KyleCheng

Hi all, I hope you are well despite the unbearably cold weather! I am hoping to purchase 2 tickets for the O'Sullivan/Sambe cast of The Nutcracker on 12th December. Preferably Stall, Balcony, or first few rows on Amphi, but happy for any possibility. Thank you in advance!

Unable to attend myself, I would love to hear some thoughts on this piece from folks who have seen the performance: do you agree? Just from reading the piece, I cannot quite see how the titular conclusion was drawn. I would think that one triple-bill is not enough to represent a company's competency in classicism.

An unexpected traffic disruption has meant that I will not be able to make this performance. If anyone is looking for a ticket for this show later today pleace message me or reply to this thread. Thank you!

My matinee ticket has been sorted. The evening upper amphi ticket is now up for sale!

Due to cancellation of a friend, I now have one spare ticket for the evening performance on that day (7pm Saturday 18th March, Ferri cast) with which I can use to exchange. Seat info: Upper Amphitheatre, U-52 (£17)

I was able to book a weekend trip to London (from Stockholm) specifically to see Woolf Works. While I am lucky to have gotten a ticket for the evening performance, the same cannot be said about the 1pm show (Nuñez cast). If anyone has a spare ticket for that performance they are willing to sell, preferably that for an SCS, I would be very grateful for the opportunity! Thanks in advance and hope all of you get to see it despite the snow and everything.

I am happy to say that I now have a ticket. Thanks and happy holiday!

I've been able to make a very last minute plan to visit London next week and would love an opportunity to go to the missed Opera House. Stupidly I was on a call for too long and all the Friday rush tickets were gone when I finally logged on to the page. Any chance anyone has a ticket for that performance to spare? A SCS would be great but I am also open to anything <£50 Thanks in advance and happy holiday to everybody!

Bit late to the game, but hopefully not too late to express some love for Ms Sarah Lamb. With the premiere of the Dante Project, her long awaited and glorious reunion on stage with Steven McRae in R&J, and her convincing performance in Giselle (the most heartbreaking and nuanced Giselle this season in my humble opinion), I thought this has been a magnificent year for her. I really hope we will still be able to see her dance for another couple of years!

Winning in 5 out of the 12 possible categories (excluding the two companies awards RB are not eligible for) doesn't really invoke in me the question "has the RB been overlooked this year?". To be clear, I do not disagree with the observation that RB deserves to win as a company; when you have the best male dancer, the best female dancer, and the best choreographed classical work, it makes sense that you are also the best company. But I do wonder if a more concerning issue is the regional disparity that may have been exacerbated by the pandemic, in ways such as the one @Jan McNulty pointed out. As a Londoner, I am really not devastated to see RB and ENB wining most of the awards, but at the same time I am not sure if it tells a healthy tale about the dance sector in this country as a whole.

This feels like a big year for the Royal Ballet. While it's no doubt a testament to RB's outstanding performances (I'm fortunate to have seen all the RB works nominated and was blown away in several instances), I do wonder if it makes sense to speculate that the landslide (if this is an appropriate term) partly reflects the fact that the less resourceful companies have been more harshly impacted by the pandemic?

I was thinking the same when I first read it! 😅 But then I recalled the vicinity between j and k on the keyboard and guessed that it’s probably just the poster’s phone being overzealous at spelling correction. Always fun to spot those missteps by AIs; good anecdotes for the Resistance Force Newsletter when computers take over.

Besides regular revival on stage, I think another, perhaps more economic and realistic, way to preserve the classics would be to make available (to the public) recordings of more works that have yet been done so. Being a huge fan of Manon and MacMillan's other full length works, I don't think I will ever say no to more staging of them. The same sentiment, I suspect, is shared by a large portion of the balletgoing community, the result of which is that it will be very hard for companies to also stage those less popular works of a choreographer. At present only a small number of Ashton's and MacMillan's works are committed to DVD/blue-ray. In the word of music records there are "complete collection of (insert composer name)" and I think we can do with something similar for choreographers. It would also allow a more systematic understanding of a choreographer's techniques, change of style over time, etc.

I was also at the Coliseum last evening and really enjoyed the dancing, particularly that of Erina Takahashi, whose sophisticated and nuanced dancing depicted the inner conflict of Raymonda very convincingly. Joseph Caley and Daniel McCormick also showed admirable robustness in the face of some challenging choreographies. As for the production, I must echo the praise to it being a wonderful showcase of stunning choreographies. In terms of the story, I quite like the use of a double antitheses: John vs Abdur, and sister Clemence vs Henrietta, (the latter having a clear reference to the shoulder angel concept), with Raymonda in the middle tugged, explicitly, between these four characters and, implicitly, between four different ideals or values. However, I too share the reservation about having the Crimean war as the backdrop, which seems to be thrown out of the window after Act I. I find myself a bit uneasy indulging in all the revelry when a war is supposedly ongoing. The titular role also did a pretty limited amount of nursing. At the very end, when all hints to the war have all but felt distant, it is equally plausible that Raymonda did what she did (trying not to spoil) so as to pursue her dream in stand-up comedy or hedge fund management instead of nursing. Granted, a ballet can only spend so much of its runtime on narrative progression; but I don't think this cognitive dissonance would have loomed so large had the production not stressed so much on it being "inspired by Florence Nightingale" and "a celebration of the courage of nurses" etc. The result feels like it tries to be socially conscious but only half-heartedly so. I've much respect for Ms Nightingale, who I know did rather a lot more on the frontline than having a dream about falling in love with two men.

An interesting discussion on whether the German audience behaves differently. I have been to the Berlin Philharmonie twice and, considering myself very lucky, on both occasions saw towering figures holding the baton: the first time the late great Mariss Jansons and the second time Maestro Zubin Mehta. They both received an extended (and entirely well-deserved) standing ovation, to the extent that both had to come back on stage after the whole orchestra had cleared the stage. Having been to many concerts in London, I don't recall seeing the same thing here. I wonder if my experiences in Berlin have been extraordinary, or are concertgoers there generally more enthusiastic with their applause?

In the Shakespearean play the nurse not only knows of the consummation, she plays an active and comprehensive part in facilitating said consummation. She was present when Friar Lawrence tells Romeo about his plan (to let the couple consummate their marriage before Romeo goes into exile. They (Lawrence says "we", presumably meaning him and the nurse) will then spread the news of their marriage so that he can return as her lawfully wedded man). The nurse then brought the "rope ladder" home to Juliet, which Juliet uses to lift her lover into her bed chamber. At this time it is safe to assume that nobody, including the nurse, expects Capulet to be so insistent on marrying Juliet to Paris and in such short notice. After Romeo left Juliet for Mantua, Lady Capulet visits Juliet to tell her about her dad's planning a "surprise wedding" meant to cheer Juliet up after loosing her cousin: "(your father) Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy/ That thou expect’st not, nor I looked not for." Thus I agree that the Nurse is just doing what she is told when helping planning the Juliet-Paris wedding, as she is obliged to, perhaps with much angst that it will complicate Friar Lawrence's plan (to which, again, she is an accomplice). Though as is the convention described in other Shakespearean plays, Juliet's prior marriage to Romeo would simply nullify her marriage with Paris.

I thought Sarah Lamb was on the top of her game last evening, both in terms of acting and dancing. She looked very at ease holding her arabesque en pointe and, because of the oft-mentioned ethereal quality she seems to exude without effort, those slightly-held-longer poses enhanced rather than got in the way of characterisation and storytelling. It really felt as though she was something out of this world. At one instance her famous photo from Afternoon of a Faun, where she did a stunning 2nd arabesque, was invoked. Her acting was precisely the right balance between theatricality and realism for me. When Berthe caught her dancing with the villagers, the voice and mannerism of a naughty valley girl kept springing to mind (though I am aware she is not from that part of the United States!). What hit me particularly hard was the extent by which she transformed during the mad scene. When she stood up with her hair down, one felt as if one was staring into the eyes of a psychopath; the usual stunningly blue hue of her eyes was no where to be found. As the scene progressed, hysteria was replaced by despair and there was no more burning fire in her eyes, only blackness. The process, which felt like textbook psychological trauma, was almost unsettling to watch. I have previously watched a talk given by her, Kevin O'hare, and Marcelino Sambe at Cambridge (ICYMI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_srNXcPfAM) but it wasn't until I rewatched it today did I notice that she actually talked about the theatricality/realism duality. One cannot help but admire the contextual and philosophical manner in which she approaches her roles, the works, and dancing as an art form, which, at least to me, really shows in her performance and sets her apart from the others in the business. Praise must also be given to the absolutely magnificent corps. Perfectly in sync (from my SCS perspective) and properly scary, it was one of the most satisfying act II I've seen during this run. I share the delight of seeing Romany Pajdak with many fellow forum members and was glad to report that I thoroughly enjoyed her well rounded technique and reserved but beautiful style.

I will admit upfront that RAH has never been among my favourite venues. It's too cavernous for good reverberation and the audience tends to be particularly trying. Last night the two young ladies who arrived late and squeezed past me to sit next to me BOTH took SEVERAL photos with their phones and were apparently filled with reflections so urgent that had to be uttered to each other on the spot. The ensemble choreographies were, for the most part, a bit unidimensional and overly homogenous. Sitting on the rausing circle as I did, one expects to see some creative formations but there was very few. Set and props also left much to be desired. I am not quite convinced of the added value of the giant building. It certainly looks magnificent and intimidating but it felt to me like an ambitious idea that was under-utilised in practice. The storytelling was also a bit rushed, a particularly notable moment for me was after the marriage between R&J, when the light came back on Tybalt and Mercutio were very abruptly already prepared to engage in a fight. The sounds Tybalt's and Mercutio's epees made when they hit the stage also felt embarrassingly plastic and cheap to me. I appreciate that they can't be real steel but the texture of the ones used in the RB production, which one cannot help but compare the current one with given their temporal proximity, felt much more realistic and convincing. Notwithstanding the faults in the venue and the production, the virtuosity of the leading dancers shone through. And indeed the cast was what caused me to purchase the ticket at the first place. The lyrical interpretation and delicate style of Alina Cojocaru were like none other. It is incredible how such amount of strength and intricacy coexist in her. To me, the one scene I felt palpable emotion from was when Juliet sat on Romeo's body trying to wake him up, torn between denial and sorrow. Now that she has left ENB, it will be much harder to see her dance and I am thankful for the opportunity to be reminded again of how enchanting a performer she has always been. Sergei Polunin's dancing was also very enjoyable and exciting to watch, but I kept thinking if can see Putin's silhouette through his white costume. I don't think I have seen Daichi Ikarashi dance previously but his electric and powerful performance last night was sufficient to convince me that he is someone to look out for in coming years. All in all it was not a particularly satisfactory experience but as memory fades with time I will probably remember it as one of the few nights I saw Alina dance and, consequently, do so fondly.

It was not impossible to find faults in Akane's dancing this afternoon, with some of the moves off-the-beat (at least to my ear/eye), a couple of wobbling instances, and a premature entrance on stage in act II before the Wilis could properly obscure her(Giselle's) grave. But I went away content and filled with happy thoughts because Akane still delivered what I admire the most about her: that trademark classical style and elegance, with her port de bras intricate to the tiniest joints, footworks precise and nimble, and saut de chat weightless and effortless. This, to me, unmatched delicacy in her dancing is what keeps bringing me back to see her performances, despite the unbelievable amount of talent RB now possesses among its principles. She seems to have absolute command over the smallest muscle on her body. I always thought it to be testament to how hard she works and how comfortable she is with her roles.

I don't think it is so much a competition with other dancers as a competition with the extremely high bar some of us associate with Vadim, consciously or not. At last evening's performance I must agree that the moment Vadim started those inexplicably high and sharp entrechats I was in awe, and I saw in my peripheral vision the lady next to me clapping her hands silently in admiration. At the same time I will admit I was expecting the entrechats to last a bit longer than it had. Make no mistake; what Vadim delivered was still nothing short of a spectacle that I will remember fondly (and it's not just the entrechats, was it, he was great throughout). I am just saying it is not entirely incomprehensible, and also not necessarily a criticism, that last evening some, vis-a-vis that particular sequence, expected one thing and got another. Other aspects of last night were also top notch. Having seem Osipova on the opening night, I am glad I get to see Nunez's very different interpretation. Her port de bras was very musical and elegant and she never fails to impress with her reliably impeccable technique. If Osipova was more convincing as a carefree farmer's daughter who's grown up playing with small animals, I can imagine Nunez's Giselle spending her spare time reading sonnets and painting trees. If they are violinists Osipova would be Joshua Heifetz and Nunez David Oistrakh. You can have preferences but you can't say either of them is not brilliant! I also thought the pas de six was wonderfully executed, especially by the ladies. Special shoutout to the young Mariko Sasaki, dancing with such classical sensitivity, lyricism and a delightful smile once more after her impressive performance as the lead in Anemoi. I look forward to seeing more of her in big roles.

Thank you @Jan McNulty for your own reviews and the referral. I'm glad you had a great time!

Wondering about a different performance that also featured Ms Ferri, for which I don't think there is a dedicated thread: has anyone gone to BRB's "Curated by Carlos" at Salder's Wells this past week? Carlos Acosta and Alessandra Ferri danced in the third of the triple bill, Chacona. https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/birmingham-royal-ballet-curated-by-carlos-triple-bill/

Or a hat! I was once sat behind a reasonably high gentleman rocking a fashionable fedora (this was at BFI Southbank though). I was too shy to ask him to take it off

Natalia was every bit I'd hoped for, technically spectacular and dramatically convincing, especially in Act I, where her pas seul was just perfect: so vivacious and effervescent was her hops en pointe and what a magnificent maneges. Again it seems effortless for her to embody the role of a bubbly ingenue, much like her hard-to-surpass Coppelia. And indeed Reece Clark was also a joy to watch, but, having only just left the performance a few hours ago, I am understandably still upset about him killing Giselle and getting away with it.

Following bridiem's very helpful musical analogy, one can go one step further and argue that the narrative and non-narrative distinction exists even within the categories of "instrumental pieces" or "choral pieces". For choral pieces we have operas (narrative) but also non-narrative pieces like Beethoven's 9th. While it may be harder to tell a story using only instruments, we do have instrumental pieces that bear some narratives, like Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht or Rimsky-Kirsakoff's Scheherazade. I wonder if you'd agree, RosiesDream, then, that the same can be said about ballet that it is not an art form defined by its content (whether or not narrative exists) but by its form. On a more personal level, I do share your feeling that, for someone who has not been trained in ballet techniques, there can be details whose significance are harder to appreciate. The question then, I suppose, is how much that bothers you. If it keeps you up at night wondering what you're missing, I'd say it's never too late to read and learn about the technical sides of dance (which I have been trying to do through books and videos). If not, that's fine too. Those things you already like, the theatricality, narratives, and visual arts, are quite sufficient reasons to keep returning to the Opera House for.