annamk

27/2 eve D6, D7 25/3 eve D50 30/3 mat D44,D45 1/4 eve D44, D45 All e tickets £10 each

Ha ! exactly my thoughts

Not even Bracewell I'm afraid

Thank you again for another interesting review Irmgard, I agree with all your words about Sunday. This was my favourite performance of the 5 I saw and If I had realised what a superb partnership this would be I would certainly have gone to Bristol too !

I was going to ask Irmgard that question because I thought ENB ACT IV was Ashton but when I watched some of what I thought was the Aston Act IV (old RB Makhraova/Dowell recording) it looked a bit different from what I've seen at ENB - for example, the corps weren't in single large circular formation just before Siegfried's entrance) instead they're in those little circular groupings like the old Dowell version for the RB. Irmgard or anyone else ?

I can't match your descriptive powers Irmgard, I can only say that I feel the performance today must have been as exceptional today as the one you saw.

Another outstanding Swan Lake last night. I don't know how the company can dance so many performances in a week and retain such freshness, commitment and energy. Cojocaru and Cirio told the narrative with more care and conviction than I've seen before, it was quite exceptional and very moving. I think Cojocaru has always had an aura about her: something poignant, fragile and vulnerable (perhaps why she's one of the best Giselle and Manon) , and my friend and I said we always thought of her as a more natural Odette but last night her Odile was playing so audaciously with Cirio I now think she is equally at ease in both roles. Cirio's dancing was again stunning, in the Act 3 scene where he dances with the 6 brides he threw off 3 such perfect tours (think Muntagirov or Semyon Chudin) I could have cried ! I really hope he stays at ENB for a long time. Being picky, I would say that Cojocaru has to work against her size as a Swan Queen and that she is no longer possessed of quite the steely technique of the very top principal dancers. But frankly she has so much else to give that you realise it doesn't matter a jot. The ENB orchestra, when conducted by Gavin Sutherland as they were again last night, bring the score vividly to life they deserved the huge ovation. Yesterday the lights barely went up between Acts 1 & 2 and as a result there was far less talking when the orchestra starting playing again. All round a perfect evening.

Cojocaru delivered 32 neat singles, no problem. I assume it was 32 although I don't actually count but she finished on the music so I kind of presumed it was.

There are a lot of performances - a whopping 17 ! I like Don Q but I don't like this production; IMO in trying to make it more real and human, Acosta has sadly managed to make it pretty tedious, it really drags in places, how can you do that to Don Q ? Only the debuts attracted me to buy tickets and now the most exciting of all - Corrales - is off

I am love love loving this run of Swan Lakes I think the production is sublime : from the score, to the absence of the annoying Benno and his annoying friends, to the ending as it should be, and to exquisite choreography, particularly in Act 4 - I am stunned by the beauty of the corps forming what looks like a giant flower petal before Siegfried runs on distraught. I saw two casts so far and there is plenty to admire at all levels of the company. I knew Cirio was an excellent dancer but given his height and having seen him recently as a very mean Lescaut I had wondered whether his Siegfried would be princely enough. I need not have worried, what he lacks in height he more than makes up for in everything else: beauty of line (funny how this isn't actually the preserve of the taller dancer), elegance, precise dancing, light landings, charm and tons of commitment. A terrific performance and his control in the Act 1 adagio solo sent me straight home to buy a ticket for his Des Grieux. I wasn't quite so bowled over by Cojocaru's Odette/Odile, there was nothing wrong, it was a lovely performance but I wasn't moved and I wanted to be but it didn't happen. Maybe it was me, maybe it was where I was sitting. Notable also in that performance was McCormick in the pd3, Arrieta in the Spanish, Costa & Drummond in the Neapolitan. The ensemble and corps dancing all looked well coached and tidy, and both nights the Cygnets were properly co-ordinated. I don't know if it's me but the orchestra does seem to take some sections at great pace which is a positive as far as I'm concerned. Yesterday evening saw the partnership of Hawes/Arrieta. I haven't seen her in principal role before and I was surprised how tall she was, although I think a taller dancer has an inherent majesty that works for me as a Swan Queen. I wasn't sure about Hawes in Act 2, nothing wrong just nothing outstanding either. Her Odile though was terrific - okay she didn't quite make 32 fouettés but everything else was commendable. In Act 4 I found her incredibly moving with some moments of real poetry in her dancing. I always book for Arrieta's performances, for me he's one of those dancers who has everything: he's tall, elegant with a fine line, he dances beautifully, he partners well and he has a charming presence. He ticked all these boxes last night and his account of the black act variation with his tidily landed tours would put many more senior dancers to shame. Hawes/Arrieta had great chemistry, displaying heartfelt tenderness towards each other in Act 4 and Arrieta rivals my memories of Bonelli, the absolute master, in the last desperate run of Siegfried on stage in Act 4 (although sadly the new RB version has toned that down). The pd3 was beautifully danced with great charm by Kanehara, Khaniukova and Woolhouse, never stepping over into unnecessary showiness.

I only saw the rehearsal so far but I completely agree with you about the comparison with the RB Swan Lake - which I also enjoyed at the time. The RB production may have gained glossy sets but it has lost the heart and soul of the ballet - if only Scarlett had left the choreography and the ending alone

If anyone has a ticket they can't use for 8/1 or 12/1 please message me. Any part of the theatre. Thank you

D46 now spoken for.

Will return to the BO shortly.

Bumping this up D46 still available.

Huge huge thanks to you guys for all the hard work you do and a very Happy New Year.

No Fri matinee wasn’t even listed. Also the tickets for the Sat mat weren’t discounted which seemed odd given how many were left.

I still have D46 for 9/1.

Yes second time lucky - I didn't let the basket out of my sight Thank you for posting the offer !

I'm also having a problem with the website - you put tickets in your basket and then the basket vanishes and there doesn't seem to be any way to get it back.

D46 still available.

E-tickets, message me if interested. Anna

Best memories Cojocaru/Caley Manon (Milton Keynes) Muntagirov/Lamb in Winter Dreams - above all Muntagirov but most of the cast deserve a mention (Mendizabal, Naghdi, Avis, Bracewell) for such a detailed, masterly performance. Bonelli/Morera Mayerling - should have been filmed. NDT in Pite's The Statement - so original. Performances involving these three terrific RB 1st soloists: Bracewell, Corrales, Hay - wishing the latter 2 an injury free 2019.

I hadn’t focused before I went to the live relay that this production and choreography were by Yuri Grigorovich. Perhaps it was unfortunate to see it barely 24 hours after Sir Peter Wright’s beautiful version for the RB. Obviously, it follows the same structure: Clara, her brother, Drosselmeyer, the Nutcracker, dancing toys, rats, soldiers etc etc but it doesn’t bother to make it into a coherent, narrative in the way that the RB version presents a family Christmas in a Victorian (?) house. In the pdd for Clara and Nutcracker towards the end of Act 1 they are surrounded by the toys which I found a distraction. The snowflakes are wearing what look like white swimming caps, and carrying cotton wool balls on sticks all of which would have been neither here nor there were the choreography for them not so uninspiring. I’m sad to say that for me mediocre choreography was the big failing of this Nutcracker. The dancers were excellent - although both Chudin and Shrainer had minor wobbles at the end of their Act 2 variations - but IMO the choreography was simply not worthy of them.

Loved Patineurs, an all round fabulous cast led by Sambe. His BlueBoy has it all: great elevation, super fast spins and unaffected joy - he truly lit up the stage and lifted the ballet ! The change in mood to Winter Dreams is err quite extreme and although it was warmly received, it was a slightly lukewarm reception - my daughter saw it for the first time and didn't like it at all. The cast was excellent with one caveat in that whilst Soares acted convincingly IMO it's not enough in a role which requires a significant amount of dancing. I'm sorry to say that Soares execution of the steps was fudged at best and that really takes something meaningful away from the role.