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Back from thrilling performance of Mayerling. Hirano’s Rudolf was exceptionally moving; I find him a naturally reserved dancer but with depth, dignity and intelligence to his acting, and his portrayal was all the more interesting for this. He started quietly, but we gradually saw the huge internal pressure that would in the end blow this person apart. He was more princely than most Rudolfs: a tall, handsome and authoritative figure, but marred by the pain and confusion that would bring about his downfall. His good looks turning into vanity, his authority twisting into cruelty, and his anguish taking his own breath away so that he constantly struggled to loosen his collar, to find air, to escape. With Stephanie, he exercised control in the only area in which this was possible for him, at the expense of his new young wife; with Larisch, he allowed himself to be manipulated; with his mother: the pain of absence; and finally, with Mary Vetsera, abandon. And this fine young man stared out at us, slumped in physical and psychological pain, a wreck of the self he could have been. Mary and he both found a kind of joy in their final union and its fatal consummation – grim and terrible for us to witness, but for them, a form of release. As so often with Mayerling, you could have heard a pin drop during the final act. A wonderful performance by Hirano, aided and abetted by Osipova’s superbly abandoned Mary and performances of huge commitment from the rest of the cast. Brilliant.

Not sure if this is the right place but I have caught up with Dark Kinght and Dying Swan or if there's a need for a new thread. Interesting that Dark Knight emphasised how good Kenneth MacMillan is at telling a story when the documentary seemed rather meandering with little narrative dynamic. Also I found it irritating mixing three different Romeo and Juliet couples and including some slow motion. There are of course some fabulous sections/archive clips so well worth seeing but I can't help thinking it should have been much better. I very much enjoyed Dying Swan. There is an incredible section where Zen watches Natalia Osipova rehearsing Dying Swan - it really is wonderful to see and very poignant indeed.

Extract from an email sent yesterday from "Development and Enterprises" at the ROH: " We are delighted to announce that early in July the Company will be making a very special journey to Budapest to film our production of Kenneth MacMillan’s beautiful Romeo and Juliet for broadcast by the BBC. …………………. The film, which is scheduled for broadcast by the BBC on Christmas Day 2019, is a collaboration between The Royal Ballet and BalletBoyz that will bring this true classic of 20th-century ballet to a huge audience of new ballet fans and life-long balletomanes alike"

The Friends General rehearsal today was Lamb & Pennefather. I know we don't generally comment on rehearsals but given the slow ticket sales for this run, I want to say that they were terrific and there are plenty of tickets left for the matinee on Saturday at, I believe, discounted prices. Grab a bargain !