JNC

so the building remains “Royal Opera House” (ROH)? But before the Royal Ballet was part of a wider company called ROH which has now been rebranded as Royal Ballet and Opera? Whilst I’m happy to see ballet reflected I presume there will still be two separate companies/entities within the wider company - so it will still be referred to as “the Royal Ballet production of…” or the “royal ballet company”…not the royal ballet and opera production of etc…? Unless there are bigger structural changes (only one orchestra?)?

Well it certainly appeared to be in 2022, at least according to O’Hare in the article I linked above: ”Although Nijinska is not our heritage since Kevin took over, he’s tried four times to put on Les Nocesand it will happen but is very expensive so is always the one that has to go when they’re cutting cloth to fit the budget.” @Paco I don’t presume RB dancers are bored, I don’t say that. I obviously can’t speak to that as I don’t know any of the dancers. I think it’s great RB dancers are valued and respected overseas and I think guesting provides nice opportunities for them on individual professional and personal levels so if you think my post was implying they shouldn’t guest that’s not my opinion anyway. If we had an increased repertoire (for example 12 works a year rather than 7/8) there would be increased dancing opportunities for principals at the RB - which I would presume is something they are interested in, and it wouldn’t prohibit them from continuing to guest. I could be wrong of course and I’m also of the mind that not every principal is suited to every principal role so I wouldn’t expect nor want them to be obligatory cast in everything (meaning they’d still presumably have time to guest regardless).

I think ultimately yes everyone has preferences but the problem is I see very little of the Royal Ballet’s history and style in this season at all. It’s really only Cinderella and R&J (and I say that as someone very delighted to see Balanchine and looking forward to Onegin). That on top of no classical works for a premiere classical company is a bit surprising, and worrying. If it’s just this year I’ll give it a pass but if it happened next year it would set real alarm bells on the direction of the company (and finances too, given they sell incredibly well). This is from two years ago now but makes for interesting reading https://balletassociation.co.uk/pages/reports-2022-kevin-ohare Alas it gives me little to no hope for Bayadere (I remain still a little hopeful because Nunez and Osipova surely must be on stage together again). And why on earth they’re reviving the Weathering and giving Wheeldon a full mixed bill evening when the contemporary triple with DGV and the Weathering was the worst seller of the 2021/2022 season…!! I think ROH might be in for a bit of a shock with it’s Autumn sales, unless they’re trying to make some weird point or gather evidence for the Arts Council… I’d like to see the day they return to 11 or 12 programmes a year not the 7 or 8 they do now, give the principals something to do otherwise they spend months not on the stage in London and guessing elsewhere (don’t blame them at all for both development, enjoyment and financial reasons why wouldn’t they!). And it seems one third heritage (here defined as Ashton, MacMillan and De Valois), one third classics and one third contemporary is right out the window too. Maybe O’Hare counts Balanchine (and Onegin?!) as classical but surely not! Is Les Noces definitely still on the cards? (Come on ENB did it…) Will Fille and Symphonic Variations and the Two Pigeons be revived? Will we ever go back to 11 programmes a year? Hmmm…. Overall I’m actually not feeling that negative about this season. Yes I’ll probably go to only a handful of performances over the year but it’ll save me money and I’m delighted with the Balanchine (mainly because of Serenade), and happy to see Cinderella return (would I have preferred Fille, Sylvia or Bayadere, yes, but I’ll take this over Nutcracker even if it costs me more as I don’t see Nutcracker anymore!). And as much as I don’t love Onegin I do like it and I’m getting excited about potential casting - I’m thinking I must prioritise Osipova and if the dates and prices line up I’d like to see a Kaneko debut with hopefully Muntagirov and or Bracewell.

This is a sad and pertinent point. If they don’t bring back the likes of Giselle, Fille, Sylvia in the next few years we may never see these dancers in these roles live again. Nunez feels unstoppable right now so I’m hoping she’ll keep going for at least another 3-4 more years. Osipova is also a bit younger so another decade is perhaps wishful thinking but I’m hopeful for at least 5+ years. Laura Morera retired at around 45, Lamb is the eldest so by age alone she would be next to retire. Of course it’s all very personal and you never know what might happen so apart from Nunez and Osipova in particular being such great character ballerinas I’m very aware of this fact and try to prioritise them when booking casts, because even without retirement it could be injury or illness (or a train strike!). None of what I’ve said is intended to be rude about their ages, it’s more a reflection of the uncertainty of anything happening combined with the inevitable that they will retire at some point. I very much hope to see Nunez, Osipova and Lamb in Giselle again. And would love to see Nunez in Fille and Sylvia. And the unforgettable Bayadere with Nunez/Osipova is one of the best performances I’ve ever seen so can only dream they dance those roles in London again. RB principals are already doing lots of guesting overseas so I imagine there will be months where we don’t see lots of them in London (not because they’re choosing guesting over RB commitments but because there isn’t enough repertoire to go around!). I am very surprised at no Sleeping Beauty - it offers lots of great solo roles for those coming up the ranks (all the fairies and the final act solo pieces). From the money angle it’s also odd not to have one of the Tchaikovsky ballets as they are so well known and command high prices with both non ballet addicts and ballet fans alike selling out every show. Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet will sell out no problem but I don’t think they have quite the same draw as the Tchaikovsky ballets, particularly if you happened to see Cinderella last year unless you really adored it probably might be too soon for most? The more I look at this season the less it makes sense. Will people (families) who see Alice in October want to fork out for Cinderella in December? No. And the more likely opposite option is that people won’t see Alice as they anticipate Cinderella as their treat (and nearer to Christmas). To be stereotypical, Alice is less likely to appeal to the “young ROH” crowd who probably want to see either classical works or the “edgier” McGregor/contemporary stuff. And how many will want to see Madaadam and the contemporary four ballet mix around the same time? Probably not unless they are big fans of McGregor/contemporary ballet, you’d probably pick one unless you have unlimited budget and are very keen. Cinderella will do alright at Christmas, Onegin will sell ok I imagine (although if they price too high there’s a risk people can’t afford to see it multiple times and that may affect overall ticket sales for the lesser known Onegin). Then Romeo and Juliet will sell fine too, as will Balanchine I imagine given there will likely be only 6 or so performances of the latter and no other Balanchine scheduled in the Uk next year. Perhaps this is a bit harsh but will a Wheeldon short works bill sell ok? Say what you like about McGregor he has fans and critics seem to like him. Wheeldon, I’m not so sure he appeals to classical ballet fans but he doesn’t have the contemporary edge of McGregor? Then Onegin round 2, this could sell well if casts are interesting and the price is right and the first tranche was well reviewed and promoted driving sales for the second round but it still feels a risk to me to split across months and you lose momentum of all the performances before, this happened to me when they split R&J, I saw it in October and had booked a few performances in Jan/Feb but when it came down to it life plans (and train strikes?) got in the way so I just returned the tickets. Whereas conversely sometimes I enjoy seeing the same ballet in a row to compare casts while still fresh in my mind. Very long post, more an inner monologue so well done if you’ve read it all…just a lot more questions than answers this year!

Haha dance hades is an excellent description I had a little chuckle. I agree it’s odd Wheeldon has what appears to be a full contemporary mixed bill to himself, combined with the full length Alice it feels like too much (especially when Ashton only appears once and Petipa not at all!). He’s even pipped McGregor! And does anyone know if there’s a particular reason why they have now regularly split works across the season? See this year’s Swan Lake in both Spring and Summer, same with Sleeping Beauty the previous season, then a few years ago R&J in Autumn then in Spring, now we have Onegin split and Alice split. I personally find it a bit annoying as it’s less likely I’ll be able to combine various casts in one visit. And they produce two different programmes (although I tend to not always buy them anyway.) Is the thinking that people who “missed out” earlier in the season read reviews of when its on or hear from friends (by which time depending on the production it’s sold out) so then they book in the next season tranche? Or is it to contain casting and allow principals to guess elsewhere for a big chunk of time if they know they won’t be appearing in a particular quarter? I really hope the 2025/2026 balances out with lots of classical, romantic and neoclassical works. Do the contemporary works sell much better than classical? I can’t imagine so. Maybe better than neoclassical…? I wonder how much of this is driven by sales revenue and how much by a desire to be innovative with new contemporary works being commissioned and revived regularly.

Well how odd they have sent this out by post in advance - you’d think they’d issue it out first class tomorrow - better late than before the embargo? It feels a very odd season to me - some things I’m pleased to see but a lot of things I’m not interested in. I’m shocked there is no big Petipa/Tchaikovsky ballet, I often moan about things being formulaic but I still have the Sleeping Beauty score from BRB last week in my head so surprised that RB isn’t mounting that. I don’t mind there not being one of these three but they haven’t replaced it with similar classical style works I’d actually want to see, and it feels overwhelmingly contemporary as a season. Everything is pretty much post WWII except the Balanchine works. And then we have Cinderella in 1948 but R&J / Onegin in the 1960s. Everything else is post 2000, or even 2010? Anyway God tier BALANCHINE BALANCHINE BALANCHINE. So delighted I can finally see Serenade and the Prodigal Son. I’ve seen Symphony in C before but adore it so this is my standout of the season. I am always happy to see more of the Balanchine repertoire because who knows when it’ll next come round. Good tier Cinderella - I know some people think it’s too soon but they spent a lot of money on a new production and I for one adored it. I’m excited to see this again, particularly if they shake up some casting and I’m glad the grip of the Nutcracker is gone, even if for one year. Also I will never complain at a full length Ashton (except maybe Beatrix Potter but to be fair I’ve not seen that…) I was lucky to see a few casts last time so I’m interested to see if they mix up the pairings or keep what they had previously but I’d happily see a cast I’ve already seen as the production is wonderful. I expect ticket prices for this will mean I only see it once though. Onegin - while I don’t think I hold as much affection for it as others here do (I’d much rather have had Giselle or Sylvia), I appreciate an adult/dramatic ballet and I’m interested to see the casting for this one. Feel that would elevate it for me. (Imaging Bracewell, Muntagirov and also Kaneko as some good debuts here.) Average level Romeo & Juliet - I’m surprised that while they’ve shaken up no Tchaikovsky/Petipa we STILL have to have a full length dramatic MacMillan and one of the three always in rotation. I would be more interested to see more one acts like Song of the Earth, Judas Tree, Winter Dreams. What about Prince of the Pagodas - was that terribly received at the time because it seems to hardly ever be revived or discussed? Despite me thinking it’s a bit of an unoriginal or inspiring programme at this point, I’ll probably make an effort to see it if there is a cast that appeals (Kaneko/Bracewell please!) otherwise I’ll probably give it a miss, particularly given imagined ticket prices. Will save my money Madaddam - I liked Woolf Works, Dante Project was interesting in parts but I find McGregor pretty repetitive at this point. I feel this is something where if I lived in London and I could get a decent amphi ticket for £30 I’d maybe give it a go, but in the current climate with rail strikes and ticket prices it’s not worth it for me. If it’s well received I may see the revival a few years down the line, so will read forum reviews with interest (and perhaps might try to catch a cinema screen if they do one). Alice - haven’t seen it live but was very disappointed when they broadcast it many years ago - to me “ballet theatre” rather than the beautiful choreography I love about ballet. Also do we really need it *twice* and spread across the whole year… Autumn contemporary mixed bill - does anyone really need to see The Weathering again? I actually like Pam Tanowitz but I am not paying to take a risk on a new work when the other works just aren’t worth the time, money, and effort for me. Unless Toonga pulls something good out of the bag I hope this is his “swan song” for RB and the end of that relationship. I hope to see a new ballet choreographer take his position and be nurtured. Wheeldon mixed bill - I like Wheeldon but actually probably only in small doses; eg I find his one act works watchable as part of a mixed triple, but nothing I’ve seen I would really go out of my way to see again as while its generally pleasant it’s not particularly inspiring or groundbreaking. Bit annoyed he seems to be getting two full whole programmes to himself this season (unless I stand corrected following official announcement tomorrow). Overall the more I look the more disappointing it is. Where is the CLASSICAL (and or early romantic) ballet. Even if not doing a Petipa, what about Coppelia or Bayadere (hah!) or La Sylphide. Not Don Quixote obviously as we just had that. I suppose Cinderella is more classical ballet in style but technically neoclassical as choreographed by Ashton. To have no classical ballet in an entire season sends a very worrying statement about the direction of the Royal Ballet, which is at its heart a classical company (unlike say ENB who certainly excel in classics but also have more of a contemporary balance). And no new “classical” style ballet works either - all the new works are not ballet (Toonga isn’t really ballet to me) or contemporary ballet…Cinderella is really the only “tutu” piece?! And yes I know this is a bit off topic but I’m still waiting for Sylvia, Bayadere, Fille. Surely Fille must be next year after Paris and BRB. I’d like to see more one act MacMillans rather than a full length next year, and more one act Ashtons that haven’t been revived recently too (symphonic variations!). And Coppelia now edges up my list, as does Giselle. Will we ever see Les Sylphides, and Ballet Russes period works again…

heavenly

I saw last night’s production. I think others have captured most thoughts but to add some diversity - whilst I very much enjoyed the production I have to say the Royal Ballet’s current version remains the gold standard for me in terms of plot, costumes/sets (the choreography is to be honest mostly similar, so felt very consistent!). I actually prefer the lilac fairy as a tutu role, but this didn’t detract at all. I did think the costumes for BRB were a little drab - with the set heavy on the brown tones and the lighting a bit dark and overly “spotlight” it felt a bit gloomy overall, particularly the prologue and act 1. The lilac fairy costume was more grey! And I wish the individual fairies’ costumes were distinguished a bit more as in the RB version. And red riding hood was more orange riding hood…and I found the interval after the prologue not my preference - as already mentioned an interval during the 100 years of sleeping makes more sense (and provides more set variation). I also feel the pacing works better in the RB version - there was a bit “extra” of Carabosse lurking in her cloak after Aurora collapses which removed some of the dramatic tension for me. I actually don’t mind the scene with the spindles in RB, I probably wouldn’t be bothered if it was removed but I don’t dislike it. I did think the scene when they travel to the castle in act 2 worked better here as the “sledge ride” (aptly described!) is a bit of a momentum killer in the RB version. The pacing of the music was excellent throughout, though to be honest I wouldn’t say it was obviously slower than the Royal’s version. I agree that Beatrice Parma was a standout as one of the fairies and as the female bluebird companion. Lachlan Monaghan gave a really good performance in the finale pas de deux and did some impressive turns. Daria was a great Carabosse and overall the company looked good. Kurihara was technically fine as Aurora but to be honest I didn’t connect with her - this is less an issue with her and more that I’ve been very lucky to see fantastic Auroras at ROH - Naghdi, Hayward, Nunez, Kaneko - all technically strong in this role and they bring a wonderful character and ease with lots of smiles to the character. Overall this was a lovely evening and I enjoyed seeing a different version of the ballet. My (minor) criticisms are more preferences and I’m very much looking forward to seeing the company in La Fille later this year (I think I spotted Parma is in the photo advertisement for the piece so if I’m lucky maybe I’ll see her!). Re intervals - I think 15 minutes can be a bit tight if you’re trying to go for a comfort break as well, I don’t like overly long intervals but if the trade off is no food and drink in the auditorium and no delays past advertised times then I think it’s a fine trade off.

To make it clear I’m not trying to diminish how physically demanding dancing is, particularly the big solos and pas de deux. I also certainly think people should applaud during the performance as imagine this is very positive for the dancers and pushes them on, as well as creating a nice atmosphere for the audience. I certainly wouldn’t begrudge a bit of a pause in the wings while the applause continues. Bowing on stage during the plot doesn’t spoil the performance at all. It’s more in the slightly irritating preferences category. I appreciate others in the audience probably like showing their appreciation in this way directly right after a particular solo.

@San Perregrino I think any professional dancer knows the difference between a gala, where an excerpt is danced and yes you still convey emotion and character but it’s only a segment, so once you’ve performed of course you take your applause and bow straight after. This is different to a full story ballet being performed where dancers (in my opinion) should be in character when on stage until the very last curtain drop. I appreciate that dancers perhaps feel they are responding to the prolonged applause and “thanking” the audience for this, but I’d rather the conductor swiftly moved the music along and the dancers saved the bows for the curtain call (unless as already mentioned it could be part of the plot where they’re dancing to an audience in the ballet itself, in this case I think they’re still in character). It’s obviously not easy to keep dancing with maximum effort but they shouldn’t “need” to have an on stage bow for stamina reasons, other dancers can manage. The choreography/music is designed so after a big solo or pas de deux they have some rest time in the wings while the other dancers do their bit. This isn’t be being critical to Nunez/Muntagirov specifically, I don’t like it when any dancer does this type of thing. Galas and plotless ballets are different! Imagine if Hamlet broke character for a bow and some smiles to the audience after a big soliloquy? Ultimately anything that is definitely a break in character before the final curtain call I tend to find removes me from the plot slightly and therefore removes some of the “magic” of the story they’re trying to tell. It’s not going to stop me seeing performances by great dancers or writing into ROH to complain but it’s my preference.

I can’t answer your question but I very much agree with this. On opening night there was almost a mini “curtain call” (no curtain) for Marianela and Vadim after the act 2 pas de deux. Deserved but it totally broke the spell of the plot for me and yes felt “untraditional” to ROH - in as I see this more from Russian companies but it didn’t really happen much at ROH previously? I suppose they are only responding to fans but I do wish they wouldn’t do it at certain points. It maybe doesn’t make sense but I have less of an issue with it in Act 3, as there it’s almost a performance within the plot for the court, so a little bow to the applause doesn’t detract from the plot here for me as it’s like they are showing off and bowing to the audience *in the plot* (I.e. courtiers watching them). Similarly I don’t mind the bows in the sleeping beauty pas de deux finale or even after Aurora’s act 1 solo as they both in plot audiences at those points. But I would be annoyed at Manon and Des Grieux taking a bow after their bedroom pas de deux!

@Lindsay I agree that we had a few “golden years” just before the pandemic when we had first soloists with the calibre of Kaneko, Magri, O’Sullivan etc. This chimed with when I started to regularly attend ROH so I perhaps took it a little for granted at the time. Now I look back thinking I was spoiled with such casts (and the pricing back then!). I think the RB is still an incredibly strong company across the ranks but I admit no one has really caught my eye at (first) soloist level the way Kaneko, O’Sullivan, Magri did on the female side to be honest. This is probably because I attend fewer performances now, and I also appreciate the pandemic years probably had some sort of impact. And I definitely think the talent is there - I think Gaspirani may be the one I would say comes closest - she really impressed me in Danses Concertantes recently. And Annette Buvoli and Ashley Dean are also a few that have caught my eye. On the male side of course Sissens and Hay (since Bracewell and Clarke have now been promoted). But (in my non technical opinion) I don’t think they’re quite principal level yet, although I’m sure many of them might be in a year or few years. (Hay is maybe the exception and should perhaps have been promoted a few years ago.) What we essentially had before the pandemic/promotions was multiple principal level dancers on the male/female side dancing as first soloists in non-principal roles for a relatively sustained period of a few years, and this is unlikely to be the case again anytime soon. I look back on those years now to think how lucky I was to see some of those fantastic casts. Kaneko and Magri as big swans for example, O’Sullivan and Sambe in the Neapolitan dance…what a dream!

I think the first time I watched this production I was surprised how little dancing the princesses did. Given they’re credited individually on the cast sheets I expected a bit more. I think more actually dancing is given to those in the “national dances” segment. Not a problem but I just found it at odds with the way the cast sheet displayed the princess casting more prominently. I can’t recall how this compares with other productions as I’ve not seen too many others live (and certainly not recently). Now I’m used to it I do enjoy Act 3 (in fact I think it’s my favourite act in this production) and the presentation of the princesses and the fact they don’t do too much dancing does make sense in the context of the plot. And the national dances give excellent opportunity for soloists/artists to shine. But I do feel the casting of the princesses is a bit wasted!

I was trying to see things from all potential perspectives/interpretations. I don’t think it was a weight comment either but I just wanted to clarify if it was (which is very much not likely) that obviously wouldn’t be acceptable.

I think the mods on this forum do an excellent job of deciphering what is opinion (critical or not) vs things that overstep in unacceptable ways (dancers’ appearances for example as well as perhaps sharing of personal/confidential information). I personally don’t see an issue with the original post. I don’t think it’s unfairly personal - of course when we talk about individual dancers on here it is personal to an extent they are individual humans! But also they are performers, professionals and we comment on them here in that capacity. Pseudonyms are accepted on this forum. We comment as not professional dance critics but audience members (a spectrum from those who may be well versed in technique like dancers, teachers, parents etc to those with no training or discernible eye). We also single out dancers for positive criticisms, so I really don’t see the issue with the same for negative criticism (as long as it falls within the rules as above, eg nothing on personal appearances or anything overtly cruel etc…) To say the swans are a disaster might not be nice and could be on the borderline of too far/harsh but it is a valid opinion and I don’t think it’s overstepped the line both in terms of forum rules but also valid opinion? The heaviness of the cygnets is a bit more tricky as that risks potentially being a comment on weight (which definitely breaches forum rules and is a very personal comment that has nothing to do with technique/dancing), so that’s something that perhaps should be avoided without clarification. Even this though at this stage is probably not quite overstepping the mark as it could also mean the cygnets were not as “bouncy” as one might prefer (for example) so giving benefit of the doubt it’s not about weight, I think it’s fine to stand. As much I enjoy reading glowing reviews I also find the more critical reviews insightful. I don’t agree with them all (the same way I don’t agree with the positive ones sometimes!) but I find the different viewpoints the benefit of this forum. Professional critics tend to only review one cast of each performance so coming on here and reading various reviews of different casts, and different people finding different points to comment on (both good and bad) and contributing to the discussion is why I come here. It’s unclear from your post what you think the resolution is? If you think that the comment should be deleted? (Because it’s broken forum rules?) then report the post. If you disagree with a post, you can reply accordingly, which you have done - fair enough. But what I take issue with is expressing concern about whether or not someone’s post is valid because we don’t know whether they are “qualified” to make such comments and because they haven’t provided the detail for this feels a bit unfair to me and risks people only posting positive and glowing reviews on here. By way of similar example, I could say “I didn’t enjoy Naghdi’s performance” and I don’t need to give a justification for this if I simply wanted to post that. (I didn’t see this performance, it’s just an example!) I really hesitated whether or not to post this but in the spirit of the lively discourse of the forum decided to do so. If the mods/others feel that the comments were overly harsh / unfairly personal and therefore breaking forum rules I’ll go and refresh myself on the forum rules and also would be interested to know why this did fall into that category, as I don’t think it had crossed that line so open to being challenged on that but would need a bit of rationale.

In response to Ian’s article - allowing a short picture or video is a real slippery slope. It means audience members who call out these behaviours (because ushers don’t notice or are too far away) will receive rude(r) and more emboldened pushback as now they’re “allowed” to do it. A photo becomes a video, a short clip becomes recording a whole scene etc. Lunacy from Birmingham I’m afraid, if this were my local venue I’d be writing to tell them I’d no longer be attending performances there until they get rid of that allowance. Why would I spend money to see a unique live performance only risk being distracted by the audience! I always remain baffled at people who don’t understand why live performances are so exciting. You are physically there, in the moment, watching it with your own eyes not through a screen. Why you want to shove a phone in front of your face to record it, just go home and watch the DVD? If you want social media “bragging” rights taking a photo of the curtain call, or pre curtain up, or in the floral hall etc should suffice. Maybe they should make attending a theatre compulsory for all schoolchildren (I know I know unrealistic with current funding etc) with a pre production talk from the company about why it’s so important to be in the moment and how cameras ruin it for everyone. I wonder if they do pre talks for the school matinee performances that could cover this! A pipe dream to build a generation of theatre/dance etc loving children!

Sorry for misinterpreting I think for some reason I (incorrectly) assumed glasses breaking and swearing meant a fight but from follow up reports it’s clear the individual had some issues they were dealing with. In any case I think ROH staff can’t prepare for absolutely every eventuality, so whilst I agree it’s always good to think about “lessons learned” and if anything could have been managed better, in the moment when things are unclear and it’s all very stressful it sounds like it was managed as well as it could have been to a certain extent. Or at least there was minimal (to no) disruption to the performance happening on stage, though of course it would have been disruptive to those around. Anyway, re the bill itself - I hope Requiem is revived in the future (5-10 years?) although I would like to see other works not seen in a while first like Gloria, Song of the Earth, Rite of Spring etc. I’m also intrigued by one mentioned in the programme where notations are lost but some sort of video exists so being that back to the stage through some dance detective work could be an interesting project for a choreographer (or maybe even Laura Morera?) Reading the programme notes seems she is doing an excellent job in her new role and I’m pleased ROH retained her.

At this stage just rumour (unless someone has some insider confirmations which presumably they couldn’t share on here anyway).

What on earth goes through someone’s head when they behave like this! A slow handclap for what purpose? If you really don’t like something generally you just fit through and bear it (or have a nap), it seemed he at least had the right idea when he left the first time if he really couldn’t contain himself for whatever reason but can’t imagine what possessed him to then storm back in!! Unless there are some mitigating mental health type factors to be aware of, I really don’t understand this behaviour. @RHowarth hope your evening wasn’t totally spoiled!

I think so yes but also think it’s unlikely to get this and Alice (2 full Wheeldons) in one season. I would expect it therefore maybe a following season, unless it really didn’t sell well/wasn’t well received when they might scrap it altogether or wait a bit more. Did Dante sell well at its revival? If not as well as expected perhaps it indicated it was too soon to revive so they may delay LWFC further. I’ve noticed a bit of a formula with RB seasons now - Christmas ballet (Nutcracker usually but also we’ve had Coppelia or now Cinderella - essentially something with tutus and a child friend plot) - One of the Tchaikovsky two of Swan Lake/Sleeping Beauty - one of the MacMillan three of Manon/Mayerling/Romeo and Juliet - an adult/dramatic (non comic) ballet, e.g. Giselle, Bayadere, Woolf Works, Onegin, A Winter’s Tale, Like Water for Chocolate - a contemporary triple (eg new work, Pite, Wheeldon, MacGregor, Marston etc) - another triple that’s a bit more neoclassical/heritage (eg Balanchine, Ashton, Robbins, Firebird, Raymonda, one act MacMillans etc) - a comic/child friendly ballet separate to a Christmas - eg Alice, Cinderella, Don Quixote, La Fille Ashton, MacMillan, Wheeldon, McGregor are usually always represented at least once during the year (ie a minimum of a one act somewhere). There’s also usually at least one new commission (usually McGregor but also recent works by Tanowitz, Zuchetti, Pite, Abraham, Marston etc do show some variety!), not necessarily it’s own separate category but definite as either a full length (McGregor) or a shorter piece as part of a mixed bill. Usually it’s covered/overlaps with the above already but there’s also a category of “full length McGregor” which pops up most years I’d say! Of course this is all pure guesswork on my part but that’s why I think if we have Onegin as an adult/dramatic ballet I’m not expecting to see Sylvia or Bayadere or Giselle. And why if we have Alice I wouldn’t expect to see La Fille as well (also because Ashton is already represented by Cinderella so that will either be it for him or he’ll get maybe a one act in a mixed bill and not another three act).

Oh dear sorry to hear there was a fight (!!) but glad the police arrived and sorted it reasonably quickly (?). I feel awful for those nearby in the amphi who certainly would have been at the least distracted, otherwise pretty scared and with a ruined evening. Glass smashing is scary and emphasises why glasses shouldn’t be allowed in the auditorium. That combined with the swearing, if the dancers did hear it they were totally professional and carried on, I couldn’t notice any difference in their performance. Sounds like the individual needs a lifetime ban from ROH (maybe all theatres!) and some sort of police record / fine. I couldn’t hear the fight at all from where I was down in the Stalls Circle but imagine it would have been pretty distracting and a bad atmosphere up in the amphi. I hope no one was injured. And I hope the fainter recovered quickly as well. With regard to the final lift in Requiem my respect grows further for Matthew Ball (and Sarah Lamb who has to fully trust him not to drop her!). I noticed Ball appeared to be exerting a little more effort than usual (only a tiny tiny amount that I imagine many wouldn’t have noticed) and wondered if perhaps it was meant to be Hirano and Ball lifting together and he was left to do it solo. This would still be impressive but I’m just in awe that this was done last minute under these conditions and very grateful to the dancers for remaining absolutely professional throughout these various events on/off stage to try and give the audience the best performance possible. Despite the sad/unpleasant events it was a good evening for me and I’m glad I went, mainly because Requiem was beautiful. Such a shame this set of performances had to end this way though.

Good news!

Well onto the review … DC I liked this piece but didn’t love it. It felt like MacMillan trying to do Ashton (maybe because it was) and whilst there were some really nice choreographic moments it didn’t reach the heights of Scenes de Ballet or Symphony in C or if we’re talking MacMillan Concerto for me. It was early on in his choreographic career and you can see hints of his style developing but it’s not quite there yet. There were some really lovely parts - Gaspirani in particular was lovely in this and just absolutely wonderful. The costumes were quite quirky and to be honest I’m not sure they worked for me. I thought they were ok but a revamp which isn’t a total redesign but changes elements of the patterns and the hats would be something I’d be interested to see. Alas it seems they are to be preserved in aspic due to the (deserved) reverence that Georgiadis has. Overall this is something I would happily see again as part of a triple but not something I’d go out of my way to see again. DD It’s personal preference (as always) but I just didn’t like this piece. Sambe and Hayward were brilliant in it (making me regret to have missed their Manon) and we do see MacMillan’s strengths on show with some great pas de deux, lifts and “tortured” movements. But it felt a bit too bleak for me and like too much detail to cover in one act making it a bit over complicated and overwhelming in parts. I didn’t like the sets and costumes (please explain the bathtub and the electricity line?) and despite googling the plot (as it wasn’t in the programme or on the cast sheet!) I still didn’t understand who particular characters were or what their motivations were. I’ll add that I’m not against grim/depressing ballets (eg I like Manon, or the sad Woolf Works) but I feel like trying to tackle something on this level in one act felt a bit rushed. I had similar thoughts about Anastasia Act 3, and also Creature. I wouldn’t be interested in seeing this again to be honest, though if it was the middle of a triple where I wanted to see the other two works I’d sit through it. (If it was at the end or beginning I’d be tempted to skip…) Requiem The highlight of the evening, MacMillan’s genius in full force. Just a really thoughtful piece with some sublime choreography that is quite different in tone to other works making it feel very fresh but also timeless at the same time. The music completed it perfectly (perhaps I wasn’t so strongly keen on the other two musical pieces which may have affected my overall thoughts). Sarah Lamb was so ethereal and magical in this role. The whole thing went so quickly for me as I was so engaged and just mesmerised by it all. Excellent partnering from Hirano, some really smooth lifts and turns (so sad he’s injured and I’m lucky to have seen the perfect duet with him prior to that). Ball also a tour de force with his solo - I feel it would have been easy for him to make it very masculine and almost aggressive but it was strong yet also soft. All dancers in this fantastic in the ensemble pieces, Luca Acri was also a welcome addition. I’ll state the obvious but I’d love to see this again! Overall the bill was a bit disjointed for me. I’m glad to have seen three works I’ve not seen before and 2/3 worked for me (one more than the other!). If I’m being honest I’m not sure they flowed very well together. I wonder if something like Concerto (which I’ve seen before and loved) or Song or the Earth/Rite of Spring (not seen before so perhaps way off base here) would have worked better in the middle. Or maybe it’s too similar to Requiem (I’ve not seen it so again could be way off) but perhaps Gloria in the middle? DD just felt a bit too off in tone for me in the middle to be honest. It was positive to see in the programme Kevin O’Hare talked about how he’d like to bring more MacMillan’s one acts back to the stage so I hope to see more of his works that haven’t been seen for a while revived!

This reminds me of the DVD production of Nureyev/Fonteyn which I believe is Nureyev choreography with the Vienna Opera ballet/orchestra. Lots to commend and enjoy about this performance but Nureyev at the end flinging himself up and down around a massive piece of fabric (“the lake”) I simply could not take seriously and ruined the tragic/dramatic ending. For reference I’m in agreement re: - get rid of black tights for Siegfried in Act 3 (and or improve lighting / change floor colour) - More dancing for Siegfried, particularly Act 1 (feels like Benno gets a lot more in certain parts at least, not against extra opportunities for male dancers but it’s odd Benno seems to dance more certainly in Act 1 and even in Act 3 I feel it’s equally matched?) - I don’t like the ending where Odile turns back into a human. Partially because logical me can’t suspend disbelief as I know it’s not the dancer we’ve seen as Odile due to the tutu costume change and hair obscuring the face. Also does Siegfried throw himself into the lake to get her body? Or does it wash up on shore? I prefer the ones where they both throw themselves off the rock/into the lake (this can come with or without the reunion in the afterlife). Either way I think they should both die. Siegfried left alive feels a bit similar to Giselle or La Bayadere to me. Masculine stereotype or not I expect him to fight VR and die in the process, or be overcome with grief about Odile losing and how he broke his promise to her (sort of unintentionally but still) he doesn’t see the point in living anymore (similar to Romeo/Juliet). - not other ending but I don’t enjoy the prologue as I find it unnecessary (and again the use of two obviously different people just ruins it for me). Most people know the story of swan lake anyway but Odile also explains what happened in the mime scene! Pros of this production for me do outweigh a large part of Dowell’s - which while choreographically sound (from memory and I’ve only watched the DVD and haven’t seen it live) I couldn’t take it seriously as I didn’t enjoy the sets and costumes at all. And while more authentic the use of the original Act 4 music just feels like it’s missing an element of dramatic tension in the resolution. The new sets and costumes are fantastic, I do like the Benno role addition (though he shouldn’t overshadow Siegfried!) and Act 3 is pretty much perfect for me (I’ll be honest and say I find Act 1 a bit dull, this could be solved by giving Siegfried more dancing I think).

Yes a slightly eventful evening… I was surprised when I arrived at ROH and downloaded the cast list to see Hayward and Sambe and wondered if I downloaded the wrong one or if there was an error. As already explained Clarke was unwell, and due to the intricacies of the partnering required for DD (lifts, lots of “intimate” style movements) I can see why it didn’t make sense to swap Sambe for Clarke and a full cast change was required. It’s already been said but amazing credit to Sambe and the rest of the cast for stepping in so the should could go on (and you’d never know he’d done Siegfried the night before as the performance was 110% effort). I hope Clarke recovers well because currently RB seems to be carrying a large number of injuries/illnesses… As already mentioned sadly Hirano seemed to suffer some sort of injury on stage. It was after a sublime duet with Sarah Lamb in the group piece where they were running and jumping and he seemed to get some pain somewhere and given the circumstances exited the stage rather gracefully and subtly (although he was very clearly injured as there was a limp). Initially I wondered if it was just an unlucky cramp but he didn’t reappear for the rest of the performance nor the curtain calls which indicated it was something more serious so I really do hope he is ok and recovers well. Having never seen Requiem before I’m not sure how much of a gap was left by him leaving at that point, there were a few points where I sensed a bit of an empty space but it really wasn’t that obvious and the dancers handled it incredibly well and it was so smooth, I was genuinely so impressed with how they naturally worked around it. If I hadn’t seen Hirano leave the stage when he did (which would have been rather hard, although not impossible to miss), you probably wouldn’t have necessarily known any different I imagine. The other aspect was Ashley Dean was a last minute cast change indicating some injury or illness (Kevin announced on stage at the start in addition to Clarke’s illness announcement) so that was another sub with Hinkis covering for her in DC and Gaspirani in Requiem. Have any of these performances been danced with their original casts? It seems like two distinct casts for each piece have combined and morphed into one over the performances! I wonder if the Swan Lake schedule has been particularly gruelling and is now taking its toll. Aside from lack of diversity in repertoire maybe this is why usually we don’t have such long runs of performances that require a lot from the whole company with lots of corps work…? Either that or there’s just been an unlucky spate but currently I think off the top of my head we have Hirano, O’Sullivan, McRae, Corrales, Cuthbertson out with injuries? That leaves only Bracewell, Ball, Muntagirov and Sambe (and Clarke, assuming/hoping whatever was wrong today is a short term sickness bug or something like that) as male principals which feels rather light (4-5). At least on the female side it’s looking a bit better assuming Takada is back now and O’Sullivan is recovered by the Ashton bill.