Wanja

The camera work during the Royal Ballet's class was quite horrible this year.

(And I missed Olga Evreinoff)

My condolences to all britons. She was a remarkable woman, a symbol in many respects and it's hard to imagine Great Britain (and the world) without the Queen.

What about John Neumeier's version of Swan Lake - Illusionen wie Schwanensee? (King Ludwig II)

6 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

Just wondering, what do you mean by dance theatre exactly? I haven't really heard the term before.

Maybe dance theatre is a literal translation of the German word "Tanztheater" and although Tanztheater has a  long, long tradition in Germany the first name which springs to mind is Pina Bausch.

1 hour ago, Sim said:

Completely agree, BridieM.  As Jann Parry said in her review of Nutcracker in December (having seen the altered Arabian and Chinese dances), these are fairy tale ballets, not PC tracts.  I was recently in Egypt and met up with an Egyptian friend whom I hadn't seen for decades.  I was telling her about all the so-called 'offence' being caused by 19th century ballets and she thought it was hilarious.  She said to me "do you people think we didn't have harems?  That women weren't treated as objects and entertainment for men?  That marriages weren't arranged?  You are all trying to deny the truth.'  I told her that that is a current theme in the West, and she is baffled...and very miffed at what she sees as the West being patronising and 'offended' on their behalf.  That's the way things were (and sometimes still are), so are we all to pretend that none of these things happened?  And who are all these people who are 'offended' by fairytale ballets that are set in the distant past?  Last time the RB did Bayadere, I was standing behind an 'older' Indian lady and her daughter, who gave me huge beaming smiles a few times during the course of the evening.  As we were leaving I asked if they had enjoyed it, and both young and old ladies told me they loved it.  No offence there, then. 

 

Anyway, I don't suppose we will be seeing Bayadere for a long time (until everybody stops being 'offended' by a fairytale) as we (I) can no longer even go to Russia to see it.  My take is...show the ballet in all of its beauty.  If anyone is sensitive or offended by it, it's simple;  don't go.  For the rest of us, let us decide for ourselves.  

This is the best summary of this "problem" I have ever read. 

Thank you, Sim

Thank you very much for this link, Mona. That's amazing.
I have never seen the Finnish National Ballet but I will have a "Finnish weekend" and watch some of these videos.
Thank you!

4 hours ago, Sim said:

 I just think it's a real pity that those of us who are not offended by fairytales are going to be denied freedom of choice and may lose these ballets to the mists of time.   

You are so right!

I always wonder why it is not possible just to respect masterpieces as they are? They were created at a different time, in a different society,  a different era. 
And the audience is not so stupid or uneducated as some people seem to think.

By the way: if the ballet "Le Corsaire" is unacceptable what is with Lord Byron's poem "The Corsair"? Should it also be rewritten?
 

6 hours ago, Fonty said:

I'm afraid I have got to the stage in life where I tell people if they are irritating me.  Last time I was sitting side stalls, next to the aisle for Swan Lake.  Across the aisle, and one row in front, was woman who spent most of Swan Lake act 2 scrolling through her electronic device, and occasionally typing.  She was right in my eye line.  I did wonder about getting up mid performance, but thought that might distract the dancers (?) so I waited until the interval, shot across the aisle, and politely told her that she was really distracting me and could she please not do it again.  She stared at me open mouthed, as if the thought that other people might have noticed had never occurred to her.

 

Her seat was empty for the rest of the evening, but I had got to the stage where, if she had continued, I would have had no qualms about getting up and snatching the device from her.  Who are these people who have an expensive seat in the stalls, and barely raise an eye to the stage.  Why couldn't they just stay at home?

 

You are absolutely right, Fonty. To accept unacceptable behaviour (and suffer) is the wrong way as it only encourages such behaviour.

Air conducting, talking, drinking, typing - I bet they simply think nothing of it. And might even be grateful if someone tells them politely that this is just not done during a performance. 

Of course I understand that it's not so easy to tell people that they are misbehaving.
But just tolerating it could mean that we sooner or later see people munching popcorn, chips, icecream and hamburgers in the ROH.

37 minutes ago, Sabine0308 said:

I hear she stays. New rehearsals for Coppelia begin with her now.

Well, he moved with his whole family ( 3 children) to Germany. 
That he stepped down doesn't mean that he is leaving Munich or the country.  His wife and his children will surely have a say in this matter.

Thank you for this link, Angela.

The last paragraph in this article is almost ridiculous.