Jamesrhblack

I don't think people regard it as a competition annamk, but people will inevitably compare their impressions of different casts. At this exciting time for the Royal Ballet, with a wealth of young talent emerging in a series of major debuts in the core repertoire, it's inevitable that people will cite preferences but I'm not sure that is necessarily competitive... For me, the essential difference between Francesca Hayward and Yasmine Naghdi is to do with their physicality. Both seem exceptionally fluent in their response to the music and despite her small size Hayward never compromises on the expansion of the movement. However, the essential impression for me of her dancing was diamond bright, dazzling even, with some remarkable height on her jump and a coruscating brilliance of footwork. She can soften her style for the Vision Scene and infuse it with a glowing radiance for the Wedding Scene. The Collier comparison seems inevitable but is flattering too, she being one of the most iconic dancers of the Royal Ballet's recent history. Naghdi is longer of line, more languorous of manner, and although nothing is shirked at speed, comes across, to me, very much an adagio dancer. She can hold a moment in time in a way that already makes you catch your breath and her wonderfully open shoulders and back give real length to her line. For me, there was, perhaps, just a little less variety in her performance than in Hayward's but it was most beautifully and expressively danced, rich in achievement and even richer in promise. To continue the precious stone imagery, perhaps hers was more the deeper glow of an opalescent pearl. In time, I can see her developing as a more obviously "classical" dancer than Hayward and wondered, in an idle moment, if her style was reminiscent of Svetlana Beriosova's. Of course, I never saw her dance, but reading descriptions I could sense some similarities. I think everybody is in agreement that the impact of Hayward's already remarkable performance was enhanced by the truly outstanding performance of Alexander Campbell. His greater experience over Matthew Ball paid dividends in terms of character projection, character interaction, security of partnering and technical neatness, even brilliance, and his partnership with Hayward created a warmth and sincerity at the heart of the performance that was a first for me in this ballet. It's evident that Naghi and Ball enjoy working working together and are physically very well matched. At the moment, I think she brings a little more to the partnership than he does (at least on the evidence of yesterday) but he is young and immensely talented and can only develop with more performances. It is always the danger that we regard any debut as a finished product whereas in fact it is the beginning of what can be a long and fulfilling artistic journey, the experience from ballet to ballet and role to role infusing each and every opportunity. I'm quibbling at a high level though: it was wonderful to see two debut performances of such accomplishment.

A truly beautiful debut from Yasmine Naghdi today, very different in style from Francesca Hayward in style as was to be expected and, possibly, even more elegantly classical. That little bit of extra length of leg and arm can be used so languorously and elegantly and she seemed to have all the time in the world to luxuriate. She seems such a natural adagio dancer that it's almost a surprise to see her turn on such a show of speed and yet without any sense of rush. I thought her Vision solo particularly beautiful and also wondered if the success of her Rose Adagio balances (no hesitating, no wobbling) is ascribale to her wonderful musicality: every raising of the arms was prompted by the musical cue. It wasn't a question of can I, am I ready, but this is when it had to be. Lovely. I have no wish to seem churlish but for me the afternoon was not quite as much of a revelation as Thursday afternoon and that had a little something to do with Matthew Ball, also en debut, Florimund. He has a handsome presence and beautiful soulful eyes but, I am guessing, through sheer comparative lack of experience, he didn't seem able to flesh out the character in the same way as Alexander Campbell had done, even though, as with Naghdi in comparison with Hayward his longer lines and more elegant physique might seem better suited to the intrinsic nature of the choreography. That he can project vividly when presented with a stronger narrative situation was attested to by his performance as Woolf Works (I know it\s abstract in theory but the Spetimus character is very well defined) and, I understand, from his Romeo. He and Naghdi obviously enjoy working together and it was a pity that a stumble as he came on stage for the Act 3 coda seemed, understandably, to introduce a sense of caution at the last. I was delighted finally to catch Elizabeth McGorian's glamorous, forcefully projected Carabosse (long stage experience spoke loudly here), was absolutely delighted by Anna Rose O'Sullivan as both Golden Vine and Princess Florine and agree with Lindsay that her partnership with Marcello Sambé, an exciting if not entirely neat Bluebird, showed great achievement and even more exciting promise. A special hurrah for Kristen McNally who brought the Countess vividly alive with beautiful detailed mime and interaction and for Christina Arestis, who seems to have inherited Genesia Rosato's status as most beautiful and elegant woman on the ROH stage, as the Queen. Gina Storm-Jensen sadly joined my worryingly long list of Lilac Fairies who just couldn't cope with what seems a remarkably treacherous solo, although I think nerves rather than ability played a very large part. She got unnervingly close down stage to the right hand wing during the diagonal and the turning section came to grief. Her mime in Act One was beautifully delivered though (and, for the first time, I clocked the Lilac Fairy gesturing to each of the four Princes to carry Aurora to rest - and then wondered what their take on things was when Florimund turned up and snuffled their bride) and I am sure that confidence and experience will see an improvement here. So, for me, as an artistic whole it didn't quite match the emotional journey and magic of Thursday afternoon but for Yasmine Naghdi I have nothing but the highest praise. How lucky the company is to have her and Francesca Hayward to take it forward, with Beatrix Stix-Brunell (who also struggled a bit with the Lilac Fairy's solo on Thursday), Claire Calvert, Anna Rose O'Sullivan and Tierney Heap on the distaff side, and Matthew Ball (who notwithstanding some criticism above is a wonderfully talented and promising dancer), Reece Clarke, Tristan Dyer, Nicol Edmonds, James Hay (who I must see in a principal role soon) and Calvin Richardson (who was first class in Woolf Works) leading a remarkably varied and impressive group of young me. I appreciate others may have seen more than I and have others who have caught the eye and, although her role as Aurora's Friend seems scarcely a good match for her talents, long to see Olivia Cowley more widely used (and am delighted, going odd piste for this thread, to be seeing her as Larisch).

Reliving indeed. I've never been quite so touched, even moved, by a performance of Beauty as that of yesterday afternoon...

With the greatest respect, neither of the lovely ladies involved could realistically be described as "delightful and dainty" being two of the taller and stronger ladies in the company...

Possibly not the most tasteful goose bump but the moment when Larisch and Vetsera emerge from the coach in Act 2 of Mayerling performing the same movements and you realise Larisch has been grooming her (we see something similar in Act 1) definitely creates a frisson...

I took a friend to see Fille and see found the chickens highly appropriate to the love story of the piece with the cock being a fertility symbol, reiterated through the one handed lift and the Maypole. These things are rarely as simple as we might think which probably accounts for the durability of the ballet ...

I hadn't seen Beauty for a while and was struck afresh at yesterday's matinee (admittedly, headed by a truly magical pairing in Hayward and Campbell) at the sheer beauty of the choreography and the wonder of the music. The arching line of the 'cello in the Vision Scene is perhaps my favourite moment musically and the choreography with the Lilac Fairy instructing Prince Florimund how to woo his Princess touched me deeply yesterday (possibly because Alexander Campbell was so extraordinarily intense and expressive in a role than I'd remembered as potentially a vacuum) whilst Aurora's Vision Scene Ashton Solo is one of my favourite solos for ballerina in the RB repertoire.

We were told at Stage Door she has been unwell but you'd have had no indication from her exquisite performance this afternoon. You are in for a real treat :-)

I think Bridiem has written all that I could have wished about this afternoon's magical performance by Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell. Those fish dives were indeed spectacular (and Campbell's solo had the audience applauding enthusiastically mid variation which is a bit of a first for an ROH midweek matinee surely) and Hayward conquered the Rose Adagio balances with aplomb but it was the absolutely and mutually sympathetic musicality of their performance that seemed so very special to me. Both achieved some truly magical moments of playing with the phrasing giving expansion and breath to the movement and Campbell's tender concern to match Hayward's lines and show her off to her considerable best were exemplary. Astonishing indeed that she was unwell enough to have considered whether or not to do dance and yet produced something so totally exquisite. Only a lack lustre and ill matched pair of Bluebirds and two lovely ladies having a tough time of it as Florestan's Sisters detracted, for me, from this afternoon. I've rarely been moved rather than impressed by Beauty, but there was cumulative dampness about the gills this afternoon, and the key here was surely Campbell's performance in Act 2

Really looking forward to tomorrow's matinée. There is always something special about a debut in an iconic role and that Hayward will be joined by Campbell is almost too joyous to contemplate and count myself very lucky also to be seeing Naghdi and Ball on Saturday.

It was Calvin Richardson with Matthew Ball on 21 January as Tristan Dyer is injured. I'm assuming (never assume) that he has continued to appear in that cast too...

Likewise...

Having not been able to get tickets to take my sister and brother in law who have never seen Watson in Mayerling I can only salute your luck.

Likewise. Dream casting, surely ,,,

The problem with the liberal left it seems to me (as somebody who is left-ish) but confused) is that they seem to assume that they have the moral high ground and are contemptuous of any view point that is not that their own, They call it Democracy, Seems closer to Tyranny to me, as any opposing viewpoint is aggresisvely rejected....

I'm not over fond of The Grauniad either...

I guess being employed to review dance productions...

If you mean Jane Shilling's review in The Telegraph, it's concise but insightful and there's no mention of Hemingway.

I found having read Mrs Dalloway useful. Beginnings didn't do much for me and I'd only done a wikipedia for Orlando as I find Woolf tough to read. Haven't read The Waves but found Tuesday absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful - from summaries of The Waves I think that there is much more Virginia Woolf life story than novel content in this one...

Yes, I was astonished at the matinee to see Choe so involved, that was a real first for me. Watson is Septimus though isn't he not Evans... Of my party of four, two preferred I Now, I Then and two (one of whom was me) Tuesday. None of us was overly keen on Becomings...

The sight lines and acoustic at the back of both the Upper Circle and the Dress Circle at the Coliseum are awful because of the overhang. I can remember years ago "treating" myself to Dress Circle tickets to hear the ravishing Valerie Masterson sing Konstanze in Mozart's Seraglio and being towards the back. It was the aural equivalent of looking the wrong way through opera glasses and my companion and I retreated to the Balcony at the interval. Sure, it's further away and much less comfortable but the sound was fantastic.

Thanks

Penelopesimpson, you're very kind. I doubt I'm "insightful" at all. I do like to read around things to try and fill in the gaps in my knowledge (the older I get the more I realise how little I know) and I really don't feel familiar with Woolf at all, or, indeed, McGregor...

Might a moderator correct version to vision in my last paragraph so that I have written actually makes sense? Apologies - maxima culpa....

Thanks for your kind words about my observations Northstar which were from last night's performance. I have to say that I love the Coliseum for ballet. I was in the front centre row of the Upper Circle and with the auditorium being wide and the stage forward it felt wonderfully intimate whilst allowing one to appreciate the floor patterns. To be fair to Mr Hernandez, I think Bruce Wall does pick up very astutely on his reaction to Giselle's gift from Bathilde (which I registered at the time but didn't mention in my perhaps over quickly written assessment)....