Bruce Wall

11 minutes ago, alison said:

 

That said, however, what are the cast sizes in what NYCB performs?  I'd struggle to imagine the Royal Ballet managing to credit every townsperson in Romeo & Juliet, for example.

This is true, Alison.  There are some NYCB works that are SO large they simply could not be seen on a smaller stage like, say, the ROH's.  I'm thinking here of things like Union Jack which Balanchine did as a Homage to the UK after the company had performed at the Edinburgh Festival.  When Balanchine died there were 109 dancers in the company and 15 in the administration.  (Hard to imagine today.)  In works like that they have to use students from SAB.  Certainly ALL apprentices are listed for each individual ballet they perform in and with appropriate notations.  ALL NYCB company members are noted - even, say, as townspeople in Firebird.  This is mandated by the union.  (One of my favourite memories now is seeing Roman Meija as such - in those absurd wigs designed by Chagall.  Try as he may he could not keep a straight face.  It was his so very TRYING that made it so very FUNNY.  Honestly, I'm SO glad I saw it - it was a show unto itself - especially when you now see the truly WORLD CLASS dancer he has become.  He I know will be one for this Century - much as Baryishnikov and Woetzel were for the last.) 

You are quite right, though, Alison, where SAB students are used - and are not used in at least corps consignments - they are simply noted as being from the school.  

1 minute ago, OnePigeon said:

I do so badly want to see NYCB doing Robbins and some lesser seen Balanchine, or bringing over some Ratmansky.  We seem to be badly served in the UK with those choreographers, especially when I see Paris and Milan programming them .  In all honesty, I don’t want to see anyone doing McGregor 🤭.  I’ve had enough of contemporary - I just want to see some more twentieth century classics being programmed here as I don’t have the funds or time to go travelling.  Ah well.

Then, OnePigeon, you won't find them at that address with the current Director.  This is not his remit or intention.  He has said that plainly and proudly.  He is a man of his word.  It is not his 'priority'.  Take it or leave it.  If you want to see the kinds of works you suggest you must travel.  Having listened to him - and taken him to heart - and admiring his conviction - which I certainly do - that is what I now choose to do.  I think we HAVE to be comfortable with this.  As I say the Royal does the works of McGregor and McMillian as well as anyone in the world.  (Although I have to say the Stuttgart Mayerling was a revelation for me).  Be proud of that.  I agree with capybara and anna, I don't think TAB is top rank - certainly in what they presented.  But then I had the privilege of seeing the originators in a goodly number of those works presented - and, yes, I'm of an age that allows for that.  In my postings about TAB I was careful to simply praise those Company artists I thought were good in their charges and I did think Sandra Jennings did a fine job of shaping the whole of the Balanchine.  I feel the same often about the Royal's contributions of the same - especially where the musical standard - especially where it has been - and I use the word reservedly - 'orchestrated'.  I'm not certain now that Balanchine, Robbins or Ratmansky are really right for this Royal - as much as I'd like to see some of the core dancers in those charges.  I cherish the fact I can see them in what they truly are outstanding for / in - and applaud this Director for his dedication to the core choreographer's he chooses celebrates.   That kind of conviction I do sincerely admire - whether or not his immediate tastes match with my own.  There is still much to learn.  

36 minutes ago, capybara said:

I see from an item in today’s Links that Joseph Toonga is continuing his choreographic residency with the RB for a third season.

 

I thought that this scheme was designed as a being for a year with the aim of enabling young, emerging choreographers to be mentored while benefiting from the experience of working with the Company.

This really doesn't surprise me at all, capybara.  This is - at least from what he said at the last BA meeting he spoke at - very much in keeping with the current Director of the Royal's core philosophy.  He has been good to those words.  You can't blame someone for not doing what, at heart, they intended to do in the first place.  He was open about it there.  I appreciated that.  I clearly heard him at that time and took his words to heart.  Indeed, post pandemic it has changed my own life.  I used to organise short programmes with my work away (and I know it is a luxury that I can do so - but then, that too, I've long worked for) so that I could catch up with different ballet companies.  (Of course, the obvious results of Brexit have played into the mix.  We have been promised great benefits which seem now that they may be in a future I might not see so - as ever - we can only live in the time we have.)  NOW I plan longer residences away (e.g., three months in NYC spread over the year, and terms in Paris, Munich, Hamburg and elsewhere) so I can keep abreast of current conversations which seek to keep the BALLETIC idiom alive - i.e., bring it forward.  This is a personal choice.  It is important to me and, I fear, much of Mr. Toonga's work and the like - and obviously there are a vast many who enjoy it - and I DO appreciate that - is simply not to my taste - try as I may.  As my mother used to say: 'It has to be on the better side of the compromise'.  This is - as ever - a personal choice.  Of course, things MIGHT change - but after a lifetime's dedication to the balletic core - which I sincerely have to thank Balanchine for igniting and certainly fostering during the dance boom - I have, at heart, a certain dedication.  It is as I say a choice.  Certainly I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but in London next June for the Ashton - and so appreciate the work of the Royal in their core McMillian and McGregor endeavours.  Especially those.  No one - and I mean NO ONE - does them better.   That is now what I go to the Royal for.  I know this Director - given his commitment - will deliver.  Certainly you won't want to see NYCB in either McGregor or McMillan.  It would be disastrous.  They tried with the latter once and on those dancers it went down like a lead balloon.  Things such as dramatic contortions, contractions, continual hyper-extensions are simply not mixed wthin their core bread and butter.  At the ROH they wear their rightful ownership of such SO proudly and I SO applaud that and feel privileged to be enveloped in their own joy in its deliverance.  

43 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

@Bruce Wall might be able to fill us in as to whether the NYCB playbills have more cast names than that. 

NYCB in their playbills lists ALL DANCERS performing.  To do otherwise would be in breech of the union regulations and they would be brought up on charges.   Where there are cast changes they are (i) changed in the electronic casting notices; (ii) announced from the stage if late - and, if in time, (iii) have paper inserts in the playbill itself.  Sometimes all three.   


 

4 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

Mine can be summed up as 'bought less; paid more'. 

DQ - 3
Cellist - 2
Dante - 6 (You get to see the greatest range of the Company here - and they look so comfortable in it)
Limit - 1
Northern - 3
Nutcracker - 3

Deleted - see below

1 hour ago, serenade said:

Harlequinade I really liked- I really want to see the full version.  I'm just familiar with the name but nothing else so I didn't know the story or who the characters were at the time but I thought it was great.  Marcus Morelli did such a good job
 

Tschaikovsky PDD This is one of my favourite pieces ever but IMO I think it's quite hard to find it danced really well outside NYCB (not from a technical POV just in terms of attack etc, it often gets slowed down).  But I thought this was great, but a real shame about the second fishdive,
 

Everywhere We Go was the Justin Peck.  I presume it's plotless and it was just nice to see a newer ballet that has a fun feeling to it.  I loved it, ...I wish we saw more Peck over here.  

 

Overall I had a good time at the gala this afternoon and it was a wonderful way to bid a long farewell to TAB after their short UK visit of 2023.  

I am fairly lucky in that I have seen the original casts in the full length pieces that others have said they like to see with their original companies (both American) 

A few points - and I'll reference 'serenade's review quoted above - as it seemed to be along the lines of so many.

Harlequinade - This is another of Ratmansky's reconstructions of a Petipa ballet according to the Stepanov notations lodged at Harvard.  I thought - much as I did about his performance in the Emeralds PDT - that Marcus Morelli was - in a word - well two - simply SUBLIME.  I SO would like to see more of him.  He has I'm sure a great future.  He was well matched here by Sharni Spenser - surely one of the strongest ballerina's in the current Company - in terms of technique, musicality and dramatic aptness.  I thought too the corps also danced very well and it was lovely to see Robert Perdiziola's exquisite costumes featured on the ROH stage.  What I really missed was the mis-en-scene he created - i.e., the scenery - which was in both its motion and colourful sweep entirely bouffant in its airiness - and managed in its various guises to somehow lift the entire piece.  Those, however, were built for a much larger stage and would in their construct certainly not be apt here.  (Much as the size of the Met simply swallowed up the intimate nature of Cathy Martson's  fine Jane Eyre created for Northern Ballet.)  The NYT critic wrote 'This Harlequinade' suggests, at least, that not all Petipa deserves full restoration'.  I have to agree.  I think it is much better when it comes as a simple quotation as here.  I happily joined in its thrill.  If you wanted to see a two act reimagining of the same, Balanchine did one for NYCB which is a total 'family' delight - and features a large company of children who - as ever with Balanchine - dance the same steps as the adults. 

Of the Tchaikovsky PDD I thought one aspect of today's performance highlighted one difference (much as 'serenade' referenced) from those seen locally.  That was in Chengwu Guo's solo variations.  Both were, I thought, very fine indeed - and made especially so because of the vociferous silence of his landings which allowed the choreography to WHOLLY join in its celebration of the music.  This is due to the deep plie he deployed - one that Balanchine always insisted upon and such as he ensured were wrought by the NYCB Company men through the teachings of Stanley Williams.  This tradition carries on rightfully to this day.  Balanchine demanded this from his men as for him then - as at NYCB today - music ALWAYS comes FIRST.  (Where Balanchine wanted the feet or other body parts to be heard he would choreograph such into the works themselves much as many on this board will have seen this week in the Rubies' foot (Tall Girl) and hand (Principal Woman) slaps.  I well remember in rehearsal (on those occasions I was lucky enough to attend) Balanchine would turn to Robert Irving (his conductor) and have him speak to the dancers FIRST before he addressed them himself.  This, too, separates the NYCB traditions from other companies with very different and certainly much valued priorities.  

On Everywhere We Go - I first saw this Peck work (created in NYC in 2014) during NYCB's Paris visit in 2016 at its premiere there with the original cast (i.e., the whole piece) at the Chatelet.  Memorably it had 22 curtain calls.  The Parians had already come to love Peck's works as the POB already had a number in their rep, and indeed a creation, 'Chien et Loup', made expressly for them that year.  While I was delighted that one of the larger Peck ballets of which there are now a great many was being featured here (even if only in part) at long last - and I sincerely was - it did look strangely squished on the smaller British stage.  The full swell of Peck's sweep - which certainly you could get an indication of thanks to TAB here - was (inevitably) missing and you could sense the dancers attempting to measure space.  Too, the magic of the changing symbols backdrop was somewhat 'short-changed' as a result.  Seeing the extract today I certainly don't think this would be an appropriate address for the work as a whole.  (Rotunda - a work from Winter 2020 which I was at its premiere in NYC - is very much a Peck chamber piece and will be well suited to British stages when it is shown by NYCB at Sadler's Wells next year.)  I loved the fact that they listed the dancers after the first names of the original cast members.  (They don't do that in NYC!!!!)  You can hear the wonderful (and now retired) Sterling Hyltin speak about creating her part in the original production in a NYCB video here.)  Can I just add that I thought Yuumi Yamada was ENTIRELY EXQUISITE in Sterling's role.  What a tremendous dancer she is - and her speed is very much akin to that you would witness seeing this ballet in the relative largess of its State Theatre home.  Certainly her performance cheered me no end and was a highlight of the overall day and assuredly in this very happy run.  Thanks you so much TAB.  

Best combos so far this evening in TAB's fervid performance of Balanchine's triumphant Jewels.  Bless Sandra Jennings for having curated so effectively on behalf of the Trust.  Her work here speaks for itself.  Once again Marcus Morelli charmed radiantly in the Emeralds PDT - how I wish I could see him do it again - but I was propelled to write now because of the dazzling enticement that was Yuumi Yamada's take on the second woman's PDT solo following his own.  It defined soulfulness.  She more than sparkled; she coruscated through the stealth of her grace-filled glint.  To add to this rapture the euphoric flicker of Benedicte Bernet's sweetly dominant Diana in tonight's Diamonds added lustre to the ROH's historic gleam.  This diminutive powerhouse appeared to gently stretch its very dimensions.   Here one didn't require the skilled artifice of the recent RB  Cinderella's lit circle rounds.  No, sir - 'Why?', you ask.  Simple.  This ballerina didn't just glitter; she blazed.  Everyone present was enveloped in the heat of her heart.   Its reflective bliss practically blistered in euphoric communion.  It was more than a delight to witness; it was a privilege.  

Some people might find this recent Balanchine insight from this year's Vail Dance Festival of interest (you see a very, VERY brief clip of Tiler Peck and Roman Meija rehearsing Rubies PDD in it and Roman in Prodigal Son - CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT) with dancers from NYCB, POB and NBoC as well as Robbie Fairchild - and surprise, surprise - even the truly GREAT (and long retired) Damian Woetzel in the finale of Western Symphony.  Enjoy.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=310504644763250&ref=sharing

Thought tonight overall was a much tighter performance and wanted to pay special kudos to Marcus Morelli for stellar work in the Emeralds PDT.  So lithe and clean with stunning dramatic accents to add to his overall sweep.  (Would love to see him - as noted in his rep schedule - as Stanislav Nikinsky in Neumeier's Nijinsky.  I can see him being excellent in that.)  Also, Sharni Spenser shone with asserted musicality in the off-balance aspect of her first Diamonds solo.  Happily the local musicians kept to tempi there and she more than brightly took their lead.  She deserved the spontaneous applause.  The orchestral rendering of Emeralds was - blessedly - also MUCH improved over last night's unfortunate effort.  Well done, Jonathan Lo, for clearly making that happen.  

Hi Anna - Sent you a PM.

3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

I've never heard of a tour with 2 venues being described as a "National Tour" before.  As someone who lives north of Watford I find it downright insulting!

Giving new significance to the term 'National'.  .... Things ain't what they used to be ... or so it appears.   As with so many other things hereabout .... it's diminished.  

17 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

(I was in awe reading a review of a Neumeier gala the other day that apparently lasted 5 hours!)

That's the Nijinksy Gala, Dawnstar, and has lasted that long for years.  Next year's is the last under Neumeier's leadership and is scheduled to be six hours in length.  I've always enjoyed those I've attended - and the much appreciated guest participants. 

1 hour ago, oncnp said:

Oh, you mean there's a problem? ROH finally got a clue

 

ALERT (11/07/23 10:00 BST)

We are currently experiencing intermittent issues with ticket purchasing. If you encounter an error, please try again after a short while. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Too little; too late .... Should we be surprised?  Neva!

Got my tickets - after waiting for the ones I had already booked to be returned unto their cyber space - bar one which was taken up by someone else in the interim understandably.  Feel like they should PAY ME to be a FRIEND given the major frustration levels they have levied for oh, so many.  The service - as ever - speaks for itself.  

Shocking .... Outraged .... but not I suppose surprised .... Had booked 21 tickets so far - after much 'hanging' about ... Got Error 500 - had already had ticket limit ... went to pay for what I had booked and all that came up was the donation key.  Fat chance that.  Tried again - everything had disappeared.  Again - Error 500.  You've outdone yourself ROH.  

11 hours ago, alison said:

Can anyone confirm whether it's the whole of who cares? or only a chunk? The Sandler's wells website is ambiguous.

 

Alison - based on the NYCB version - ENBS is just doing the four opening corps segments plus a modified finale without the soloists and principal participatory elements - and certainly minus all of their (i.e., principal and soloist) pdd and solos which make up a good portion of the original - which itself runs 40 minutes in total in its entirety.  Hope that makes some sense.  In short - and in answer to your question - no, it is not the whole thing - much as La Sylphide is very much a truncated concert highlight version.  This allows the ENBS to also showcase brief premieres of work such as have been created for the students.  

On 29/06/2023 at 16:19, Sim said:

Does Iain have a macabre hobby of collecting death masks?!! 

 

I have to say, Sim, it made me wonder what might be in those drawers below???!!!!

1 hour ago, capybara said:

 

I think that, notwithstanding Frola's talent, your 'speculation' is a bridge too far, Bruce, especially since, arguably, the RB already has rather too many Principals.

 

 

 

I agree, capybara.  I was in fact writing partially in jest for the reasons you suggest - and wouldn't have mentioned it were Kish not to have focused on the 'Royal Ballet' so much in his commercial (i.e., titled) nomenclature.  Just also wanted to say I saw Alessandro (the younger Frola brother) aside the truly STUNNING Japanese ballerina Madoka Sugai in a glorious performance of Neumeier's wittily poignant Sleeping Beauty in Hamburg recently and you can well see many qualitative chips off his fraternal block mixed alongside a sweetly innocent beam all his own.  There was no question but that his was in every considerable inch - replete with those oh, so long legs which he deploys to assured advantage much as, say, Sarafanov was wont to do - a very questing prince.  

Interesting that both of the Kish 'Royal Ballet' galas noted in the IG links quoted above include Frola (Francesco not Alessandro) .... Wonder if this is beginning to tell us something, or simply that Kish also had Frola appear in the 'Nureyev' galas at Drury Lane last September.  All other dancers itemised it seems are contractual members of the official 'Royal Ballet' roll.  

I wonder if the new director gave any consideration to this 18 year old BRITISH dancer, Taiga Kodama-Pomfret, who you can see here in Corsaire (also in ENB's rep of late) bits from his recent Vaganova Ballet Academy Graduation Recital. 
 

A bit about Taiga can be found here.  

23 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

 

Tangential interest here - (and not worthy of a new strand but might be of interest to some BcF readers) - Former ENB dancer - now a principal alongside his wife in Munich - Yonah Acosta - stars in a new film.  

 

5 hours ago, capybara said:

Usually, it seems, for as long as they themselves decide - except where Boards move against them.

 

The  definite article or a ?

It was 'the' as far as I was aware, capybara .... He was saying that he was not particularly interested in bringing in core 20th Century or 21st century 'balletic' masterworks for the company as they were NOT a priority ... but THAT (i.e., the dreaded 'the') definitely was.  He has - at least as far as I can remember - been true to his word.  

2 hours ago, capybara said:

 

And are the positions held by him and Chris Wheeldon jobs for life?

 

Seemingly so - or certainly as long as the current Director is in place which I assume is for the foreseeable future.  I remember at a BA meeting with O'Hare - i.e., his most recent one - his saying that such was the 'definite priority' for him.  I well recall those being the words he used.  

Perhaps not worthy of an item itself, but interesting to note that BRB will be involved with NY's City Center Fall for Dance programme in their next season announcement - 

City Center’s season will kick off with its 20th Fall for Dance festival (Sept. 27-Oct. 8), which will include a collaboration between Sara Mearns of City Ballet, the choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith and the bass-baritone Davóne Tines, co‐presented with Vail Dance Festival; as well as the premiere of an original work by the street dance artist Ephrat Asherie and the tap dancer Michelle Dorrance. The two-week festival will also include performances by Birmingham Royal Ballet, led by the director Carlos Acosta, and by Bijayini Satpathy, an interpreter of the classical Indian dance form Odissi.