emmarose

52 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

A bit of both really - at least to my untutored eye. For example the arabesques when Giselle first meets Albrecht from the grave were not held for long, compared for example to Nunez at about 0:40 here: https://youtu.be/8xjuwzb7Olg?t=38 

and the assisted Penché turns (if that is the correct term) from the later PDD were left out - the ones for example in the clip Sim posted of  Cojocaru / Kobborg  at about 25:40 and 26:40 here:https://youtu.be/CXbDhte9ZNI?t=1538

 

 

Ah, that's not really choreography, that's just something she'll do because she can if she's feeling it in a performance. It's added flair, if you will.

I'm not sure about the turns, so they didn't turn at all? 

4 minutes ago, JNC said:

I presume this is because it’s a Wednesday matinee? All in favour of providing people with options and I know not everyone works full/part/‘standard’ hours but I do think most people wouldn’t be able to make a weekday matinee so it seems odd to schedule one. 
 

Have ROH always done weekday matinees or is this a new thing?

 

I do hope they sell more tickets as it must be so disappointing and a bit sad as a dancer to perform to a not full house when other colleagues have…

 

Also, it's 12.30, that's early, even for a matinee! 

I believe it's Marci's debut too, no? Must be awful to see a lot of empty red seats. 

9 hours ago, Richard LH said:

FionaE - pretty forthright, but unfortunately I do have to agree that it seems Corrales has not yet properly come to terms with this role and I feel Akane deserves better partnering. 

Perhaps good technique is not enough to overcome lackluster acting, whereas  good  acting  can overcome a less than perfect technical performance. I thought so last night, anyway, as Francesca Hayward did seem to have a few issues technically;  I was rather nervous for her in Act 2 after the slip that JohnS mentioned  and some of her choreography was rather simplified  compared with other versions I have seen. But this did not essentially distract from her excellent  characterisation as she truly inhabited the persona of Giselle. 

 

What choreography was simplified? Was there anything in particular, or just a general sense that it wasn't kept to the same difficulty?

7 minutes ago, capybara said:

The lead Peasant couple at yesterday's matinee was, as Sim says, Gasparini and Bracewell.

Last night it was Hinkis and Yudes.

Ah, not to appear mean or anything, but Hinkis just does nothing for me as a dancer. I know she's popular in certain circles, but I just don't really see it with her. Some roles she gets I think would be better performed by others.

But of course, its subjective, I imagine some people absolutely adore her dancing. It's just a personal thing.

2 hours ago, capybara said:

The lead couple for the Pas de Six would not have been my choice for the streaming.

There is an element of 'giving dancers turns' to be filmed, but...........!!!!

 

Otherwise - super cast and it will be interesting to watch them all through the camera's lense.

Who were the lead couple last night?

4 hours ago, LinMM said:

Great piccies of Julia she looks very radiant ...obviously from a good performance! 

I thought the same thing, she just looks so happy. So great to see someone so clearly satisfied with their performance, joyful photos.

2 hours ago, Richard LH said:

She was amazing...🥲🥲

I am not surprised.

Trying to see if I can sneak in a visit for her performance.

1 minute ago, Rob S said:

 

Thank you emmarose, I was pleased to see them do that little trip towards the other side of the auditorium. 
I plead guilty to one count of counting the entrechat six and it was 11-12.

 

Really enjoying Takada and Corrales today, her mad scene was particularly emotional.

 

I’m stood very close to a very enthusiastic orchestral version of an air guitarist! 

They really are beautiful, but they always are!

I would imagine Akane will be stunning in the second act, she always has such a naturally ethereal quality to her dance it must lend itself well to this part.  

11 minutes ago, Nina99 said:

 

I was surprised to see the lifts done that way especially since Dancer's Diary on IG had posted them rehearsing the lifts in the traditional way.  Not being a ballet expert wouldn't know if the ones they did last night were easier but if so I wondered if maybe Muntagirov has a slight injury and he's saving himself bearing in mind the three Nutcrackers that he and Nunez have coming up in quick succession.  

 

Otherwise I thought it was a really sublime evening with great performances all round and it confirmed my opinion that this is my favourite of the classic ballets.   I agree with JennyTaylor that Lukas BB was excellent as Hilarion and in fact I think that the choreography and the music in Act 2, where he is being danced to death by the Wilis is one of the most effective in the whole ballet, especially when viewed from a more elevated seat. 

 

The corps were superb as usual although this time they weren't applauded in the middle of  their hops in Act2.  Otherwise the audience was very enthusiastic and in fact Muntagirov's big moment in Act 2 was almost hijacked when the solo that Nunez did beforehand got such huge applause that, after he ran on stage Muntagirov had to wait before he could perform his variation - which he did, very beautifully.  

 

Since it's been discussed before I paid special attention to the music and I agree that it is lovely although I still think that it could be more evocative in parts especially the music for the Wilis and Myrtha at the beginning of Act 2.  My only other criticism was that the tempi, especially in Act 1 seemed rather slow at times. 

 

 

 

 

I was glad nobody clapped the hops, because I felt they were weaving such a spell, it would have ruined it, they were captivating during that sequence.

The applause at the end of the solo did get a sustained applause, all VERY worthy.

I so agree about ACT 1, there was a couple of moments which felt very slow, particularly at the end of Giselle's solo variation, it didn't seem to speed up and when Giselle breaks apart Albrecht and Bathilde it felt a little slow as well, it didn't come in with much impact.

Rob, thank you so much for those beautiful photos here and in Insta, you capture every dancer so well, that last one particularly is just wonderful.

I was lucky enough to be there last night, and it was a real treat of a performance. I'm not sure there's anything more beautiful on any stage as the second act of Giselle, I feel like I'm holding my breath throughout it. The corps were truly stunning and haunting and Mayara led them beautifully. I love her as a dancer and performer.

Obviously so much is said about Nela and Vadim and I don't need to add to it, but they really are something special. All of that technique just sits so beautifully on Marianela and it frees her. The steps just seem to live inside her and are as natural as walking and nothing is ever strained. 

Vadim danced beautifully, and I know there has been a lot of discussion about the entrechat six, well I didn't count but there was nowhere near 30 and I would take them any day as he performed them last night. They were beautifully done, the height and beats, so crisp. 

A lovely night all round.

7 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

I also booked amphi E 57 & 58 to see Marianela and Vadim in Swan Lake in March - can’t wait. I’ve never seen Swan Lake or Marianela dance before so am really looking forward to it.

You are in for a treat!

1 hour ago, Anna C said:

 

Don’t be; I only went for Marguerite & Armand and Elite Syncopations! 😂 
 

Don’t forget I was two seats further round to the side, so you may not get neckache in 90 - I’m sure I’ve sat in A87 without neckache. ☺️

Haha! That's alright then! I can just imagine though, someone coming out asking along the line what exactly happened in that corner until you find someone who saw it!

7 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

 

http://d33ex4wp0jsts.cloudfront.net/venues/main-stage/level-1-stalls-circle-1d/a-90-stage-view-1280x853.jpg

Thank you!

11 minutes ago, Anna C said:

 

Seat view no, experience, yes albeit in A92 - I missed what was going on in the right hand corner of the stage, which was unfortunate in Obsidian Tear (where something major happened on that part of the stage and to this day, I don’t know what it was). Marguerite and Armand was fine from there, as was Elite Syncopations.  

 

I did get neckache from permanently turning my head to the right, but I have neck problems anyway so hopefully you don’t! 

Oh thanks for this, it's something to think about as it's one I've double upped on the cast, so I may end up not using them. I have back and neck pain, so I'll have to think about it.

Sorry you missed a key moment and you're still left with the mystery of it! 

I have no idea why on Earth they no longer have a seat view.

I looked yesterday before general sale was open and you can access some seats then, but what they had available was completely different to what they really did have available.

I've got some seats in the stalls circle, I've never sat there before as I always go for the balcony. Does anyone have a seat view or experience sitting in SC A-90?

15 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Are you using Firefox on your laptop?

No, I'm on Google Chrome.

But my phone is also Google and it's allowed me to log in. Strange one, but it did happen exactly the same last year.

I've managed to sign on on another device, it's my laptop it's not allowing me to sign in.

Thankfully it worked fine during booking.

Thankfully I got the tickets I wanted for 1st March, Nela/Vadim.

Thankfully because I've now been locked out of the website. They've logged me out and I cannot sign in, I've tried changing my password, I'm still locked out. This happened last year too at the time of the first livestream performances.

Has the website been playing up for anyone else?

1 hour ago, Anna C said:

 

Sounds like the BBC Strictly come dancing audience, FionaE! 😩

You know, I went to SCD as part of the audience, it completely turned me off of the show. I always hated the audience anyway, but it's just so false, they're making you clap louder, stand up, boo. I felt like I was at a pantomime (which I absolutely hate). I haven't watched it since!

2 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I'm sorry if I have annoyed anyone by asking about the entrechats six. I just wanted to check if I had correctly identified the entrechats six's occurence in the choreography, because they were mentioned in a number of reviews as if they were something significant & I've not seen Giselle before.

Dawnstar, I've actually really enjoyed this discussion and hearing everyone's different opinions and experiences, so for me you've opened up a discussion that's pretty interesting.

5 hours ago, KyleCheng said:

I don't think it is so much a competition with other dancers as a competition with the extremely high bar some of us associate with Vadim, consciously or not. At last evening's performance I must agree that the moment Vadim started those inexplicably high and sharp entrechats I was in awe, and I saw in my peripheral vision the lady next to me clapping her hands silently in admiration. At the same time I will admit I was expecting the entrechats to last a bit longer than it had. Make no mistake; what Vadim delivered was still nothing short of a spectacle that I will remember fondly (and it's not just the entrechats, was it, he was great throughout). I am just saying it is not entirely incomprehensible, and also not necessarily a criticism, that last evening some, vis-a-vis that particular sequence, expected one thing and got another.

 

Other aspects of last night were also top notch. Having seem Osipova on the opening night, I am glad I get to see Nunez's very different interpretation. Her port de bras was very musical and elegant and she never fails to impress with her reliably impeccable technique. If Osipova was more convincing as a carefree farmer's daughter who's grown up playing with small animals, I can imagine Nunez's Giselle spending her spare time reading sonnets and painting trees. If they are violinists Osipova would be Joshua Heifetz and Nunez David Oistrakh. You can have preferences but you can't say either of them is not brilliant!

 

I also thought the pas de six was wonderfully executed, especially by the ladies. Special shoutout to the young Mariko Sasaki, dancing with such classical sensitivity, lyricism and a delightful smile once more after her impressive performance as the lead in Anemoi. I look forward to seeing more of her in big roles.

As a tennis fan I liken them both to Federer and Nadal, completely contrasting styles and techniques but both amazingly brilliant in their own ways and you cannot dispute they're both greats, no matter which way you personally sway.

Personally I am a huge Federer fan and also a Nunez fan. Osipova amazes me with her verve and what she brings to roles. I just have an issue with her arms to the point I can be distracted by them.

What Marianela does on the stage is something else, her technique is just so perfectly sound that she seems beyond it in a way to then bring so much more to a role.

All of these write ups are making me want the 18th to get here quickly!

Poor thing, you really never want to see that. 

Hopefully it's something small and she can get back to it soon.

So happy everyone had such a great night last night. Also pleased for Reece in his debut, what a way to do it.

I'm off to see it on the 18th with Marianela and Vadim and I have to say one thing I'm really looking forward to is seeing Magri as Myrthe. I'm a big fan of hers in the character she brings to roles, she really has such projection that can be absent in so many. I'm really interested to see what she does with the role.

2 hours ago, Amanda said:

THANK YOU prs59 I have replied to your message YES PLEASE and THANK YOU emmarose I have grabbed that ticket too so now both daughter and husband can come, fantastic! Very grateful

Good news, hope you all enjoy it!

There's currently a standing ticket on the balcony on the ROH website.