Bruce Wall

Yet another "hug" for Kevin O'Hare!

A magnificent achievement - by choreographer, composer and artists all - honouring Shakespeare's challenging, delicate, various and vivid work in a way other choreographers (say those who have treated the ever perennial R&J without its key banishment) might well have benefited from. This IS as much a staple for the RB as it is a major achievement for, I suspect, a British/Canadian balletic generation. Well done, Kevin O'Hare and Karen Kain for this joint commission; one following on from your joint support for the creation of Alice. Well done ALL. O'Hare's ten year narrative plan now looks less an oasis in its happily calculated risk and more an artistic Bentley gleaming in its appropriately dedicated reality. We, the punters, are in your debt. We sit in your back seat sharing in your resultant and earned rapture ... and, heck, we have only just begun to wind down your wittily decorative windows and stare out in rapture. The journey so far has been both bright and buoyant (turning away from that fleeting dark shadow of a certain Raven Girl above. We expectantly look onward to the further growth of those life enriching developments so enticingly evident from the branches of that truly stunning tree; one that surely grows for ALL seasons.) We too long to sit on its swing. Your stunning climb of this particular Shakespearean mountain has been more than worth anyone's journey. It both enlightens and entertains inside the human condition. Bless you both for your courage. Bless you for your foresight. Bless you for ALL.

In a way - and with respect - I don't I agree. The Winter's Tale - (apart from the play's fourth act - which is virtually a different play in and of itself - and about which I was delighted to read that Joby Talbot had said that he intended to treat it as such in his musical depiction) - is quite an intimate story of but a collection of five people's 'through story'. It does not depend on a vast amount of historical and/or any other particular back knowledge much as Mayerling does. I remember first seeing Mayerling done by the Royal Ballet in New York at the Met. The audience at that opening evening was largely befuddled I think ... and at the next performance in the programme (the free one handed out to all patrons with their ticket purchase) there was inserted 'A Guide to Understanding the Synopsis'. I honestly don't think that will be necessary with A Winter's Tale. The heartstrings of its redemption celebrated here are, I should think, key fodder for balletic treatment if for no other reason than their universal simplicity. I, as but just one, am very much looking forward to tonight's voyage of discovery/revelation. Perpetual anticipation indeed.

The way of most programme futures I'm thinking ....

Had no problem with the system today .... but, my word, I went in at 10.00 am this morning and first off hit 'Manon Lescaut' .... I FINALLY got one amphi standing place ... but I had to search down FIVE performances to find it .... The standing - especially for opera - is beginning to be like gold dust for general punters .... So much for the support of the subsidy that is supposed to make it 'available to ALL' ... (e.g., those who are willing to play the 'rush in at the opening of the general booking' game! The ballet mixed bills proved no problem. Oh, and one other thing ... don't know if it's just me .... This £3 donation is becoming more difficult to rid yourself of. I still think you should have to CLICK the option in the first place ... not to have to go into two screens - and it isn't made clear - to remove it!!!! Perhaps others don't agree???

Great news

In reference to Mr. McG's "non-linear narrative look at a long form piece of dance" .... (i) The Woolf references are - if nothing else - fragmentary in and of themselves ..... that being part of their glory and (ii) what I wonder does Mr. McGregor think that Balanchine was doing in 'Jewels'? .... I realise, of course, that the latter was based on an equally divergent selection of diverse novelties inspired by naught but a Van Cleef and Arpels Fifth Avenue picture window ... but, all the same, the resulting balletic master-work was, in and of itself, ultimately a "non-linear narrative look at a long form piece of dance" that came together without - at least to my knowledge and on popular record - so much associated verbiage. But then, of course, that was the 20th Century. Times were surely different in that period oh, so long ago. What I wonder would Georges have made of Wayne's noted dictates? Perhaps - being a man who did after all create 420 ballets - he simply may not have had time to respond. He might well have been creating. That seemed to be the way Balanchine, himself, met his own particular needs ... so different from those, say, of Mr. McGregor ... or that is, of course, how I picture it. I do think Balanchine would have enjoyed Max Richter, however. There too I may be well wrong, of course.

Bless you, Katherine. Your research is admirable. I suppose I could have meant 'success' in the sense that such an animal (to wit: undertaking) was happening in such an open/public forum now-a-days at all - and, specific to that point, in the good ol' US of A!

Bless you for that response, Janet. Much appreciated.

I'm surprised at this, Janet. Certainly the success of the Ashton Festival by Sarasota Ballet (and its related symposium) might argue against a lack of American interest in Ashton. I lived for 17.5 years in the USA - during that period at the end of the so-called 'dance boom' - and Ashton and MacMillan were - as far as I could tell - both hugely admired - in New York City at least. For a brief period during that time MacMillan actually reigned at ABT. The Joffrey also - then - did more Ashton than the Royal Ballet. I would hazard to guess there might be interest and I agree with the American poster who suggested that these audiences need to be built. I think the Bolshoi is gaining in this regard - certainly if the attendance at my local cinema of Marco Spada - (without hesitation a rarity) - was anything to go by.

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/

Vis a vis my earlier comments re: the new season cinema broadcasts ... It is very interesting to reflect on some of our American friends who so look forward to those screenings: Another quote in response ... Agreed. In addition, ..... the RB has a very rich rep--let's see it! ---------------- I, myself, can't but help feel that there may be RB supporters (I use the word in reference to 'interest') in Cardiff and/or Preston, say, --- or Penzance --- who might well feel the same way. This is especially true as I believe all four items have been previously screened. That same can't be said of the full Bolshoi seasons which often have more than one cinema release premiere.

Wonderful to see Ferri returning for the new McG. Also wonderful to see the collaboration between Whelan and Watson, two extraordinary artists. Would love to see a Osipova/Muntagirov Month or a Hayward/Hay Fille or a Hayward/Muntagirov Faun. Sure there will be many delights in store. Only a shame that Ashton triple not being relayed in cinemas. That audience needs developing too methinks. Still it may be more a matter of rights than anything else.

Went to the Brixton Ritzy to see Marco Spada. The audience (including myself) clearly loved it .... So what if the storyline is a little north of Mayerling (and that certainly takes some doing!!!) This was a lot of fun ... primarily because it was ALL about the dancing .... and there was as much enticing variance in those oh, so many fleet of foot as there was in the truly stunning shades which enhanced the glorious set painting ... and zealous costumes where pastels vibrantly sat proudly atop their associated primary colours. I so admired ALL of the five principal dancers. The charisma charged David Hallberg and the radiant Evgenia Obraztsova clearly came into their own in the last act - although that adagio for their pas in the second - in which the partnering was SO difficult - was sublimely satin in its grace. Loved too the precise clarity of Smirnova and Chudin - (I raced back and watched them again in Diamonds and Oneign - he a wonderfully straight forward Lensky - She a fascinatingly cool Tatiana) - but was also delighted by Igor Tsvirko - so wonderful now that he is getting these broadcast opportunities - so well deserved. Tsvirko was as fantastic too in that Emeralds Trio in the last Bolshoi broadcast but one. I also treasured the riveting zeal of the vivacious Anastasia Stashkevich - the woman is such a gift in everything she does - and the ever immaculate Vyacheslav Lopatin - who had been such a fine James in Kobburg's Bolshoi La Sylphide - in the celebratory wedding pas during Act I. The Ritzy was well over 90% full on a sunny Sunday - and for such a rarity too. Maybe those 2 for 1s really paid off!! Might people be wanting more than the seasonal repeats of the Royal;s SL, R&J, Alice, etc. I couldn't say. Clearly, however, the Bolshoi/Pathe have this filming technique down pat now. No one in the market are otherwise able to touch them from my standpoint. (And that includes the French - and the two technical producers here are both Gallic in origin.). Apart from what others have quite rightly observed this team shoots the ballet from ALL levels. It REALLY pays off in terms of the immediacy for the cinematic viewer's theatrical perspective ... It is as electric as Ms. Novikova is now surely a Russian national treasure ... (if the Russian's have such an expression.) Certainly she is so much more at ease - and happily adept at putting us at ours - than that (now) television personality who the RB insists on employing to (attractively it must be said) gurgle. It was interesting this time to note that Ms. Novikova only translated her conversations into English and French, e.g., no Russian - and Marco Spada was being broadcast live on Russian Television. (I'm sure they must have been delighted to hear David Hallberg break twice into a little Russe!! I wished he had responded in French as well (which he is well capable of). Still, perhaps the Russians have a different feed. Perhaps the act breaks are filled with Crimean updates!!!. One thing I found most amusing: There is obviously - in that stunningly ornate lobby - a camera behind a mirror. (Tick box: 'Old trick'.) Most people didn't notice at all it seems - (quite right too). One woman, however, with her male escort in strict tow came directly in front of our view. She was on her phone. I could just hear her friend on the other end saying: 'Yes, yes. That's it. You've made it. You're looking right at me now ... and around the world. NOW SMILE'. She did ... oh, and waved. It may not have been nonchalant but then neither was the ballet. Still, it too garnered a happy laugh ... and the dancing was graced with much rapturous applause from the more than contented crowd I was surrounded by. One thing is certain: The WILL be back .... at least for the Bolshoi's more diverse programming. They clearly left wanting more. Well done the Bolshoi team.

Thanks, Katherine, as ever. Just wondering ... if NBoC enters into a co-production with the RB (say Alice or Winter's Tale) or with ABT (The Tempest) does that not still make it 'new' ... given that they were - from inception - one of the original producing partners??? Or can it ONLY be called 'new' when the original production is 'in situ'? This may, of course, just be a semantic debate.

What joy. Much thanks, Amelia

Thank heavens there was no structural damage. That could have been career threatening. I somehow suspect that she won't dance the other two SB in this particular run. I should think it would be wise not to. I only say that based on personal experience. When I was on my way to a Saturday night performance of Cranko's Taming of the Shrew by Stuttgart Ballet at the Wells last September I slipped on an icy patch (there had been a very cold rain shower immediately previous) just after that major crossing in the Angel in that small triangular cobblestone area surrounded by the flat pavement stones which otherwise prevail in the vicinity. I literately flew up horizontally into the air and then landed full force on my left thigh on that patch of cobbles. A young man who had seen my flight very kindly dashed over to ask if I was 'OK'. I assured him I was ... in some little discomfort ... (repression of emotion being a British national passtime) and went - somewhat stiffly it is true - on my way to the performance which I enjoyed very much. There was no doubt but that I was a little more painfully stiff the next day and the swelling was considerable. Indeed it took several days for the major bruising to appear (once the swelling had largely subsided) given the extent of the internal trauma. On the Monday I called my GP surgery for advice. (You don't get an appointment now unless you are on the point of death it seems - and even then it may well be debatable I am left to assume.) I was told to go to the hospital's A&E. I did so. No structural damage had been wrought (thank heavens - o lucky me) but a goodly amount of soft tissue umbrage had been taken. Certainly it took a good six (if not eight) weeks to allow the impacted blood to be reabsorbed and the mulit-coloured parade to finally fade. The pain quotient largely became negligible at the midway point. I of course pray for a more speedy recovery for Osipova and if anyone knows her I would HUGELY recommend the frequent application of Arnica Gel. (I wasn't told about that in the hospital. I wish I had been.) For me it was total magic and without hesitation helped to speed my recovery no end.

Oh, dear .... and here was I thinking that her cancellation at La Scala two weeks' ago 'due to a recurring injury' might have in some small light had something to do with her pairing with Vasiliev. Here's hoping Osipova has a miraculously speedy recovery. There is no question but that a burgeoning throng (myself included) will miss her abundant gifts during this sad interim. I wonder when they will announce if she will dance the other two SB dates.

Should - by rights - read 'the former' ..... The correction missed the BcoF clock. Drat!

According to the Lincoln Centre Festival brochure the following Bolshoi principals will participate the 2014 NYC tour: Maria Alexandrova Ekaterina Krysanova Anna Nikulina Ekaterina Shipulina Olga Smirnova Maria Vinogradova Svetlana Zakharova Artemy Beliakov Yury Baranov David Hallberg Vladislav Lantratov Mikhail Lobukhin Artem Ovcharenko Ruslan Skvortsov Denis Rodkin Alexander Volchkov No NYC Bolshoi Lunkina on this round, Amelia - sadly - it would seem - for the moment at least - (or, indeed, Vasiliev as a 'guest principal' in his breath-taking Spartacus such as is a part of the Bolshoi season proper in Moscow next month). Still NYC has two performances of Vasiliev with ABT and nine with the Mikhailovsky to enjoy this year ... and I suppose a greater chance to see Lunkina in full length works with her newly adopted Canadian National Ballet - especially after the reviews that greeted the NBoC's (Ratmansky) Romeo and Juliet when they were last here. (I see NBoC are taking their current R&J later this year to LA after the success that greeted them last year with Wheeldon's Alice.) There is too, of course, the not so small matter of regional proximity. A bit like 'as Paris is to London' ... not that such a fact helps London audiences enjoy more POB productions, say. Ironically POB has been seen more frequently off the Lincoln Centre plaza than it ever has, say, at Sadler's Wells, Spalding's projected 'world mecca for dance'. Go figure. Perhaps NYC/LA audiences will see Lunkina too as Paulina (I should think she might well be well suited to that role) in The Winter's Tale - given that such is a co-production between the NBoC and the RB, with the latter holding the North American rights. ('Ah, that Karen Kain, a gifted and bright lady,' I hear you murmur, Amelia.) I see Ratmansky is doing a new work for NBoC in their next season as well and they have banked also some the Neumeier full length cornerstones (e.g., Seagul, Nijinsky, etc.,) as well. All here, of course, are just imagined projections on my part ... nothing more. The mere jottings of an aged - and ever aging - mind. They beg your indulgence, Amelia.

She is now a guest principal with the Canadian National Ballet.

I'm with you on this, James. Makarova would also make a very witty host. Both of those ladies are erudite while being down to earth. If only the Royal Ballet could clone Tamara Rojo in this regard. (That would be another neat trick.) Oh, and while we are about it --- if you wanted to keep it on native turf ... what about a certain Ms. M. Porter????

See the Osipova / Acosta RB Giselle is to be broadcast on Sky Arts 2 next week. Get those recorders at the ready

A flood of red was seen in the balcony for last night's KINGS OF DANCE programme. Perhaps everyone was at the Royal's cinema relay. Overall it was an enjoyable affair by some truly wonderful dancers. Sad that they moved Le Jeune Homme et la Mort into the middle act of three as it meant two intervals of 35 minutes each to set/strike the set. As seen on the Coliseum stage before Vasiliev was riveting in his performance as that desparate young man, rife with his ever changeable Chaplin-like gaze, one that can both bolt and placate by choice. This was, I thought, the piece that suffered most in being performed to a recording of the score. Petit almost demands that the instruments should breathe alongside his dancers; that they too should be one in their domination. So wonderful to see Lunkina, here placing her temptress of death on a very fine and wittily Gallic wire. She sawed; Vasiliev lunged. Remanso, making up the first act, while well danced, has dated not so well I thought. The third act held the most interest with a programme of largely new items being shared amongst this extraordinary group. In Prototype Roberto Bolle multiplied, fought and caressed himself against an amazing video display which was - refreshingly - EVEN available to those sitting in the upper reaches. It was so wonderful to see the Proust pas set aside its enticing prologue, here dazzlingly etched by Denis Matvienko and Marcelo Gomez. Matvienko was every centimeter the troubled innocent and Gomes, here made his male tempter - so strong in his technique and yet simple but direct in his dramatic impetus - alluring and frighteningly cool. Gomez toyed masterfully utilising the simplest of terms as only a master can. He singed Matvienko's delicate edges with his black eye'd lazer sharp precision. It was only fitting that the audience should make up in sound what they seemingly lacked in numbers in their appreciative response. Tue was what we sometimes know as Vestris and was, of course, part of what won Baryishnikov that gold medal at Varna which largely launched his international career oh, so many years ago. As much as I adore Sarafanov's delicate prowess I have, I fear, seen this better animated. I'm not entirely sure this was the best choice for this exquisite dancer. That didn't, however, stop Vasiliev from returning to SIZZLE in the Labyrinth of Solitude. While I didn't think the choreography by Tomaso Antoio Vitali was anything that would set the world on fire, Ivan Vasiliev - in his determination - made it seem as if it might (as was acknowledged by the audience's explosion at the end). His hands empowered as much as the brickwork force of his feet held sway in their forward trust. He literally took off and yet somehow tied all unto that innocence that one instinctively has come to feel is part of Vasiliev's intensely personal make-up. Here hurt and painful resolution met in this one person and paraded through the ever twisting shapes of his back. They painted their own labyrinth of fleeting images and depicted no less than a wounded animal fighting to beat back the searing pain of his own personal shingles. I was so pleased Vasiliev came down to the very lip of the Coliseum's stage to receive his audience's (as that is what they were by then) deserved acclaim. He looked for a moment genuinely shocked. Still he had here - sometimes determinedly, sometimes single handedly - kept this somewhat wayward and overlong piece together. He had tamed this particular shrew in style At moments he even made her sing. How he managed to come back but less than a minute later to take part - with such animated style - in the closing jaunt, KO'd, staged by Gomez to music by another dancer 'king', Guillaume Cote of the National Ballet of Canada - (who, like Gomez, is a former RB guest) - is anyone's guess. Adrenaline clearly counts for much. I was, myself, only a tad concerned to see Vasiliev fleetingly clutch his lower back during the joy-filled and relaxed group curtain call much as he had done in more formal style last Saturday after Rubies at La Scala in Milan. One thing was unique here, however. At no point did such stand in the way of his overall commitment to perform. Vasiliev delivered and, boy, how this audience - that which was there at any rate - lapped it up.

Oh, as an additional sidelight to my jottings above, here is a story of courage tied in and around Balanchine and one NYCB dancer, the recently retired Janie Taylor. Truly deserving of the epithet: 'amazing'. http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/echo-balanchine_784907.html