Emeralds

Thanks for the update, @Dawnstar 🙏

Now that was a real celebration of Ashton! We still got to see other choreographers in there too- Nijinska, Balanchine, MacMillan, Bruce, Bintley, Wheeldon (his first ballet for RB! Awww....) Monica Mason's programming- many thanks to Dame Monica! I remember seeing these ballets - those were such fun times 👍

You're correct. Swan Lakes on the main stage, opera in the Linbury

I guess a lot of people complained and reported the video. It started playing itself before I could even move or hide it. As you say, one wishes one could unsee it. That's the quickest I've ever seen a video get taken down. Ick. I must say I'm surprised that they forgot to post an actual dancing post on International Dance Day. Usually they put up one. After all, they are not short of great clips, and could have used the opportunity to put up one of Winter's Tale Act 2 or Rhapsody which has some nice cheery dancing, and said "Happy International Dance Day! Come and see the Royal Ballet dancing in Winter's Tale/Rhapsody, part of the Ashton celebration " etc.

You're right, FionaM, that's horrible. Thanks for emailing- I agree with you. Absolutely not the way to get under 30s into watching opera or ballet at ROH.

Lol! It's certainly eye catching, but I think it looks more like "Flintstones-the Ballet" or "Barney And Friends" (several decades too early for 'Jurassic Park-the Ballet"!) than Sleeping Beauty? 😄 Yes, Northern Ballet's 2nd performance of Romeo and Juliet also on the same night as BRB's Tchaikovsky ballets with RPO!

No casting announced yet, Dawnstar, and because there are other performances (BRB2, Black Sabbath tour, etc) that they're preparing for, it's a bit hard to predict accurately. I'm quite tempted to go too, but I have to wait to see if I am free that night.

I understand Johan Kobborg was quoted over 10 years ago as saying that he wasn't keen on applying for the artistic director post at RDB, but he may have changed his mind now, of course. He'd be a good candidate if he would like to do it. There could well be a lot of other good candidates as the RDB system retains a lot of former principal dancers as character artists and coaches who get to know the administrative, mentoring and leadership aspects of the company well. Hope the next AD, whoever it turns out to be in 2026, will reinstate international tours/visits. 🙂

@maryrosesatonapin, I loved her Giselle too! - with Cesar Morales as Albrecht and Samara Downs as Myrtha, at Sadler's Wells in 2019. They were a dream team! One of my favourite performances of all time. Ahhh....!

Wishing Natalia a speedy recovery. That must be so disappointing and frustrating after travelling such a long way to dance (and San Francisco is on the west coast which makes for a very long flight and worse jet lag!). Well done to Jasmine Jimison for saving the show- and on her debut too. I'd be very keen to see Jimison's Odette-Odile. @Josette, Natalia is scheduled to dance Odette-Odile here at ROH with Reece Clarke on 12, 20, 28 June, if you are still very keen to see her in Swan Lake this season [and fingers crossed hopefully the injury will be healed by then].

No problems with lighting or visibility from where I was sitting, but I think, as @FionaM has noted, that lighting should be adjusted when different dancers are performing solos in key roles, especially if they have dark costumes/tights/footwear as well. I think it may also depend on where one sits, so hopefully for future runs the lighting can be checked at different parts of each auditorium prior to performances. With regards to the colour of the Lilac Fairy's dress, it's always been a light shade of lilac since I started seeing the production in the 1980s, which reflects much of the Lilac plant varietals commonly seen in the UK (as opposed to the more reddish colours used in the RB Lilac Fairy tutu, which isn't actually lilac in colour but more fuchsia and violet with sprays of lilac flowers on it). I did notice that at different points of the ballet and at different parts of set, the costume occasionally looked white or light green before going back to a pale lilac shade again. Not really an issue for me. 😊 Just a quick note to say what a stellar cast we had at the matinee treating us to a truly magical performance. Momoko Hirata was absolutely exquisite and a dream Aurora, who successfully combines the girlish charm with regal elegance of a young princess, and performed the balances and the rest of the Rose Adagio, the variations in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd acts with seemingly effortless virtuosity, musicality and artistry. (She held one balance so well that she didn't even need the prince's hand!) Most of all, she remained in character throughout so that you didn't feel she was dancing a role with technical challenges but was simply telling the story in dance with effortless grace (and never tempted to look like it was showing off). If there was anything at all lacking, it was simply the unfortunate fact that she only had one performance at Sadler's Wells and that London audiences had to wait over a decade to see her. I do hope it won't take as long as 11 years for BRB's Sleeping Beauty to return to London and for us to see Hirata's Aurora again- for me, her Aurora ranks up there with the best that I've been fortunate to see: Nunez, Cojocaru, Vishneva, Obraztsova, Yoshida. For those who missed Hirata's Aurora, I do recommend booking to see her Lise in La Fille mal gardée or Sugar Plum Fairy. There were many fine performances elsewhere in a very strong cast: Amelia Thompson as an expressive, precise Fairy of Temperament, a beautifully detailed portrayal as the Fairy of Song from Olivia Chang Clarke, a delicate yet precise Fairy of Modesty from Alisa Garkavenko and a charismatic Fairy of Honour from Tessa Hogge. Tori Forsyth-Hecken and Daria Stanciiulescu were both compelling as the Lilac Fairy and Carabosse respectively, and Kit Holder as the unfortunate Catalabutte and Louis Andreasen as Gallison made their characters memorable, without descending into hammy acting. It is particularly wonderful to see how strong the standard of dancing is now - a shout out to the men who danced the cavaliers in the Prologue and the Garland Dance in Act 1 for their spectacular and synchronised double tours that would make many companies envious. Peter Wright and Philip Prowse's magnificent production looks as gorgeous and vibrant at 40 years old as it did in the 80s, and remains one of the best Sleeping Beauty versions in the world today. Hope it will return again on tour way before its 50th birthday! On another note, I see that this tour of Sleeping Beauty to London marks the end of the main company's season in Britain before they embark on international tours and BRB2 starts its small scale tour, if you don't count the one performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall on 29 May (same programme as the Evening of Music and Dance at Birmingham's Symphony Hall in March, different orchestra). Roll on autumn! 😀

2024 (Sadler's Wells Theatre 16-19 May): I thought I'd resurrect/bump up this thread rather than starting a new one as the title still works for a new year 🙂 and the reviews and feedback by @SheilaC and other members can be useful for readers thinking of seeing it for the first time. Just noticed after glancing at last year's posts that the company "granted" my wish that they might bring it to Sadler's Wells in 2024! Probably a coincidence but how thrilling! The company notes that this is the first return of this popular and acclaimed production in London since 2015, so there should some exciting London debuts in key roles. Casting hasn't been posted yet but I'll post it here when I see it. There are matinées on Sat 18th and Sun 19th. Tickets are selling fast (opening night is almost sold out) with the best availability (currently) at the matinées.

Scottish Ballet's production of Swan Lake by David Dawson with set designs by Jonn Otto and costumes by Yumiko Takeshima (also known by her dancewear label Yumiko) arrives in Edinburgh this week at the end of their spring tour of this production. For anyone in Edinburgh or visiting Edinburgh this week with a free evening or free Saturday afternoon, there are still a small number of tickets left at each performance- best availability on Friday night and Saturday night. Casting (in the order of Odette-Odile/ Siegfried/ Benno) : Thu 2 May - Sophie Martin/ Bruno Micchiardi /Thomas Edwards Fri 3 May - Roseanna Leney / Evan Loudon/ Aaron Venegas Sat 4 May matinee- Roseanna Leney / Evan Loudon/ Aaron Venegas Sat 4 May evening- Sophie Martin/ Bruno Micchiardi /Thomas Edwards The music is performed by Scottish Ballet Orchestra at all performances with Martin Yates conducting all evening performances and Robert Baxter conducting the matinee. Reviews, thoughts and feedback from members who are able to attend this week (unfortunately I can't) or who have seen the performances earlier in Glasgow, Aberdeen or (/and!) Inverness will be most welcome....especially since many of us have never seen this version. Toi toi toi to the company for tonight and this weekend!

Well, compared to a couple of Cojocaru's performances (over a very long career, it has to be emphasised, and not every show is going to be perfect) in the past when she was having a slightly off night, Kurihara gave a brilliant performance as her "sub" on Saturday night in comparison. Mind you, being the first night cast, Kurihara hardly counts as a sub! Considering that she is still a first soloist and this was her first season dancing Aurora, she did extremely well. Beautiful accounts of all her variations, lyrical and warm in the pas de deux with the Prince (she had a wonderful partner in Lachlan Monaghan), she really portrayed the young princess beautifully. By the way ballet regulars who miss the masterful control of pirouettes and balances that RB's James Hay (currently away recuperating after surgery) does so well- it's his signature.......Lachlan was demonstrating similar skills in his pirouettes in Acts 2 and 3- I've never seen him do that before and it was delightful, quite a find! Pirouettes aside, he was also every inch the noble and chivalrous Prince, with an effortless soaring jump. In fact, anyone who spent the show obsessed about missing Cojocaru and failed to see the incredible talents in other roles as well - Beatrice Parma as Florine and Fairy of Temperament (in the variation popularly known as Finger variation), Lucy Waine in the first Prologue variation, Olivia Chang Clarke as the Fairy of Song - so many delights they missed out on. Or as my fellow members have said, if that visitor missed Cojocaru so much, she should just have booked tickets for Hamburg Ballet or asked the box office to do an exchange of her ticket to Cojocaru's performances with London City Ballet. Actually if I had met this audience member I would have asked her if she did attend Cojocaru's La Strada show at Sadler's Wells in January because the theatre wasn't heavily sold for that and Cojocaru and Kobborg's performances in La Strada were simply extraordinary (admittedly that's a completely different show but if she had been desperate to see Alina, Alina did dance at every performance of that show!) Will write more about the matinee performance in due course, when I have a bit more time.

Very sad to hear this news about @capybara. As a recent joiner I didn't know Linda as well as long term members but as I got to know her from her writing, I was very impressed by her long time support of the dancers, graduates and companies in Britain, especially her support of smaller, less high profile but diligent and talented dancers, projects or companies, and her encouragement of those who supported them. I also remember her diligence in painstakingly typing out casting information for fellow readers who would benefit from having it to book travel, take time off, &/or book accommodation for attending performances. Very sad to hear of her diagnosis and passing, and not to have had the opportunity to know Linda longer. Her love for dance and love for sharing the joy of the art form with others will shine on. I hope Linda derived much comfort from the performances and events she was able to enjoy in person or watch online in the last months of her illness, and I thank her for all her hard work and kindness in providing information to benefit others, even though she was ill. My condolences to Linda's loved ones and may she rest in peace. Thank you Linda, aka Capybara.

Funnily enough, the Royal Ballet's Swan Lakes have had Siegfried in black tights for Act 3 from as far back as the late 1970s (at least!) till now - in the Ashton/Morrice, Dowell and Scarlett productions. But Siegfried has been visible in the two older versions. The difference has been the lighting and the set- this has been the darkest set and lighting we've had. I've been able to see Siegfried easily in the others but this one is really dark. (And I don't think our eyesight collectively deteriorated dramatically between 2015 to 2018!) Even if you watch the Act 3 pas de deux on DVDs of the 3 productions on the same day, the current production is too dark. Perhaps they could reposition some courtiers further back and more centrally to add a bit of light colour to the background!

I definitely agree commitment to the home company should come first- and if it's SFB, would have thought 2 weeks was more than enough time to learn a production. Many guest artists learn it in far less time. I'm still assuming it's a good reason (ie not due to guesting) unless we are told otherwise, but hopefully not due to serious injuries or anything worse. Sorry you have to miss tonight's show, @capybara- lots of lovely performances among the second casts and the ensemble.

Beatriz Stix-Brunnell was a popular choice with Wheeldon (she joined his Morphoses dance company while still a student at ballet school) and always looked excellent in his ballets- she danced Alice at every run, as far as I can recall. Fun fact: Marianela Nunez actually danced Alice in the first run opposite Rupert Pennefather as Jack/the Knave of Hearts but hasn't danced the role for a long time. Wonder whose choice that was- I would have bought tickets to see her in the last run as well, if she'd been cast 😊 Hope Vadim will still be on the list to dance Jack/TKOH. I'd like to see Sambe, Clarke, Corrales, Bracewell &/or Hay in the role too.

Yes, it's all a bit of a mystery as Osipova isn't due to dance anything with RB till 7 June in the Ashton mixed bill (Five Brahms Waltzes....) and Clarke is dancing Swan Lake with Lamb next Saturday (replacing Hirano) but his name is still on that....and Lamb is dancing tonight. Osipova is scheduled to dance Swan Lake on 30 April and 3 May at San Francisco Ballet but that's 2 weeks and 3 days away...surely there would have been sufficient time to dance tonight then fly over to SFB for rehearsals. I haven't looked up the rest of Osipova's freelance schedule. Wonder what the underlying reason is, as it's three dancers replaced. Hope nobody is injured. It would be a pity if any patrons had booked tonight just to see the second cast for DD, having already seen the first cast, although they would know substitutions can occur. (Excellent first cast though!)

Well spotted @Dawnstar- I must say I thought Donnelly being cast as Rothbart last night for Swan Lake was very unexpected because he would be quite worn out after a full length turn as Rothbart (who unusually is in 4 acts plus prologue whereas in other productions he's only in 3 acts, +/- prologue) to be then dancing Drum Major the following night too. Maybe the cast was changed because of this, or maybe it was due to something else. That said, Marcelino Sambe could also be tired out after dancing Siegfried last night- an even more tiring role! - and he's now dancing Woyzeck tonight! Glad it's not just me that's spotted the Verklarte Nacht/Different Drummer mismatch/juxtaposition - thanks for the poem quotes, @JohnS. Come to think of it, it would be great if any company (ballet or contemporary dance) could revive/acquire Kylian's Verklarte Nacht (which is much older than Different Drummer) - it's a positive story and almost looks like a classical ballet minus the pointework. Used to be danced a lot by various companies and not just NDT. Hopefully next time round the souvenir programme or cast sheet will provide the much needed synopsis of the Different Drummer storyline, which was definitely available in the programme or cast sheet a long time ago. I can't attend tonight but would be keen to read the opinions from those who are going tonight, since I'll be missing Isabel Lubach in the Agnus Dei role.

With regards Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I saw it on TV with the original cast before seeing it live in ROH, and initially wasn't sure about whether to watch it live. I would say that if you watch it on tv/DVD/online first then live, it is much, much better live, and you don't have to go with children-to me it actually looks more adult and teenager oriented than child oriented! Nothing at all like Disney or the older Derek Deane production for ENB. NB if your seat is quite far away, eg middle or rear Amphitheatre (or even closer), I would advise using opera glasses or binoculars to enjoy the full effect of the jokes.

Correct- 6. The Friday matinee is labelled "schools matinee" to let patrons know there may be school groups attending, but unlike the ROH schools matinees that are only for schools, the public can book and attend ENB schools matinées.

Unfortunately it clashes with the BRB Sleeping Beauty- and unfortunately I can't go for any of the other performances so it has to be Sat for SB. I highly recommend this orchestra (London Philharmonic), the conductor (Jurowski), and singers Sinead Campbell-Wallace, who was a stunning Tosca at ENO (the Royal Opera should really hire her ASAP) and Claire Barnett Jones, who was picked as a last minute replacement for a candidate with a positive Covid test at the Cardiff Singer of the World competition and went on to win her group and wow audiences.

There's also the May and June performances and I think the Rothbarts and Bennos tend to be matched with the Odette-Odiles and Siegfrieds they have already danced together with. There's the possibility that Donnelly might be Rothbart to another Odette-Odile/Siegfried team in April, May or June (provided it isn't too close to his Winter's Tale performances I suppose). I suppose once you see the casting for the first dates that Hayward, Takada, Kaneko, Naghdi, Lamb, Sasaki, Osipova and Calvert are dancing, you'll have an idea of who their Rothbart will be for their next performance. It's tempting to suggest getting a Friday Rush a week in advance for any pairing who are only dancing Fridays and weekends - just risking £4 to return it if it turns out not to be the supporting cast you'd like, but at least you won't miss out on a bench ticket again. Must say that's really very unusual that Anna Rose O'Sullivan and Marcelino Sambe were assigned only Fri & Sat shows; usually everyone gets at least 1 week night.

That's really bad luck about the timing, @Dawnstar 😟 ....missing out on the information just by several hours! Can only hope a return ticket miraculously appears in an area you can buy for the 18th. 🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀 🍀