FionaM

Mayara was tremendous. Especially when solo … beautifully controlled exemplary technique during her soulful Odette. Exciting Odile with hugely complicated fouetté sequence including attitude turns. Lovely performance. I felt she held the show together … considering she’s not been a principal for that long this was particularly admirable. Cesar was underpowered … clearly not jumping to be careful on his return. In some he barely got off the floor and the entrelace were petit allegro. It was so against his actual character. I kept expecting him to think “right that’s enough of being careful let’s show what I can really do”. But he did not. So it was somewhat disappointing for audience that know his previous abilities. I hope subsequent performances will be at better levels. (and this may be why Rhapsody casting is still unknown) Anyone unfamiliar with Cesar would have thought it was an elegant (yes really) refined performance. I was worried about lifts as I believe there has been a back problem. Those were all well done and held. Bravo. However his partnering in the white acts had her off balance too often limiting the execution of high swan attitude lines. This will be a great partnership in time even though he is slightly too short for her when she’s on pointe. They connect well. Though I agree with earlier comments that chemistry was not fully what I’d expected. No doubt due to first night and long awaited return of Cesar. Wonderful suspended airtime with super height from Jun on his entrelace. And beautifully soft and silent landings. He did a decent job with the role interpretation too. I heard Lukas as Von Rothbart was a late cast change so I wonder how much rehearsal he’s had. Brave man. He did well. I’m sure subsequent shows will be even better. The juxtaposition of his beauty and stage presence with yet another evil character is an utter delight! And really good lifts with Mayara, something the older character artists don’t quite manage for me. A few of the supporting soloists that were noticeable … both sister princesses Leticia Dias and Sae Maeda, Isobel Lubach’s big swan, Yu Hang’s potential bride.

Having been to the Peacock only a week ago for ‘Everyone’s talking about Jamie’ a dance musical, it seemed fine for smaller dance productions to me. And ENB are using it for their children-friendly production of Swan Lake. could you explain why you think it’s not so suitable for dance/ballet?

@alison both the roll-out vinyl and the wooden sprung floor needed below the vinyl, can be laid over the existing stage floor if it is not already suitable.

How wonderful. I think you will both have a fantastic experience. Your post has taken me back to my first experiences as a child (similar age) going to see ballet in a theatre with my mother. I adored the whole thing … getting smartly dressed (not totally necessary then or now), the journey, the tickets, the glossy programme, the awe of the beautiful foyers and the auditorium, sitting on the edge of my seat as the lights went down, being stunned by the production … lights, costume, music, and the dancing. It was love at first sight. After that, and because we could only afford one or two visits per year, we’d discuss the future programme and which shows to book. Special times. I hope it works out for you too.

Casting https://sadlers-wells-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024/03/NYCB-Casting-Sadlers-Wells-March-7-10-2024.pdf

Wonderful news! Congratulations to Iana, she is a super dancer.

Ben Ella was in the Spanish in the Swan Lake rehearsal earlier today

@Jamiel Devernay-Laurence thank you for your explanation of true vs fair value. I remember having a similar discussion here in 2021 about the Kobborg/Cojocaru/Polunin R&J at RAH when some here expressed surprise at those ticket prices. Some wished to wait for discounts (which didn’t happen as the show was sold out despite COVID playing up.) The true cost of that show would have been even higher if there had been a live orchestra. Further highlighting the subsidy (from govt and sponsors) that is inherent in ROH and Sadlers Wells shows. I hadn’t made the link that those subsidies make it prohibitive for new troupes to perform without similar financial support, as they cannot price tickets at their true cost. Perhaps we the audience are going to have to recalibrate how much we are prepared to spend on performing arts now that prices are rising (and yet are still subsidised at the main dance venues). We have a choice, either spend as before (but go less often, or choose cheaper seats if possible), OR, decide to spend more as a percentage of income. Yikes! Some are already having to spend less due to the current economic climate.

Possibly at Ballet Icons gala

The ‘Grand Ballet’ or Bolshoi Ballet TV competition 2024 has its first broadcast on Saturday 9 March 2024, at 17.20 Moscow time, 14.20 UTC The 2024 competition was filmed in July 2023. I’ve seen info on 4 participants so far (there are 16): - Davide Loricchio, Mikhailovsky soloist, previously Prix de Lausanne apprentice at RB - Maria Iliushkina, Mariinsky first soloist - Even Capitaine, Mariinsky soloist - Daniil Potaptsev, Bolshoi soloist, only one year out of Eifman Academy I believe the previous winners were: FEMALE 2020 - Maria Khoreva, Mariinsky 2018 - Ksenia Shevtsova, Stanislavsky, now Munich 2016 - none awarded, but see pairs 2012 - Olga Smirnova, Bolshoi, now Dutch National MALE 2020 - none awarded * 2018 - Dmitry Sobolevsky, Stanislavsky, now independent 2016 - none awarded, but see pairs 2012 - Sergei Polunin, Stanislavsky, now independent * Marcello Pelizzoni was commended in 2020 (Krasnoyarsk, now Stanislavsky) PAIRS 2020 - Elizaveta Korneeva (Voronezh) & Ivan Negrobov (Voronezh, now Estonia) 2018 - Amanda Gomes & Wagner Carvalho (Kazan) 2016 - Renata Shakirova & Kimin Kim (Mariinsky), AND, Inna Bilash (Perm, now Zurich) & Nikita Chetverikov (Perm, now Mikhailovsky) 2012 - Anna Tikhomirova & Artem Ovcharenko (Bolshoi)

I’ll try to share the next broadcast with more advance notice! I hadn’t though to do so before.

We are all hoping that London City Ballet will fill the VFB void (for both audience and dancers) and that it can survive. I don’t know if they have govt funding as well as private. Ticket prices at Sadlers for LCB are £15-£65 which seems reasonable to me … better value than the £70 top price for the poor quality Varna International Ballet recently. And, crucially, London City Ballet has Alina Cojocaru as its guest in the shows at Sadlers.

Currently watching … Bolshoi’s La Bayadere is on Russian TV Culture channel tonight Sunday 3 March 2024 2200 Moscow time 1900 UTC Svetlana Zakharova, Maria Alexandrova, Vladislav Lantratov (from 2013) I watch on this link (you don’t need a VPN to access it) https://sputnik24.tv/smotret/kultura Instagram announcement: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4Dto-8NIYZ/?igsh=bGoxeXMzaWx4aXB2

@Richard LH there are plenty in all the lower ranks!

In the end it is the Artistic Director’s vision and decision. If a dancer doesn’t get promoted because they don’t fit his ideas (for whatever reason) then that dancer has to choose what suits them. Melissa has chosen to remain in RB and branched out with many guest appearances with Bolle and others, and now her own shows. Valentino Zucchetti is blessed with choreographic talent as well as dancing talent. Itziar Mendizabal has qualified as a teacher. I wonder which direction the other older soloists will go. Always fascinating to find out. Later promotions are not unknown, I think Ryo Hirano was 33. Laura Morera was 29, Ed Watson was 28. So I think principal promotion is unlikely for any of those aged over 30. The only first soloists aged under 30 are Calvin Richardson and Joe Sissens. Luca Acri is ~30. All the others are older, including Gasparini (33/34).

Not a problem with the seat and yes the discount was for the latest production which wasn’t selling well. I don’t like the new garish designs of the costumes. I don’t like the way the story is told. I don’t like most of the choreography (especially the season fairies, unnecessary fiddly and therefore ugly) and I really don’t like the pantomime dame stepsisters. I find the production to be vulgar. I do like the ballroom pdd and that is worth seeing … loved Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball in it. I fear a lot of RB full length ballets are looking like ‘West End musicals’ and it’s a trend that is not for me.

The only offer I have ever received was a discount for Cinderella. I did use it and wished I hadn’t bothered.

Regarding Giorgi Potskhishvili… the RB does have a principal dancer who has big charisma and exciting personality on stage, like this. Namely Cesar Corrales. Cesar has much better classical technique, including very beautiful feet, both of which Giorgi does not. I really hope Cesar can stay injury free now that he is returning to the stage and truly develop into the awesome dancer that he should be. His return seems imminent … I saw a clip of him with Mayara in the wings of an onstage dress rehearsal of Swan Lake. I doubt very much that Dutch National would let Giorgi go. He’s their crowd puller But you can see him at Ballet Icons gala later this month!

I’m aware he performed Romeo in R&J and Palemon in Ondine before becoming a principal. Were there other full length lead roles before promotion?

I doubt if any have. This doesn’t apply to Calvin who has Romeo, Nutcracker Prince and shortly Des Grieux as lead classical / dramatic roles. Plus leading supporting virtuoso roles of Benno in Swan Lake, lead pas de six in Giselle, Bluebird and Florestan trio in Sleeping Beauty.

No one has mentioned Calvin Richardson’s impressive leading roles in works by McGregor, Wheeldon and Crystal Pite, plus the cello in Marston. Those will count towards his consideration for promotion, which I think is highly likely this year. I’d rate him one year ahead of Sissens. https://www.roh.org.uk/people/calvin-richardson

Googling Francisco Serrano finds that he was 19 in February 2016 making him now 27 and therefore quite old to still be a first artist. High time he was given more opportunity! This article does point out he was a late starter, at age 14. http://ticket.heraldtribune.com/2016/02/19/sarasota-dancer-joins-royal-ballet/

They closed down completely when COVID hit. I met one of the young dancers left with nothing,

Ah the beautiful drama that is Neumeier’s version of Die Kameliendame. There are more performances in April, and continuing to 4 May.

An alternative financial contract would be for the venue or event promoters to pay a fixed fee to the performing group in return for taking on the full profit (or not) from ticket sales. This is how Natalia Osipova’s Bloom Dance Project and other independent artists operate.