The Royal Ballet: The Winter's Tale, London, Spring 2018

[Richard LH]

Beryl H I understand what you're saying about the music as  it does not seem to have much in the way of memorable motifs (like the repeated themes in Giselle, for example); it seems more like a continuous descriptive backdrop to the plot. But I think it evokes the various changing moods very well, and at various points it is intrinsic to specific steps or movements performed by the dancers who timed these to perfection. In Act 2 the music is more traditionally in keeping with the folk style dances.

[alison]

How many ballet scores *do* have memorable motifs, I wonder?  Swan Lake and the Prokofievs come to mind immediately, but is it common?  (But that might be a subject for another thread entirely)

[Odyssey]

I love the music and find it quite hypnotic in places. I've always enjoyed ballet where the musicians are on stage and witnessing the interplay between the performers. 

[ninamargaret]

I find it rather strange that while I enjoy the music for Winters Tale while I watch it it is totally unmemorable! I've got a pretty good memory for music and can recall music for quite a few ballets but WT defeats me. Certainly no ear worms from it.

[RuthE]

5 minutes ago, ninamargaret said:

I find it rather strange that while I enjoy the music for Winters Tale while I watch it it is totally unmemorable! I've got a pretty good memory for music and can recall music for quite a few ballets but WT defeats me. Certainly no ear worms from it.

 

I find Alice *much* more earwormy.

[alison]

Annoyingly so, in fact.

 

Oh Ruth, I wish you hadn't said that!  I've now got the hurdy-gurdy waltz back as an earworm

[JohnS]

Having seen a number of Winter's Tales last time, I thought I'd be a bit more restrained this time and probably just go to the General Rehearsal and the cinema relay.  I was also a bit disappointed that Bennet Gartside wasn't going to reprise his Leontes which I'd much admired the last time.

 

But I was very impressed with the Winter's Tale Insight relay:

 

http://www.roh.org.uk/news/watch-live-rehearsals-for-the-royal-ballets-the-winters-tale-on-30-january-2018

 

I'm not sure if this has already been commented on so if this is a repeated link my apologies, although in my opinion very much worth a second viewing.  I very much enjoyed the livestream and thought there was a great balance between rehearsal and discussion. Fascinating to hear Christopher Wheeldon give such lucid explanations of aspects of his choreography and Joby Talbot's insight into his musical composition. I thought all three dancers, Fumi Kaneko, Tierney Heap and Akane Takada, gave a real insight into their characters through dance.  I've booked for this cast at the end of the run and couldn't resist adding the penultimate night with Francesca Hayward/James Hay given the various reviews above so many thanks for these.

 

I was also interested in Jan Parry's recent review and her question whether Winter's Tale moves audiences compared to Giselle.  I have to say I find Winter's Tale profoundly moving, particularly the reconciliation in Act 3 and yes there can be tears.  Looking forward very much to the cinema relay and final performances.

[alison]

Thank you, John, for posting that link - I'd forgotten I hadn't been able to catch up with it yet.  And I must have missed the Parry review, or at least the Giselle comment in it.  I must admit that since the ballet premiered as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out as to whether it's the ballet itself or the dancers' interpretive skills which make it moving.  I guess only time (perhaps decades?) will tell.

[ninamargaret]

1 hour ago, alison said:

Thank you, John, for posting that link - I'd forgotten I hadn't been able to catch up with it yet.  And I must have missed the Parry review, or at least the Giselle comment in it.  I must admit that since the ballet premiered as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out as to whether it's the ballet itself or the dancers' interpretive skills which make it moving.  I guess only time (perhaps decades?) will tell.

I think it's all Shakespeare's fault! I've seen the play in many different productions and it always gets me tearful.

[Josephine]

10 hours ago, ninamargaret said:

I think it's all Shakespeare's fault! I've seen the play in many different productions and it always gets me tearful.

I agree with this for the play itself, but the emotional effect of the ballet does seem to depend enormously on the nuances of individual interpretation.

 

Also Wheeldon's decision to show a double 'statue' in the final scene diminishes some dramatic impact, for me.

[alison]

On 14/02/2018 at 10:58, Josephine said:

 

I wondered if the statue of Mamillius in Act III had been redesigned in an attempt to make it seem more life-like?? I'd be glad of any other views on this. My memory may be playing tricks!

 

Yes, the face is different.  OTOH, I did wonder whether they had interchangeable heads, depending on the boy playing Mamillius!

 

On 15/02/2018 at 10:01, Josephine said:

I agree on The Winter's Tale being a favourite Shakespeare play, and still regret some elements in Wheeldon's vision of the work, although I appreciate the skill of this adaptation.

 

I was going to ask you if you wanted to expand on that, Josephine?

[ninamargaret]

Thoroughly enjoyed the matinee today. I found the Hirano/ Cuthbertson/Ball/Lamb cast very interesting.  They seemed to give the whole ballet a softer,gentler feel. Hirano was particularly effective in the last act, his style of dancing is so different from Ed Watson's, but to me it was a perfectly valid interpretation. No criticism of the dancing of Ball or Muntagirov -how could there be?, and their less incisevely drawn interpretations were perfectly in tune with the general tone of the performance. But I missed Bonelli's more exotic Polixenes ( wonder what he'll make of Leontes). Impossible to choose between McRae and Muntagirov, a real case of you pays your money and you takes your choice! Lovely to see Sambe back and looking good and I noticed Joseph Sissens dancing well and looking as though he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

[Mary]

I enjoyed it too. I have always thought Hirano had a lot more in him than he has quite had a chance to show- his Leontes was different but in a good way: his jealous scenes less intense than Watson's but  thoughtfully nuanced, and I found it convincing and painful: he was most frightening in the rather upsetting nursery and trial scenes.

Cuthbertson was, as previously, most moving and expressive.

Morera is ideally powerful as Paulina and I love the way she does those flexing feet. Her ability to speak with movement is outstanding and she is really a unique dancer actor- it is marvellous for the younger ones to be able to work with her but this must be one of the most challenging roles to take on, as you really have to believe in her moral power at the heart of the play

 

 I did feel there was a bit less spark in Act 2  than in other performances I have seen. Was the music just a shade less pacy ?

 Muntagirov a gentle -and princely- portrayal of Florizel, with Sarah Lamb  just lovely as Perdita - and he is incapable of dancing less than beautifully, but I rather miss McRae here. I think this role needs some more -fizz? showmanship? something, and this act really needs to move along at a spanking pace to work.

Anyway today some zest was missing, for me. However, I was delighted to see Sambe back looking full of vim!  he goes so well with Stix-Brunell. The stage lights up when he bounds on, as it does when Gary Avis dons his kilt and gets down to the folk dancing...

 

Perhaps, as ninamargaret has said , it was just a softer all-round peformance with this cast. I agree that Matthew Ball's believeable Polixenes, more of a gentle young man in Act 1, which I liked, as it actually seemed more true to the story- convincingly transformed into the angry father in Act 2 and 3- didn't quite have that exotic power that Bonelli did so brilliantly. But that was unique to Bonelli.

 

This ballet is certainly a great vehicle for the dancers: it is interesting to see the variations, and to think about who might bring what to these roles in the future...

 

Once again I thoroughly enjoyed the music: no you don't hum it exactly, but it does work well telling the story and the orchestration is so rich and  interesting.

It will be very interesting indeed to see how these performances come over on the screen.

 

[nycitybird]

Just came from this evening's performance. No cast change announcement, so I was surprised to see Hayward as Perdita rather than Takada.

[aliceinwoolfland]

According to Campbell’s instagram she is unwell/injured. 

[Sim]

Strange that they didn't announce it over the tannoy.  From Campbell's Instagram, he seemed very happy with how it went!  I wonder if they had had any rehearsal time as it sounds like a pretty last-minute change. Were they as good in this as in everything else they dance together?

[bangorballetboy]

9 hours ago, nycitybird said:

Just came from this evening's performance. No cast change announcement, so I was surprised to see Hayward as Perdita rather than Takada.

 

There was a cast change slip

[capybara]

But what about Fumi Kaneko and Federico Bonelli?

 

[Of course, sorry to hear about the injury to Akane Takada']

[Coated]

12 hours ago, Sim said:

Strange that they didn't announce it over the tannoy.  From Campbell's Instagram, he seemed very happy with how it went!  I wonder if they had had any rehearsal time as it sounds like a pretty last-minute change. Were they as good in this as in everything else they dance together?

No, it did look more like the last minute replacement it was - decent dancing of the steps, but little to no chemistry, presumably due to lack of rehearsal time. 

 

The act 2 costume didn't do Campbell any favours and probably contributed to a less sparkly appearance. The colour blocking used for the men's costumes doesn't work for the majority of dancers/human beings unless you want to make them appear significantly more short and squat than they are.  Muntagirov just about gets away with wearing them without loosing too much 'optical height', other dancers, including Campbell and McRae, have not been so lucky.

Edited February 25, 2018 by Coated

[Coated]

5 hours ago, capybara said:

But what about Fumi Kaneko and Federico Bonelli?

Fumi Kaneko's delivered a well-rounded and thought-out Hermione, her motivations, fears and emotions were clear but subtle and I really felt she hit the nail on the head with her characterisation. Her Hermione was also beautifully danced and definitely a high-point of the performance, as was Tierney Heaps Paulina for me. Tierney showed both strength and sorrow that suited Paulina's character exceedingly well and gave it gravitas. It will be hard for any dancer to quite match Yanowsky's awesome Paulina, but it looks to me that Tierney is well on her way.

 

I preferred Bonelli's 3rd act to his first act, he seemed to be a bit too intense in some of his anger at the beginning, and I'm not sure what to make of his depiction of jealousy, but he hit the ground running (IMHO) as soon as the grief /redemption arc started.

 

The first few scenes with Polixenes didn't really have that feeling of 'brotherly' love and closeness that add to Leontes' later unraveling, and the lack of chemistry between Leontes and Polixenes didn't help to bring the first act fully to live.

Edited February 25, 2018 by Coated

[Beryl H]

I noticed Alexander Campbell discarded the skirt before his solo, good idea, liked his punchy dancing, I was really disappointed not to see Akane Takada though, as I had seen Francesca Hayward last time, wished I had gone looking for a cast change sheet so I was prepared!

 

Fumi Kaneko danced beautifully, she has such a fluid style, Federico Bonelli was a little muted at first but much more expressive from then on, the final act was moving, good partnership too.

 

Lukas BB was Polixenes, yet another exciting young male dancer, and was glad to see Tierney Heap for the first time as Paulina, Beatriz Stix- Brunell and Benjamin Ella danced the other couple, so another good night and cast!

 

 

[Anna C]

Was anyone else at the cinema relay last night? Dd and I made it for our first ever Winter's Tale,  For various reasons I have missed every other run and I was determined to see it this time round.   

 

I can take or leave "Alice" but I was enchanted last night.  Although I feel like I've missed out hugely by not seeing previous casts, in one way I think it's rather nice not to be making comparisons while watching, as I often do this without intending to.  I'm loathe to repeat what has already been said by folk much more knowledgeable than I, so some brief thoughts:

 

I already thought of Cuthbertson as one of our finest dance actresses (those who know me will know she is my favourite Juliet) and she didn't disappoint.  She seems to be able to inhabit every role of any age so thoroughly and is entirely credible as both a young newlywed Hermione, a wronged Queen, a loving Mother and a forgiving wife, 16 years on.  She, Hirano and Ball had more chemistry than I expected and made a very convincing trio in Act 1. 

 

Ball danced beautifully and acted very well, particularly in Act 1. The only drawback in casting a series of such young dancers as Polixenes is that in Acts 2 and 3, Polixenes looked barely older than Florizel and much younger than a visibly greying Leontes, when I assumed they were supposed to be the same age? Incidentally, I saw no issue with Ball's costumes.    

In general I loved the costumes; my only tiny gripe was that the Kings' crowns were SO simple they might have come out of a Christmas cracker.  Also that Perdita's purple dress and Hermione's "pregnant" dress both showed any perspiration (both the dancer's own, or patches left behind by the hands or foreheads of the two Kings) very clearly on camera.  I assume this is less obvious from the auditorium but I couldn't help thinking both dresses would benefit from different material. 

 

I thought Hirano and Morera were both fantastic.  Again, I have nothing to compare them with but Hirano's emotions (enhanced by close-ups) were incredibly intense yet contained and he projected them effortlessly through the camera so I felt as though I were right there onstage.    I loved his relationship with Morera's incredibly strong but still gentle Paulina.  

 

Loved the music; very moving at times and hypnotic in places.  I agree, not much if anything in the way of earworm fodder but that's fine.  Lighting and choreography were so effective; Paulina's flexing feet and almost carrying Leontes' head to bring him to Hermione's statue really struck me.  Likewise the lighting changes; dim and monotone showing what Hermione and Polixenes were doing in Leontes' deranged brain, contrasting with light and colour showing reality.  

 

Despite the beauty and joy of Act 2 I found it a tad long, yet wanted Act 3 to be longer.  Lamb, Muntagirov, Stix-Brunell and Sambe were utterly glorious.  I was delighted to see Gartside (wish I could see him playing Leontes) and Avis; the latter having an opportunity to really dance as well as his customarily brilliant acting.  

 

Darcey and Ore presented well; as always Darcey is much more at ease and fluent when chatting to KOH, Christopher Wheeldon et al than when having to read the autocue.  It was a long live stream at 3+ hours but so enjoyable and we were very glad to have finally seen Winter's Tale which I shall make every effort to see in person. 

 

 

[bangorballetboy]

13 minutes ago, Anna C said:

Also that Perdita's purple dress and Hermione's "pregnant" dress both showed any perspiration (both the dancer's own, or patches left behind by the hands or foreheads of the two Kings) very clearly on camera.  I assume this is less obvious from the auditorium but I couldn't help thinking both dresses would benefit from different material. 

 

 

Pretty obvious in the auditorium too.

[Sim]

Just now, bangorballetboy said:

 

Pretty obvious in the auditorium too.

Yes I always notice that too.....

[JohnS]

Many thanks Anna C.  No chance of getting to Keswick cinema last night but there is a local encore at Penrith on Saturday afternoon.  Will hope the weather improves by then but it doesn't look good.  Not even the tractor has gone by today.

 

I'm very pleased you enjoyed Winter's Tale in the cinema and have posted your thoughts and am hoping others will follow.

[Sim]

Great review Anna, thank you.  I also love this cast!

[alison]

As I've mentioned previously on this thread, there are a disappointingly small number of Encore showings for this programme, largely, I suspect, due to a clash with the Bolshoi live relay on Sunday afternoon   Hoping everyone can find something suitable (I suppose it's too much to expect the ROH and Bolshoi to liaise over timings, because it's not the first time they've had broadcasts very close to each other, and I suspect both audiences will have suffered as a result).  I was always going to have to look for an Encore for this one, as I can't do 3 nights out in a row.

[Margaret]

I went with a friend to see Winter's Tale yesterday, despite snow and freezing temperatures and a difficult drive.  It was well worth the effort as it was a wonderful performance.  We were both engrossed in the story, Hirano and Cuthbertson were fantastic and conveyed the emotional journey to great effect.  Great to see Sambe back, such a wonderful dancer and a lovely smile.  The whole company danced so well it was a real pleasure to be there.   I could see much detail in the cinema than from my usual position in the amphitheatre.

 

We got home safely, though the temperature was -5  and the roads rather slippy, but well worth the effort.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 1, 2018 by Margaret
to check typo

[Balletfanp]

I saw the cinema relay. I have seen it twice live and think it is a wonderful ballet but I was unprepared for the impact of seeing it on the big screen. It's one of those ballets that actually seem better in those circumstances. Act 1 I usually find a bit over long, but last night I was transfixed by its intensity. A large part of the credit for that must go to Hirano's tremendous acting - the close ups were shattering at times. Cuthbertson is always good in that role, and Morera's Paulina was every bit as moving as I had anticipated.

 

The explosion of colour and movement that is Act 2 is always impressive and again it seemed enhanced on the big screen. Muntagirov and Lamb were just beautiful - his big smile lit up the stage - and it was good to see Sambe back and on such good form.

 

And Act 3 brought a tear - I know it is supposed to be moving but that hasn't happened before!

 

Well worth braving the freezing cold and snow for - with the bonus of almost empty roads, almost empty car park and no queues in the cinema! If only it was always like that!

[Sharon]

Balletfanp - I agree! Last night's relay really did seem different, or should I say it affected me more, it seemed darker, brighter, and yes sadder.

I watched it at Fact Liverpool and the Matthew Ball Fan Club were out to support Matt. When he came on screen & during the interview they all just cheered. Some of you here would hate it - but I have to say I loved it. It was wonderful to see people who may not know lots about ballet or go to see it that often, but had come out on a night like that to see a home dancer. It made me feel warm - & proud inside.

[Balletfanp]

Great that they did that!

[RuthE]

16 hours ago, Balletfanp said:

And Act 3 brought a tear - I know it is supposed to be moving but that hasn't happened before!

 

Oh dear... I always seem to weep almost constantly throughout act 3!  First at the emerald, then when Hermione makes the "marriage" symbol with her arms and makes Leontes do it too, and then when Leontes realizes Mamillius is not coming back...

[BMC]

Having found at the last minute an Encore showing today, thoroughly enjoyed my first foray to Winter's Tale this time round - I've booked to see the last two performances to get to see the new Leontes. First I just have to get a couple of gripes off my chest, one minor, one less so (for me). Firstly, despite this being a wonderful ballet, I do think we needed a bigger gap between reviving it again - having three runs in four years does seem very generous and it would be a real shame if it were ever to become a bit stale. My other gripe is, that like many others, I am really disappointed that Bennet Gartside didn't get a further opportunity as Leontes - he was so moving in the role. I appreciate that Kevin O'Hare has a lovely problem trying to give all these amazingly talented dancers (from established principals to upcoming) a chance but if there can be four casts of Marguerite in quite a short period of time, surely Gartside could have been squeezed into what is quite a long run.

 

Despite having been to quite a few cinema showings, they always seem to come as a bit of a pleasant surprise as to just how enjoyable they are. I love sitting with a cup of tea listening to the interval interviews and would loved to have heard more from Sir Nicholas Hyntner and his views on how Whheldon has translated Shakespeare's words into movement. It's also such a great opportunity to see things I never get a chance to from my amphi seat, for example the faces in the orchestra and the details of the costumes, not to mention the facial expressions (though I think the baby may be best viewed from afar!). 

 

I thought the performances were uniformly excellent - with Hirano a bit of a revelation.  He acted really well without going over the top (which Watson does for me, a little bit)  and his dramatic facial features (those cheekbones and huge eyes) looked fantastic on the big screen.  Lauren is Hermione, so beautiful and dignified, Laura a worthy successor to Yanowsky, Sarah Lamb just lovely and I'm afraid I just sit with a rather foolish smile on my face whenever I see Muntagirov dance. For me Polixenes is a bit of a non role despite being so integral to the plot but Matthew Ball made the most of it. And how wonderful to see Sambe back with his huge smile and exuberant dancing.

 

The final act is incredibly moving but I'm afraid I had a moment that belongs in the giggling at the ballet thread - is it just me or does the statue of the boy, when seen close up, look like the much derided bust of Cristiano Ronaldo?!