9 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Thank you very much. A quick Google indicates Grace Blundell is the one I think looks like Kirsten McNally.

 

I really enjoyed this evening's performances. The first two acts seemed to fly by. I thought Naghdi & Ball were both terrific (I think it's the first time I've seen them dance together live).

They are a great couple - I saw them together first a few years ago in Giselle and were wonderful 

2 minutes ago, Rachel H said:

I had a classic this afternoon.

 

I was sitting in Lower Slips Left, on an aisle. During act 2, just as 'the doll' comes to life, a bloke came and stood in the gap, which is against health and safety guidelines etc. I whispered 'Oh, that's not a standing place' in a calm way. Off he went. Fine. About a minute before act 3 started, his companion appeared. I put my hand on the rail, as she appeared in a very intimidating way. She then was virtually yelling at me about how rude I was, so I repeated, 'that's not a standing spot.' She then started yelling at me about my bags, but off she went. The bloke then reappeared, and started having a go in a loud voice, saying I was rude, I against health and safety, and making personal remarks about my weight (I am on the large side). It's not like he was exactly a pixie himself!!!' Other people along the row form me were gobsmacked at how rude the couple were too.

 

Needless to say, I reported both of them after the show to both the usher on the door, and the supervisor in the Amphi. Sad really. It's a shame, as it was a terrific show.

How horrid for you 

40 minutes ago, Sim said:

Oh my, oh my....what scintillating and fabulous debuts from Anna-Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambe just now. As far as I am concerned, Anna-Rose is now a principal in all but name.  A very special afternoon.  ❤️❤️

In the words of John Le Mesurier “that was all really rather lovely” 

A terrific afternoon

Hope that everyone who is going to either of the two performances today thoroughly enjoys. 

Despite a strike and engineering works the SWR service seems better than usual!

2 minutes ago, cavycapers said:

I stayed in a hotel in Kings Cross, easy for Coventry Garden,  and was absolutely amazed at how many restaurants and cafes and little shops were open on Christmas Day. 

That sounds lovely. 

1 hour ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

Well, after a few weeks of having to cancel outings due to flu, I got my ballet fix today with 'Dancing the Nutcracker'.  What a treat!  Hayward was adorable, as always, and these backstage insights are always so fascinating.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b086kdzl/dancing-the-nutcracker-inside-the-royal-ballet

I still have this on my Sky+ box from when it first aired - always fascinating to re-watch when I need a pick-me-up!

A very Happy Christmas to everyone here.

I have been a member for just over a year and it is so nice to read everyone's comments, and the joy (most of the time!) that ballet brings to us all.

2 hours ago, Richard LH said:

So sweet !   

 

Those are lovely photos. I was going to see them on the 31st but given all the issues with transport thought that it would be taking a risk. Going on Saturday for the matinee instead but will have to battle with a strike and major engineering works at Guildford. Perhaps if I set off today I might make it in time!

1 hour ago, capybara said:

 

The audience member sitting next to me last night slipped out quietly at the break after the first movement of Concerto for fear of coughing too loudly in the second movement.

So there are some very considerate people around.

Well done them. As Dawnstar has said it was one person after another during Concerto's second movement. Obviously that is a very quiet piece but still. 

I was in the GT and it sounded like they were coming from that level. 

4 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I only wish more people had stopped breathing. It might have reduced the incessant coughing that plagued both Second Movements yesterday!

 

 

 

Glad you mentioned the coughing - I think sometimes people don't even try and suppress it

4 hours ago, LinMM said:

MJW just to say am impressed you can run up the Covent Garden stairs .  ..there are an awful lot of them! 
It reminds me of a rather long time ago now the station lifts were not working for months and people were warned that they would have to use the stairs. At that time a friend and myself attended a class near Covent Garden tube and took great pride in trying to run up the steps there! A nice pre class warm up! 
Well those were the days ....I’d probably have to be rescued half way up these days ...though in reality wouldn’t even try ..would have to resign to walking from Leicester Sq. 

 

Can't say it did me much good! Saturday I had to run across Waterloo Bridge as it chucked it down and I had no umbrella

9 hours ago, LinMM said:

Going to this triple bill yesterday was already a delayed visit from earlier in the running of this programme when the ROH very kindly moved my ticket to this performance as I was still recovering from the broken ankle and at that time was not ready for the general onslaught of London!

So yesterday I set off from Brighton station on the Gatwick Express at quarter to four thinking would arrive at the ROH with loads of time at least an hour and a half for a nice cup of tea and a bit of a relax before the performance. No such luck 😬

Just before we got to East Croydon the train stopped and there it stopped for nearly an hour before we learned that there was a signal failure but things might get moving soon. We saw other trains suddenly start to whizz past so hopes started to rise. Then we were moving ...hoorah onwards to Victoria we all thought. However after about four mins we arrived at East Croydon station where we stopped again and then discovered we had been terminated for the day. 

There followed a series of up and down stairs and over to platforms where a trains for Victoria was just coming but then sadly all terminated at East Croydon.....including once where we were all told to get on a train a dead cert for Victoria only for five minutes later to all be told to get off again 😩 

It finally became clear to passengers and Staff alike that there WERE NO TRAINS going to Victoria. 

So finally had to head for London Bridge instead and spent the time trying to work out the least worse option to get to Covent Garden from there. I'm still not that good on stairs so the thought of too many more that evening was not exactly appealing.

By the time got to London Bridge it was nearly 6.30pm so had more or less given up on being on time for Concerto but decided if got a taxi there was an outside chance but looking at the queue. .....

Anyway I decided to ask if there was anyone else going to Covent Garden and there was....a young lady fairly near the head of the queue ...she was happy to share a taxi and I had given up all moral considerations about queue jumping etc by that point so finally made it to the theatre ( the young lady was going to a nearby restaurant not the theatre but was fascinated by the idea of going to a ballet ....and was keen to hear about one of my favourites .....she had never heard of Shostakovich in fact but was going to look him up.... and the ballet later! 

 However it looked like Shostakovitch was going to pass me by that evening as arrived at the ROH at 7.05pm 

I dashed to the cloakroom and rushed back to the foyer in the hope that it may not have started ....but it had. 

" You'll have to go and watch it on the Monitor" a young lady told me. I couldn't help but exclaim my despair of missing one of my favourites and the whole sorry story of the struggle to get there came out. Was there not any chance of sneaking into standing I asked. 

And that's when Salvatore came in. Ahhh it is Christmas time he said .... I know somewhere ...a quick exchange with the young lady and with that  I was whisked up to the Grand Tier and in a space right along the back I was aloud to stand!! The only one there! 

 

This was a good ten minutes or so in but just caught one of Anna Rose's solo pieces but I was still arriving mentally during the first piece really so won't comment. But was there to see Nagdhi and Hirano's beautiful second movement and then the absolute delight of Fumi Kaneko in the third movement. She is just such a joy always has so much time and space in her dancing ....that was certainly one of the best third movements I've seen. 

It was nice to finally get to my seat in the Balcony for the rest of the evening. I enjoyed the Elgar with some fine performances of their characters from Calvin Richardson, Matthew Ball, Bennet Gartside, Morera and Saunders and Anna Rose and Magri really shone in theirs. 

This is a gentle piece almost understated and must be quite difficult for the cast to bring it together in a cohesive fashion especially with changes of casting as creating a meaningful atmosphere between the characters in a work like this  is not easy. It would be nice to see this ballet a bit more often so one is not always having to renew ones acquaintance with it. But a lovely gentle soft gem of a piece. 

Raymonda is the complete opposite of course full of panache and "look at me" stuff. 

I had forgotten how beautiful the set and costumes were ....so impressive when the curtain went up. And I thoroughly  enjoyed the Czardas from Arestis and Nicol Williamson..... ( I think ...have left cast sheet in London 😬) I thought it looked really good 

Fumi was outstanding in her solo ....again ....but all were danced well. The four boys together piece was excellent from Hay Corrales Acri and really sorry I've forgotten the 4th dancer's name  but all were pretty equal and together....though it always wants to make me laugh a bit where they all take it in turns to do the turns one by one in a line across the stage. The first time I saw this ballet a young Wayne Eagling was one of the four!! 

But in this Raymonda the night belonged to Nunez and Muntagirov....absolutely fab dancing from these two....and that solo with the "claps" is one of my favourites ...gorgeous music and so expressive. Nunez was just perfect in this completely in control ...she could do whatever she wanted with it. The two of them together were such a joy. 

So joy to end the day ...Thankyou Royal Ballet. And although afterwards I set of for the bus stop I decided to spoil myself with another taxi  in the end and was very glad I was staying in London that night. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can sympathise - I had a similar problem with my train to London when I went to the mixed bill last month and just managed to miss the start by a few minutes, despite running up the stairs at Covent Garden tube! Hence why I decided to book again for today's matinee ! 

This from ROH's You Tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dYUHfcM-Sg

There are also videos with interviews and behind the scenes footage which were broadcast during the cinema screening

1 hour ago, EVWS said:

Cast changes for this week have just been announced: 

 

Our records show that you are due to attend a performance of Concerto / Enigma Variations / Raymonda Act III. We are contacting you to let you know about the following cast changes:

 

Friday 20 December, 1:30pm

Beatriz Stix-Brunell is replaced by Isabella Gasparini, and Tierney Heap is replaced by Fumi Kaneko in Concerto. 

Yasmine Naghdi is replaced by Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Dorabella in Enigma Variations.

 

Friday 20 December, 7pm

Akane Takada is replaced by Anna Rose O’Sullivan in Concerto. 

Got this notification too. Still plenty of seats available 

1 hour ago, HelenLoveAppleJuice said:

Is it going to broadcast again? I thought next one in cinema is Lauren's nutcracker

There is a repeat screening on the 19th

Watching at a cinema screening - how joyful is Marianela?

looking forward to seeing it live at the end of December 

53 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Mr O’Hare came out and said he’d been taken ill and advised not to dance today 

What a shame for James - glad I managed to catch them both in rehearsal. They make a fine pairing

Some pics from the RoH's Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72157711978297698

49 minutes ago, Rob S said:

What a fab opening act, some very humorous bits in it, particularly in the closing moments with the appearance of the ladder and the girls going in to the house. I just wish I wasn’t sat next to someone rummaging through a packet of Dairy Milk Caramel Nibbles through much of it. Then he had a drink. Then he had a look at his programme about two minutes before the end of the Act. 

What a pain in the proverbial. Hopefully an usher will sort him out!

I was going to try and upload the seating plan for the Spring Season but the pdf is too big! Will try and shrink it or something at work tomorrow

I appreciate this is not on topic but...I was aware that this series was on YouTube, just hadn't got round to watching it (I do remember it when it was aired). Fascinating to see how the House looked before the 1990s renovations.  

Just had this in

Insights

The dates of the below Insights which were unknown at the time of your Spring magazine going to print have now been confirmed as:

The Royal Opera House in Rehearsal on 22 April 2020
Elektra on 12 May 2020  
Behind the Scenes - Film & Broadcast on 13 May 2020 

Four further Insights have also been added to the Programme:

In Conversation with Antonio Pappano on 27 January 2020, Linbury Theatre 
In Conversation with David Hallberg on 19 March 2020, Clore Studio
In conversation with Francesca Hayward on 6 April 2020, Linbury Theatre
Behind the Scenes Hair, Wigs and Make-up on 30 April 2020, Clore Studio

40 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

When I got the first email I thought maybe he’d accepted a role in a film like Francesca Hayward did...then the second one came through and they’re just swapping dates 

I got the first, not the second! 

5 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

 

I think you've misinterpreted the cast change.  Calvin Richardson is replaced by Marcelino Sambé in the first cast's four performances.  He replaces Marcelino Sambé in the other two.

Yes I know - the email doesn't say that though.

6 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

Just received from the ROH:

Our records show that you are due to attend a performance of The Cellist/Dances at a Gathering. We are contacting you to let you know about the following cast changes:

Friday 28 February, 7.30pm
Wednesday 4 March, 7.30pm

Marcelino Sambé is replaced by Calvin Richardson.

 

Edited to add that I've checked the casting on the production page and Marcelino Sambé is now down to do the first cast - i.e. they've just swapped casts.

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/the-cellist-dances-at-a-gathering-dates

 

 

That's interesting - the email which I too have just had implies that Calvin Richardson has been replaced in all four performances not that there has been a swap ! Don't they proof read these messages before sending them?