Beryl H

I've booked for one performance only of Dante, when the casting is announced I might book for a different one, just describing them as A,B,C would help!

I had forgotten today was Friends booking and went shopping, on the way back I realised and went into the system at 11am, may have been a wise move as after reading the apologies for bad service today(!), I then proceeded to get a fair selection of tickets! I paid £52 row S amphi for one ticket only as I really wanted to see Osipova/Sambe in Don Q, perhaps there will be a refund? 

The ticket limit nonsense happened to me a few months ago, I had to install the Firefox browser and this worked, the ROH is the only website I cannot get on Microsoft Edge which I prefer.

Have the Don Q prices now been revised, although I can't book for another week I signed in and using the Seat Plan saw the Stalls Circle Standing are £14 now.

My own area of the amphi, row S, has gone up to £52, whilst the whilst same area for Nutcracker is only (?) £32, very odd!

I remember how Laura and Federico continued dancing during the screaming lady episode in Onegin, I imagine the man wasn't too seriously ill as from my front row amphi seat I saw the ushers walking around the stalls and stalls circle in the interval, and everyone was smiling. Amazing concentration from the dancers though.

Laura was outstanding as the Gypsy Girl at the first performance of the new production of The Two Pigeon!

I wish her very best wishes in her new career.

On 09/06/2023 at 16:08, Shade said:

I think my Swarovski bins are 8x20 and I find that field of view a bit narrow if you are not just focusing on a couple. Excellent optics but v expensive now. Binoculars seems to have gone up astronomically!

I've just checked and these are what I have, black, fairly small and light that go into a handbag, I can see most things from the amphitheatre without having to keep fiddling with them, I've had them for ages.

There is a review of it in the June/July Dance Europe by Francois Fargue, I wouldn't call it favourable, although I only skimmed through it.

I thought the ballet was about Carmen Herrara herself, so this news makes a bit more sense, suppose the thing now is to take a look at some of her art works online, or just sit back and enjoy the dancers and choreography! 

For people lucky enough to be going, there will be a Sadler's Wells East Garden, "the plants represent movement as they echo layers, patterns and shapes of dance".

On 14/05/2023 at 00:59, alison said:

A cotoneaster TREE?!

I deliberately let it grow and it's huge now, it provides some much needed privacy, it does wave about a lot in the wind though, my neighbour is in the process of building a small extension which ideally will protect it from the north wind🙂

They seem to be learning a few tricks, it's coming out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 23rd June (hopefully) so sensible to make it available now! 

Amazon have the Vadim book now, price £28.13 including postage, for 1st June publication.

I've got magpies and jackdaws hacking away at the same area of my back lawn that they always do, the soft mossy patches must make nice nests.

There are also a couple of seagulls making a nest for the third year running, on the roof opposite my house with 2 garden lengths between, but I can watch them them through my binoculars, always have to be as unobtrusive as I can, luckily I think my neighbours realise I'm a bit bird mad! 

I've got a large cotoneaster tree outside my living room window and I can see at this moment the sparrows twittering about, their nest must be on my or the next door neighbours' roof 😊

I'm not religious either, but I found it fascinating, the filming was spectacular in capturing wide views of the cathedral and the most intimate moments of the strange rituals, my heart went out to them all. A very emotional day as it brought back memories of 1953, watching on a flickering 12" screen! 

Also quite liked the Concert, it was nice to see the Royal Family able to smile again, the ballet excerpt was too short to make any impact, but again the show was so well filmed, I recorded it when the ballet started, hoping for at least 10 minutes, and then left it running to the end.

There have been several permanent bus route changes, glad I checked as the 11 bus doesn't go from Victoria to Strand, but over Westminster Bridge to St.Thomas Hospital. The 26 replaces the 11 route.

Has anyone tried to book a ticket and had the message "sorry you have exceeded your ticket limit" which makes no sense.

I keep getting it, E-mailed the ROH, and they suggested signing out and in again, which hasn't worked.

I stumbled upon this by chance, my favourites were the same as Shade's, especially the Ukrainian Hopak!

On 21/04/2023 at 21:09, Diandri said:

 

Just had a look on amazon at Ed Watson's book that already has a preview of the first few pages & the photos do look amazing. It's £40 & looks well worth the money - I've pre-ordered my copy.

 

Also just had a very pleasant hour looking at the Getty pics website & found a delicious photo of Ed Watson, Thiago Soares & Eric Underwood at a society bash a few years ago, they all looked smart & sexy so thanks to Getty for that!!

The Amazon price has just gone down to £30.69.

I have always loved Akane Takada's mix of strong technique and lovely delicacy, thought she was the perfect Cinderella last night, the first I've seen and hopefully not the last. There was some wonderful dancing too from the Season Fairies and Itziar Mendizabal's Fairy Godmother, also David Yudes' Jester.

I'm afraid I wasn't so keen on some of the costumes and scenery, Cinderella's house was atmospheric and I liked the lighting and appearance of the Fairy Godmother, but the Sister's costumes were too garish for me. Cinderella's entrance down the stairs looked odd without the ballroom, but beautifully done by Takada and Edmonds, those golden frond things on the sides looked tacky to me, I did think of one reviewer's Disney World description 🙂.

I had to leave before the third Act, great to see Cinderella again for the music, choreography and dancing!

44 minutes ago, Jane S said:

Now that most of the casts have gone on, could I ask about the various Jesters?

 

My reading of the role has always been that he's an important element of Act 2 - the outlet for Ashton's melancholy streak, providing a slightly cynical touch amongst all the sweetness and jollity. Alexander Grant, who created the role, once said "My Jester is sad because he is losing his Prince; happy because his Prince has found happiness; and sad because he will never find a Cinderella of his own".*  I didn't see even a hint of that in the cinema showing - could you say how the Jesters you've seen would describe their feelings?

 

* or something close to that - I read it recently but can't remember where

This explains why Alexander Grant had those quick mood changes which can look rather odd, very interesting!

16 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

When was the last time NYCB toured to the U.K.? 

 

2008 at the Coliseum.  Sadly many of the programmes were sadly lacking in significant audience numbers.  

I remember the small audiences at the Coliseum, I went to the Saturday matinee and evening and in the time between went to Harrods and bought my lovely still working opera glasses, strange how the memory works (sometimes).

Looks like the intervals have been reduced to 25 minutes, hurrah!

I've never seen the BalletLORENT, I'll make a note of it, I have DVD's of the other two 🙂

I seem to remember being able to exchange Bolshoi tickets for other Bolshoi tickets within the Summer Season, but I don't think you could get a refund, this was before the Gift Certificate days.

Although I had booked to see it, I didn't feel excited about Kunstkamer, but know I will enjoy Jewels.

Strange way of going about it though!