maryrosesatonapin

I hope this top hat isn't worn when seated? That would be most troublesome.

As usual, lots of varied opinions on the forum and all the better for that The thing I would say about M&A is that I could sense a huge connection between Marguerite and Armand's father, more than there was with Armand himself. However the way Alina danced those faltering on-pointe steps was heartbreaking and beautiful to watch. Wonderful choreography from Ashton at that point. I agree with @FionaE that Frola's dancing improved as the ballet went on, and also that Kobborg had huge stage presence. Just because - and remember he is from the Danish tradition - he isn't showy and extreme doesn't mean he doesn't completely inhabit the character he is dancing. I didn't at all get the feeling he was 'going through the motions'. But I admit to being a huge fan of his and Cojocaru's going back many years, so maybe I am prejudiced

Handel, not Bach Faces was the close-up film of Alana. I think your mention of 'modern writhing around' refers to 'Journey' and on that I agree, @Dawnstar!

We returned from the Wells tonight with hearts still beating with satisfaction and joy at tonight’s performance. First: a musical introduction, a Passacaglia by Handel lusciously performed by the Latvian cellist Margarita Balanas and Norwegian/British Charlie Siem on violin. Throughout the evening there were just three instruments, all played with feeling and brilliance, and it struck me how much better is this arrangement than either a poor orchestra or a recording. I really enjoyed this piece, partly because Handel is one of my favourite composers and also because it served as a mood-setter, a beautiful overture replacement. After this, Alina Cojocaru and Johann Kobborg danced ‘Reminiscence’ (choreographed by Tim Rushton). How good it felt to be watching this pair together again. Johan may be semi retired as a dancer, but he still has some good moves. Alina was as breathtaking as ever and, from the first circle, looked about eighteen years old. This abstract yet eloquent piece was so moving my cheeks became mysteriously moist. Next came a film which lingered on Cojocaru’s face and hands. I was pleased to have this opportunity to focus on her very particular beauty, completely devoid of cosmetics. Then came ‘Journey’, choreographed by Juliano Nunes who also danced, which had some interesting sequences but was my least favourite part of the evening. A second short film, ‘Kiev’, recorded Alina’s visit to her ballet school in Kiev of decades before, and touchingly featured her by now very elderly teachers. The final item on the first half of the programme was the delightful ‘Les Lutins’, choreographed by Kobborg and danced by Cojocaru, Sambé and Tamagawa, all of whom were brilliant. This was our favourite piece of all, with its humour and virtuosity. The second half consisted of Ashton’s ‘Marguerite and Armand’ which was beautifully performed by all, especially Frola taking the role of the passionate Armand. The difficult Liszt score was superbly performed by pianist Sasha Grynyuk. What an evening! Cojocaru’s choice of programme was balanced, varied and compelling and I will continue to digest the memory of it for days to come. Before going out this afternoon, I re-read Johan’s programme note about Alina that a forum member kindly shared with us last year: ‘I once met a girl. We weren’t really supposed to meet, but when we did, everything changed…. If ever there was an alignment of lucky stars lined up for me, my Juliet and for us, then this was the moment.’ It was an extremely lucky moment for us, the audience, too.

Four hours’ driving there and three on the way back was a small price to pay to experience BRB’s exquisite ‘Swan Lake’ on their home stage on Friday. Momoko Hirata and César Morales were every bit as captivating, technically excellent and emotionally eloquent as they had been during their haunting performance in Giselle last autumn. I have never seen a dancing swan ‘fly’ so convincingly as Hirata, thanks in no small part to Morales’ outstanding partnering – she appeared utterly weightless. At one point my partner was laughing in silent disbelief. At the interval he explained it was because he had become convinced that if Siegfried let go of Odette during one of those magnificent high lifts, she would simply go on floating up to the rafters. She was more like a single feather than a whole bird; her feet touched the floor soundlessly. As the white swan she was heartbreaking, delicate, yearning; as the black swan she hardened to become flirtatious and exhibitionist. Her 32 fouettés seemed effortless, although she did travel a lot – the only fault I could find with her the whole evening. Morales was the epitome of a poet-prince, brooding, wistful, distracted – and then passionate. The way he held his swan maiden gave an impression of genuine tenderness between them. The word ‘chemistry’ is often used; here I would say it was something deeper, something beyond desire - true souls meeting and bonding. The staging was really beautiful – the only thing I’d wish were different is that against the dark background, Morales’ dark costume didn’t show off his superb entrechats etc to full advantage. With a couple of exceptions, the 40 year old costumes looked gorgeous. The corps had a few ragged moments and were a little noisy, but were generally very lovely; I particularly enjoyed the four little swans who were well-drilled, harmonious and thankfully all the same height – I hate it when they don’t match. The orchestra sounded rich and the overall experience was a complete delight from beginning to end. My only regret is that I wasn’t organised enough to order flowers – they both deserved them! – and there were none at the final curtain call. I tried to take photos but an official prevented me, even though it was right at the end of the applause. I urge anyone who can to seize the opportunity to watch the Morales/Hirata partnership in any roles at all to see them while they are still dancing together; Morales is 41 and although he looks youthful and dances almost flawlessly, he can’t go on forever.

Hear, hear!

I very much enjoyed these performances (except for the unfortunate error) and thought the girl particularly good, and so confident! I'd love to know her name.

You are quite right, @James. I just checked the photos of the cast in my own programme (as all the ballets are in one book) and the above pair are indeed Fedosova and Kudryavtsev.

I do wonder whether the Russian government subsidise the Bolshoi etc tours as a kind of cultural advert? I have no knowledge of this, just guesswork....

I saw the Siberian company tonight in 'Sleeping Beauty'. A pocket Sleeping Beauty really, given the cramped stage at Wimbledon New Theatre and the small company. I thought a couple of the girls looked pretty tired (no wonder! What a hectic schedule they have to follow) but was pleased to see the theatre was packed, and the audience responsive. The stand-out performance for me was the Prince, danced by the very young and handsome Italian Marcello Pelizzoni. He has lovely elegant lines and superb jetés. His style reminded me somewhat of 'our' dear Muntagirov. There were a few Italians in the company actually. Aurora was performed competently by Elena Svinko. The rest of the company were a bit varied in quality but the story was clearly told so the newcomers to ballet were rapt throughout. I had a Chinese couple next to me, who really enjoyed their first experience of classical ballet, and on our other side were an elderly Indian couple who audibly 'ooh'd' and 'aaah'd' at the most magical moments. I didn't mind as it was their first ballet too, they said, and they were thrilled. So a more mixed audience than one is used to and none the worse for that - I hope ballet gained some converts tonight. The costumes looked very bright and new, but the colours were somewhat garish, and there was minimal scenery. However the lighting was used to great effect and the orchestra, although pared down, was excellent - it had a lovely timbre and did Tchaikovsky's beautiful score justice. All in all a good evening. A pic can be seen here: https://www.extraloudpurrs.co.uk/ballet-pictures

Oh I agree, Blossom - my tongue was firmly in my cheek, but sometimes this doesn't come across on the screen 😉

I know it's not really funny, but this thread has taken a very amusing turn of late! It seems Mr Bravo attends a great many performances. Maybe we could, between us, report sightings so as to predict his attendance pattern and avoid accordingly? Does he favour any particular dancer(s)?

The Victoria and Albert museum is nearby, and delightful - and free! I particularly love the section of old musical instruments (very decorative) and also of course the costumes and fabrics.

Oh LinMM, I'm jealous! I saw her with Morales in Giselle and can't get the pair of them out of my mind. She is my favourite female dancer based in England, at the moment. So glad you enjoyed her too.

Wonderful! I am suffering from Momoko Hirata withdrawal symptoms.

After nearly two months of strikes, Paris Opera Ballet returned to the stage at last with Giselle on Saturday. And what an evening it was! Firstly, I should explain that although we had excellent seats seven rows from the front of the stalls, two extremely large (tall and wide) people came and sat in front of us restricting the view of my six foot partner, let alone short dumpy me. This meant that all I could see for the whole evening was the right and left sides of the stage but nothing in the middle! It wasn’t a fault of the rake, nor the large people who after all didn’t choose their exceptional size, but it did mean I missed a lot of the action. So bear that in mind when reading my review. Before the performance began there was a speech from the Union, which elicited a rowdy response from the spectators with some clapping support whilst others booed loudly. However after this the audience behaved itself very well . The ballet-starved attendees seemed to be mainly French, with a good number of well-dressed and well-behaved children in spite of the late hour. In fact I witnessed none of the poor behaviour we have recently discussed on another thread, and the audience showed their sophistication by applauding appropriately throughout but not (as annoys me at other venues) when the star dancers appear, before having even danced one step, and not after every little solo. (Having said that I plead guilty to what I am criticising in the case of Zakharova, and a couple of others, so I’m a hypocrite.) The dancing was superb. Honestly, I could not fault either the étoiles nor the corps who were very ‘together’ and homogeneous. Giselle (Léonore Baulac) was delightfully pretty and seemed full of joy at being back on stage. At first I found her interpretation a little too ‘cute and playful’ – I always feel terribly sad and serious throughout the whole of Giselle, whereas the first act in Paris had a feeling of light-hearted jollity. However once she came to the mad scene she was more convincing than any other dancer I’ve seen in the role. She seemed to age visibly as you watched (an effect of sudden grief I have noticed in real life) and her movements were so authentic that it was difficult to imagine this was the sweet young girl who had been dancing so merrily just minutes before. Kudos to Baulac for such a powerful transformation. I realised at that point that she had emphasised the innocent charm earlier in order that the contrast be as dramatic as possible. Germain Louvet danced Albrecht – the embodiment of stylish, entitled aristocracy, he entered with a great flourish and long run from the back of the spacious stage, his cloak flowing out dramatically behind him. He was a splendid dancer, and I especially appreciated his perfect entrechats (which I have noticed some other male dancers closer to home cheating on a little). Hilarion’s appearance was a bit of a shock to me. He was a stocky-looking man with an oversized, shiny bald head, and was almost comic in his portrayal. It was all too clear why Giselle would prefer Albrecht. However when I looked at the programme I found that the dancer (François Alu) is actually a good-looking chap with a full head of dark curly hair so obviously this portrayal was intended, but it did somewhat remove sympathy for the man who is the real victim of this tragic tale. Myrthe was danced with suitable menace by Hannah O’Neill – in spite of her name she looked Japanese to me, and was a rare exception to most of the dancers who were French-born and trained. The scenery and lighting were exceptional; for example, during the mime scene where Berthe warns Giselle about the Willis, it is as though the sun goes temporarily behind a cloud and an unnerving atmosphere washes over the stage, sending a shiver down one’s spine. Then, of course, there are the stupendous surroundings of Palais Garnier itself – the statuary, the all-pervading layers of gold leaf, the multiple painted ceilings, the chandeliers… although I have visited many times it never ceases to take my breath away. You could say that our Royal Opera House looks, in comparison, like a minimalist Scandinavian interior. I love both buildings in their different ways.

Believe me, we are upset (inasmuch as disappointed). However I understand their reason for striking as the dancers of POB have the kind of pensions that all ballet dancers deserve - dating back to the seventeenth century no less - and they are unwilling to give them up.

Was it well-attended, Janite? I just love the publicity poster but wasn't tempted to actually go.

The Palais Garnier itself is well worth visiting for any production. It is dazzling. We had booked two ballet and one opera performance(s) there this week but the strike continues... so last night's were cancelled and we await with baited breath news of whether we shall be able to see Giselle on Saturday.... I would urge anyone to see POB at home a few times if possible. It more than merits the journey.

Talk about an embarrassment of riches (in talent) - lucky Bolshoi audience!

Far from being 'alright' it is very welcome! Thank you @Tango Dancer. I am intrigued at the story you describe and have not come across that before.

We had tickets but I was too unwell to go So reviews much appreciated - thank you, @capybara. Your partially negative review made me feel less bad at having missed it. Selfish me.

A few thoughts after watching the film via the Bolshoi website: I am still haunted by BRB’s exquisite production last autumn and, for all Smirnova’s technical gloss, I much prefer the faerie magic Momoko Hirata sprinkled over my heart. She was and will always be unforgettable to me. (I think Hirata’s technique was just about as good as Smirnova’s in a less showy way; maybe her jumps were inferior but her arms are more sinuously expressive.) It was interesting to hear Ratmansky say (I paraphrase) ‘ we like to think that dancers have become technically superior but it isn’t true – some of the things they did in the early C19th were incredible.’ And NB this wasn’t with those clumpy modern shoes! Did y’all notice Belyakov chatting to his wife beforehand? (She was the peasant girl in striped leggings, practising backstage at the beginning.) Belyakov and Smirnova: The rising star of the Bolshoi men, I think Belyakov is now eclipsing the gorgeous Rodkin and deserves to with his combination of dazzling all-round technique, acting ability and physical beauty. Not that I am belittling Rodkin who is a favourite of mine also. Likewise Smirnova seems to be stepping into Zakharova’s shoes, although she isn’t nearly as appealing to me as beautiful Svetlana. This pair could, IMO, probably be considered the premier dancers in the world today. It is certainly difficult to imagine anyone bettering Belyakov’s performances in any of the roles he has recently graced. Smirnova was making a real effort to act well and embody the part but somehow I didn’t find her quite as convincing as her partner even though I couldn’t fault her dancing. Together they were stunning, and completely in tune (dance-wise). The whole company was on magnificent form – when the stage was filled with sixty peasants, including children and old people (and still with plenty of room to move) it really gave the impression of a genuine village scene. In response to comments made by other forumites, I thought Giselle’s weak heart was mimed clearly enough by her mother and her collapse was due to that – conjointly with it being broken. Someone remarked on the daisy scenario. Giselle plucked two daisies and when one didn’t give the ‘yes he loves me’ answer, Albrecht picked up the second daisy which said he did love her. I felt this was to show he is really in love, and not deceitful in that particular regard, and was a nice touch. Funny, I didn’t notice the inappropriate clapping – maybe I was too tuned in to the drama of it all? The second act was suitably spooky and poetic, with impeccable performances throughout. There was a bit of a glimmer of rosy light but I think dawn could have been more clearly heralded, and I didn’t like this particular Albrecht getting off rather lightly when his beautiful noble fiancée forgave him. All in all a wonderful experience, priceless yet free. Thank you Bolshoi.

2 tickets, dress circle slips face value £147.25 each. Willing to accept £100 each.

Nor me! Where are they? The number of times I have toiled up and down those stairs!