jmhopton

23 minutes ago, TurningPointe said:

Absolutely Janet!  Thank you.  Just to be clear, I was asking out of concern rather than to speculate.  Cesar is a young, super-talented dancer, and the last time I saw him dancing was at the Nureyev Gala (Sept. 2022) where he performed a beautiful Corsaire pas de deux with Yasmine Naghdi. 

Also a terrific pas de six in Laurencia with Osipova. It was those 2 performances that made me extra keen to see him in Don Q, especially as I think he was also injured the last time it was performed (2019?) when he should have debuted. However, not to be. I wish him a good recovery and hopefully we'll see him in Manon next year.

SCS are the same at £14 but the restricted view SC seats I like are £4 cheaper than Don Q, £63 instead of £67 so I don't really see the logic of that. 

Well, I decided to cancel my 2 Don Q performances on the 28th Oct. Mixture of cost, not so much the tickets for once but the £200 it would have cost for transport and accommodation (if I'm lucky!) I'm still going to 5 performances and will see Matthew/Mayara at the cinema and can always go twice as our local Odeon has started showing the encore performances as well. Also, I booked a matinee ticket for Nutcracker 1st Jan  to see Annette Buvoli and Marianne so I just need to know about transport on Jan 1st. Do trains run a Bank Holiday service? I know National Express seem to be operating but I'd need to go from Chelt as the coaches from Preston are fairly non existent. Plenty of tickets left for this performance and I even managed a standing ticket.

I noticed when I cancelled the evening performance (Takada/Acri) that it said there was filming. I wondered if it was a Japanese Company for Takada as sometimes in the past they have filmed her or Ryio. Shame about missing Acri. I was looking forward to seeing him but am conscious I don't know how many Manon's I will want to see and also know just how many Ashtons I want to see; far more than I can afford!!!

The evening performance (Takada/Acri 28th Oct) I cancelled was a SCS if anyone is interested. £14 D46. Credit was instantly in my account. I'm impressed.

23 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

Yes, and now I feel like I need to book for the Nutcracker!

I wasn't intending to, but I would really like to see Marianna Tsembenhoi as Clara.

Me too, art_enthusiast. Would also like to see Annette Buvoli as SPF but the only performance they're together is New Years Day when there is public transport but not very much. Seems to be Annette's only performance which is a shame. A lot of work for one performance, unless I've missed one. Its a matinee too which is good news for not needing to stay over but not so great for getting there on time. Might have to take the risk, though. 

Thanks very much for providing the information,  capybara. Very good of you as it must have taken a lot of time and effort.

1 hour ago, Missfrankiecat said:

 

  I was completely wiped out after Muntagirov's performance.

 You and me both Missfrankiecat!

Just a reminder that Balanchine's Nutcracker is on SkyArts Thurs 10th Aug, 1.15 AM!

It is also now repeated SkyArts Tues 15th Aug 6.10am

SkyArts Ballet L'Orent Rumpelstiltskin Sun 13th Aug 6am

1 hour ago, Fonty said:

  why are the Ashton triple bills not being shown at the cinema? 

Yes, I mentioned the not showing of Ashton at the cinema in the original new season discussion. Especially as it's supposed to be the launch of a several year Ashton celebration you'd think a cinema relay would be a great way of publicising it to an international audience. They're broadcasting 2 Macmillan bills and some modern looking thing called Message in a Bottle but nothing of the varied and exciting looking programmes of the Founder Choreographer. I know they haven't even got round to streaming last years triple bill so perhaps there are copyright or rights issues, especially as they're owned by different people. But Ashton mixed bills have been broadcast before and transferred to dvds so I can't understand the problem. I did ask Kevin at the stage door once and he assured me it was 'in hand' and I think that was Feb!!!

I've bought 7 Don Qs which is perhaps slightly more than intended but wanted to see Vadim in 2 performances and the other 4 casts are 2 Saturdays with 2 performances each to save on transport and accommodation and to see dancer combinations that sounded great like Osipova/Sambe, and intriguing, Takada/Acri. However, I have spent less on tickets and bought 4 SCS as I tried standing in Cinderella and found it OK so thought as seats are so expensive (I think my usual SC tickets are £67 each so the standing tickets represent quite a saving). In fact I cancelled so many performances earlier I just used my credit for them, and also used it to renew my Friends membership. The downside of booking Saturdays I found out afterwards was accommodation has just gone crazy on a Saturday night; £60-£80  a night for a single room has doubled so what I save on tickets I Iose on accommodation and don't get me started on train prices!

9 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

 can't see my tickets showing up in my events yet

A couple of times in the last month my upcoming events disappeared from my mailbox. The first time I emailed the friends and they sorted it. Then it happened again but they just reappeared eventually. Also, sometimes they appear on the computer but not when I login on my phone. The latter is a bit concerning for the actual event so I might print them out for the actual visit which I was really trying to avoid.

Where are you looking to sit, Angela? There appears to be a good spread of availability for both, though no SC standing unless any are kept back for public booking.

Like Bluebird says, seat map for 7th Nov is greyed out so no tickets can be purchased. Coupled with the mysterious email it must mean more than just a cinema broadcast, but what? I'm hopefully seeing Magri/Coralles in their earlier performance which is also down as being filmed for back up presumably, but does this mysterious behaviour mean a cast change? Special guests? I do hope not as I was looking forward to seeing them at the cinema with friends as well as at the ROH.

Monday 7th Aug SkyArts 6.15am-8am Royal Ballet in Cuba

Thursday 10th Aug SkyArts 1.15-3am Balanchines Nutcracker NYCB (obviously only insomniacs watch the Arts)

Finally, and this is very strange. I thought it was a misprint; Carlos Acosta on the Parliament Channel! Tuesday 8th August 3.30-4am, part of a series entitles This Cultural Life. Mini doc on Carlos repeated at the more user friendly time of 4.30pm Sat 5th and also 12th Aug. Also 10.30am Sunday 6th Aug. Very appropriate, given his birthday celebrations.

If it was me I'd definitely go for SC -  if there are any left! Or even adjust which performance I attended to get the best SC seat. I'm sure a child would appreciate being so close to the action. I certainly do! Good luck

Hi Tiptoesmama. Hope you and your daughter have a great time. I would never advise anyone taking small children to sit in the stalls unless they're on the end of a row or on the front row and then they may be too close with the height of the stage to see properly. Probably the only stalls seats would be the side blocks on row H as they have an exit in front of them, therefore a gap rather than people. But there are only a few of these and they tend to sell out quickly. I would try and go for the front row of the stalls circle. You are raised above the stalls and should have no one directly in front of you so sightlines shouldn't be an issue. However, I haven't sat in them myself (I usually sit in the third row as it's cheaper). It also depends how much you want to pay. There are several prices for the front row Nutcracker; £160, £153 and £145. Unfortunately, no child discounts. The more expensive ones are more central and you get a more comprehensive view of the stage. However, because of the horseshoe shaped size of the auditorium the more central you are the further away you are from the stage. The cheaper seats are nearer but you may miss a little bit of the side of the stage. It's always a balance between being close to the action and seeing all of the stage. The £153 seats should be fine on both counts if you want to be a bit nearer, but others may be able to be more informative as it's a while since I've seen the Nutcracker at the ROH. Usually see it at the cinema. Do you have a particular date in mind? It's just I've had a quick look at a couple of the matinees and because they're so close to Christmas a lot of the front row stalls circle and grand tier have sold out already. If you're waiting for public booking I'd get in quick and try and be flexible with your dates. Even second row of the SC should be OK and you can always borrow one of the ROH cushions or take your own.

I've been on the backstage tour a couple of times and enjoyed it but the last time was a few years ago. Both times I went in the morning and had a brief glimpse of company class though I don't know if you went in the afternoon you might see rehearsals. It is only a few minutes but interesting. Your daughter might be interested in attending one of the onstage classes open to the public (check dates with website or box office) or the Nutcracker Insight Tues 21st Dec at 7.30. Or one of the Thurrock Tours of sets and costumes. This is just outside London and I don't think winter dates have been announced yet but again, check the box office or email customer services.

Shows how long ago it is since I bought ice cream at the ROH! Judging by the comments it will be a while before I bother. Ginger caramel just isn't the same. I've never bought champagne in my life but even if I liked it it would have to be an exceptionally special occasion to pay £16 for a glass. It's more than my standing ticket for Don Q!

Yes, it looks a great initiative. Far easier and quicker than emailing the Box Office, and quick with your credit as well, according to Lynette H, which is great. Useful for me as well as I logged into my account to check it out and found I had no upcoming event which wasn't true as I'd booked several Don Qs. So I emailed the Friends and they sorted it and I was able to see the new facility for myself. Just for curiosity I clicked on the Champagne and ice cream option. Ice cream is now £4 and the make seems to have changed again, though according to the picture they still do stem ginger which I like. Champagne is £16 a glass!! Lucky I don't like it. So an extra £20 for champagne and ice cream and another £8.50 for a programme. All these extras add up though I won't be buying a programme until the Ashton mixed bills and Sarasota programme.

8 minutes ago, Legseleven said:

There are some fabulous photos on Yasmine Naghdi’s Instagram page of her partnered with William Bracewell in the Roberto Bolle and Friends performances. It looks like an absolutely fabulous partnership - it would be lovely for these two to dance together ‘back home’ too (although I know it does seem that both are in demand as partners to various dancers despite the established Naghdi/Ball and Kaneko/Bracewell partnerships). 

Perhaps this will allow Vadim to partner Fumi at the ROH. I'm sure Matthew will have no problem getting a partner!

I emailed Customer Services about whether or not the ballet Insights were being filmed. Graham Boland replied and said he had been advised that Don Q will certainly be filmed and the Nutcracker almost certainly.

Well, I was one of the lucky ones (perhaps the only lucky one?) who didn't have a problem today. I logged on just after 9 and was in the queue for about 15 minutes but I was away from home and was using my phone which takes ages for the seat plan to load up. So after 9.30 I went round to the local library and found I was still logged in so didn't have to go back to the queue and bought several Don Q tickets, no problem. Even managed to get a couple of standing tickets though there were none left for the Fumi/Bracewell matinee. Very few standing overall but the standing tickets made it a lot less expensive than usual as as I'd cancelled so many performances earlier I had enough credit to pay for everything, so quite a satisfactory day, marred only by the thought of having to find an affordable hotel for a couple of Saturday nights, something that seems even rarer these days than SC standing tickets.

Hear hear Blossom. Well said. Culture can only be truly accessible for everyone if it's started early, at school age and preferably at school. Otherwise it will be just a lottery, dependent on parents and relatives encouraging arts attendance and participation.  For too long the Arts have been treated as some sort of optional extra, filling in gaps between 'proper' and 'useful' school subjects; if they have any place at all in the modern curriculum.  Yet apart from enhancing life experience and encoraging mental wellbeing, the Arts play a huge part in our economy. The exports in television programmes and films, the tours abroad of our major theatre companies and actors and musicians. Not to mention our world beating dance companies  and the technical knowledge and support that makes it all possible. I don't know any figures to quote but I suspect our Arts industry economy is one if the highest in the world for a country our size and should be celebrated and encouraged not treated as an optional extra that politicians are ashamed to admit to attending for fear of being thought elitist. Something is only elitist if it isn't understood (education) or unaffordable.  ROH please take note.

Thank you so much for your Romeo and Juliet review, Naomi. I was wondering how it had gone and I'm glad it was as wonderful as I thought it was going to be. I hope Kevin takes note and casts them together in London. Manon would be a great start. They've danced together so much abroad yet not in their home country and Company which is a shame. 

14 hours ago, emmarose said:

 

Vadim's Instagram is so like him as a person, just kind of gentle and sweet and nothing at all to bother anyone. Very pure!

Lovely description of him, emmarose; couldn't agree more.  I love the 4th video in of him dancing. Great he's so often videoed doing a pirouette or an arabesque even out of doors. He just exudes the joy of dance wherever he is. Looking forward to hearing comments of his Romeo and Juliet with Fumi. Would be wonderful if it could be filmed!!!       I don't suppose there was a film of his Month in the Country with Morera?

Interesting to see a comment by his Instagram film from Sergei Filin too. 

I must admit I far prefer the BRB Don Q sets though the Bolshoi is my favourite Don Q production. 

1 hour ago, Suffolkgal said:

Oooh I wonder if they might get to partner up in Manon ...

I was wondering/hoping for that too. They partner abroad a lot now but I don't think they've been paired together much (if at all) in London. I know they were together for the Two Pigeons recording but I think Fumi was replacing Laura Morera and that was a while ago. Wasn't Fumi in Vadim's Cinderella as the Fairy Godmother? But even if she was, they don't really dance together in those roles in Cinderella 

Yes, they must but I'm with the scheduler (though not necessarily at 6am)! Vadim's Young Man (and pigeon managing skills) and Fumi's Gypsy are a fabulous combination. I think his second act solo is my favourite recorded solo of his. He just looks so happy and carefree; full of the joys of dance. Rhapsody is pretty good too!

My usual online TV schedule hasn't been working for a couple of weeks so I've had to rely on the Radio Times which only goes up to a week ahead. After a very quick look for next week (may not be definitive) I can only see

SkyArts Tues 4th Jul 6-8am RB Rhapsody and Two Pigeons