Linnzi5

I’m glad it didn’t bother you and you felt it enhanced the performance for you - but it did not for me. At the performance I went to, (not opening night) it was non-stop and I didn’t enjoy it and that is my opinion, just as you are entitled to yours. It was near hysteria at times (loads of screaming girls!) I can’t comment on tv shows, but the comparison I made was appropriate to how I felt.

I have no problem with enthusiastic audience members cheering at the end of a particularly wonderful solo - that's lovely. I love it when the audience claps when the principals first enter on stage and I have no problem what people verbalise during curtain calls (as long as it's polite!). It's when the performers just are on stage and the cheering and screaming go on all the time, as in the Nunez/Muntagirov performance I went to. Seriously, it was like witnessing videos I've seen of Beatles mania and was, quite frankly, really distracting and silly at times. It stopped the ballet for extended periods and ruined the flow of performance, at times, for me. I just ended of raising my eyebrows and thinking how silly and excessive it all was. I don't watch Britain's Got Talent, I have to say and gave up on Strictly some time ago, for various reasons, though it wasn't to do with filmed audiences 🤣 I go to the West End frequently (to see musicals) and I have no issues with cheering and whooping there - I expect it, but I don't expect it excessively at the ballet because the music and dancing is pretty continuous and rarely should there be significant pauses, IMO, or interruptions. Also, in the Act III PDD of Don Q, I find it confusing that audiences are now clapping when the PDD hasn't finished, such a shame as I couldn't hear the music as the PDD continued! I know that also happens in the Lilac Fairy solo in SB - but I understand that as, quite honestly, I find that solo a bit clumsily choreographed and strange.

I read that a while ago. Hmmm . . . 'Posh 'n' Becks' of the ballet world? I won't respond with my personal opinion on that comparison! 😱

You explained far better than I did! 🤣 Edit: … and a lot more concisely!

Yes, yes and yes! I also must mention Sae Maeda again - she really stands out to me. Kitri’s friends were excellent last night, I thought.

Yes. You know the bit where the matadors (at the end one of their sections) dance in pairs, turn in the air and kneel, then the next two do the same until the last pair do. I think his foot got caught on someone’s and he missed the turn but got in sync with his partner and knelt in time with the music - brilliant recovery and I doubt anyone who didn’t know the ballet would have noticed? I felt for him and I then thought it was such a great recovery that it wasn’t significant and I hope he didn’t mind too much - I don’t think he was injured as he danced very well after that. 😊

Thank you for giving your insight - it’s lovely to hear from someone who attended, in person. I didn’t hear much from the audience at ROH on the relay, no, thank goodness. I despised the constant whooping, hysterical screaming and over the top reactions at the Nunez/ Muntagirov performance I attended. I found it really irritating and distracting. I didn’t think the cinema relay was one of the better ones I’ve seen in terms of the performance itself, no. There were some lovely solos and performances I have already mentioned and I enjoyed them very much. I didn’t feel the connection between Magri and Ball as much as I did between Naghdi and Ball, but that is just how I felt and personal to me. It also answered my own question about some real couples dancing together and whether I would feel an ‘extra’ connection compared to other partnerships they have. I did not get the feeling like I had last Friday or for some of the other performances, no, but that’s ok - I did still enjoy so much and like comparing different casts anyway. 😊

He did but I thought he recovered like a true pro. I was so impressed! How these dancers carry on with such aplomb is just so inspirational. I know they are professionals and at the top of their league, but they have my admiration.

I totally agree with this. The loud gasps from my fellow audience in the cinema, plus the conversations directly after, did break the spell for me at the end. I also felt so sad and left the cinema wishing it had been different and feeling a bit deflated, but mostly so, so, disappointed for Mayara. 😢I think the audience are so supportive of dancers when things go wrong - in my experience they do indeed clap much louder, as do I. Mistakes happen - that’s live performance, but I also agree that risk-taking is just that 😊

No. The lighting was excellent on the screen at Cineworld and everything was very clear. In fact, the live relay feed seemed a better quality than usual. I think at my cinema there must have been 60+ people - most I have seen except for Nutcracker.

My initial thoughts on tonight, especially as there were some new faces in roles for me. I thought Isabella Gasparini was a lovely Amour - so full of fun and very sweet - the joy on her face when she dances is wonderful. Loved Calvin Richardson - he got the swagger and self-assured Espada spot on for me and injected a bit of humour too. Liked Leticia Dias again - each time I see her I think she gets better. Gary Avis was a great Don Q and Liam Boswell's Sancho Panza was sweet and funny. My eye is always drawn to Sae Maeda - another dancer who shows so much joy when dancing. I was impressed with Mica Bradbury in the fandango too. I don't believe I'd seen Casper Lench as a matador before (?) but I thought he danced beautifully (I'm pretty sure it was him). I thought Matthew Ball looked a little nervous (understandably!) to start with and I preferred his performance from the rehearsal initially. However, he did relax and I was impressed with his solos, particularly in Act III, where I thought his jumps were quite spectacular. I thought Mayara Magri danced beautifully - very spirited and technically assured. The two lifts at the end of Act I were most impressive - although I do find them rather ungainly, especially when held for a great length of time (no matter who does them. Must be just me who feels that way!) Just as I was thinking - yes! fouettés out of the way, nothing can go wrong now, well done, it sadly did, with a blip that was unfortunately spectacular - everyone in the cinema gasped so loudly when Mayara fell and it wasn't the audience's fault, but it rather annoyed me that they all gasped so dramatically - I do hope it wasn't the same in ROH - I couldn't hear because everyone gasping drowned out the sound from the relay!! I wanted to cry for her as she had danced so well up to then. It didn't ruin things for me, these things happen in live performance, but I really, really felt sad for her. Overall, an enjoyable evening with some lovely dancing! Edit: Forgot to mention James Hay - he made me giggle even more on the screen. Those eyes are just brilliant!

I feel the same way 😢 I have been very lucky so far and the Cineworld cinema I go to for the live relays is excellent -as was tonight’s live feed. I have no complaints about the picture or sound - it was pretty perfect.

Am sitting in my local cinema right now - it’s packed out! 😱

I have booked my ticket too - my local cinema had about 20 seats reserved when I looked last week.

I read in the media recently that it's King Charle's 75th birthday in a week - could that have something to do with the 'special' performance and invited audience? Could it be representatives from his favourite charities have been invited? Sorry if this has been mentioned before.

@Sim What a lovely interview. Thank you for linking this Though I have listened to other podcasts from Julia and Brandon, which are all excellent, informative and enjoyable, I had missed this one! Goodness knows how. I found this so interesting. I hope, despite Brandon's move, that these can continue.

Thank you both. That explains why I didn't see any reviews for it.

No. I didn't, I'm sad to say. I would love to know what they were like together. I did know they'd danced the Ukraine gala but as far as I know that wasn't filmed? Why did they dance the 19th March matinee? To cover for illness? I knew Fumi had danced with Bonelli though. I went to the Hayward and Cuthbertson performances but possibly I missed that Fumi and Will danced together - I don't remember reading anything about it on here - or maybe I hadn't discovered the forum then? I certainly didn't know at the time, I don't believe. I really hope they are paired together as I'd love to see them. Lucky you seeing the gala! I would have loved to have gone to that! Thanks for passing the information on

Interesting topic. I gather others, including critics, have wondered the same. I do wonder though, if being at other companies first was better for them as dancers? Certainly, it doesn't seem to have done either any harm and maybe benefitted them? So, if Monica Mason didn't choose them, maybe it did both a favour? Who knows. Certainly, William Bracewell talks of his time at BRB very fondly.

Yes. I was wondering the same!

I was thinking the same! I can't imagine how nerve-wracking it must be 😱

I agree. I was hoping for Will and Fumi for Manon but I am really pleased he is dancing with Yasmine - I love her and think they will be brilliant together and it's good to see another dynamic. Yes, I saw the clips too over the summer and they looked really good together - Yasmine is an exceptional dancer. We are incredibly lucky. I can't deny I was hoping for Will and Fumi in either Manon or Swan Lake - they were the 'biggies' for me but I also understand they can't dance together all the time. I think I would have forgone Nutcracker with them to have either Manon or Swan Lake though. I am really looking forward to Manon - I particularly am fond of the bedroom PDD and can't wait to see what Yasmine and Will do with that.

I didn't realise Prima was now on the ROH Stream - must have missed that and I do watch the stream often 😳. So, @DVDfan thank you for pointing it out I remain unconvinced about the costumes. Fumi's I liked well enough and Yasmine's was ok. I dislike Mayara's and actually detest Francesca's - the latter two are so unflattering and detracted from the dancing, in my eyes. Rewatching has not changed my mind, alas. I do like the choreography and the Saint-Saëns is simply devine. Lovely to watch again, but I think I'd like it so much more if the costumes were changed. To be honest, at times, I found myself concentrating on Vasko Vassilev's beautiful playing . . .

Yes. I am a huge, huge, William Bracewell fan - I mean just, HUGE. However, I too wondered what his Basilio would be like. I am so pleased to say I absolutely adored him - he was cheeky, funny and just plain adorable. Was he Carlos Acosta's Basilio? No. Do I mind? Heck no! Will's Basilio is a different characterisation to some I have I've seen but one I personally loved - I want each dancer to bring his unique qualities to each characterisation and some I will like more than others, of course. Will has such elegance when he dances and his PDDs with Fumi were just so moving - again, I really believed they only had eyes for each other and that their characters were truly in love. I loved Will's comic timing too and facial expressions. Put him and Fumi together and, wow, I am drawn into everything they do. I think I beamed from ear to ear throughout yesterday evening! Fumi is just wonderful. I don't know what I can add about her dancing. Her fouettés will live long in my memory. I think she's always been a technically brilliant dancer. What she has gained in the last few years or so is a lot of brilliant characterisation and an ability to emote a lot more, in my opinion. She's always shown joy in dancing but I felt she changed after Romeo and Juliet. Maybe that's just me? She just has it all, doesn't she? I do think that the partnership she and Will have is rare and beautiful to see. I really hope it's something I get to see a lot more of in the years ahead. (I'm still a little peeved about Swan Lake though! I'll get over it in the end!) 😡

The King and Queen have been there when I was there and they attend in a private capacity when they are able to, I understand. Certainly, no fuss. I don’t understand the secrecy, personally. Very strange