now voyager

1 hour ago, J_New said:

It never seems logical to me that a good Olga will make a good Tatiana - they're so different - but then what do I know??

That would be a logical reaction, but I've seen wonderful Olgas who were also great Tatianas:  Birgit Keil, for example (though, to be honest, I loved Birgit in almost everything she did, so that may not be the most objective assessment).  Sometimes younger dancers make great Olgas and as they mature and their artistry grows, become great Tatianas--Nunez for me falls into this category. Osipova years ago did a terrific Olga one time at ABT, and although she is not what I would summon as my ideal Tatiana, she is such a compelling dance actress that I think her Tatiana is great.

4 minutes ago, Sim said:

Well hopefully that would mean Miss Naghdi will get a go at Tatiana, if this selection method is correct!!  

I'd hope that she would in any case, but I can think of instances where (company premieres, where most if not all candidates would not have danced Olga previously, aside) new Tatianas had never danced Olga.

First and foremost, more Ashton (and I DON'T mean Marguerite & Armand!):  Daphnis, Enigma (I can just imagine Hayward's Dorabella and Muntagirov's Troyte...), Symphonic, Scenes de Ballet and a new and more tasteful production of Cinderella.

I, too, would like more Balanchine.  With the current wealth of female talent, I'd love to see the RB do Divertimento No 15, but would also be thrilled to see them do the sublime Concerto Barocco.

And I'd like to see Les Biches return.

1. The Mariinsky's two March performances (Tereshkina/Shklyarov and Novikova/Askerov) of Sergei Vikharev's masterful Sleeping Beauty reconstruction, which I thought I'd never see again--a gorgeous production that captures the glory and grandeur of Petipa in this, his 200th anniversary.

2. In a lesser production, the by-no-means lesser, and definitely exquisite, Aurora of Alina Cojocaru.

3. Hugo Marchand's and Vladimir Shklyarov's Onegins: very different but each masterful, and oh so moving, in his own way.

4. Bits and pieces culled from various galas:  Guillaume Cote & Friedemann Vogel in Songs of a Wayfarer(Houston); Leonid Sarafanov in Tarantella (Tokyo); Elisa Badenes & Daniel Camargo in the Taming of the Shrew pas (Tokyo); Maria Alexandrova and Vladislav Lantratov in the Margot pas de deux from Nureyev (Tokyo).

5. Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz in Tschai pas (which, alas, we'll probably never see again).

6. (I hope I'm not REALLY limited to 5) Mathieu Ganio's Armand in La Dame aux Camellias.

7. The Awakening of Flora with Olessya Novikova and Philipp Stepin--Petipa's fabulous Faberge jewel box, in this, his 200th anniversary.

My favorites:

1. Berlin's Burlaka/Medvedev production (which I just saw again)--it's gorgeous, it has as much of the original choreography as we will ever get, and the Snow scene is exquisite.

2.  NYCB's Balanchine--it was the first (and for about 15 years, the only) Nutcracker I saw.  I don't love it as much as I did when I was a child, but it can still enchant, and for me it's the only version where the choreography matches the scope, power and beauty of the Waltz of the Flowers. 

3. Ballet Arizona's Andersen--aside from the Balanchine, for me it's the best of the US versions: free of gimmicks, it does the job simply and beautifully.

9 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

Sarasota Ballet have programmed it with Enigma Variations (and the Diamonds act from Jewels). I'd be very happy indeed with that - and it seems to have been well received over there, going by the reviews in the links this week.

I saw the first performance of this program in Sarasota. As I very much love all 3 pieces (though I prefer Diamonds as the crowning finale of Jewels rather than as a stand-alone work), I was happy to see them all, and particularly Enigma, although I am not sure that Diamonds is a natural partner with the 2 Ashton works. (And the “Victorian Winters” label used by Sarasota strikes me as a misnomer—Enigma seems to me autumnal, not wintry, and I see nothing Victorian about Diamonds even if I were to buy into “white + glitter = winter,” which I really don’t.)

if I had my druthers, I’d make it an all—Ashton evening with Symphonic Variations or Scenes de Ballet as a third piece.

I believe the scenery and costumes ARE reconstructions of the original production, and to the (limited) extent that the original choreography has not been lost, that, too, has been reconstructed.

3 hours ago, northstar said:

 

 

Actually, something reminded me of the recent Ratmansky ABT Sleeping Beauty (I saw it in 2015) in the brilliance and colour of the costumes. I understand he made a similar effort to find the original costume designs. The Nutracker costumes were also so vivid and colourful.

If I recall correctly (I’m not at home and can’t check my programs) the costumes for the Ratmansky Beauty production were inspired by, but not replicas of, the Diaghilev Bakst production, and were in no way a reconstruction of the original costumes (for Petipa’s production). for those, you should try to see the Vikharev production, recently restored to the Mariinsky’s rep. 

2 hours ago, stucha said:

 

Osipova, Alexandrovna and Lantratov and a new production. That would be a performance to treasure.

 

It would be interesting to know how this version compares with that of Ratmansky  in Berlin. Apart from the sets and costumes that is, which in this case seem to be  re-creations of the originals.  The running time is given as 3 hours 45 minutes

Given the description, I think it will be quite different from the Ratmansky! 

I wish I could see it in any case, but I am committed elsewhere.,.

Thanks, alison.  It's definitely the matinee and the ROH website (FWIW) lists it at 2:30.

Yes, so sorry, and now I can’t edit! Mods, by any chance?

I'm selling one Stalls Circle Standing ticket--D44--to the Patineurs Triple Bill matinee on 20 December at 2:30 PM.   The price is 6 GBP.  Please post here AND send a PM if interested.

3 hours ago, Xandra Newman said:

https://www.roh.org.uk/mixed-programmes/les-patineurs-winter-dreams-the-concert

 

So I'll deduct that the TBC on 18th December Opening Night Winter Dreams is Yasmine Naghdi dancing Irina. 

How totally discourteous of the ROH/RB team responsible for updating the website (I wonder if anybody there is still in charge) not only to their paying audience but also to their Principal dancer whom they can't be bothered to name. 

The late-stage TBCs are certainly discourteous. The continued posting (whatever the cause) of casting information that, even if accurate at one time, has since become erroneous (and we had at least one instance of that with Symphony in C and I strongly suspect have another with Patineurs) is not only disrespectful, but dishonest.

In response to my inquiry, the ROH informed me that “updated” casting information will be posted this afternoon.

Thank you so much, Bluebird, for this; your comparison gives me a very clear idea of where the Australian version differs from Mariinsky one I have seen.  Your analysis also makes me want to SEE the Australian version, particularly for the clock ticking sequence you describe. (As for the Seasons music going to the planets and stars, I kept thinking when I read this of Nerina's "buds bursting" answer to Ashton's question about what she thought of upon hearing the music for Spring--I hear that, too, and am not sure I want that music deseasonized, but again, I would be very curious to see Ratmansky's conception.)

Has anyone seen both this production and the one Ratmansky did for the Mariinsky? How do they differ?

12 minutes ago, northstar said:

Went to a very special Nutcracker last night in Berlin. It was really quite exceptional. Yuria Isaka and Daniil Simkin were the leads.

 

Desperately trying to workout how to embed images in posts and failing miserably. Oh, think I finally suceeded.

 

I think that production is the most beautiful Nutcracker production I’ve ever seen, and I am looking forward to revisiting it later this month.

If anyone hears anything definite about the 20 December matinee, whether Hay is out, and if so his replacement ( I would guess Sambebut who knows), please post. Waiting for the ROH website to get it right feels like waiting for Godot...

7 hours ago, capybara said:

 

 

Yes, it is the instance where dancers were saying something different to the website and the fact that the list was wrong/incomplete has actually  caused some inconvenience in our household.

I'm afraid that, yesterday,  I sent a somewhat assertive e-mail to the people i/c the ROH's social media and maybe, just maybe, this prompted them to sort it out.

If it did, I thank you!  Because I found out in time, I was able to pick up a ticket and rearrange my travel so that now I will be able to see both casts for Bizet.

7 hours ago, capybara said:

 

 

First we had that Lucy Sinclair arrogant nonsense and now this.  Ticketholders were inconvenienced (for how long?  was it 2 years?) so that we could have an overpriced cafe and ridiculous codes for doors which confuse nearly everyone--a far more congested foyer all 4 times last week that I was there than previously, with people no longer knowing which way to go.  Yes, the redone Linbury looks good from the photos, and some of the daytime programs look worthwhile.

The website is a disaster and I still can't figure out whether by arriving in London a day earlier than planned next week I can see a different cast.

What a pathetic story for a storied institution with a glorious past.

On 09/11/2018 at 11:26, bridiem said:

 

Yes - no casting for Symphony in C on 22nd Nov, for example. Not sure if that's because it's not decided yet or because it just hasn't been updated yet.

With 8 days to go before that performance, I still don't see casting for Symphony in C on 22 November.  Am I missing something?  If anyone does know the casting, can you please advise?

Absolutely thrilled to see Bourdon (at last!) and Barbeau, two of my 3 favorite ballerinas in the company, promoted!

14 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Sorry getting out of touch with all the changes and exchanges going on but are O Sullivan and Sambe currently dancing in America then?

Yes, they are  dancing (alternating performances of Tarantella and Tschai pas) in the Balanchine celebration at NY City Center.

I am quite fond of ROTFLMAO... (which also appears in the variant ROTFLMFAO)

I have to say that I find this unbelievably offensive!

2 hours ago, SheilaC said:

•  
• recently casting has come out several weeks in advance (years ago it was available at time of booking, then it was very last moment)

Indeed, for Fille Mal Gardee this past summer, casting was released quite far in advance.