maryrosesatonapin

I agree, he is a brilliant Benno!

Lucky you, Dawnstar, to still have your first live Swan Lake experience ahead of you! I know I'm corny but after half a century of seeing dozens of ballets in numerous different countries Swan Lake will always be my favourite. That music! The costumes! The emotion! And, of course, the great variety of dancing. This particular production isn't my favourite - we see far too much of Siegfried's friend Benno, to the extent that some casual audience-goers have actually been overheard wondering if he is the hero. But you are still in for a real treat. I guess you will get as many suggestions about casts to choose as there are possible permutations, but IMO Osipova/Clarke and Núñez/Mutagirov are head and shoulders above the other pairs. The third choice is trickier; Francesca Hayward's debut will be interesting and she is always beautiful to watch; but Akane/McRae are probably the pick of the rest.

I loved it! The nearest you get to a Hollywood Blockbuster at the Bolshoi. Great fun with some amazing dancing and, ultimately, quite moving. Like @Mary there was a problem at the beginning of act three (I had assumed it was our cinema but obviously not). On the way out we were given a refund although we weren't going to complain. I was surprised that Tsvirko was in the lead as I thought he had left the Bolshoi? He danced his heart out. They all did. The friend I went with said it was as though they were competing at the Olympics, such was the standard of physical virtuosity on display. At first I found Phrygia (Anna Nikulina) a little weak on characterisation but she made up for it in the final tragic scenes. It was great to see Belyakov and Zakharova reprise the roles of Crassus and Aegina that I had seen them in live a couple of years ago. They were both amazing - especially Zakharova, now 42 years old but as beautiful and lithe as ever. And what a great actress she is - a seductive, raunchy harlot on stage and a happily married and deeply religious mother in real life.

How interesting! I've seen their production twice and just thought they were leering In response to @JNC's question - yes yes yes it is well worth seeing the POB version of Giselle. I'd say it was quite similar but more refined and from my own several viewings of RB and POB I would say the latter corps are considerably superior. However I do prefer the RB peasant costumes - the Paris ones are very pretty but not rustic enough IMO. Editing to add: my favourite experience of Giselle remains that of the BRB with Hirata/Morales however. I have never been so moved by a performance.

In the programme notes, Peter Wright suggests that Giselle might be the product of 'droit de seigneur' - ie the lord of the manor has first dibs at the bride. What a disgusting tradition - shades of Figaro! But that might explain the mother's youth. I agree that Bonelli is far too much of a gentleman to be a 'nasty' Albrecht, but his interpretation is just as satisfactory to me. How wonderful that he can still dance so well. I have thought over the last 3-4 years that he actually improved! I have booked for this pair later in the run and you have made me look forward to seeing them even more. I can almost feel my tears welling up already...

Someone else I thought was performing well last night, but forgot to mention, is Marianna Tsembenhoi who was both a village girl and a Wili. She danced very prettily in the first act and very competently in the second. I think she is one to watch.

I couldn't agree more. Ballet is a visual art and ideally dancers should be pleasing to look at even when they aren't dancing (although of course their artistic abilities are the most important thing). I've always thought Lukas BB was beautiful even as a teenager but actually didn't like the beard, except that it helped in his characterisation of course! However one could always feast one's eyes on Reece Clarke....

Poor Claire - I hope this is just a precaution and she is back on stage very soon.

Well, as I said, Melissa did manage to look cold and heartless in spite of her pretty blondeness! I thought she was more evil looking and expressive than Claire Calvert to be honest, although it is Claire who is to be Myrthe during this run. But maybe Claire has a more solid classical technique (I don't know). Myrthe is an incredibly demanding role.

Ha ha, so true!

Ha ha, a good point! If the latter, it's have to be the recent Dante gown worn by Ed. It looks cosy for an evening in watching a ballet video, glass of wine and box of chocolates within reach.

I saw this danced by Alina Cojocaru a couple of years ago - you can see the dress here: she looked absolutely gorgeous. https://www.culturewhisper.com/r/dance/alina_cojucaru_sadlers_wells/14828

4th November - Osipova/Clarke/Magri/Brændsrød I was moved by Natalia Osipova’s very human portrayal of Giselle tonight; I’ve always thought her petite sturdiness has a peasant-like quality (in the best possible way) and she made a very sweet and touching heroine, with plenty of her trademark virtuoso dancing which she makes look so easy, even playful at times. Her Albrecht, Reece Clarke, was handsome, stylish and aristocratic to the tips of his fingers. Of course, they have danced together before, so I suspect Osipova may have indicated he’s the partner she wants when on the ROH stage, just as she used to insist on David Hallberg. I used to find Clarke a little heavy in his landings but this has improved and he was quite magnificent tonight. He has the perfect build for a ballerino and chiselled ‘matinee idol’ features of the type I should imagine can be seen in the furthest reaches of the auditorium. Mayara Magri was a powerful Myrthe, but I would have preferred her to be more ethereal; she is so athletic and strong. I noticed Melissa Hamilton being a very eloquent Zulme; she danced beautifully. It must be hard to look evil when you are a pretty blonde, but she succeeded in conveying heartless frigidity. I think this must be Lukas B. Brændsrød's most important role so far - correct me if I am wrong. I almost didn't recognise him with his gamekeeper's beard. He acted very thoughtfully - every movement was somehow rustic, in complete contrast to Clarke's elegance. I also found Luca Acri eye-catching – I don’t especially look out for him but nearly always seem to notice him whenever he’s on stage. I also noticed two of the other male ‘villager’ dancers seem to go somewhat off-piste at one point – did anyone else notice that? I won’t mention their names in case I am wrong. I was very near the front so didn’t get a good birds’ eye view of the corps in the second act, but they looked beautifully spooky. And maybe the latest covid stats have made people more careful, because nearly everyone was wearing a face mask! So all in all a good evening. You can see a couple of my photos here: https://maryrosedouglasuk.wixsite.com/ballet

Poor Julia, having had strenuous rehearsals that morning for Giselle, that afternoon for the Nutcracker and then Myrthe in the evening. I thought she seemed admirably confident for someone who is not even a first artist yet (although I am sure she soon will be).

No, that ballet has only just premiered in Paris. I did venture to comment on the video stream as it really captured my imagination and admiration. I suspect one can see a lot more on the computer screen than one can see from the balcony or amphitheatre in a live performance, so comments are valid IMO. I would urge anyone who hasn't seen 'Le Rouge et Le Noir' to watch it if at all possible.

I actually own one of the costumes in the top picture (ignoring any ads) here: I don't covet it though. It's just grown on me over the years. https://dangerousminds.net/comments/dutch_ballet_in_naked_fat_suits 😄😄😄

May I just take this opportunity of saying how very valued these links are, and how much I appreciate the hard work of those involved.

What a detailed and vivid review - I'm jealous! Thank you, @Irmgard.

Thank you very much for your research, @FionaE! It would be interesting to know if this production has a clearer 'storyline'. Parts of it looked very intriguing.

@FionaE: the 'lust chalk' ha ha! What a phrase. @capybara - my partner always notices things like lighting design whereas I only notice if I can't see! Generally I prefer to enter the world of the ballet and forget the stagecraft etc although that wasn't possible with 'Dante'.

@FionaE I was nearer the front than you and could see the chalk. It never occurred to me it would be invisible to others. Surely they would have/should have noticed this in practice? I agree with most of the rest of what you say.

I think we the audience members are still not allowed to present flowers ourselves, but ROH staff carefully throw individual blooms onto the stage from the side boxes so there isn't any health and safety issue.

Oh, I'm jealous! I think she is a natural Carmen.

Aw, goodbye Edward Watson! You were complex, arresting and brilliant. I only wish the final costume in which I now have to remember you for ever more wasn't akin to my Mum's old dressing gown. But the part of Dante was ideal as your last role - you were indeed a purgatorial poet of movement!

I'm so excited to be seeing this at last - after two postponements - as much to see Alina Cojocaru as Polunin. And Kobborg's choreography, which I am confident I will enjoy.