emmarose

5 minutes ago, capybara said:

That’s interesting. There has been shortage of photos all round during the tour.

I was surprised to see no audience videos, sometimes in galas and shows on tour you might get some, so well done to the audiences in respecting the rules (it's a huge bugbear of mine when audience members get their phones out and record)

52 minutes ago, oncnp said:

Terribly...😉 https://www.instagram.com/p/CuLR_hxp2fg/

Vadim's Instagram is so like him as a person, just kind of gentle and sweet and nothing at all to bother anyone. Very pure!

1 hour ago, Swan said:

Thank you @JennyTaylor and @Naomi M for your wonderful contributions during the tour. Looking at Instagram, the dancers and the audiences seem to have had a terrific time so I may also need to start saving for 2025!

 

Maybe we'll be looking at a group discount on a forumwide trip, we're all being tempted!

4 hours ago, Sim said:

I don't think the RB is going next year.  So it gives you a bit of time to save, and me a few more goes to try to win the Lottery!!

Even better, time to save and prepare, it's somewhere I want to go to anyway, so this will give me the push! And fingers crossed for the lottery!

28 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

Thanks so much Jenny. It has been a joy to read your colourful and detailed reports. They have made me - and no doubt many others here on the forum - more than a little envious. So glad you have enjoyed your visit to Tokyo so much and have a safe journey back to the UK. 

My sentiments exactly, Jenny's posts have made it call come to life and I'm wondering if I can somehow get myself to Tokyo for next season. What treats that audience received! 

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

I notice the mention of the multiple curtain calls in Japan, which seem to be a rarity in London.  Why is that?  It can't be because the audiences are less enthusiastic.

 

It's rather sad sometimes to see a standout performance and the audience are running out of the building instead of applauding because they have to catch the last train.

Although I do find the audience can be appreciative but sometimes in a way that seems that it was expected that the show was amazing, and so just keep it to quite polite applause.

2 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

OK, where to start.  Marianela and Will took it by storm this evening. I think we got up to 10 curtain calls but I lost count.  Utterly, utterly brilliant. 

 

Will's acting skills are on a different plane from all other Romeo's (in my opinion, of course) and we saw everything we saw in London last time round again and perhaps even more. His partnership with Marianela rose to dramatic and dancing heights and for me, this was the best Juliet I have ever seen her perform.  Their passion fed off each other and her Act 3 was definitely on a different level, heightened by what had gone before. Their bedroom pdd conveyed, passion, love and total despair. Heart wrenching and glorious.  Dancing and acting perfection. 

 

Will's facial expressions are constantly changing: it really is acting and dancing. He tells such a story.  We had Joe Sissens and Calvin Richardson as Mercutio and Benvolio and they were phenomenal (hot!).  The 3 men were totally in sync and the camaraderie between them was electric and heart warming. The audience recognised this and there was applause at the end of each of their sections together and separately (Mercutio at the ball).  The fight scenes are becoming increasingly fierce:  Will really went for Tybalt (Ben Gartside) with passion and anger but was then totally distraught when he had killed him, falling on the ground in utter despair.  Elsewhere, as the whole cast become more settled in their roles, the other fight scenes and marketplace brawls are also becoming rougher and edgier. 

 

The balcony pdd was a dream.  Beautifully executed and incredibly romantic.     

 

The final scene was heartbreaking.  As Will lay dying from the poison, he made several heart wrenching attempts to reach Juliet's hand but failed. Marianela took a long time to climb over the tomb to reach him with her dying breath. It was so beautiful and heart felt.  Roars of applause greeted their initial curtain call which was so beautiful because as the curtain opened, they were hugging each other, rather than just standing together. 

 

For me, this was worth coming on the tour alone. Will this partnership ever be repeated. Who knows, but I'm just so grateful I saw it.  

 

   

Thank you for this lovely report, I am very jealous of these audiences.

I've long wanted those two partnered over here in London, but it would be wonderful to see them in Romeo and Juliet together, but we'd have to wait a little while before that, hopefully Manon...

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

I make no judgment as to whether or not this is correct but if it is, it is hypocritical in the extreme. 

I have no idea either way, but that's what run through my mind, that Swan Lake had to cost a fortune and likewise, to do another one would be costly too, add in the they 'need' Swan Lake, it's a money maker, they weren't going to drop it and not run Swan Lake for the years it'll take to come up with another one or even go back (if possible).

3 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Thanks but I'm afraid I'm not really expecting to enjoy the dancing much, as I don't think much if any of it will be to my taste. I'm only going because of it being Morera's last London performance. I've not yet seen a female Principal retirement performance, though I have seen 3 male Principal ones (Kish, Soares & Bonelli).

Well I hope it surprises you or at least Laura's send off is everything you wish it to be.

Will there be the flower toss?

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

 

A snippet of For Four

 

 

Thank you, this was lovely.

I remember on the night thinking that Marci really suited the style, and seeing this back just confirms it.

9 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I'm not exactly looking forward to this evening as it is but now I've just discovered that Great Northern have cancelled the last fast train back from London to Cambridge so I'll have to get a slow train & won't get home until about 1am. I seem to be cursed with train problems when seeing Morera's performances: after her Giselle it took me 4 hours to get home due to a power cut half way & after her Cinderella I missed the last train before rail replacement buses kicked in & didn't get home until 2.50am. Maybe once she retires my trains will be better behaved!!

I hope it'll all be worth it and you enjoy tonight.

4 hours ago, PeterS said:

 

 

my memory didn’t serve in that case, apologies. Still it was nice to see Vadim have a go at something new to the RB and so new to me.

It really was. All four men I thought danced the piece beautifully. It was one of my highlights from the night. 

4 hours ago, Balletfanp said:

No, he doesn’t do McGregor. He elaborates a little in his book.

Oh that's interesting, for any particular reason?

Or am I going to have to wait until I buy my book? (hopefully next time I'm ROH bound)

49 minutes ago, Nina99 said:

Actually, one lovely solo that Vadim has done was posted by him on his Instagram in early August 2021, when he was on holiday in Russia with his parents. This post showed him dancing very beautifully round the empty halls of the Chelyabinsk Opera house, accompanied,  by the song “Once upon a December” which, funnily enough, is from the 1997 animated movie Anastasia.

Oh isn't that lovely, I never tire watching him and that was so beautiful along with his history.

I actually love that song. There's also a beautiful instrumental version of it played by Emile Pandolfi which I think is quite lovely and another by Leiki Ueda. It lends itself to be danced to.

1 hour ago, Mary said:

absolutely.

I've been trying to think of anything- I suppose there is the new material in Scarlett's Swan Lake- the reconciliation pas de deux is rather nice and I will always see that as very much Vadim, but I would not claim it as a masterpiece and he is surely worthy of so much more.

 

 

Yes, and a lovely PDD it is, but mostly it's just partnering for Vadim, and whilst he does it beautifully (he could just walk up and down and he'd do it beautifully) there's nothing in it that shows him off in any way, or that other dancers couldn't easily do.

For everything he has, there is no piece of work that's been created to show off his sublime dancing and technique.

Honestly, it's something I think about now and again, usually when there's another new Wayne piece, and I can't help but feel so sad at what a shame it is.

18 minutes ago, capybara said:

I could be wrong but I don’t think anything has been created using Vadim since he joined the RB. With ENB he was one of a group in Men Y Men and possibly had a pas de deux made on him.
Interestingly, the other night when he was talking to The London Ballet Circle about his new book FROM SMALL STEPS TO BIG LEAPS, he seemed very keen to work with a choreographer.

I believe (hearsay) that Benjamin Ella is developing a piece with RB artists, initially for a gala in Japan but to be danced subsequently by Northern Ballet.

 

 

And isn't that a crying shame? One of the finest classical dancers of his generation and there's no work that's going to be left behind that's created for him. 

Add in Nela and Naghdi and their world class technique and I'm sorry to say, I am left wanting. I know it's harsh, but there's only so many times I can see Wayne Mcgregor and the constant hyper-extending lines before I think that it's somewhat of a waste of talent just sitting there with no new classical pieces. 

1 hour ago, Odyssey said:

That’s a  harsh assessment. Unfortunately a golden age of dancers doesn’t automatically equate to a similar embarrassment of riches in choreographers. There has been some very commendable, interesting works created on our dancers over the last ten years. We’ve also lost Liam Scarlett -a very talented young choreographer. 
 

Harsh, but what classical pieces have been created? Take Vadim, one of the most beautiful classical dancers, and what has been created for him lately? 

There have been interesting works, yes, but anything that will survive and be revived generations from now? And again, what real classical pieces? 

It just feels like a waste to have these classical dancers in their prime and being world class and not anything that sits beautifully on them. When you think of generations in the past and the works that they got created on them, we are somewhat lacking right now.

1 hour ago, capybara said:

Valentino Zucchetti is trying his best.

I think he's amazing, and has a huge future in front of him.

2 hours ago, Candleque said:

💯
Eternally puzzled why Royal Ballet doesn't appoint a living classical ballet choreographer. (Even in addition to McGregor, if they just can't bear to part with him for some reason.) Investing in new full length classical works needs a company of this size, prestige and donor base.  

Agree with @JNC's full post. I used to see everything the RB did at least once, out of respect for the dancers. But after too many costly and disappointing evenings, finally decided I didn't have to suffer through work I didn't enjoy. Duh. (Fwiw, I am a fan of many other modern choreographers, but the musical genius ones like Mark Morris.) Agree with @annamk — where is our Ratmansky?

It's something that I can never quite understand, the RB have a stable of some of the finest classical dancers in the world and absolutely nobody to create anything for them.

On 30/05/2023 at 16:39, Mora said:

I know that is politically incorrect what I'm going to say, but from my personal point of view, Nunez looks a little mature for Bracewell (specially in some narrative ballets like Manon or Romeo and Juliet).

It's funny, because sometimes I actually think Bracewell has a very mature look about him, sometimes seeming to look a little older than Vadim, who can look very boyish at times. 

I thought they danced and matched very well in brief glimpses we've seen.

I subscribe to Kathryn, so I saw this the day she uploaded, I thought it was absolutely fascinating. 

2 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Mind you she seems well able to dance two different leading  roles in one ballet (as per Cinderella).

Also in Beauty too. Fairies in lilac alongside the leading role seemed to be a big thing for her this season!

Just now, Lizbie1 said:

 

 

Well.... that's more than a bit interesting! 

11 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

I anticipate that Forum Members will have something to say about the number of performances allocated to each ballet on the Main Stage:

 

Don Quixote:          17

Anemoi/Cellist:        7

The Dante Project:  8

The Nutcracker:     28 (including 3 not for general public) 

Manon:                    17

Swan Lake:             30 (including 1 not for general public)   ..is this a record? 

MacMillan Triple:      6

The Winter’s Tale:    11

Ashton Triple “A”:      5

Ashton Triple “B”:      5

During COVID lockdowns there was an article that stated that a big percentage of their yearly earnings comes from Nutcracker season. I don't begrudge them The Nutcracker if it keeps the company running.

30 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

Thinking about the timing of those Ashton bills and the Sarasota visit: together with the RB and ENB (Albert Hall version) Swan Lakes, June is looking very congested. If NYCB are visiting then as well scheduling everything I want to see could look very tricky!

Are NYCB visiting?