jmhopton

I find the new system so much better (though I haven't tried it on my phone, only the computer). The seat view works great. To book tickets by computer you select your date and clicked Buy Tickets and then Use our Seatmap if you're selecting your tickets rather than have the computer do it. Then wait for the seat plan to load. Incidentally, if you know the date of the first performance you want to book it's easier to find it by the calendar rather than scroll through pages of events you're not bothered about. The calendar option comes onscreen after you've clicked What's On so if you're booking for Cinderella just select April 2023 (for example) You then select a date and click on a seat and select your seat by clicking Select. This gives you the seat view and price. If you decide to go ahead click Add to Basket. It's important to Add it to Basket otherwise it may vanish if you try and select more seats. If you decide against it you click Remove from Selection. If you then want to book more seats for the same production I just click on the list of dates above the seat plan, slightly to the top left of the screen. You can then just select another date and wait for the seat plan to load etc. before going to checkout. This drop down dates system is new to the latest upgrade and very successful (for me anyway). Got the tickets I wanted (more or less). Incidentally, to save money I bought a couple of standing tickets. Does anyone know about how long it lasts? It's that long since I've seen it live I can't even remember if it's 3 acts or 2.

The only time I ever saw her on stage was in the ROH in 1996. It was the 50th anniversary of the Sleeping Beauty, with the Queen in attendance, and before the start of the 3rd act Anthony Dowell came onstage and introduced all the surviving members of the original performance. Dame Beryl was the Lilac Fairy and got the biggest cheer of the night. The original cast sat at the back of the stage and at the end the current cast all turned and paid homage to them instead of the current Lilac Fairy. Dame Ninette de Valois also came onstage and even the Queen gave her a standing ovation. On the way out we all received a piece of iced fruit cake in a box like wedding cake. A really magical evening.

I've had a reply asking if it will be OK to include my submission in the roundup. Of course they could have asked loads more than they need so I'll have to wait and see. Forgot to ask when the roundup is! Perhaps I'll have to email him back.

Does it to me every time, Alison, the BRB version even more than the RB version. For me, it's partly to do with the lighting. Most Companies have the light fairly bright. The BRB lighting for the land of snow is so different to anyone else's. It's quite a dark sky looking heavy with snow and for me, perfectly captures a real sky just before snow and when it's just starting. Its just so atmospheric it always takes me back to my childhood when it seemed to snow more often and was such a magical experience. Perfect. If only it was filmed. I suppose they've just filmed Don Q so hopefully they film the BRB Nutcracker next year.

And me. If we had a vote here I'd vote the same! As its the best performance I've seen in my 30 years as a ballet goer it's a bit of a no brainer really.

Thanks oncnp. Just remembered, wasn't the BBC meant to be showing BRBs Don Q sometime, as part of their Sunday Arts series? I assumed it would be over Christmas but possibly not. Though all I really want for Christmas is the RB Ashton stream!!!!

Yes, I love her as Clara too. In fact, I find the role of Clara and Hans Peter far more interesting in general then the prince and Sugar Plum Fairy mainly because they do my favourite pas de deux in my favourite scene in the Land of Snow. If I was attending a performance (which I seldom do because of cost) I would go for the Clara/Hans Peter combination every time as opposed to the two main leads.

When I mentioned about Francesca in the classics perhaps that was unfair as I haven't seen her Swan lake and I've only seen the recording of her Nutcracker. I was thinking of her Giselle which I thought terrific and her Aurora which I thought sublime. I saw her first performance with Campbell and I thought the two of them absolutely amazing. All the more so as until then it wasn't a ballet I'd go out of my way to see, but she and Alex totally converted me to it and now I always go and see them whenever it's staged. It was all the more amazing as she was ill when she debuted it and Yasmine was in the wings waiting to go on if necessary. Saw her at the stage door afterwards when she explained this and said she didn't want to spoil Yasmine's debut (as she had still to perform it) so she struggled on but cancelled her second performance. How she managed such a performance when feeling so bad I don't know; perhaps the adrenaline kept her going but something magical (for me) happened at that performance and I've been hooked on her performance of it ever since. Re swan lake, perhaps she just takes time to get into it. It's so iconic for any ballerina, you must feel the weight of tradition even more than other ballets. She's plenty of time to get into it more as I expect it will be brought back next season as a theatre filler as we've had SB and Cinderella this year; not to mention Nutcracker. I wish next Christmas we could have Coppelia instead. I thought it sold really well in 2019 and it will have been 4 years by Christmas next year.

Well, I'm hoping it won't be too long before we see Vadim's Onegin. After his incredible Rudolf there shouldn't be any doubt by anyone that's he's not capable of dancing Onegin. Anyway, back to Mayerling.... Rudolf. Vadim. Two of the most moving, heart-breaking performances I have ever seen. What a pity he was in Japan and possibly prevented from getting a third performance. I'd have been there! Mary. Either Morera or Francesca. I really hoped he would have Morera as his Mary when I heard he was going to be cast as they were so amazing together in Month in the Country. Morera was truly terrific with Ball, and Francesca was incredible in her second performance that I saw. is there anything she can't do? Ashton, Macmillan, classics, she is definitely my first choice RB ballerina (with Morera a close second) Larisch. Difficult. Either Lamb or Morera Empress Elizabeth. Mendizabal Princess Stephanie. O'Sullivan Mitzi. Calvert Bratfisch. James Hay Lead Hungarian officer. Bracewell (though I'm curious about Coralles as he got such good reviews though I haven't seen him) Bay Middleton. Gary Avis

I have everything on ROH stream, though I joined because I hoped there would be new offerings, especially this year's Ashton triple, or perhaps some heritage offerings but nothing yet. I do hope we get the Ashton before Christmas but I see their latest offering is the 2016 Nutcracker with Cuthbertson.

SkyArts showing Giselle (again!) on Wed 14th Dec 7am. Usual stock photo of Osipova/Acosta which often means the broadcast will be Nunez/Muntagirov (they don't seem to have a photo of them!)

As TV channels are starting to announce their Christmas schedules I thought I'd start a new thread though I don't anticipate it will be a very long one, certainly in terms of actual ballet on TV over Christmas or the New Year. In this weeks Radio Times the BBC say they are showing Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker sometime on BBC2. Filmed live at Sadlers Wells in Jan 2022 and directed for the screen by Ross McGibbon. Then there is Coppelia:- A new adaptation of Coppélia this winter combines enchanting animation and live action dance in a modern take on the much-loved ballet. With a world-class cast including Michaela DePrince, Daniel Camargo, Vito Mazzeo, Dame Darcey Bussell and Irek Mukhamedov, this new adaptation sees Dr. Coppelius (Mazzeo) as a cosmetic surgeon, whose lure of superficial beauty poisons the town. Swan (DePrince) must uncover the truth about the popular newcomer who puts her community and the life of her beloved Franz (Daniel Camargo) in danger. Choreographed by Ted Brandsen and featuring an original score composed by Maurizio Malagnini, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Mmmmmmmmmmm Lets hope there is more to come otherwise it will be out with the dvds.

Thanks for this Sheila. I thought Alex would attend but I never think of looking in the stalls when the ballet coaches etc are usually in the Grand Tier. Lovely he went to Doncaster as well and met Friends there. Good for him.

I attended a performance of Jewels at the ROH a number of years ago where there were several classes of young secondary school pupils. I wondered what they would think of it, as judging by their chatter, quite a few had never been to the theatre before, let alone ballet. They were so excited I wondered if they'd talk through the performance but when the curtain rose many gave a sharp intake of breath at the beauty of the setting and were really well behaved. In a way this surprised me as Jewels, especially the opening Emeralds, doesn't have a lot to hold the attention of a young teen, especially the boys there. When the curtain came down there was wild applause and shouting and feet stamping as they made their approval known. It was wonderful to hear young people showing such love and appreciation for an art form many had never experienced before. If only a few developed a love for ballet and returned it would be worth it. It was funny seeing them in the interval as well. The boys riding up and down the escalators exploring the building and the girls trying to get en pointe in their clumpy school shoes. They had a great time but you wonder today with the emphasise on timetables, and worries about health and safety, if there is the same will to take classes of children out and about. Such a shame as this is the best way to ensure the arts aren't perceived as elitist. Even if most of them never returned it would be more of an informed choice rather than just thinking the arts and the ROH are elitist and not for them.

Went to Bristol Thursday afternoon to see Raymonda for the first time, which I enjoyed. Some great dancing, especially for the men though I found the Crimean war setting rather understated. Where was the war? Two bandaged men at the side of the stage and the nurses uniforms completely pristine. It could have been anywhere. Liked the dream scene with the ramp, echoing Bayadere though the men got let off lightly with the choreography, nowhere near as difficult as for the Bayadere women. The lamps were used very effectively too. Was a bit disappointed that the really dramatic music in the second act (my favourite) that used to be danced by the villain is now a Spanish dance. Seems a bit wasted on it. Loved the sets and costumes and thought the quality of dancing very high. Interesting seeing Bristol, though the main centre is a little bit away from the hippodrome. Have given up the idea of going today. It was getting too complicated on the bus, having to get Megabus there and National Express back, and only one of those. Get Outlook for Android

Thought I might start a new thread rather than continue to hijack the Cinderella thread. I thought I'd post my letter to Alex Beard and his response if this is OK. Mods please remove it, if you think it's not appropriate. I don't think either of us said anything controversial (especially Alex!) We were just stating our respective viewpoints. I'll have to do it in full rather than as an attachment as I'm using a library pc and I can't find Word. I always try to start a possibly negative letter with something positive which I why I start with Vadim's performance. it did occur to me while writing it I don't recall ever seeing Alex at a ballet performance, certainly not sitting with the rest of the ballet staff, but obviously I don't get to attend that many. He could be at others. Dear Alex First of all, I hope you managed to see at least one of Vadim's performances in Mayerling. They were both absolutely incredible; we all know what an amazing dancer he is but I'd no idea he was such a great actor as well. He was Prince Rudolf with all his flaws and contradictions. They were the most amazing performances I've ever seen (especially the second one) in over 30 years of ballet going. The only snag is we may have to wait for 3 years to see them again. I do hope not and I hope he is filmed for the cinema next time. Everyone who cares about ballet should see him. Massive credit too for everyone else onstage and for all those who coached him in the role. It was a real team effort but Vadim was the star. I only hope it's not too long before he can debut Onegin. I've been waiting for this since he joined the Company and was devastated when he pulled out in 2019 but after that Mayerling I'm sure he's ready now! However, this brings me to the increasing price of ROH tickets. It is getting more difficult for ordinary ballet enthusiasts like myself who just have a state pension and small work pension to be able to afford tickets at the ROH, especially when we have to factor in transport and accommodation as well. I come from Preston and I was talking to two keen ballet supporters at the stage door, from Plymouth and Penrith and we all feel the same. We are all Friends and like to see as many of our favourite casts in our favourite ballets as we can but the increasing prices make this so difficult. As my eyesight isn't as good as it was, I like the stalls circle these days, especially for ballets like Mayerling when acting/facial expressions/small gestures are very important. I usually choose the restricted view seats like C77 to enable me to see more performances. For Manon in 2019 it was £36. For this run of Mayerling it was £58 and for the forthcoming Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella it's £70!; that's more than double the price in 3 years and is the cheapest range of seats in the stalls circle! Added to that the front row of the amphi is £112 for SB and Cinderella! Now I know the large-scale classical ballets are the most expensive, and obviously you are still having to recoup money after the pandemic, lack of international tourism, and because of the Arts Council grant cut, but even so these are large price rises for people with small incomes. I would hate for the ROH to end up excluding the audience that cares most passionately about its productions because we can't afford the ticket prices. I must admit my first thought after hearing about the Arts Council cut was to hope that ordinary ballet and opera enthusiasts wouldn't have to make up the shortfall by increased ticket prices, especially at a time when so many of us are struggling to pay basic bills and put food on the table. For many people, theatre going is a luxury not a necessity (as it is for us diehards!) and for all of us It would be good if you had a loyalty scheme; cheaper tickets if more are bought or pensioner discount or something to encourage your loyal supporters to remain loyal and not be taken for granted, as sometime seems to be the case, and also to attract a new audience. One enthusiast commented on the demise of the package scheme which used to enable her to see more performances, which is now more difficult. Many years ago, I wrote in saying something on these lines and was told that because you wanted your loyal supporters who lived at a distance to feel valued that's why you had cheaper matinee tickets to enable them to visit without having to stay over. That was great, but several years ago these cheaper matinee seats were withdrawn without any notice so how do we feel valued now? In company with many other keen ballet and opera goers I want to attend as many performances as I can but it is getting more difficult financially and it would be good if we had something more than increased prices to encourage us to attend more, not less, so we can carry on enjoying the wonderful performances you produce. You are the best opera house in the world, I'm sure, certainly for ballet, as the RB is currently in a golden era and seems set to remain so hopefully for years to come. I just want to be able to afford the fabulous performances they produce without having to struggle to afford it. Many thanks for your patience! This is Alex's reply Dear Joan Thank you so much for your email and for your steadfast support. I was delighted to see how much you enjoyed Vadim's interpretation of Prince Rudolf. A landmark moment in his career, and I will pass on your comments to Kevin about Onegin. His time shall come I am sure. I appreciate your concern over ticket prices, but as you say it is in an incredibly challenging economic environment, exacerbated by the latest round of Arts Council funding cuts. Our pricing model has to be set at such a level that we can break even financially to sustain the artists and run the theatre, and with rising energy bills and spiralling inflation this is harder than ever. We will keep the situation under very close review - affordability and access remain very important to us, especially for our most loyal audience members and Friends. I have shared your thoughts about packages and discounts with the team. Your loyalty and commitment as a Friend of Covent Garden is deeply appreciated. Thank you for staying with us during this most difficult time. I hope to welcome you back to the Royal Opera House again. With all best wishes Alex

Thanks Bluebird. The ROH website strikes again! I have recently emailed them also (I think I'm developing into grumpy old woman!) about the lack of easily available information. For example, every performance you go to there is an announcement from Kevin O'Hare that cast lists are on the website but they're not easily accessible. I know links have probably been published here but I couldn't find them and had to email customer services who sent me a link which I've now saved as a favourite for future access. But if the ROH are saving money by not printing cast lists the least they could do is have an obvious link on their website; either going across the bar at the top or in an obvious drop down menu. Also the annual calendar they used to produce with a link to every production was so useful for quick and easy booking; why was it discontinued? I can't believe it was difficult or time consuming to produce and it saved so much time in booking performances. It's things like this that matter to regular attendees who want to book multiple performances (if they can afford them!)

Ah, that could be it then, what a relief. I'm using my phone on the train (just left Raymonda. Will review it later) So not always easy to check. I was thinking a hike to £70 was bad enough let alone £88!

I've been using the 'Seatmap and pricing' part of the website. Clicked on 1st April both performances and it's coming up as £88 for stalls circle C77 so that's even worse! Done the same with 10th Apr and same result. Its confusing having 2 very similar pinks but I've tried the filters on and off and it's definitely showing up C77 for the pale pink £88. Just hope this is wrong and the prices are £70. Shows how bad things are when you've got to be "grateful' for an increase from £58 for Mayerling now, to £70 for Cinderella in a few months!

When I looked first they were showing as £70 as well. It's only when I started checking the casting again and clicked on the seat information and prices they came up as £84. I'm talking about the 'pale pink' seats on the filter, the ones restricted by a pillar eg C77. I'm hoping now they may be gala prices and the actual price is £70 which, like Dawnstar, I found a bad enough increase and will probably reduce my attendances.

I was extremely shocked at the price of the restricted view stalls circle seats. In 2019 I paid £36 for Manon. Just now they cost £58 for Mayerling. I thought theyd gone up to £70 for sleeping Beauty and Cinderella but checking the Cinderella prices I see they are actually £84 for that which is incredible and the front row of the amphi is £132! How can this be affordable for a family for a family night out? Of course there are multiple reasons for the increase; covid, lack of international tourism, Arts Council cut and huge rise in energy costs. But even so.... I have written to Alex Beard, expressing my concern over ticket increases and saying that the ROH used to help those who lived a distance away by cheaper matinées, now discontinued, and then there were the packages which were also discontinued. I said it is the loyal members who like seeing different casts who keep the ROH going but we don't feel very valued at the moment as there are no financial incentives to remain loyal, only deterrents in the shape of higher prices. I suggested a possible loyalty scheme to have slightly discounted prices the more performances booked for, or a pensioner discount like they have at the Coliseum. He did send me a detailed reply and said prices were increased because of the reasons mentioned above and because they had to break even to pay the artists and all their other bills. He said he'd pass my loyalty suggestions on to the relevant people, whoever they are. Surely he is the most relevant! Anyway, at least I've tried.

If only it could be filmed. Love the Muhamedov/Yoshida recording but it would be great to have a recent version, especially with the refurbished sets and costumes. Would love this cast too!

There is Kenneth MacMillan’s The Invitation where a young girl is attacked if not raped raped by an older man and his The Judas Tree where a female is gang raped by construction workers. I haven't seen either. Both are 20th century ballets and neither are what you would call classics (though it depends how you define a classic). Laurencia is a 19th century primarily Russian classic where the attack on, if not rape, of the female lead by the local lord of the Manor is strongly implied if not actually portrayed. Manon, in the ballet of the same name (Macmillan again) suffers a form of abuse from all the men in her life, apart from her lover who is the only one to stand by her.

There used to be plenty of places to sit but now many of them are taken up with restaurant tables. I know its a good way of making money but can be irritating. It depends where your standing tickets are for. If its stalls circle there is a large semi circle of red plush padded bench seats at the back of the orchestra stalls that can be accessed by the stalls circle stairs. If you're in the amphitheatre there is another red plush bench seat at the bottom of the amphi. If you want some fresh air and to look over Covent Garden go to the amphitheatre terrace. Some of the seats can be used as an extension of the restaurant but the ones where you walk straight ahead to the open bit should be OK. There is a downstairs cafe on the ground level near the ROH shop, which has lots of seats and no one seems to bother if you've purchased anything to eat or drink. There are free water fountains on all levels so you can fill up a bottle. There is a free cloakroom too if you've been shopping or want to leave your coat. Main public toilets are on the lower ground floor or near the top of the escalator on the amphitheatre level. The main building is usually open all day so it might be a good idea to get there early and have a look round for possible seats. The theatre itself usually opens 30 minutes before the performance so if its on time you've will probably have time to work out where the nearest seats are in relation to where you're standing. If you want, you can get snacks like sandwiches/cakes/quiche/salads from the downstairs cafe or a more limited range from the amphi bar. All very expensive but if you've been having a busy day, might be nice to relax on the terrace with some snacks. Hope you have a great time and enjoy the performance!

I must admit I've virtually given up going to galas as there is always a sizeable proportion of dances I'm not keen on. I wouldn't mind so much if I lived close to London but as it costs a lot to get there and more still to stay over I usually give them a miss. The only 2 galas I've enjoyed in the last few years were the Fonteyn Gala which I thought splendid (lots of Ashton!) and the recent Nureyev Gala at the Theatre Royal. I enjoyed both because all the pieces were roughly contemporaneous with the subject dancer so no very modern pieces and some interesting, little performed pieces which made you want to see the full-length work. Bliss!