The Royal Ballet: Mayerling, Autumn 2018

[capybara]

It’s only the first interval but MATTHEW BALL - wow, just WOW.

[Riva]

Managed to swap my tickets for 19th to 20th so looking forward to hearing thoughts from Capybara and others from today’s matinee in anticipation for next week! 

[Mary]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

It’s only the first interval but MATTHEW BALL - wow, just WOW.

waiting avidly for the detail.........

 

[Tony Newcombe]

2 hours ago, capybara said:

It’s only the first interval but MATTHEW BALL - wow, just WOW.

And at end it was WOW to the power of 10.

[Esmeralda]

I want to thank you already to all of you for your reviews, they are all making the waiting for "my" performances easier...I am still sad that I will not see Watson live in this and do not want to think about if there will be a chance once more but I am completely excited to see how Hirano will tackle this role. Also  decided to see Ball in his second performance so two new Rudolphs for me in this run instead of none! Try to see the positive!

 

Though I have to say I am a bit surprised that there aren´t so many reviews. I am also interested about comments about the whole cast and who were casted in the minor roles like Princess Louise, the four hungarian Officers etc. The profiles of the dancers aren´t really useful, they only contain major roles, which is a pity!

6 hours ago, Rob S said:

From last night

 

A great night, I was expecting Tierny Heap as Empress Elizabeth (listed as being her debut in the role) but it turned out to be Lara Turk

 

 

According to her IG account she is injured and had a small OP ( hopefully this is not against the forum rules).

 

2 hours ago, capybara said:

It’s only the first interval but MATTHEW BALL - wow, just WOW.

 

Sounds promising! To be honest I was a little bit suprised when I saw that Ball got so soon cast in this role, but this is (ballet)- life...Can not wait for more opinions about his performance.

6 hours ago, greypuss said:

Incidentally for anyone interested in Mayara Magri there is a video clip on the ROH facebook page of a rehearsal from Act 2 of Mayerling.

 

 

Thank you for your hint! Loved the video, it is also one of my favourites dances in Mayerling. Magri as Mitzi Caspar was one reason why I thought long about it if I should really book for Bonelli but thought "my" Rudolph was more important so I will only see her in this in cinema...But also the four officers, Sambe, Clarke, Richardson and Mock are looking great!

Funny enough: thanks to the video I noticed that I have absolutely no idea what the fourth officer is doing during the swing forth and back...I think I watched Mayerling at least 10 times but the fourth guy is at the moment a mystery to me...

[BeauxArts]

An excellent debut by Matthew Ball. He navigated the longueurs  of the first scenes cautiously but the final pdd in Act 1 was impressive. However, he really started to ratchet up the intensity in Act 2, brilliantly aided by Melissa Hamilton who I thought contributed magnificently to their passionate folie à deux.. by Act 3 it was absolutely gripping and they danced to the death with I think nearly all the auditorium in their dramatic thrall.  This was - in my opinion - a really well danced and superbly acted debut by Mr Ball. He should be very proud.

[annamk]

3 minutes ago, BeauxArts said:

An excellent debut by Matthew Ball. He navigated the longueurs  of the first scenes cautiously but the final pdd in Act 1 was impressive. However, he really started to ratchet up the intensity in Act 2, brilliantly aided by Melissa Hamilton who I thought contributed magnificently to their passionate folie à deux.. by Act 3 it was absolutely gripping and they danced to the death with I think nearly all the auditorium in their dramatic thrall.  This was - in my opinion - a really well danced and superbly acted debut by Mr Ball. He should be very proud.

 

I agree entirely BeauxArts. Quite exceptional chemistry between the leads. 

[JohnS]

I very much enjoyed the Matinee and will treasure Matthew Ball's memorable debut.  I hope very much to see Matthew's Rudolf grow in maturity over the years.  I found the pdd with Stephanie a little telegraphed as there seemed too much advance warning of lifts etc - here's my knee etc from Elizabeth Harrod and I would have welcomed greater abandon from Melissa Hamilton's Mary - at times I thought Matthew Ball could have done with Melissa Hamilton higher in the air.  But it was a fabulous debut and I'm delighted to have witnessed it - well worth the early start this morning!

 

 Looking forward immensely to tonight's performance and how splendid Open Up feels from first viewing.

 

More considered thoughts later.

[Sim]

A wonderful debut from Matthew Ball.   Wow!!  More later.  

[Richard LH]

Brilliant performance tonight from Hirano, Osipova, Lamb, Hayward, Campbell, McNally, Nunez....and the rest...what amazing dancers!

[ninamargaret]

44 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Brilliant performance tonight from Hirano, Osipova, Lamb, Hayward, Campbell, McNally, Nunez....and the rest...what amazing dancers!

Agree totally! I thought Hirano took a while to warm up emotionally but the third act was superb. I love his dancing just wish he could project more. And all those mentioned made it a very fine performance,  Campbell especially. Was speaking to someone who had seen Ball and who was raving about his performance.Would  love to see it but I'm nearly bankrupt this month!

[ChrisG]

52 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Brilliant performance tonight from Hirano, Osipova, Lamb, Hayward, Campbell, McNally, Nunez....and the rest...what amazing dancers!

 

Amen to that! Not my favourite Macmillan ballet, mainly because I find the Liszt overblown, but that performance won me over. Can’t wait to follow it with Manon in Manchester on Thursday 😊

[JohnS]

I very much enjoyed this evening's performance with such a stellar cast.  I'm struck by how the Royal Ballet seems to have carried on from last season's heights.

I find Natalia Osipova's Mary utterly compelling - she seems the driving force in the suicide pact and her kiss at the end of Act 2 is spine chilling, vampire like and reminiscent of Salome.  In Rudolf's/Mary's sadomasochism, Mary to me is very much in control.

A fabulous double Mayerling day and the early start/travel disruption seems of no consequence.

I'll enjoy the journey home tomorrow with time to reflect at leisure and savour the other posts and photos.

 

 

 

[Mary]

It's difficult to wind down from all the excitement...... and I wasn't even there!

 

 

[JennyTaylor]

I went to both performances today and was blown away by Matthew Ball, Melissa Hamilton and Olivia Cowley, Wow, wow and double wow. 

 

Hard to say where the start, the dancing in the first act was perhaps a little rough around the edges particularly the Stephanie PDD where I found myself fearing for Elizabeth Harrod on a couple of occasions.  I was very near the front so had a close up view for which I was so grateful and the passion and intensity they both showed was immense.  I thought she performed really well, not holding back at all even though it wasn't always dance perfection. Perhaps the effort Matthew was putting into the lifts even made it more life like than if it perfectly executed. 

 

Olivia Cowley was superb as Larisch: mischievous, fun, scheming and oh, those facial expressions and eye movements. So many extra little nuances to the role. Really excellent

 

Then onto Matthew and Melissa.  Well, it's the best performance I have ever seen from both of them by far and the pdd - especially the final one were so passionate, so physical. I lost count of the number of times I had goose bumps. His acting was excellent without being in any way OTT. Reminded me a little of how Irek used to play it.

 

I was so excited, that I booked a ticket for next Saturday's performance on the way home.

 

Perhaps it was because the afternoon was so good, that I was strangely unmoved by this evening. I'm afraid Ryo didn't do it for me at all - not a single goose bump, though I can't fault his effort especially in Act 3. The quality of the dancing was very good from everyone. Particular highlights for me were Francesca Hayward as Stephanie - and that was an excellent PDD,  Kristen McNally as Elizabeth and of course, the wonderful Gary Avis who I saw twice today as Bay Middleton.  I also spent some time wishing Alexander Campbell was on stage for a greater length of time.  Everyone who has picked our Cesar Corrales as the 1st Hungarian is absolutely right - can't wait to see him again! .. and there was Olivia Cowley again this time as Princess Gisela. What a trouper that girl is!  

 

So for me, the less "stellar" cast turned in the most outstanding show overall      

Edited October 13, 2018 by JennyTaylor
typo

[penelopesimpson]

Flat as the wall to wall beige of Level 5.  Ryochi, you are fabulous but it isn't enough to come to life in Act 3.

Okay, Ed Watson was the elephant in the room but I came to enjoy, not to criticise.  I am not sure this is the right role for Ryochi as he simply didn't convince. On paper he has it all - sublime physicality, fabulous technique but he performed all the moves but was never Rudolph.  

Rudolph needs to be so many things; tortured soul, debauched heir, unloved son, cruel husband amongst others.  The only one Ryochi nailed was sexy beast and he was that in spades.  Like Macrae, at the curtain call he looked like all he needed was a swift half and he could do the whole thing again.

What I saw tonight was a supremely accomplished dancer in a series of vignettes with fabulous ballerinas.  I never got a sense of the narrative drive which is so essential to this ballet.  Sorry, but ultimately disappointing.

 

 

 

 

[JennyTaylor]

55 minutes ago, ninamargaret said:

Agree totally! I thought Hirano took a while to warm up emotionally but the third act was superb. I love his dancing just wish he could project more. And all those mentioned made it a very fine performance,  Campbell especially. Was speaking to someone who had seen Ball and who was raving about his performance.Would  love to see it but I'm nearly bankrupt this month!

Go and see Ball - there are still tickets left!

[alison]

1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said:

What I saw tonight was a supremely accomplished dancer in a series of vignettes with fabulous ballerinas.  I never got a sense of the narrative drive which is so essential to this ballet. 

 

That was almost exactly my reaction, too.  Loads of separate scenes, like beads, but somehow without a string running through them and tying the whole lot together.

 

But that wedding-night pas de deux was excruciatingly horrible.  And I mean that as a weird sort of compliment.

[Richard LH]

I hadn't thought about any offspring from the Rudolf/Stephanie marriage until I noticed Frankie's baby bump during the firework scene.

From an early age it seems their beautiful daughter Elisabeth inherited her father's capacity for scandal (and the use of firearms), and had a tremendously eventful life that would probably be a good subject for a dramatic ballet in itself...https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/kings-queens/the-red-archduchess-the-hapsburg-heir-who-murdered-an-actress-defied-the-nazis/

 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Richard LH

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

I hadn't thought about any offspring from the Rudolf/Stephanie marriage until I noticed Frankie's baby bump during the firework scene.

From an early age it seems their beautiful daughter Elisabeth inherited her father's capacity for scandal (and the use of firearms), and had a tremendously eventful life that would probably be a good subject for a dramatic ballet in itself...https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/kings-queens/the-red-archduchess-the-hapsburg-heir-who-murdered-an-actress-defied-the-nazis/

 

A really fascinating read. Thanks for posting, Richard. I wonder what happened to her children and if there is anyone alive still descended from Crown Prince Rudolf and Stephanie? 

[bangorballetboy]

13 minutes ago, Darlex said:

A really fascinating read. Thanks for posting, Richard. I wonder what happened to her children and if there is anyone alive still descended from Crown Prince Rudolf and Stephanie? 

 

Plenty! See here.

[Richard LH]

I had only seen  Mayerling on the DVD before, which I did not enjoy all that much;  experiencing it  performed live is something else entirely. There is so much going on, so many characters, so much creative choreography, and dramatic tension. Having previously thought one performance would be enough, I have been drawn in - now looking forward to McRae/Takada/Morera et al. on the 27th .

[MargaretN7]

The Saturday matinée performance of Mayerling, wows all round. What a company! One of those occasions of which I suspect many of us will say "I was there".

I'd also like to put in a word for Paul Kay's Bratfisch. Not just his dancing, also his acting. The emotion he showed towards the couple, the situation, in that final scene with Rudolf and Mary had me crying.

[capybara]

2 hours ago, MargaretN7 said:

The Saturday matinée performance of Mayerling, wows all round. What a company! One of those occasions of which I suspect many of us will say "I was there".

I'd also like to put in a word for Paul Kay's Bratfisch. Not just his dancing, also his acting. The emotion he showed towards the couple, the situation, in that final scene with Rudolf and Mary had me crying.

 

Still feeling too 'full up' to write about yesterday's matinee and Matthew Ball's performance in particular. But I do so agree about Paul Kay's Bratfisch - pitch perfect.

[Nogoat]

I was lucky enough to see both Ball's debut in yesterday's matinee, and Hirano's second outing in the evening. The obvious danger arising from this (apart from that of being flagged in my ROH ticketing history as a 'high frequency' attender, selfishly preventing some putative 'new audience' member from attending) is the temptation to compare:- and no doubt I will fall headlong into that. But as long as it's recognised (and I think it is) that, beyond the technicalities, these narrative ballets have a surprisingly broad scope for variation both in terms of the dancers' interpretations and the audience members' perceptions of those, then surely that's OK.

 

I hope these rather patchy, haphazard recollections (in reverse order) are correct; no doubt my recollections will be corrected if not... 🙂

 

The orchestra: - 
The music definitely seemed 'beefier' and ‘punchier’. Was this down to it being the 'proper' orchestra (as opposed to the BRB Sinfonia) or me being in the Amphi on Saturday rather than the balcony on Monday (the Amphi seems to 'capture' sound, and I love the effect that gives)?

 

The curtain calls: - 
Ball received a thunderous reception, complete with lots of shouts of 'bravo' - totally deserved, especially as it was his debut. Hirano's was very enthusiastic rather than ecstatic; he certainly seemed happier with his performance - he couldn't prevent himself (though he did seem to try!) breaking out into a bit of a grin. In the final call with both Mary and Larisch he lingered for a few extra seconds once they had left - I think he knew he had done well. He had certainly thrown himself into it - he had blood around both knees during the curtain calls (as opposed to just the one knee on Monday).

 

The last PDD: - 
Beautifully executed (no pun intended) by all involved; it was 'pin-drop' time in both performances. Osipova didn't seem quite as 'driven' as on Monday, maybe because she didn't need to compensate quite as much as Hirano seemed more animated (or the difference - I almost said 'gulf' - between them was less obvious). Even though she can be full of boundless energy, Osipova is wonderful when it comes to painting the fine detail of a character; I loved the 'this is disgusting' look on her face when she first tried whatever the pair were drinking at the table on the left. It was pointed out by bridiem that Osipova prostrates herself, arms outstretched as in a cross, in front of Rudolf when he injecting himself (having first crossed the stage to this point on her knees). She did this again on Saturday evening, and though 'ugly' it made sense in terms of the discussion on this forum. Hamilton pulled herself across on her hands, as did Mary in every other performance I have on DVD. I don't think Osipova does anything without a reason...

 

The 'seated' PDD:-
In the matinee, when Larisch left following the command of the Empress, she didn't put her finger to her lips; a small point, but, like a scratch on a vinyl record, noticeable. The moment at which Rudolf decides to fetch the gun and persuade Mary to join him in a suicide pact was played with incredible dramatic effect by Ball; he went from a staggering, drug-addled wreck to bolt-upright, striding with purpose to the desk to fetch the gun. That fatal decision seemed to be made by him in a rare moment of lucidity. Ball's use of shadow around his eyes helped him project his feelings throughout the auditorium, though it did remind me a bit of the era of silent movies...

 

The hunting accident:-
It was nice to see (and hear) 'real' guns being fired (with blanks!). In both cases, Rudolf wanders off stage momentarily, returns with his gun, which is fired within a few seconds. I should imagine the gun he wanders around stage with when he first enters is not loaded, but is loaded by the armourer in the wings just before the shooting - for 'health and safety' reasons. In the past, the revolvers fired blanks and were onstage continuously (and waved around) before being fired, but they are not any more. The bang is generated elsewhere; is this for health and safety reasons? It's a shame, because the flash from the blank behind the screen when Mary is shot added a dramatic touch. It would be easy to replicate that flash behind the screen in a 'safe' way! (using a flashgun?)

 

I thought I'd spend an hour or so putting down a few points, but I didn't realise just how much there is to talk about. I think I've covered most of what I wanted to say about Act 3, so I'll stop now and put up my thoughts on the rest if anyone would find that useful...

 

In the meantime, I'll just finish off with something that is, in hindsight, apposite...

 

For reasons known only to my subconscious, I woke up wondering which one word I would use to try to capture the essence of this ballet, and I thought - this is behemoth of a ballet!

Since it's a word I probably haven't used in decades, if ever, I thought I'd better check how appropriate it was beyond its alliterative appeal. Well, I had to smile, since Behemoth is a massive, unconquerable, creature whose strength makes it beyond human control; what's more, from Job, "his strength is in his loins".

This fits Mayerling like a glove; the ballet is a huge, overwhelmingly powerful creation; it's unconquerable both in terms of its execution (caught wigs, fluffed or forgotten moves end up as the norm) and its representation (there is no single, 'perfect' interpretation); also, the destructive force of the ballet, and much of its focus and action, pertain to the 'loins' of the protagonists (be that the sexual drive of Rudolf or other characters, or Franz Joseph's preoccupation with the continuation of the dynasty).

 

Yes, this is a behemoth of a ballet!
 

[JohnS]

A few additional thoughts on yesterday’s double Mayerling from the journey home. 

 

I thought the evening made a particularly strong impression because of the excellence of the cast.  Osipova, Lamb, Hayward, McNally - just stunning, as were Campbell and Corrales.

 

Such a cast requires an exceptional Rudolf and while I found Hirano at times very moving (with Elisabeth and much of Act 3) and terrifyingly repellent (Stephanie’s wedding night), I thought both Mary and Larisch came across as the stronger controlling characters, in many ways leading Rudolf to his destruction.

 

In the Matinee, I was much more convinced that Rudolf was the driving force, an outstanding achievement by Matthew Ball on his debut.  There were other fine performances - I particularly enjoyed Olivia Cowley’s Larisch, Fumi Kakeko’s Mitzi and Paul Kay’s very touching Bratfisch (as others I see have noted).

 

And Gary Avis’s double Bay was beyond an indulgent treat - like pouring melted finest dark chocolate on a tray bake and seeing the chocolate spread perfectly into all four corners.

 

Good to hear the orchestra and Koen Kessels in such form and a special thanks for Catherine Carby’s Katherina Schratt.  Wonderful to see the reactions of all the cast to Ich Scheide, Francesca Hayward particularly evocative, looking at Rudolf with such sadness, a combination of fear and contempt, and turning away in resigned acceptance of her lot.

 

There’s been so much to praise in this Mayerling already but I do wonder if we’ll also remember the run for the absences - Ed Watson’s injury and I’m tempted to say Francesca Hayward not being cast as Mary.

 

 

 

[Vanartus]

That’s such a poignant review - those last two points very true. I’m seeing it on 19th and I’m going to approach Hirano’s Rudolf with the idea that his interpretation as Rudolf as essentially weak and malleable. I think that works, but alters the balance of the piece. I just don’t want to see him as the weak link in the show - he’s a great dancer and it can’t be easy!

[MrsBBB]

6 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

Plenty! See here.

Interesting that the 3rd and 4th grandchildren were named Rudolf and Stephanie.

[penelopesimpson]

2 hours ago, Vanartus said:

That’s such a poignant review - those last two points very true. I’m seeing it on 19th and I’m going to approach Hirano’s Rudolf with the idea that his interpretation as Rudolf as essentially weak and malleable. I think that works, but alters the balance of the piece. I just don’t want to see him as the weak link in the show - he’s a great dancer and it can’t be easy!

He is a fine dancer, indeed, but the more I've thought about this, I just don't think it's his role.  That raises an interesting discussion for a thread of it's own:  Should we expect every dancer to do every role?

 

I appreciate that Rudolf is one of those landmark challenges/points of honour for male Principals but it calls for a very specific type of dancer.  Although Macrae can perform the technical stuff in his sleep, I could never imagine him as Rudolph and didn't enjoy his performance earlier this year and won't book for him again.  I feel the same about Hirano; it just isn't his thing.

 

And I'm afraid if Rudolf isn't right, then the rest of the ballet falters, however strong the other dancers.  It would have been difficult to field a more stellar cast than last night with no less than six Principals but as I said in my review post performance, it just never came together as the Mayerling I know and love.  There was no character development or gradual decline for Rudolf because he wasn't there in the first place.  Watson (and I am told Bonelli) could make you feel his anguish even when standing still at the side of the stage.  Ryochi was wonderful in action but he didn't project other than through his physicality.  Okay, he was pretty fantastic in Act 3 but the die is cast by then, we all know what is going to happen and he can forget the internal stuff and be a terrific partner.  Incidentally, I didn't think Osipova was on form last night, either which is not to say she wasn't amazing.  But her heart didn't seem to be in it.

 

For the first time ever with Mayerling I felt the time drag and I could sense it from the people around me.  Essentially, the ballet is told through a series of pas de deux between Rudolph and the women in his life.  If  that is all you require, then last night was pretty damned good.  But the story was lost, there was no link, weak or otherwise.

[Sim]

For some people, the number 13 is unlucky.  For me, it seems to be lucky.  My birthday is the 13th, and yesterday was the 13th.  Yesterday, I was incredibly lucky to have witnessed not only Matthew Ball's astonishing debut as Rudolf, but some other mighty fine debuts as well.  

 

I have always been a fan of Ball's dancing;  the first time I really noticed him was when he danced Lensky in Onegin.  Such a deeply-felt portrayal, and the utter sadness and desolation he feels in the solo before the duel was so poignantly conveyed.  'Wow', I thought.  Who is this guy?  He is going to be great.  Then there was his Romeo, so romantic, such a different interpretation from others that went before.  An even bigger 'wow' from me.  And so it continued, until yesterday he reached the apogee of the male role.  I knew that he was going to be good, but was wondering how good, after only two weeks to learn the role and rehearse it.  Well, the biggest 'wow' of them all came just after the curtain calls yesterday.  Huge applause for this now-established star, his first performance as a Principal.  What a way to start.  

 

As with his Romeo, Ball did Rudolf his way.  There were so many little touches that I haven't seen before:  the way he pointed his finger in anger at Stephanie during their pdd, the way he pushes Mary away at one point as if to say 'this pain is all mine, I don't want to share it with you, but what I DO want to share with you is sex, and then death'.  Most interestingly, the way he jumps up and hides behind his chair when the Empress arrives in the bedroom scene with Larisch:  he doesn't want to face her, he doesn't want her to see his shame.  So effective, and so compelling.    From the start, I really got the sense that Rudolf was alone in the world.  His pain was internalised,  causing him a long, slow decline and a harrowing path to the way out....and it is clear from the beginning that there is only one way out.  I think the main reason I was so affected by this performance was that it was completely logical, completely believable.   Everything Rudolf did was a result of what had happened before.  This was especially so in the scene with Stephanie.  His rejection by his mother informed his next move:  the next woman he encountered was to bear the brunt of the effect of maternal rejection, and this poor woman was Stephanie.  It made sense (in a perverse kind of way) why he treated her the way he did.  Women were objects, either of hate or for gratification.  The only glimmer of light was Larisch.  Why?  Because she genuinely cared for him, the man, not the prince.  She wasn't an obsessed groupie like Mary;  she was a mature woman who tried to rise above the court shenanigans and help this demented soul for whom she still had feelings.   But Rudolf is as unable as his mother to give love, so everyone becomes something to use....or indeed be used or betrayed by.  Mitzi, Mary, the Hungarian officers....all are out for their own glory, to be reached via this sad shell of a human being.  

 

By Act 3, the depths of despair and pain that a human being can reach had been plumbed by Ball.  It was as hard for me to watch as it must have been for him to dance.  Like a sick animal, I just wanted him to be out of his misery.   The narrative arc was clearly there for all to see.  Not only see, but experience and share.  As I said above, it all made sad sense;  how he got to that point, how there was nothing left for him to give or receive.   I wanted it to end, because it was just too sad and difficult to watch anymore.  I felt like I had watched the total destruction of a man, and I was left wrung out.  Then elated.  What a performance.  I can't wait to watch how Ball develops in this role, but if this is anything to go by, he is going to be one of the great Rudolfs.  Maybe he already is.  

[ninamargaret]

i did notice one small but interesting difference between McRae and Hirano.Last year when I saw McRae he got spectacularly drunk in Act2 and sobered up remarkably quickly. Was watching to see what Hirano did and he was more interested in having a cigarette! Bonelli was altogether more gentlemanly about the whole scene and seemed interested in a very polite way by one of the whores!

Edited October 14, 2018 by ninamargaret
Predictive text mistake

[Guest]

I saw Hirano's first night. In the tavern scene I noticed that Corrales was really drunk and then became spectularly sober, whereas Hirano started off sober and became very drunk extremely quickly. It was almost as though someone flicked a switch and the two dancers swapped their inebriated/sober states to the other. 

[Sim]

I will add here some words about the rest of the cast.   A fine debut from Nathalie Harrison as Empress Elizabeth.  She is becoming a character artist of great dramatic ability, a la McGorian.  I was very impressed by her turn as the Queen in Swan Lake in June;  she really made something of a small role.  The Empress is a natural progression from there.  I really felt her icy side when she dealt with her own son, but then the joyous side of her character when she is with Bay Middleton (the ever-wonderful Gary Avis) made a very effective contrast.   

 

Fumi Kaneko, debuting as Mitzi Caspar, danced beautifully and pitched her just right.  This is a fine example of why she was promoted to First Soloist in July.  

 

I'm afraid I got nothing from Elizabeth Harrod as Stephanie.  The abject terror, the total bewilderment of why Rudolf was doing this to her, just wasn't conveyed to me.  Maybe it will be better in the next show, now that the first one has been done.

 

Olivia Cowley's Larisch was a really moving interpretation.  I loved her cheekiness in the birthday and hunting scenes, as if she was putting two fingers up to everyone.  'I know what you all think of me, so I might as well enjoy myself!'.  Contrast that cheekiness to her desperation to win Rudolf back and when she can't, the same desperation is transferred to her care for him.  The way she gestures towards him when the Empress is blaming her is just heart-rending.  'Look at him....DO something....this is about him, not me.'  A very fine performance indeed.

 

Melissa Hamilton as Mary was sultry and seductive and the chemistry between her and Matthew Ball really worked well.  They danced very well together, and really fed off each other dramatically.  Her desire to die with Rudolf wasn't as forceful as in Natalia Osipova's interpretation;  it was almost as if she was playing along to humour him, but then the awful realisation that it was going to happen dawned on her....and she willingly went along.  Sort of.  I wondered whether this was really what she wanted, but she was in too deep and again there was no other way out.  I really like Hamilton in this role, and yesterday reminded me of why.

 

Finally, Paul Kay's Bratfisch was the right balance between jaunty, cheeky chappie, and by the end a devastated  loyal servant, dejected and feeling the pain of not being able to do anything to help.  Paul's wife Leanne Cope wrote on Instagram that yesterday's matinee cast was (with the exception of Fumi) entirely British.  It hadn't even occurred to me, but it did make me realise how well the future bodes at the RB.