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LianneEva

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  1. LianneEva
    These are beautiful photos - so grateful that you always share them! I'm a bit of a costume nerd, so my eagle eyes can't help but spot a new headdress design for Odette here as well. The swan queen usually has at least something that distinguishes her from the rest of the flock in most productions, so I'm not surprised that they've changed it but personally I favour the designs that minimize the 'crown' aspect and focus on the feathers - more elegant and swan-like to me, but I'll wait for more angles to decide whether I like it! They also debuted a new look for the Sugar Plum Fairy's crown in the last couple of years, which felt like a big improvement on the (bulbous..?) original, so it's great that they're always re-considering these small design elements
  2. LianneEva
    I had assumed that this was the case with the boyish harlot, but loved this bit of insight. Thanks for sharing! I'm still quite high on the general rehearsal, and a bit regretful now that I didn't get tickets for the main run - would loved to have seen Fumi's debut (I was lucky enough to attend her Odette/Odile debut and it was spectacular) - Not to mention, Des Grieux is one of my favourite roles for Vadim, so I'm jealous of anyone going to their shows! Nevertheless, looking forward to the cinema relay with Osipova.
  3. LianneEva
    Just a couple of comments on yesterday's General Rehearsal which was gorgeous - I was spoiled with a great seat in the Stalls Circle (A29) so had a wonderful view. It was my first Friend's Rehearsal and I wasn't sure whether people were expected to give it their all at a stage call, but It felt to me like everyone was going at full tilt. Buttery smooth dancing from Lauren and Matt, and I think Lauren makes a wonderfully glamorous Manon - she looks right at home in all the furs and jewels! I saw a few familiar faces about the place which was fun - Deborah MacMillan, Daria Klimentova and Joonhyuk Jun. Later saw Koen Kessels and Luca Acri outside stage door. I hope he didn't mind my spontaneous applause from across the street..
  4. LianneEva
    I've got a ticket for the General tomorrow and will be delighted with any cast, but have my fingers extra crossed for Kaneko, Nunez, Hamilton or Lamb please, ballet Gods!
  5. LianneEva
    Desperately missing Akane, and feeling so sorry for her bad luck. She mentioned on her 'In conversation with' (on ROH stream) that she had been struggling with stage nerves and was seeing a therapist, so naturally repeated injury can't be helping with that. Really hoping we'll have her back for the later run of Swan Lakes and the next season!
  6. LianneEva
    So my friend actually won 2x tickets to this event via a Country Life giveaway - looks like I'll be going on the opening night! (27th) We're seated on one of the back row tables (although the website states that the back two rows are now elevated?) Can anyone speak for the quality of the sightlines? Organising travel was a bit of a palava as neither of us drive, but we've just about managed it with taxis / trains and nearby accommodation! (although at the time we were looking, there was very little left to choose from) Organisational gremlins aside, I'm very excited - particularly to see Francesca Hayward who is one of my favourites, as well as the Paris Etoiles :) I was hoping we might get Frankie and Cesar's balcony pas de deux as suggested by the poster, but the show guide says it'll be Frankie & Marco Masciari performing Within the Golden Hour (Looks like Luna Peigné and Guillaume Diop of the PoB will dance Balcony instead ) also really looking forward to Myriam Ould-Braham in the White Swan pas de deux. I'm not going to hold my breath, but does anyone know whether the dancers mingle after the performance?
  7. LianneEva
    Just dropping in to say that I attended the Sleeping Beauty-themed tour today, and towards the end we dropped in to the auditorium for about 5 minutes to sit in the amphitheatre - it just so happened that they were doing a lighting test for Cinderella, so we were able to see one of the sets in situ (It looked the the outside of the Prince's palace, with a very grand backdrop and lots of footstools down the side of the stage) It looked beautiful and there was a lot of lovely floral detail (as per the promotional images) and made me very jealous that I haven't got a ticket for this run of Cinderella!
  8. LianneEva
    Yes I thought so too. Probably the best I’ve ever seen! Supremely confident and neat as a pin.
  9. LianneEva
    Looking forward to the Sugar Plum Fumi cinema relay 😍 My birthday is 29th Oct, so I'll also be going to see that stellar Mayerling cast with Matthew Ball, Laura Morera and Fumi as Mitzi - very nice!
  10. LianneEva
    I've watched the 2018 Marianela / Vadim recording so much as to be spoilt (I think it was the gold standard!) and what struck me was how brilliantly the court ensemble act in the background of Acts I and III. I particularly enjoyed Melissa and Beatriz's looks of disgust at all of the shameless seduction going on in Act III, and noticed that in the later performances and the Cuthbertson / Bracewell cinema relay, much of this has been pared back? I adore Julia Roscoe et al, but they seemed to be watching on more in adoration of their colleague, than in character as stilted, highly-strung princesses. I recall in the behind the scenes interviews that Liam Scarlett keenly emphasised the importance of "what a look can do" and I wonder whether his loss means that this isn't emphasised quite so much?
  11. LianneEva
    There was a flower throw, a very nice short speech from Kevin O'Hare (albeit with mic difficulties) and they presented her with the dance award that she originally won during lockdown (the ceremony for which was previously held on Zoom)
  12. LianneEva
    Well that was a gorgeous evening. I'll start with a tiny grumble... Did the wide shots appear out of focus to everyone? The picture seemed to be at its sharpest when it was focused on individuals, which took the edge off some of the beauty of the corps and the sets. Not a deal breaker, but didn't quite do justice to the whole picture! I will never tire of this production... The staging, sets and costumes are just breathtakingly gorgeous. I have watched the 2018 recording to death, and could quite happily go for performance after performance for the different casts. I think Gary Avis' characterisation of Rothbart is fantastic - he brings such expressiveness to the role with his facial range. His Rothbart is sneering and played with a certain arrogance, rather than straight up-brooding and stony faced, which I think is the more common portrayal. Ditto for William Bracewell who gave us a fully fleshed-out Siegfried. I particularly liked his complete captivation with Odile after all of the Act III fireworks, with his jaw on the floor..! I thought Nadia Mullova-Barley was fantastic in the Spanish dance - she really looked like she was loving every moment, and was certainly giving passion. Lauren is a lovely Odette / Odile. I thought that her vulnerable and nervous Odette; fluttering away from Siegfried at the first encounter was a lovely point of characterisation. She has such a beautiful, fluffy petit battement 🤩 Her Odile isn't quite the terribly malevolent creature we got from Nela's portrayal, but I thought she was regal and self-assured and arrogant which are also perfectly fine Odile qualities! Really enjoyed Meaghan Grace and Isabella as the sisters. I think the perfect synchronisation between the characters during the Act III PDT is really exciting to watch. Corps and the cygnets were in better sync (to my eye) than ever before. I may have gotten something in my eye at the end...😢
  13. LianneEva
    My ticket states 19:15, but Lauren Cuthbertson has mentioned on IG that there will also be a short film shown about her return to dance post-pregnancy. Not sure whether that’s got anything to do with it, or whether that will slot into the spare 15 mins before curtain up?
  14. LianneEva
    I wasn't at the performance but I'm so pleased for Claire, and would love to see her in the role one day. You can tell from interviews and press pieces that she's dreamt of this for years, so really lovely to have it come true for her. Thought people might like to watch this little video by Dancer'sDiary on Youtube too: (Becoming a Swan, Claire Calvert)
  15. LianneEva
    I like to think of them as a 'vision' almost. Perhaps not literal entities, but part of Von Rothbart's magic. A flock of malevolent black swans that provide a direct juxtaposition to Act II - these are not the gentle swans that emphasise the idealised love between Siegfried and Odette, but a mockery of that; of beauty warped. The deceit personified. Personally I love a bit of drama, so I have quite a soft spot for them...😉
  16. LianneEva
    It was a real honour to take up a red velvet seat in the house last night to see off Federico and celebrate Fumi's long-awaited debut in the role. An extra special experience that I'll treasure for a long while! Like others, I found the standing ovation for the Ukrainian anthem genuinely moving. Very poignant and powerful, and I'm really glad they've decided to do this. Well how gorgeous is Fumi... She's been a favourite of mine for a long time - particularly since her much-lauded turn stepping in as Aurora in the Sleeping Beauty cinema relay. I had the privilege of also being present at her and Federico's Insights evening, and I knew from that sneak peak that we were in for something sublime at the performance. As mentioned above, Fumi's port de bras is exquisite - melting into Fede's arms in that gorgeous White Swan pas de deux makes your heart swoon with beauty. She is just transcendentally swan-like in the white act. Too fragile to be real. And then the contrast with the fireworks in Act III - her Black Swan pas de deux and coda were just exceptional, and she gave us the most gorgeously virtuosic fouettes. Fumi was a delightfully malevolent Odile - revelling in the moment the deceit was revealed. I just love the drama of this production with the flock of black swans taunting Siegfried for his foolishness. While I'm not a *huge* fan of the lifeless princess ending, I do love the beauty of the vision at the top of the rocks. Federico looked genuinely haunted and horrified as it dawned on him that his true love was gone forever. He really is an incredibly regal dancer and I'm so sad to see him go, but so grateful to have seen that performance - he really will be missed, and it was abundantly clear that all his colleagues absolutely adore him, with some truly lovely words spoken. It was an excellent evening for star-gazing owing to this special occasion - I spotted Matthew Ball and Mayara Magri take up a seat in the Royal Box for Act III, and then Anna-Rose O'Sullivan and Francesca Hayward joining before the start of Act IV. We were then truly spoiled by the star-studded send-off after the curtain. Can we just stop time at these sorts of events?
  17. LianneEva
    I count myself among the Fumi / Fede fanclub - I was in the audience for their insight, and they were the cast I knew I wanted to book for as soon as the tickets were released for Friends. I managed to get a very nice set of balcony tickets (and have never sat there before) so I'm very excited! I was really impressed with Fede's eloquence at the insight evening, so although I'll be very sorry to see him go, I can imagine he's going to have a great future as a creative director. I've traditionally booked SL for Osipova in the past because of the fireworks she brings to Act III, so I'm sad not to see her this time, but very pleased with getting to witness Fumi's debut - she's so inherently elegant and glamorous I really can't wait to see her Odette / Odile. Judging by the insight, I think she's going to be incredible in both roles. I have another set of tickets for Hirano / Lamb later in the run - cast was at random, as I just needed it to be a Saturday evening. Has anyone seen them in Swan Lake before? 🙂
  18. LianneEva
    I was in the audience for this too - I'd booked some time ago with the idea that it was likely to be Swan Lake because of the dates matching, but didn't know for sure! What a gorgeous evening. Fumi and Federico are my two favourites (and the cast that I've booked to see in March) so all my ballet prayers were answered. The first run through of the White Swan PDD brought a tear to my eye - Fede is wonderful and Fumi is just breathtakingly gorgeous in this. I felt very spoiled indeed getting to see some of my favourite ballet choreography performed by two stunning dancers at close range. I'd have quite happily stopped time yesterday evening!
  19. LianneEva
    I also took a red velvet seat in the house last night and was truly blown away by what I witnessed. Seeing Osipova's Giselle has long been on my ballet wishlist, having watched Akane Takada's rendition twice previously (which was also spectacular) Somebody else (perhaps a few pages back) commented that watching these performances was an excellent painkiller, and I would enthusiastically support that! I myself suffer from some chronic pain, and as soon as the lights went down and the overture started up, I felt waves of bliss as we were overcome with beauty. In numerous sections of this ballet (Giselle's hops solo / Myrtha's entrance etc) I felt full-body chills. I know there has been some light critique of the orchestra / score but I just loved it last night. Standouts for me were of course the incredible Osipova - she is just spectacular in both acts. I would agree with the sentiment that there is a slightly dangerous edge to her, which makes the 'madness' a little more plausible. All of her emotions are that bit more heightened and erratic, which makes her believably vulnerable. As others, I really adored Mayara as Myrtha - feather light and gorgeous, with an undercurrent of formidable power. I do love Reece - of course Osipova sets an incredible standard to live up to, but I thought he was excellent, and really has a regal aura. I loved Yuhui, Joseph and Luca as others have mentioned. There was a particularly roaring applause / bravo moment for (I belive Luca's?) solo in the village scene. Isabella Gasparini's Zulme was lovely too. As superficial as this may seem, I found it quite aesthetically pleasing that Mayara and Natalia mirrored each other with their jet-black hair, Act II. Almost like an omen of Giselle's potential fate? As an aside - I've noticed that Osipova doesn't wear the Wili arm ruffles, unlike all the other principals (nor has she ever, from photos I've seen) does anyone have any idea why that might be? I had managed to get myself pretty good seats (Amphi B, dead center) but my only regret is that I hadn't budgeted for the best seat in the house (wherever that may be!) I've watched RB's Giselle a number of times, but I always forget quite how spectacular it is to witness that second act in the house itself. True ethereal beauty.
  20. LianneEva
    I managed to get some lovely balcony tickets for Fumi Kaneko's debut, after a bumpy start. Eye-wateringly expensive but excited nonetheless. 🦢
  21. LianneEva
    I just thought I'd take the time to write a bit about my very first RB Insights event, which I attended two days ago on the evening of 29th October (my birthday!) I had asked customer services in advance what was likely to be covered, and couldn't get a straight answer, but I had my fingers crossed for Giselle. Looking at the dates, this seemed the most likely ballet to be rehearsed, and I had my birthday wish granted! First up, after a short chat with Kevin O'Hare, we enjoyed a beautiful Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball rehearsal of the lead up (and beginning of) the Act II pas de deux, coached by the one and only Olga Evreinoff. This was the first time I've ever been able to watch a performance at close-range, after having viewed many insights and rehearsals via the Youtube channel. Being in the room in person to see two world-class dancers (in these incredible roles, no less) was a real privilege, and the two were sublime. I really enjoyed Yasmine's elegant, lyrical ghost-like movement in this scene. I think Matthew Ball is also one of the best actors the Royal has, and he conveyed his grief beautifully. Olga is quite a character, and during the short interview segment, you could see Matthew Ball quietly chuckling to himself as she was getting a little 'carried away with the fairies'..! Next up we enjoyed the wonderful Monica Mason rehearsing the Queen of the Willis entrance and solo with Julia Roscoe. This was incredibly special for me, as, among other reasons, I have a favourite RB video where MM coaches Laura McCulloch in the same role - I've watched it hundreds of times, as I just love MM's styling and ownership of the role. She has so much wisdom to impart, and her coaching style is so soothing - you can tell she really wants to draw the very best out of these dancers in a nurturing way. Having the opportunity to watch this live was really special, especially since I had enjoyed the World Ballet Day session where MM coached Marianela Nunez in the same role just a couple of days earlier - I couldn't have dreamed I'd get to see it close up! MM also told a lovely anecdote about performing Myrthe herself alongside Fonteyn's Giselle. Apparently Fonteyn's portrayal and acting was so compelling that a real tear rolled down her cheek as she pleaded with Myrthe to spare the life of Albrecht; something even the iciest Myrthe would find difficult to disregard! Julia was lovely in the role, and so elegant. I look forward to watching the broadcast back again, which I believe will be on the 3rd November.🙂
  22. LianneEva
    The Japanese dancers of the RB have a particularly special place in my heart. The first two performances of Giselle I went to see starred Akane Takada and Hikaru Kobayashi as Giselle and Myrthe respectively - beautiful performances, and it was really lovely to see so many Japanese patrons come out to support them. Akane as Titania in The Dream is also one of my favourite RB performances / roles. I have a particular soft spot for Fumi Kaneko as she is just such a sweetheart in addition to the sublime dancing. I went along to see the cinema relay of Sleeping Beauty when she stepped in for Lauren Cuthbertson in January 2020, which was a ballet bliss moment. You could really feel how much everyone on stage adored her and was wishing her well in the Rose Adage! I occasionally tag her in instagram stories, etc when I watch a performance or stream, and she is always responsive and appreciative of the support. She even went so far as to send me a private message hoping I got well soon when I mentioned watching The Sleeping Beauty at home and feeling a bit poorly. In my house we call her 'lovely Fumi' !
  23. LianneEva
    I had a truly sublime evening last night watching the Corrales / Hayward cast in Romeo and Juliet. Francesca really is light as a feather - like a little dove, I thought! And perfectly cast as Juliet. Having not stepped foot in the ROH for almost two years, I was immediately teary-eyed from the overture. The orchestra were on excellent form, and it was really lovely to be back in the house. Like others have mentioned, the acting by the corps and various background flourishes really make these performances. I loved the harlots and the playful dynamic between them, the other townspeople and the Montague trio - some lovely details playing out, which makes you think you could watch these performances hundreds of times and always notice something new. I was a bit sad not to catch the Kaneko performances, as she is a favourite of mine, but have decided to make it up by booking to see her debut as Odette / Odile.
  24. LianneEva
    Thank you for your lovely welcome and response 🙂 It'll be my first time seeing dancers any closer than the front row of the amphi, so very excited for whatever transpires, really! I'd love for them to cover Giselle as it's a favourite of mine, so fingers crossed...
  25. LianneEva
    Hi all - I'm a brand new member making my posting debut! I specifically wanted to post here to ask whether anyone has any knowledge about the Insights / Rehearsal event on the 29th Oct. I was very keen to book (and managed to get seats!) as I adore the RB and the event takes place on my birthday. I'd initially assumed this would be Giselle-related by looking at the dates, but now I'm not sure. Does anyone know what is being rehearsed? As for performances, I'm very happy to be going to see the Hayward / Corrales Romeo and Juliet on the 23rd, and Osipova / Clarke's Giselle on 12th Nov. Very excited about both!
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