The Royal Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty performances, 2016-2017

[Sim]

Could he have been watching the same performance??

Yes....everyone has different perceptions of what they see. A few people have told me that they weren't bowled over by Hayward either. On the other hand, many were. Same with Osipova. Sadly, I missed Hayward as she was ill that Monday night, and have to wait until tomorrow night to see Osipova, so these aren't my opinions.

 

I always find it fascinating how critics/audience members who are at the same show can have such different opinions on it. Makes it all the more interesting!

[bridiem]

Yes....everyone has different perceptions of what they see. A few people have told me that they weren't bowled over by Hayward either. On the other hand, many were. Same with Osipova. Sadly, I missed Hayward as she was ill that Monday night, and have to wait until tomorrow night to see Osipova, so these aren't my opinions.

 

I always find it fascinating how critics/audience members who are at the same show can have such different opinions on it. Makes it all the more interesting!

 

I quite agree, and it's good and interesting that tastes and opinions differ; it's just that to make that particular criticism of that particular element seems really odd to me.

[Bluebird]

To be fair, it is only Hayward's performance in Act 3 that Jonathan Gray finds wanting.  Here is how he phrases it: "It was only in Act III that I found I wanted something more from this ravishing new Aurora".  Indeed, he has nothing but praise for the rest of her performance.

Edited February 28, 2017 by Bluebird

[Bruce Wall]

That would be excellent, but I do wonder if it would be fair on dancers always to have such coaching sessions recorded for posterity - they must be allowed to learn, ask questions, make mistakes etc and that must sometimes be easier in 'private'.

 

bridiem, I wholly agree.  I didn't mean such should be in exclusion of - but rather in addition to.  Certainly in a case where time - or rather the lack of it - meant that no such role coaching for a particular artist was available at all then this in and of itself might well be better than nothing.

 

Still I concur such would not - nor never could be - ultimately optimum.  The live interaction surely must always be dominant.  To wit:  In S. Lunkina's introductory video for NBofC she speaks of how she STILL misses her dedicated Bolshoi coach.  

[SPD444]

Big guns out tonight for the cinema relay. The Fairies in the Prologue are Yuhui, Akane, Yasmine, Frankie and Helen. Florestan and sisters are James Hay, Yasmine and Beatriz; Princess Florine and Bluebird are Frankie and Alexander and Lilac is Claire.

 

Just about managed to get a seat in my local cinema - virtually sold out.

[LinMM]

So who is Aurora then?

[SPD444]

So who is Aurora then?

 

Marianela and Vadim as her Prince.

[SPD444]

Go on the website, click on the Cinema link and you can print out the casting for tonight.

[Sim]

Actually Beatriz is not dancing tonight;  Mayara Magri is replacing her.

[Saodan]

The casting looks different for me. Hinkis and O'Sullivan instead of Crawford and Hayward as the fairies. Sambe, Naghdi, and Magri as Florestan. Takada and Campbell as Bluebird. 

[Bluebird]

The cast sheet on the cinema thread was put on line before the current spate of illness and injuries. The updated cast sheet is now in the digital programme.  I'll paste it in below:

 

Princess Aurora Marianela Nuñez
Prince Florimund Vadim Muntagirov
King Florestan XXIV Christopher Saunders
His Queen Elizabeth McGorian
Cattalabutte Alastair Marriott
Carabosse Kristen McNally
Lilac Fairy Claire Calvert
Fairy of the Crystal Fountain Yuhui Choe 
Her Cavalier Luca Acri
Fairy of the Enchanted Garden Akane Takada
Her Cavalier Valeri Hristov
Fairy of the Woodland Glade Yasmine Naghdi
Her Cavalier Nicol Edmonds
Fairy of the Song Bird Meaghan Grace Hinkis
Her Cavalier Solomon Golding
Fairy of the Golden Vine Anna Rose O'Sullivan
Her Cavalier Fernando Montaño
Lilac Fairy's Cavalier Ryoichi Hirano
The English Prince Gary Avis
The French Prince Johannes Stepanek
The Indian Prince Valeri Hristov
The Russian Prince Thomas Whitehead
The Countess Christina Arestis
Gallison Jonathan Howells
Florestan Marcelino Sambé
Florestan's Sister Yasmine Naghdi
Florestan's Sister Mayara Magri
Puss-in-Boots Paul Kay
The White Cat Leticia Stock 
Princess Florine Akane Takada
The Bluebird Alexander Campbell
Red Riding Hood Gemma Pitchley-Gale
The Wolf Tomas Mock

Edited February 28, 2017 by Bluebird

[Sim]

Many thanks for bringing us up to speed, Bluebird!

[SPD444]

Sorry folks, I wrongly assumed that they would have changed the cast listing before putting it on the website.

[Saodan]

I guess this means that everybody who goes to the cinema relays will get an incorrect cast sheet! 

[SPD444]

And no change sheets

[JohnS]

Sorry to see that Francesca is still poorly and do hope she (and others) are feeling better soon. Good to see Anna Rose and Mayara in the cinema: they've delighted audiences in these roles in recent weeks. Best wishes to all for a wonderful performance.

[Nina G.]

Yes always sad to see dancers who are ill of course... but spare a thought too for those dancers who aren't ill, who are on double-duty, who have to take over shows from others and are put under extra pressure  (and there surely are a couple of "work horses" who are show savers);  

[taxi4ballet]

I can see that individual coaching to each soloist might have time constraints.  However, I can't see any problems with an in-depth group coaching session for all the people who are scheduled to dance particular solos. Why couldn't someone of Beryl Grey's stature have been asked to do a class for soloists,  where she could teach the finer details of the Lilac Fairy to all those who need it? 

 

Ok, I know people might say, "Oh, the dancers have such packed days, there simply isn't time for this." But they have to make time.   Otherwise, it seems they are taught the steps by someone, and then presumably learn from each other, or videos, rather than from an expert.  And the result is that this forum is full of complaints about lack lustre performances and dancers being unable to cope with the technical difficulties.

 

I feel sorry for the dancers in the lower ranks, if that is the case.  It must be extremely frustrating.  

I agree, the dancers in the lower ranks (particularly young recent graduates) need as just much coaching as the more senior dancers. Otherwise the best have all the attention and just keep on getting better, and the ones who could really do with more coaching don't get the opportunities they need to progress in their career.

[WoodlandGladeFairy]

I've booked tickets to see the encore of this live relay of 'The Sleeping Beauty' on Sunday at my town's local cinema, going with my mum.

 

Will be interesting to compare after seeing it live this Saturday just gone with the divine Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball, though I loved Marianela Nuñez and Vadim Muntagirov in 'Giselle', so will be nice to see them in a pure classical ballet. I think it will be just as good.

Edited February 28, 2017 by WoodlandGladeFairy

[Mary]

Well WGF on the evidence of tonight's screening I don't think you will be disappointed! Nunez was radiant, precise and brilliant, Muntagirov absolutely on FIRE and they looked wonderful together: all in all it was a very fine night indeed and hard to fault.  I am going back for more and booking for the encore myself!

 

Thanks Bluebird for the cast sheet, I didn't check changes beforehand so it was good practice seeing how many dancers I really recognised...

 

Lovely to see Avis as a prince. It must be so reassuring having his hand to hold in the rose adage! he was acting all the way through, as usual, with such conviction.

 

A complete joy from start to finish.

[bridiem]

Completely agree with Mary! A brilliant performance, both as individuals and as a company. And (since I was at the cinema relay - moreorless full house in Wimbledon) lovely to hear from Beryl Grey in the interval, a living link with the 1946 reopening performance and still so beautiful and elegant. 

 

And, TOTAL SILENCE from the audience during the music between Acts II and III! Bliss.

Edited February 28, 2017 by bridiem

[simonbfisher]

Although one of the attractions of ballet (for me) is that it is non-verbal, I have to say that Miss Akane was writing poetry in the air with her feet in the Bluebird variation - and Mr Campbell's feet were just a blur .... Superb!

[RuthE]

And, TOTAL SILENCE from the audience during the music between Acts II and III! Bliss.

Sadly this was not the case in the live ROH audience!

[Two Pigeons]

The screening I went to was pretty chokka and boy, did we have a treat. I have never seen an Aurora who radiated so much joy throughout her performance. At the end of the Rose Adagio I wanted to give her a standing ovation and I forgot where I was after the Act III pas de deux and started clapping.

 

The standard of dancing overall was extremely high and I endorse the point about Dame Beryl's contribution.

 

Only one minor whinge, I would have liked accessible confirmation of the cast changes but i did work most of them out.

 

DVD please!

Edited March 1, 2017 by Two Pigeons

[Jillykins]

I enjoyed this having seen same cast last week. It is unusual but I think I enjoyed it more second time around! Possibly close ups emphasised the high standard of acting. Given little choreography Saunders and McGorian were regally convincing all the time and convinced me of their love for their daughter. Beautiful mime by McNally and Calvert. My non ballet husband understood what they were saying. I feel I was a little harsh on Claire Calvert in my previous post, last night she gave a more confident rendering of her first very difficult solo. I still don't feel it is really her role especially when she is given what appears to be a toilet brush as a wand.

I can only endorse the praise given to all the dancers especially Sambe and Takada and Campbell. Loved Beryl Grays contribution especially her mention of Violetta Elvin. I remember Beryl in Beauty so well, loved her gracious praise of current dancers and the production.

Cinema relays give us an opportunity to relive and visit these great performances.

[Fonty]

Really sad I couldn't go last night.  I am away in Dorking this weekend, so thought I might look and see what time the Encore performance starts.  Sadly, they don't do it at 2pm as in the cinemas in London near me.  And they don't even do it on Sunday - the Encore is on Wednesday 14th March.

[FLOSS]

Thank you Geoff for posting a clip from the mid 1950's American television recording of the Sadler's Wells/Royal Ballet in Sleeping Beauty on the thread "What in your opinion is the best  production of the Sleeping Beauty?". I heartily recommend it to anyone who is interested in the company's early history with the ballet.

 

Although heavily cut the recording gives the viewer a glimpse of Ashton as Carabosse and Beryl Grey as the Lilac Fairy. I had managed to forget how lively and vibrant their performances are.  Grey's dancing is not at all genteely,prim and proper but full bodied and strong. You can see that she is in full command of the choreography and knows how to use it.It really shows how the Lilac Fairy's variation should be used to establish the character's essential strength and authority for the three acts in which she controls the action but has no dancing to do. if you have ever wondered why the Lilac Fairy only makes a brief appearance in act 3 it is because the original Lilac Fairy Maria Petipa whose reputation was really based on her skills as a character dancer appeared in the last act as Cinderella and danced with Prince Charming. Her abilities as a character dancer explain the rather odd structure of the role of the Lilac Fairy which requires a dancer with a really strong, confident stage presence. 

 

The recording is well worth acquiring. Although it leaves me regretting that the Fairy Variations were cut to make the ballet fit the television schedule, at least it preserves a significant part of Grey's Lilac Fairy and some of Ashton's Carabosse. What a pity they resorted to written accounts of the mime rather than the full mime and battle of wills between Carabosse and the Lilac Fairy. In the last act  the coda of the Grand pas de Deux is used for the "Three Ivans" divertisement which Nijinska created for Diaghilev's 1921 London production. The cast for this is led by Alexander Grant and it shows what a magnificent character dancer he was.

Edited March 1, 2017 by FLOSS

[alison]

Fonty, you might find a smattering of Encore performances at different times in different places.  I didn't realise until I was *at* the cinema a few months back that the one in question repeated them on Tuesdays at noon, for example - it was just a chance comment by someone at the box office.

[Fonty]

Which cinema was that, Alison?

 

I think I have found one at Kingston cinema on Sunday, so I might be able to catch it on my way back from Dorking on Sunday. 

[alison]

It was a Picturehouse, but possibly the wrong end of London for you, from what you've said.

[Saodan]

The cinema relay really was a great performance by all concerned. Nunez’s Rose Adagio and Muntagirov’s solos were especially well received in my cinema, as were the fairy variations and diverts. The company seems to be in really good form of late and is handling an apparent spate of illness incredibly well. 

 

I don’t want to rehash the discussion about narrative above, but at points during the performance, especially during Muntagirov’s act 2 solo, I couldn’t help but remember the cinema relay of Giselle a year ago. It is a crying shame to see the efforts of two such talented dramatic dancers go to waste on such a banal narrative. There is only so much you can do to breathe life into Florimund.

[alison]

Sounds as though Alexander Campbell, among others, managed it?

 

Actually, I always wondered what Ed Watson would have done with Act II ...

[Saodan]

I saw Campbell at the Opera House and Muntagirov in the cinema. Both put in exceptional performances, but they can only work with the material. I guess for me Florimund is a caricature. That both gave me at least a sense of a real person, rather than a gormless halfwit speaks volumes for their artistry. Lets just say I don’t watch Sleeping Beauty for the plot!

 

Has Watson never danced Florimund? It's never to late for a debut