Jan McNulty Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 It has been announced on BRB's website that Elisha Willis is retiring at the end of the season. As well as her creation of the role of Cinderella in David Bintley's production I would also mention her creation of Roxanne in David Bintley's re-make of Cyrano for BRB and as Eurydice in Orpheus Suite. I also loved her interpretation of Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Very best wishes to Elisha for the future. https://www.brb.org.uk/post/elisha-willis-final-performances-in-birmingham 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toursenlair Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Fabulous as Roxanne in Cyrano. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavycapers Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Nooo! I have watched her lovely preformance as Cinderella so many times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I have watched her lovely performance as Cinderella so many times. Yes - me too. I was looking forward to seeing her in the next season and will miss her. A fine dancer and a lovely presence on the stage. And like cavycapers I am just grateful that we have a permanent record of her Cinderella. I wish the BRB could find ways to record more of their work. What there is is scanty but much treasured but there have been so many of their productions and dancers, both past and recent, that deserve a place on our shelves. Far more so that some! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Shortcake Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I wish the BRB could find ways to record more of their work. What there is is scanty but much treasured but there have been so many of their productions and dancers, both past and recent, that deserve a place on our shelves. Far more so that some! I couldn't agree more. Much as I love my Royal Ballet DVDs it does seem unfair that there are three Filles, three Nutcrackers, two Giselles and two Swan Lakes, yet so little of BRB's work has been preserved. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 (edited) Much as I love my Royal Ballet DVDs it does seem unfair that there are three Filles, three Nutcrackers, two Giselles and two Swan Lakes, yet so little of BRB's work has been preserved. It’s difficult, isn’t it! And yet I can think of several more Filles I would like to have on my shelves! But we are extraordinarily fortunate. Opus Arte is the ROH's own arts production and distribution company and they have done us proud over the past 15 or so years, not only in the range they have made available but also in the technical and artistic quality they have built up – IMHO knocking their competitors into a cocked hat. I avidly grab whatever is on offer. My 46 ballet blu-rays include 21 Opus Arte Royal Ballet disks, compared to the Bolshoi (7), Mariinski (4) and Paris (3) disks offered by other recording companies. I have complained in the past about Opus Arte’s PR and communication skills but they certainly deliver the goods. I was pleased to see that they released the ENB Corsaire with Cojocaru and Muntagirov but as far as I can see that was an exception. For their Cinderella, the BRB turned to KULTUR, while Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty was released by Deutsche Gramophon. I don’t begin to understand the ins and outs of commercial recording companies but there is a major need for a recording outlet for all UK arts companies, including inter alia the ENB, BRB and Northern Ballet companies. It was a commissioning and recording role that the BBC filled in the past and their present regime (with the brilliant Jan Younghusband) is doing much to restore it. But it’s all funds driven. Northern Ballet’s 1984 won major awards and was broadcast by the BBC but will we see it on blu-ray? More and more UK arts companies are filming and relaying live to cinemas across the Globe. And there seems to be a reaching out between the various arts organisations. The scope for coordinating the filming, broadcasting, recording and circulation of our superb theatre in all its forms has never been greater. Meanwhile "Toi Toi Toi" to Opus Arte, the BBC and everyone else responsible for putting these marvelous performances out on our shelves. Long may they prosper. PS I forgot to mention that the RSC/BBC have issued the recent "Shakespeare Live: From the RSC" on DVD with some of our finest, including a superb performance of the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene by two of our favourite younger RB dancers - who have just and rightly been promoted!!! Edited June 11, 2016 by David 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I have complained in the past about Opus Arte’s PR and communication skills but they certainly deliver the goods. Talking of which, you've reminded me that I haven't heard a dickybird from them for ages ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I haven't heard a dickybird from them for ages ... My memory is that Rhapsody/Two Pigeons is scheduled for release in Sept 2016? And that talks about a Frankenstein release were still on-going - I'm assuming that we'll probably see that round about December. Unless someone knows better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Yes, but I'm not sure I heard anything about the previous releases either - and certainly no opera ones, if indeed there have been any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Looking forward to seeing Elisha in Shrew on Thursday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Lovely feature on Elisha from Today's Links: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/birmingham-royal-ballet-star-elisha-11461252 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Oh dear this news comes as rather an shock to me, but thanks as always to Janet and BalletcoForum for the information. Willis is a special dancer to me, I've seen her dance most of the classical ballet canon, mainly at The Lowry Salford. There is always something exceptionally pleasing and masterly about her style and technique, that makes her pretty much my favourite dancer I've seen live, as I commented on in the recent 'favourite ballerinas' thread . Comparison of dancers is often silly I think, but I have also seen Cojocaru and Rojo live, and I would look forward to booking to see Willis as eagerly as them. I remember clearly her performance as Aurora in the Sleeping Beauty at the Lowry 2013 - the artistry, panache, and total command of the role that cemented in my mind her as a truly special dancer. I also remember her as Odette/Odile again at the Lowry, with vivid red hair! Most recently Coppelia, my favourite dance performance of 2015, of which her brilliance as Swanhilda was the highlight. I have seen the news late, but think I must try my hardest to see her in Bristol before she retires from the stage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulcinella Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Elisha's last performance in Birmingham was this afternoon as Desdemona in Shakespeare Suite, in which she was really moving. At the curtain calls she was presented with a bouquet and the cast all applauded her. It was pleasing that she was acknowledged here as well as at her final performance, which will be in Bristol next week. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I saw Elisha last night in Shrew in what was I think her penultimate show. She was excellent. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nottsballetlover Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 I'm so pleased I made it to Bristol to see Elisha's last performance. Hammered the credit card with train + overnight stay but worth every penny. I'm currently having a drink by Bristol harbour musing on what a special night it was. Orchestra threw flowers, all the company and orchestra sparkled to give her a very special last show. Brandon Lawrence just tweeted to me that there was not a dry eye in the company by the end of the evening. I wish Elisha all best wishes for her future career. I will miss her dancing. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) Thanks for your thoughts and comments nottsballetlover on Elisha's final performance. Like you I pushed the boat out to go and see her dance one last time in Bristol and was at the same performance as you. It was brilliant final performance to add to my memories of her dancing. People sitting next to me were asking what all the roses were for so I filled them in, getting quite emotional myself ! It does seem too early for her to go but a Birmingham Mail article reports she has been battling an ankle injury for four years which I cannot imagine the strain of mentally and physically. I keep trying to describe what it is I love about her dancing, there is such a clarity in her fundamental classical technique, such security that allows her to transcend technique, that is so appealing and I cannot think of another dancer who I see regularly who is in the same style. Maybe other ballet experts would disagree or laugh at me, but Fonteyn is the dancer I would compare with, although as all modern principals Willis' technique is 'stronger' in that she can perform more physically spectacular steps. I simply wish I had travelled to Birmingham more often to see her! But I thank her for all those magical evenings where I saw her dance at the Lowry, Salford. Edited July 2, 2016 by northstar 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 (edited) From David Dougill in today's Sunday Times: "Among a fine cast, Elisha Willis was a touching Desdemona. At this matinee performance, Willis - to the applause of all - retired after 12 years as a BRB Principal, a versatile and valued artist as well as an audience favourite". Nice.......... Edited July 3, 2016 by capybara 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trog Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I too was at Elisha's final performance. The journey was terrible - I was on the M5 at junction 2 at 16:35 and arrived at the Hippodrome at 19:20. I did take a 10 minute comfort stop on the way, but the combination of endless road works, terrible traffic and headwinds made this the worse run to Bristol ever. I used to commute Brum to Bristol every day and I could do it in 65 minutes. Anyway, the nightmare was well worth it, to see Elisha for one last time. Looking back at her many superb performances over the years; Cinderella, Belle in Beauty & The Beast, Roxanne in Cyrano, etc, etc (browse https://www.brb.org.uk/hires/ and you'll find many pictures of Elisha), I will very much miss seeing her. She really was on fire Friday evening, and the performance will forever remain in my memory. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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