Anna C Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I'm always amazed at the slow tempo of the RB conducting, especially compared to the high-speed frolic when Gergiev conducts the Mariinsky orchestra. I have the RB Nunez/Soares version on dvd and I agree about the dark and murky lighting which makes Rothbart so difficult to see. However, with the exception of ENB's "Sleeping Beauty" I can't buy any ballet tickets for a few months, so I won't get to see the RB live to see how the performance compares with the dvd. I'm not a big fan of the RB's swan costumes either; nothing wrong with the lemgth, but they look a bit more of a creamy grey than I'd like, and I don't like their shiny quality. We were fortunate enough to see the Mariinsky's Swan Lake at the ROH; I do love their production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenK Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I just wanted to say about Osipova-Acosta last night, I haven't been so excited by/involved in/emotional about Swan Lake since the first few performances I saw, and that's a considerable number of performances ago now! It's for nights like this that I go to ballet. Two more opportunities coming up! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 I agree completely with Stephen, last night was the first time in ages I have actually felt moved by Swan Lake, usually it's just a case of admiring the dancers, but I think Carlos Acosta and Natalia Osipova were inspired by each other and it produced a thrilling partnership, far better than my high expectations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 ^^ happy to hear this can't wait for Saturday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arky Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 As with so many things in life, our perceptions of the same performance can be very different. I found Osipova disappointing in Act 2, particularly with her poor miming and found it difficult to engage with her interpretation, which seemed to lack emotional involvement. Osipova's dancing is technically very good and in Act 4 she exhibited more feeling, and she and Acosta gave wonderful displays, though there seemed to be a vital spark missing between them. Perhaps I was too far away in the amphitheatre to appreciate what others have experienced, to become better engaged with the story. However, even from high up I could see the mattress on to which they jumped being removed, which was a detail too many! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 A lovely performance from Zenaida last night; so good to see her do this role again. She does things differently from all the other swan queens in the RB; the way she slightly flicks the lower half of her leg back when she is lifted in the Act II pdd when most dancers keep them straight, the way she ends the Act III pdd and the way she still does most of the 32 fouettees as singles, for example I have been watching this ballet since childhood so I always appreciate it when there is something new to look at in the interpretation of the choreography. Nice performance from Nehemiah Kish, too....he feels the role and interprets it well despite a slight bit of nerves perhaps during his Act III solo, but nothing that was really noticeable. He is always a very good partner and does all he can for his ballerina. The usual wonderful performance from Gary Avis....his menacing, murky presence always felt even when he wasn't onstage. Regarding comments above about the lighting, I have been moaning about this for years, especially Siegfried's dark tights; from any higher than the Grand Tier you just can't see his legs. I was in the amphi on Monday night and couldn't make them out without my strong binoculars, but last night I was standing in the stalls circle and saw them perfectly well. Ah well, I don't suppose they'll do anything about it at this stage. I too would like to see a new production now; we've had this one for 25 years and no matter what you think of it these classics do need to be revitalised to keep them fresh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 As with so many things in life, our perceptions of the same performance can be very different. I found Osipova disappointing in Act 2, particularly with her poor miming and found it difficult to engage with her interpretation, which seemed to lack emotional involvement. Osipova's dancing is technically very good and in Act 4 she exhibited more feeling, and she and Acosta gave wonderful displays, though there seemed to be a vital spark missing between them. Perhaps I was too far away in the amphitheatre to appreciate what others have experienced, to become better engaged with the story. Interestingly, my reaction to her interpretation of Odette was the same as yours but I had thought that the reason was that I was too close! (I was in the stalls circle near the stage) I had assumed that the facial expressions (which made me think of the melodrama one sees in the old silent films) were aimed at the back of the auditorium and would look better there. I think we just have to accept that our reactions to these performances are very subjective. Those of us who were disappointed certainly seem to be in the minority. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillm Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Interestingly, my reaction to her interpretation of Odette was the same as yours but I had thought that the reason was that I was too close! (I was in the stalls circle near the stage) I had assumed that the facial expressions (which made me think of the melodrama one sees in the old silent films) were aimed at the back of the auditorium and would look better there. I think we just have to accept that our reactions to these performances are very subjective. Those of us who were disappointed certainly seem to be in the minority. Count me in to the disappointed with Act II minority. Bluebird - your comparison of the old silent movies melodrama has articulated what I felt so thank you. After a while I stopped looking at her upper body because it was making me cross. I thought she was much more convincing in Act IV so maybe it was teething troubles or nerves or something else (perhaps revised expectations). Anyway I still had a cracking evening despite not spending as much of it in tears as I like to do when watching Swan Lake! I am really interested to see what people think tonight. I am going again on the 25th and will be intrigued to see how she has developed the role in a short time. I confidently expect progress! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Count me in to the disappointed with Act II minority. Bluebird - your comparison of the old silent movies melodrama has articulated what I felt so thank you. After a while I stopped looking at her upper body because it was making me cross. I thought she was much more convincing in Act IV so maybe it was teething troubles or nerves or something else (perhaps revised expectations). Anyway I still had a cracking evening despite not spending as much of it in tears as I like to do when watching Swan Lake! I am really interested to see what people think tonight. I am going again on the 25th and will be intrigued to see how she has developed the role in a short time. I confidently expect progress! A considerable improvement tonight for at least part of Act II. Her facial expressions were initially far less exaggerated and her dancing more lyrical. I didn't, however, feel that this lasted for the whole act. This impression was shared by several people I spoke to in the interval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneL Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I saw yesterday's matinee (Nunez/Soares) and was swept away to magical child-like ballerina dreams throughout! I have to say, though, do do agree with Alison that the sets and costumes would be much better if they were set in a more appropriate time period. I also thought the Act 3 set, in particular, was so over the top it was verging on a bit hideous. I much preferred ENB's sets in the summer. But I do like the RB swan costumes. However, that aside, I loved it. I thought the corps were beautiful and on great form, especially in Act 1, which I've always found a little lacklustre. But yesterday I didn't find that at all! Nunez was brilliant as Odette/Odile - there was a moment in Act 4 when Von Rothbart pulled her away from Siegfried and they were trying to hold onto each other and it was just utterly heartbreaking. I also loved Laura Morera and Ricardo Cervera in the Neapolitan. On that subject, I was wondering something which maybe someone here will know the answer to. When dancers like Morera and Cervera dance such small parts, do they also dance in the 'crowd' scenes in earlier acts? Or once they're principals (though I k ow Cervera isn't) do they never go back to those corps roles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Principals certainly wouldn't go back to corps roles but do sometime appear in soloist parts - Morera especially has done so in the last season or two I think. In a recent interview she said she was a bit surprised to be doing the Neapolitan again but how could she refuse her new boss! There are quite a lot of roles that I'd like to see danced by principals more often - Rose Fairy and Seasons in Nutcracker spring to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaneL Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Thanks John - well, I'm certainly glad she was doing it again, they were a complete joy to watch! It's a long ballet to hang around to dance for all of two minutes, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I saw SL last night and can't say I was blown away with Osipova/Acosta, so sad to say this. I can't put my finger on it but put it this way it certainly was not the exciting performance that I saw in Don Q from the same position in the Amphi so it could not have been that. Act 3 was the best for me and she did very good fouettes. I liked the costumes except for the "non tutus" for the swans and the corps de ballet dancing was actually very much together. Best in show/most enjoyable for me was probably the Neapolitan with Yuhi Choe and Paul Kay and the Pas de Trois with Davvid Treszensimeich and Itziar Mendizibal and Hickaru. Lighting seemed better. I'm not a fan of this version of Swan Lake and there was a lot of unfamiliar music in Act 4 and I felt that this music lost the drama of that Act that you normally get, it was too "gentle". I felt Rothbart was non existent in Act 2 and Act 4 and Siegfried had no real fight to put up. Having recently seen ENB and BRB their versions are both superior. For emotion though I prefer State Ballet Siberia, they really get the emotions going. The music I found very slow and the only time it sprang into to life was when they did the Act 3 fouettes piece at what seemed like supersonic speed! I still had a pleasant evening, I just was not blown away. I have some curtain call photos which I would have posted but I can't find an attachment tool on this forum??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 There's a thread here about posting photographs. It does seem to be a bit of a performance but it would be lovely if you could. http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/325-posting-in-a-review-and-pictures/ Edited by JMcN to add thread in (senior moment!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Well, I'm trying to keep an open mind about this production as I'm due to see a performance later in the run but there seems to be a general consensus, among the critics at least, that the production is due an update. Some people don't like the costumes, but far more are dissatisfied with the choreography and what I suppose you could call the characterisation, which are far harder (and more expensive) to change. As I said in an earlier post, it's a few years since I have seen the RB's Swan Lake and so I can't comment further as I don't remember that much about the performance which I saw except that Marienela was the Swan Queen and she was good and better than the ballerina which I had seen in the role a year or two earlier who I had thought was disappointing. I will report back on what I felt about the performance / production in a couple of weeks time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akh Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Marianela is the one who really moves me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) Principals certainly wouldn't go back to corps roles but do sometime appear in soloist parts - Morera especially has done so in the last season or two I think. In a recent interview she said she was a bit surprised to be doing the Neapolitan again but how could she refuse her new boss! There are quite a lot of roles that I'd like to see danced by principals more often - Rose Fairy and Seasons in Nutcracker spring to mind. My first Neapoltan Dance in 1971 was Merle Park and Alexander Grant, both principals, and I still remember the expectation, and consquent delight, epxerienced by audiences in the later 1970's reading that the Neapolitan was to be danced by Lesley Collier and Wayne Sleep, both Principals. During the late 1970's / early 1980's, I do recall Laura Connor and Wendy Ellis as a Big Swan and Zulma (or was it Moyna), both of which would have involved them as Principals in Corps de Ballet work. It's probably also true to say, with no disrespect intended, that both ladies were rather like Laura Morera in that they had defnite qualities which deserved promotion but were not obvious principal material and that the sheer exigencies of keeping them on stage necssitated some sideways thinking casting wise. I'd also like to make it clear that I think Laura Morera a splendid dancer and whilst I'd be delighted to see her Neapolitan I would think it odd to see her now in a role that involved extensive corps de ballet work. Edited October 14, 2012 by Jamesrhblack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Well, I'm pretty sure that Nunez and Yanowsky (maybe not together) were still dancing Big Swans shortly after their promotions to Principal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 In his review of the first night, Clement Crisp suggested that Marianela Nuñez was to blame for the awful tempi of some parts of the performed score. I have now been to four Swan Lakes in this run and, barring the most recent which was slightly better in parts), the tempi were pretty similar throughout. Whilst I wasn't at the first Acostipova performance (which Clemmie reviewed), I was at the second and I found the tempi to be almost identical to the first night (and, where it wasn't, they were worse IMO). I notice that Clemmie did not mention the tempi in his Acostipova review and, to my mind, he does Nuñez a disservice - something which should be anathema to a critic of his long-standing. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijosh Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 To the best of my recollection,Ivan Putrov did the smart thing and always wore white tights in ActIII. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Apart from the 3 main roles, do we have any further ideas who will be appearing in the cinema transmission tomorrow night? I'm still trying to decide whether to go or not. My local cinema is showing it for little more than the price of a decent standing ticket, which is rather better than Picturehouse's prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Apart from the 3 main roles, do we have any further ideas who will be appearing in the cinema transmission tomorrow night? I'm still trying to decide whether to go or not. Me too, I'd like to know who is dancing the pas de trois and leading swans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Apart from the 3 main roles, do we have any further ideas who will be appearing in the cinema transmission tomorrow night? I'm still trying to decide whether to go or not. My local cinema is showing it for little more than the price of a decent standing ticket, which is rather better than Picturehouse's prices. Should be the same castings as last Wednesday evening. IIRC, pd3 were Choe, Crawford & Campbell and big swans were Kobayashi & Mendizabal. Neapolitan was Morera & Cervera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Thanks, they're different from 2 weeks ago, I might go now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Thanks. Think I might wander down and pick up a ticket while there are still some left. I thought either M or C had said they were doing the Neopolitan for this cast (were they also doing Osipova/Acosta?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBBB Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 No, Laura & Ric were with Thianela. I managed to miss them in this run which is a pity as these may be their last Neapolitans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 No, Laura & Ric were with Thianela. I managed to miss them in this run which is a pity as these may be their last Neapolitans They are also with the Zen/Nehemiah cast, unless my mind is playing tricks with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Cast sheet for tonight's cinecast can be found here: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/static.roh.org.uk/news/new+folder/Swan+Lake+Cast+Sheet+ENG.pdf Unfortunately, it doesn't list the act 3 divert dancers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 That's pathetic. I've never known them not provide the full cast list before. But perhaps this is the way things are going: after all, the "programme" for the big-screen broadcast of the Titian bill didn't contain cast details, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsomerset Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Cast sheet for tonight's cinecast can be found here: https://s3-eu-west-1...t Sheet ENG.pdf Unfortunately, it doesn't list the act 3 divert dancers. Thank you for that. Unfortunately I did not see it until I arrived back from the cinema tonight but it was still good to have it. Our Odeon have given out cast sheets for the last few ballets but not tonight Our local cinema was pretty full, and no bad behaviour as far as I was aware. I very much enjoyed the fact that Zen, Nehemiah and others in the cast told the story and some of the background themselves. It gave it a great personal touch What a performance! I loved every bit of it and thought the Company on really sparkling form. I know the sets have been criticised heavily of late and I rather agree, they are far too over the top but the costumes are just ravishing and you do get the full effect of these in the cinema. I am still not sure about the swan costumes but somehow even those looked better tonight. The only rather strange thing was some lighting effect which turned Zen's costume yellow from time to time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 In Cambridge tonight, things were spoiled by frequent sound blips, especially in Act 3. Act 4 was then largely wrecked after a minute by complete loss of sound and a halting picture, leading after some minutes to a complete loss of picture and sound until just before the end when normality was restored. A great pity, as it was going well. (Cast sheets on every seat here, by the way.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Williams Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Agree with the above, though I'm no fan of SL I loved every bit of this cinema showing, even the (justly) criticised overstuffed first act. Somehow, the intimate inverviews of the principals and the corps dancers talking about the ballet and their roles in it were quite moving, and made me see this old warhorse with new eyes. The unrivalled filmed view helped, with both close-ups and full stage views at exactly the right times, plus the opportunity to appreciate the detail of the stunning costumes. The dancing seemed to me to be superb all round - Zen wouldn't have been my choice as the Swan Queen, but she actually brought me to tears, and Kish was the most devoted parrtner imaginable. I loved all the character dances, particularly the dazzling pairing of Laura Morera and Ric Cervera in the Neapolitan dance - they were like champagne! So, well done all round, RB and ROH - keep 'em coming! PS: stayed in my seat during both intervals just to look at the wonderful tweets coming in from all over the world - Brazil, Portugal etc. - must have been like a shot in the arm for the dancers themselves once they got offstage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Williams Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Oops! my comments were intended to come under Patsomerset's, not Ian's (and Ian, I'm so sorry for your disastrous experience). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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