postie

The last time this happened to me .. >> 1. I'd clicked on the seat icon, clicked 'Select', at which point the pop up 'Add to Basket' appears, clicked that and it wasn't available anymore (which I now understand means it is in someone's basket but they are still within the 30-minute buying period, probably looking at other performances). Because it hasn't yet been paid for, the system deigns it available for 'selection' but not available to add to your basket 2. I went back to the seating plan, but now was told I'd exceeded my ticket limit - the difference this time was the first ticket was still in that post-selection/pre-purchase pop up window. Once I deleted that from the pop up 'Add to basket', I could add another. I believe there are variations on this theme but most problems I am aware of are rooted in that period between a seat being available for 'Selection' yet not available for 'Add to Basket'.

And we did spot the 'homage'! I liked that the dancers were already in pose around the stage as the curtain lifted. Almost as if a Degas then came alive.

Fwiw, I found that set, and the palette in particular, strikingly evocative of Edgar Degas' ballerina paintings.

Last stat i saw on this said 1/3 of graduates from the last x years are working in non-grad jobs. Certainly the case in my part of London to say it's difficult to imagine any trade skill that isn't dominated by East Europeans - self-employed but particulary on building projects. Seems to suggest a very large imbalance between jobs society needs and jobs politically-led policies have created. Paging Tony Blair (again!) ... eta: I see today visa rules are being further relaxed on a range of building skills: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12306971/Ministers-relax-visa-rules-foreign-bricklayers-roofers-carpenters-plasterers-Home-Office-deems-shortage-construction-workers.html

I couldn't see that this has been shared yet? Quite lovely and very well done >>

That was about the size of it for me. With Untitled, I'm afraid to have let out a sigh and let another flushing of gender fluidity wash by. I do hope Wayne extracts himself from that rabbit hole because it has been said and, for the most part, done. At least for a while, surely. Wheeldon was a huge success, imo. He obv. had the genius of Leonard Bernstein underpinning his work but I found myself being lured in further and further. I felt quite teased; were we going towards Jets vs. Sharks in 1950s NYC or some full scale Ashton structural homage (opinions may vary). Goodness it was fun - light and gorgeous. Loved the variety, costumes, the sets, the lighting, the wonderful ensemble. And, of course, Bernstein's music.

I've had the select > basket empty routine, and assume it's a split-second situation (Rush) that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Fwiw, can't think of any websites that don't require the 'confirm' stage and just go from select to basket in one click.

Seems I have reached my ticket allowance for Turandot and am not permitted to buy anymore. I haven't seen it at all yet. Maybe the website has had a nightcap or several. Fingers crossed it will feel better after a good nights rest.

Is it not a quote?

Folks! It's Becomings. Becoming, Becomings! Thank you, thank you. It is vey UNbecoming; can I please plead overtiredness from todays exertions ..

Interesting. Fwiw, I saw men in tutu's and women not, as well as both n tutu's and neither. I saw men with their masculine bits tied down somewhere and virtually no bulge at all. I saw a lot of ungendered dancing in singles and in pairs. I just didn't see what you saw. But i do have a cheap and cheerful standing ticket and will take care to note any open crotches.

Others, can and will, be more eloquent than I could be about this afternoon but I do want to say I never imagined seeing Fumi as she was in Beginnings. She was transcendent. In Tuesday, I got slightly excited when it struck me Alessandra Ferri is a 59-year old professional artist, here playing a 59-year old professional artist. At the risk of a spoiler, I'd say one of them has, literally, the legs for many more. I wonder if I was too overpowered at the rehearsal for the full effect to take hold. Today I just feel exhilarated. Mcgregor and Richter have created a work of art that allows fellow artists to fly as high as they dare. It's a wonderful gift.

Yes, I also loved Ashley Dean at the rehearsal - huge energy and great confidence, and rightly so. I am going to say gusto. There. RE Rob's photos above, I don't know what the answer is but those pants are a bit M&S Christmas briefs-ish. Maybe it's just my weird associations.

So am I! Since the rehearsal, I've acquired a copy of the 2017 production and look forward to playing spot-the-difference on Saturday. Fwiw, I suspect the screened media is different in the first section but we'll see ... I hope to see the rest of the 2017 production later today.

And me! I did think, during the Insight event, he is so open and interested and intuitively collaborative, and how that must be a significant facet in his skill set. It's so often such a treat to see creative people at the ROH level, working through their creative processes. It was the same for the Mayerling Insight. Could have sat there for hours.

I held back from commenting because, coming three days after the Woolf Works rehearsal, almost anything can suffer in comparison. It seemed to be trying very hard and occasionally got close to gimmicky with the mixed media stuff - David Blaine meets an evil Elon Musk, or something. tbh, I feared for things when the table climbing began so early. Strong company of performers. London is a tough market.

On the WW Insight, they were using Max Richter's music which is not ROH copyrighted. Also, Youtube is very, very fussy about that. Best I understand, it's quite a palaver sorting that out, and rarely happens in timely fashion.

'sample' is an interesting choice of word. This is targetted at selected demographics, imo It's certainly what I would do. The Elizabeth Line straight through from Reading and Essex (to Tottenham Court Road) in 40-minutes won't have harmed them, nor will HS2 albeit in 8 or 9 years. The number of potential customers one, two, three hours away is growing significantly now, and will rocket later. Incidentally, the under 30s thing is also happening at The Coliseum and some theatres. Feels like a coordinated initiative ..

Thank you for this - I'll be in Inverness on Sunday 30th April when I didn't expect much to be on. Now I learn the Eden Court cinema will be showing The Marriage of Figaro at 2pm, filmed at the Royal Opera House Should make a pleasant contrast to the vagaries of bikepacking around the Highlands in Spring .. Looking forward to Coppelia very much tomorrow afternoon - given Woolf Works, it could become quite the week.

What a marvellous achievement by Mcgregor, Richter and their teams (before and now). I was slightly overcome this afternoon, and that was 20-minutes in. Unique and beautiful and melancholic and so much .. a magnificent feast for the senses and mind.

Just another example of the extreme imbalance between a minority who cleverly use social media with multiplier effect, and the rest. The campaign to drop BP, it's online, right? Bit cold to be outside protesting at refineries, chaining themselves to delivery tankers at petrol stations, or a thousand other more direct forms of actions. Besides, their friends can't see how wonderful they are, and *like* their posts. Media is completely complicit; 8 TV camera crews filming as two people throw paint over a painting. 50 people marching along Oxford Street in a 'mass protest', a highpoint in a week of front page news for Just Stop Oil. In other news, it was gladenning to see sales of new electric cars have risen 40% in a year in the UK..

I cannot believe Iano Salenko is 39. With three children! It all went a bit bedknobs and broomsticks at the end - any ideas on their mode of transport? Wonderful spectacle; fully engaged throughout. Well done ENB and all involved.

Now here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0074t6v/the-red-shoes

I don't know where to put this (assuming it hasn't been mentioned somewhere before) .. Ismene Brown "Four filmed interviews with stars of the dance world - Swan supreme Adam Cooper, Royal Ballet ballerina Sarah Wildor, ex-ENB chief Matz Skoog & Trocks boss Tory Dobrin - talking to me about the ups & downs of their impressive lives." These have been filed in the last three months: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL237Sh8cObxS3B_CrYzzOA

If you haven't had a stroll along that eastern end of The Stand recently - the Somerset House > St Mary's > High Court end - it really is taking shape now as a significant pedestrianised area. Should be pretty stunning by summer, and peaceful. Reasonable amount of seating already in place. The Greggs is rather handy, as well ..