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Another wonderful performance tonight from Naghdi/Ball. Such beautiful dancing, such a wonderful partnership. The other highlights for me were Claire Calvert’s Lilac Fairy and the Florestan/Sisters of Zucchetti, O’Sullivan and Magri. I was disappointed with the Bluebird/Florine of Choe and Acri. It seemed perfunctory and underpowered. But the night belonged to the leads. Miss Naghdi is simply and literally breathtaking as Aurora.

Francesca Hayward has real star quality. She is beautiful, eloquent, confident and fun. All this aside from her artistic talent. Envious, moi? 😩

And he loves ballet. I have seen him at the ROH and ENB performances several times.

Ditto. She seems to be quite a character!

I am really looking forward to seeing this wonderful version again...but I don't like the fact that this press release has singled out only two lead couples; the others who will be dancing the role work just as hard.

Fabulous as always, Rob. Thank you!

I have messaged you, Yumiko. Both tickets now spoken for. Thanks.

Same in the Balcony. 😢😤

Makes a pleasant change from a Whopper!

There were some young children dotted around the balcony and not a peep out of any of them. They were totally enraptured! And why wouldn’t they be?!

Dec 7th at 7pm. Naghdi/Ball. SCs 34 and Balcony Standing 32 for sale. Both are central places with great views. £11 each. I will be there to hand over. Please pm me if interested.

From the partner aspect, I feel so bad for James and wish him well very soon. I felt sorry for Anna-Rose until her first touch with Matthew Ball. What a wonderful partnership they made, especially as they had had no rehearsal! Ball was very relaxed and such a caring, protective partner. He really wanted her to do well. And do well she did. Boy, did she. Such exuberance, such confidence, such joy. A wonderful “Anna-Rose Adage “ and beautiful solo variation straight afterwards. So musical, and oh, those balances! In the vision scene she was so expressive, both through her eyes and her body. Her pleading to be awakened was almost visceral and brought a lump to my throat. With the lake backdrop, her white tutu and lovely arms, my mind was half seeing her as Odette. The grand PDD was beautifully executed if, understandably, slightly tentative at first. We held our collective breath for the fish dives....did we need to worry? Of course not! A couple of people applauded each one individually. After that, the chemistry built and built, at the same rate my smile widened. I am so thrilled this was such a beautiful and well-loved debut from this beautiful and well-loved artist. Yet another example of the fabulous future the company has in such hands. Huge congratulations to her, and to Matthew Ball for being the best last-minute stand in I can imagine. Bring on the next show!

I am very happy that hard-working dancers can supplement their incomes...as long as it doesn’t compromise their artistic integrity.

One for the diary! Thanks Duck. ❤️

Anyone??!!

This looks very interesting. Thanks for posting, TTB, and Ian for the links, as always.

No idea. I thought that wheat and corn were two different things, but I'm a city girl through and through so what do I know?! My hubby says I freak out if I have to go into a park...!

I really, really enjoyed Coppelia last night. The Hayward/Campbell partnership is always a joy to behold. They are such sunny characters, and this translated to their characterisations of Swanhilda and Franz. I loved Hayward's feisty, funny and knowing young girl. There were certain instances that showed that a strong classical technique is not necessarily her forte, but it didn't matter as she was just so wonderful in this role, and showed a real penchant for comedy. Campbell was a funny, flirtatious young lad-about-the village who simply doesn't understand why his flirting with another girl should bother Swanhilda. Technically he is in great form and got good and well deserved appreciation from the audience. As others have mentioned, Gary Avis was, as one would expect, brilliant as Coppelius. I couldn't help thinking of my late friend Kevin Richmond, who had made this role his own at ENB. Kevin somehow managed to make me cry as well as laugh as Coppelius, and no-one else has ever made me do that. Same last night, only laughs, but Avis plays him as a more comedic character. It worked. I love the 'old fashioned' set and costumes. The colours are gorgeous, and all three acts took me places that I would like to be. The girls' costumes in Act 3 are stunning, with hues of dark blue and pastel. Both Fumi Kaneko and Itziar Mendizabal (a late substitute for Melissa Hamilton) were beautiful as Aurora (I agree I would prefer this to be 'Dawn') and Prayer. Luckily I have known this ballet for decades so I understand about the ear of corn (not having bought a programme, is it now wheat? Used to be corn when I was young!) and what the dances are for, but it wouldn't go amiss if an extra couple of lines were added to the synopsis on the cast sheet to explain this. It's great that they now do synopses on the cast sheets, but they are often a bit perfunctory. Much better than nothing, though! I think this is a great substitute for The Nutcracker, and it should enhance anyone's Christmas season if they are lucky enough to see it. I am lucky enough to be seeing several casts and am looking forward to all of them.

Well they don't enforce the ban. I am often driven nuts by people rustling sweet papers. I guess it's hard for the ushers to enforce this.

This production opens tonight at the Royal Opera House. All discussion and reviews/opinions here please.

The chef Gary Rhodes has died at the age of 59. I used to love watching his programmes, teaching us that British food is more than boiled meat and potatoes, back in the 90s. My daughter was a little girl at the time and she used to sit and watch with us; she is now an excellent cook herself! Rhodes Around Britain is a great cookbook and will open anyone's eyes to the glory of British food. Thank you Gary, and RIP.

Ah ok, that’s good. Thanks.

This is on the same night as the live broadcast from the Bolshoi of Ratmansky’s new Giselle....

Agree. One of the best productions of Giselle I have seen. I am still in awe of BRB’s, too!

Fabulous review of this production from the NY Times in today’s links. I wish I could see it. Someone should have told the editor that the Bolshoi is in Moscow, not St Petersburg....🤦🏻‍♀️