MJW

27 minutes ago, JNC said:

Gorgeous, thanks for sharing. 

 

I especially love the pictures of the trailing back of the dress from A Month in the Country, and the Symphony in C all arms in alignment! 

 

I follow Rachel on instagram and for those who have it highly recommend giving her a follow as there's lots more of these pictures there! And if you don't have instagram, it's worth joining up to see behind the scenes pictures from the likes of Rachel and the dancers themselves! 

Ditto !

14 minutes ago, HelenLoveAppleJuice said:

Raymonda act 3 will be cast Osipova/Muntagirov for screening.

 

It is not a full ballet but truly very classic.

 

I suggest it may be a time to try some new channels like broadcast some ballets though paid Youtube Live channel rather than cinema. Renting cinemas are expensive. And we may broadcast more and make our dancer more exposed. Russian audience often film the performance (I don't support that) and upload online. It certainly brings a lot for their dancers...

I'd agree regarding YouTube - interestingly the RoH uploaded the cinema broadcast of the Marriage of Figaro on YouTube for a time-limited period. Perhaps they could do the same with the Royal Ballet's broadcasts?

Some pictures from the School's Flickr account

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royalballetschool/albums/72157709900307211

Sort of relevant to the discussions - received this message earlier today - 

We look forward to opening booking tomorrow morning for Autumn Season rehearsals, allowing you to book additional tickets up to the maximum of four tickets per Friend across the Autumn Season.

We’re aware that some Friends have experienced issues with buying tickets online in this priority booking period; we are sorry for the inconvenience caused and are working to resolve the issue. To give yourself the best chance of buying tickets quickly, Friends are advised to avoid refreshing the rehearsals page or attempting to buy tickets before booking opens at 9am. Simply go to the website after 9am, ensuring you are logged into your account, and then click the buy buttons without refreshing. You'll then be taken to select your seats as usual. 

We hope you enjoy our wonderful Autumn Season at the Royal Opera House and look forward to welcoming you here very soon. 

Sorry ! Should have looked more closely before posting...

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lilian-hochhauser-to-think-i-knew-shostakovich-fcj8mvf98

People might find this quite interesting - it can be read without a subscription.

I see that everyone else had problems this morning booking rehearsals and it wasn't down to my employer's website! After refreshing the rehearsals page after 9am to book, everything disappeared. After 5 mins of frantic refreshing I was eventually able to get in the queue only for it to "pause" for about 15mins. Thankfully I was able to get a good seat in the Balcony for  Sleeping Beauty (which came as a surprise as I thought Friends rehearsals were limited to the amphitheatre. Obviously not).

Well just got back home and thank you to those who said I ought to go as that was thoroughly enjoyable! Very impressive performances all round and nice to see pieces I haven't seen before.

I recognised some of the dancers from the Cunning Little Vixen earlier in the year and it will be nice to follow the careers of those joining the RB next season as Aud Jebsen dancers.

I am sure there were many very proud parents, grandparents and other family members today/

Given the comments earlier about booking problems, I was a bit worried about being able to book this morning when Friends Booking opened (especially as I had to book at work on my employer's slower system) but thankfully it was fine. Just need a mortgage to cover the cost!

Just had this confirmation from RoH

PART 1 13:30 – 14:38 1 HOUR 06 MINUTES

INTERVAL  14:38 – 15:03 25 MINUTES

PART 2 15:03 – 16:12 1 HOUR 09 MINUTES

CURTAIN CALLS  16:12 – 16:17  5 MINUTES

TOTAL RUNNING TIME = 2 HOURS 47 MINUTES

Silly question but the website is no help - does anyone know the running time for Sunday?

On 02/07/2019 at 15:23, Duck said:

A late addition to the thread as I saw this triple bill in a nearby cinema on Sunday.

Within the Golden Hour. I just loved Beatriz Stix-Brunell’s playful, joyful, flirtatious smile, and this 1st PDD remains, together with the ensuing male duet (superb dancing by David Donnelly & Teo Dubreuil), my favourite part of this work. I like the shape of the dresses for the female dancers but actually prefer the colour palette of the previous costume design as I think this was slightly more colourful. They didn’t announce the cast changed on screen but, thankfully, earlier posts here did point them out. Views of the full stage were rather sombre (whereas close-ups and interviews came across perfectly fine in terms of lighting), I don’t remember whether I felt the same when I saw this work live on stage at The Royal Opera House. Beautiful relaxed music. All in all, I was very happy to see this piece again.

Medusa. I am part of the minority that enjoyed this work. Great lighting effects, lights from the top for the bowls on the floor, dancing in light shafts, dancers hiding behind and pursuing others around the columns. Striking, beautiful costumes for the female dancers (I barely recognised Olivia Cowley) … I am less convinced of the costumes for the male dancers though. I found it refreshing that the assault on Medusa was shown symbolically rather than graphically, and the same applies to the beheading. I found the choreography for these scenes pretty creative, and the drama came across pretty well in my view. Finally, I found the final solo very moving (not sure about the role of the bowl though).

Flight Pattern. The first time that I’ve seen this, wow, just wow, utterly compelling. I hadn’t welled up watching ballet or dance for quite some time, and there I just couldn’t help it. A group of people shuffling along, in despair, in the dark, sleeping out in the open, being tossed around by the sea, helping each other struggle on. The woman deeply traumatised, mourning the loss of a child/ baby, of hope/ dreams, and so many others joining in. The man doing his best to help, and yet unable to do much in this apocalyptic environment. Superb performance by the whole cast and in particular by Kristen McNally and Marcelino Sambe.

Much looking forward to the DVD next year.

Last but not least, I quite enjoyed the interviews this time, in particular as I found that the interaction between Darcey Bussell and Ore Oduba worked very well.

 

Couldn't agree more; it was a last minute decision to go and see this live and I was so glad I did !

2 hours ago, Richard LH said:

John you got me going there for a moment, thinking I had missed the date. I see  however it is just Premium 2 Friends who can book from today...

I had a bit of a panic as well !

What interesting lists everyone has! I've only been going to the ballet over the last few years so what I have seen thus far is somewhat limited (34 so far) but I would be very happy to see these most (if not every) year 

Two Pigeons

Within the Golden Hour

Symphonic Variations 

Les Patineurs 

55 minutes ago, JennyTaylor said:

Thank you, I posted via my phone, so brevity was necessary, especially as I hadn't sorted out charging any of my devices at that point., but was so overcome by the performance, I felt I had to post something to support Naomi's account. . I'm now on my Laptop, so Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov were out of this world on the first night. I've seen all 4 performances so far, plus a rehearsal and a Class on stage. 

 

All 4 performances have received standing ovations, and each so different in their own way, with all 4 couples bringing something different to the main roles. 

 

So far, we have had the aforementioned MN&VM plus Alexander Campbell and Mayara Magri, Marcelino Sambe and Yasmin Naghdi, Lauren Cuthbertson and Matthew Ball.  Plus the whole cast has been on fire and so hard working. Gary Avis and Christopher Saunders are interchanging as DonQ and  Lorenzo, Thomas Whitehead is quite heroic as Gamache in every performance, plus Philip Mosley and Jonathan Howells interchange as Sancho Panza: again physically demanding. The comedy aspects of the ballet are being played to the full and very expressively and overtly,  Ryoichi Hirano is on fire as Espada. I've never seen him dance with such fire and panache and the Japanese audiences are loving him but also everyone else. It's really uplifting to hear such applause in places where they would not receive normally it at the ROH, and they are clearly very knowledgeable - they know what to look for  

 

All 4 leading couples have pulled out the stops in what is such a bravura ballet. It's really interesting as after the first night, one wondered how it could be bettered, but in their own way they each bring something different. They are all so physically different too. It was a delight to see Mayara Magri really shine as Kitri and she and Alexander Campbell really nailed it - definitely up a notch on their cinema performance.

 

Marcelino Sambe sizzled as Basilio - goodness, he can perform and he also brought a special cheekiness to the role. I agree that his partnering could be refined, but as a couple, he and Yasmin really gelled. Go from him to Matthew Ball, who is so different physically but really went for the spectacular leaps and turns and again, nailed them.  Matthew, also has great acting skills too of course.  Lauren danced beautifully and was very expressive in the her "naughty, chiding" moments.   

 

Special mention for the Queens of the Dryads Fumi Kaneko and Yuhui Choe. Apparently this is a feared role, because of its technical difficulty, but has been executed perfectly by both of them. 

 

Other news: Reece Clarke is back from Injury and played Espada today - very well. Clare Calvert is still replacing Laura Morera as Mercedes as well as taking her own allocation of the role, and she has been excellent.  Luca Acri is making more than most of playing one of the ruffians. We have extra ninja kicks and jumps thrown in. 

 

The full set is here and moving and working very well.  The stage door is besieged - it's more like a football match. They have to put barriers up at the end of each performance. Some of the dancers also signed autographs inside the theatre, sat at a table. The ROH shop which has been set up, has sold out of most items. The theatre is modern and well appointed with excellent sightlines - much better than the ROH for this. The audience is predominantly female, we were told 90% on the first night, and that's certainly what it looked like. A few more men yesterday and today.      

 

It's a rest day tomorrow and then we are back for Tuesday evening. I've just had my first evening meal since I arrived (Friday 7am). I haven't had time up until now, but what a rewarding experience it has been so far. I'm loving it. '

Sounds fantastic and so lovely to hear of such enthusiasm from the audiences in Japan - will the RB expect the same when they return to London? ! 

Until the DVD arrives - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zXfYygXX0I

Thinking back over the season, I'm a bit worried that I am becoming a bit obsessive about ballet but since that is better than being on drugs or speeding cars, I shan't worry too much!

Highlights

The Two Pigeons (I saw this ages ago on Sky Arts and loved it, so was so pleased it was being performed this year - in the end I saw it three times - at the general rehearsal, with Alexander Campbell and Yuhui Choe and then with Yasmine Naghdi and James Hay and loved it - I now have the music on my Ipod!)

Within the Golden Hour, which I hadn't planned to see but decided to go to the mixed bill and was so pleased as I did as I thought this was fantastic and taught me to be a bit more open minded about modern works.

Flight Pattern - didn't think I would like this but was overwhelmed.

Lowlights

Winter Dreams (loved Les Patineurs and the Concert though)

R&J at Covent Garden (but loved the cinema version with Matthew Ball and Yasmine Naghdi). It may not have helped that when  I saw it live the woman sitting next to me kept fidgeting and sighing throughout!)

Many thanks for your comments - I've booked !

Can I ask whether anyone has been to see the School's summer performance and what it is like? There are some tickets available and I was thinking of booking, but am not sure what to expect (esp as I don't have a family member on stage!)

Many thanks

For A Month in the Country fans !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AFpX1KYSYc&t=26s

The Firebird from the RoH's Flickr account

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72157708935254631/with/48061867348/

34 minutes ago, onemouseplace said:

 

I've been going back and forth over whether to do the same tonight!   I do really want to see Symphony, but also the thought of a 10:50 finish (and interminable journey home) is really making my heart sink.

You never know, if the conductor wants to get home on time they might just play that bit faster!

36 minutes ago, RuthE said:

 

I had already decided I was only staying until the second interval, thankfully! I was dead on my feet, and also was ready to commit murder thanks to the audience member in the Balcony whose hearing aid screeched for several minutes, spoiling the middle of Month in the Country...

How horrid for you! You should have come and sat next to me in the stalls as the two young women on my right left at the second interval as well.

18 minutes ago, Mary said:

Oh dear- when you say 10.50pm do you mean after all curtain calls etc?

 

Yes - there were no curtains calls for Symphony (by which I mean the cast coming out in front the curtains) and I happened to look at my watch as the lights came up and saw it was 10:50 (my watch might have been fast but only by a couple of minutes).

First of all, a bit of a moan. I went to the Firebird mixed bill last night (Thursday). The website indicated a finish time of approx. 10:40 but the programme indicated 10:30 (interval of 25 and 20 minutes as opposed to two lots of 25 on the website - not sure how the other 5 minutes disappeared off to - perhaps the orchestra were going to be asked to play a bit faster?). In any event it finished at 10:50!

Needless to say (and this does annoy me) people were getting up to go whilst the cast were still on stage at the end of the performance (no curtain calls for Symphony in C). Just managed to get my train at 11pm (by about 30 seconds) - not sure how I managed to get to Waterloo in 10 mins.

I really can't understand first why the website and programme seem to differ so often, and secondly why can't it start and finish reasonably on time?

Any moans over..this was the second time seeing the Firebird (first time on Saturday). I am still not sure what to make of it - perhaps because it is so different from what I have seen before.

A Month was lovely and so glad I was able to see Nunez, Hayward, Ball (recovered from R&J on Tues!) and James Hay (what a wig! it needs putting down!). Symphony was equally lovely and was the first time I had seen both of these so wasn't sure what to expect. I would be very happy to see both again. So nice to see such a large part of the company all on stage in such an impressive performance.

A lovely way to end the season. Roll on October.