Jake

Having been to only two performances of the run (the cinema relay and Muntagirov 2) this is more a wish list rather than based on actual experience, so probably not of great value, but here goes anyway. Rudolf: Vadim’s interpretation really affected me, so much detail and so sympathetic, rather than just a caricature. Certainly put to bed, comprehensively, any speculation as to whether the part suited him. Would also love to have seen Ball who I’m sure will have been marvellous too, and delighted that Sambé has received such positive reviews here. Mary Vetsera: Would love to see Hayward. Larisch: Morera. Mitzi: Can imagine Magri will have been ideal. Though I enjoyed Calvert. Stephanie: O’Sullivan. Empress: enjoyed Mendizabal in both performances, especially when she showed a different side to the character when with Middleton. Officers: So many possibilities with the current depth of talent. Bracewell was a wonderful lead, hard to take your eyes off him. Some characters are obvious. Avis IS Middleton and Hay most definitely IS Bratfisch. Having said all that, every time we see Mayerling our minds go back many years to Kobborg and Cojocaru. One of those performances that stick in your brain forever! Fabulous and quite terrifying.

Thank you for the reminders and what a treat! Glorious costumes, elegant sets and wonderful lighting. Loved Madison Young’s lines, characterisation and sheer naturalness. Shale Wagman stole all his scenes beautifully. A hilarious stepmother, and another of Mr Wheeldon’s trees. What’s not to like? If you have a spare couple of hours this afternoon, definitely recommended.

A very emotional evening at Covent Garden, our first time back there since Covid. A fairly last minute decision to go. After reading the reviews here of Muntagirov’s debut as Rudolf we felt it would be criminal to miss his next performance if was at all possible to go, particularly as it coincided with a special birthday, and miraculously after several attempts two stalls circle seats suddenly appeared on the website seating plan. More than we’d usually spend but so worth it. Such a human and believable Rudolf, descending visibly from rejection and a feeling of being quite out of place, down through utter despair to the final tragedy. Quite heartbreaking, and all this without any sense of over-acting. A very different, possibly even unexpected, side to this astonishing artist and one wonders what he will go on to achieve in the future. Feel so lucky to have followed his career at the RB and only sorry we couldn’t see his recent Month in the Country with Morera - thankfully we’d seen him in that role in the past. Those historic flowers were well deserved! Thought he had stalwart support from the rest of the cast, Naghdi’s Mary relishing every moment. Bracewell and Calvert always catching the eye. Kaneko an almost girlish Larisch, one could understand how she would do anything to retain Rudolf’s affections. Looking forward to seeing her paired more often with Vadim! Mendizabal gloriously icy as she had been in the cinema performance. Talking of which, I now wonder if I was slightly unfair in complaining about the darkness of the burial scenes in the film. Seeing it in reality I felt it was even more gloomy than we’d seen in the past. Might a shade more light on the proceedings make it easier for first-timers to follow what’s happening, without ruining the atmosphere? And let’s hope the coffin can be properly buried in future runs! The guns went off at the right moments, however! A wonderful evening, great to be back.

Circumstances have prevented any visits to Covent Garden since Covid so we have had to rely on streams and cinema broadcasts. Was disappointed to find that the quality of the filming hadn’t improved with the lighting from the ROH as poor as ever. Had we not been familiar with Mayerling we would have had no idea what was happening in the first burial scene and the second wasn’t much better. Many other details were also hard to make out, a pity when the admission isn’t cheap. Still, Petroc Trelawny’s fluent, informed and professional hosting was a pleasant change. Enjoyed all the women’s roles, especially the ever-amazing Osipova, Morera (their scenes together were memorable) and Hayward. Mendizabal was an especially icy empress. Wasn’t sure what to make of Hirano’s Rudolf. A rather low key approach compared with some of the much more obviously depraved interpretations we have seen, but I guess he was trying to bring out the ‘little boy lost’ side of the character and to show the progression towards the final two pas de deux with Vetsera which certainly didn’t lack passion. Nevertheless it was the women who drew my attention throughout. A wardrobe malfunction and two firearm problems aside, an enjoyable evening as a whole. Would have loved to see Ball and Muntagirov’s performances but sadly not to be this time.

Having been forced through circumstances to miss everything at Covent Garden since performances began again, we are sadder not to be able to see this programme than any other so far, especially given the reviews! So we are very much hoping there will be a stream either online or in cinemas. Fingers crossed!

And we too wish she could be partnered more often with Muntagirov.

We saw her in the Bolshoi Coppelia in London and as soon as Swanilda started to dance my partner and I looked at each other as if to say ‘WHO is that?’. On the strength of that we booked DQ a week or so later, with her and Vasiliev. The most exciting performance we have seen and didn’t the audience respond. Rivalled only by Giselle a few years later with Osipiva and Acosta. The way someone with such a strong personality could appear to melt away to virtual nothingness has set the bar impossibly high, just like her Kitri did. Watching Bayadère on TV yesterday vividly reminded me of the way she can so thrillingly transmit that force of character.