Ian Macmillan

Enter the curmudgeon. My minutes last night probably came in at about £4 a pop, thanks to severe traffic tailbacks out East that meant we arrived as the Interval began. For that we got an outdoors Spanish scene with Osipova and Vasiliev leaping, a peasant revolt with some quasi-Eisenstein film projection, something of a reaction, it appeared, to a chap who seemed to feel much as I did at that point in that he kicked over a mug during his entrance, and than another brief indoor Spanish scene with more leaping. Given her background, my wife was most appreciative of the leaping and the technique on display - I was less so, but there you go. And, by the way, Mrs Lincoln, thanks to a road closure, we then had an interesting diversion on the way home, but I quite understand that you had a worse night than I did.

Oh dear - without wanting to be glib, I guess it does depend on nationality and mother tongue, but I'd guess that most attending tomorrow might opt for your first version. Whatever, enjoy it - and don't be surprised if you conclude that the Don is almost incidental to the balletic fireworks on display!

Links – Saturday, March 30, 2013 Feature/Preview – Li Cunxin, Queensland Ballet, Cinderella: Bridget Cormack, The Australian Bolshoi Rite of Spring Festival: Sophia Kishkovsky, NY Times Sergeri L.Loiko, LA Times Bolshoi wants to be famous, but not for scandal: Ivan Nechepurenko, Moscow Times A Reflection – Royal Ballet, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Jessica Duchen, JDCMB Review – Royal Ballet School & ABT Studio Company in NY: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – New York Theatre Ballet, Legends and Visionaries: Deborah Jowitt, Dancebeat Gallery – ENB2, My First Cinderella: Foteini Christofilopoulou, DanceTabs Book – Dancers: Behind the Scenes with the Royal Ballet/Upenski: Charlotte Cripps, Independent Review – Lance Gries, The Fifty Project: Gia Kourlas, NY Times London Next Week: More Mikhailovsky & RB Bayadere: Judith Mackrell, Guardian Square Dance thriving in the Bay Area: Meredith May, SF Chronicle Preview – Maria Pages, Autorretrato: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette Review – Houston Dance Salad Festival – 4 Companies: Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle Preview – Ballet West, Jewels: Kathy Adams, Salt Lake Tribune Preview – Ballet West, Aladdin: Kathy Adams, Salt Lake Tribune Gallery – Recognise anyone here? TIME Sports

And, of interest, I see that one needs a licence if watching a simultaneous broadcast online in the UK or Channel Islands: http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/

As far as the daily Links trawl is concerned, we have been dealing with a New York Times partial access scheme for the better part of 2 years now, with similar schemes increasingly found elsewhere. Has the Telegraph said anything about exceptions for access via Twitter or Google, I wonder - these can be helpful in increasing NYT access, for example. (That said, and despite the workarounds, the NYT has figured that I've had enough for this month and drew a veil over this morning's Alastair Macaulay piece. The URL was still visible, however, so a Link could be produced, hopefully with a reasonably correct description!) There are other approaches out there, too - eg The Australian and the Wall St Journal lock some articles for subscriber access only whilst leaving others open to all. The Times content, of course, is completely behind the paywall and we have had to ignore it since that became the case a couple of years back. Regulars may also have noted that we now link increasingly to non-newspaper content from some of the better blogs that we've found (eg Valerie Lawson's Dancelines) and, significantly, from internet magazines or journals like DanceTabs, ArtsBeat, Danceviewtimes and, of course, The Arts Desk. Things are evolving out there and entities such as these are likely to be a part of the future - and it brings us once again to the issue of the future of paid journalism, often discussed here and elsewhere, and for which subscriber access may be increasingly needed if it is to remain viable. And do remember that the internet entities - even ourselves here - have to be funded by someone. In our case, enough of you rallied round last summer to ensure the future for a while longer but, as monthly payments are made for use of the forum software, in time we will have to rattle the tin once again. The expectation that everything online can be 'free' is entirely unrealistic, albeit that in what are still early years, that expectation seems to grow by the day!

Links – Friday, March 29, 2013 Gallery – Mikhailovsky Ballet, Class, backstage & Giselle: David Levene, Guardian Review – Mikhailovsky Ballet, Giselle (Osipova/Vasliev): Neil Norman, Express Review – Yasuko Yokoshi, Bell (a Kabuki Giselle?): Deborah Jowitt, DanceBeat Reviews – Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (NY): Program A – D-Man Triple Bill: Leigh Witchel, NY Post Program B - Ravel: Landscape or Portrait?, Story/: Marina Harss, DanceTabs Preview – Bolshoi Ballet, Rite of Spring, Apartment: Natalya Victorova, Voice of Russia News – Ottawa National Arts Centre 2013-14 Dance Season: Natasha Gauthier, Ottawa Citizen Feature – Choreographer/ABT (ex-RB) Dancer, Gemma Bond: Gia Kourlas, NY Times Interview – David Hallberg, ABT/Bolshoi Principal: Claudia La Rocco, Artforum Radio Interview – Martin West, SF Ballet Music Director: David Latulippe, KALW Radio (From 23:00) Exhibition – 100 Years of Flamenco in New York: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Tour Review – Ballet Jörgen Canada, Swan Lake (Toronto): Paula Citron, Globe and Mail

I had meant to mention this earlier. A double DVD is available on the Berlin Philharmoniker's own label of a staged performance some 3 years ago of Bach's Matthäus-Passion that I cannot commend too highly. It will be very close to me over the next 24 hours or so. I believe that ENO has given staged performances of the work in the past but I am not familiar with them. In this case, the performance has been 'ritualised' (their term) by the noted American opera and theatre Director, Peter Sellars, in and around the stage of the Philharmonie in Berlin. Whilst Sir Simon Rattle is in charge, at the centre is Mark Padmore's gaunt Evangelist. Padmore must have sung the role many, many times before but I hazard a guess that this performance will have informed all that he has sung, and may sing, subsequently. It is, at times, simply mesmerising. As one might expect, the soloists are of top quality, with a special mention going to Magdalena Kožená, Camilla Tilling, and Thomas Quasthoff. The chorus, too, is deeply involved, never more so than the ladies in Part 2 - magnificent! There are some short Trailer extracts here: http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/concert/318 Access at that link to the whole concert appears to need registration. However, a longer extract from the opening chorus has been placed on the Philharmoniker's YouTube channel: Peter Sellars claims "It's not theatre. It is a prayer, it is a meditation," and I'm with the woman in the audience who later wrote to say that she wished she could have taken part onstage at the end. Edited to add: Having just found it myself, please try and find a 50 minute period for the conversation between chorus master Simon Halsey and Peter Sellars that can be found via a link given on the YouTube extract - and if that's too much, scroll forward to hear the final 10 minutes or so.

And NB that that, for the climax, a minder comes on to stand by and catch her in case of disaster.

The BBC has a few seconds of rehearsal footage of the non-McGregor Rite at the Bolshoi. Looks like the dancers can take out their current frustrations on the scenery: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21940662

Links – Thursday, March 28, 2013 Nina Ananiashvili, 50th Birthday tribute: Margaret Willis, DanceTabs How is Ballet evolving? 6 Directors talk to Roslyn Sulcas: IHT via NY Times Reviews – Mikhailovsky Ballet, Giselle (Osipova/Vasiliev): Clement Crisp, Financial Times Jann Parry, DanceTabs Zoë Anderson, Independent Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Mark Monahan, Telegraph Judith Mackrell, Guardian Graham Watts, Londondance Laurad, Londonist Vera Liber, British Theatre Guide Jessica Duchen, JDCMB Reviews – New York City Ballet, Balanchine/Tchaikovsky Bill (DC): Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post George Jackson, Danceviewtimes Reviews– Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, D-Man in the Waters (NY): Apollinaire Scherr, Financial Times Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – San Francisco Ballet, Onegin: Paul Parish, Bay Area Reporter --Not exactly ballet, but an alternative Russian approach: John Freedman, Moscow Times Review – American Tap Dance Foundation, Rhythm in Motion; Brian Seibert, NY Times Amy Young to leave the Paul Taylor Company: Felicia R. Lee, NY Times Arts Beat Brief Rehearsal Footage - Bolshoi Ballet, Rite of Spring (Baganova): BBC News News – Ballet West (Utah), 2013-14 Season: Salt Lake Tribune A new UK approach to Arts Funding by …. You! Arts Desk

I've just run a quick check and, with Arts Desk already in the bag, all the main London daily paper reviewers will be in tomorrow's Links. I'd say that they all liked it!

Links – Wednesday, March 27, 2013 1913 Archive Review & Diaghilev Interview – Sacre du Printemps: Guardian Review – Mikhailovsky Ballet, Giselle (Osipova/Vasiliev): Judith Flanders, Arts Desk Feature – Mariinsky Ballet in Abu Dhabi, Homage to Fokine: Chris Gordon, St Petersburg Times Reviews – Flamenco Festival, Sadler’s Wells: Israel Galvan & Gala Flamenca, Clement Crisp, Financial Times Israel Galvan, Judith Mackrell, Guardian Jeffrey Gordon Baker, LondonDance Review – Boston Ballet, Sleeping Beauty: Alan Helms, DanceTabs Review – American Repertory Ballet, Rite of Spring: Robert Johnson, NJ Star-Ledger Review – San Francisco Ballet’s Orchestra, Onegin: Janos Gereben, SF Classical Voice Review – Ultima Vez/Wim Vandekeybus, What the body does not remember: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Arthur Pita, The Metamorphosis: Erin Johnson, One Stop Arts Review – Paul Taylor Dance Company, Triple Bill (NY): Carol Pardo, Danceviewtimes 2013 Olivier Award Nominations: Guardian (Scroll down to Dance) Free ROH Art Exhibition - Isabel Rawsthorne, Moving Bodies: Maev Kennedy, Guardian NY Spring Dance Highlights (incl Osipova/Vasiliev): Leigh Witchel, NY Post Gallery – World Irish Dancing Championships, Boston: Jessica Rinaldi, Guardian

Katherine: Tough love that one - and I'm around the fascinated stage with it! But probably not my next choice for them ...

In today's Times 2 (as ever, behind a paywall if online), Debra Craine has a long feature on National Ballet of Canada's coming London visit. So it's mainly about the Ratmansky R&J. However, confirming Katherine Barber's post 2, above, that the Wheeldon Winter's Tale for the RB next year will be a co-production with NBC, Karen Kain also states that the same artistic team that created the co-produced Alice will be involved in next year's production. So perhaps we expect a Joby Talbot score, lavish Bob Crowley staging, and lots of projected visual effects?

As can be seen from post #3, above, I was one of those ensnared by the Broadway World break at around 7pm last night. I had seen it on Google with a time suggesting it had been published around 5pm UK time - ie some 4 hours before the embargo time. I've just had a look and I still cannot see anything on this on the ENB website.

Links – Tuesday, March 26, 2013 Interview – Olga Smirnova, Bolshoi Ballet: Mark Monahan, Telegraph The Rite’s Centenary in Moscow – 4 Versions: Raymond Stults, Moscow Times Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Aladdin: Graham Watts, LondonDance News – English National Ballet, a new Le Corsaire in October: DanceTabs (and on our News/Info section) Review – New York Theater Ballet, Dark Elegies Mixed Bill: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Reviews – Flamenco Festival, Sadler’s Wells: Israel Galvan: Lyndsey Winship, Evening Standard Israel Galvan & Farruquito: Ismene Brown, Arts Desk Javier Kruz, Romances: Cristina de Lucas, One Stop Arts News - Emma Gladstone, New AD for Dance Umbrella: Carmel Smith, LondonDance Move Tube – The Mikhailovsky & Two Giselles: Judith Mackrell, Guardian London Preview - Mikhailovsky Photo Gallery: Voice of Russia Review – Harkness Dance Festival, NY/Kate Weare: Brian Seibert, NY Times Review – Charles Atlas/Cecilia Bengolea/François Chaignaud at Tate Modern: Lise Smith, LondonDance Interview – Frank Bock & ‘What-now 2013’ Festival: Carmel Smith, LondonDance Meanwhile, the latest on other matters at the Bolshoi: Izvestia, via Ismene Brown

Having attended the closing matinee yesterday, I have a sense of what Mr Crisp is getting at. However, I knew to a good degree what I was going to, and why, and that was to take some of our grandchildren to a show that we thought they would enjoy - and, in that, it worked. There were lots of good things in the production, particularly in the Second Act. For my taste, the first might have usefully been pruned of the odd jewel or so and, across the piece, there seemed too many 'endings.' I particularly liked Mathias Dingman's Djinn/Genie, and Marion Tait kept stealing the stage as Aladdin's Mum with an eye on rapid upward mobility once her son wed the Sultan's daughter. Was there a wedding in the original Aladdin story? I can't remember but its arrival in Act 2 seemed to call for all sorts of invention to get through Act 3. Scenery and costumes - fabulous; and, unlike many, I've no issues with the score. The main thing was that, on a bitterly cold March day, the girls had a good afternoon. Les Noces, Mayerling, and the Cathy Marston oeuvre can come later.

Unless I'm mistaken, the company website stops listings at this summer - nothing yet on next season - but I'm taking this Broadway World piece as official.

The family of one of my daughters was with us at the weekend, before we all went to see BRB's Aladdin yesterday. My younger grand-daughter has just started on pointe - she'll be 13 this summer - and she brought her new shoes for a little demonstration to my very experienced wife. Thankfully, she appears to be being broken in very gradually at her school and looked quite confident and comfortable as she got a few tips on tightening up her bourées. Just an observation from a proud Grandpa!

Josephine: Welcome from me too. This Forum runs on a software package that we effectively lease by the month and, apart from an ability to organise matters on top of the basic operating system, we don't control it and can only assume that some of these functions have been added because other users thought they'd be a great idea. (And we have also found that as the folk running it all change things, they sometimes introduce wrinkles elsewhere that are unhelpful to us!)

Links – Monday, March 25, 2013 Review – Stanislavsky Ballet/Polunin, Mayerling: Natalie Wheen, Arts Desk Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Aladdin: Clement Crisp, Financial Times Review – Paul Taylor Dance Company, NY Season: Alastair Macaulay, NY Times Review – Los Angeles Ballet, Balanchine Festival, Prog 1: Laura Bleiberg, LA Times Review – Boston Ballet, Sleeping Beauty: Thea Singer, Boston Globe Review – National Ballet of Canada, Four Seasons, Emergence: Denise Sum, Danceviewtimes Review – Northern Ballet, The Great Gatsby, Edinburgh: Mary Brennan, The Herald Toba Singer on Fernando Alonso, Father of Cuban Ballet: Bruce Marriott, DanceTabs Review – Scottish Dance Theatre, Outreaching in Stirling: Kelly Apter, Scotsman Review – Rocio Molina Company, Danzaora, Sadler’s Wells: Graham Watts, DanceTabs Audio Slideshow – Royal Ballet Backstage in Alice: Tristram Kenton, Karin Andreasson, Guardian Preview – Sean Dorsey Dance, The Secret History of Love: Lauren Gallagher, SF Examiner Reviews – Göteborg Opera & Dance Company, Triple Bill, DC: Alexandra Tomalonis, Danceviewtimes Oksana Khadarina, DanceTabs Had enough of the Bolshoi business? Something different in Moscow: Simone Peek, Moscow Times

Links – Sunday, March 24, 2013 Gillian Lynne - “Reality TV Harming the Theatre”: Vanessa Thorpe, Observer An Incident Reviewed – BGroup, Just As We Are: The Place, Luke Jennings, Observer Royal Ballet Backstage Gallery – Andrei Uspenski: Clare Geraghty, Daily Mail Review – Flamenco Festival, Sadler’s Wells: Jenny Gilbert, Independent Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet, Aladdin: Margaret Willis, One Stop Arts Review – San Francisco Ballet, Onegin: Janos Gereben, SF Examiner Review – San Francisco Ballet, Scotch Symphony, Within The Golden Hour, From Foreign Lands: Toba Singer, California Literary Review Review – Ballet San Jose, Program 2, Ashton/Welch/Tippet: Rita Felciano, Tri-Valley Herald Review – Ballet Arizona, Director’s Choice, Ratmansky/Cerrudo/Andersen: Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic Q&A – Australian Ballet Principal, Madeleine Eastoe: Adam Fulton, Sydney Morning Herald Review – Minnesota Ballet, Two Andantes, Harlequinade PDD, Firebird: Lawrance Bernabo, Duluth News Tribune Q&A – Choreographer Ivan Blackstock: Priya Elan, Observer Preview – Margie Gillis, The Light Between: Victor Swoboda, Montreal Gazette Film Screening – Nureyev/Australian Ballet, Don Quixote: Valerie Lawson, Dancelines

Angela: I'm aware of at least one change at Zurich Junior Ballett , and it looks to me as if there will be 4 dancers fewer next season (15 to 11). Happily, the one in whom I have an interest was snapped up at a first audition and will be just a bit more reachable from over here from next season!

Thinking back to the opening run of Alice in 2011, my recollection is that the critics were rather overwhelmed by the effects - as I was myself at times - but the reviews so far this time sound different in that regard. (By the way, Debra Craine gave the show a 4* review in today's paywall-protected Times.) Just a thought. And I'm delighted to see the reviews that Zenaida Yanowsky is getting as Queen of Hearts - it sounds as if she's in an even higher and more manic gear than back in 2011. Can't believe I'm missing her this year - even the cinema performance in Cambridge is sold out. And anyone else fail to recognise Sarah Lamb with black hair?

We've just done our bit to help by booking a multiple grandchildren outing for Sunday - but it's only been feasible for a group of 9 thanks to the Family of Four discounts and a number of unused London Theatre Tokens. But I've little doubt that they'll all enjoy it!