretty reticent in advertising their support for the arts etc. Unfortunately we don't have the tax breaks here in the UK that I understand the US does for charitable giving.

According to their charity's funding statement, the Rausings have given £3million over the past two years to the ROH.

I'm sure people do anyway, but I would urge anyone to report anything as mentioned above to ROH. If the management is not aware of rules being enforced properly etc etc, then the situation won't improve. With regard to young children, I can't see anything specific mentioned regarding "relaxed" rules for SB but the website states "Children age five and above are permitted into our auditoria. They must have their own ticket and sit next to an accompanying adult. Some events are open to families with children younger that five. This will be clearly stated on the production or event web page" I have a nephew and niece of 10 and 7 and would be very happy to take them to see something but I'm certain they would be bored after a while and unlike a DVD, a live production can't be paused to go and do something else half way through!

Just received a survey from the ROH in particularly regarding how seat prices affect decisions. Rather complicated 10 scenarios for different for five ballets. Rather disturbingly £200 for a seat was mentioned quite often. Hopefully responses will put paid to that !

Most of them are - but others (including last year's programme for the RBS summer performance was very poor). I have a whole pile of them at home and they are a nice memento of a visit. I usually keep a copy of the cast list with it.

Not that this is any excuse (and frankly people shouldn't need to be asked or reminded), but I can't recall the usual request for the audience to switch off their phones during the performance.

Several phones went off during today's general of The Barber of Seville (my first opera!). Friends and their guests not setting a very good example!

If the BP-sponsorship was solely for the Big Screen performances and if they have now ended, surely ROH and BP could find something else to sponsor? A discount for performances (eg Travelex at the National Theatre). The list is endless!

I can't access the full article but I certainly agree with the extract. ROH is not the only arts organisation to have ditched BP and the British Museum is under pressure to do so as well. And this in today's Telegraph (firewall) - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/29/covent-garden-stick-opera-ballet-leave-preaching-extinction/

They do - I’m going to the rehearsal !

I see there are still quite a few seats available for the Cinderella Gala. Do the Galas tend to sell out quickly?

I agree wholeheartedly with your comments regarding the Two Pigeons (esp with Hay and Naghdi). Its a shame the most recent run when it was paired with Asphodel Meadows wasn't filmed. Perfection.

Although giving four stars, Mark Monahan is another reviewer not overly keen on SB! Also rather harsh on Claire Calvert.

I have travelled during one of the strike days in December (RMT) and was able to travel by getting a bus to the closest working station. Unfortunately with an ASLEF strike, clearly no trains can run without drivers so presumably the network will be even more badly affected. According to ASLEF's website the trains companies subject to the strike are: The companies affected include Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; London North Eastern Railway; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; South Western Railway (depot drivers only); SWR Island Line; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains.

I have only seen the current version which I first saw in 2014. How does this version differ from the previous incarnations, and how similar is it to the 1946 originally danced at Covent Garden? I have had a look at ROHCollections which gives a lot of useful background detail https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/Work.aspx?work=1344 Are any of the previous versions available online?

From the ROH's Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72177720305277015

Or indeed film it in the first place!