Jamesrhblack

One of my young artists is singing in this too. It's great to have an event bringing together speech, dance and song (especially as Shakespeare incorporated all three arts into his plays)

"How dancers perceive their performance and how the audience sees it can be two totally different perspectives. In my experience too, dancers are always seeking perfection in their performances but, in their own opinion, they never achieve it." ​I remember from my own professional days (I sang rather than danced) that such a response is sometimes a knee-jerk to counter balance any embarrassment at praise - not all artists are very good at taking compliments. A colleague did once rebuke me for making such a response though saying that it wasn't necessarily courteous to the audience member who had liked what they had heard (or seen) and that a simple "thank you" could be more appropriate.

Again, words of insight from FLOSS. I believe that Kevin O'Hare went public with his thing that the company had too many principals and the fact that five ballerinas have departed since Summer 2013 and not been replaced other than by guest engagements gives credence to that. I'm fairly confident Takada will be promoted and would be very pleased if Campbell were too, although I can see that that might be contentious and that he is very useful where he is. Re the "sick note," to which FLOSS refers, wasn't McRae due to partner Takada at her original Sleeping Beauty debut, the one that was cancelled owing to injury - he danced with Lamb in the end as I recall. If a Character Principal is to be appointed, I could also see a case for Gartside. If that happened, would it take him out if things such as Leontes and Rudolf? I remember Rosato dancing Larisch as a Character Principal, and marvellous she was too (although I loved her work so much I probably overlooked some weaknesses). I'd also agree that whilst Naghdi, Stix-Brunell, Ball and Clarke deserve their chances (Katsura caught my eye in the Viscera broadcast) moving higher in opportunity as well as ranking, it is important that dancers such as Harrod and Maguire are not overlooked. They may not be principal material to my eyes but they real qualities that deserve more recognition. The company certainly seems in transition and O'Hare seems very sure in his wish to develop from within, a legacy perhaps from his time at BRB (although I'm much less aware than somebody like Janet of the internal developing there). It's potentially very exciting and with major additions to the repertoire such as The Winter's Tale and Woolf Works (is it for sure that Galeazzi will dance this next season? If so, what wonderful news) and, hopefully, Frankenstein, as well as some very interesting new well apart from the big three, I am optimistic that Classicsl ballet will not sink into the rut of an entreating museum art but retain its ability to move and enhance as well as entertain us, the repertoire a judicious mix of old and new (and, inevitably, some failures along the way).

Well, for Titania don't they have Lamb, Morera and Osipova, and I'd have thought Hayward a shoe in for that....

Well, a dramatic reduction in her number of scheduled performances, the bringing in of an external Guest to take over what had been performances with her regular dance partner whilst this reduction in performances continued, and a confirmation that she was leaving the company only days before what was her final official performance seems "shabby" to me....

Thankfully, the ROH holds firmly to its no food or drink in the auditorium principle.

I had wondered if it might be Beauy but Fille definitely makes sense and I really hope they let her dance with Alexander Campbell - their partnership in that and in Don Q was entrancing. Does anybody know what Marquez is currently doing? I did think the whole business was very shabbily handled. Even if many of us had seen it coming, the very belated official confirmation rankled with me. However, there will inevitably be things going on behind the scenes of which we are not aware and one should probably resist the inevitable urge to speculate.

People seem often to write that the reason Choe isn't always effective dramatically is because she has not been given chances as Juliet or Giselle, so let us hope that if Golding is cast as Rudolf those inclined to be negative are not on vehement. I have to say although I'm not Mr Golding's biggest fan in performance, he invariably comes across very well in the rehearsal videos made, and his qualities of height, strength and absolutely secure partnering are surely major positives. I'm not sure if some of the hostility is because he was brought in at principal level, but didn't he spend some time at the RBS. I'd agree that he seems to be cast other ubiquitously and I can't see how the pairing with Hayward would ever have worked but that's managerial practice: sometimes, what is written seems to veer uncomfortably towards the personal ....

So, with the announcement of the new season, is it too soon to move into promotion prediction mode?

I'm a huge fan too but not sure he is quite right for Rudolf. Has the role ever been danced by somebody of more compact stature? It iOS certainly impact on the female casting ...

Mayerling is back next season Penelope

I'd be inclined to disagree with this statement. In a narrative work, I like the choreography to relate to situation and to respond to the music, otherwise there is the risk of something becoming just a sequence of technical stunts. I appreciate that this is a personal response, and it may be why I respond to Don Quixote and Le Corsaire less positively than many others....

Clement Crisp is such an eloquent writer as well as hugely experienced critic: I was so pleased to read his wonderful words about Takada. I've not yet managed to see her in a full length role but have really enjoyed her work in smaller roles and have been baffled by what seems a general lack of enthusiasm on this site for her work. I very much hope to see her in a full length role next season and am fairly confident that she will be appointed a principal from next season.

It's possible that one of the dancers who had a bad night and a wardrobe malfunction might not wish the experience to be preserved for posterity and universally distributed ....

Irrespective of personal allegiance, isn't an artist's first responsibility to the audience that has paid good money to see them? I appreciate circumstances are not always simple...

One can understand her wish to concentrate on creating Elizabeth and not to lose out on a second broadcast. Particularly sad re the Giselle though, although I understand Takada has been doing wonderfully well....

According to Norman Lebrecht, Tiberiu Soare has been removed from his post .... http://slippedisc.com/2016/04/mayhem-as-bucharest-replaces-opera-chief-after-four-days/

Absolutely loved watching this, truly insightful. Music, choreography and design look wonderfully integrated and I have the intensity of Liam Scarlett's demonstrations was truly remarkable.

Perhaps exaggerated by the cinema cameras for me the incessant staring became rather tedious. The wry smile that Nunez allows herself in the earlier DVD is much more interesting and true authority comes from inner strength not eternally enforced lack of emotion. Who knows, if she'd relaxed her face a bit more, she might have danced father better (having been very impressed on previous occasions with her I was truly disappointed on Tuesday) and given a more interestingly nuanced portrayal.

Apart from any Oder considerations, I doubt they could issue given Mendizabal's costume malfunction and disappointingly unsteady dancing unless there are more successful rushes from an earlier performance....

I'd agree that if she seems too fragile some contrast is lost, although, being pedantic, she is, despite the name, a German peasant girl....

I'd agree with that Mary, although would love to see Cowley and Clarke (I doubt that will happen). Personally, I'm delighted that Anastasia is back. Even if we now know that Anna Anderson was an imposter, the quest for identity remains potent and I can imagine Cuthbertson, Morera and Ospipova being astonishing in that last act, and possibly Hayward too. With Acosta, Kobborg and Pennefather gone, who will be the new Rudolfs? With Benjamin, Cojocariu, Galeazzi and Rojo also gone and Hamilton still on leave, there will have to be some new Marys too.

Absolutely packed cinema here in Rye. Enjoyed hugely. Giselle was the first ballet music I heard (on the Isle of Sheppey on my Aunt's old Ace of Clubs disc with a picture of Fonteyn on the cover) and the first ballet I saw at the ROH (Sibley and MacLeary: it was her London debut and I was too young to appreciate the finer details although I still recall her ankle deep in flowers). The benefits of the cinema broadcasts were very apparent tonight: Barry Wordsworth discussing the music and Peter Wright on the emotional journey of the Mad Scene were really enlightening. The announcer was excellent too in his enthusiasm allied to articulation and a great improvement on La Bussell. The First Act seemed to be almost flawless. Such detail, such care. Yes, I can see what Swiss Ballet Fan means re the age difference (who would have thought that would ever have been cited with the seemingly ageless Nunez) but the dancing and characterisation was so precise and so beautifully nuanced that even in cinema close up I was able to ignore. Her coquetry, her fighting against physical frailty (a surprise to her as well as to us given her amplitude of physique), his amused affection turning deeper, her hollow laughter in the Mad Scene will stay with me. Grand character work from McGorian, Arestis (such languor, but also such a sudden interest in Giselle if only to revive a flagging afternoon's hunt), Avis and Howells (replacing Underwood), whilst Bennet Garstide is a truly valuable dance actor. Will he get another go at Rudolf next season I wonder. Glorious Pas de Six too - bookending Hayward and Naghdi, bouncing Acri and Sambé, charming Choe and the irrepressibly wonderful Campbell: really hoping next season opens up his career and artistic horizons. Act Two didn't quite fulfil expectation, at least initially. I'd had high expectations of Mendizabal after her stunning Gipsy Girl but a fixed impression, over heavy makeup, a bad wobble in arabesque and a wardrobe malfunction (her tutu rode up inextricably over her wings) made for some very uncomfortable moments. The corps were beautiful, of course, and Cowley is such a glorious dancer - such languor. Is she strong enough for Myrtha? Is Marguerite and Armand with her and Reece Clarke just wishful thinking? However, Nunez and Muntagirov were just exquisite. She is less obviously "released from the earth" than Osipova but, I also found her up there with Collier, Park and Osipova as my most memorable Giselles (all, interestingly, great in Fille, which isn't quite what you'd expect other than nailing the bucolic First Act) and there were precious moments when the Acts were linked: never before had i realised how Giselle's spirit evasiveness in Albrecht's arms mirrors her physical evasions in Act One. Her maturity and tenderness were heartbreakingly beautiful here and his youthful spirit, ardent romanticism and technical brilliance were truly outstanding. It didn't quite his as absolutely as anticipated (the difference between cinema and live experience) but it was a most rewarding and beautiful evening.

Last time I saw Heap who was hugely promising, and seems to have built on that promise this time round, and Kobayashi, who didn't do it for me. I'm not seeing a live performance this year but am looking forward very much to Mendizabal who I imagine will be ideally suited - was astonished that Ismene Brown was so dismissive of her. Can't imagine Crawford in the role (I've only seen her three times in featured roles, twice as Lescaut's Mistress and once as Lilac and she stumbled each time, and she's also not good in the Concerto DVD) but would imagine Calvert might grow in to it well. I'd agree with Nunez that it is a ballerina role and am sure she was wonderful last week. My mind's eye remains haunted by Mason (with input from the Nureyev film, late in her dancing career but still hugely compelling) and would very much like to have seen Yamowsky. DId anybody see Bull in this? She was one of my favourite dancers and I'm sure her strength and attack would have been well suited although I wonder if her jump was big enough to make the fullest impact. I also have generalised but positive memories of Manola Asensio with LFB dancing an even longer version of the role (that was a lovely performance with Patricia Ruanne and Jay Jolley at the Coliseum).

I'm surprised that there doesn't seem to be more positivity re Takada. I have to been honest and write that I'm yet to see her in a major role live but the critics seem to have been very positive on her performances in Beauty and Don Q, and management seems very sure of her potential. She also looks absolutely lovely in the ROH rehearsal video for Don Q (although I can appreciate her delicacy might not read well in a large theatre).