Vanartus Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 ...and Solitaire, Diversions and Concerto are also on the list of possible revivals too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Roslyn Sulcas' point about the work not being sure what it is is absolutely spot on. When it started it seemed to have a contemporary and quite European feel (a bit Petit and Bejart) and I felt quite excited but it quickly morphed into a mish-mash of West End musical meets cliched 'Spanish' dancing. I'm not sure that it can be salvaged as so much would need to be changed. It felt like a very indulgent project with the proverbial kitchen sink and the rest of the house put onto the stage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 Sorry FLOSS, but "My Brother, My Sisters" was/is no turkey. And I believe it is up for a revival. So unless you want the full wrath of Clement Crisp unleashed upon you, that particular ballet ain't frightened of Xmas... I'm with Floss on that one... Hope Concerto back soon though 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunrise Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 What was the audience reception like on opening night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 There was actually a lot of applause for the dancers at the end after a bit of a pause when the curtain went down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 FLOSS, when it comes to KM's turkeys you left out Isadora. My Brother, My Sisters is being revived? I think I need a strong drink and a lie down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 There was actually a lot of applause for the dancers at the end after a bit of a pause when the curtain went down. From where I was sitting, the applause sounded far more muted than is usually the case and the reception for the collaborators and the conductor did not seem wholehearted. However, as Aileen says, the volume rose in appreciation of the dancers at the curtain calls - and it was right and proper that that should be the case. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretN7 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I enjoyed Carmen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 (edited) Vanartus I think that I can withstand the wrath of Clement Crisp should it be unleashed. I suspect that all those laudatory remarks about the ballet that are on the MacMillan website were prompted by performances by the original Stuttgart cast. Unfortunately none of the performances by the Royal Ballet have ever been as convincing. MAB, it is very true that I haven't mentioned Isadora but I was thinking about MacMillan's one act ballets not the full length ones.I have always thought that if MacMillan had been as great a choreographer as his supporters believe him to have been he would have seen that Isadora would not work as a ballet.The problem is that her life is not tragic in the dramatic sense.The disasters that befall her were freak accidents rather than events caused by flaws in her character and there is no obvious structure that can be manipulated to provide a trajectory that must inevitably end in disaster.It is the classic example of a ballet that clearly won't work.The fact that it is about a dancer does not help. I wonder did MacMillan decide to make the ballet after seeing the BBC documentary about Isadora Duncan? Ashton has provided us with all we need to know about Duncan the dancer,at least when performed by Lynn Seymour or Belinda Hatley rather than by Tamara Rojo. But back to Carmen, Rosalyn Sulcas is spot on about the ballet's weaknesses.Parts of it reminded me of Bolero, Nijinska's, as allegedly revived by the Liepa company, rather than Bejart's version. In fact if you wanted to, you could probably spend a happier fifty nine minutes trying to identify the sources of Acosta's ballet rather than trying to watch it as a serious choreographic work. As far as the audience response to it is concerned it wasn't as loud or enthusiastic as the response to the other three works had been. It was polite rather than deafeningly enthusiastic and it came and went according to whom it was directed.The dancer's received a far better response than the production team did. Acosta was well received but I felt that it was more of a thank you for past services rendered than for the piece that we had just sat through.As I said before it is really sad that he is going out on such a low note.I do hope that regardless of the cost the ballet is given a decent burial. I shall see what at least one other cast makes of it, I hold out no great hope of a sudden transformation as its flaws are so many, but after that, if there is no obvious improvement, I shall take an early bath. The first three ballets are well worth seeing so it's not as bad as it would be if we were talking about a failed full length work. Edited October 28, 2015 by FLOSS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I shall be interested to see what it looks like in different hands (on different legs?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 ...and Solitaire, Diversions and Concerto are also on the list of possible revivals too... BRB are performing Solitaire on Midscale South next year. The programme is listed on the Everyman Cheltenham website. https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/m-shows/birmingham-royal-ballet-1/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I enjoyed Carmen I'm glad to hear it, Margaret, even though you seem to be in a minority of one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Well done, Margaret, for putting your head above the parapet. I was sitting next to a massive Carlos fan on Monday evening but I didn't manage to ask her what she thought of Carmen. I hope that she managed to get a cast list as that was the last performance that she would be seeing him in and the ushers had run out of cast lists before the evening began and there didn't seem to be any photocopies available in either of the two intervals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delph Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I'm seeing this on the 9th November - I will have to try so hard to cleanse my memory of all the reviews and comments, so I can go in with a reasonably open mind! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 And don't even start me on poor old Matthew Golding who had to spend much of the duration with grey and black paint all over his face and body, and, even worse, bulls' horns on his head. He reminded me of a Jamiroquai album cover. Sim, you made me laugh out loud. If I go to the live cinema performance, that will be image I will have in my head! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I've just seen a photo on Instagram of Hirano in that make-up/outfit, and with your comment in mind nearly spat my coffee across the room! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Sorry FLOSS, but "My Brother, My Sisters" was/is no turkey. And I believe it is up for a revival. Where does information such as this come from, Vanartus? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickwellings Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Agreed on poor old Matthew G. What an appalling outfit. The insipid dance he was given too wasn't best use of his talents. Nuñez was spirited and committed as ever, but she couldn't set the ballet alight all by itself. The chair pushing and 'human cartwheels' were my low points, but I liked moments in the MN CA pdds. They were grinning ear to ear at one point so they definitely were enjoying it. Faun passed beautifully for me, Lamb and Muntagirov a great pairing with nice chemistry. The piece worked better than with Ms Hamilton, I thought. VM beautiful from his first 'phrase'. Salenko and McRae blasted through Tchaikovsky, and I think everyone loved it, the reaction was great. I'd need to see Viscera again to be honest. I enjoyed the scenes of synchronised dancing, but the duet of Stock and Kish didn't quicken my pulse, sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 Well, well. I was definitely in the 'nay' camp for Carmen on Monday eve, but seeing it again with the two male leads swopped, and Laura Morera seemingly investing much more meaning and no little devilment into the steps, it was a ballet transformed. Well, nearly. Still a lot needs jettisoning (such as the woeful cards section - really feel for the dancers lumbered with that) and the whizzing chairs (waste of a nice piece of the score I reckon). Federico looks better to my eyes as Don Jose, and Carlos seemed MILES better as Escamillo. Perhaps there were nerves Monday, and that cast will be better next time? All I know is I enjoyed it vastly more tonight, than previous viewings, but still with the reservations above. If it were left to me, probably only be 40 mins.... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I agree both that it was a far better performance than on Monday and that there is still major work to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 40 minutes would definitely be an improvement. I didn't think it was the worst thing I've ever seen, but can't say that I'd be happy if this were to become the new house style. I found the roller derby very amusing, though probably for the wrong reasons. Muntagirov and Nunez were fantastic in the Tchaikovsky PDD. I think they work really well together, and their solos were mind boggling. I swear that Vadim has figured out how to simply levitate, there was a series of 3 jumps were he appeared to hover motionless in the air for a couple of seconds before coming back to earth with one of his buttery soft perfect landings. They were so assured, relaxed and joyous on stage, both with their own innate elegance - it was a delight to watch. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I think it's actually a distinct improvement with tonight's cast: after all, Des Grieux was never one of Acosta's best roles, and the style of Don Jose suits Bonelli better, I think, while Escamillo is right up Acosta's street. And Morera managed to find a lot in the role of Carmen. I quite agree that it needs cutting, and the other thought which kept coming to my mind tonight was that Onegin and Manon among others have taught us that it's not necessarily the best thing to use chunks from the opera in a ballet on the same theme - in the same way that ballet and ice skating don't usually tend to benefit from using the same music - and that possibly an original score, or a partly original one, might have worked better here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Muntagirov and Nunez were fantastic in the Tchaikovsky PDD. I think they work really well together, and their solos were mind boggling. I swear that Vadim has figured out how to simply levitate, there was a series of 3 jumps were he appeared to hover motionless in the air for a couple of seconds before coming back to earth with one of his buttery soft perfect landings. They were so assured, relaxed and joyous on stage, both with their own innate elegance - it was a delight to watch. It fizzed like champagne, and was just so much fun - which was just what they looked as though they were having. You know the end of the first bedroom pdd in Manon, where she goes and throws herself onto the bed in sheer delight? Well, replace the bed with a nice, well-cushioned sofa, and that was roughly how I felt about it! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElleC Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I enjoyed Carmen And then there were two (or maybe even three now that we seem to have a half apiece from Dave and Capybara!). Me too, Margaret! Maybe it’s not perfect with one or two bits I wouldn’t mind seeing “snipped” but I really enjoyed all the main pas de deux, as well as the big corps de ballet numbers. I loved Marianela as Carmen (I think she does “sultry” amazingly well for someone who in reality has such a warm, open, sunny nature). And then tonight’s cast … WOW is all I can say. Laura was simply superb, as were both Federico and Carlos in the reversed roles of Don Jose and Escamillo – they got a great reception from the crowd (as did Monday’s performance actually from where I was sitting). I also love the sets – simple but very dramatic. I can’t wait to see it again on Saturday with the third cast (with whom I was very impressed at the general rehearsal). I would say to anyone who has a ticket for this and maybe having second thoughts following the rather negative reaction expressed on this forum and by the critics – don’t be put off. Give it a go – you can only judge something by seeing it yourself, and you may be pleasantly surprised. Not to mention, of course, the other three fantastic ballets in this mixed bill all with exciting casting – to see Marianela and Vadim soaring through the Tchaikovsky pdd tonight would have been worth the price of the ticket alone. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 to see Marianela and Vadim soaring through the Tchaikovsky pdd tonight would have been worth the price of the ticket alone. Several people said just that. A really nice contribution from you, ElleC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Yes, Nunez and Muntagirov in the Tchaikovsky pas de deux made the evening worthwhile, justifying an expensive ticket,a trip to town, the price of a pizza and fighting through the half-term crowds.. .they were marvellous. I wish we could have had the other cast to follow.. then it would have been perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 It's notable that, after seeing two casts, Jann Parry for DanceTabs does not damn Carmen to anything like the same extent as her colleagues did earlier in the week: http://dancetabs.com/2015/10/royal-ballet-carmen-viscera-afternoon-of-a-faun-tchaikovsky-pas-de-deux-london/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 On the other hand, I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's more enjoyable than the Ek version 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 All through yesterday I was thinking Carmen couldn't be as bad as the reviews suggested and last night it wasn't, others have confirmed what I suspected, that the role swaps worked, and Laura Morera was fabulous as Carmen, there were risible moments for sure, the sooty bull in the Fate scene, the chairs on wheels, and more, but the actual choreography was good enough for the important moments and I relaxed as soon as Laura Morera was dancing her first solo, that and her pdd's with Jose, Escamillo's solo's and pdd with Carmen, all were fine and for me that was the important factor. Carlos Acosta pulled off some exciting solo dancing. I think I enjoyed the onstage musicians more than those in the pit, they played with tremendous gusto and the dancers responded. In fact the hour flew by, looking forward to the third cast on Saturday, could be something special. I didn't warm to Viscera last time round and felt the same last night except the central pdd with Laura Morera and Ryoichi Hirano, the music perhaps. Loved the central ballets though, great to see Eric Underwood and Lauren Cuthbertson in Faun, and Marianela Nunez and Vadim Muntagirov in the Tchaikovsky pdd, so a very mixed bill indeed but I enjoyed it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I have to admit that for the most part I was wishing it was last night's casts which were being broadcast to cinemas. Not that I was ever planning on attending, but still ... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 It's interesting to read that the 'second cast' seems to have worked better. I felt that the cast on Monday evening was very one dimensional with Carmen a vamp and that's it. The wistful music for the Carmen / Escamillo pdd, which was used to such devastating effect in the pdd for Angelo (a sort of Don Jose character) and Rita in the Bourne piece, would, I feel, have worked better for a tender pdd for Carmen and Don Jose. This would have shown another side of Carmen and made her a more sympathetic figure; on Monday night I couldn't care less about her. I think that Carlos and his collaborators thought that they were creating something very modern and original but, in fact, they ended up resorting to singers singing the well known Carmen music and stereotypical Spanish themes: bull, toreador, 'gypsy' costumes, shouting in Spanish etc. I think that an American high school or college setting with Don Jose as a shy misfit or sexual ingenue could be an interesting (and quite convincing) take on the Carmen story but, in the light of the sadly all too frequent school shooting incidents in the US, it would be controversial and probably a bit too close to the bone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I have to admit that for the most part I was wishing it was last night's casts which were being broadcast to cinemas. Not that I was ever planning on attending, but still ... But November 12 will be Carlos's last hurrah so should be a bit of an occasion and, whatever one thinks of Carmen, an opportunity to give him a big send-off. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Not from a cinema, if that's what you meant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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