FionaM

I’ve been following Vsevolod Maievsky for a while … potential to be a beautiful classical ballet prince. Stature and looks. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cok8eqhoxwq/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I do like the printed cast sheets, but would prefer digital as well. The digital ones could easily include last minute changes. As you know the RAH printed cast lists for ENB Cinderella this weekend were not fully correct. Which is frustrating when one is still learning who the newer dancers are, and, trying to identify them in masks, wigs etc.

@Emeralds the extra dancers are listed toward the back of the programme

I am still enjoying the afterglow of double show day on Saturday 24th June! I really loved this version as a spectacle, unlike The Royal Ballet version. It is refreshingly modern with its use of projections as backdrops and also onto the floor, and with fewer frills and fuss in the costumes, whilst still being rich in colour and action and with lovely classical ballet choreography, especially for the seasons and the ball waltzes. I won’t bother seeing the Ashton version again. I don’t like his unmusical solos for the fairies and really don’t like the old fashioned pantomime dames. Plus the lack of a cohesive storyline (no invitations!) and the uninventive and unconvincing supposedly ‘magic’ moments with the transitions of the fairy godmother and the pumpkin. Not to mention the tiny clock. This is the main crux of the story! I think Ashton’s Cinderella is a poor cousin of the RB Sleeping Beauty and the new garish costumes don’t help. I think Christopher Wheeldon has tried really hard to make his version different to the RB Ashton one which he would have grown up with (maybe even appeared in as a child and/or an adult dancer?). So he is especially careful to not be derivative of Ashton’s beautiful ballroom pdd and solos. I like the use of the four fates in place of a fairy godmother. They enhance and mirror Cinderella’s experiences as though they are her thoughts as well as guiding her to her destiny. Plus solving practical staging issues with the family table. Clever. Highlights from the performances CINDERELLA: Shiori Kase was delightful and charming and suited the character perfectly. Ivana Bueno in the evening was very impressive indeed. Fully immersed in her role. I’ve never seen such an assured near debut (only her second show) in a full-length role with many ‘alone on the huge stage’ moments. I found her mesmerising. Truly remarkable. PRINCE GUILLAUME: I enjoyed both Lorenzo Trossello and Aitor Arrieta. Fabulous to have this big stage for their gorgeous jete manège. It made me realise how restricting proscenium arch versions are for these strong dancers. Tender approach to both their partnering. And agree with @Irmgard on the touching waltz on the table between the disguised prince and the put-upon Cinderella. STEPMOTHER : Eileen Evrard was tremendous at the matinee. Her acting and timing was spot on. I thought Sarah Kundi did not project as well and wasn’t fully in the role at all times. Though the audience applause was very warm for her individual curtain calls. STEPSISTERS : Fernanda Oliviera was really very mean (evening) whereas Natascha Mair managed to be a spoilt brat as well. The two sweet stepsisters Francesca Velicu and Katja Khaniukova were spontaneous and delightful. BENJAMIN : Both Ken Saruhashi (evening) and Henry Dowden (matinee) impressed with their thoughtful and fun interpretations, plus really strong connections with their Clementines. Amongst the other roles, Fabian impressed as always with his excellent portrayals as the King (matinee) and Father (evening). James Streeter was also excellent as the father. The evening show was let down by a less convincing King. James Streeter was one of the fates at the evening show. In the seasons, Shunhei Fujiyama caught my eye in Autumn and Natascha Mair in Winter. I had no problems with latecomers or other audience distractions. The seller of the cast lists and programmes ran out at my entrances at both shows … I had to dash round to another entrance. And the cast list for the fates and seasons for the matinee wasn’t correct.

I thought the review was too negative re Lauretta. There are clips on her Instagram. She looks lovely as always. She’s danced this version before in Munich, pre Covid.

ABT AD Susan Jaffe seems pleased https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct1QVnXOTXZ/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

@Emeralds fully sold out (no surprise) https://sell.pia.jp/inbound/selectTicket.php?eventCd=2243158&rlsCd=002&langCd=eng

I feel your pain! I was so disappointed in the ghastly Anastasia Act 3. Soooooo envious of ALL the lovely programmes and casts that Japanese audiences are getting.

Thank you for this detailed review @Emeralds. These were my impressions of the production from the lockdown relay of Cojocaru & Hernandez, with Cirio as Benjamin and Rojo as stepmother (what a cast!). I’ve also seen the proscenium arch version by Munich online, where Madison Young excelled as Cinderella and Shale Wagman as Benjamin. I’m really looking forward to my live casts … double show day tomorrow (Saturday). Shiori Kase & Lorenzo Trossello followed by Ivana Bueno & Aitor Arrieta.

I hope concern over number of characters disappeared by the end. I found the story told through the dancing made it reasonably clear who everyone was.

Interesting that Stuttgart take some Cranko school students directly into the corps and others as apprentices.

I wonder how the ROH copes when there is a situation of opposites regarding a comfort dog? I would find a dog distracting if it was near me. I hope they’ve got extra seats where they can move me or the dog reliant person.

The Princess Grace Academy and Boston Ballet School are surely more prestigious than Elmhurst and so I’d expect better level graduates from those schools. I do expect BRB to hire the best they can. And they always have hired many from RBS. I am surprised there aren’t any from ENB school. Or is there some agreement between ENB and RB/BRB not to hire from each others’ schools.

That’s the wig for Anastasia 😉

I did not expect to like ‘Untitled 2023’ from reviews here. It was the best piece of the triple bill for me! And the couples sat either side of me agreed … they thought it was amazing too. Regular ROH ballet goers they said. I loved it from the get-go with Joe Sissens wonderful moves. Despite the unfamiliar music I felt the connection between the moves and the music … perhaps the dancers are feeling it better at the end of the run. So pleased NOT to see bodily contortions of the female dancers by the men … as in other McGregor works. I think he has really moved on to finding how to choreograph uniquely on ‘ballet’ dancers, having them dance with and alongside each other. All the leads were super .. Marco Masciari’s extensions and dynamics are fabulous. Loved the duet of Fumi and Will and the reversed colour combination of their costumes. Witty and clever choreo to show it. Delighted to see Harris Bell with Melissa, as I’ve not seen him dance much before. She is extraordinary in Wayne’s choreo. And then the smooth moves of Calvin to end. After that Corybantic Games seemed dull with familiar balletic moves to music that is not easy on the ear. (To me anyway). Things improved with the lighter touches and poses to finish some of the sections. And went up another level with Annette Buvoli’s and Mayara Magri’s impressive solos. I did adore the emotional connection of Ball and Bracewell too. Loved the long skirts with light pleats, hated all the black straps on the men and women, whether stitched or not. I found Anastasia Act III dated this time, when I’d loved it before. The opening movie clips seemed overly long. Delighted by the extraordinary audience applause and special farewell for Laura including the bouquet presentations by former partners and the speech from Kevin O’Hare highlighting her success in Ashton and MacMillan rep, and her being Liam Scarlett’s muse. Spotted many former and current company members in the audience.

??? the 2023 event is in July. By my calendar it is 18 June today maybe there is some confusion. The discussion was about using dancers from a previous event (Fumi and Vadim) on the advertising for the upcoming event where they are not scheduled to appear.

Recordings are usually available to LBC members within a few weeks, sometimes sooner.

Google to the rescue … she is on this list published on 19 May 2023 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/honorary-british-awards-to-foreign-nationals-2023/honorary-awards-to-foreign-nationals-in-2023

Is Alina Cojocaru on this official list? Or was her OBE awarded inbetween the official lists?

Serves ENB right for not putting most senior cast on first. 🤣

Promotion announcement https://www.instagram.com/p/CtbdzPQIjKB/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

So sad for Emma Hawes .. I hope it’s not one requiring a long time out. and at the same time delighted for Ivana Bueno. Super opportunity.

Last chance to get tickets for Vadim Book-signing and interview with London Ballet Circle … it’s tomorrow 13 June.

I’ve just heard of this Festival of Dance running 14-23 July with performances, workshops, choreographic platform, and more. This year’s shows include Alleyne Dance and Spoken Movement. Last year Hofesh Shechter and Alexander Whitley companies participated. The festival expands this year to include an inaugural dance film festival, produced by Jamiel Devernay-Laurence. Jamiel recommends the venue: “With its spectacular thatched Barn venue dance facility, a beautiful restaurant on site and underpinned by its position as a leading contemporary art gallery, I believe Messums Wiltshire is a must-visit location for dance artists, creators, entrepreneurs and audience alike.” More info here: https://messumswiltshire.com/exhibitions/festival-dance-2023/ @messumswiltshire on Instagram

@candle thank you for your different perspective of the triple bill. I shall now look forward to it with wider possibilities on Saturday.