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annamk

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  1. annamk
    It sounds fascinating - sadly there are no copies of that magazine on eBay and nothing else comes up in a search. If anyone happens to know where back copies might be had perhaps they could post on here.
  2. annamk
    Wilton's are only selling 1/2 the tickets - I rang and asked them why all their tickets were on one side of the theatre and they said the RoH were selling the other side.
  3. annamk
    Ah thanks Bluebird I hadn't picked up on that cast change. Anna K is not a favourite so I can give it a miss now.
  4. annamk
    Me too Sim they were both incredible. Unlike their first performance I was completely convinced by Osipova's interpretation, she was a devastating Marguerite. As for him, on the RoH stage Shklyarov, with his beautiful lines and Vaganova deportment, looks as though he comes from a different ballet planet. Add to the mix that he can act & partner & what a combination ! It would be fantastic if he could guest with Osipova next season, I haven't seen such a perfect partner for her. At least we haven't got long to wait to see him again - he's dancing in all the Mariinsky programmes.
  5. annamk
    Sim you put this all really well & I agree with it, I didn't intend to sound down on Osipova ! As someone else remarked she didn't overdo it at all. I just couldn't get Ferri out of my head and the way her older face with life etched on it seemed to infuse Marguerite with a deeper tragedy than I've seen before. True also re McRae/Campbell.
  6. annamk
    Such an interesting evening albeit one that has left me with mixed feelings about the performances. Morera was outstanding in the Dream but unfortunately Campbell had neither the stage presence nor the steps to convince as Oberon. The lovers comic timing fell rather flat, well short of the first cast and Acri's Puck probably suffered from being seen too soon after Yudes. Symphonic was a delight especially Nunez, Muntagirov & Hay. In Marguerite & Armand the weight of expectation on Shklyarov showed in a slightly nervous first solo. Once that was out of the way we were left in no doubt about his quality. He has the most beautiful lines, terrific charisma and is a superb dancer & partner. Osipova did as much as she could for a relatively young ballerina cast in a role that probably should be the preserve of a considerably older dancer - or maybe I just saw her too soon after Ferri. Nonetheless, I left thinking Shklyarov is about as perfect a partner as I can imagine for Osipova & in my dreams he will come to dance at the Royal Ballet where I think, at least at the current time, there are better vehicles for the two of them than M & A : just for starters Romeo & Juliet, Manon, Giselle .....
  7. annamk
    I'm interested in the pair if they are still available have sent you a pm.
  8. annamk
    Thoughts from the matinee and first night. Lots of debuts in the Dream. Takada I thought was exceptional in dance and characterisation, Hayward was charming if slightly less assured, Sambe powerful and charismatic. It's a pity that McRae's outstanding dancing and reliable partnering isn't accompanied by the charisma and warmth of Sambe's Oberon. Zuccetti's Puck although very good was rather outclassed dance wise by Yudes astonishing debut, from all the mime was very clearly and satisfyingly drawn. The four lovers Ball, Calvert, Mock, Mendizbal were terrific, spot on comic timing. The lead fairies and corps were well rehearsed, very satisfying indeed. Both casts of Symphonic were a delight, at last three men with different physicality demonstrate that it is possible to take off and land at the same time ! A horrid costume malfunction this afternoon was admirably dealt with by Reece Clarke. Huge congrats to the ballet masters as well as the dancers. I was against the Royal Ballet inviting Ferri to guest but I have to admit that having seen the rehearsal and the matinee today I now regard it as inspired casting. It was a deeper emotional experience to witness the desperation in the far from young Ferri - more real life and less of the the beautiful tragedy it often is. Although Bonelli is no youth himself he still has the look of a 20 something year old and whilst his initial solo was a bit ragged thereafter he was dancing like a young man and partnering perfectly. Add to the mix terrific chemistry and you have an unbeatable combination. From a rather miserable mid season with those poor Anastasia performances Bonelli has roared back. I'm intrigued to see what Osipova/Shklyarov will make of M & A on Monday - knowing Osipova I could well be eating my words about older women.
  9. annamk
    £8 each. Etickets. Message me if interested. Anna
  10. annamk
    Has anyone heard whether a flower throw is being organised for her last performance on 7th June ? I am wondering whether the Opera House would do it because it's a I've relay .....
  11. annamk
    It was Zverev who danced Armand - Shklyarov was supposed to dance with Vishneva but there was a late cast change. He hasn't danced Armand here.
  12. annamk
    Shklyarov oh YES couldn't be happier
  13. annamk
    On last night .... I enjoyed the second cast of Vertiginous. It's such a busy ballet I find most of the time it's easier to pick one person to watch which in my case was James Hay and I thought he was tremendous, I love how he elongates every movement and yet is totally on the music. Naghdi & Zucchetti were excellent in Tarantella but I still think the piece belongs in a gala. I couldn't being myself to watch Strapless but when I returned from my extended interval I was shocked at the number of empty seats that had appeared in the stalls circle. I can only assume it was a reaction to Strapless and if so I think that's a great pity because Symphonic Dances was terrific. Laura Morera was outstanding and the different physicality of Morera/Rovero gave a different shade to their pdd. The corps men looked fabulous & the effect of their greater physical homogeneity made the choreography with the red skirts incredibly powerful - Donnelly and Richardson were particularly eye catching in this section, as were Ball and Rovero in the pdds with Morera. The only awkwardness came in some of the entrances which seemed oddly abrupt and more like Mcgregor's style than a neo classical work and I found the choreography for the women corps generally weaker than that for the men.
  14. annamk
    I only saw the rehearsal so far ..... Vertiginous is an incredible piece, there's so much going on it's hard to know where to look ! Tarantella is fun but feels like it really belongs in a gala. I hated Strapless last time and without serious revision I can't watch it again so I sat it out in front of the screen and what struck me was how dreadful the music is ...... Symphonic was terrific for the first 10 minutes. The steps fitted the music and the dancers (Sambe & Acri) perfectly. The dancing of Zanowsky with Hay and their relationship intrigued me and at this stage the costumes & lighting were mesmerising. But then it was as if Scarlett ran out of interesting ideas - the choreography felt largely derivative and the staging monotonous. And what is it with red skirts for men - I've seen so many in the last year.
  15. annamk
    Message me if interested. I'm not there tonight but it's an e ticket.
  16. annamk
    I know what you mean about the pleasure in seeing those solos danced exceptionally well (although I only saw McRae at the rehearsal) but in every other respect McRae just does nothing for me and so I'd choose a less perfect technique and a better characterisation. That's an interesting observation ..... I think McRae has a strutting walk in every role which is unusual and surprising for a dancer in a classical company because it's very unattractive both visually and in terms of what it seems to say about character. I have wondered if he does it to make himself look taller ? The most satisfying cast since Cojocaru/Kobborg and in fact, more satisfying for being so unexpected. No, I feel like that too. I also dislike how much Watson distorts his body and the steps. I preferred James Hay - I thought he nailed the pathos in that final solo as well as dancing superbly. I didn't see all the Larisch but I loved Cowley. Yanowsky was exceptional.
  17. annamk
    I totally agree with you about Akane and I'm truly gutted not to have been there last night
  18. annamk
    Tx going back to the BO
  19. annamk
    Just to throw in a contrary opinion last night didn't do it for me at all. It was my first time seeing this cast and possibly if I hadn't such a recent memory of those two searing Morera/Bonelli shows I'd have felt differently. I found Yanowsky exceptional, what a star she is and how we will miss her. Osipova was crazed in the final pdd in a way I haven't seen anyone do before but it mostly fell short of my expectations.
  20. annamk
    I feel really sorry for Sarah Lamb I was thinking only recently how often she's on stage - she danced two different principal roles in the Jewels bill and now two in Mayerling. I guess it's tribute to her versatility but what a workload. Wishing her a speedy recovery.
  21. annamk
    I have D5 & 6 they're etickets. I think they're £8 each. Message me if interested.
  22. annamk
    I really hope they don't cast Parish, far preferable to give the opportunity to someone from within the company and anyway the role needs someone with exceptional charisma and a strong dramatic presence.
  23. annamk
    It's disappointing but I'm casting his replacement - Matthew Ball anyone ? I raised my eyebrows at the idea of Takada as Mary Vetsera to McRae's Rudolf - no disrespect to either artist it's just not a combination that would have crossed my mind. I guess she must have been understudying the role and it's good that she's been given shot at it rather than a complete cast change.
  24. annamk
    I agree with your review of Winter's Tale, particularly your analysis of Wheeldon's strengths and weaknesses. In recent years there have been scarcely any new ballets at the RB that I want to see more than once and most of them suffer from exactly those problems you identified: although the staging is terrific - imaginative, attractive and slick (and expensive !), strip that away and what remains is largely dull and repetitive choreography viz Alice in Wonderland, Strapless, Liam Scarlett's Sweet Violets, The Age of Anxiety and Frankenstein, McGregor's Woolf Works (I know I'm in a minority with this one). IMO of the new productions that I've seen recently in Europe for major companies only Akram Khan's Giselle for ENB, and Pite's The Seasons' Canon for POB have inspiring choreography that is equal/superior to the other aspects of the production. You're so lucky to be in New York with Ratmansky churning out terrific new ballets - so few of which are seen in Europe. Fortunately DNB have acquired Shostakovich Trilogy and I can't wait to see that next month.
  25. annamk
    I went to the 1st Bonelli/Morera performance and was so completely blown away by them that I had to see it again. But it was not without trepidation that I went along last night wondering how on earth they could match their debuts. If anything they exceeded them and 12 hours later I'm still reeling from the shock. It's years since I've seen performances of such thrilling dramatic intensity. They so completely inhabited the roles that for 3 hours they were Rudolf and Mary, there only for each other and we the audience watched their personal tragedy unfold, spellbound at the final curtain. There was not a single weak link in the outstanding supporting cast - Cowley, Hinkis, Hay, Bhavnani. An unforgettable evening and one of the very finest nights in many years of ballet going.
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