Bruce Wall

Certainly he was by Guillem ... He was a good partner. That's always a strong appeal ... He was certainly the embodiment of a 'gentle man' ...

Just wanted to add a 2011 video of Smirnova dancing in a gala at the Teatro Real in Madrid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcFfrXDhcuA If you pull through to 39.l2 you will see her dancing a variation as included in the Don Q pas where Osipova is very tenderly partnered by Vasiliev. What impressed me most was the staged finale (pull through to 43.43) which includes ALL of the guest artists from various Russian companies including in the mix Chudin and the glorious Novikova (who is now I see expecting a second child with Sarafanov and thus is currently off on maternity leave.)

The ROH as a victim of its own success!!! Well done you, Zoe. That is excellent that they are being so focused on continuing the student access. (Again, it doesn't hurt that a Trust's funds are tagged onto this.) From any vantage point such support for students is important I agree. (Sadly it wasn't there when I was at Cambridge. You could, at that time, pay to be a 'Student Friend' with a discount to the initial 'Friends' fee .... but nothing was held back or otherwise discounted as far as I recall ... and now even that reduced fee is FREE!) As a Student Ambassador do you get a prize (e.g., incentive) for filling a goodly number of introductory seats/places for your peers. That is, I agree, very important!! The change to their policy now makes more sense given that they aren't able to offer the discounts on the scale they had previously promised. A reward would be only fair for your work ... and perhaps that is what the Trust's subsidy is helping to rightly support. In a way I think it's good that these students will be introduced to the SCS and the slips ... as that may well lead to them wanting to come independently after they have graduated .... at a cost they may well be best able to afford (at least for a while given the sad employment history of late for many recent graduates.) (It was the slips that I myself dwelt in as a student.) If that increases the competition then (I guess) so be it. That may well all be for the good. It will keep the incentive to build health into the artistic coffers of both the ballet and opera companies strong. Of course, one does need to pity those poor pensioners who have to live on diminishing resources and who may well be squeezed out here as in so many other manners both now and to come. (I know some amongst the longstanding ROH devoted who are currently very poor and no longer are able to put in paper applications for tickets and don't have they say access to computers - perhaps due to fear I don't know. I know one now very frail lady who cuts back on food just to be able to attend standing. Those standing tickets are a mainstay to her life I think.) Perhaps, as an ambassador, you could establish a programme where you could have, say, the better heeled students who may make use of this programme take (e.g., adopt) a senior for a performance - from those who had been squeezed - when they buy two of those cherished SCS places. Maybe just once a year. That would go far in helping to bind the generations together and show the students as being truly forward thinking.

Thank you for the sincerity of your posting chrischris. One feels you wanting to reach out in this an obviously early point in your ballet-going. It is heartening. Bless you. I, myself, think that variety and time does change things greatly. Certainly it did for me. I know that had I not lived (and learned) though that fairly unique period and world scale known as the 'dance boom' my own perspectives would have been very different and certainly much more limited. (Without question were it not for that reason I very much think that I would be less inclined to side with Bruce on this particular forum than I most definitely am.) It is, of course, the variety of exposure that frames our perspectives. I would encourage you to spread your net as far as possible in building the circumference of reference in your own 'danseur' portfolio. It can make, I promise, for a heady diet and deliver substantial returns. (Blessedly the Bank of England of not responsible for setting rates there!!) I realise, of course, this can be a tad awkward in these 'difficult' times but it is certainly worth the effort from my experience and one can learn so much through the cultural travel. 'If the mountain won't come to Mohammed ... ' and all that. In my own youth I was driven. (That's the time to do it I agree McRae is a strong dancer - even agree he is the strongest overall in terms of the current RB crop. That said ... he has not always shown himself to be the best at partnering in my experience. That makes such a key difference in oh, so many of the works danced in the Royal's rep ... certainly the Ashton. Edward Watson is, to my lights, the most valuable to the Royal as he is the most unique in terms of fulfilling the needs of the Royal's key creative force, Wayne McGregor, e.g., he whose style is now forming the primary shape of the overall RB look in ALL (and I say that in a complimentary mode. There are all too many all too shapeless ballet companies nowadays.) This for my lights - like it or not - is the shape of today's Royal Ballet. I applaud Mr. McGregor's and the Royal Ballet's courage in this commitment. (Again, it is your choice as to whether or not you wish to take it or leave it .... but, as my mother used to put it, 'at least there's something there to hate!') Osipova REALLY has shown she CAN do it all and that is key ... e.g., has shown that potential in a wide variety of frames. For my money there are very few dancers on the world stage who could match that potential in an equal measure ... which is why she is such a great catch. [This is where her and Vasiliev's departure from the Bolshoi really HAS paid off.] (Osipova's listed as Royal principal now isn't she? ... not as a 'guest principal' ... or am I and a few of the press representations wrong?) At the risk of sounding boring, one of that rare breed on the INTERNATIONAL dancing male scale who could match that (e.g., the Ashton as well as the McGregor, say) would be Leonid Sarafanov .... oh, and they have danced together very successfully on any number of occasions. We saw them together in the cinema broadcast - that first ghastly (sorry, blurred) 3D attempt - at Giselle by the Mariinsky. Would love to see them together in Month in the Country as much as I would love to see them in Qualia.

Thanks so for putting this together, Katherine. I love the very brief interviews with both Golding and Reilly filmed in St. Petersburg. They just come over as such nice, down to earth people (e.g., wholesome Canadian lads) and - if one is allowed to say it - refreshingly normal unlike so many others in those similar mini-presentations one sees posted about (no names mentioned of course) ... , (No wonder a healthy Canadian woman like Ms. Rojo wants to snog them.) Blessedly each comes across as being sincerely humble (not pretentiously so). I personally find that most endearing. I'm not one always so taken with all this Russian angst. Too many examples of that in the news nowadays (does Putin ever grin apart from when riding stallions or slopes?) and I'm not entirely sure I believe in it anyway. (Sometimes it just seems to be an easier option. Surely these Russians have got to change their knobs sometime; to switch channels; to get out of the office for a breath of fresh air; to smell the roses - and not just the ones presented to the ballerina no matter how sweet or copious.) (The joy-filled element in Vasiliev's short interview with the Telegraph made all the difference for me. It was just SO meaningful on reflection. He's so full of life as opposed to Slavic doom; that gloom so favoured by a goodly number of his fellow Russian artists.). Also they all - well ALL of these three lads (as opposed, say, to a certain three sisters) - seem to be able to smile openly both in private as well as in public. That's great too. More strength to their mighty arms .... and feet Oh, and I want to go to Jason's bar when he comes to open it .... Sounds like it will be a cool spot. Again, thank you KATHERINE for ALL.

Good point LinMM ... I have begun to wonder: did original Balletcouk posters have the same problems with Nina Ananiashvili doing Manon when she guested with the Royal? I must confess I don't remember ... but I seem to recall her performance was celebrated at the time. I also seem to recall that Laurent Hillare was popular in the same ballet when he was brought in to dance it with the Royal. Did they storm out in horror at the prospect of having to see Asylmuratova infect Makarova's take on Bayadere? I don't recall so. I recall it was difficult to get tickets for her performances. Am I wrong? ... Oh, and wasn't Nicholas La Riche applauded for his performance in M&A with Guillem??? I realise I am old and my memory is wont to be infirm. Please do refresh it by detailing the damage done at the time ... or perhaps these were mere figments of my imagination. Certainly, none of those dancers were, I believe, ever resident RB principals and yet they didn't seem to 'effect' the performance of those works by legions of Royal residents - now many past - in a negative fashion at the time (did they?) and yet they did, I think, offer on at least occasion the excitement that Bruce is understandably desirous of. Well, at least for some. I remember Darcey Bussell going on in the most complimentary terms about dancing with both Bolle and Zelensky. (Placing her shoe on an entirely different well heeled foot - I well remember seeing Darcey Bussell (then firmly the RB's 'star' principal - well, if you BELIEVED the British Press) - dance the central pas in Agon with Lindsay Fischer (now head of the NBoC's second company) at NYCB. She (e.g., Bussell) was much celebrated there. That I DO recall. How could one forget it. It was great. Certainly that didn't take away from Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto's brilliant take on that brilliant piece at the same time in the same (e.g., their home) company. They were both differently exciting. (I also remember Bussell in Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream at NYCB.) What of Obraztsova doing Sleeping Beauty with the Royal .... or Merrill Ashley for that sake .... or Gelsey Kirkland .... or Baryishnikov doing Rhapsody (which I think was created for him by Ashton at the time that he was a principal with ABT???) or, say, Makarova doing Swan Lake with Dowell ...or MacMillan's Romeo & Juliet. The list I think could go on ..... could it not???? .... What of Angel Correa, what of Ethan Steifel (now both ballet company directors)... Indeed, what of Wendy Whelan coming in to do Herman Schermann (the role I believe was created on her ... e.g., before Guillem) ..... Something is, I fear, not quite adding up for me based on the Royal's own past history and vis a vis some of the arguments above.

Point well taken re the Schaufuss presentation, MAB, and they did, of course, dance all seven performances. --- He did, however, virtually manage to fill the Coli with ENB for that one performance of Le Jeunne Homme he donated in honour of Petit. That was I thought impressive..... at least to me ... I do, of course, understand that he would not have sold you a ticket. You have made that clear. Still as I simply tried to say in my note he and his rare kin are commercial entities for whom many WOULD pay extra'. How many that extra might be at any given time I wouldn't like to hazard. . ....

MAB (i) Many would I think pay the extra. We're talking about commercial forces here ... and his have shown as an odd's favourite they work. That is based in fact not guesswork. (In such matters of course - no matter WHO it is - one has to often take one's own personal feelings out of the commercial frame .... because it is just that: commercial ... and in that regard the market ALONE sways.) (ii) I agree with you. I would love to see Elena in the Corsaire. I, myself, don't know why she isn't there. She was oh, SO radiant in the Raymonda I, myself, went a second time just to luxuriate in the joy of her glorious performance. Stunning. Thank heaven she has a few Nutcracker performances.

Perhaps (as per another thread) if ENB are determined to force a commercial catch and see their seat values climb they should bring in more STARS to heat up the commercial attraction to the desired higher-fee paying public. There are, of course, few such marketable entities. Sadly Vasiliev (who has danced Ali in this production in various guises a goodly number of times) is not available as he is dancing at La Scala during the majority of the London ENB Corsaire season.

Then so too the reverse where bringing in guests with more/different expertise in dealing with other choreographers ... to share their lights with other RB residents. I'm thinking here of Balanchine in specific ... or, indeed, Petipa ... . The idea there is to share and share alike and I am talking here about 'guest' status and certainly not PERMANENT GUEST STATUS which is, I think - and always has been - a contradiction in established terms ... but then that was the glory of Guillem all over ... and surely very few others .... and that was largely figured by a global market. When she left (or was forced out ... does it matter now...) that wealth should have been spread more wisely among a number of world noted experts so any other performer funds such as now are used could be focused for the benefit of the resident all - e.g, the home team. If that had been the case perhaps all these various postings would of necessity be about other issues, on say the rep itself. (Let's use a specific example. The company La Scala: Nunez (RB) is dancing MacMillian's R&J with resident Murru, Osipova (who will have danced it with our local company as well as with ABT a goodly number of times both in the States and Japan) is dancing with ... erm .... ah, yes ... her partner, Vasiliev (shared - as are indeed both whether as principal or as now guest - with ABT) ..... and still they don't forget their home team using a complete set of Zakharova (shared on the La Scala boards with the Bolshoi) and Bolle (shared as we know with ABT). Surely it's a two-way road for all to travel. Again I'm speaking about 'guests' .... not here permanent company members. It will, of course, be the permanents' job to profit and share from such experiences. Also, .... and I think this needs to be said ... as in so many other places/realms, sometimes you have to leave as one thing to come back as another. Doubly impressed therefore with Kain's continuity vis a vis Jelinik .... If that had otherwise been the case you would, I think, have seen Alina additionally guesting with the Royal in those roles they felt most appropriate. Still, she too had to leave to involve herself in more new work ... understandably so. Or, perhaps, the Royal might finally have been able to appreciate/profit from the extraordinary talents of someone like Jose Manuel Carreno. Sadly it was not to be. Time waits for no (wo)man. .

Agreed ... and that is ultimately defined on a world stage. They shine down as t'were. Remember Sutherland talking about 'simply being the vessel and holding firm the beam'.

Thanks for this, Bruce. I agree it is in flux. 'Under-starred?' I don't know. I think the real problem - (especially for those who are most primarily content to stand and wave the provincial flag and those numbers here as elsewhere are pretty well fixed in terms of our posted flutterings) - is but - and as ever - a matter of any regime's particular point in time. T’was ever thus. Question is can they answer the long term needs effectively. The problems are created not born. Take NYCB as an example, a company where always the choreographer was - and basically remains – king. Well, the most noted king in that particular chess set. (A return to this for the Royal Ballet O’Hare indicated he wished at his informative LBC chat.) In such a case when you weaken the rooks the board all too easily fails if not entirely falls. NYCB went through a problematic period in the late 90's. It's top rapidly got, as we know can happen, weeded through all too natural wastage. The bottom's corners resolutely hadn't been filled with sufficient strength (or tended to sufficiently?) to feed at a level to which those old enough to remember recalled. Let this go on long enough and the art form will - at that point of havoc - pay a price. The international rank shuffle begins (yet again) its sway. Over promote and the problem only increases. Peter Martins finally had to bring in people from outside on the principal level (like Sofiane Sylve and Gonzalo Garcia) who had both proven themselves on an international scale and appropriately as home team guests. Focusing on strengthening the ranks helped. Suddenly the old celebrated regime were in many instances leading lights now as teachers at the school. The result: Just look at the wealth at the principal level today. STill it took a considerable period of time to right. Don't all companies - both those deemed internationally important and those more provincially rooted – and either choice is absolutely fine in terms of serving the ultimate needs of its audience - go through this as do football teams, both majors and minors? I think they do. I think Kevn O'Hare recognises this dilemma and has, in his own lights, begun to address it effectively.. Blessedly this year he has taken on more at the bottom level than has been the case for a long time. Given current depleted principal ranks - especially with men (and I say that hugely admiring James Hay - but I fear even there physical practicalities must come to realistic bat as much as it does for a certain Ivan Vasiliev - albeit in a different situational configuration) reality can only - in the long term - be dealt with bottom up. God knows the ballet's world has always been a cruel one.). One thing you don't want to do is over-promote ESPECIALLY AT THE PRINCIPAL LEVEL. I agree with Mr. O’Hare: ‘It needs to be deserved.’ Time and the world will help point in this direction. This is where the exchange with ABT can be a practical gift for both leaders; ones often in an all too isolated situation. Affording them and their soloists a greater perspective on an international level - without commitment - can be but all for the good in my book. Kevin McKenzie has entered into another such deal with the RDB. Bravo I say. In another effective sidelight, just yesterday Karen Kain announced at the NBoC that for the next season they would have Svetlana Lukina (Bolshoi before 'the troubles') and Evan Mckie (Canadian at Stuttgart) as guest principals and Matthew Golding (ah, yes, Canada's answer to Brad Pitt much enamored by a certain Ms. Rojo) and Jiri Jelinek (a former NBoC principal now a leader with the Western Australian Ballet) guesting as needs be - and here is a company that looks as we saw fairly recently to have fairly strong ranks at the more junior ranks. Nonetheless she obviously feels they need to grow. Good on her, I say. More power to her very talented arm as much as to Mr. O’Hare’s.

Google Chrome I find has many imperfections, Katherine. I couldn't see your mamouth excellence there either. Firefox and IE showed it no probs whatsoever.

Oh, dear .... just getting old I guess .... Think I was away for the Alice opening in any event .... Scrub that ... HAVE GOT OLD .... as may be obvious

Much thanks .... that's different then from what I was initially understanding/fearing. Glad to hear it ... and, again, much thanks for the insight.

Really, Alison??? Funny, I don't remember this. There wasn't a premium as far as I can remember for the opening of the Olympic Titian mixed programme ... and that was hailed at the time as the second coming. (That said I didn't go to the opening - only because I wasn't available - but to the other three performances ... and found great value in much of that intriguing work.)

I understand, Katherine ....As long as that was the SAME situation for ALL casts then I wouldn't have an issue. It's just putting a premium on one set of principals and not another I think is rather distasteful. Certainly it never used to be that way .... but then that's true for so many other things, huh

Joining in this fray - one more time - I will repeat that if the RB REALLY wanted a permanent principal danseur - one who was already that rare entity - a world established ballet STAR - and one that could REALLY tick ALL the boxes (including those of McGregor whose choreographic frame I agree now forms the current shape of the rep - much as, first, Ashton and then MacMillan had before him) it would be LEONID SARAFANOV. (Also crucially he would NOW have the professional maturity to deal with a situation that a goodly number of others have struggled with.) Of course, these people are rare at the best of times. What are the odds of such a thing happening? Very small I'm certain. (At a pinch I might even additionally suggest Robert Fairchild - (O'Hare saw him while visiting NY to see MacRae as an exchange guest in ABT's Corsaire) - but that would simply be in the realm of fantasy and, as it happens, he is far better off where he is - as are we happily.) That said, - while recognising I. Vasiliev's limitations which are (as I'm sure even he would admit) real - there is no question but that market forces now blow in his favour. I'm certain that such fans considerable heat on any Director's balance. Certainly there are roles in the Royal's rep that I think he would do well in, e.g., Prodigal Son, third movement of Symphony in C, La Bayadere, Mercutio in R&J .... even Colas in Fille (which he has danced with note both in Moscow and Paris), etc., - EVEN DON Q which I am yet to be convinced is in the RB's character - that would make him a more than prime candidate as a current RB guest.

Just a reminder: There is a London Ballet Circle talk with Daria and Vadim on the same date. This, unlike the the RB Don Q opening cast which on that occasion alone will be performing at inflated prices, is not scheduled to be repeated (let alone repeated at a different - e.g., lower - price scale) as far as I know. I was heart-broken when I learned that ABT have now taken to charging different prices for different performances with different dancers. This is a new practice and one that should I think not be repeated or encouraged or stood for .... except in those instances where the incoming funds are ALL explicitly being given to an outside charity and all participating artists are taking part on a voluntary basis in recognition and knowing support of such as outlined in the guidelines long established by the Theatre Guild (which the dancers' union has also long recognised). It seems that ABT charged most this past season for the Osipova/Vasiliev performances. While this is, I suppose, understandable given their world market estimation as marketable stars which surely cannot be argued with, the marketing practice is a damaging slope for ANY company to follow in my estimation. It is truly discriminatory. You can see this in terms of the pricing policy for the opera as practiced by the ROH. If such had been the balletic case what I wonder would have ABT done in a similar circumstance during the dance boom when they had a company that numbered on any given night, say, Kirkland, Barynishnikov, Makarova, Nureyev, Dowell, Gregory, Bujones, etc. From my own personal perspective I will be attending the LBC programme as, in my own small way, a protest in recognition of the above. I am delighted that the RB's coffers appear not to have been immediately filled in this discriminatory pursuit. I would therefore hope that the powers that be might find it in their capacity to take note of such and revert from the continuation of any such practices. Lecture herewith completed. Sorry but this REALLY angers me.

I think he might well do as well as, say, another Bolshoi veteran, Mukhamedov. He did OK I think as Mayerling. (Not sure about the lyrical line in Manon somehow - but even there I'm sure he'd make it his own if he had to.) Certainly the RB could at last revive Tharp's 'Mr Worldly Wise' which they couldn't I think at present moment -- and I did think there were a goodly number of fine things therein sown. (And after ALL the taxpayers' money that went into that beautiful production too. Would be great to see it again. I think McRae would be grand in the role Teddy did.) MORE CRUCIALLY, I would love to see Vasiliev in Ivan the Terrible or The Golden Age with the Bolshoi. He could, I'm certain, bring those ballets to life much as he did (for me at any rate) with Spartacus, a work I must confess I had previously said that I really didn't care if I ever saw it again. After seeing Ivan in it, I DO.

I think people might like to see this film harking from the time of the original production of THE FLAMES OF PARIS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7736Go1uNw#at=376 You will see how much Ratmansky actually kept of the original (while respecting he took the character dances away from the Company's designated experts in that regard). I can see why Stalin would want to indulge himself in such joyful exuberance after a long day's tyranny. I so much look forward to seeing Messerer's production for the Mikhailowsky which I've heard they may bring here next season alongside a production from the opera. Here is a video clip from a documentary about he who starred in that famed production of yesteryear, Vakhtang Chabukiani (the chap who was featured in those film clips in the Mikhailovsky's Laurentia production this season.) .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2mY3yA2Hi4 Blessedly it has English sub-titles so we can better understand it. If you replaced the name with Ivan Vasiliev (or Valdimir for that matter) I think what is being said would still stand true. It is this size of performance that has always made the Bolshoi stand out for me; the force of their stars. that has really differentiated them from the Mariinksy. Whereas ballet in Moscow used to be held with the same passion as Football is in London, I understand that is not entirely true today. That is, or as it was explained to me, why so many of the students today at the Moscow Choreographic Institute are not Russian but hail from foreign climbs such as Korea. More and more it seems we all swim in a similar (more generic) pool. More's the pity think I. We must grab the Platonic 'Specialness' where and while we can it seems .... even at the ballet I wonder is this too what Cameron meant by his 'Big Society'??? Somehow I don't think that would have ever come into his frame ... but perhaps I am wrong.

I think as I tried to suggest in my previous waywardly dislexic comment is that a constructive alternative needs to be offered in terms of a solution should it have any effect at all on the powers that be at the ROH. (As my mother used to say to me: 'I don't want to hear you complain unless you have a creative alternative in place.' Amazingly she didn't after a bit --- Well, after allowing me sufficient time to actually got the point. I suggested that they (e.g., the good forces at the ROH) might - having offered the students 10 stalls circle standing places for EVERY performance - (i) use some of the Trust money which they will have received in benefit of this increased access campaign to slightly lessen the space in the stalls circle standing allotments and thereby make up for additional numbers. Alternatively (ii) they might like to offer the Balcony standing room slots for sale. (I'm not sure if they don't do this already. I believe it used to be held for company members and their friends who had to pay for the privilege as it was. While I realise this may be taking a perk away from them, they are at least getting a salary for their work.) They might also consider slightly lessening the space in the Balcony too to offer more spaces. (I realize in doing all this they may be discriminating against heavyset people ... but then, who knows, the Opera House might just target this as their offering towards the government's campaign against obesity. They might even find another Trust which would throw even more money towards THAT incentive.

I think it is fairly clear on the ROH website that they are getting additional funding from a Trust to offer yet greater (seeming) access. I doubt they are particularly over-concerned about the sales to their public general of slips seats/SC standing positions as long as they don't somehow find themselves in a situation where people boycott them entirely and they are not bought at all. (This situation once happened with considerable tabloid exposure at the Met in New York and they answered the situation by putting in two additional rows of orchestra standing positions. At the (then) NY State Theatre (e.g., Koch Theatre as is now) when they tried to do away with the Fourth Ring Circle there was such an outcry that they reverted themselves and let all established members continue purchasing tickets along the already established guidelines. As far as I know that still applies for those established members (of which I was once one). I do realise, of course, that the British are more reserved in terms of venting frustrations (Martin Amis calls us 'a battered rather than battering race') taking it more often than not as on our own chins in silence rather than institutions in noise. What is they say? 'We lie down and roll over'????? Perhaps it's time for that to change. Personally I suspect somehow the time is not even now yet ripe. (Although I would be delighted to be proved wrong.) . In a way I can see their point as an effective ploy. I doubt, in reality, it will make a SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE to the situation as it currently exists (e.g., any unsold student tickets by the opening of the public booking will return to the general pot) - although it will allow the the ROH to achieve additional funding through it. These 15% cuts this year are biting I'm sure. I realise you can't make the building bigger ... but perhaps they could squeeze more stalls circle standing places in by making the allotments slightly smaller. (I realise the number may be decided by other factors, e.g., fire regulations, etc. so this might not be feasible.) Still, that's just an alternate suggestion. (Nothing to do about the slips as far as I can see, however. Perhaps other people have suggestions.)

Errol Flynn, huh .... Just wanted to again praise VITALY BIKTIMIROV. While his definitive Catalabutte reminded me of nothing less (as noted ) than the genius of Peter Sellers, his FLAMING Gilbert in the two performances I was privileged to see him dance his captain of the Marseillais (sadly he didn't do the role in the matinee) was out and out David Niven. Or is that meant to be through and through? In ANY event - and in all - he was unquestionably sublime in the detail of both his character and his dance.

Thank you but I think you are too kind. Entirely my pleasure I assure you.