Carlos Acosta: A Classical Collection, London, December 2015

[zxDaveM]

Foteini Christofilopoulou was at the rehearsal at the Coliseum for Carlos Acosta's 'Classical Collection' (December 2015), where they fully rehearsed two of the works being performed. Here are a couple of sample photos...

 

Diana & Actaeon: Marianela Núñez, Carlos Acosta
© Foteini Christofilopoulou.
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

Majisimo: Marianela Núñez, Carlos Acosta, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Valeri Hristov, Tierney Heap, Nehemiah Kish, Yuhui Choe, Thiago Soares
© Foteini Christofilopoulou.
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

 

See more...
Set from DanceTabs: Carlos Acosta's Classical Collection
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

[johnross]

A slightly disappointing evening as we were only allowed to photograph two sections from the programme. It would have been great to photograph Zenaida Yanowski in her three pieces and other parts of the programme. The cast was fully costumed. So here are a couple of pictures from my set.

 

 

Marianela Nunez as Diana and Carlos Acosta as Acteon

 

 

Nehemiah Kish, Marianela Nunez - Carlos Acosta in Jose Garcia's Majisimo 

 

More pictures on www.johnrossballetgallery.co.uk

 

[alison]

Is Majisimo the last work on?  I do hope so.

[johnross]

Yes

[alison]

[munchkin16]

Haven't go time to do a proper review but anyone who hasn't got tickets, get them! It was fabulous!

[alison]

Oh?  Was the first night last night, or something?

[munchkin16]

Tuesday night!

[Sim]

Two completely differing views from critics who were at the same performance. This is why I always make up my own mind about things, and don’t listen to critics when I decide what to go and see (if it’s something I don’t know already)!! The different perceptions of the same performance are always interesting to me, not only from critics but from audience members in general.

 

 

Judith Mackrell, Guardian: “Yanowsky dances a magnificent, almost feral Dying Swan and also Will Tuckett’s Nisi Dominus, in which she is arch, grand, delicate and odd as a ghostly 18th-century figurine.”

 

Mark Monahan, Telegraph: “………She is also uncomfortably cast as Fokine’s famous Dying Swan, and later does her futile best with Will Tuckett’s overly coy solo Nisi Dominus, hampered, too, by a frightful costume.”

[capybara]

Two completely differing views from critics who were at the same performance. This is why I always make up my own mind about things, and don’t listen to critics when I decide what to go and see (if it’s something I don’t know already)!! The different perceptions of the same performance are always interesting to me, not only from critics but from audience members in general.

 

 

I do so agree.

 

In this instance, I also find Monahan's use of the word 'futile' unnecessary and really quite offensive.

[munchkin16]

The costume wasn't the best but I certainly disagree about how she danced it, she was stunning!

[bridiem]

As far as I'm concerned Yanowsky is never less than compelling whatever she is dancing. Can't wait to see her in this (Saturday evening) since she's hardly dancing at all at the ROH this season.

[Vanartus]

Monahan is...difficult.

[Scheherezade]

Well, I'm with Judith Mackrell and Munchkin. Yanowsky was breathtakingly good. I tend to groan inwardly at the thought of another Dying Swan but I can't remember when I last felt so moved. I loved Nisi Dominus, too. The music helped, of course, and I still preferred the costume to some of the concoctions dreamed up for recent abstract works. And I'd like to give a shout for Yuhui Choe, just fantastic playing totally against type in the Van Cauwenbergh/Piaf piece, she was a revelation.  I generally feel less than enthusiastic at gala-type programmes but this is a must-see!

[Scheherezade]

I forgot to mention Tierney Heap, who also impressed me enormously. Diana and Actaeon was as good as it gets and why isn't Majisimo danced more often? A great ensemble piece in which Yuhui Choe once again shone brightly.

[Nina G.]

Monahan is...difficult.

I never pay any attention to what Monahan has to say,  and he is a prejudiced critic imo. 

[Jan McNulty]

I never pay any attention to what Monahan has to say,  and he is a prejudiced critic imo. 

 

 

IMHO all critics are prejudiced.  One thing about the links is that you can get a cross-section of reviews.

 

As Marcus Aurelius said:

 

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.  Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

[bridiem]

^{Interesting and very enjoyable selection of works, superbly danced by all. And I found the 'behind-the-scenes' parts strangely moving; Acosta saying farewell not just to classical ballet (soon, anyway) but to the quiet preparation and team work that goes into performances, and to his wonderfully professional Royal Ballet colleagues. And his own dancing was just sublime. Breathtaking and apparently effortless. A memorable evening.}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2015 by bridiem

[Tony Newcombe]

Seconded!!!

[Don Q Fan]

I saw today's show. Hmm it was very short I felt barely lasting 2 hours. Thiago Soares was out injured sadly so we did not get to see the A Buenos Aires piece. I'm afraid I found the rep rather bland. The best bits for me were Zenaida's Dying Swan where you could hear a pin drop, Yuhui Choe's Je Ne Regret Rien and La Sylphide. Carlos did a somewhat watered down version of Le Bourgeois compared to performances I have seen elsewhere by younger dancers so understandable but still enjoyable - what it lacked in bravura dancing he made up for with brilliant acting. The show was enjoyable but I'm feeling a bit short changed really.

[munchkin16]

The only bit of it I really didn't like was Carmen. Not because the dancers didn't do their best but really the piece was pretty awful and completely put me off bothering to watch any more if it. Everything else was fabulous although I later realised why I recognised so many of the pieces, they were in his 2013 selection! Diana and Acteon was absolutely stunning though, pretty sure I laughed in shock and was grinning throughout. Very impressive!

Edited December 13, 2015 by munchkin16

[alison]

Thiago Soares was out injured sadly so we did not get to see the A Buenos Aires piece. I'm afraid I found the rep rather bland.

 

Oh no.  Did you not get the Winter Dreams bit either? 

 

I enjoyed the first half, but I'd seen much of the second half too many times before - and wouldn't have chosen to see them again.  I enjoyed his 2013 show so much that this was a bit of a letdown in comparison.

[Don Q Fan]

Apparently Thiago's calf muscle "went" on Saturday - he was replaced in Winter Dreams by Nehemiah Kish, so yes we did see that piece.  They brought in Zuchetti and Montano:- Valentino Zucchetti did la Slyphide and Fernando Montano did Majisimo.

[capybara]

Apparently Thiago's calf muscle "went" on Saturday - he was replaced in Winter Dreams by Nehemiah Kish, so yes we did see that piece.  They brought in Zuchetti and Montano:- Valentino Zucchetti did la Slyphide and Fernando Montano did Majisimo.

 

Goodness - and Valeri Hristov had already been replaced by Matthew Ball in Carmen and, initially, by someone else (Kish?) in La Sylphide. One wonders about the knock-on effect of all this on the RB's Nutcracker casting!

[Don Q Fan]

Valery Hristov was dancing yesterday he did Majisimo and something else I forget what!

[Ian Macmillan]

As something of a postscript to this show and his Carmen for the RB, have I missed any reference on the Forum to Carlos Acosta being involved as choreographer for the Guys and Dolls musical now running at the Savoy Theatre in London?  He's not alone as he shares main billing with Andrew Wright, whilst two other Assistants are also listed, and four choreographers strikes me as a lot for a show using just 11 main dancers.  I couldn't tell with certainty where Carlos did his stuff, but I'd guess at his being brought in to add a bit of local colour to the number in the Havana bar to which Sky Masterson has taken Sister Sarah on that always improbable evening trip to Cuba.

[Jan McNulty]

The performances at the Lowry in May are almost sold out despite the horrendous (for the Lowry) prices.  Guess I will have to miss his Swansong.

[Jacqueline]

The performances at the Lowry in May are almost sold out despite the horrendous (for the Lowry) prices.  Guess I will have to miss his Swansong.

There are seats left for the Nottingham shows but nothing near the stage. I paid £65 for a front row seat on Tier 1. I don't know if that is expensive or not really, I am a bit out of touch with regional theatre prices.

[alison]

As something of a postscript to this show and his Carmen for the RB, have I missed any reference on the Forum to Carlos Acosta being involved as choreographer for the Guys and Dolls musical now running at the Savoy Theatre in London?  He's not alone as he shares main billing with Andrew Wright, whilst two other Assistants are also listed, and four choreographers strikes me as a lot for a show using just 11 main dancers.  I couldn't tell with certainty where Carlos did his stuff, but I'd guess at his being brought in to add a bit of local colour to the number in the Havana bar to which Sky Masterson has taken Sister Sarah on that always improbable evening trip to Cuba.

 

I think it may have been mentioned in passing.  I know I was aware of it, and was surprised that so little was being made of it, but perhaps if he's only responsible for one number that might explain things.