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Jamesrhblack

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  1. Jamesrhblack
    Sorry, Dawnstar, crossed in cyberspace ...
  2. Jamesrhblack
    Hi, it was Romany Pajdak. It stated Olivia Cowley on the Cast Sheet but it was definitely Ms Pajdak and her name appeared on the credits at the end.
  3. Jamesrhblack
    One really shouldn't speculate but this all seems very sudden and strange ...
  4. Jamesrhblack
    Enjoyed the cinema broadcast very much, particularly as I'd not felt well on Saturday afternoon and hadn't been as involved as I'd hoped i might have been in the performance. Of course, one will have preferences (I'd have had Hayward with Hay in Concerto for a start and felt O'Sullivan was being ever so slightly "cute to camera"), but Naghdi was sublime (and I liked Hirano in this), whilst Magri made something almost impossible look almost easy. Lovely to see the splendid Kate Shipway interviewed and receiving a well deserved bouquet after Concerto too. Enigma Variations works well on screen, with added detail. I still feel the tone of the work can seem uncertain and need to revisit my David Vaughan re Lady Mary Lygon. I preferred Avis, Arestis and Whitehead for Nimrod, and (just) Campbell, as slightly neater, to Ball as Troyte (both turning right not left I think), but Hayward was absolutely blissful as Dorabella (why not Gasparini for this in other casts? Much as I love her I just can't imagine Naghdi in this - I appreciate she's out of it now - although it's always good to see artists working against type). I loved Raymonda: the glow of the Glazunov score matched by the glory of the set. Mendizabal (now there's a character principal in the making: will we see her Carabosse this time round?) and Clarke were fantastic as the Hungarian Couple (I still think he will make Principal as a Prince but it's good to see him being tried in a wider range of things to build stage presence, rather like Ball doing Tybalt) and the female soloists much surer than on Saturday afternoon, with, for me, glamorous Ms Kaneko and dazzling Ms Stix-Brunell (who had another busy time), stand outs (although Magri had been rather stunning on Saturday afternoon: she's really growing on me as an artist and dancer with a real individuality of manner and style). For individuality, Osipova is probably unique, and I though, however charismatic, she was at her most wilful with phrasing this evening. As the other half remarked on Saturday, "there are two sorts of virtuosities: she likes to show it's difficult, Muntagirov makes it look effortless. I know which I prefer." Great to see Alfreda Thorogood, Gary Avis, Christopher Carr and Wayne Sleep in interview, but still not entirely convinced by Darcey Bussell in such scripted environments. Still a lovely evening and a pity that my local cinema in Rye was more than half empty.
  5. Jamesrhblack
    I did wonder if the change was because Nicol Edmonds was out (as he was of Raymonda) and the rehearsed partnership needed to be maintained (and it would have been lovely to se Fumi Kaneko dancing with Reece Clarke too, not that Beatriz Stix-Brunell wasn’t very charming in her second jump-in of the afternoon). I also agree re Mayara Magri. Gallantry prevents my naming the first three female soloists but I don’t think any of them could be said to have enjoyed a particularly good afternoon.
  6. Jamesrhblack
    Absolutely agree. So moving to see mature artistry of that quality.
  7. Jamesrhblack
    Just read the very nice article and was about to flag it up on here! Late to the party as usual 🙂
  8. Jamesrhblack
    "I agree re Clarke and Kaneko - both tall and very elegant looking. Not sure if you’re aware but they’re actually a couple in real life which I think makes their partnership even more special!" That I didn't know...
  9. Jamesrhblack
    And on her birthday, if my own recollection is correct...
  10. Jamesrhblack
    Sibley and Dowell were universally acknowledged, quite rightly as magical together, but I saw Sibley with Wall a couple of times (and there’s a Manon Bedroom Pas de Deux on a grainy YouTube video from the Met) and he did bring something different out of her...
  11. Jamesrhblack
    Hayward, Campbell; Magri, Coralles (on the strength of their Mistress, Lescaut performance); I think Fumi Kaneko, who looked gorgeous on World Ballet Day yesterday, would work well with Reece Clarke: such elegant dancers. And almost everybody seems to love Naghdi with Ball....
  12. Jamesrhblack
    I always used to hope he'd be dancing the Ashton Pas de Quatre in Swan Lake Act 3 opposite Michael Batchelor, ideally with Wendy Ellis and Rosalyn Whitten, and was invariably delighted when he was. Terribly sad indeed ...
  13. Jamesrhblack
    Really wonderful to see Alfreda Thorogood coaching and how beautiful to bring the differing dance generations together. Really inspirational
  14. Jamesrhblack
    Alexander Campbell danced two performances as Des Grieux last time with Akane Takada replacing Steven McRae. He also danced Lescaut in that run. The Dancing Times was extremely complimentary about his Des Grieux if I recall correctly...
  15. Jamesrhblack
    Nor their Mayerlings...
  16. Jamesrhblack
    I’d have said Morera, Bonelli, but, sadly, that is not to be...
  17. Jamesrhblack
    David Wall, the original Lescaut (who also danced Des Grieux) was probably the most handsome man in the history of the Royal Ballet. More seriously, its Lescaut’s ambitions for his sister that set up the drama....
  18. Jamesrhblack
    My parents always watched this show and I recall as a ballet loving youngster being allowed to watch this episode. One of the pieces she had to guess was the Villa Lobos Little Train. If I recall cross the years she got that it was a journey, but she couldn’t name the piece. When the title was given, she smiled radiantly and said, “well, trains are for boys.”
  19. Jamesrhblack
    They were both outstanding; it really was a most wonderful and moving performance over all, and I entirely agree with the “holistic” comment above. It really did seem that everything was cohering together so that individual excellence combined to an even greater whole. More considered thoughts on the evening show when further ideas have percolated....
  20. Jamesrhblack
    what can one write? I’ll be vilified. He may not be the dancer he was before his injury (I didn’t see him live then). His presence, musicality and residual technique are jaw dropping. His partnering tonight may not have had Alexander Campbell’s aplomb but nothing was shirked. a great artist is always that and it was, sorry Penelope Simpson, a privilege to see him.
  21. Jamesrhblack
    I know better than to be positive about David Hallberg on here.
  22. Jamesrhblack
    Apologies for double post, penelopesimpson. Dodgy roh wifi I fear. Might a moderator delete the second posting.
  23. Jamesrhblack
    It is quite simply a privilege to see David Hallberg dance.
  24. Jamesrhblack
    Absolutely. In technique, partnering, characterisation (the self abnegation chez Madame, the fury in the bracelet duet, the devastation at the end), he moved me very deeply and whilst he may not have the long limbs others cite, I thought his ability to match his physicality to the demands of that first solo in such an immaculate way and always with such vividness of character and nuance was absolutely outstanding.
  25. Jamesrhblack
    I wouldn’t normally but diary dictated. I am always fascinated to see Hallberg and given his outstanding performance last time and the magic of their partnership there is no way I would have missed Hayward and Campbell.
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