emmarose

I don't really have much to add and I'm utterly exhausted. But I agree with how much of a privilege it was to be there last night and opening night and there's ballet and there's dance but those two are living and breathing art, there is no act, it's all being lived on the stage organically.

The ovation was quite moving and you could see they were both moved in the curtain calls and where I was in SC it was a beautiful view of a full Orchestra Stalls all standing up and applauding.

2 hours ago, Missfrankiecat said:

Let me know if you are up for a drink in the interval or before - you may be with friends.

I am going with someone else, but I'd love to say hi to you

34 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

Long story ... I decided to go on short break out of London this weekend so returned my ticket.  Then my train was cancelled and no trains at all on Saturday to go to West Country, so I was free again on Sat pm.  Then I read the raves for last Monday's performance - even better than opening night.  How is that possible?  Yesterday I bought a replacement ticket for Sat at an outrageous price - so yes, I'm going!   

I'm so, so glad I asked because this saga did make me giggle (apologies!) 

Yes, I was hearing and seeing some things on Instagram (even thought we shouldn't) but apparently they were on song yet again and raising the bar so I decided it was a yes if they're dancing.

I can't believe the long way around it for you.

On 07/03/2024 at 10:51, Missfrankiecat said:

 

I'm the same.  Fully intended to return tickets for 6.4 (booked because I was unsure I would be able to make last night's mid-week performance) but now thinking that if there is a chance of last night's magic being repeated, I don't want to miss it.  There are so many excellent dancers in the company atm, it seems, on one level, ridiculous to watch one pairing more than once but last night reminded how exceptional these two are.

Did you come to a decision? I think I'm leaning towards going at the minute.

Thank you for the video, I always like to see them but they make me cry. 

Well... wasn't that just lovely. What a lovely, humble and generous man he is.

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

This rather assumes that other casts will not be equally as good or better!!!!

Not really, no, it just says that they delivered an opening night of a worthy (and otherworldly) standard

Just taken an extract from Broadwayworld.com's review...

I assume the writer frequents these forums...

Prior to opening night, there were murmurings over Principals Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov being once again selected for opening night. The Royal Ballet possesses endless world class dancers who can do an exemplary job with the leading roles, why can’t others get a look in? It’s safe to say such doubts were swiftly appeased with the heartbreaking, exhilarating and technically flawless display the pair put on for the first night crowd. 

6 hours ago, Missfrankiecat said:

 

I thought this tempo was a deliberate choice - Kessells watched her very closely - because it shows off Nunez' phenomenal control and balance, her ability to 'float' in transitional movements and, interpretively, was conveying the labour of Odette's anguished imprisonment in swan form.  Of course, this pace is a lot harder for less technically gifted dancers to follow.

Yes, this was what I saw as well, you could see he was watching her so closely and she always was in complete control of the pace and her balance

32 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

I was hoping Odette goes bungee jumping after the curtain closes

Now that would be a fresh take for the critics!

1 hour ago, Sim said:

Oh dear....now I'm going to be looking out for this through my binocs tonight!  Maybe they will have sorted it out by then, but I kind of hope not!  😂

Also... in the last visual, while Odette was up there on the rock, you could see the rope holding her safely up there...

1 hour ago, Lindsay said:

Coincidentally, I am at this very moment taking this wise advice literally.   I noticed that I have a free evening on a work trip to Paris in a couple of weeks and have just managed to nab a ticket for Don Quixote at the Bastille.  Hannah O'Neill and German Louvet that night so very much looking forward to it!

Oh wow, that is such a coincidence, I don't think I've ever used that quote on any forum before!

Have a wonderful time, I'm not at all envious!

35 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

I think it's natural when you see a LOT of ballet (as many forumites do - I know I am guilty of this in periods when a work lull coincides with programming I want to see) to get jaded and want novelty all the time.  But also the more you see, the more one can learn to appreciate the difference between "really excellent absolutely at the top of their game" dancing and the kind of "dancers of their generation" performance we saw last night.  For me, Nunez, Muntagirov, Osipova and Hayward (in the right roles because of her amazing acting skills) can all hit those heights

 

Edit to add:  One thing that I am enjoying about the current period (and like others I have been around since the Dowell days) is that more or less every performance reaches "really excellent absolutely at the top of their game" standards of dancing - which has not always been the case

I get it, I'm kind of in the mind of if you're bored of life, go to Paris.

I never really tire of true art. I used to watch every tennis match Federer played, it was an awful lot and I never tired because it was always art. It's not as if this is happening everyday anyway, like I said it's 4 years since the critics saw them together opening night for SL.

I saw a few standing after the Act III fireworks too!

What a fabulous night!

14 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

Any suggestion that first night casting was misplaced surely laid to rest by the reviews so far in, since no Artistic Director in his right mind would want to forgo first night notices like these.  The Times and The Stage both giving 5 star ratings and superlative reviews of Nunez and Muntagirov (and everyone else).  I particularly like that both pay fulsome tribute to Liam Scarlett's choreography and vision.  I would link but I suspect we are meant to go to the Dance Links thread for the day.

Not really sure what that was all about anyway.

World class, some of the finest to ever dance, you don't leave that on the backburner. Anyone who truly appreciates the art form could surely never bore of seeing their artistry. 

It's not as if they just saw them yesterday, and as I pointed out, Nunez didn't dance on opening night last Swan Lake season, so it's been 4 years.

Just now, Rob S said:

 

Did you also miss the strange silhouette of Odette on top of the rock before she was supposed to be spot lit, she looked like she was having a conversation with someone on the ground  behind the rock

No, I actually saw that!

At first I thought it was a stage hand then realised it was Marianela, she also seemed to push it and check it's sturdiness!

Someone obviously messed up the lighting there...

9 minutes ago, emmarose said:

I forgot to mention this last night, but they were both so enchanting in the Act II pas.

 

One of my favourite moments in the whole ballet is when the swans having been still for so long come back to life and start their hops around the stage. I love the movement, I love the sound of them.

 

Last night I didn't see it, I was so focused on those two and how achingly beautiful it was, I completely missed it.

Quoting myself to say this is no shade to the corps. They were on song last night, absolutely stunning movements throughout as swans and their lines were perfection.

This was more a testament to how captivating Nela and Vadim were in Act II.

6 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

 

I'm the same.  Fully intended to return tickets for 6.4 (booked because I was unsure I would be able to make last night's mid-week performance) but now thinking that if there is a chance of last night's magic being repeated, I don't want to miss it.  There are so many excellent dancers in the company atm, it seems, on one level, ridiculous to watch one pairing more than once but last night reminded how exceptional these two are.

I'm going to hand onto them for now because it's very tempting to go back and see this dream once again. 

I can't decide if it's madness to go or madness to return the tickets.

I forgot to mention this last night, but they were both so enchanting in the Act II pas.

One of my favourite moments in the whole ballet is when the swans having been still for so long come back to life and start their hops around the stage. I love the movement, I love the sound of them.

Last night I didn't see it, I was so focused on those two and how achingly beautiful it was, I completely missed it.

2 hours ago, Mary said:

I agree with all of the above. I usually post when I leave but was a bit lost for words last night- still am.

Both Nunez and Vadim made it look so completely natural and effortless to be dancing on cloud nine form, they danced as one together and with the music.

 

A performance I will never forget..haven't been in the midst of such a cheering foot stamping audience for a while. The way Nunez and Vadim applauded the corps - turning and clapping, not just gesturing- was so touching. 

 

I feel these two are really on our stage so few times a year! We should be seeing them  every possible opportunity. 

 

 

I feel the same, I treasure any chance.

After what happened last year when Marianela was out, well, I was lucky because I have no idea why but I'd bought tickets for the first night and then on the Friday rush I picked up some for their third night, no idea why. But when she wasn't able to dance the first night I had the third already (it was sold out)

This year that was very much in my mind so I got tickets for the first night and the third intending to return whatever one wasn't needed, but now I'm wondering if I should just go and see the magic again...

47 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

On tonight’s evidence I think there is simply no option but to give first night to Nunez and Muntagirov.  I think seeing them so often it’s easy to forget quite how lucky we are to have them in London.  Not that other dancers aren’t very exciting and exceptional (I am planning to see several casts and looking forward to all of them) but there is a different level of quality with these two.  In particular, I thought Nunez’ Act 2 Odette variation was quite exquisite tonight - amazing how she is still pushing to improve at this point in her career.  The musicality on the turning sequences was beautiful - because her technique is so secure, she can play with the music and Kessels worked with her perfectly.  
 

And in a lovely gesture she and Vadim turned around to bow to and acknowledge the corps de ballet during the curtain calls.  A great start to the run 

Just to add, Nunez didn't actually end up opening Swan Lake in the last production, she was scheduled to with Vadim, but she caught COVID and Yasmin stepped in, so this is her first opening night of SL since 2020 (pre pandemic)

Having been there tonight and catching her in the one show she did with Vadim last run and previous runs, I can hand on my heart say I could watch her dance Act II every single day of my life and never grow bored. It was truly exquisite. It was telling that after they finished there was a collective sigh and then the applause started. I know a few times I let out small sighs at just the way she was moving through it all so beautifully. They seemed to find even more divine lines within the movements than they have before. They clearly have put in so much work to make it look like no effort at all. 

Her and Vadim are not just good, they are true artistes. 

Truly divine. 

1 minute ago, bridiem said:

I have to say that I am quite heartbroken at the thought of not seeing him dance (and act!!) any more. He is still at the height of his powers and as his Lescaut last week showed he is a really superb dance-actor. But he has been very under-used in recent years so I'm not surprised he's been looking elsewhere, and this does sound like an excellent opportunity for him. Of course it's good to stop dancing before you decline, but it does make it very hard for your audience! I hadn't booked for 8th March but have just gone online and booked the last seat in the Amphi - restricted view and if I can find something better before then I will, but at least I will be there! The RAD are, I think, very fortunate to have acquired his services and I wish him happiness and fulfillment in his new role.

I agree, he's been underused quite often the last few years and has had quite a few quiet moments where he's not seen the stage for a big space of time, so even though I felt this was very early in his career (especially one that hasn't been impacted with injuries) I actually wasn't at all surprised when I saw this news. It felt inevitable he might look for something else.

I saw on Insta, amazing position for him but sad to see him retire from RB

4 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I hope it's okay to post this link. The friend who I saw Monday's Nutcracker with has reviewed it on his website. While he's a West End theatre expert, it was his first Nutcracker so it's not a technical review but I thought maybe the opinion of someone seeing the production for the first time might be of interest to some on here. https://www.theatremonkey.com/blog/2023/december/nutcracker-royal-opera-house-covent-garden

I've followed the TM site for years, it's hard to believe that it's his first Nutcracker, lovely to see someone coming to it with fresh eyes and enjoying it so much. Thanks for sharing.

13 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

Side note: Any takers for a ‘fantasy nutcracker’ thread - a bit like fantasy football but the ballet version where one can describe their fantasy Nutcracker cast? I only have a very short ballet watching career, but Mine would definitely involve Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, Isabella Gasparini or Francesca Hayward as Clara, I’d love to see Joonhyuk Jun as Hans Peter and Marianela Nunez as SPF.

Oh this is fun!

I don't think there could be anyone by Avis as Drosselmeyer, he has completely made that role his own so that sadly I find anyone else somewhat lacking in the magic of Christmas

SPF would have to be Marianela Nunez and her prince Vadim, even though I saw beautiful Fumi and Will and they're right up there, I still think these two are the gold standard

Clara, Anna-Rose or Isabella Gasparini, I might just slightly lean more to Isabella, I adore watching her

Hans-Peter I'd go for Leo Dixon

Rose Fairy Magri, I think it's a role that just sits perfectly on her

Just to add in, I think any fantasy Nutcracker would have to include Melissa Hamilton in the Arabian because she's really made that her own too

Just a few quick thoughts...

A lovely evening tonight and everyone on gorgeous form, a personal highlight for me was Sae Maeda's Clara, she was a joy to watch. So lyrical and smooth with such a gorgeous upper body. 

Fumi and Bracewell were beautiful as well.