jmhopton

Hear, hear, Sim. You expressed my thoughts and feelings far better than I could have done, myself. Many thanks to you and to all the moderators. We wouldn't have a website without all your hard work and dedication. Lets hope 2021 will see us all keep happy and healthy and return to the theatre at some point. Like you say, we'll appreciate it all the more and will never take it for granted again.

I quite enjoyed the ENB version though not as much as BRB or RB versions. I watched it with my husband and thought the drawing/slightly animated introduction was a good idea to explain the plot and the settings. However, I realised fairly early on I'm not a fan of Wayne Eagling's choreography (in this version anyway). I suppose I'm spoiled by the Peter Wright versions but thought this an ideal Christmas to experience some different Nutcrackers and compare them with the ones I'm familiar with. After two minutes of actual dancing I was missing the Peter Wright choreography. However, I thought don't be ridiculous; it's far too early to criticise, only for my husband to articulate my thoughts about a minute later! Also I didn't like the Nutcracker not becoming a real person at the end of the mouse/rat fight; he kept his mask on for several minutes before going off stage and re-emerging a real person. Then later on in the second act he had his mask on again. I'm sure there's a good reason for it but I thought if I'm confused and I've seen dozens of Nutcrackers, will a small child understand what's going on? The dancing was wonderful and I loved the waltz of the Flowers, especially having been deprived of it in the BRB version. Did all three versions leave out the mirlitons? Is it such a tactile dance? Anyway, gorgeous dancing but I don't know if I'd pay to see it at the Coliseum, especially if the BRB or RB version are on offer.

But it says you're allowed to leave home for work if you have to and I thought that's what they would be doing, whether they're dancers, orchestra or backstage workers. It may not be possible to have even the few ROH supporters they had for the last lockdown streaming (though I hope they can manage a few). Even if it's just Kevin O'Hare and Christopher Saunders it will be better than the dead silence they had for the POB Bayadere. Fingers crossed it will go ahead, though if it doesn't I'll donate my payment to their fund.

They are showing a National Theatre Twelfth Night on Monday 21 Dec at 9pm with Tamsin Greig. Also, Monday 28th Dec the NT Jane Eyre at 9pm. haven't spotted anything else much apart from some repeated musicals. Not too great really from our only named Arts channel, especially considering the NT cinema output if they want to go down the line of broadcasting them. Just had a reply from London Live who are broadcasting the Ballet Shoes ballet and they confirm it is only available to Londoners; outside London you can't access the channel numbers given, and it's not available online.

Checking out the ballet on the online tv guide Janite very helpfully sent me and I came across Ballet Shoes: The ballet. It is on Dec 29th 7.15am-9am on London Live. Not living in London I've never heard of this channel and I don't know if this is a channel other areas can get with smart tvs or not. it is an adaptation of the classic Noel Streatfield story by London Children's Ballet. it says it's Freeview Channel 8, Sky 117, Virgin 159 and BT 8 so maybe possibilities for other areas..

I haven't seen all of this production yet but found certain elements slightly strange. At the start and end there seemed to be audience noises and there were two twenty minute intervals that were timed on the recording as if there was an audience, yet bows and curtain calls were taken in complete silence. You'd think they could at least have done what the RB did and have a few socially distancing dancers /stage crew in the audience. Also the small girls and non dancers onstage were all wearing face masks. Not the dancers of course but it still looked a bit odd. Having said that I do love the production. The sets and costumes are so opulent I think they put the RB production to shame. Perhaps could do with some stronger lighting in parts but that often seems a problem with many filmed Bayaderes. They look great at the theatre but not strong enough lighting for film.

What a fabulous review Balletfanp. I could almost imagine myself there (I wish!) I do so agree with what you say about Vadim and Marianela. We are so privileged to have two such great artists choosing to live and work in London we should never take them for granted. Your attempt to get back to your seat made me laugh. I could just see me doing exactly the same. why have they done away with the bell? Is it to stop people going back to their seats all at once. Would your performance be the last one before tier three? What a shame after all the dancers and ROH staff hard work to make the building safe. I bet its a lot safer than many London shopping areas which seem horrendous judging by photos.

870 according to Mark Monahan (assuming he got that right of course)

I think you're right, from the balcony, when you say Mr Monahan doesn't understand the huge undertaking involved in staging a ballet in these difficult times. But that does rather beg the question as to why he is a professional ballet reviewer when so many non-professional balletgoers do understand the problems and are grateful they have been surmounted. Anyway, enough about him. Let's get back to the real joy of discussing actual live performances. I too am really jealous of those scheduled to sit in a theatre and watch a live performance. However, I'm really looking forward to Dec 19th when I can access the BRB Nutcracker and Dec 22nd when I can do the same with the RB version. Thank goodness for livestreams as I don't know when I'll be going to a London theatre again much as I long to. I hope the RB stream is still able to go ahead even if the London situation changes.

Yes, I'm with you Pas de Quatre about the wigs. Even though I love both Peter Wright Nutcracker productions I do have issues with the wigs. I know they do it to blend in with the sparkly pink/gold sets but I do find it spoils my enjoyment of the grand pas. That's why it was so great to see it performed by Vadim and Marianela so wonderfully in the Ballet Academy production earlier this week dressed just in practice clothes. For the first time I really appreciated the beauty of the pas de deux with no sparkly wigs to irritate me. (I also really dislike the blond wig forced on all Titania's with less justification as there is nothing really to blend in with here.)

Thanks bridiem. I thought of a lot more as soon as I'd posted it such as yes, ballet dancers are super fit but they still don't want to risk getting a disease that can leave them with long term breathing problems, not to mention the problems with transmission and widespread isolating that can result from even one dancer catching the virus. It just came over as an incredible petulant, self-centred review as if the performance was all about his enjoyment (or lack of it) and very little if any recognition of all the hard work and planning gone into making it possible at all. I could go on for ever but as soon as I do I find myself getting angry again. Sloooow down and deep breathing..... Think of the wonderful performance that gave pleasure to so many and not one idiot reviewer.

Thanks MJW. I thought afterwards I'd overdone it. It's good to know it's not just me who feels strongly that the ROH should not be rubbished for trying to protect its workforce and visitors, and to create an environment where people can feel comfortable returning to the theatre.

Ive just done a reply to the Mark Monahan Telegraph review. The more I read it the angrier I got about it. I hope I kept to the rules and don't get deleted. I finished with saying I'm glad I've just ended my online subscription if this is the level of ballet reviews in the Telegraph and I'm sure readers would get a much better impression of the performance by reading the Times review.

Just purchased my livestream for this. It looked like the same payment set up as the ROH streamed performances. Am going to purchase the RB streamed Nutcracker too and BRB Nutcracker and the Young dancers Academy livestreamed tonight with Vadim, Marianela, Matthew Ball and Yasmine. They are great initiatives to see world class ballet ballet that even in normal times I wouldn't have been able to see (not all of them anyway) but increasingly I can't wait to get back to the 'real thing' in a theatre and see them onstage.

Thanks for this Don Q Fan. Looking forward to it.

Re SkyArts Christmas ballets the good news is there is a ballet a day from Sat 19th to 27 Dec. The bad news is they've all been shown before with one possible exception. That exception is:- Rumpelstiltskin by LORENT Ballet. Sat 19th Dec 11am until 12.30pm. It's not actually showing as a new performance so it could have been on before and I've just missed it. The other ballets are as reported previously all with unspecified casting. Sunday 20th Dec Moulin Rouge 6am 12 noon RB Nutcracker Mon 21 Dec 6am RB Giselle Tues 22 Dec 6am Ashton triple Wed 23 Dec 6am Anastasia Thurs 24 Dec 6am RB Sleeping Beauty Fri 25 Dec 6am RB Nutcracker Sat 26 Dec 6am RB Alice Sun 27 Dc 10am Matthew Bournes Swan Lake 9pm Cats: the musical (not ballet but hopefully Gillian Lynne's choreography.)

Going through the Radio Times yesterday I noticed the Boxing day screening of the October concert is only scheduled for 90 minutes (7pm until 8.30) whereas the actual concert was 3 hours. While hoping that a lot of Anita Rani may be edited out even that can't account for 90 minutes. I wondered if they may not be showing Elite Syncopations as there is no mention of either it or of Yasmine in the list of principals performing. Also, the orchestra received their applause after Marianela and Vadim did the Don Q pas de deux so it could be a natural place to stop if they wanted to (but why should they?)

Great idea Janite. Goodness knows when I'll be in London again but when I am it will be something really interesting to do in the afternoon before an evening performance and if you have someone with you to enjoy it with that will make it even more special.

Had to go and walk the dogs but now I'm back just thought I'd search 'ballet' on the BFI website and came up with 1312 matches! Just browsed the first few pages and there seemed to be several items from the 1950s directed by John de Vere Loder. There is a Fonteyn Daphnis and Chloe with Michael Somes filmed at Sadlers Wells, a 1958 Festival Ballet Nutcracker and a 1958 Royal Ballet Pineapple Poll (which I might have on a BBC dvd with The Lady and the Fool). There is also a 1934 Cinderella rehearsal with Frederick Ashton as the Prince and a whole series of Lord Wakeham Ballet Film collection from the 1960s. Number 10 has Doreen Wells performing Sylvia (not sure whether or not it's complete). It sounds a fascinating archive of goodies though I suppose many will be poor quality and I don't know how many are actually available for watching. I even found my Torvill and Dean programme with Igor and Darcey in 1996 though it was just called Dance! and also featured Wayne Sleep, Adam Cooper and Leanne Benjamin among others. I see the BFI as a sort of British Library for film and tv and a fascinating archive of our media history (and hopefully present as well). It would be wonderful if stuff could be digitised and available on a pay per view basis but that would obviously cost serious money and might also infringe copyright. At least we can see it in London whenever we're able to get there again.

If you follow this link you should get to Record Breakers http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/results or just Google BFI catalogue Click on the first reply BFI Collections - Collections search Click on Search the Database Ensure 'Film and Television works' is ticked (it's the first and probably default option) Key in your search Searching for 'Record Breakers' (don't put 1973 as you don't get any relevant results) brings up 13 pages of results. Page 9 has 10 results for 1973 but when I clicked on 'cast' for each I couldn't see any mention of Wayne Sleep but the info was very meagre. If you could find out from the BBC or whoever created the programmes an exact date for his record you might get lucky. The downside is (I think) you have to view the film at their South Bank viewing centre. However, I'm not sure of this. It might be possible to get a copy but I seem to remember when I last used it (many years ago I was very keen on a recording of Igor Zelensky and Darcey Bussell dancing the Tchai pas de deux on the Torvill and Dean Christmas show) film wasn't available for home viewing presumably because of copyright. You pay by length of programme even if you only want to see a clip but I have no idea how much. it is a great resource for anyone wanting to see something from bygone times. Presumably films as well but I haven't tried searching them. Good Luck!!!

SkyArts is also showing Australian Ballet Cinderella (Ratmansky version) on Tues 15 Dec 7am. I have this tv guide kindly sent to me by Janite which I have saved as a favourite and click on about once a week. It's set to a ballet search but it doesn't include Netflix. I thought it did but it turned out to be Nickelodean! https://www.tvguide.co.uk/mobile/search.asp?title=ballet SkyArts has been very disappointing lately with little ballet anyway and nothing not shown before and Christmas is just more of the same. As the only dedicated Arts channel (unless you count BBC4) I thought they might have done better for Christmas. There must be many frustrated arts lovers out there with very little to watch just waiting for an Arts channel to come along and give them something to enjoy.

I thought Osipova did the Dying Swan In the Nov concert and did Medusa in the Oct one, unless they're combining some of the dances or swapping Medusa for Dying Swan.

Russian gala, courtesy of Don Q fan who told me about it. Vadim/Sarah Lamb doing the Manon bedroom pas de deux. Also the Tchaikovsly pas de deux which for me didn't take off quite as much as the WBD rehearsal, partly spoilt by poor filming. But at least I've seen him do it in performance. No idea how long it's available for. Lasts about 2 hours. Program: 1. “Scheherazade” duet of Golden Slave and Zobeide Dancers: Nadejda Batoeva and Konstantin Zverev- Principal dancers at the Mariinsky theatre. Choreography by M. Fokin, music by N. Rimsky-Korsakov 2. “The Dying Swan” Dancer: Nina Kaptcova- Prima-ballerina at the Bolshoi theatre in Moscow. Choreography by M. Fokin, music by C. Saint-Saëns 3. “Mémoires de la Belle Époque » Dancers: Claudio Cangialosi and Nicola Wills- Principal dancers at the Royal ballet of Flanders. Choreography by Claudio Cangialosi, music by Andrey Leshukov 4. « Sonata » Dancers: Silvia Azzoni and Olexandr Ryabko -Principal dancers at the Hamburg Ballett choreography by Uwe Scholz, music by S. Rachmaninoff 5. “Manon” Dancers: - Vadim Muntagirov and Sarah Lamb - Principal dancers at the Royal Opera House, London. Choreography by K. MacMillan, music by J. Massenet 6. “Vse ne tak” Dancer: Mikhail Loboukhin - Principal dancer at the Bolshoi theatre in Moscow. Choreography by M. Iwata, music by V. Visotsky 7. “End of Eternity” Dancers: Yumi Aizawa, Sasha Riva - Principal dancers at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Choreography by Sasha Riva, music by Philip Glass 8. “Faun” Dancers: Claudio Cangialosi and Nicola Wills- Principal dancers at the Royal ballet of Flanders. Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, music by C. Debussy 9. “Last Tango” Dancers: Nina Kaptcova and Mikhail Loboukhin- Principal dancers at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow. Choreography by Vyacheslav Gordeev. Music by A. Piazzolla 10. “Falling the art of flying” Dancers: Silvia Azzoni and Olexandr Ryabko -Principal dancers at the Hamburg Ballet, Germany. Choreography by Natalia Horecna. Music by J.S. Bach 11. « L'Histoire du soldat » Dancers: Yumi Aizawa, Sasha Riva and Simone Repele- Principal dancers at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Choreography by Simone Repele. Music by T.G. Albinoni 12. “Le Parc” Dancers: Nadejda Batoeva and Konstantin Zverev- Principal dancers at the Mariinsky theatre. Choreography by Angelin Preljocaj. Music by W. A. 13. « Tschaikovsky Pas de deux » Dancers: - Vadim Muntagirov and Sarah Lamb - Principal dancers at the Royal Opera House, London. Choreography by George Balanchine. Music by P.I.Tchaikovsky 14. FINAL with all stars.

I think the BRB Lazuli Sky was £10. ENB have several streamed (previously recorded) performances for hire. Can't remember the prices of all of them but they vary according to length and subject. I bought their Le Corsaire with Vadim and Alina Cojacaru which was £7.99 and also the doc. about ENBS visit to Paris Opera House to perform it which cost £4.99. The main snag with ENB is you only get three days to watch them which seems a bit mean when you're paying. You think they could manage a week at least.

SkyArts are showing Giselle again Friday 20 Nov 7-9am. So it looks as it they're reverting to Friday again. Like the previous screening it says it's the Acosta/Osipova version but who knows?