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The Royal Ballet: Romeo and Juliet, Spring 2019


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Good to see Romany Pajdak again prominent, this time  moving sideways, so to speak, from Nurse to Harlot (as she did in the Nunez cast).

Also pleased to see Mica Bradbury given a good role opportunity, alongside Romany and Beatriz Stix-Brunell. 

Looking forward also to  Benjamin Ella as Benvolio - not seen much of him yet in soloist roles, but others have reported very good things! 

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8 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

For anyone planning to see the live screening in Trafalgar Square tonight I have just seen that Extinction Rebellion are planning some sort of protest.

 

Apparently it will be at 5pm and the main performance will not be disrupted.

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What a telling headline 'Time for ROH to get on the RIGHT side...'

 

This isn't the forum for the pro's and con's but however much in tune I might be with a protest movements objectives,  I am always turned off when people tell me it is the RIGHT way and play the moral majority card.  There are always different viewpoints and people should feel free to air these without fear or favour.

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31 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

For anyone planning to see the live screening in Trafalgar Square tonight I have just seen that Extinction Rebellion are planning some sort of protest.

 

Now there's a surprise.  I'd assumed they would - and presumably for the two operas, too.

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2 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

What a telling headline 'Time for ROH to get on the RIGHT side...'

 

This isn't the forum for the pro's and con's but however much in tune I might be with a protest movements objectives,  I am always turned off when people tell me it is the RIGHT way and play the moral majority card.  There are always different viewpoints and people should feel free to air these without fear or favour.

 

Just as those wishing to enjoy R&J in Trafalgar Square should be allowed to do so without disruption........................

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On 04/06/2019 at 12:05, Dawnstar said:

I'm now even more confused about what various Romeos may or may not have been doing in the ballroom scene! To be honest I didn't notice any differences in that scene between the 5 Romeos I saw. Though I did think Sambe did something different to Zuchetti in Mercutio's ballroom solo. No idea what it was technically but it was so fast he appeared to be on fast forward for a few seconds.

Sorry, I forgot to answer this earlier.  The only difference in the step was that Hallberg's assemble had a single (360 degree) revolution while Ball/Tissi's rotated twice.  The preparation, air position, and landing of the step were all the same, with Ball/Tissi (and presumably other Romeos) rotating an extra turn in the air.  

 

Can't recall if Zuchetti's Mercutio solo was any different than Sambe's though it is possible. Sambe's technique and musicality were much cleaner and clearer, even while his pirouettes attempted more revolutions than Zuchetti's did.  However, in the mandolin dance Saturday evening, Benjamin Ella added a barrel "540" jump which was not done by the other mandolin soloists (Sambe and Sissens).  

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Just back from the cinema. Early start tomorrow, so will write at more considered length on train (and need to formulate thoughts on Fonteyn Gala), but I enjoyed Matthew Ball more in that than anything else I have seen him do. A really moving performance. Yasmine Naghdi is exceptionally lovely, but I had sympathy with the poster who felt she had become too classical in some ways for this role. The cinema really enables you to catch things you might not otherwise do, and I thought Romany Pajdak's epaulement absolutely gorgeous. You could also how much Mica Bradbury was relishing the moment.

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Just got back from the cinema screening at my local arts centre - what a wonderful performance from both Matthew and Yasmine (and indeed the rest of the cast) 😊. I am so glad I went to see it again as I wasn't overkeen when I saw it a few weeks ago at Covent Garden. 

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Just back from my local cinema's relay of Romeo and Juliet, Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball were simply spell binding as the lead pair, such a natural and relaxed partnership.

 

Yasmine Naghdi's performance as Juliet was wonderful, such fluidity in the upper body, a real sense of abandonment and you could really feel her changing emotional state, from love to pain, and it meshed so well with Matthew Ball's performance as Romeo, incredibly dreamy and romantic.

 

Also Matthew Ball had great interaction with Benjamin Ella and Valentine Zucchetti, dance very well together.

 

Gary Avis was great as Tybalt, right amount of anger and wounded honour.

 

Exemplary dancing from the Royal Ballet, such strength and depth from the entire company.

 

Prokofiev's score for Romeo and Juliet is one of my favourites, such beautiful, powerful music, Pavel Sorokin kept the pace at a fair clip, nothing dragged.

 

Hope they make the Matthew Ball and Yasmine Naghdi partnership permanent because they looks so good together.

 

A truly special evening.

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Yasmine Naghdi was a simply beautiful Juliet tonight at the cinema screening and there is so much chemistry between her and Matthew Ball. Joy of cinema was all of the wonderful close ups which gave away so much more than live in theatre.

 

Thrilled to see Avis again as Tybalt- love his dramatic attack - and also Zuchetti’s ‘Jack-the-lad’ Mercutio, again enhanced by the close up camera work.

 

Pleased for Padjak too but also Isabella Gasparini who is identified as soon as you can see her stunning smile. A fabulous cast overall. 

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Yasmine Nagdhi's arms!   They deserved a bouquet all of their own.   Definitely my favourite Juliet this run.   Matthew Ball,  not so much.   I must watch the cinema relay,  as maybe his acting works better in close up than from up in the amphi. Matthew's Romeo was so.... polite......i couldn't help but contrast this with Cesar Coralles's passionate to the point of a bit scarily obsessed performance.  It was almost as if the world was moving in slow motion around Corrales, as if he and Juliet were in colour whilst everything else was in black and white.   I would have liked to have seen the two of them together,  Yasmine and Cesar.  Sambe's mandolin dance got a huge roar.   I wonder if his recent news helped propel him so high! 

 

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Naghdi/Ball were even better than their marvellous live Saturday matinee performance I thought-and that was superb!

 

I thought Yasmine -whose dancing was quite delicious- actually acted the final scene better tonight, allowing herself to seem really dead and to slump- and it made it more painful-as it should be.

 

I took my husband to the screening, who doesn't often go, and he was just spellbound, and there was lots of applause in our cinema. It made me proud  as if I had somehow had a hand in it!

 

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Just got back from the live relay from the ROH - it seems I’m thinking the same thoughts as some - Naghdi was beautiful with such fluidity and ease in her technique, but I wasn’t sure about Ball.  His acting/characterisation was weak and it lacked, or didn’t match, the passion of Naghdi’s.

I just love Gary Avis and he was absolutely born to dance Mercutio in my opinion - I will continue my review tomorrow as I’m shattered now!

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Just back from the cinema relay.

Well well OMG. Mr O'Hare please release this Naghdi/Ball R&J of tonight on DVD!

Naghdi is out of this world and what a superb actress she is. Every single emotion, every change in her state of mind, every thought that went through her was so readable on the big screen, and she was so luminous. She and Ball look so good together. Ball was a lovely Romeo but Naghdi was much more readable, more dramatic.

What a superlative performance to end this season. From Gary Avis, Kristin McNally, Nicol Edmonds to Sambe and Beatriz Stix Brunell (wonderful as one of three Harlots), everyone gave it their all. Bravo to all the corps dancers too. What an amazing company the RB is right now. 

A giant stunning bouquet was delivered (Naghdi was visibly surprised) followed by many other bouquets.

So lovely to see all the dancers in close-up. 

An amazing night at the cinema and a superlative performance by all involved.

 

 

Edited by Xandra Newman
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On train after a wonderful performance - but I’m going to go with James with his view of Naghdi.

 

i do not have enough technical knowledge to give an informed opinion so can only give my gut feel.  Ball blew me away - even better than the Sat matinee but Yasmine, IMHO opinion, never really let go.  Of course she was absolutely flawless and ther3 were moments that tugged at my heartstrings,but for me she is just too controlled.  I now understand why Hayward is my go-to choice.  Maybe she isn’t as technicallly excellent as Naghdi (I really wouldn’t know) but for me her emotional connection is unsurpassed.  Naghdi is more in the Marianela mode - fabulous but never moves me.o

 

Somebody said in an earlier post that Ball had developed dramatically more than Naghdi.  On tonight’s performance I would have to agree.Matthew was superb in every way.  I would love to see him with Hayward.

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This,was my only R and J during the present run and I was certainly not disappointed. I understand the comment about Naghdi being 'too. classical', and thinking of someone like Lynn Seymour there is,a huge difference in the interpretation. But, to me, both valid. I found Naghdi's grace touching in itself and was very impressed by Matthew Ball - first time I have seen him in a leading role. It was a beautiful and moving performance. I don't think there can be definitive performances - all dancers bring their special gifts to the parts and, from what I've read on this forum, there have been many interesting and differing interpretations of the two main roles. I loved Garry Avis's Tybalt and thought Christopher Saunders made more of Capulet than most. And an excellent Paris from Nicole Edmonds. A.lovely evening.

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It would be fun if a bored PhD student would develop a identification system for ballet processing types to explain the vast variety of perceptions of the same performance.

 

For tonight, I'm in camp OMG: Naghdi and Ball created magic together.

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I thought Yasmine Naghdi was wonderful - her dancing is so beautiful, and her acting intelligent, powerful and nuanced. Matthew Ball certainly looks the part - young, handsome, romantic - and his dancing was excellent, but I don't think his acting is in the same league as Naghdi's. But they did make a lovely couple, with she definitely the driving force. And what a stunning Tybalt from Gary Avis; this time, it was clear that he didn't mean to kill Mercutio - in fact was aghast at having done so - and that made his portrayal all the more interesting. When Gary Avis is on the stage, he dominates it. He is just magnificent. And a brilliant Lead Mandolin from Marcelino Sambé - terrific technically, and drawing all eyes to him through the sheer power of his stage presence.

 

So exciting to see Lesley Collier rehearsing Naghdi and Ball; she was my first Juliet (with Wayne Eagling as Romeo), and she set the standard. And I loved the interview with Alessandra Ferri. (I was at a live screening, in Brixton, not at the ROH.)

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18 minutes ago, ninamargaret said:

This,was my only R and J during the present run and I was certainly not disappointed. I understand the comment about Naghdi being 'too. classical', and thinking of someone like Lynn Seymour there is,a huge difference in the interpretation. But, to me, both valid. I found Naghdi's grace touching in itself 

This captures what I felt during the June 1st double header of R&J.  Naghdi and Osipova could not have been more different Juliets but I found both their approaches memorable and valid.  Naghdi was luminous and gave an especially beautiful account of Act I while Osipova's Act III was a tour de force. Not that I'm necessarily comparing Osipova to Lynn Seymour, whose Juliet I never saw, but I feel very fortunate to have witnessed both those performances on the same day, which showcased the different ways Juliet can be interpreted.  

 

I think Hayward's Juliet would be divine, based on watching her Vera in "Month in the Country."  Certainly all the reviews here suggest this.  

Edited by MRR
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