Linnzi5

I have seen it on there before. Did they withdraw it and have put it up again? They did that with LWFC!

I enjoyed the relay. Everything went smoothly at Cineworld - though it always does - and everything went smoothly on the dancing front too! That was such a relief as I feel for the dancers - they did so well though. I always enjoy the interviews and little videos and tonight's were excellent. Allnatt's Clara was elegant, sweet and confident - I liked her. Dixon was dashing, confident and classy as Hans-Peter. I thought he and Allnatt had good chemistry. Whitehead was a good Drosselmeyer and everyone else was extremely good too. It was full of excellent dancing. I liked Gasparini's Rose Fairy - she was light-footed and sweet, lots of joy from her too. Sugar Plum pair were very good - technically assured, confident and they appeared to love dancing together - I saw a great joy and chemistry from both. Sambe is not my 'ideal' Prince - I prefer the more 'danseur noble' types in this role (Bracewell, Muntagirov, Ball, for example) - but he acquitted himself very well and was an attentive partner - loved his glittery hair! O'Sullivan looked like a gorgeous Sugar Plum and was technically assured, I thought, though on occasion I didn't find her dancing as seamless as I would like. It was a very enjoyable evening but I found the main camera angle a bit annoying - it was slightly offset and I felt like I was siting on the left hand side of ROH - not sure why it was at the angle and I'm not sure why it bothered me a bit, but it did.

Ooh! I like this idea. Sugar Plums - Kaneko/Bracewell. Clara/Hans-Peter - Hayward/Campbell. Drosselmeyer - Avis. Rose Fairy - Magri.

My nearest Cineworld was absolutely packed! Biggest audience I've seen so far for a live relay.

I do that and my eyes water and my heart rate increases with the desire to suppress the cough. The more I try not to cough, the more my eyes water and the worse the desire to cough gets! 😱 Fortunately, that rarely happens to me as I don’t often get nasty coughs.

Yes. My friend and I are regular West End musical visitors and she always has coughing fits in the various theatres. She always has water with her and that helps. I wonder if it’s dusty or she has some sort of allergy? However, we both cough if dry ice comes our way!

This was me for my last Don Q and Dante. I sucked soothing cough sweets, not Strepsils (though I had those for the interval as they are amazing!) during the performance as they're too noisy to get out of the packaging, but blackcurrant ones with gooey honey centres - can't remember which brand they are, but they are in a paper tube. I only coughed during applause and sipped water too. I had tested negative for Covid, so saw no reason not to go. However, suppressing my cough did not serve me well, I don't think, as then a got a secondary infection in my sinuses and now have the ear problem. I think I should have stayed at home (and did for the Insight as I knew if I coughed it would be so much more obvious and I didn't want to ruin it for people around me). I seriously overdosed on those cough sweets and Strepsils though!

Thanks @Silke H Brilliant photos, as usual! I haven't read any reviews of Sophie Allnatt or Leo Dixon from this performance. I'd love to read some reviews of them and the rest of the cast (who are different to the opening night cast I saw). Anyone who went got any thoughts?

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I do find the background acting distracting sometimes as it’s so good! Where do I look? My solution to the ‘problem’ is simple. Go and see multiple performances and look at different roles each time! 🤣 That’s my excuse for going more often to Covent Garden and I’m sticking to it! 🤪

For me, primarily I would say it was Mayerling. I had seen various clips online and thought, meh! This is very dour and depressing and not for me! I went to the General Rehearsal as I thought, well, why not? Keep an open mind and it’s not like you’re paying a fortune for tickets. How wrong was I? I loved it! This is why it’s good to keep an open mind. Also, Don Q. I liked it and thought it was fun but had never seen it ‘live’. I went to the rehearsal (I totally fell in love with Yasmine Naghdi’s Kitri, which was absolutely stunning!) and was hooked! I could never have imagined I would end up loving it as much as I did - or seeing so many different casts - a first for me. Budget be damned! 🤣 Cinderella too. I’d only seen clips and then saw the live relay and though I loved the performances of the principals, other bits I wasn’t sure of. I saw it live and was swept away with the magic! I loved it and would go and see as many casts as possible (budget permitting!!) next time.

I’m really looking forward to the cinema relay.

I saw Francesca and I thought she made a brilliant Odile, particularly. I saw her Instagram posts and could see the toll SL took on her. I really enjoyed her performance but could see something wasn’t quite right. I am looking forward to seeing her again and hope things go really well for her.

What a lovely offer! I hope you can go?

I read that yesterday too. Very interesting!

Interesting perspective. For me, the connection between the two is important here as it is in any ballet generally and indeed as it is between Clara and Hans-Peter in Nutcracker. I think that is what I like in partnerships generally though - but that obviously does not mean others look for the same as me and I wouldn’t want them to.

I’ve only had to call once and the lady I spoke to was brilliant!

Indeed. I am looking forward to seeing Vadim/Fumi and Will/Yasmine for Manon - I have booked to see both couples. I think it’s wrong and unfair for anyone to assume how I feel about other pairings as I haven’t said anything about these on this particular thread. However, as presently, Will and Fumi are not cast together I am sorry not to be able to see them again and it felt bitter sweet when my Nutcracker performance had ended and agreed with Sim . I certainly am not making assumptions that I won’t like other pairings as I always have an open mind.

Seriously, what is wrong with my typing?! 🤣 Very funny typo though, but not as good as my ‘tougher’ one! 🙄🤣 There was a sadness felt acutely by me as well. I knew I hadn’t got them together in Manon and was desperately hoping for Swan Lake - that would be my dream pairing. I was, and remain, so disappointed! I hope that the casting for next season doesn’t go the same way! I need my Fumi/Will fix at least once in each booking period (more would be better!!)

I enjoyed last night's Nutcracker even more than the one I sae last year (similar cast). I just read The Times' review and there is a paragraph that just summed up why this performance was so special for me. I won't link it here or talk about it yet, as it will be linked tomorrow in the links section and I wouldn't want to spoil what's written in it for anyone who hasn't seen it. So, why did I like it so much? Where to begin? The production is my favourite, for a start. I really love the costumes and Peter Wright's vision. The sets are so pretty, especially the Kingdom of the Sweets. The orchestra was on top form and I felt the direction from the conductor was full of vigour and the music a little quicker in some places. Despite my still-defective ear, which is still suffering middle ear issues and hearing music a muffled semi-tone higher than the other ear, it sounded wonderful. At one point, I stuck my finger in my bad ear so I could lesson the dissonance. My daughter gave me very strange looks! The dancing - wow, what a high standard was set. Sae Maeda was just a gorgeous Clara - she showed such joy in her dancing and she and Joseph Sissens were lovely together. I particularly enjoyed the latter's Act II mime this year. They both seemed very relaxed and confident. The snowflakes were lovely - it is so much more magical with 24, so that was exciting and, well, did I already say 'magical'? 🤣 Gary Avis IS Drosselmeyer - he was a joy to watch. The children were lovely as were all of the dancers in Act I. It was all just so perfect. Act II is my favourite act (though there are several scenes from Act I that I think are beautiful and moving). The dances were as excellent as usual. I couldn't fault any of them. I still prefer the old version of the Arabian Dance with the three male partners, though the performances yesterday were as perfect as always. I also miss Fritz being hauled up into the air - him being frozen doesn't have quite the same impact! Those are small quibbles though. Mariko Sasaki made a light and dainty Rose Fairy and her escorts were absolutely top notch. The Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince were, in my eyes, perfect in every way. Yes, technically it was wonderful (they made it look so easy). It was elegant and beautiful, charming and perfect. But, the thing that affected me the most, is the beautiful partnership Will and Fumi have. I truly believed they adored each other - and I just don't generally see that in other Sugar Plum couples I have seen. Theirs is a unique chemistry that elevates the PDD from technically brilliant dancing to something that moves me. I realise my opinion is, of course, mine and my views are subjective, but I just felt they elevated the PDD (and Coda) to a new level. I am still sighing contentedly today. I'm also still half-deaf in one ear, but at least my heart is feeling full of joy.

Booking opened for me today (yet again Insights all sold out already! 😡) I booked for opening night of the triple - the tickets have already sold really well and I thought that if that cast isn't my favourite, I'll just try and book my preferred cast after they are announced - I'm sure I'll be able to get a ticket to a performance somehow. Even one of the Swan Lakes I wanted to see has already sold loads of seats!

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Auto correct and no proofreading failure again! 🤪

Indeed! Weren't they lovely together? My daughter and I thought it was a perfect opening night and we went home full of wonder and warm hearts My daughter thought Fumi was divine. The only thing that left me feeling a bit sad was that I couldn't help but wonder when will I see Will and Fumi dance tougher after Nutcracker

Beautiful photos! Thank you!

I agree. It was a lovely evening. I'll post another time my thoughts in full, but I thought the whole evening was divine. Everyone was on top form. It was yet another magical evening. Sigh . . .