annamk

It's an interesting bill, a pity there are so few performances. La Valse is beautiful but at times there are so many dancers on stage, I think it looks messy unless it is executed with absolute precision. Last night I thought the dancing could have been better in parts. The men looked generally co-ordinated but the female corps and soloists were sometimes out of line and time. In Thais Leanne Benjamin was as remarkable as ever; she and Hristov dealt with the veil mishap so calmly if you didn't know the ballet you wouldn't have noticed anything was wrong. It's a beautiful piece but frankly was let down by Hristov's poor partnering and even more poorly danced short solo. I liked Campbell and Choe's charisma and infectious enthusiasm in Voices although she's too tall for him (or vv of you prefer) and I find it spoils the look somewhat. In Monotones there was a noticeable difference in quality between I & II. Watson, Bonelli and Nunuz executed II pretty much to perfection and it was spellbinding. The Montones I trio of Trzensimiech, Maguire and Takada were good but slightly less coordinated and less secure in those tricky balances which takes the edge of the choregraphy, there is just nowhere to hide in those costumes and on that sparse stage.

My personal highlight of the evening was the return of Polunin and Rojo in Margeurite & Armand. I thought it was one of the most glorious performances and partnerships I've seen on the RoH stage. It seemed to me that in his year away from the Royal, Polunin has grown considerably in authority and charisma and is without doubt one of the most gifted male dancers in the world today. If it was a nerve wracking experience for Polunin to return you would not have guessed: he took total command of the stage, and produced the most thrilling dancing I've seen at Covent Garden since he left. Something of a bittersweet experience to watch not knowing when we will see him there again and quite probably never them together. Rojo was of course sublime - what a pity that the ENB position didn't come up a few years later. They compliment each other perfectly in physique, dancing and acting, the chemistry between them was electrifying. Iit was touching to see them looking so happy at the curtain call. Bravo Kevin O'Hare.

Strangely no Volchkov or Lantratov. Both have roles in this repertoir.

Lantratov was even in the first cast with Alexandrova in 'The Flames of Paris' when they opened in Paris 2 years ago,

And Volchkov dances all ballets as far as I remember.

Volchkov is now listed on the Hochhauser website but sadly not Lantratov ...... disappointing if he doesn't come

There are also some clips on YT.

I'm going to see both of them because for me it was the two of them together that made it so special last time.

I'm more forgiving of Polunin: a young, immature guy blessed with a rare and extraordinary talent. They are few & far between so hurrahs to Kevin O'Hare for giving us the opportunity see him back on the RoH stage. I hope it will be the first of many appearances.

I saw it too and I just loved it. The new Bolshoi stage is magnificent and adds to the grandeur of the ballet. All three principal dancers were a joy - the contrast between Zakharova's melting Nikiya and Alexandrova's strong Gamzatti was perfection. I did like Lantratov: tall, wonderful dancer and partner with excellent stage presence, surely on his way to being a principal. All the soloist dancing was of the highest standard and as you would expect the corps in shades were sublime. I must admit I found the lighting in the shades scene very effective - in my cinema it seemed to have a whitish/blue tinge which added to the ghostliness of it all. I like the way the ballet ends with that scene rather than the RB Temple destruction which feels unnecessary. Can't think of a better way to spend a wintery Sunday afternoon.

Well, within reason, I don't really care so much what rep the Bolshoi bring or about all the funny ways they have with taking calls, I'm just SO excited to see the company & their incredible dancers again ! I hope Olga Smirnova is cast in Diamonds: she looks fabulous in the clips on YT and Clement Crisp's review of her debut in Moscow was lavish with praise. It would be a dream to see her Nikiya with Lantratov as Solor. I'm only singling out these two because they're less established "stars" I'm looking forward to Alexandrova, Obraztsova, Zakharova, Chudin to name but a few and presumably David Hallberg ?

I've now seen all three programmes, ten ballets in all. RakU was the only obviously narrative one. It's hard to pick out a favourite. Last night (Programme C) the audience responded most enthusiastically to Possokhov's Classical Symphony which I thought was terrific. On Tuesday evening (Programme A) I think that it was Liang's Symphonic Dances which the audience most appreciated. SFB certainly has some marvellous dancers. Maria Kochetova, Sofiane Sylvie and Yuan Yuan Tan were all fabulous in their different ways. For me the programmes showed how good a choreographer Christopher Wheedon is compared to many other British choreographers. He doesn't stuff his ballets full of steps and his pdds are attractive rather than ugly. With so much choreography you wish that there were fewer steps and more time for the dance to flow and breathe.

 

Having seen SFB, I have been wondering what makes this company dance with such class and vigour. Is it the modern choreography which is mostly created on the company? Is it the many opportunities which such choreography gives to the dancers, from principal level right down to the corps, which keeps everyone enthusiastic? Do they just have very good dancers? The RB is regarded as a world class company, which has the pick of the best dancers from all over the world, and yet when I go and see the company I often come away feeling slightly disappointed. Invariably, the performances are of a high standard and yet I often feel that something is lacking. I cannot put my finger on what it is. Perhaps I'm the only person who feels like this.

No Aileen - snap - but we may be in a minority of two!!!

Count me in .... a minority of three. Haven't seen Prog A yet but really impressed with the Company in Progs B & C - LOVED the two Wheeldon (Ghosts & Within The Golden Hour). Absolutely agree with your comment about "class & vigour"

I can't see that this has already been posted, via Dansomanie on Twitter is this report in Ria.ru on 26th July in Russian - google translated.

"In late March, the ballet troupe will travel to London to present at the theater "Colosseum" "Don Quixote", "Swan Lake" and "versatility. Forms of silence and emptiness," and one-act ballets staged by Duato."

Madge last night was Elizabeth McGorian and she was magnificent. All three Madge have been excellent but Elizabeth has the advantage of being older than Kristen and more beautiful than Gary (!) which I felt made her a more natural fit and having seen her I am definitely less keen on a man in the role.

I agree with others about Dawid's very fine dancing - it was an excellent debut and given that it was his biggest role to date by far he seemed noticeably less nervous than I've seen on other occasions. I'm sure his acting and charisma will develop as he gains experience.

I enjoyed this double bill very much last night. I love Ballo: the quirky arrangement of steps, the music and the joy the performers brought to the stage made me smile. Nehemiah Kish had the unenviable task of following last season memories of Polunin but this seemed to have inspired him because he gave one of the better performances I've seen from him in London. He looked relaxed and happy, flying on to the stage with vigour and enthusiasm, leaping high in the air and landing securely from his tours. Marianela Nunez is as close to technical perfection as you could hope for. I liked all the soloists although I thought Yuhui Choe particularly stood out.

It is hard to imagine many ballets more different than La Sylphide which followed. The Arts Desk review this morning articulated what I thought about Alina Cojocaru's performance. Her sylph changes from minute to minute: she is alluring, she is tantalising. No wonder Steven McRae forsakes everything to pursue her. His debut as James was a triumph of clarity in mime, detailed characterisation and superb dancing. All the supporting roles were strongly cast and danced : Valentino Zucchetti's Gurn, Emma Maguire's Effie, Kristen McNally's Madge, and the lead Sylphs : Claire Calvert, Beatrix Stix-Brunell and Yasmine Naghdi. Much credit to Johan Kobborg for this gem and a hope that Kevin O'Hare gives him more opportunites to produce ballets for the RB.

Very depressing to see so many empty seats in the house. Go get a ticket !

What a superb review from Alastair Macaulay !

Thought I might try the Stratford Picture House for Raymonda next month as I have never seen it before but was a bit shocked to find it lasts 250 minutes! Does this include intervals?

The Phoenix in East Finchley gives a running time of 2 hours 35mins, maybe your cinema made a typo and means 2 hours 50 mins rather than 250 minutes !

I'm afraid most of the Marquez & McRae performance left me cold and unmoved. Not only were there times when Marquez couldn't manage the choreography (which sometimes happens when she's having a bad day), the lack of "Ashton" in their performance screamed at me. It was often like a Russian "look at me" show and there were a number of places where they weren't in time with each other or the music. I was, however, very impressed with McRae's solos (which are pure show-off territory anyhow) and Marquez's act 2 mime was simply delicious.

 

I thought Ondiviela's Alain was superb. I had the benefit of a front row seat and could see every tiny detail of his performance and felt he captured the right balance of comedy & pathos. Perhaps some of this might not have travelled further into the auditorium?

 

Mosley's Simone is kind and gently witty. Almost in time on the clog dance and precise everywhere else, his performance is very entertaining and warm.

 

Another great performance from the corps, barring a minor hiccup with the maypole ribbons when someone grabbed the wrong one but, hey! Peregrine also on fine fettle.

 

My final comment is on McRae's hair. I know Colas is a country boy but must he look like he's been dragged through a hedge backwards?

Gosh - we didn't see the same show in many respects. I certainly agree that Roberta is not one of the most technically able principal ballerinas in the company but apart from the fouettes in Act 1 her dancing seemed solid to me and her characterisation certainly made up for any shortcomings. I can't say I particularly noticed that Marquez/McRae were out of time with each other or the music either. To the extent there was an element of "look at me" it was fun in the way that Russian Don Q's are fun ! I thought the corps were better than in the other performances of Fille this season but the men still don't seem to be able to jump up and land together.

And as for the hair - I liked it !

There was a pleasure to be had in last night's performance of Fille that is sadly in danger of becoming notable by its absence on the RoH stage of late: namely a technically gifted young dancer delivering the choregraphic challenges of Colas with aplomb and insouciant ease. McRae and Marquez displayed an excitement and enthusiasm that lifted the whole company and filled the stage with joy. It was not all bravura and show : the quiet moments were expressed with tender affection and Roberta Marquez's naughty Lise embued McRae with a sense of warmth that he sometimes lacks. A worthy supporting cast with a notable Alain from Ondiviela. A pat on the back to McRae's make-up artist who toned down the over liberal use of eye shadow, presumably for the cameras, although I hope he keeps it that way.

I would definitely take opera glasses, absolutely no question. Obviously, you won't want to watch the entire performance through them but I find I want to see dancers expressions sometimes and without them it's impossible unless you're fairly close to the stage - or have much better eyesight than I do. As far as it annoying other people goes, I've never been annoyed by someone using binoculars nor has anyone ever complained to me. There are far greater annoyances to be had : texting (during the performance), constant whispering, unzipping bags, rustling sweet wrappers and so on .........

I note that this view is entirely at odds with that of Mr Crisp in today's FT, unusually for me, but so be it.

 

I would happily see it again and, for readers here around Aberdeen, Inverness or Belfast, do take the chance to see it over the next three weeks if you can.

I agree Ian, I'm also unusally at odds with Mr Crisp and I would very definitely like to see it again. The only critisism I have is that is that I didn't feel moved by it which was slightly puzzling given the story and how well all the elements came together. Maybe it was the cast (Friday) I saw.

Perhaps it is something to do with the company training & tradition ? The RB could dance a DonQ that would be fun and perfectly fine but I cannot imagine it living up to the Bolshoi and Mariinsky dancing. It's the same with the shades scene from La Bayadere and the swans in Swan Lake. I haven't seen the Russian companies dance MacMillan - that would be interesting.

Hmmm I was hoping the new production would be getting rid of the current ghastly Swan Lake ! Aside from reservations about Carlos as a choreographer of a 3 Act ballet, I wonder if Don Q plays to the RB company strengths these days ? I'm expecting to be shot down in flames but I'll say it anyway ..... I worry that the RB are short on dancers (principals or otherwise) who could do the lead roles justice. The memory of Osipova & Vasiliev is still very vivid: their 2010 performances were the only time I have seen a standing ovation for ballet at the RoH - except for Darcey's last show.

I loved the ballet in the last run but I have felt something has been missing in the shows I have seen so far (the friends rehearsal and last night).The timing of the humourous touches hasn't been as sharp as it can be and unfortunately I think that goes for some of the dancing too. Paul Kay was an excellent Alain last night: he was exactly the right side of the fine line between commanding sympathy for the character rather stepping into the embarassing & ridiculous. Alina looked extraordinarily happy on stage and the final pdd was lovely.

Thanks Alison. Doesn't sound very enticing.

Does anyone know where is the best place to sit ? I'm assuming there's no rake in front of the stage ?

 

…and, correct me if I'm wrong, has never danced in a McGregor piece before so the idiom must have been especially difficult to acquire.

I'm sure I've seen Brian in McGregor before - can't remember which one - after a while they all become a bit of a blur !

@JaneL

While I actually like Carbon Life (especially the Alison Mosshart parts; and even the kindest of souls wouldn't say I was a youngster!!), I do agree with you on this 'aiming at young people' mantra they seem to have at the moment, and making gimicky things to attract a 'new audience' (usuaully meaning a young(er) audience) into the ROH. To my mind they should be thinking of ways to make the 'classic' rep appear on the cool radar, and so attract newcomers of any age.

I couldn't agree more. I didn't start going to ballet seriously until I was way past being a "youngster". In my youth wild horses might have dragged me to a McGregor equivalent but not in a million years would that have extended to the classical rep. I think the RoH could devote more attention to finding new mature (OK OK middle aged) audiences, people who might not stumble across ballet like I was lucky to do via a friend but who would come to love it as I have.

I didn't found them at all disappointing .... almost the opposite.

 

Sweet Violets was I thought very accomplished in every respect. I thought the choregraphy was exciting and expressive and told the story, although I really do think you need to know who's who before you watch it to appreciate it properly. The costumes, lighting and sets were very arty looking, atmospheric and exquisitely period. The music fitted the piece and was beautifully played. I saw it twice yesterday and it definitely benefitted from a second viewing, at the rehearsal I thought it was a bit long but not so in the evening. All the first cast were outstanding.

 

Carbon Life. I'm not Mcgregor's No 1 fan but neither am I a complete detractor. I didn't expect to like this given what I'd seen of the costumes and I wasn't sure about the music - I'd only really heard of Boy George ! But last night I thought it was exhilarating with some fabulous ensemble images and thrilling dancing (I enjoyed it far less at the rehearsal). I thought the pdd between Watson/Cowley was bit too much like all the other McGregor I've seen, much more interesting were the pdd for the other 2 couples particularly McRae/Lamb. I enjoyed most of the music although I could have given the rapper a miss. I could see that aspects of the costumes created some arresting images, particularly the skirts but I HATED the boots and the masks !

 

Polyphonia I agree with Ismene Brown the choregraphy is very clever - the danger is that anything less than a perfectly synchronised perfromance and it looks a messy jumble. Fortunately, yesterday evening it was pretty much perfectly danced:it was a relief to see that RB men can dance in time together. I liked seeing younger members of the company having the opportunity to show what they can do and I thought they acquitted themselves very well indeed: Stix-Brunell, Dyer. To be really picky I'm unsure about the combination of one of the tallest men in the company (Kish) with one of the smallest women (Benjamin). From the second cast at the rehearsal I have to say Yasmine Naghdi danced the girls solo exquisitely, she's a must see.

A third viewing of this Triple has left me scratching my head at my changed response. Maybe it's reading the critics reactions but it doesn't feel so.

Polyphonia was if anything even better.

Sweet Violets has left me completely perplexed. I've gone from being everso slightly underwhelmed at the Friends rehearsal to bowled over by it's marvelousness on the first night to bored rigid last night.The characters were not developed in a way that made me care about any of them. I found the pdd all very similar, an overdose of anguish in everything. Maybe there was not enough subtlety: the opening scene was so full of angst and violence there was nowhere left to go except to layer on the angst and violence and that was the problem ? Culminating in Jack who was so OTT he now seems to me to be ridiculous. At the other end of the spectrum Lord Salisbury's walk on, scratch whiskers, look at watch, walk straight off seemed faintly ludicrous. My friend thought the music was very monotonous so even the attempt to change the tone - as in the Music Hall scene - didn't have the desired effect, I think that's right. Maybe I just had an off night, I'd be interested to know whether anyone else felt the same.

Carbon Life I like and hate in pretty much equal measure. The music is mostly enjoyable and some of the pdd are very watchable (as before McRae/Lamb and Cuthbertson/Underwood) but the vast majority of the ensemble choregraphy it now looks like McGregor just told the dancers to make it up themselves. It really doesn't look like the way forward to me.

I didn't found them at all disappointing .... almost the opposite.

Sweet Violets was I thought very accomplished in every respect. I thought the choregraphy was exciting and expressive and told the story, although I really do think you need to know who's who before you watch it to appreciate it properly. The costumes, lighting and sets were very arty looking, atmospheric and exquisitely period. The music fitted the piece and was beautifully played. I saw it twice yesterday and it definitely benefitted from a second viewing, at the rehearsal I thought it was a bit long but not so in the evening. All the first cast were outstanding.

Carbon Life. I'm not Mcgregor's No 1 fan but neither am I a complete detractor. I didn't expect to like this given what I'd seen of the costumes and I wasn't sure about the music - I'd only really heard of Boy George ! But last night I thought it was exhilarating with some fabulous ensemble images and thrilling dancing (I enjoyed it far less at the rehearsal). I thought the pdd between Watson/Cowley was bit too much like all the other McGregor I've seen, much more interesting were the pdd for the other 2 couples particularly McRae/Lamb. I enjoyed most of the music although I could have given the rapper a miss. I could see that aspects of the costumes created some arresting images, particularly the skirts but I HATED the boots and the masks !

Polyphonia I agree with Ismene Brown the choregraphy is very clever - the danger is that anything less than a perfectly synchronised perfromance and it looks a messy jumble. Fortunately, yesterday evening it was pretty much perfectly danced:it was a relief to see that RB men can dance in time together. I liked seeing younger members of the company having the opportunity to show what they can do and I thought they acquitted themselves very well indeed: Stix-Brunell, Dyer. To be really picky I'm unsure about the combination of one of the tallest men in the company (Kish) with one of the smallest women (Benjamin). From the second cast at the rehearsal I have to say Yasmine Naghdi danced the girls solo exquisitely, she's a must see.