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FionaM

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  1. FionaM
    @Emeralds nothing for free these days! £20 tickets, for an hour long show. Small stage with audience on 3 sides. There were probably 300 or even more at the show I attended. I wonder if that raises enough to pay venue, transport costs, etc. Maybe it doesn’t have to if it sells more tickets 👍 Host Tom Rogers said it was the first time in such a venue.
  2. FionaM
    From a director’s point of view a mix of principals and first soloists and other younger dancers is a good idea in casting lead roles. Younger dancers need exposure to full length roles to be able to build on that experience for future performances. The large number of available RB principals were all cast in Swan Lake, but now we have many sidelined due to injury or returning carefully from injury and maternity leave (McRae, Hirano, O’Sullivan, Cuthbertson) and others picking up multiple extra performances! The current casting of Swan Lake at ROH includes younger dancers of Joe Sissens (27?) first soloist, and Mariko Sasaki (29?) soloist, as well as first soloists over 30, Claire Calvert and Nicol Edmonds. It’’s interesting to compare to ages of the Bolshoi’s recent casting for their new R&J, where there were 5 casts in the first block with one performance each (and no doubt some passed over principals and first soloists this time). I assume there will be follow-on blocks announced shortly. Opening night: Kokoreva 23, Potaptsev 20 Obratsova 40, Ovcharenko 37 Sevenard 25, Rodkin 33 Zakharova 44 (soon 45), Belyakov 32 Krysanova 39, Lantratov 35 Interesting range of ages! And Zakharova was one of the better Juliets from clips I saw. Though they were all very good. All are principals except Potaptsev, who is only 18 months out of school. Returning to RB I’d say that KoH doesn’t take risks early enough. For instance it’s incomprehensible to me that William Bracewell (32) has not performed Albrecht yet. A role perfectly suited to him IMO. I’d choose him over many other principals for this.
  3. FionaM
    Another RB school graduate who is doing well elsewhere is Louis Scrivener. Graduated in only 2020. He is already a soloist with Hungarian National Ballet where he has performed the leads role in Cranko’s Onegin, MacMillan’s Mayerling, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Nutcracker, Taming of the Shrew, and Spartacus. that’s hugely impressive. On my list to see soon! https://www.opera.hu/en/tarsulati-tagok/adatlap/scrivener-louis/43946/
  4. FionaM
    @Tango Dancer dancers in Danses Concertantes: chap in yellow - Taisuke Nakao chap in green - Valentino Zucchetti. So good to see him back on stage.
  5. FionaM
    BRB held two one hour shows at Bristol Cathedral today, as a teaser advertising their Sleeping Beauty shows here next week. I went to the first of the two shows as the second clashed with the RB cinema relay. The show included: - a 20 minute condensed class by Jonathan Payn for Ava May Llewelyn and Gus Payne. Always good to see Ava May back in her native Bristol. - Then there were 3 fairy solos by Eilish Small, Alisa Garkavenko and Lucy Waine. Lucy did well with all bar the last pirouette of the difficult solo which RB audiences would recognise as the Lilac Fairy solo. - After this the compère Tom Rogers explained some of the mime with Gabriel Anderson as Carabosse and Tori Forsyth-Hecken as Lilac Fairy demonstrating. - Gus Payne returned to partner Reina Fuchigami in the Bluebird pdd (adagio) - Miki Mizutani and the young Cuban Yasiel Hodelin Bello (such a young face) gave a really good rendition of the Act 3 pdd adagio. All the dancers were fully made up in costumes, tiaras, makeup and performed on a smallish stage with lighting, all brought along by BRB. There were other costumes on display around the cathedral. A lovely event! The booklet included a 20% discount code for attendees. Not much use to me as I’ve already booked to see them! However … Miki and Yasiel impressed me so I may well book for their show in Bristol too. I’m not entirely sure why BRB are offering a discount as the shows are close to sold out in stalls and first circle. Though there is good availability in the cheapest seats in the upper tier.
  6. FionaM
    🤣 and me!
  7. FionaM
    The internet is wonderful … a quick google finds the quote: EXTRACT: Margarita had originally gone to Munich to accompany António Casalinho in his audition for the company. Prix de Lausanne 2021 winner Casalinho, then an exceptionally accomplished 18-year-old dancer, was practically a dead cert for a job and was offered one on the spot; but for Margarita the audition brought a breathtaking surprise. “When they offered me a contract as a demi-soloist I was sure they were making a mistake and hadn’t realised I was just 16-years-old”, Margarita told us. “They told me that in Germany it was possible to offer a professional contract to a 16-year-old, but I still didn’t believe them; it was not until the contract arrived after we were back in Portugal that I realised it was true.” https://balletposition.com/antonio-casalinho-margarita-fernandes-a-season-in-munich/
  8. FionaM
    I’m not sure about this. Margarita Fernandes was only 16 at the time that Munich hired her and Antonio as soloists. He was 18. Does UK law allow professional contracts at her age? I seem to remember reading somewhere that the pair performed together for Antonio’s audition at Munich, presumably to show his partnering training, and were surprised that she was also offered a position. (I can’t remember where I read that else I’d link the quote.)
  9. FionaM
    Darrion Sellman is debuting as Siegfried tomorrow in Nureyev’s Swan Lake at Royal Swedish Ballet https://www.instagram.com/stories/darrion.sellman/3341723141446623600?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=d2pqYTZsOGQybDBw
  10. FionaM
    In addition to the many world class swans of the RB mentioned above … I think Akane Takada will also be a special Odette/Odile in the later block, partnered by Joe Sissens. I am really hoping she returns from injury fully fit to do it. There are excerpts to be found online of Akane and Federico Bonelli, from recordings made in early March 2020 (before lockdown thank goodness) for the Japanese audience …. in 8K-HDR !!! https://media.imz.at/avant-premiere/catalogues/2021/film/8k-swan-lake-by-the-royal-ballet-12769055/
  11. FionaM
    The idea sounded good. And Hannah made sense to me in the trailer. The rest seemed like late night cabaret. Maybe that was the point.
  12. FionaM
    The production itself .. costumes and sets including the floor design, look special indeed. I’m hugely enjoying the clips of the two casts seen so far. Elizaveta Kokoreva has stepped up another level with her Juliet. I see moments of choreography that have influenced later versions by Cranko, MacMillan, Nureyev etc Also impressed by audience quoting verses of Shakespeare with their posts.
  13. FionaM
    yes, Alina was only scheduled to perform these two dates. Both dates now changed. ‘Unforeseen personal circumstances’ covers a wide range of possibilities. I’m not going to speculate. I too am disappointed. I now have a conundrum as I’m already booked to see the replacement cast in Bristol. Is it worth travelling to London to see same cast a week later. 🤔
  14. FionaM
    Coats and large bags in the auditorium are a personal bugbear of mine as they inhibit anyone moving in or out at intervals. I’m told in Germany they are required to be deposited (free) in the coat rooms, as they are considered a fire hazard. I wish those rules applied everywhere.
  15. FionaM
    The sightlines in Munich opera house are pretty good from stalls as well as circles. There is a good stagger Personally I avoid the first few rows else (like ROH and many other opera houses) you’ll not see the dancers’ feet. I’ve been told to avoid stalls in Vienna altogether due to lack of rake, but I’ve not been myself yet.
  16. FionaM
    Thanks. It wasn’t meant to be a criticism, so apologies if it was taken that way. It’s the term that was widely used at the Empower in Motion gala at Sadlers Wells where Joe was one the organisers, so I was following along.
  17. FionaM
    I believe the description has moved on to ‘differently abled’ Joe is an amazing dancer who trained originally at White Lodge. His delivery is very powerful and beautiful. https://www.instagram.com/p/C5HSyfroQ2P/?igsh=OGFwYjBpZzlraHoz
  18. FionaM
    @Amelia search for YouTube clips of “Potaptsev Kokoreva Carmen’s” (debuts of both) performed in February. Special sensitivity in their respective portrayals 😉
  19. FionaM
    I agree… this does sound good. A ballet company with its own identity. Yes please.
  20. FionaM
    ^^ Should be IBstage galas
  21. FionaM
    Realising that Daphnis and Chloe isn’t a full-length being less than 1 hour long.
  22. FionaM
    Two Pigeons Daphnis & Chloe probably others … full list on the foundation website http://www.frederickashton.org.uk/ballets.html
  23. FionaM
    Another day, another on stage promotion to principal / prima ballerina … this time Anastasia Limenko at Stanislavsky after her debut in Esmeralda full length ballet. Anastasia is known outside Russia having participated in INStage galas in Spain and Despertares Mexico. She’s been partnered by Brooklyn Mack, Julian Mackay, Sergei Polunin and Kimin Kim. Rehearsal clip of Esmeralda with Artur Mkrtchyan, also his debut today. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5LG1GprQ0-/?igsh=MTJnZTdnaGtoNDdveg==
  24. FionaM
    I prefer to have no animals on stage … I’ve come to see ballet, and not have to worry about poop or other mishaps of live animals on stage. I find it an unwelcome distraction. My heart sank when Ratmansky introduced a pony and cart into his reconstructed Giselle for the Bolshoi. Thankfully that production is no longer. Wild animals are banned from circuses. Why should we treat domestic animals differently? Hmm. I deplore domestic animals being coerced (even if it is done in a kind manner) to be performers. I’m in sympathy with the French pony’s stage fright and re-assure him/her that it is wholly unnecessary for the plot !!
  25. FionaM
    The ‘Grand Ballet’ TV competition hosted by Svetlana Zakharova & Igor Kolb continues today, with all participants performing solos, including those entered in the Duets section such as Maria Iliushkina & Even Capitaine. https://www.instagram.com/tv/C5IOHdlt1rz/?igsh=ZjdocmhkYTl6a2dl 30.3.2024 14.25 UK time VPN not required to watch via this link https://smotrim.ru/live/19201
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