Xandra Newman Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 Thank you for posting this link Bruce! I really enjoyed listening to this interview, she speaks with such clarity, it is fascinating to hear her talk about her early training years and the years progressing through the Company ranks. She also mentioned in this interview how she taught herself Helgi Thomasson's version of "Sleeping Beauty" whilst simultaneously preparing for her Kitri debut in Covent Garden. Reading the various comments via your link an audience member commented on her Rose Adagio saying: "...Naghdi set the Golden Standard...". How I wish I had been able to witness that! SFB hardly ever invite a Guest dancer and she's the first invited RB Principal to dance with them in a full-length ballet. The RB was in USA in 2015 but did not perform in San Francisco, it must be fascinating for the audience to have the opportunity to see the RB style of classical dancing. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted March 17, 2019 Author Share Posted March 17, 2019 A comment posted one hour ago on BA: First intermission of the evening performance: Yasmine Naghdi’s Rose Adagio was beyond any words. I never heard the San Francisco Opera House get so loud! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Another poster on BA raves about her Rose Adagio too, and she got a standing ovation and loud cheers from the entire audience. Must have been a remarkable performance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I’m a huge fan of guest appearances - it can do nothing but good - and the SFB is a great company....and I think their contribution to the present RB run of Frankenstein was of real value too. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I have seen a couple of short clips of the curtain calls and they were indeed enthusiastic. How I wish it had been filmed! The people in SF had a real treat being able to see for themselves the epitome of what English classical ballet can be and, in this case, is. Yasmine is a rare talent, and also a wonderful ambassador for the company. Huge congratulations to her! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 There is a 'story' on Yasmine's Instagram page for those of you who can access that: https://www.instagram.com/yasmine_naghdi/?hl=en This includes two short clips of the curtain call, during which people are clearly standing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 1 minute ago, capybara said: There is a 'story' on Yasmine's Instagram page for those of you who can access that: https://www.instagram.com/yasmine_naghdi/?hl=en This includes two short clips of the curtain call, during which people are clearly standing. I don’t want to take anything away from what was clearly a very well received performance, but isn’t that fairly common over there? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) No it is not fairly common over there just as it is not fairly common at the ROH Why would it be common in San Francisco? Only exceptional performances are awarded with a standing ovation. Why would it be any different in SF? Edited March 17, 2019 by Xandra Newman typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 This is an extract from an online comment on last night's performance: Well well...what a truly sensational performance by Yasmine Naghdi and Joseph Walsch. The audience went wild for them, what an unforgettable night at San Francisco Opera House! Her Rose Adagio... never ever seen anything like it! The San Francisco Opera House got very loud indeed and she fully deserved the Standing Ovation. It perhaps implies that the audience reaction was not commonplace. This has got me thinking that we should maybe have a thread for comments on guest performances abroad by other (all) Royal Ballet Dancers. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I believe, Vadim Muntagirov danced Nureyev's Swan Lake in Vienna and also received 'rave reviews' online. But he is by no means the only male dancer with guesting invitations and it would be nice to share on here if we know anything or, indeed, see any of the shows. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 19 minutes ago, Xandra Newman said: No it is not fairly common over there just as it is not fairly common at the ROH Why would it be common in San Francisco? Only exceptional performances are awarded with a standing ovation. Why would it be any different in SF? I can't speak for San Francisco, but it's fairly widely acknowledged that standing ovations are much rarer in London than in New York. As I said: this is not to imply that she didn't deserve it, just to consider the context. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 That's a great idea capybara! It's so nice to be able to read how RB Principals guesting abroad have been received. Since Yasmine Naghdi is the first RB Principal to have been invited by SFB as a guest ballerina to dance in a full-length ballet it is great to know she was exceptionally well received by the audience. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Another BA comment...must have been some Rose Adagio! On 3/14/2019 at 3:36 AM, PeggyR said: First intermission of Naghdi’s SB. One word to describe: WOW. Take out second mortgage if you need to, but go to her Friday performance. "I didn't take out a mortgage but I certainly agree with you,PeggyR, that it was well worth the manipulation of my schedule and extra expense to see Yasmine Naghdi on Saturday night! What a beautiful dancer she is: impeccable, strong classical line, expressive port de bras coming out of a lifted back, graceful, gracious, joyful, wonderfully musical. She was completely natural and interacted with her parents and the four Princes - who all looked genuinely happy to be there with her. She was extraordinary. The audience was berserk by the the end of the Rose Adagio." 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 On 17/03/2019 at 14:49, Xandra Newman said: No it is not fairly common over there just as it is not fairly common at the ROH Why would it be common in San Francisco? Only exceptional performances are awarded with a standing ovation. Why would it be any different in SF? I have not ben to San Francisco, but on a three-city trip to different parts of the US in which I saw a total of 11 opera performances, 1 Broadway musical, 1 ballet performance and 1 symphony concert, literally every single one got a standing ovation. I have been led to understand from more frequent UK visitors to the US that it is a known cultural difference. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimi Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Quote I have been led to understand from more frequent UK visitors to the US that it is a known cultural difference. We Americans are indeed notorious for standing Os. There has been a standing O at nearly every live theater performance I have attended since the mid-1980s, and when there wasn't one, things were dire. I recall a fine UK character actor on tour over here many years ago who responded to the standing O with very visible bafflement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I find that Americans give standing ovations as frequently as British audiences give them rarely. I have been going to the ROH for 40 years and I can count on fewer fingers than are on one hand the amount of time I have seen a proper standing ovation there, no matter how amazing the performance was. This always baffles me, but as has been said, it is a cultural thing and just different ways of showing appreciation. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 12 minutes ago, Sim said: I find that Americans give standing ovations as frequently as British audiences give them rarely. I have been going to the ROH for 40 years and I can count on less fingers than are on one hand the amount of time I have seen a proper standing ovation there, no matter how amazing the performance was. This always baffles me, but as has been said, it is a cultural thing and just different ways of showing appreciation. Personally, I like the rarity, as it enhances the value. Having said that, I have very occasionally (no more than once a year or so) felt I'd be happy to be part of one and been disappointed not to have the opportunity! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 So, just out of interest Sim and sorry for asking, but if it's a cultural thing do Americans give standing ovations for just about anything? I mean, even when a performer or a performance is mediocre or bad do they still stand up? Do they usually go berserk during a performance or get very loud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 1 minute ago, Xandra Newman said: So, just out of interest Sim and sorry for asking, but if it's a cultural thing do Americans give standing ovations for just about anything? I mean, even when a performer or a performance is mediocre or bad do they still stand up? Do they usually go berserk during a performance or get very loud? I am from New York. The NY audiences are very vocal indeed. My English mother used to go nuts when we went to see the rare visits of the Bolshoi to NY and each time someone jumped the audience would go berserk! I couldn't believe how restrained the Brits were when I moved here. In my early days there were a few times I stood up then had to sit right back down because I was the only one doing so!! I think if a performance is mediocre they might still stand up, but not if it's bad. The audiences know how much work goes into putting on a production, so they are honouring the effort as well as the result in many cases. It's just an add-on to applause I guess. Also, perhaps a national characteristic.....traditionally, Americans are very effusive, Brits very reserved, but no less appreciative. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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