jmhopton

Was at the ROH for a full day last Thursday; matinee and evening for the triple bill. In the evening second interval I was in the new open up area which I always think of as the Euston concourse because the 2 are practically interchangeable. A few bill boards giving the starting time of the next performance and no one could tell the difference. Nearby a rather posh lady who immediately reminded me of the Laura Morera character in the Concert was berating her husband whom she had been unable to find. Her final remark was ' Why did you expect me to look for you in this rubbishy cafeteria?' which I thought summed up the new multi million pound public space very nicely.

Yes, happy Christmas to everyone connected with ballet and the Forum (wonder if Vadim is going to watch himself on tv tonight; I certainly am!). All the best to everyone for a sparkling and ballet filled New Year. Already looking forward to 2 Pigeons and all the other wonderful balletic treats coming up in 2019. I'm sure it's going to be yet another fabulous ballet year.

Hear, hear! This has been my wish for a while and I got quite excited for Winter dreams because I got the sisters mixed up and thought Yasmine was partnered with Vadim. Sarah Lamb was wonderful but my New Years wish is for Yasmine to be partnered with Vadim either for the summer triple or next season. I think their amazing classical styles and artistry will complement each other so well. I love Hayward's style too but I think there may be too much of a height discrepancy as Francesca is quite small and Vadim quite tall.

Definitely !!

1. Vadim Muntagirov in Winter Dreams 2. Vadim Munagirov in Bayadere 3. Vadim Muntagirov in Swan Lake 4. Vadim Muntagirov in Manon 5. Vadim Muntagirov in anything else OK, perhaps this is a slight exaggeration but I do think Vadim has developed so much this year; not just in the dancing but as a great dance artist. As I can't attend the ROH as often as I'd like I do have to select dancers and programmes I really like and he is one of the main dancers I go and see. Other must see dancers include Francesca Hayward and Yasmine Naghdi and I'm becoming to appreciate Matthew Ball and Marcellino Sambe the more I see of them. I also love seeing Joseph Sissens in whatever role he has. So to amend my original list slightly 1. Vadim Muntagirov in Winter Dreams (Also Sarah Lamb, Gary Avis and Yasmine Naghdi and a big thumbs up to the fabulous Les Patineurs) 2. Vadim Muntagirov in Bayadere (Also brilliant performances by Marianella Nunez, Natalia Osipova and Gary Avis) 3. Vadim Muntagirov in Swan Lake (and a big thank you to Liam Scarlett for this fabulous new production which I love even though I'd like a different ending) 4. Matthew Ball for rescuing Giselle after Hallberg's injury and for giving an amazing performance. (Also Hayward and Naghdi for their amazing debuts in Giselle.) 5. Brandon Lawrence and Delia Matthews from BRB for lighting up la Fille at the Lowry.

Only 2 performances of Bright Stream, no matinees and mid week as well. Such a disappointing programme; only 4 ballets instead of the usual 5 and no 'new to London' ballets. I wonder if they're trying to save money on transporting sets/costumes etc. I would love to have seen Marco Spada, the Taming of the Shrew that was cancelled or even Esmerelda. Oh well it'll be a cheap summer and more to spend on RB performances!

Had to watch Patineurs when I got home as already suffering withdrawal symptoms! I think it was filmed in 2011 and starred Macrae/Lamb/Pennefather. However, what was really interesting was looking through the cast at the end the male dancers included a young Liam Scarlett, and Samantha Raine (ballet mistress extraordinaire judging by the latest Bayadere) was one of the Blue Girls.

Well I too was at both performances of the RB triple yesterday but seemed to have had a different experience to Lizbie 1; one of the beauties of any theatrical experience is the way different people see things differently. I loved Patineurs, but then I always do; before I went I was fantasising about my perfect triple bill; Les Patineurs 3 times! Was disappointed not to see Coralles and James Hay and also missed Sambe's performances but David Yudes was very good in the matinee; especially loved his turns at the end though when it gets to that bit I'm always nostalgic for the time the curtain was lowered then then raised again to him still spinning. In the evening Luca Acri was also splendid and I liked the bit where he was trying to catch up with the long line of dancers which got a laugh. I don't remember anyone else doing that. Both sets of blue girls were great though I especially liked Meaghan Grace Hinkis and Anna Rose O'Sullivan in the evening. However, in both performances I thought the girl who did the second solo; the one with the 'suspended' pirouettes didn't hold them as long as Takada managed in the recording of a few years ago. But the ballet was a delight as always and so perfectly choreographed and structured the time seemed to fly by. Great to see Joseph Sissens in the corps. it's a long time since I saw Winter dreams and looking at the cast list I was amazed it had only been performed 39 times as it was choreographed about 1990. I don't think I've seen it since the original cast of Bussell/Mukhamedov so I didn't remember much about it. Frankly I was a bit bored in the afternoon. It seemed rather disjointed and episodic and though the cast were great I couldn't find myself getting involved in it. Perhaps it was seeing it from the amphi though my seat was ok. I found myself slightly sympathizing with an increasingly vocal very small child whom I thought was saying (screaming) 'I don't like it!'. Incidentally I was increasingly thinking it's not such a good idea to put Winter dreams in this triple. There seemed to be quite a few very small children there at both performances and though you can argue it's the parent's fault for not checking whether all 3 ballets are suitable for small children it might be a good ides in the future to pair Winter Dreams with something else or not show it before Christmas. Gary Avis must get a mention as being fabulous in both performances while playing different parts. is there nothing he can't do in the acting department? In the Dowell role in particular Kulygin, Masha's husband, he was incredibly moving. You really felt what he was suffering by comparison with his young rival. Yasmin Naghdi was an amazing Irina; such a fabulous classical style (those port de bras!) I look forward to seeing her Masha in the future and how wonderful it would be if she was paired with the star of the show; Vadim Muntagirov. His performance alone was worth the price of admission; indeed was worth the cost of the entire trip; train and hotel included. In fact the first thing I did after it had ended was to see if he was scheduled to dance it again as I felt I must be there, regardless of the cost, but he isn't. Bruce said after the matinee it would be like watching another ballet and how right he was. It was criminal it wasn't filmed. How I hope we have the chance to see it again fairly soon and have it filmed. To me it was a complete masterclass of dancing and acting. I've seen him in many roles and just when you think you have run out of superlatives he produces yet another groundbreaking performance. It was definitely one I will remember and treasure for a very long time. His dancing we know about; those amazing leaps and turns with such soft landings, his beautiful hand and arm movements, but it was his acting that really amazed me. I wish anyone who doubted his acting skills and ability to show passion had been there. Irek Mukhamadov himself couldn't have done better and I always thought he was the definitive Vershinin. After being put through the emotional wringer with Winter dreams I found the Concert a bit of an anti-climax. I think I agree with the reviewer who thought the rest of the audience seemed to be thinking it was funnier than he did. It was quite funny, especially at the start with the pianist 'showing off' and the different people arriving but I thought it got less funny as it progressed though the dancing girls were mildly amusing. It was ok but I don't think of it as being anything special. it would be interesting to see something else like the Leaves are Fading or Dances at a Gathering. Laura Morera stole the show in the evening and Itziar Mendizabel was great in the afternoon.

In the forties and fifties they had ventriloquism on the radio in the form of Educating Archie (and others) which is even more bizarre. https://www.otrcat.com/ventriloquists-in-old-time-radio

Not by me!!!

Sunday 16 December SkyArts are showing the 2016 RB Nutcracker at 4pm. Can't find a repeat during that week and recent experience has shown me that if you try and get it on Catch Up Sky want you to pay extra though that may not apply if you have Virgin or other ways of getting SkyArts. I suppose it may be repeated over the Christmas period but my Radio Times only goes us to 21st December. I think the Christmas double issue is due out next week. I think the casting was Cuthbertson/Kish/Hayward/Campbell with Naghdi as the Waltz of the Flowers lead. Perhaps someone else could confirm if this is definite.

Thank you FrankH for encapsulating perfectly what I felt when watching the Nutcracker cinema broadcast. I loved Anna Rose's dancing but for me at least she doesn't yet have the personality of other recent Claras, especially Hayward. However, she is only a soloist and not a principal and obviously Francesca has had much more experience in major roles so I'm sure it will develop over time. I wonder if I'm a bit ''Nutcrackered out' as it's been the RB Christmas broadcast for what seems like forever. Like you again I found even the amazing Nunez/Muntagirov partnership I always finds so magical didn't do a lot for me unlike their amazing Bayadere a few weeks ago. That might have been something to do with the (for me) unflattering character disguising blond wigs which I really hate. I'm hoping that the new or revised Cinderella Kevin O'Hare has talked about will be the Christmas ballet next year and give us all a break though I think it's a good idea to have a Christmassy double or triple bill also. This year's seems to have sold well which must be encouraging (as long as they don't increase prices for mixed bills next season!)

An American In Paris is apparently also being shown on BBC2 over Christmas. Can't find any details as to date or production, but hopefully the new one Christopher Wheeldon choreographed as it was also filmed and shown at cinemas earlier this year.

This looks to be the most unadventurous programming any Russian Company has done for years and strengthens my belief that the Hochhausers are not as personally involved in programme planning as they used to be and that the 'money making' , programmers (so familiar to all of us these days, alas) have had a large say in the programme. As I've said previously the Hochhausers used to present a balanced programme between previously seen, new to the UK, and popular audience pleasers such as Swan Lake. There was usually some sort of mixed bill as well. This programme doesn't bring us anything we haven't seen before (though Bright Stream hasn't been seen for about 10 years) and no mixed bill. If they do Swan Lake it usually is performed twice so no surprises there. Though a bit surprising to see Spartacus performed twice. is it really that popular? I suppose the politically correct brigade might have played a part in rejecting Shrew and Bayadere but if so that's a shame. it's just a form of censorship. It may also to do with the fact neither sold well at la Scala but can you judge the sales of one opera house with another? Russian companies usually sell well in London almost regardless of what they do (though very modern mixed bills might struggle). So for me it might be a cheap (ish) summer just seeing Bright Stream and perhaps a Don Q.

I thought I couldn't see you anywhere Janet. Apologies as I think I took the last parking space! It was really awful. But if you go again for a long ballet make sure you get a voucher on your way out as they've installed parking machines and you're only allowed 3 hours and of course if the ballet lasts nearly 3 hours and you've parked early you'll go over this. I think they have these sneaky cameras to track how long you've been there. I took 2 ladies; one who saw it before on Tuesday at the cinema and one to whom it was new and they were both really impressed. The 3 leads were incredible (especially Vadream). His elegance and port de bras were out of this world. As Altynai Assylnuratova was born to play Nikia I think he was born to play Solor (mind you I think that for just about every role I see him in!) But I think his Solor was really special. All the corps and the Shades were sheer perfection. It was so wonderful all we need now is a dvd or better still on tv over Christmas.

I too was at the Friday evening performance. I'd booked hoping to see Corralles whom I'd never seen but came away enraptured at a faultless, amazing indeed life-enhancing performance that was given by Osipova/Nunez/Muntagirov. They were just stunning together and I rather wish this was the performance that had been filmed. On a lighter note the lady next to me was reading out the plot summery to her friend and when she had finished the first act the friend said 'Oh I see; a bit like an episode of EastEnders then'!

I think they must have 'freshened up' the tiger because from previous runs it was so awful (I always thought of it as an Oxfam reject) it always got a laugh from the audience whereas I haven't heard much laughter from the few performances I've attended this time. I still feel rather cheated that Solor doesn't make his betrothal entrance on an elephant. Walking under a curtain isn't very warrior like at all. I suppose all the budget went on the last act which doesn't seem to deliver much these days. A lot of dust isn't nearly as dramatic as when the Buddha used to break in half.

Just had an email from the ROH to say Coralles is injured and won't be dancing this Friday and he was the main reason I was travelling from Lancashire as I haven't seen him yet. Vadim is dancing in his place. I didn't think I'd ever be disappointed in having Vadim as a cast change but I have seen him twice already (3 times if I go to Southport this Sunday) and was looking forward to seeing Coralles. Hope he isn't badly injured and will be back soon. Must be as disappointing for him as for us.

Did Vadim do a different first solo in the betrothal act last night? I know it's not very likely but when I saw him at the theatre last Thursday I really got the wow factor from his solo then which I didn't get last night. I thought he did a succession of those spectacular turns in the air that yesterday he did in the Shades act but perhaps I remember wrong.

I enjoyed last nights performance though I do agree with those who commented on the poor lighting. They were filming the live performance I was at last Thursday when I saw the same cast. You would have thought if they had played that through they would have seen the problems of poor lighting and made some sort of adjustment for the recording. I accept that is not easy to do during a run where the lighting is presumably set the same for every performance but it should have been obvious that some occasional adjustments were needed for the recording. Has anybody mentioned the snake or lack of? Because Marianella seemed to slightly have her back to the screen when she discovered it I didn't think it was visible at all either then or when she threw it to the floor (should the cameraman have been tracking it?) Also, possibly because of the lighting, I didn't even see it when the fakir picked it up and banged it on the ground. it looked as if he was miming something! So if you didn't know the plot and hadn't read the scenario you wouldn't know what was going on. We need a bigger snake!! Also agree about the temple at the end. You couldn't see any disintegration, just clouds of smoke. Didn't the Buddha statue used to break in half? That was very dramatic and gave a good indication as to what was happening. Anyway loved the performance. I thought the three leads were great in their interpretations as to how they saw their characters. it doesn't necessarily mean they are the only or the most valid interpretations. I too saw Takada and Naghdi last week and really enjoyed their performances and interpretations too. The Shades and all the corps variations were amazing and all credit to Samantha Raine for creating such strength and depth in these roles. Of course the 3 shades were exceptional in their interpretation. I could have watched them all night! Need a dvd to permanently capture this Bayadere and perhaps they could adjust the lighting on a dvd even though they didn't do it for the performance. Looking forward to seeing Coralles this Friday and hopefully the encore cinema performance this Sunday then nothing more until Dec 20th alas, though can't wait for this triple bill which sounds as if it's going to be really special.

Might see you there Janet as I too hope to see it at Southport on Sunday despite seeing it yesterday too at Preston.

Ticket is now sold.

Me too. She was the best. Clement Crisp said she was born to play Nikya and how right he was. At least we can re live it on dvd.

Great review Darlex and made me realise I'd forgotten to mention the corps who I thought were outstanding tonight and not just in the Shades either but in all the character dances too. They were exceptional. Possibly the best I've ever seen, better than the Bolshoi or Mariinsky. Having said that I'm not a huge fan of this production. I think you have to leave out too much to accommodate the last act: no elephant or parrots and no Indian dance or slave pas deux. Also no 'happy dance' from Nikya when she thinks Solor has given her the basket of flowers. This dance is very important as it highlights the tragedy that is to follow. I always feel with this production that I enjoy the ballet despite the production not because of it.

Yes I would love to see an Osipova /Coralles recording. It would be interesting to compare him to Ivan Vasiliev who has always been my benchmark for Basil (after Baryshnikov). As they usually want at least one big name for cinema broadcasts they seem the obvious choice.