jmhopton

No mention of BRBs Don Q in the double issue Radio Times so the one ballet offering I really wanted to see isn't on over Christmas. Back to the dvds though might watch the Cranko Taming of the Shrew kindly highlighted by FionaE in the free livestream thread.

However, the Radio Times did mention SkyArts showing Swan Lake on Christmas day at the usual unfriendly time of 8-8.30am

To mark the 50th anniversary of Rudolf Nureyev's version of Tchaikovsky's ballet, this 2014 Vienna State Opera production revived the show with new sets, costumes and more (the statement ends as abruptly as this)

Also, the Balanchine Nutcracker is repeated Monday 2nd Jan 6.10-8am. So there is some ballet on offer, just not much that appeals to me.
 

2 hours ago, MJW said:

 

I know ! I hope they aren't waiting until the three months free subscription for Friends expires before adding it in the hope that people then subscribe for access? Is that too cynical for Christmas?

Sounds depressingly accurate. Let's hope it's not true.  I want to watch it on Christmas Day, given the paucity of alternative attractions. 

Had an email from the ROH being enthusiastic about 2 Carmen productions being streamed on the new channel but no mention of the Ashton triple. How difficult is to to stream something recorded months ago and will make the Christmas of so many loyal ballet supporters? The Carmen productions are 2006 with Kaufmann and the 2018 production.

On 17/12/2022 at 22:28, jmhopton said:

Yes I noticed the Guardians list yesterday and meant to mention it so thanks Capybara. No mention of the RB or any classical ballet as far as I could see. Very disappointing choice indeed. Perhaps they follow the example the Arts Council seem to require these days, and judge by 'relevance' rather than excellence. 

On reflection, I think my reaction here was rather unfair as I haven't experienced any of the winning performances. They may indeed all have been excellent. I'm not at all bothered that my reply to the Guardian wasn't mentioned, just disappointed that the excellent RB performances from Ashton triple to Mayerling (and many other great performances as well) weren't considered worth mentioning. Also BRBs excellent Don Q and ENBs innovative Raymonda. So, my reply was a result of this disappointment but was still rather ill judged. If I offended anyone I apologise, and will try to think before writing in disappointment in the future!

Yes I noticed the Guardians list yesterday and meant to mention it so thanks Capybara. No mention of the RB or any classical ballet as far as I could see. Very disappointing choice indeed. Perhaps they follow the example the Arts Council seem to require these days, and judge by 'relevance' rather than excellence. 

5 hours ago, LinMM said:

I’ve not seen this version will have a search on YouTube! 

I've just posted on the TV Christmas thread that SkyArts are showing it Boxing Day morning.  Time on the TV thread.

SkyArts are showing Balanchine's NYCB Nutcracker from 2011 on Boxing Day (26th Dec) 8am-9.50am

Talking Pictures are showing Tales of Beatrix Potter 8.45am (see above)

BBC2 Tues 27th Dec the reimagined Coppelia 6.15pm with Darcey Bussell and Irek Mukhamedov

Thanks Ian.  Both links worked for me.

I also love the photo a bit further down with the man carrying his golden retriever to a charity Christmas church service. 

Sent another email to Alex and Kevin more in praise of the ROH. I'm not going to continue emailing, just didn't want them thinking I'm the sort of person who only emails when I want to complain when there are so many things I love about the ROH and especially the RB.

2 hours ago, JNC said:

When I add to basket I automatically get taken to the “would you like to add anything to your basket page”. As you say unless you click add to basket the seats aren’t reserved so I don’t want to not click this, but when I do another page loads and I have to start all over to add more performance dates.

 

does this not happen to others?

Yes, I think this happened to me with the same results; very annoying. Then I wondered if the 'add something' means ice cream, interval drink or programme rather than more tickets, and is perhaps indicative of a more general, one-off ballet going audience rather than us die-hards who want to spend our money on different casts rather than ordering interval refreshments. It is just phrased very confusingly. Just use the back arrow to drop down date list for more tickets and you should be OK. Having said that, I just tried a sample order and it wasn't as good as it was this morning. The ticket didn't appear in my basket at the top of the page even after I'd clicked Add to basket. However, it was there on the annoying Would you like to add anything... page. Word of warning. Don't use the Book more Tickets option on this page just below Checkout. It just takes you back to the start of Events not back to whatever ballet you were booking for. Try using the back button to get back to the same production and carry on using the drop down menu. Or use the calendar rather than the list if things go wrong. Oh for the old calendar that the ROH used to produce with all productions listed each with their own link. Just so much simpler so of course they had to discontinue it.

7 hours ago, bridiem said:

Went pretty smoothly for me too, except that I still haven't found a reliable way of booking another ticket for the same production other than starting all over again and scrolling all the way down the list of productions. (I tried to just arrow back and it took me right out of the booking function, and the ticket I'd selected was no longer in my basket, so I didn't do that again.) So, cumbersome but successful.

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. 

15 hours ago, Ian Macmillan said:

Any follow-up yet by the Guardian for those who have voted? 

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.

22 hours ago, alison said:

I was catching up with the Links, and an interview with John Macfarlane about the refurbishment.  At one point he mentions something about hoping that the redesign would bring tears to people's eyes at the end of the Snowflakes scene.  Well, I can report that he certainly succeeded in my case, totally unexpectedly.

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.

6 hours ago, Balletfanp said:

Me too 😁

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. 

14 hours ago, oncnp said:

 

Nutcracker - BBC 2 Christmas Day 2022 13:30

Coppelia - BBC 2 Tue 27 Dec 2022 18:15 

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!!!!

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

I don’t have a problem with her Sugar Plum Fairy but would choose others in preference as I find her a more natural fit for Clara. 

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

1 hour ago, alison said:

 

Or alternatively there's always ROH Stream, I suppose (other companies' offerings are presumably also available).

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.

On 26/11/2022 at 08:11, SheilaC said:

Alex Beard attends many performances, usually in the back row of the stalls, on the side block . He also made the effort to go to both performances at Doncaster in the autumn and was friendly and sympathetic to Friends who were able to attend.

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.

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

There are special schools matinées, aren't there?

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.