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maryrosesatonapin

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Everything posted by maryrosesatonapin

  1. maryrosesatonapin
    There are celebrated ballet dancers whom almost everybody adores. And then there are other, less stellar, dancers who appeal in spite of their more modest position in the ballet hierarchy. One such was a dancer called Sandra Madgwick from Birmingham Royal Ballet, whom my partner and I followed in the nineties. Although she wasn’t a world-shattering celebrity, there was something about this petite ballerina with her neat charm that entranced us, and we often went to a performance just to see her. She had a distinctive, rather cheeky stage presence and never disappointed us. (I remember her being absolutely tiny, and she even had cute freckles!) Does anyone else here remember Sandra, or have another 'old favourite' dancer who might not be widely known, but who was special for them?
  2. maryrosesatonapin
    It's good to hear Watson is back on form - I hope that means we will be seeing him here (in London) soon too.
  3. maryrosesatonapin
    As ballet is about appearance to a large extent, some shoes do look a little 'clumpy' nowadays. I think they have changed in this country even in the last ten years.
  4. maryrosesatonapin
    I was referring to the times when Sevenard wasn't actually dancing - if you watched her you could see she just sat there smiling, as opposed to her Basil who constantly interacted with his friends in the tavern in a very naturalistic way. I don't think she was wooden in her dancing and am sorry if I gave that impression.
  5. maryrosesatonapin
    I went to my last performance today and I'm missing them too - who knows when they will be back 😢
  6. maryrosesatonapin
    We enjoyed today’s Don Q matinee – Sevenard/Belyakov. Her Kitri was sweet and playful but she was certainly not the best dancer on the stage. The athletic and elegant Belaykov showed his acting ability by being so very different from the Crassus we had seen a couple of weeks ago, and today was convincing as the amusing, romantic and penniless barber. He really inhabited the role of Basil – even during the times when he and his love were just sitting watching others dance, such as in the tavern scene, he was vivacious and full of realistic little touches, unlike Sevenard who sat smiling woodenly throughout. I think it was the FT critic who earlier described Belyakov as being ‘almost cartoonishly handsome’ and indeed he was, with his appropriately slick haircut which gave him an almost Elvis-like appearance! One dancer who especially caught my eye was Ana Turazashvili as the Street Dancer; as soon as she made her entrance she commanded the stage, and gave an immaculate and mesmerising performance. I don’t know how old she is, but do hope we see her again in bigger roles. Maria Mishina, too, was charming as Cupid, and Oxana Sharova’s Gypsy was very well danced. Indeed, this ballet is full of meaty roles for a good number of dancers and provided plenty of colourful spectacle which was lapped up by today’s audience. The orchestra were superb too – resulting in a thoroughly entertaining performance all round brimming with that Bolshoi vigour and joie de vivre.
  7. maryrosesatonapin
    Thank you for the links, @annamicro. So it is mentioned that this Romeo and Juliet might be coming to the Royal Albert Hall....
  8. maryrosesatonapin
    I also have tickets for Cojocaru - now I am wishing I'd got some for Rojo, after what Jan and others have said!
  9. maryrosesatonapin
    I didn't realise that Tamara Rojo was still dancing. A 45 year old playing a young virgin.... are there no other suitable dancers at ENB?
  10. maryrosesatonapin
    If you have access to it, this film is well worth watching on Amazon Prime. It made me realise how fortunate we are in countries such as England to have access to dance performance and training.
  11. maryrosesatonapin
    I have come late to this film, via Amazon prime. I wasn't sure I wanted to see another dancer trying to be Nureyev. Ivenko did as good a job as anyone could but Nureyev cannot be replicated. I did wonder about the bit where Nureyev was seen to be seduced by Pushkin's wife - I don't think that is necessarily true? If not, it seems a little unfair to Mr and Mrs P. The Russian scenes were magical and the whole thing is very well done, and quite riveting. Here is a photo of Nureyev's family - don't the actors chosen have a remarkable physical resemblance!
  12. maryrosesatonapin
    Doesn't she just! I would never have believed she was in her fifties.
  13. maryrosesatonapin
    This film is now available on Amazon Prime and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. What a story! It is always interesting to me to learn about the human being behind the dazzling on-stage dancer, and few would have such a background as Carlos Acosta. Hats off to him, and to the film makers and actors. Thoroughly recommended if you haven't seen it already.
  14. maryrosesatonapin
    If I posted a picture of a dancer I liked and someone wrote 'yawn' I would feel hurt. What might seem flippant to an 'outsider' can seem spiteful to the recipient of the jibe. I just feel that moderators, in particular, should find a pleasanter and politer way of expressing themselves and I had hoped for better from this forum. It's fine to disagree; but it's the manner of expression which jars.
  15. maryrosesatonapin
    I am disappointed that this extremely uncivil response is actually applauded even by moderators!
  16. maryrosesatonapin
    At the back of this summer's Bolshoi brochure is an advert telling us that Zakharova will return to London between 3-8 December 2019 in this role which was created especially for her, together with a brand new Wayne McGregor piece. 'Booking opens soon.'
  17. maryrosesatonapin
    I don't think Ashton and Balanchine are the greatest choreographers of the C20th. I believe this to be a very UK/US-centric view (though Balanchine was actually Russo-Georgian). The works which I would absolutely hate to see lost are: L’Apres-Midi d’un Faune (1912) – Nijinsky/Debussy – Paris Petrouchka (1911) – Fokine/Stravinsky – Paris Spartacus (1956) Yakobsen/Kachachurian – Kirov Firebird (1910) Fokine/Stravinsky – Paris Les Sylphides (1907) Fokine/Chopin – Mariinsky The Bright Stream (1935) – Lopukhov/Shostakovich – Mikhailovsky - based purely on the rave reviews on this forum, as I have never seen it live! Rite of Spring (1913) – Nijinsky/Stravinsky – Paris Carmen (1949) – Petit/Bizet – Paris Symphony in C (1947) – Balanchine/Bizet - Paris Romeo and Juliet (1977) – Nureyev/Prokofiev - London There are many other masterpieces of course. I hope the best live on for ever for future dancers, audiences and musicians to relish.
  18. maryrosesatonapin
    We went on holiday directly after the evening performance on 3rd August so I’ve not had the opportunity to share my photos. The audience seemed wildly enthusiastic (contrasting with the previous Monday’s Spartacus audience whose applause was rather meagre). In fact there was a chap in the next box to us, standing throughout and calling ‘more, more!’ at every opportunity as though he expected the dancers to perform an encore for him! Rodkin was convincing as a young, troubled and poetic prince but he was completely overshadowed by Zakharova who was utterly entrancing and poignant. The slow, painfully beautiful duet between Odette and Siegfried was the best I have ever seen. Other dancers I particularly enjoyed were Georgy Gusev as a spectacular jester, and Anastasia Denisova’s sparkling, charming Russian princess. I had liked her Phrygia the previous Monday although I know others weren’t particularly impressed. This version of Swan Lake isn’t my favourite (especially the ending) but it was nonetheless a memorable performance and one which I felt privileged to see.
  19. maryrosesatonapin
    I am SO sorry to have missed this - we were on a holiday booked long ago, of which we had already postponed the first day to see Swan Lake. The Bright Stream looks fabulous. Thank you to all who shared reviews and photos!
  20. maryrosesatonapin
    We're going too, @HelenLoveAppleJuice! I am so excited.
  21. maryrosesatonapin
    I agree with you here, @HelenLoveAppleJuice I clapped long and loudly for Zakharova's exquisite performance, but a lot of people in the audience didn't seem to appreciate her fully. I cannot imagine the RB even managing to fill the main roles, let alone the full complement - whether now or if we drafted in the ghosts of great dancers of the past. But RB do other things well so it's better to perform what you can than what you struggle with. I did think during Monday's performance that the role of Spartacus would suit Polunin. From what you say, it is even more admirable that Belayakov and Rodkin managed to dance unremittingly hard and fast and high right to the end.
  22. maryrosesatonapin
    I saw Mukhamedov as Spartacus but so long ago (too long ago to remember his buttocks, if I noticed them in the first place!) all I can remember now is that the stage seemed filled with a human firecracker! He was quite a short chap but seemed to expand when dancing. But Rodkin on Monday touched me more emotionally - he was subtle, graceful and nuanced. I really felt he and Denisova conveyed the tragic tenderness of a husband and wife cruelly parted. Mukhamedov epitomised wild passion whilst Rodkin embodied the deep and loving devotion that comes in a long term relationship. And I think DR has a perfect male ballet body - just virile enough without losing elegance. Of course, I am not in any way arguing with how you responded - one of the interesting things about ballet (and other art forms) is how it touches people differently, and indeed - the same people diversely at different times. I did wonder on Monday whether my response was due to having got older rather than due to the interpretation. I went expecting to feel amazed at the energy and skill of the dancers and perhaps a little cringing at the 'blockbuster' nature of the ballet, and came away instead feeling thoughtful and quite emotional.
  23. maryrosesatonapin
    I don't know much about Grigorovich's personal life but because he was born well after the Revolution, it struck me that Biblical images wouldn't necessarily be the first that would come to his mind. I agree there was a bit of a 'crucifixion' impression in the dramatic ending of Spartacus' life, but surely Grigorovich would be more likely to be thinking of (for example) his compatriot Bronnikov's well-known painting of some of Spartacus' fellow slaves, which had nothing to do with Christianity but was both powerful and appropriate.
  24. maryrosesatonapin
    JNC, I've only seen the BBC film about it - have you? It has such a wonderful insight about a very young Muntagirov dancing with Daria Klimentová towards the end of her career. I found it quite touching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFU4CBO8D_k&t=1930s I did see Cinderella in the round earlier this year and although it was cleverly done found it a bit of a circus, so I'm not sure I will go to see Swan Lake in the round but will certainly make a point of seeing the latest ENB version (not having seen theirs for a number of years).
  25. maryrosesatonapin
    That is, I believe, my second favourite. Although I might change my mind after Saturday evening....
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