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I know: let's entice newbies in who probably don't know much about ballet. Let's get them in to see Mayerling, one of the most complex ballets in the repertoire. Let's provide them with a woefully inadequate plot summary on the free cast sheet. Then, let's sting them for £8 for a programme so that they can read a proper summary and thus not be totally bewildered. If they don't cough up the dosh, they will probably leave feeling they have missed most of what went on onstage. Either of those scenarios would be very off-putting to many people, thereby ensuring that their first foray to the House may well be their last. Great way to welcome the new audience they so desperately crave.

Since you confessed, Rob, I am sure you’re forgiven! Towards the end of her life my mother’s mouth was always dry. Her rustling whenever we went to the ballet used to drive me (and probably people around us) mad, so I started unwrapping her sweets before the show and putting them in a tissue. The silence was heavenly!

A wonderful debut from Matthew Ball. Wow!! More later.

Yes, but that doesn’t alter the fact that they are trying to price us out!

Can anyone report on the Cuthbertson/Soares cast from last night please?

I would be very interested to know what these other ways are.

Thanks Bridie.....I look forward to the reply!

So how about frequent attendees who are not Friends? Maybe we are the targets!!

Good luck John! I admire your dedication.

The LuLu Lemon shop is on Regent St. around the corner from my office. They have their collaboration with Francesca written about on their windows, together with a mannequin wearing one of their outfits in a bit of a balletic position. I tried to take a photo today but there is a big mirror behind the mannequin so the words didn't come out, but I did....and I don't want to inflict that on anyone!! I will try again on Monday.

It looks like they are going to have to re-think their entire strategy on getting new audiences in. I hereby volunteer to be an incredibly highly-paid consultant to help them do this.

Darcey and Carlos have probably asked for a lot of money as they are big stars...

And mine!

I don't really understand this panic about finding new audiences. The ROH, in its various incarnations, has been presenting opera and ballet for more than 200 years. The audiences keep replenishing with each generation. If that didn't happen, it wouldn't still exist. Is there a particular worry about the current 'young generation'? I don't remember in years past all these efforts to find the next generation audience, and yet here we all are.

All open to interpretation and perception, Nogoat, and yours are very interesting. It's never occurred to me, from any performance I have seen, that Mary has any doubts, but now that you have suggested this, I may look at the final part of that pdd in a different light. As far as building a head of steam, absolutely.....but that is pure animal lust! Watch how Melissa Hamilton deals with Rudolf; that will convey the different approach much better than I can with words. I just prefer her erotic interpretation of Mary, a slower build but to me, more exciting. She may have changed how she plays her since the last run; we will find out on Saturday! I also loved Laura Morera's astonishing performance of the role; multi-layered, scary, emotional, tragic.....one of the best I have ever seen. I am really enjoying reading your posts about this ballet, Nogoat.

I don't really understand what the parameters are for 'mixed race.' Miss Naghdi is being referred to as such, but her mother is Belgian and her father Iranian. Like many Mediterraneans or Middle Eastern people, their skin is a bit dark, but I would have thought they are Caucasian. Therefore I don't see how Miss Naghdi can be classified as 'mixed race'. Does having dark skin tone immediately make one 'mixed race.'??

Maybe it’s one way to ensure the riff raff don’t make a return visit, just in case the prices didn’t deter them!

Exactly....and I got the feeling that he WAS dancing for Rudolf, not for the audience! Funny how we perceive the same performance so differently!

Of course it matters.....everyone’s opinion matters! 🙂

I saw him in Jeune Homme and he was wonderful. Sadly I didn't see his Albrecht, nor his Ali. I can but imagine how good the latter was!! Very much looking forward to his Bayadere! 😍😍

Note: Capybara's post that I quote above appeared twice on my computer, so I deleted one, and they both seem to have disappeared. My apologies.

I thought that was the whole point? He knows that Rudolf is at desperation stage, and he is trying his damndest to distract him and Mary from doing anything silly, and perhaps even to cheer them up a bit. He keeps trying, and each time he stops to see if it's working, and it isn't, he tries even harder to get them to look at him. I don't think Campbell is a 'look at me' type at all, and I didn't get this feeling at all last night. The feeling I got was of a loyal friend and servant trying to cheer up his miserable prince, and the only 'look at me' he was after was from Rudolf!

You are so right, Mary. How could I forget that? I will add that to my post.

I have never seen Osipova give anyone a flower either. Sarah Lamb always does, and I noticed last night it looked as if she were going to pull a flower out but then didn't....maybe she didn't want to show up Osipova, who wasn't doing so. As for the performance, I'm afraid it never caught fire for me. I think Hirano has loads of potential, but poor chap was making his debut in this most difficult of roles in the most difficult of circumstances. He did very well, all things considered. A couple of nervous wobbles at the beginning, but his dancing and partnering were very solid, as always. What disappointed me was the lack of characterisation. I felt nothing for Rudolf, neither pity nor anger. Just blank. Things got much better in Act 3, but if there is no narrative arc to take us from where he started to where he ended, it doesn't make much dramatic sense. Now that he has a performance under his belt, he may relax more and be able to develop the character more. Hopefully this development will continue throughout his career, as it does with the best Rudolfs. I have talked in a post above about the superb Larisch of Sarah Lamb. That, and Francesca Hayward's beautifully nuanced Princess Stephanie, were the only two aspects of last night that moved me in any way.....as did Alexander Campbell's Bratfisch. His desperate attempt to engage with Mary and Rudolf in Act 3 was so miserable, and pitiful in the true sense of the word. We knew that this was futile, but it was so sad to watch him try. Campbell is one of my top three Bratfisches. I am not a fan of Osipova's Mary.....the youthful exuberance is overdone for my taste. This Mary steamrollered Rudolf instead of seducing him, and I prefer the latter approach. Finally, what a joy to watch Corrales. I don't know what his acting is like or whether he is good at the 'danseur noble' roles, but he has certainly set out his stall for any of the virtuoso roles, and I am sure the other RB men will be upping their game to keep up with him (if that's possible!).

I agree. The best of the past ten years, and one of the best ever. She breaks my heart each time. No one else can convey, like she can, Rudolf's tragedy. She is the only one who truly cares about him, loves him even, yet is treated like something the empress would scrape off her shoe. Her despair at Rudolf's condition, and how he in turn is badly treated by his parents, is deep and yet so apparent to the audience. If she is dancing Larisch, I don't care who is dancing the other two lead roles, I will always go to that performance.