The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works, Winter 2017

[Mary]

Duck, I entirely agree.

 

I think in Tuesday the Sarah Lamb character is meant to be her sister, Vanessa Bell, for some of the time.

[LinMM]

Wow thanks Duck that post is very informative for me and how you describe in the book Mrs Dalloway you felt right there with them is exactly how I felt watching this first Act of the ballet ....so perhaps McGregor has caught something of the essence of this work.

[bridiem]

Absolutely blown away by this last night (as I was in 2015) - the music, choreography, designs and performances. Ferri's talent is just beyond words. I found the last act almost unbearable. Especially when what seemed like the formal ballet révérence was performed by the dancers to front, back and each side, over and again, as if in both thanks and farewell. And the love everywhere, even in the despair.

 

What I really don't understand is why, if Wayne McGregor can produce work of this incredible expressive beauty, he generally chooses not to do so. What a tragic waste of what clearly is an amazing, and amazingly rare, talent.

[Duck]

Duck, I entirely agree.

 

I think in Tuesday the Sarah Lamb character is meant to be her sister, Vanessa Bell, for some of the time.

 

Thank you, Mary.

 

Wow thanks Duck that post is very informative for me and how you describe in the book Mrs Dalloway you felt right there with them is exactly how I felt watching this first Act of the ballet ....so perhaps McGregor has caught something of the essence of this work.

 

Thank you, Lin. If you start to read books by Virginia Woolf - enjoy

[zxDaveM]

 

What I really don't understand is why, if Wayne McGregor can produce work of this incredible expressive beauty, he generally chooses not to do so. What a tragic waste of what clearly is an amazing, and amazingly rare, talent.

 

Think he needs to work with Max Richter even more (Infra was my fave but think WW has now overtaken it - both with Max's music)

[LinMM]

I tried to buy the cd of Woolf works in the shop at ROH this morning but they've sold out. The very nice man in the shop rang up to the stock room ( I assume) but they had none left up there so just have to wait for another delivery now hope have better luck,by next week!!

[bangorballetboy]

I tried to buy the cd of Woolf works in the shop at ROH this morning but they've sold out. The very nice man in the shop rang up to the stock room ( I assume) but they had none left up there so just have to wait for another delivery now hope have better luck,by next week!!

 

*whispers* it's available on Amazon

[John Mallinson]

For those who can't get enough of Max Richter he has another sleepover (bring your own sleeping bag) on May 6. Booking opens tomorrow via the Barbican website.

[LinMM]

Okay BBB will checkout later and see what prices plus posting are though I do pass the ROH at least once a week so the shop has said as soon as get more in they can put one aside etc etc....but if it's a good deal on Amazon then will go with them!!

 

 

A sleepover? Can only guess at what that is .....but doesn't sound wonderfully comfortable for my old bones!! Though being with other fans of Richters music could be fun!!

[zxDaveM]

A sleepover? Can only guess at what that is .....but doesn't sound wonderfully comfortable for my old bones!! Though being with other fans of Richters music could be fun!!

 

He made a special piece called 'Sleep' which lasts over 8 hours - about the length of a good nighter

[ninamargaret]

My usual supplier of CDs, Europadisc, is listing this as being out of stock at UK suppliers, but they will take orders. At the risk of being shot down in flames, I disliked the music intensely, although it didn't stop my enjoyment of the ballet. Saw the original cast in the first run and the second this time round. Difficult to choose between them, so many good performances in both. As someone relatively new to McGregor's works, I sometimes feel that the complex 'installations' somewhat detract from the ballet, although they are stunning visually. E

[Mary]

I'm not so concerned by not being able to relate the ballet to,the narrative as it now seems obvious that it isn't a narrative work!!

 

It seems to me that McGregor has taken the ballet out of the intellectual sphere and found some strong emotional/ feeling level of connection with the works which he has tried to encompass/ express in the ballet.

 

Of course this can lead to a myriad of interpretations but the main thing is I think.....did people enjoy it? Do they want to see it again? Did they go home satisfied? Was it money well spent?

I personally can certainly answer yes to those questions but I can see if people who love and are well read in Virginia Woolf's books they might have been expecting something else.....or just wanted the ballet to be more of a narrative link.

 

I wish I had read just one of her books to understand this more.

What I wanted to know and I don't think has been revealed is why McGregor chose those particular three books ....perhaps they are just his favourite ones? Or he thought these three had the essence of her? Did he say this anywhere?

I don't think MacGregor was trying to give some kind of literal equivalent of Woolf's novels- in a way, what would be the point? - and anyway dance cannot 'represent' literature in that way satisfactorily-though a lot of choreographers do try to do that.But iIf it's going to be any GOOD as dance, it has to  do its own thing. He has tried to show something of the essence- good word-of what Woolf is about. I think he has succeeded.

The 3 novels do show 3 different sides of Woolf- the intense emotion, the fantasy and playfuness, and the intellectual, very pure abstraction, playing with ways of  representing time.

 

I do agree that MacGregor seems to have ignited a fire I had not previously seen in his work. His emotions have come into play and produced something much deeper.

It seems to me that in Tuesday he partly moved into a kind of homage to an artist he greatly admires,-I do so agree with bridiem about the reverences in 'Tuesday'-this seemed to me a kind of dance 'equivalent' of Woolf's suicide note, of the theme of death and saying goodbye in The Waves, and also a salute to a great writer.

[jmhopton]

I think the fact the Woolf Works cd has topped the bestsellers list for the Classic FM charts for possibly the last 2 weeks may be something to do with lack of availability.

[standingticket]

The music is also available on Spotify if you have it/haven't managed to buy the CD

[LinMM]

My Woolf works CD care of Amazon among a couple of other useful objects required .....like the charging wire/cable for my iPad .....am using borrowed one at mo...to cover cost of postage etc ...are winging their way to me hopefully by next Monday ....though I usually find delivery is quicker than they predict .....

Can't wait to hear it through our sound system ( partner is hifi and general quality sound nut)

[nycitybird]

Thanks for the tip, I'm listening on Spotify now. I think the phrase painfully beautiful was invented for this music. It's making me want a DVD so I can sob to this ballet in the privacy of my home without fear of ugly crying face in public.

[LinMM]

nycitybird I nearly added to my above post that if only there was a DVD could wallow in the sound and vision (we have a fairly new state of the art tv) I find Ferri riveting to watch.

 

I think Spotify is useful for smaller tracks especially if want to use 3-5 min tracks for dance etc.

 

Last Friday a teacher in one of the Brighton classes I go to used a track called "my immortal" by a group called Evanescence ( I think)

 

It was a nice piece of lyrical ballet/contemporary choreography just for fun but I had to come home and immediately find the track as loved it so much .....and if you needed to could have used to practice the dance as well!

[nycitybird]

Yes I remember evanescence. They were big in the early to mid 2000s. I live in Brighton too by the way.

[LinMM]

He he I assumed it was New York because of the n y at the beginning of your name!!

 

Perhaps our paths have crossed if you do ballet!!

[LinMM]

Well my Woolf's Works CD "Three Worlds" arrived today at about 5.30pm from Amazon so not bad going!!

 

Can now immerse myself in Max Richters music and just hope it's not too long before the RB bring it back into the Rep.

[Sim]

ToThePointe magazine's new blog is on Woolf Works....very enjoyable it is, too!

 

http://tothepointemagazine.wixsite.com/tothepointemagazine/single-post/2017/02/20/A-Beautiful-Achievement-for-Wayne-McGregor

[LinMM]

Unfortunately that link doesn't seem to work for me ....I just get a blank white page!!

[ToThePointe]

It's a bit of a funny site! Hopefully the below will work, must change it at some point!

 

http://tothepointemagazine.wixsite.com/tothepointemagazine

[LinMM]

I tried again and this time gave it more time and eventually the page came up!! I was obviously too impatient.

 

I liked your review a lot except there was no mention of the music and I do think this was instrumental in making this ballet so successful

 

I too hope McGregor can come up with another piece like this one though I suppose no creator is on top form every single time whatever their field. Many famous musicians wrote many many pieces were hugely prolific ....but only some of their works are remembered and played a lot the others are more forgotten. There may be several reasons for this but often it's because it's the best pieces which are remembered more.

[ToThePointe]

I agree that the music is fabulous and helps to make it so successful... I focused more on the movement here as I wrote in depth when this was last on but I completely agree with you that I should have included it again! 

[Bruce Wall]

Went tonight to the West End revival of WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF ... Please do go if you can ... If you're interested ....

 

This production ... and ALL four of its performing artists ... are as brilliant as the play is TRULY masterful.  Indeed I thought of WOOLF WORKS on more than several occasions this evening .... Even during that death defying ending which somehow reflected the ultimate - and unlikely - calm of the conclusion of McGregor's own musings in 'The Waves'.  Certainly there was more than a touch of Richter in the night methought.

 

Indeed the whole - like WW - was, somehow, strangely cathartic and more than fitting for these oft unpredictable times we live in.  

 

I PROMISE YOU ONE THING:  THIS WILL BE A HOT TICKET ... ONCE THOSE REVIEWS COME OUT .... and I have a feeling the fine work so richly evident therein may well wash up upon your eye's shore - or toddle through and roll over your mind's garden - when next you visit Virginia at the Ballet

 

Resonance, my friends.  Resonance.  

Edited March 1, 2017 by Bruce Wall

[Jacqueline]

Bruce, did you get an email from the Harold Pinter Theatre/Ambassador Theatre Group requesting that no food be eaten during the performance, out of consideration for the actors and fellow audience members.

Apparently, this is the first West End show to make such a request. I wonder if there were any offenders and if so, what action taken.

[Bruce Wall]

I did see one lad eating a sandwich ... but to be fair ... he finished it before it began.  The audience was entirely rapt.  When the lady's mobile behind me started to ring in the last act there was a chorus of 'shhhhhh' aimed at her.  

 

The play is three and a quarter hours long ... with one fifteen minute interval and one four minute pause.  It was well managed ... and you did not see a mass of people trying to dash out during the pause unlike at other addresses.  

[alison]

Interesting interview with the composer, Max Richter, courtesy of the Evening Standard a few days ago:

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/arts/max-richter-on-sleep-the-composer-explains-why-he-wants-audiences-to-doze-off-during-his-magnum-opus-a3529151.html