Wheeldon Triple Bill - February/March 2016

[Duck]

Indeed! Back in October (rather long ago and not repeated since, or not that I have noticed) ROH sent this out:-

 

>>After the Rain / new Christopher Wheeldon / Within the Golden Hour will now start at 12.30pm instead of 11.30am on Thursday 11 February 2016. Due to new lighting designs for After the Rain and Within the Golden Hour, extra technical time is required.

 

Thank you for these posts as I then logged into the ROH web site to see whether there'd be any tickets still available ... and to my surprise, I got a Stalls Circle ticket    Thank you.

[Duck]

Additional cast information for "Strapless" on 13/17 Feb and 10 March on the ROH web site http://www.roh.org.uk/news/cast-confirmation-strapless-on-13-and-17-february-and-10-march-2016

[alison]

Some tickets have now become available for several performances of this bill - largely at higher prices, it has to be said.

[Mary]

Hmm, well -Strapless looked pretty-in some ways- but to my mind there wasn't enough dancing, or rather, it did not succeed in telling a story through dance- there was over reliance on sets, costumes ( some ravishing dresses-but at times the men's formal wear cluttered up the stage and made it look like a musical) -and a clunking scene change at one point that was a bad idea in a one-act ballet.

The fine talents of Bonelli, Ball and especially Watson were not really used to best effect, and Osipova's performance, though often beautiful, did not engage my emotions. But- the problem was perhaps that the story was really too thin to hang the ballet on. (One scanty diamante strap perhaps not enough..)

A society  beauty has a portrait painted and is then ostracised- well, should we care? On the whole I felt the audience didn't care much. A real shame-it just didn't quite work. The awful music didn't help-sorry, this is very  negative, but to me it was just a noise that went on and on.

 

In contrast After the Rain -very moving pas de deux from Nunez /Soares-and In a Golden Hour were a feast of marvellous expressive dance ...and  I will have to find my cast list to check some names but  the dancers were superb last night, throwing themselves into the piece with real attack. McRae/ Lamb-sensational together- really capturing a mood, and it is a beautiful golden mood: so welcome to leave the theatre happy and upifted ..The lyrical tuneful music helps this piece, no doubt. The audience seemed to love it.

Anyway that's what I thought.

[Geoff]

After a quick check it seems the instant Twitter reactions seem more negative about Strapless than positive (boring, not enough dancing, nasty quip from Luke Jennings). Here is one example:-

 

sandra (@bicoated)

12/02/2016, 22:49

I once saw a film about 2 French lesbians eating a bag of sugar. That was marginally more interesting than #ROHStrapless #WasteOfCast

[Mary]

Having located my lost cast list and woken up I must add  that Within the Golden Hour dancing was pitch perfect from Muntagirov, Stix-Brunell-good to see her again after Pigeons- Cuthbertson,Golding , and the men were really on form and got cheers- especially Sambe, and Luca Acri(I think? someone will correct me I hope-) , and a short pas de quatre for  Cowley, Nagri , Naghdi, O'Sullivan, who shimmered and glimmered across the stage with beautiful willowy arms was an effective moment;  it was a very exciting, joyful piece- I would go again if I could get a ticket.

 

We know Wheeldon can do dramatic narrative ballet-look at Winter'sTale-this one just didn't work, it happens.

[capybara]

I didn't not enjoy Strapless and feel that it may benefit from further viewings.

 

However, I have a sense that Christopher Wheeldon may have fallen into the trap of focusing a little too much on creating a vehicle for Osipova (who was a cold heroine) to the neglect of the other main characters who were but a sketch (and he could hardly had have a finer cast than Watson, Bonelli and Ball).

 

Within the Golden Hour is, I agree, highly inventive and enables the audience to leave the theatre happy

 

The really nice thing about a triple bill of this kind, however, is that there is the opportunity not only to see a range of Principals (11 last night, I think) but also dancers from all ranks in featured roles.

[nycitybird]

I totally agree with Mary. Even if I cared about the story (which I didn't), the random, tuneless and harsh sounding music would have put me off. I quite liked the ending but not enough to justify what came before. And in my opinion all black costumes should never happen in ballet, especially on a black background. If Strapless reminds me of anything it's Carlos Acosta's Carmen. Ouch!

 

It's interesting that both abstract ballets were much more emotional than the narrative. The After the Rain pdd was mesmerising, but I'm not sure that it connected with the ensemble part before it.

 

Within the Golden Hour was definitely my highlight and judging by the applause the audience agreed. It's the best abstract ballet I've seen so far in my short ballet-going career. The music is perfect for ballet and the choreography was clever, funny at times and moving. The ending was so exciting it made it worth the ticket price alone! I'd like to see it again but don't think I could put myself through Strapless a second time.

[Beryl H]

Within The Golden Hour seems to be the favourite, that doesn't surprise me although it didn't have anything like the same effect that it did when I saw SFB dance it, I think the RB are more lyrical, I remember it being full of energy, the music sounded quieter too, perhaps I was bound to be disappointed. Beautiful though, really does produce a golden glow, Steven McRae, Sarah Lamb, Marcelino Sambe and Luca Acri were more forceful. Think that After The Rain and WTGH are too similar in style to work on the same programme, probably will look better in separate ones, the pdd for Marianela Nunez and Thiago Soares was heartbreaking!

 

I already had the Strapless book from seeing the portrait in the past so at least I understood the synopsis, think it needs more performances to settle in, Edward Watson seemed a little subdued, the best role and the most dancing is for Amelie Gautreau and Natalia Osipova did very well (see the Bolshoi will be staging it next year!) Federico Bonelli splendid as the larger than life Dr. Pozzi. 

 

The ending was very good, where the real life Amelie fades into obscurity as the portrait gains life, would have preferred Amelie to have a period wispy nightdress at the end though!

[Sim]

I agree with the comments above.  After The Rain seems to be two different ballets under one umbrella.  The first half, with couples dancing in blue costumes, was danced well enough but didn't float my boat.  The second half pdd between Nunez and Soares (in pink costume...was this the light after the rain?  Who knows!) was beautifully danced with intimacy and emotion, but I'm afraid Arvo Part's music is like the Chinese water torture for me....a slow, never-ending drip that started to drive me a bit crazy.  Maybe I've heard it too many times.  I would have got much more out of this pdd if had been five minutes shorter.  There wasn't enough variety in the choreography for my interest to be sustained for as long as the music lasted.

 

My first comment about Strapless is:  read the summary in the cast sheet.  Otherwise, you will be lost.  I had asked a few friends who were at the general on Thursday what they thought of the piece.  They all said 'hmmm, I will have to see it again before I have an opinion'.  When I spoke to them last night, their opinions fell more to the negative side.  I am in agreement with them.  The initial premise,  woman in the Paris beau-monde goes a bit too far and ends up shunned by the very society into which she wants to fit, isn't an original one, but it IS based on a true and very sad story.  This could have been made into an interesting psychological piece had there been any character development, or a real narrative flow regarding the relationships between the protagonists, or a gripping narrative of any kind.  There was none of this, and the whole thing was therefore a bit thin.  Pretty costumes and sets, but this wasn't enough to compensate. Mark-Anthony Turnage's music didn't match what was going on onstage, and was out of place for what was trying, without success, to be achieved.  Bonelli, Ball, Osipova, Watson...gosh this should have been a wonderful vehicle for their talents, but despite valiant efforts they all left me unmoved because they were devoid of depth.  For tragedy to work there has to be a fall from grace, or someone paying for their hubris, or something awful happening to an innocent.  Because there hadn't been enough back story about Amelie, I didn't feel particularly sorry for her demise.  Yes, we can see that she had lovers, but that was about it.  Did she love?  Did she care?  Did I care?  No.  This was an unfortunate under-use of those wonderful dancers, none of whom got the chance to shine technically or dramatically (although Osipova was on excellent form and really did make the most of what she was given).  I liked the end;  it was clever and well done and was similar to the ending of Alice in Wonderland.  I also liked the end because it was the end.

 

Thank goodness for Within The Golden Hour.  This saved the evening, and boy am I glad it was the last piece.  Here, everything worked.  Ezio Bosso's music was lovely and the choreography really interpreted it perfectly.  The dancing was wide-ranging, from serious to fun, and every dancer on that stage was enjoying themselves and this was partly why it was oh so successful.  The three main couples (Stix-Brunell/Muntagirov, Lamb/McRae and Cuthbertson/Golding) were paired perfectly and their pdd were all immensely enjoyable and full of feeling.  The Brunell/Muntagirov partnership is another one that I would love to see develop;  I really look forward to seeing them in Winter's Tale.  It was wonderful to see Lamb/McRae dance together again.  I think that she is one of the unsung dancers in the company and once again I am full of praise for her strength mixed with the utmost grace.  The three main couples were accompanied by a very talented and dedicated crop of lower-rank dancers, each and every one of whom shone brightly from the stage, and even got spontaneous bursts of applause from the audience.  Well deserved, too.  The backdrop was stunning:  a photograph of woods, whose hues and time of day and season were changed with some very effective lighting. Often in art, less is more.  

[zxDaveM]

I was at the rehearsal on Thursday, so here are a few photos.
 

Itziar Mendizabal in 'After the Rain'
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr


Natalia Osipova in 'Strapless'
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr


Lauren Cuthbertson, Matthew Golding in 'Within the Golden Hour'
© Dave Morgan. Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr

See more...
Set from DanceTabs: Christopher Wheeldon triple bill
Courtesy of DanceTabs / Flickr
By kind permission of the Royal Opera House

[zxDaveM]

As for my thoughts after the opening last night - well, Strapless was 'ok', but didn't fire me up the way the other 2 pieces did. Still puzzled though - if the crowd were so shocked at the unveiling of Amelie's portrait with 'that' dress and its misbehaving strap, why were they not fazed at her wizzing about at the pre-show party in said dress? Hmm - not thought through, I reckon. There were some marvelous pdd's (the one with Natalia Osipova and Federico Bonelli was hot stuff) and the pdt with Edward Watson, Matthew Ball and Natalia, was  intriguing. Loved the can-can dancers too! But overall, it felt a bit too episodic, and had a few too many dull bits in it - and as someone else has already said - black costumes with a black background (and backlit) - urrrgh! (Liam Scarlett's Sickert piece suffered this way too - I do hope this isn't a sign of the future). Music - can't say I was either enthralled or horified, just non-plussed I'm afraid.

 

As for the other 2 pieces, well, I love Arvo Part's music, so 'After the Rain' was a knockout for me. Two pieces of music, so two different dance sequences was fine as far as i'm concerned, and really enjoyed both sections. Thought Itziar Mendizabal really shone in the first part.

'Within the Golden Hour' is one of my favourite Wheeldon pieces, though reminiscent of DGV is sound and motion, that doesn't so it harm to my eyes and ears. Wonderfully danced (as were the other pieces) by the whole cast, with humour and panache. Can't wait to see it (and 'Rain) again. Strapless - might yet grow on me...

[SPD444]

For the first time I found I enjoyed the two abstract pieces over the narrative one. In the first Marianela was just wonderful, as was Thiago, in their PDD, the whole audience was captured as evidenced by the total lack of coughing. They danced with such tenderness its hard to realise that they are no longer a "couple". As earlier correspondents have commented the final piece was just terrific, danced brilliantly with Beatriz more than a match for the two principal ladies and the ensemble pieces were a complete joy, particularly the four ladies who rightly got some applause of their own. Olivia is really starting to shine. However. I was very disappointed with Strapless. It was a vehicle for Osipova there is no doubt and she danced beautifully but Edward was totally wasted, hardly saw him "dance" at all; mainly just posturing around pretending to draw. Bonelli made the best of his PDD with Natalia but not much after that. They will need to put some oil on the wheels of the sets as they were louder than the music at one point. Having really enjoyed Christophers other narrative ballets, Alice and Winters Tale; I am sorry to say this was a complete letdown.

 

I saw Sergie in the stalls watching Natalia but he missed the other pieces, shame he missed the best two.

[Fonty]

Do the programme notes shed any light on the context for the two abstract pieces?  E.g. Do you know what the Golden Hour is supposed to represent, or is it one of those things where the audience is expected to put its own interpretation on the work?

[SPD444]

Do the programme notes shed any light on the context for the two abstract pieces?  E.g. Do you know what the Golden Hour is supposed to represent, or is it one of those things where the audience is expected to put its own interpretation on the work?

 

There are articles in the programme giving some context to the abstract pieces but not on the free cast sheets.

[Guest Guest]

My first impression of Strapless was it seemed a little light on dancing. I liked the pas de trois with Watson/Osipova and Ball which was the most inventive section I think. The staging seemed a bit cluttered in places. I liked the design and costumes and music. I dont generally have a problem with sex scenes in ballets but personally i felt the Bonelli/Osipova love scene a little protracted with far too much of Ms Ospiova writhing around on top of the Fed.  Given that it didn't actually move the story along it seemed borderline crass.

Still great to see all the Royal Ballet best dancers in one evening though and I definitely would like to give it another viewing.

Edited February 13, 2016 by lou__iza

[Geoff]

If Strapless reminds me of anything it's Carlos Acosta's Carmen. Ouch!

I agree with just about everything in this post by nycitybird and indeed with just about everything everyone has said so far about the triple bill as a whole and Strapless in particular. But this comment?

 

Carmen was (is?) a vanity project gifted to a well loved amateur which ended up truly head-in-the-hands awful, barely even competent (though not perhaps without a possible future in front of undemanding fans in more commercial settings, once perhaps cut back by a professional producer).

 

Strapless on the other hand is a new work by an established choreographer of considerable talent which doesn't (yet?) come off, perhaps because it needs revising (which it may get) or developing (ditto), although the music may always hold it back. My hunch is that for whatever reason Wheeldon didn't get the rehearsal time he needed (I have no inside knowledge, this is really only a hunch).

 

Off the point, may I add that the After The Rain pdd was one of the great ballet experiences of my life (and I had forgotten they are now divorced, so was not influenced by extraneous factors). Hope these two have this performance immortalised asap.

[Scheherezade]

I have to echo everything that has already been said about Strapless. Having particularly looked forward to this piece, I found it underwhelming, over-long and, all in all, a bit of a yawn. Beautifully danced and played, fabulous sets and (for the most part) costumes - I didn't have a problem with the black-on-black - the content was flimsy, the music unmemorable and I found myself thinking that it could all have been done to better effect in fifteen minutes rather than forty five. I totally agree about the criminal under-use of the men and whilst Osipova did what she did quite beautifully, there was insufficient back-story or character development to care one way or the other what happened to anyone other than to think that Madame X possibly got what she deserved.

 

I have thought about why this might be and come to the conclusion that it could be because the audience was made to feel voyeuristic. The impression, overall, was of something cold and alienating and it was therefore impossible to empathise with any of the characters. This type of empathy is something that can be achieved in a much shorter piece than Strapless, witness, for example, Brandstrup's Invitus Invitam, in which the choreography draws in the audience from the very first.

 

Given Wheeldon's recent success on Broadway, I found this somewhat surprising. I did feel that there was a greater sense of stagecraft. I also felt that, in parts, the choreography reminded me more of a Broadway musical than a ballet. A more sympathetic marrying of the two would perhaps have worked to better effect.

 

I do feel that the music, too, has a large part to play, and whilst the Turnage score might have captured something of the flavour of the Parisian beau monde, I found it repetitive, with insufficient variety in mood or tone, and instantly forgettable. The choice of music helps develop character. Here, this was singularly impossible as the music evoked the nature of the beau monde salons rather than anyone who might have passed through their doors. As I have said, voyeuristic, with none of the intimacy needed for us to invest in the characters.

 

By way of contrast, the abstract pieces did provide that intimacy. Like Sim, I find that Part's Spiegel im Spiegel drives me to distraction but it did work in After the Rain and I just loved the music in Within the Golden Hour, which was interpreted with supreme musicality by an outstanding cast. 

[aileen]

For those who didn't like the music for Strapless: on Front Row a couple of days ago the composer (Turnage?) said that his first score was rejected by Wheeldon because it did not fit the mood of the period. And I recollect that it was said that Wheeldon engaged a dramaturg for the work.

 

I haven't seen this bill yet but the reservations about Strapless demonstrate once again how difficult it is to create a brand new narrative ballet, and perhaps creating a one act one is even more difficult because there is far less time to explain the motivations of the characters and advance the plot.

Edited February 13, 2016 by aileen

[SPD444]

If anyone wants to see how music and dance not only compliment each other but actually make the other better then tell them to go see Ashton's Rhapsody.

 

I agree with Geoff regarding the pdd in After the Rain. Never forget that.

[Jamesrhblack]

Musings on the train of a terrific afternoon will be written up at greater length,

 

However, the friend with whom I went, who is not a fan of contemporary music or choreography, was bowled over by Strapless and thought it "stunning." I loved the score and the design and felt it was a well thought through piece of work in which the differing elements had genuinely been brought together, I'd agree about the slightly chilly, voyeuristic element but actually wondered if that were intentional given that we are "looking" at ideas inspired by a painting quite as much as a real person and that this governs the climax with Le beau monde's inability to distinguish their scandalous and scandalised interpretation of Mme X from the reality of Mme Gautreau. For me, this really informed and made heartbreaking Amélie's final solo, literally stripped of externals, before the quasi apotheosis of posthumous fame at one removal. It may also have seemed so affecting because for me Lauren Cuthbertson has a wonderful ability to make one empathise with her and a uniquely affecting tragic gift,

 

It was a great afternoon for Reece Clarke who absolutely shone in both After the Rain and Strapless partnering two senior ballerinas superbly and projecting strongly as a stage personality too. Promotion must be on the cards after today,

 

More in due course.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Jamesrhblack

[annamk]

Funny how a second viewing with different casts can change perceptions, and not.

 

I nearly decided to miss After The Rain because I thought it was incredibly tedious at the General. That would have been an error to rank alongside missing Vadim's Des Grieux. At last, in Reece Clarke, the RB have a terrific partner for Zenaida, better late than never. They were superb in the pdd. Reece partnered her with total confidence and she seemed entirely at ease with him. Beautiful to behold. More please. 

 

As for Strapless, the valiant efforts of the dancers - Reece Clarke again oozing star quality and charisma as Pozzi - can't save this. I found it so tedious, I've rarely felt so much like walking out half way through. Hard to pinpoint exactly what doesn't work for me although I strongly agree with the posters who've criticised the music. 

 

I thought In the Golden Hour was less impressive with the second cast. I feel the style of choreography (like Balanchine) suits taller dancers and this shorter cast aren't helped by deeply unflattering costumes. 

Edited February 13, 2016 by annamk

[Ian Macmillan]

Reece Clark has clearly impressed today.  Now Luke Jennings on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/LukeJennings1/status/698555770800095233

[Jamesrhblack]

Funny how a second viewing with different casts can change perceptions, and not.

 

I nearly decided to miss After The Rain because I thought it was incredibly tedious at the General. That would have been an error to rank alongside missing Vadim's Des Grieux. At last, in Reece Clarke, the RB have a terrific partner for Zenaida, better late than never. They were superb in the pdd. Reece partnered her with total confidence and she seemed entirely at ease with him. Beautiful to behold. More please.

 

As for Strapless, the valiant efforts of the dancers - Reece Clarke again oozing star quality and charisma as Pozzi - can't save this. I found it so tedious, I've rarely felt so much like walking out half way through. Hard to pinpoint exactly what doesn't work for me although I strongly agree with the posters who've criticised the music.

 

I thought In the Golden Hour was less impressive with the second cast. I feel the style of choreography (like Balanchine) suits taller dancers and this shorter cast aren't helped by deeply unflattering costumes.

 

Didnt see the first cast but did think it must have looked completely different on those generally taller dancers: with respect, today's cast which contained favourites of mine such as Hayward, Takada, Campbell and Dyer, was extremely "compact" of stature.... Edited February 13, 2016 by Jamesrhblack

[Duck]

_{There are elements of Strapless that I liked – the costumes that matched the portraits of Pozzi and Mme Gautreau so well, the funny choreography for Mme Pozzi, and generally the choreography for Mme Gautreau. However there wasn’t enough dancing for others, and I thought that transforming this into a full-length ballet would give more space to develop the characters of Pozzi, Sargent and de Belleroche and thus provide them with more opportunity to dance. When I saw Strapless for the first time, I wondered halfway through whether Sargent would be essentially an acting role. The PDD between Pozzi and Mme Gautreau is fantastic with some exquisite and passionate rolling around the floor, however then there is a break in atmosphere as the scene changes to the bar. A longer duration of the ballet would allow to develop each scene further as well as the relationships between the Gautreaus, between Pozzi and his female followers, and between Sargent and de Belleroche. Mme Gautreau’s isolation once the portrait is unveiled is nicely done with everyone turning away from her, leaving her much exposed, and the choreography shows this beautifully – however unfortunately it feels like a long preparation working up to this climax. Very good dancing though last night and this afternoon, everyone making the most of the story. Maybe it is that I struggled with so much in this ballet that I preferred the more expressive acting last night to the one this afternoon.}

 

_{The PDD between Nunez and Soares in After the Rain last night was entrancing, hypnotising. The same PDD this afternoon felt different even though it was done very well. Yanowski seemed very happy with the performance, and posted a big thank you to Clarke on her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/p/BBu-YeBDa67/?taken-by=zenaidayanowsky. Well done for the two supporting couples also both yesterday and today. Oh, and I much liked the music by Paert.}

 

_{The costumes in Within the Golden Hour reminded me of beach wear in a lush environment. The standout performance on both occasions for me was the duet between Sambe and Acri - what energy and synchronisation, and I also much enjoyed Stix-Brunell and Muntagirov last night and Takada and Dyer today. All others also did well, and the dancers seemed to enjoy the ballet. The final part reminded me of the ending in DGV with all dancers coming together and moving in rhythmically repeated movements. The music by Bosso is a discovery, and I am making a note that I need to explore this further.}

 

 

[Indigo]

 

I saw this on the opening night & whilst I didn't feel that the triple bill was as good as I'd hoped it would be, I still had a very enjoyable evening. Especially as it was lovely to see so many RB dancers in featured roles in the course of one evening. 

 

Within the Golden Hour was undoubtedly the ballet I responded to the most. It felt far more satisfying & complete to me than the other two. As others have said, all the dancers involved gave such good, committed performances. I especially thought Marcelino Sambé & Luca Acri, plus Vadim Muntagirov & Beatriz Stix-Brunell were terrific. 

 

As with Within the Golden Hour, I hadn't seen After the Rain before so had no other performance to compare it with. I think a few other posters have commented that the pdd didn't seem to connect with the first half & I was also puzzled by the synopsis in one of the ROH programme articles which I'd read beforehand, as to me it wasn't matching what I was seeing on stage. I hope it's ok to quote one sentence: "There's no explicit storyline, but it's easy to read ideas of farewell, of change, of letting go into Wheeldon's images". I was sat up in the Amphi & didn't get that feeling from the pdd at all, though it was beautifully danced by Marianela Nuñez & Thiago Soares. Perhaps if I'd remembered to get my binoculars out in time, I'd have picked up on the intended themes better. But it came across to me as more of a duet between a couple who had been romantically involved for a long time & celebrated longstanding intimacy, empathy & complete understanding between them as their relationship evolved & matured into deeper layers. Due to my concern that I wasn't 'getting it', I didn't enjoy it as much as others clearly did, as by the time I realised I should stop puzzling & just go with the flow, it was over 

 

As for the middle ballet, I loved the recent Singer-Sargent exhibition at the NPG & it was a treat to see several of his portraits brought to life in Strapless. Federico Bonnelli in particular was astonishingly like Dr Pozzi. His dressing gown appeared suitably gorgeous & I thought the cut of many of the costumes looked superb on the dancers. At the interval, one of the people sitting next to me (it's a lovely bonus when I find I'm sitting next to a balletcoforum member) commented on how effective they thought the dark costumes at the start were in creating the effect of silhouettes in the picture frames. For me, once that initial effect had passed, I found the black-on-black very distancing & alienating from the story. Perhaps everyone being in black was meant to indicate the commonalities between the people within Parisian society, but I found it a relief when Dr Pozzi arrived on stage wearing a splash of red & the costumes started becoming more vivid .

 

In both the first & last ballets I enjoyed the music & felt it complimented the movement. This wasn't the case for me with Strapless. Unlike other ballets I've seen recently (notably Rhapsody & The Two Pigeons which are on the point of becoming earworms) I can't replay any of the music for Strapless in my mind, or really recall much of the choreography. The sets of Strapless were very evocative & effective at creating mood, but personally I found the frequent substantial set shifting jarring & distracting from the story. I hope someone has found a way to quieten the thunderous rollers on those six mobile panels - the noise level had the unintentional effect of making me want to laugh. 

 

Sadly, overall Strapless felt undernourished & unsatisfying to me. I had a very strong sense of an opportunity missed & that the talents of the dancers, in particular Edward Watson & Matthew Ball, had been seriously underused or not used to best effect. I came away with the impression that it had relied more upon acting skills than dance movement to tell the story. However, I did enjoy the performance simply because all the dancers involved were totally giving their best with the material they'd been given. And there were some very effective sections, particularly with Matthew Ball mirroring Natalia Osipova in the portrait painting scene to explain how Sargent had been inspired to create the final pose used for Madame X. Also the ending moving into the present day, to depict the contrast of the legacy & endurance of the painting over 130 years later.

 

I think I'd have felt more empathy & connection towards Amélie Gautreau as portrayed on the stage, if I'd felt more of the difference in the way society viewed & reacted to the portrait of Madame X compared to the portrait of Dr Pozzi. I understand both were considered daring paintings at the time. Both were posed suggestively, hinting at their sexuality - either with a strap down or painted with a hand on the dressing gown belt as though it was about to be removed. Dr Pozzi had a reputation as a ladies man & of having numerous affairs. Yet it was Amélie Gautreau's reputation that suffered, rather than Dr Pozzi's or Singer Sargent's (in the long term) suggesting underlying injustice / hypocrisy / double standards which could have been made more of to create a feeling of audience sympathy. (I am assuming this was the reason for including Dr Pozzi in the first place, not just so he could be used to depict Amélie Gautreau as having affairs. Plus the hand on the dressing gown belt pose was very clearly & carefully emphasised to the audience.)

 

Having said all the above (which has turned out rather longer than expected - making up for a long time in not posting!) I suspect that for me, Strapless will benefit from further viewings which Raven Girl did too. I booked to see the second cast next week some time ago, but grabbed a return yesterday so I can enjoy seeing the first cast again next week too - I particularly need to appreciate Marianela & Thiago's pdd properly! My seat is much lower down in the auditorium & closer to the stage, which I think may help my appreciation. Thank goodness there's a bargain £15 train ticket offer to get me there!

[Margaret]

A wonderful afternoon yesterday at the opera house - loved After the Rain and agree with comments about Reece Clarke, he was very impressive, as was Zenaida (as always).  It was a beautiful ballet, both the music and the dancing which worked so well together.

I enjoyed Strapless, but found it slightly confusing, despite having read the synopsis.  Those of my companions who knew more about the painting and the artist enjoyed the ballet.  We all loved Within the Golden Hour - the three couples did very well and we all enjoyed the duo of Sambe and Acri.

A very good afternoon.

[Timmie]

The first part of After the Rain was enjoyable enough but the Pas de Deux was sublime. Yanowsky and Clarke were a wonderful partnership and from the front of the Amphi it was also lovely to be able to drop my eyes occasionally to watch Kate Shipway at the piano, her arms were a little ballet all of their own.

 

Strapless, meh. It might benefit from a few viewings but I don’t have the time nor the money to invest in something that doesn’t grab me quite quickly.

 

Within the Golden Hour – loved it. Great to see Choe and Campbell together again so soon after Two Pigeons. When I first started going to the ROH I loved seeing Choe, but then, because I saw her so often when I wasn’t meant to as she was the go-to replacement for injured dancers, I stopped deliberately booking to go see her. Now she is definitely a favourite again.

 

edit: stoopid typo!

Edited February 14, 2016 by Timmie

[Scheherezade]

I'd agree about the slightly chilly, voyeuristic element but actually wondered if that were intentional given that we are "looking" at ideas inspired by a painting quite as much as a real person and that this governs the climax with Le beau monde's inability to distinguish their scandalous and scandalised interpretation of Mme X from the reality of Mme Gautreau.

I also wondered whether it might be intentional, both for the above reasons and also because society had, I understand, had enough of Mme Gautreau and was all too ready to cast her out. If it was intentional, I think it was a mistake. For me, for performance art to work it has to pull me in not cast me out. The same criticism could be applied to the first incarnation of Kasper Holten's Eugene Onegin. Both were distancing, alienating and, as a result, profoundly unsatisfying. On a deeper level, this seems to be something of a problem with so many new works, whether narrative or abstract and perhaps this goes some way to explain why these works do not resonate in the same way as earlier works.

 

I thought In the Golden Hour was less impressive with the second cast. I feel the style of choreography (like Balanchine) suits taller dancers and this shorter cast aren't helped by deeply unflattering costumes. 

Very unflattering, especially the men, and even with the taller dancers. Isn't there anyone with an eye for aesthetics who can put in a word to the wise in the design stages?

[Scheherezade]

 At the interval, one of the people sitting next to me (it's a lovely bonus when I find I'm sitting next to a balletcoforum member) commented on how effective they thought the dark costumes at the start were in creating the effect of silhouettes in the picture frames.

Not me, but I was also struck by the silhouette effect.

[alison]

Indigo, thank you for your long comments, most of which I agree with - from what I could actually see of all 3 ballets!

 

However, diverging from the actual programme, what I wanted to ask was what train company the £15 offer was with, and whether it operates in the other direction as well. 

[capybara]

 

Very unflattering, especially the men, and even with the taller dancers. Isn't there anyone with an eye for aesthetics who can put in a word to the wise in the design stages?

 

I noticed that McRae had yanked the legs of his shorts up as far as they would go, Golding had hitched his up a bit, but Muntagirov had, if anything, pulled his down!!!!

[Scheherezade]

I noticed that McRae had yanked the legs of his shorts up as far as they would go, Golding had hitched his up a bit, but Muntagirov had, if anything, pulled his down!!!!

Capybara, obviously we notice the same things!