jmhopton

Sorry Toursenlair, I expressed myself badly there; a bit over dramatic! What I meant to say was that for me the overall season is rather disappointing and as I am not personally a great Balanchine fan the fact that the only ballet that might tempt me to see anything was one of his is indicative as to how disappointing the rest of the offerings were though I am hoping to see Brandon Lawrence in Don Q though I'm not a great fan of Carlos' production. I do hope to see this triple bill at Sadlers Wells as when public booking opens I'm hoping to book for a couple of ROH triple bills on the 10/11 June specifically so I can see the BRB matinee at Sadlers Wells on the 11th. So hopefully I will be won over and enjoy the other 2 items on offer. I've also booked a tour round the costumes at Thurrock on the Friday morning so a great cultural few days!! Apologies also for forgetting that Pineapple Poll is by Cranko. It's just it's so fun and light hearted it always makes me think of Ashton. I'm always getting it wrong.

David Bintley used to be a good curator for some more unusual Ashton that the RB have rather abandoned such as Pineapple Poll and Daphnis and Chloe. I've a feeling I saw both in a triple bill at Birmingham only a few years ago with (I think) Checkmate, another great ballet that no one seems to do any more. It's triple bills like this, interesting but a bit different that I think are great programmes whereas none of Carlos' triple bills seem to contain much of the heritage he pledges to preserve. None of them make me want to travel 100 miles to Birmingham or 200 miles to London. The only ballet that might tempt me is Themes and Variations. I'm not even a great Balanchine admirer so if that's the only attraction it's scraping the barrel for me. Also I think his small scale programme could be a big mistake unless he puts more traditional ballets with the modern ones already announced. Places that don't get much traditional ballet see the words 'Royal Ballet' and many immediately think tutus, pointe shoes and classical music because they think thats what the Royal Ballet is all about. I know the RB Dance Bites programme suffered from this misconception when it used to visit Blackpool and possibly other places as well. People felt mislead. However, London City Ballet and ENB Tour de Force planned really good programmes for small towns with a great mixture of classical and modern ballets? and were really well received.

This is exciting news though a shame its only for one night. I haven't seen ballet at the Albert Hall since the Bolshoi brought their series of ballet suites there in the 1990s. Frankly the sight line problems we had then put me off seeing ballet at the Albert Hall ever again. Does anyone have advice, please, either on reccommended seats or seats definitely to avoid?

Well the Palace theatre suits me very well. Can get the train direct and it's only just across the road from the station. Just hope the return trains are OK. Tamara's take on Raymonda sounds intriguing. If ever there was a ballet story that could benefit from a sympathetic reconstruction I think it's Raymonda. Even by ballet standards it always seemed a particular non story with endless variations. The only interesting character being the villain! Looking forward to it and as a proud northerner thrilled it's being premiered here, hopefully with Alina on opening night.

I signed in and it worked fine. Very good quality broadcast. I had seen it earlier at Blackpool Odeon cinema as Preston don't seem to be showing the Bolshoi. I was impressed with the sets and costumes. The hunting scene in particular was very opulent looking and the white horses very splendid though unlike the pony in Fille they didn't really seem to add anything to the production. Liked the idea of the castle in the backdrop in act one so we see where Albrecht really comes from. It did look rather Disneyish but then Disney's trademark castle was modelled on the Bavarian castle of King Ludwig so it might be more authentic than it looked. Liked the backdrop in Act 2 with the church in the distance and convenient lake for the death of Hilarian! (Hans in this production.) I'm no authority on dance technique but the dancing looked good to me. Liked the characterisation and acting of both Hans and Albrecht's squire whose name was mentioned in the broadcast but not in the cast sheet. Thought Belyakov was a terrific Albrecht both in acting and dancing. He reminded me a little bit of Matthew Ball or Vladimir Shklyarov. Here was someone who seemed genuinely in love with Giselle and was devastated by her death and repentant in the last act. Their final moments together I find almost unbearably poignant. I'm afraid Smirnova did little for me. She didn't seem to me to be a young Giselle yet she didn't have the warm personality and infectious smile that makes someone like Nunez still make us believe she is a young person very much in love. I'm sure her dancing was excellent but I didn't really get a sense of her 'journey' from young person in love to the madness of betrayal. I thought her more believable in the second act and admired the way she stood up to Myrtha and the Wilis in defence of her man. it was interesting to see a sympathetic Bathilde that I actually quite warmed to and sympathized with as well in her moment of betrayal. Some of the mime scenes seemed a bit rushed. I was barely aware of Albrecht discarding the daisy petal though the scene was rather confused as for some reason Giselle took 2 daisies. Also when Giselle was taken ill when dancing, to start with the camera was too far away from her to see what she was doing and when it got closer she didn't seem to be miming anything that specified illness. I thought I know what she's meant to be doing but I can't see her doing it so if you were new to the ballet I don't know what you might have thought. Also Berthes 'wili' mime was rather truncated and didn't really seem to make sense. Once I got used to it I quite liked the second act starting and ending with the 'real people' even though the ones at the start reminded me of the 'yokels' in The Dream! I thought Angelina Vlashintets (never heard of her before) a terrific Myrthe and someone you definately wouldn't want to meet in the dark! The corps de ballet were terrific also and I loved the aerial shots that I usually dislike, as they were used sparingly but to great effect though I wish they'd used one to see the wilis crossing the stage which is my favourite moment in the ballet. I thought when they lined up in a cross formation was especially effective from high up even though it perhaps seemed an odd thing to do as they were so allergic to the cross! The only thing that slightly spoiled the stage crossing and other jumping especially in the second act was their stage landings were very audible. I think it must be more to do with the stage than individual dancers. Did they not have a properly sprung stage when the Bolshoi was renovated not very long ago? Some of the special effects I could have done without. Not sure about the Wilis veils being whizzed off them and the shots of Myrthe and Giselle 'flying'. the appearing of Giselle rising up from the depths was very effective as was her second act disappearance from the top of the tombstone she was lying on into the earth and where she had been been lying covered up with greenery. The final mime she gave to Albrecht to marry Bathilde I found very touching too as was the entire final scene. However I never wish to see another Myrthe cross the stage on an electric scooter!! As others have pointed out the performance was rather spoiled by the continuous clapping and I couldn't believe it when they started clapping along to the music in Giselle's poignant act 2 solo! I know Russian audiences do participate more than we do but there should be limits. But on the whole I found much to admire in the new Ratmansky Giselle and I hope they bring it next time they come as I'd like to see it with a different Giselle though the same Albrecht.

Great to see the collaboration between Marston/Cuthbertson/Sambe. it seems a real team effort and some of the pas de deux look really dramatic and exciting. Must be wonderful for Marcellino to have his first major role choreographed on him. A great milestone in his career. I hope it's a success. there still seem to be plenty of tickets on sale. Looking forward to seeing the first cast at the cinema and second cast at the ROH though once again shame about no matinees. I'm sure I'm not the only person who can't get home at night and appreciates a matinee (even if tickets are now full price!). Also for a programme which isn't so well known or obviously appealing to non-ballet regulars I'm sure people are put off attending if they know they have to pay extra for accommodation. I would have thought if one of the evening performances had been a Saturday matinee it would have done better.

Yes I saw the photo of Vadim. It's lovely. He looks about 18 never mind 28! Many thanks for the info Capybara. I'll keep checking the website.

Do we have any idea when and where details of tonight's meeting will be available, please?

I actually hadn't realised this was on at the same time so thanks very much for telling me. I might follow your example and try and get a cheap ticket for Themes and Variations matinee and not bother with the others.

I've been thinking I've hardly seen Tristan Dyer since the Bernstein triple. Has he been injured? I even wondered if he'd left the RB but he still seems to be in the list of soloists. Unfortunately the only matinee doesn't have an evening performance either the same day or previous day. So if I want to see both casts I will have to have 2 overnight stays. At least there is a matinee which is more than there is for the Dante Project and the modern triple. So if i was tempted by the fabulous casting (versus, for me, the potentially dubious choreography of the latter two), I would have to pay for a hotel as well. It's not going to happen! (I know I can see Dante at the cinema and don't know if I can even bring myself to do that.) No mention of Vadim in the casting. That seems to mean since his Sleeping Beauty last week he's only doing a few Swan Lakes and presumably the Gala between now and the new season in September/October. I know he'll be guesting elsewhere but still... Perhaps he'll say in the Ballet Circle talk this evening what his future plans are.

I know about the Cranko estate but the RB currently has so many great dancers who are ready or will be ready in the next couple of years to dance any of the four leading roles as well as others who debuted this time who I'm sure would love to reprise their roles before too long it would be terrible if we (and they) had to wait another five years to see them. I also wonder if the cinema broadcast has some influence on Kevin O'Hare's decision. Full length classical ballets are probably the 'best sellers' from this point of view (though I admire Kevin' O'Hare's recent commitment to filming mixed bills and modern work). However, putting on a full length work that probably won't be allowed to be filmed might play some part in negatively influencing his commitment to repeating Onegin (though I hope not!!).

Thanks Sim

Come rather late to this Saturday night thread to have everything I was going to say already said!! I totally agree with everything said by pas de deux. All four leading dancers were truly excellent but it was Ball's performance which has remained with me longest. To start with he looked like a poet. With those Byronic good looks I kept expecting him to dash off a sonnet! His dancing was impeccable. I think I've only seen Vadim do the act 2 solo as good as him. But it was his acting that made his performance so memorable. I was glued to that solo in particular with my binoculars and you could clearly see every tormented 'what have I done' expression clearly etched on his face. It was so sad, such a waste of a loving, thoughtful, honourable human being it was almost unbearable. Like others I hope we don't have to wait too long for his Onegin debut but it would be great if he could alternate both roles in the same run like Alina did with Tatiana and Olga. if his Onegin is half as good as his Lensky it will be totally mesmerising. I'm sure the same goes for Vadim as well. The other three were virtually as good. Reece had a tremendous debut; well done him! I never understood why he wasn't promoted in September (same with Joseph Sissens). However not being promoted doesn't seemed to have harmed their careers as they've been awarded great roles since. Like pas de deux I thought he grew into the role the more the ballet progressed and by the final pas de deux the House was transfixed, not a cough or a whisper (even the chatty people standing near me shut up!). Then when the curtain came down there was a huge spontaneous roar of approval and appreciation which was so well deserved. For Osipova as well as Reece. She too acted and danced as if she was possessed and the final pas de deux was almost unbearable in it's poignancy. I mustn't forget Francesca and Gary Avis who both contributed terrifically to the amazing whole with their dancing and acting. I thought the corps de ballet were great too. I love some of the Cranko choreographic touches such as the 'gallop' across the stage (twice!) and the waltz where the girls raise both legs in the air. Both very simple but amazingly effective. The four turns in the mirror pas de deux when Tatiana is completely wrapped round Onegin are fabulous too. I thought the first one was a bit tentative, the second one was good and the last two really stunning. I really enjoy the music too. To me it doesn't feel at all like a 'cobbled together' score even though it's taken from several Tchaikovsky sources, mainly the Seasons. The music enhances the ballet and contributes to the drama. Well done to Cranko or whoever compiled it. Can't wait for my next Onegin this Friday (more debuts!) and really pleased I am seeing two performances of both these two casts. Has Anna Rose played Olga before? Like others I hope we don't have to wait too long for this great ballet to be revived. So many great debuts to come (especially Vadim's!!!) However, it is always annoying that the RB invest so much time and effort into getting everything so right for this ballet and yet they're never allowed to film it for the cinema. Please Mr Reid Anderson let that happen next time. Let the world see this wonderful ballet performed as immaculately and passionately as it should be!!!

I've got a very old recording (possibly introduced by Margot Fonteyn), of London Festival Ballet as they then were dancing Graduation Ball and The Sanguine Fan. Would be great to see them. Graduation Ball in particular used to be a fairly standard ballet for companies but now seems to have fallen out of favour along with many ballets that can't be easily pigeon holed into modern, classical or heritage ballets.

I was watching at the Preston odeon and there was a transmission break of over five minutes in the last act and just at the most crucial point (for me anyway). I'd really enjoyed all the ballet but I was so looking forward to seeing Yasmine and Matthew as the Bluebirds. I thought their initial pas de deux was stunning and then just as Matthew was preparing to start his solo the transmission went and didn’t resume until little red riding hood so we missed virtually all the Bluebirds. I was gutted. Did other cinemas have the same problem?

And I also firmly believe that had Muntagirov danced Onegin he would have been capable of making the role his own in an entirely convincing way. Hear Hear Maryrosesatonapin!!!!!!!!!

I phoned the box office today about Vadim's non-appearance (as it said to do in the cast change email) and had a very pleasant chat with the young man there. He was very honest about it and I came off the phone feeling happier about things but like Capybara think it's better not to discuss it in a public forum until Vadim can state his own case. I just wanted people like me who have been worried about the reason for it (and getting rather depressed) know they can find out for themselves if they don't want to wait until the 20th Jan (or afterwards if, like me, you can't make the meeting). Like Capybara, I feel a lot of speculation and worry could have been avoided if the ROH had given more detail in the cast change announcement. Anyway, enough of that and onto Reece's promotion which is really wonderful news. My only surprise is that it didn't come earlier. I was expecting it in September as he has already danced several principal roles and seemed a shoo in for first soloist. This season he debuted the prince in Sleeping Beauty and was obviously understudying several major roles as he was able to fill in mid-performance for Steven McRae in Manon and also Onegin at fairly short notice. So a hugely versatile dancer with a great talent and I'm sure he'll be a splendid Onegin.

I assume Vadim was dancing tonight as scheduled?

To get back to the original thread about the NBC visit I find I am in danger of becoming (or have already become) a Grumpy Old Woman re the ROH. Having been devastated by Vadim not dancing Onegin and cross about the removal of the calendar I'm now disappointed that if NBC are coming they're not also dancing The Merry Widow which is one of my favourite ballets and the only really favourite ballet I haven't seen live. The nearest we've got is the cinema broadcast from Australian Ballet last year but I would have loved to see it at the ROH. We've just seen our excellent RB Sleeping Beauty but will probably never get the chance to see The Merry Widow unless NBC or Australian Ballet bring it over here. I've very fond memories of my old VHS recording with Karen Kain which I transferred to dvd and still love watching. It would have been great to see it live and very (very) slightly made up for not seeing Vadim in Onegin. I know touring is massively expensive and the sets and costumes are so opulent it would have been a huge financial outlay to bring them and they may not have recouped their costs which are a lot easier to guarantee for Sleeping beauty as has been seen with the latest sell out run by the RB despite massively inflated ticket prices. Still it would have been a great summer treat to look forward to.

This is a copy of the second letter I sent yesterday to Graham Boland the Customer Services Manager re the disappearing easy access calendar:- Many thanks for getting back to me so promptly. I'm still really hugely disappointed the old season calendar has gone. it was just so easy to use and I still vastly prefer it to the new one. Is there not room for both? I've reluctantly saved the new calendar as that's all that is available until the old version is (hopefully) restored but I can't say I really like it. It seems to rely on you wanting to know what is available on a specific day which is OK in it's way but I much prefer looking at a list of all annual productions and seeing how they all fit together and clicking on a specific production to see the list of who is dancing or what ticket availability there is. I tend to want to look at a production as a whole and not specific dates. I know I can do this via the ordinary booking site but if the production is a while off you have to do a lot of scrolling to find it and the old layout was invaluable for this and just general ease of access. if I as a ballet regular find the new layouts tedious and time consuming how can a ballet or opera newbie easily find information? I suppose if you've never known anything else you might just accept it but when you've had a great system and it's taken away for no good reason it is very frustrating. I've already had the very depressing news that Vadim Muntagirov is no longer dancing Onegin when I've been waiting for him to dance the role for five years and my husband and myself have booked all his performances and hotels as well as we live 200 miles away so it's been a very depressing ROH day which the calendar news has just made worse. Please re-instate it. I got a very prompt, polite reply from him today (I only wrote my letter last night) to say he will pass my concerns on to the web team so we'll have to see but I'm not optimistic. it seems the ROH wants to remove all the useful easy to use parts of their website and replace it with things that look good but aren't nearly as easy to use (from my point of view, anyway).

Just what I think Lizbie and have said so (twice now in the last 2 days) to Graham Boland, Customer Services Manager. He said the old calendar link had been removed and gave me the link to the 'new calendar option which makes it easier to see what is coming up' (his words). I've just replied and said the new calendar seem to rely on you knowing what day you want to attend, whereas I loved the clarity and simplicity of the old calendar when all productions are laid out and you can see at a glance how the season fits together, and if you want to know casting/seat availability for a specific production you can just click on that production and it's there without endless scrolling through the ordinary website. he said he'd pass my comments on to the web designers but I'm not holding my breath. I asked why the ROH couldn't have both systems as the good one is only one page so I'll see what he says. As I said to him, coming on the same day as the news of Vadim's non appearance in Onegin (devastating for me) it's been a hugely disappointing ROH day.

If anyone is in London and can't get a ticket for a performance you can always watch it on the largeish TV in the crush room. It is obviously intended primarily for those who have tickets and who've arrived late (as was the case when I watched it) but the crush room seems to be part of the new open up areas and when I was there several people came in, watched for a while and then left so I assume it's available for anyone. There wasn't anyone from the ROH monitoring the situation or asking for tickets. Mods if I have misinterpreted the situation please remove this post.

I only mentioned it previously in my posting because I thought from what I've read previously that the 'new' Cinderella included some new choreography and wasn't solely just new sets and costumes. Perhaps I was wrong though I do think the pantomime characterisation of the two ugly sisters is a bit OTT and could do with toning down a bit. I see why Ashton did it like that as the roles were created for him and Helpman but to me it doesn't quite work today. I also thought the lack of a stepmother rather odd and I'm sure many children (who usually take their fairy stories literally) think it's a bit strange too. Having said that I do like Ashtons Cinderella and would love to see it back in the rep again.

Agree with many of JNC's suggestions especially Giselle with all those potentially wonderful debuts. La fille too has great potential for debuts. Aso a new Cinderella ( retaining much of the Ashton choreography) which would be great for Christmas. If it was combined with another good traditional mixed bill that would be great too. I thought the double and triple bills programmed round Christmas for the last couple of years have been exemplary and a great tradition to keep going. Also I love the idea of keeping traditional and modern mixed bills more separate. I've gone to more mixed bills at the ROH in the last couple of years than in the ten years prior to that because there was always at least one ballet I didn't want to see at all and it's too expensive to pay for an overnight stay for part of a programme. More heritage programmes whether on the main stage or Linbury would be wonderful, especially Macmillan, Ashton and Ballet Russes ballets that haven't been danced for ages and are in danger of becoming forgotten through neglect. As I've said before many times once the likes of Christopher Carr and even Kevin himself are no longer around who will be able to revive obscure Ashton, Macmillan and others? They need to be revived now then current dancers and potential ballet teachers can experience them for themselves. Finally, Onegin has been number one on my wishlist for far too long. My wait is nearly at an end but please Mr O'Hare don't let us all have to wait so long for its next revival.

Seen so much this year and it's almost all been amazing so to pick one performance is almost impossible. I've really enjoyed some incredible debuts; Sambe /O' Sullivan and Hayward /Coralles in Romeo and Juliet. Naghdi /Ball in Coppelia as well as some great mixed bills. However I agree with Jenny Taylor that at the moment Vadim is in a league of his own so my outstanding performance must include him. His solo in Coppelia I think is one of the most outstanding solo's I've ever seen as was his performance in Winter Dreams. Like others I cried at the end of his Two Pigeons but if I can only choose one outstanding performance it would have to be his performance in A Month in the country which I found emotionally draining and so incredibly moving. I went with my husband, Terry, and we both thought the same. We booked specifically for the second week so we could see him twice in this and also once in Symphony in C, another great ballet with great performances. We have been so spoilt with such amazing rep. and dancing in 2019 it's difficult to see how 2020 can equal it let alone surpass it but it will be a lot of fun finding out!