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Beryl H

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Everything posted by Beryl H

  1. I never see Giselle as dark or creepy, always as a charming Romantic 1840's ballet, although I personally find the music fits the story and dancing beautifully (never understand why its deemed to be inferior) I suppose it's not particularly creepy or menacing, I did see one British touring production, must have been NBT, where the Wilis were more Victorian vampirish, that's the nearest it got. One of the dancers said when the Wilis stand in line with their arms curved at the waist, they are holding the babies they never had, I've never heard that before. The footage of Natalia Osipova was interesting, she has grown into a very beautiful young woman, nice to hear from Hikaru Kobayashi too, and liked what Christopher Wheeldon said about The Winter's Tale, he sounded very mature and sincere about doing a Shakespeare ballet. How quickly the interval passes when not at the ROH!
  2. As I had seen the previous 2 performances at the ROH it's probably unfair of me to say, but Natalia Osipova's speed is even more extraordinary than the camera was able to capture, even so that solo after her entrance in act two remains a thing of wonder! What was fantastic though were the close ups, I actually felt in the middle of the action throughout, I just wished there were some higher up shots of the corps de ballet and general scenes, the Bolshoi recordings seem good at this. Wonderful dancing too from Valentino Zuchetti, these 3 performances were something special and I'm so pleased that a DVD will keep them alive , I think Osipova's Giselle is historic.
  3. Shock upon shock, I was wondering who would partner her, I would never have guessed this!!! It's like a chess game!
  4. The ROH website is showing both McRae and Campbell as injured in Hansel and Gretel, replaced by Thom and Hirano, who dance the roles in the other cast too. Edit: don't think McRae is injured, just not dancing.
  5. I've seen both these dancers in Giselle, Ethan Stiefel danced with Leanne Benjamin at the ROH and it was a very emotional night, it was the day the Queen Mother died and there was a 2 minute silence and announcement at the start, so it was especially moving. I saw Nikolai Tsiskaridze when he was very, very young at the Coliseum dancing with Svetlana Lunkina, it might have been his London debut, the publicity had been all about Svetlana Lunkina but the moment he appeared on stage I was entranced, he quickly became a favourite.
  6. I liked Natalia Osipova's Giselle even more last night, I think she is totally relaxed now, her solo's are astonishingly fast but seem in keeping with her fragile and nervous Giselle. Really pleased to see the performance being filmed for pre-cinema and a future DVD, we're being spoiled, Le Corsaire and now this! Thinking of Clement Crisp's review, I don't find anything wrong with the production and music, but the scenery in Act 2 is rather ugly, all those fallen trees, and the lighting could be turned up just a little without losing "atmosphere".
  7. I saw the Osipova/Acosta performance, looking forward to seeing what I think after Wednesday and Monday at the cinema, it's certainly an extraordinary performance from Natalia Osipova, but it takes getting used to because her style is so different. I found Carlos Acosta very moving as Albrecht, he may have cut down the actual quantity of dancing but what he does is perfect! I hope the other dancers are the same, the pas de six could not have been better, Yuhui Choe and Valentino Zuchetti's solo's were exceptional, with Francesca Hayward, Yasmine Naghdi, Marcelino Sambe and Luca Acri in the slightly lesser roles. I have seen and liked Hikaru Kobayashi as Mythra before, and Elizabeth Harrod and Akane Takada were Moyna and Zulme. It was a really special evening, a privilege to be there, and the good thing is it will be recorded for posterity!
  8. Yesterday's matinee was a lovely treat to end this run of Corsaire's, saw different dancers in the 5 leading roles, Ken Sarahashi as Lankendem, Ksenia Ovsyanick as Gulnare, Erina Takahashi as Medora, Yonah Acosta as Conrad, and Joan Zamora as Ali, especially beautiful dancing from the ladies this time, Erina, Ksenia, Nancy Osbaldeston and Shiori Kase as Odalisques, and the corps de ballet, and quite a swarthy bunch of pirates. Great fun again, special mention for Michael Coleman who has danced the Pasha every time! I hope the DVD doesn't take too long.
  9. Thanks Amelia, I can say Vadim's name now I'm with spannerandpony on Don kee HO tay.
  10. The hardest thing about Russian is indeed knowing which part of the word to stress, you have to hear it to know, when I watch ballet documentaries and Russian is spoken I realise that I said words completely wrongly when I visited Russia, no wonder people used to smile or even giggle when I spoke! So, how do you accent Muntagirov?
  11. A DVD, what fantastic news, after seeing both casts yesterday I'd hate to choose which one to film, look forward to hearing other views, was amazed at Yonah Acosta as Ali in the pas de deux/trois, he suddenly erupted onto the stage dancing with thrilling power and animal magnetism, a highlight in a day full of super dancing, have got 2 more to come and it's still not too many! The production gets better each time, on Thursday I was a bit confused but it's clearer now, I like the short storm and shipwreck instead of the Bolshoi's which goes on too long, and the scenery is so beautiful, but it's the dancing that matters and ENB have so many fabulous dancers now!
  12. The ENB website is still dead as a doornail, so many thanks to Bluebird, now know the casts for both performances today, a marvellous mix.
  13. The casting has vanished from ENB's website, and I can only remember the two lead casts, but glad to hear Vadim Muntagirov will be dancing Ali tomorrow night, he was even more wonderful last night than I had expected, so was Alina Cojocaru, both looking very relaxed and happy together, strong and confident dancing from everyone and scenery bringing back memories of a holiday in Istanbul! Very excited about tomorrow!
  14. Many thanks for this, I had written down the dates from somewhere and it had May 23 but not the 17th for the Serenade programme, but I'm sure this latest is correct, also Monday 26 May is a Bank Holiday for people who have to travel, such an exciting programme and not many performances!
  15. Last night was the only chance I got to see Jewels although I had booked more, probably enjoyed it all the more, thought Laura Morera and Ryoichi Hirano got the right feel (for me) of their pdd, mysterious and rapt, especially as they walked off (these ballets have "walking" as a theme), surprised to see David Trzensiemich as I didn't know the cast change, he danced well in all 3 ballets. Steven McRae was so stunning in Rubies that he actually over-shadowed Natalia Osipova! I have fond memories of Rupert Pennefather and Alina Cojocaru dancing in Diamonds, he seems really suited to this role and partnered Lauren Cuthbertson so well this time, I like the way she didn't look like she was dancing Swan Lake, I enjoyed seeing the 2 completely different interpretations this year of Olga Smirnova and Lauren!
  16. I enjoyed this programme although I don't watch it normally, those sculptures by Anna Pavlova were beautiful, they really captured movement.
  17. My favourite partnership for many years was Beriosova/Macleary, especially in Swan Lake, Doreen Wells and David Wall, Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev of course although I only saw them twice, Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur, Alessandra Ferri and Wayne Eagling, lately Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, Alina Cojocaru and Johann Kobborg, Daria Klimentova and Vadim Muntagirov (so pleased I saw them recently in Nutcracker).
  18. Thanks for mentioning the Vienna New Year Concert, I'll be watching it tonight on BBC4, I did see Graduation Ball several times at the Festival Hall, it used to be a London Festival Ballet favourite.
  19. Osipova and Vasiliev in Don Quixote and Laurencia with the Mikhailovsky, and in Flames of Paris with the Bolshoi, Semionova and Matvienko in Giselle, Alina Cojocaru and Jason Reilly in Onegin, also Nunez and Soares in Onegin, Olga Smirnova and Semyon Chudin in everything they danced with the Bolshoi but Diamonds in particular, Carlos Acosta's show at the Coliseum, most of the Bolshoi's Season and the chance to see Sergei Filin on stage, Evgenia Obratsova and Natalia Osipova dancing Juliet, and latest the new Don Quixote, especially Iana Salenko and Steven McRae. Congratulations to Carlos Acosta CBE! That's just what I can remember at the moment, shows what an amazing amount of first class ballet is on show in London!
  20. That's a coincidence, I have just been looking through the Radio Times and thought Sleeping Beauty was longer than an hour and a half, thanks for bringing this to our attention!
  21. I actually booked hoping to see the second cast Emeralds on 21st although the original brochure did say first cast (due to train problems during the Christmas period I've had to swap tickets) and I've got the first cast on 7th January, also I don't really like the early start but it was the only performance left!
  22. There's a rehearsal photo in today's Times, they are at least bringing ballet to people's notice, Alexander Campbell is in the photo so I guess he's dancing the pas de trois first cast.
  23. Can't see any comments elsewhere on the cinema relay so am posting here, wasn't going to this but changed my mind when Francesca Hayward was announced, glad I went because she combined gossamer light dancing with very expressive acting, she and Alexander Campbell made such a charming couple. This is a very traditional production, full of Christmas spirit and warmth, welcome after the more austere ENB version the night before. Peter Wright described Laura Morera being perfect for the role as she was like crystal, she was but also with a soft, unhurried style and well partnered by Federico Bonelli, also Yuhui Choe was sublime as the Rose Fairy. At the end, the scene between Hans and Clara was so magical and emotional, great acting between Campbell and Hayward in a camera close up, perfect for the cinema!
  24. The ROH will be selling "Baileys on ice" at all performances of Nutcracker, just got an E-mail.
  25. ENB have got themselves to blame for empty seats, on Tuesday nearly the whole back central row of the dress circle was empty, I used to be able to sit in these for £40 but this season they are £55, hence the cut-price offers, I got a side seat for £40, seems like others did too. Although this production looks less impressive each time, the dancers are fantastic, especially as I had the chance again to see the flawless partnership of Daria Klimentova and Vadim Muntagirov, am really keen to see him dance with Alina Cojocaru next week.
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