jmhopton

Hi Ginny Re your rep queries I can fill you in a bit and others may be more knowledgeable and add more. Les Sylphides has been in the ROH rep in the past but hasn't been performed for quite a few years. As far as I know it is an artistic decision not to perform it (too old fashioned?), not that it's been officially retired from rep. La Sylphide, again the RB had a wonderful production by Johan Kobborg with great Danish sets and costumes which have now gone to Sarasota Ballet for their new Kobborg La Sylphide. So it looks as if the RB will have to acquire a new production if they want to stage it. Le Corsaire, the RB have never performed it and probably won't now that ENB have it. Also, for some reason it's never been thought to be a good 'fit' for the RB though Nureyev did introduce the famous pas de deux which was performed terrifically by Yasmine Naghdi and Vadim Muntagirov for the Fonteyn gala a few years ago. The RB do perform the full Jewels and it was done not that long ago (2018?) so I'm sure is still in their current rep. I'm with you as regards both Fille and Sylvia. Fingers crossed for the new season announcement which is supposed to be on the 26th April. Hope this helps.

Sat 15th April 2.10am-3am, repeated 8.10am-9am a programme called Art is Our Voice on Japanese Channel NHK World, Sky channel 507. Don't know about other broadcasters. In summer 2022, 21 Ukrainian dancers from Kyiv's National Ballet toured 16 cities across Japan - most sought refuge in Europe, but the tour provided a chance to reunite and dance in honour of Ukraine. The picture provided in my online tv guide shows a group of men dancing a gopak so I don't know if it's more folk than ballet but looks potentially interesting. SkyArts are also doing the RB Giselle (again!) at 7am Wed 19th April.

I do get very angry that these days the wishes of a tiny vocal minority of protesters are often listened to and acted on. What about the vast majority of viewers who really enjoyed the ballet and would love to see it again? Presumably our wishes don't count. Why are management so terrified of offending anyone these days? Do they think they will sue the ROH because they don't like the way India is depicted on stage? It is just ridiculous, and if this is the case I'm really offended that my right to see a great nineteenth century classic ballet has been taken away from me. It's just the worst form of censorship because it masquerades as 'protecting' an audience from potentially 'offensive' material. Well, I don't want protecting, thank you very much. I know what I like and what I don't like and I'm quite capable of doing my own form of censorship and not attending performances I don't like, though it's more a matter of personal taste than being offended and I certainly wouldn't want anything I don't like not to be staged. If this iniquitous form of censorship goes ahead where will it stop, rape in Manon, drug taking in Mayerling, national stereotypes in the divertissments in the Tchaikovsky ballets, madness in Giselle, donkeys in The Dream. Any and every ballet (and any art form) can have something in it than can offend someone. If you censored anything that might offend a minority you'll end up with a tiny repertory that would probably please no one. So don't censor and let people make up their own minds and if anyone complains don't give into them but politely remind them this is a free country with a varied Arts sector which is the envy of many countries which don't have the freedoms of expression we take for granted, and we should be very grateful for this and celebrate it not censor it.

Me too Sim. Though I emailed Kevin over 3 weeks ago about the Ashton stream and still haven't had a reply. Regarding what I would like to see next season; Onegin, Onegin, Onegin. And an Ashton triple and possibly Sylvia (if Fille isn't scheduled).

And me!

I just said on the questionnaire what I said in my previous post with no hope it will be acted upon.

I wouldn't mind filling in the surveys if I thought they would lead to change and improvements but they never seem to. It's as if we're taking part in a tick box exercise to satisfy managers or the Arts Council and once its done they can just file it and forget it. At one point I'm sure Graham Boland got fed up with me going on about the old calendar and how useful it was for easy booking (something you'd think they'd want to encourage) but it was never reinstated and I don't know why. It was only series of links that you think could fit in somewhere on the website and be so useful for people like us who want to book multiple casts. Saved scrolling through pages of unwanted events. Sort of thing they used to have in the very useful list of links at the bottom of the website that are also gone. I thought upgrading should be making things easier for booking and information, not more difficult.

Yes, if POB can stage La Fille there can be no possible reason for the ROH not to stage their founder choreographer's greatest full length ballet. I'm keeping everything crossed for the RB new season announcement that it will contain either Fille or Sylvia and hopefully either an Ashton triple or part triple.

Yes, I agree with you Sim (apart from the music which I do enjoy). I was watching the Alina recording recently and I too was surprised that everyone just seemed to arrive at the ball without an invitation scene. Also think there is too much Ugly Sisters and am always surprised at the lack of a stepmother. Still, really looking forward to the Saturday matinee to see some Ashton AT LAST. Seems far too long since the fabulous triple which we still have yet to see the livestream of. Emailed Kevin over 2 weeks ago but still haven't had a reply.

Fabulous news for Marianela but what was the performance/production like?

In yesterday's links (26/3/23) there was this splendid article about Sarasota Ballets new production of Johan Kobborg's La Sylphide. https://eu.heraldtribune.com/story/entertainment/dance/2023/03/16/sarasota-ballet-presents-its-first-production-of-worlds-oldest-ballet/70005354007/ It sounds wonderful. However, there was something in the article I found concerning and I wonder if I am misinterpreting it. I hope I am, perhaps others more knowledgeable could help. It says, Sarasota purchased the RB La Sylphide sets and costumes for their new production. That would be bad enough as I love those sets and costumes as they were from an earlier Royal Danish production. However, does this mean the RB won't be staging La Sylphide in the near future, possibly never again unless they purchase a new production, sets and costumes? Perhaps they belong to Johan as they're a part of his production. I think there may be potential problems with the RB staging Kobborg's Sylphide because of 'management tensions' when he and Alina left the RB. I'm not interested in this aspect but I did hope eventually things would be sorted and La Sylphide restored to the RB rep., not least because of all the potential Sylphides and James' that have emerged in the last few years. Does anyone have any ideas about the RB La Sylphide situation?

Yes it's a great loss. I have several on my bedroom walls and am looking at them now; Alina, looking very soulful in the second act of Giselle. Marianela and Carlos seemingly floating in a blue sky and white clouds in Fille, and Roberta Marquez in a beautiful arabesque, with Ivan Putrov as a handsome Prince in Cinderella. Just by looking at the posters you knew exactly what sort of a ballet you were going to see, which is surely the job of good publicity. Why such posters aren't now produced I can't understand. The only recent poster I've seen that I'd really like (Vadim and Marianela in Scarletts Swan Lake) I was told wasn't available to purchase. Surely the ROH missing a trick there as I'm sure a swan lake poster would be popular. However, judging by their email shop publicity, attractive posters seem to be making a bit of a comeback, with both a poster and a greetings card of the new floral Cinderella so perhaps there is hope yet.

Hope you have a fab time rosefairy and London lives up to your expectations (I'm sure it will). Would be great if you could manage a return visit too. Even with 2 visits you'll probably only have time to do about half of what has been suggested here! Just a word of warning though. It's great to prioritise things and have an itinerary (I usually do the same when I'm going anywhere new) but don't be afraid to deviate from it if you find some places are too absorbing to move on from as quickly as you thought. You could probably spend the best part of a day just in the V&A, for example and once you're there it takes time to get anywhere else unless you plan to see the Science or Natural History museums. London is very large and its surprising how long it can take to get from one place to another. Do you take the bus and see more even though it's slower or the tube for speed? Both take direct debit cards if you have one to save you buying tickets. Or you could get an Oyster card. So try and plan a day in a certain area like South Kensington for the big museums and possibly Hyde Park and the Albert Hall; or Covent Garden for a walk, the markets, the Courtauld gallery, Goodwins Court and Trafalgar square. Sky Gardens is wonderful and I spent a couple of hours there just admiring the unique view but it is a bit out on a limb so you'd have to think what to combine it with. Unfortunately I won't be in London when you're there but have a great time and let us know how you got on and what you did.

SkyArts are showing Australian Sleeping Beauty on Wed 29th March at the usual insomniac friendly time of 6.40am-9am.

It's not just the updating it's trying to find dancer's biographies and so much more. On the old website there was a very useful series of links at the bottom of the page so you could click on things like Dancers, cinema broadcasts etc and go straight there. It wasn't at all intrusive and if you didn't want the links you could just ignore them. Now, I've no idea how to find dancer's biographies and many other things so I just Google them. No big deal but so much easier when I could just click on a link. Similar with the calendar that used to be produced annually after the announcement of the new season. Every production was listed under season with a link and if you wanted to buy tickets or check casting you could do so easily without ploughing through pages of irrelevant entries. Of course this was so useful it was discontinued. I know there is a calendar of sorts there now but you need to know dates of what you're searching for and it doesn't give all the dates and information about a particular production all together.

I'm incandescent too Janet but it doesn't surprise me at all. The government don't give a stuff about the North of England ( as I said a few months ago in a cameo appearance on Granada Reports). All they're bothered about is getting re-elected, and a time consuming exercise like scrapping a rail franchise and putting it out to tender isn't on their agenda. They don't use it. When Rishi Sunak visited the North he hired a plane. It's just ordinary people like us who have to suffer for their selfishness. I'm sure it's no coincidence that the announcement was made just a few hours before a petition signed by thousands, asking for Avanti to be stripped of their franchise, was being presented in Westminster. Their timetable has improved marginally in that you can already book for some weekends in April instead of only being able to book weekends a day or 2 in advance but the level of service is just so unreliable you have no confidence at all that your train will actually materialise. Not good if you're 200 miles away and want to attend a 1pm matinee. It was never like this with Virgin. Also, the Bank holiday weekend of the 29th April when Morera is giving her last full length performance, is still unavailable and I'm dreading more train strikes then. It looks like RMT have settled but I'm not sure if other unions and Companies are still considering the government's offer. The uncertainty continues.

I was going to mention Sky Gardens as well as it's a great vantage point to look down on London and is also right opposite another iconic building, The Shard. Entry is free (unlike the Shard) but you are advised to book and may need to show id. Goodwin's Court (Google it) is a hidden gem that should not be missed. It is rumoured to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley. It is off St Martins Lane on the right hand side further on up from the Coliseum and is a lovely piece of 18th or 19th century England, including what look like genuine bow windows. Very close to Covent Garden. St Paul's Church (not cathedral), Covent Garden is The Actors Church and contains many plaques of well known actors and possibly dancers also. The garden is also a pleasant place to sit and watch the world go by. Guided walks are a good way of finding about different areas and places. There are several companies that do different themed walks such as Sherlock Holmes, Charles Dickens or even Jack the Ripper! There may be one round Covent Garden. I just Googled London guided ballet walks and several entries down there was a map of one produced by the V&A to accompany their Diaghilev exhibition. The exhibition has sadly finished but you could still do the walk which is based round Covent Garden and looks quite interesting. Unfortunately I can't manage to post the link on my phone. Further on down there is a self guided walk round Covent Garden and another round Kensington and Knighsbridge. Have fun!

Rather off topic but thinking of Cinderella starting at the end of March and continuing through April makes me think of the RB new season announcement which is usually made in March/April. Has anybody any idea when the announcement will be made this year?

I emailed the box office to ask about running times for Cinderella; also if there would be a Friday Rush for the opening Gala night. I was told there is no Friday Rush for the Gala, and the ballet is in 3 acts (therefore 2 intervals) and the running time 'will be under 3 hours'. They said they had only just begun technical rehearsals so couldn't be more exact.

Another couple of Ashton Foundation rehearsals. haven't had chance to see them yet but they look fascinatng.

You could be right, Scherezade as I've just remembered SkyArts have a bit of an Acosta fixation as they show his picture everytime they screen Giselle, even though its always Vadim and Marianela. It's just better to set the recorder and take what comes.

It is RB and, according to my TV guide, (which isn't always accurate) it's Rojo/Acosta/Nunez. This may be right as I seem to remember that SkyArts filmed all the ROH cinema broadcasts for the year of this Bayadere. Unfortunately, I don't think they continued. Interesting Marianela is in both recordings; this one and the recent one with Vadim/Nunez/Osipova

I've just watched it on our TV via YouTube and a really interesting watch it was too. Would have liked to see more models of what the staging would be like and perhaps a couple of costumes but I suppose understandably they don't want to give too much away before the rehearsal and opening night. I thought Laura Morera was an absolutely outstanding coach. Very detailed but also really supportive. It made me nostalgic for what we have so nearly lost in such a wonderful, lyrical dancer/actress. My husband commented it really makes you appreciate what a wonderful choreographer Ashton was; and the speed of some of his choreography, such as Autumn. The rehearsals broke down very complex choreography and gave it meaning, whereas in a performance it's over before you have time to think about it, and the message it's supposed to be conveying. Really whetted my appetite for forthcoming performances. I want to go tomorrow!!!

I was there a couple of weeks ago at the Saturday matinee and it was fine. Fabulous show and very well behaved audience. Theatre going as it should be.

I remember attending a performance at the ROH when just having saved the PD from the lion our hero is chariotted offstage by this lovely black horse pulling the chariot. Unfortunately in the time taken by him and the PD to mount the chariot the horse deposited a large pile of poo on the stage and there was no convenient young man with a basket and shovel following behind as in La Fille. Then the young man's friend comes racing across the stage, waving his arms in a 'wait for me' gesture, looking ahead at the chariot not down at the stage. Right at the last second he saw it and did this soaring jete right over it and everyone clapped and cheered.