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Agreed, Alison....very good indeed.

A few thoughts on last night's opening of the MacMillan triple at the Royal Opera House:

The first of the three ballets, Concerto, opened with a joyous blast of sunshine from Yuhui Choe and Steven McRae. They were in perfect time with each other, no mean feat in the difficult opening sequence, and perfectly matched technically. In recent years Marianela Nunez and Rupert Pennefather seem to have made the second movement their own, justifiably so. However, last night showed that they have real competition in Sarah Lamb and Ryoichi Hirano (rapidly becoming one of the best partners in the company; tall, elegant and assured). Their pas de deux was beautifully and emotionally danced, and I had the same feeling that I always have watching Nela and Rupert in this....that I just want it to go on and on. However, it can't, so bring on the final movement with Itziar Mendizabal making a very good stab at MacMillan's very difficult, attacking footwork.

Las Hermanas, based on Frederico Garcia Llorca's dismal play The House of Bernarda Alba, is a long-awaited revival, and well worth the wait. One facet of MacMillan's genius is his ability to tell a clear story, be it in one act or three. Here, he has to distill a long play about repressed sexuality, jealousy and tragedy into 26 minutes, and to me succeeds admirably. I know the play well, but for anyone who doesn't, the storytelling is very clear. A virile, highly-sexed man is welcomed into the house of a domineering, controlling, bitter mother, ostensibly to marry the oldest daughter. Like Rudolf and his wife in Mayerling, the man is not attracted to the daughter and lets her know in a humiliating way that this is so. He is, however, attracted to the youngest daughter; the feelings are reciprocated with tragic results after a bitter, twisted sister reveals the deception. All three of the sister roles were interpreted with passion by Zenaida Yanowski (oldest), Melissa Hamilton (youngest, and wearing a dark wig which was strange at first but I really liked it) and Laura Morera (jealous). They imparted a sense of place, a sense of darkness, a sense of heat and most importantly, the results of repressing natural human emotions and desires. There were some quirky bits of choreography here, but I really enjoyed seeing something different. Ray Barra, who had danced The Man in the first outing of this piece for Stuttgart Ballet, has staged this for the Royal and has done an excellent job.

And so to Requiem, MacMillan's glorious and uplifting tribute to his friend John Cranko, who had died young a couple of years before the piece was made. The music is one of my favourite pieces of any kind, and here was sung beautifully by the Royal Opera Chorus, with lovely solos from soprano Laura Wright and baritone George Humphreys. I was saying to a friend afterwards that if we could be sure that this is what it is like at the end of life, and what lies ahead, none of us would fear death, or regret life. Leanne Benjamin(amazingly now in her late 40s), as the angel, soared and comforted. Marianela Nunez also stood out with her heart-rending solos. Excellent performance from Carlos Acosta, too....he really feels it, as does everyone on stage, and so does the audience. Perhaps it is because I used In Paradisum at the funerals of my mother and brother, perhaps it was the glory of the music and how it was sung, perhaps it was the beauty of the dancing.....but I found myself in tears at the end, just quietly rolling down my cheeks. But somehow, they weren't sad.

It is a sobering thought to today's choreographers that this triple bill was so incredibly diverse, but all created by one man. Last week's triple (Viscera/Infra/Fool's Paradise) was by three different choreographers but was very 'samish' in structure and intent. I don't use the word 'genius' lightly, but this triple bill, for me, is an excellent illustration of just what that word means.

I will write more tomorrow, but I thought this was a super evening. How wonderful to see Las Hermanas finally. Requiem moved me to tears. Can't wait to see it all again.

I also agree.....just about everyone has suggested seeking medical advice or going to see a physiotherapist. Those who have recommended temporary painkillers are merely making suggestions for temporary pain alleviation by using products that are all over the counter anyway. And quite frankly, I don't think any parent would rely on medical advice given over a website, no matter how well meant.

Thanks very much Bluebird. Alison, it usually takes a while for the link to turn up after broadcast, sometimes not until the next day.

You can hear it on iPlayer for the next 7 days, Taxi!

That could be the case, Aileen. I guess it shows the amazing talent of those who did/do manage to succesfully tell a narrative story in less than an hour....no mean feat!

Exactly, Stirrups....if it had said 'been at the RBS and then the RB' or 'has spent 16 years associated with RB first at its school, then in the company'....fine!!

Well maybe one day Sergei will be prime minister of somewhere

It seems from the link below that Liam Scarlett was the youngest person ever to have joined the RB....."he has been with the Royal Ballet for 16 years". As he is 25, that would mean he joined at the grand old age of 9! Also, it would appear that Ricardo Cervera has been promoted to Principal without any of us knowing

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/nov/11/liam-scarlett-dancer-choreographer

Matthew Hart has been creating a new Circus-based version of The Nutcracker for Sarasota Ballet for December 14th and 15th.

 

http://arts.heraldtr...med-nutcracker/

 

http://www.sarasotab...ormances-lineup

 

He may be rather busy. However, as we know, Mr Toad relishes fantastic feats!

Many thanks for this information, Norman. Glad to see he is busy in this way, but let's hope that he does indeed do a fantastic feat and come back to us to perform as Toad!!

They have good taste then

I saw the triple on Monday and really enjoyed it. I loved Viscera and so look forward to what our new young Artist in Residence has to give in the coming years. For some reason I much preferred Infra this outing to the last. Maybe this time I could relax more and not spend so much time looking wildly around the stage trying to ingest everything at once. The final pdd, with Richter's string music, was incredibly moving; indeed the woman sitting next to me had tears rolling down her cheeks at the end. Fool's Paradise was perfectly fine, but not my favourite piece of Wheeldon choreography....although who could forget the wonderful, final tableaux?!

What I really appreciated was the total contrast to Swan Lake; the Royal must surely have one of the most varied repertoires in the world, and that's what keeps me going to see them, year after year.

Does anybody know who will be dancing Toad for these upcoming performances? There is no mention on the cast list on the ROH website. I am kind of hoping it will be Matthew Hart, but would love to know. Can anyone out there enlighten me?? Thanks!

Count me in....I've missed the past two, so really look forward to it. Many thanks for organising, Minder and GR!

Angela, thank you so much for keeping us informed of what is going on in your part of the world. For those of us who can't get there very often, if at all, it is so interesting to know what is happening. The Neumeier celebrations sound amazing. If you see any of the performances please let us know what you think. Again, thank you so much, it is really appreciated.

Tonight we had the ultimate....in the middle of the Black Swan pdd, someone was violently sick on the floor in stalls of the Opera House....a horrible noise and sight, and loads of people had to get up and leave the auditorium. Most of them were back after the interval when it had been cleaned, but blcchhh...very unpleasant! This was in addition to the person loudly unwrapping sweets during the White Swan pdd (and they had been doing it during Act 1, too). I finally shushed them very loudly and they stopped. I mean, don't people have any perception of the noise they make? And in the quietest moments of the whole ballet? Unbelievable.

No, they want everyone to spend their money for as long as possible

Thanks Alison. Hmmmm.....another modern take on an old classic. I so hope he does well with this one! Interesting that he is choreographing Guys & Dolls, too. I love that show, so will go along to see it when it opens here in London next year.

Thanks so much Dave....very sorry I missed it, but I was at that amazing Arsenal-Reading match so don't feel too bad, as a Gooner! I wonder if it was filmed?

If you look at my post #96, I referred to him by his Christian name. If I'm in a rush, I always use the shortest way possible, thus 'Zen' instead of 'Zenaida', 'Kish' instead of 'Nehemiah', etc. I almost always refer to male dancers by their surnames, and female ones by their Christian names. A bit old fashioned, but there we go. If I'm writing a more proper review or a long piece, I always use both names on first mention, then afterwards just the surnames...sometimes I do that for the women too. To be honest, I don't really think about it as I'm writing, it just comes out!

Ahh thanks Greypuss. I just watched it and it is lovely. Zen has always been one of my fave O/Os, and I'm warming to Kish a bit too.

I'm glad he had the grace to apologize at least!! Ha ha, that is a typical NY story; thanks for sharing, Willie!

I have just spent a long time reading this thread, and I'm very surprised at some of the almost insulting generalisations in it. Yes I am middle-aged. No I am not overweight. Nor am I haughty. Sometimes I dress up to go to the ROH, sometimes I go in jeans. Yes, you do find some nasty, snobby people at the ballet, but they are in a very small minority indeed...and you find nasty people anywhere and everywhere. I've been going to see ballet in various parts of the world for almost 50 years, and to say that 'ballet audiences are mostly made up of middle-aged, overweight, haughty women' is ludicrous, and it would appear to come from someone who has not been to see too many ballets, otherwise they would know that this is not the case. I am originally from NY, so I have no class ( ). It is nothing to do with class, it is simply a matter of good manners. I believe that wanting to sit in a theatre watching ballet, opera, theatre, other types of dance or a film without having to listen to people talk, see the lights from their phones, smell their food and drink or listen to the rustling of their sweet wrappers is a perfectly normal thing. If asking someone to stop talking when the performers are onstage, or to stop making noise with their sweet wrappers, or to turn off the light from their mobiles makes you a snob, that is ridiculous. I ask because it bothers me and detracts from my enjoyment of what is happening onstage (not to mention the incredible and baffling disrespect to the performers who have worked so hard to please us). I fail to see why, when I have paid money to escape into another world, my illusions have to be shattered by rudeness or selfishness, and if I talk about it or express dissatisfaction I certainly don't expect to be classed as a snob! All I want is to be able to see and hear in peace....and if that makes me a fat, middled-aged snob then so be it!!

Could someone kindly point me to where I can find Zen and Nehemiah's interval interviews from last week's broadcast? I have found the one about the Corps, but am stumped for the other one!

Many thanks in anticipation!

I saw it last night....the first piece, Grand Tour, although nice to look at, was even more anodyne than Take Five (although that was also nice to look at and had some very good moments). With the 30s costumes and lovely set (the promenade deck of an ocean liner) it was visually pleasant, and Noel Coward's music played very well by the RB Sinfonia, but so much more could have been made choreographically with all the famous characters populating the ballet. There was an attempt at a story, which was sweet, but this moving tableau didn't float my boat. It is interesting to note that Grand Tour was made in 1971, the same year as Hans van Manen's wonderful and ritualistic Grosse Fuge, so well danced by the company on Tuesday night. One of the joys of dance is this very thing: the huge difference in style, in depth, in plot and in subject matter that can all be interpreted wordlessly by talented young dancers.

The second of the three ballets, Faster, was David Bintley's homage to the skills and dedication of Olympic athletes, made in this Olympic year. My heart sank a bit when it started, but it got better as it went on, really capturing the energy, and humour, of sport. The highlights were a wonderfully gymnastic pas de trois danced by Jenna Roberts, Feargus Campbell and William Bracewell, and an incredibly athletic pas de deux forcefully danced by Tyrone Singleton and Celine Gittens. This is such a good partnership; as this pdd showed, they are well matched in strength and technique...although here, she won! The ensemble pieces were incredibly fast-paced and energetic, as track and field should be, and the company was in great form and having a good time of it....as did the audience.

And so to The Dream. I always really look forward to BRB's Ashton performances, and they never disappoint. Think Two Pigeons, for example. They are incredibly lucky to have Peter Wright with them, who was closely involved with Ashton for years and really understands the choreography and physical requirements needed to make his steps look right. Last night, we were truly blessed to have ex-RB ballerina Natasha Oughtred as Titania and the fabulous William Bracewell as Oberon. The very difficult role of Puck was assuredly danced by Tzu-Chao Chou, whose technique and stamina are very impressive. He was a delicously naughty sprite. Bracewell was an imperious fairy king on the one hand, but on the other a cheeky little boy having loads of fun observing the shenanigans caused by his revenge and Puck's mistakes. He's got a beautiful long line and an excellent sense of centre for his rapid spins. I look forward to seeing lots more of him. Oughtred again reminded us how London's loss is Birmingham's gain. She has matured so much as a dancer since her RB days (which is one of the reasons she left; she knew she would have more opportunity to grow as an artist up north), and indeed since I last saw her dance a couple of years ago. Being petite, she was visually very believable as a fairy, managing to exude 'queenliness' at the same time. Her fluttering arms, her light jump, her lovely back all told a story, and in the final pdd I could totally understand why each would forgive the other. It is so gratifying to see someone not only dance Ashton, but interpret his choreography as it was meant to be. The corps de ballet fairies were gorgeous; in time with each other throughout and really taking care of their wayward queen. This was a joy to behold, and my frustration at yet another over-long interval dissipated as soon as the curtain rose on that misty woodland glade.

Disappointingly, on the two nights I went to Sadlers Wells there were lots of empty seats. This company deserves full houses, and I'm not sure why they didn't get them. It is probably the fact that they presented two triple bills; of the six pieces offered to London this time, most audiences would probably have only heard of The Dream, if that, and perhaps in these economically straitened times people will only spend money on what they know they will like. Having said this, a big round of applause for BRB for being daring and bringing us something so varied and different. We have any number of Beauties, Lakes and Nuts to choose from here in London, so being able to see six different pieces by a visiting company is very much appreciated.

I have so enjoyed seeing BRB's two programmes. As I mentioned in my other posting, they are a very talented young company, with many to watch. Young Brandon Lawrence caught my eye in everything he danced; he really uses the space onstage, he's got great long limbs, a high jump, beautifully centred spins and even a good touch of comic ability as his Lysander showed last night. He has a very good career ahead of him. I was also very impressed by Joseph Caley and William Bracewell. I do feel a bit guilty singling out these dancers as the whole company is at a high standard, but one can't help noticing certain dancers at certain times.

My advance New Year's resolution is to try to get up to Brum to see the company at home; I would rather not wait until they come to London again, and as anyone who knows me is aware, it takes a pretty special prospect to get me to leave London of my own volition!!