Mary Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Oh dear- when you say 10.50pm do you mean after all curtain calls etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatiana Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 I thought I knew the plot of the firebird. As it turns out... I did not. I have never seen a ballet without knowing the plot before. What follows is a very hurried note of my thoughts written out in the interval, which reads not unlike a five year old watching her first pantomime. Anyway I think the Firebird is 500% more fun when you don’t know the plot. It starts off pretty simple - we’ve got a bird, and a prince, the prince is trying to catch the bird. Standard ballet fare. Then there are lots of dancing girls in nightgowns. Up to this point I thought I knew exactly what was going on, possibly because I’d confused the Firebird with the Twelve Dancing Princesses somehow. Then there were apples? We’re dancing with the apples, okay. Prince boy shows up. There’s a nice dance. There’s a VERY long kiss by ballet standards. Enter Koschei. He points at you and you get a stomachache, so he’s a baddie. But it’s okay! The Prince has a feather! This... changes everything, for some reason! The bird shows up! At this point I’m the most confused I’ve been all night, because I thought the bird and the princess were the same person. There’s some fantastic angry dancing from the guards in costumes that make me feel like I’m in a Studio Ghibli movie. Everyone goes to sleep? Then they wake up for a bit. Then everyone goes to sleep again? THE PRINCE FINDS A BOX. What’s in the box? Gold? Jewels? His delightfully ineffectual crossbow from the previous scene? It’s an... egg? WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE EGG. He breaks the egg. MAYHEM ENSUES. Curtain goes down. Curtain comes up. Prince has a crown now and is using his newfound powers to get dates for all his new friends. Then we stand still for what felt like ten entire minutes until the music ends. They shouldn’t have put this first on the bill. I’m now too confused and delighted to concentrate on anything else. I could not tell you how good the dancing was, the story was too thrilling. 10/10, would watch repeatedly for the costumes alone, or at least until I understood what was going on. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatiana Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 (edited) Other, more sensible thoughts - I thought the entire show was delightful. I've never enjoyed a mixed bill so much, or enjoyed each part as equally. I think A Month in the Country was my favourite (but I'm a big Nunez fan), but I also enjoyed the Balanchine far more than I expected. Sarah Lamb was to die for, and I really enjoyed seeing Romany Padjak in a solo role for the first time - I think she's wonderful. As for the men... it's almost mean to put Joseph Sissens in a group. He was so good in the first movement of Symphony in C that he made the other male dancers look practically clumsy (which of course they're not!) Edit - forgot to say - would love to see Hirano in more leading roles. He went straight from a dark and almost irritatingly sexy villain in Medusa to a very darling Prince Ivan with ease. Edited June 14, 2019 by Tatiana 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 18 minutes ago, Mary said: Oh dear- when you say 10.50pm do you mean after all curtain calls etc? Yes - there were no curtains calls for Symphony (by which I mean the cast coming out in front the curtains) and I happened to look at my watch as the lights came up and saw it was 10:50 (my watch might have been fast but only by a couple of minutes). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Running shoes on then! thanks v much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 3 minutes ago, MJW said: First of all, a bit of a moan. I went to the Firebird mixed bill last night (Thursday). The website indicated a finish time of approx. 10:40 but the programme indicated 10:30 (interval of 25 and 20 minutes as opposed to two lots of 25 on the website - not sure how the other 5 minutes disappeared off to - perhaps the orchestra were going to be asked to play a bit faster?). In any event it finished at 10:50! I had already decided I was only staying until the second interval, thankfully! I was dead on my feet, and also was ready to commit murder thanks to the audience member in the Balcony whose hearing aid screeched for several minutes, spoiling the middle of Month in the Country... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onemouseplace Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 1 minute ago, RuthE said: I had already decided I was only staying until the second interval, thankfully! I've been going back and forth over whether to do the same tonight! I do really want to see Symphony, but also the thought of a 10:50 finish (and interminable journey home) is really making my heart sink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standingticket Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 (edited) 7 minutes ago, RuthE said: ready to commit murder thanks to the audience member in the Balcony whose hearing aid screeched for several minutes, spoiling the middle of Month in the Country... This happened to the man next to me during my first ever Month on Wednesday. So irritating/uncomfortable but obviously also no one's fault! But does make me wonder if they were using amplification for the piano and this was causing difficulties for hearing aids generally, since the offending device had been fine for the Firebird (on Wednesday at least) Edited June 14, 2019 by standingticket Clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 36 minutes ago, RuthE said: I had already decided I was only staying until the second interval, thankfully! I was dead on my feet, and also was ready to commit murder thanks to the audience member in the Balcony whose hearing aid screeched for several minutes, spoiling the middle of Month in the Country... How horrid for you! You should have come and sat next to me in the stalls as the two young women on my right left at the second interval as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 34 minutes ago, onemouseplace said: I've been going back and forth over whether to do the same tonight! I do really want to see Symphony, but also the thought of a 10:50 finish (and interminable journey home) is really making my heart sink. You never know, if the conductor wants to get home on time they might just play that bit faster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 ROH:please shorten the intervals! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 30 minutes ago, Mary said: ROH:please shorten the intervals! Month is quite a big set to get up and down, especially after Firebird; and some of the dancers are in works both sides of the intervals. So I doubt if possible to have shorter intervals in this bill. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 11 minutes ago, bridiem said: Month is quite a big set to get up and down, especially after Firebird; and some of the dancers are in works both sides of the intervals. So I doubt if possible to have shorter intervals in this bill. I understand there may be specific issues with getting the flooring switched between Month and Symphony too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 1 hour ago, onemouseplace said: I've been going back and forth over whether to do the same tonight! I do really want to see Symphony, but also the thought of a 10:50 finish (and interminable journey home) is really making my heart sink. But Symphony in C is such a wonderful note on which to end a terrific Royal Ballet Season. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirley Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Having spoken to someone in the interval we were thinking that the show wouldn't finish until 10.45. I looked at my watch after the curtain came down on Symphony in C (before curtain calls) and it was 10.40 exactly. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 (edited) According to the exif data my first photo of Symphony in C for last night, Wednesday night and last Wednesday night was 10.40 and the last at 10.43....my camera's clock matches my iphone Edited June 14, 2019 by Rob S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Mary said: ROH:please shorten the intervals! They can't for this bill as they have to lay the floor for Month and then take it back up again afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 The Firebird from the RoH's Flickr account https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72157708935254631/with/48061867348/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Still says 10.30 on the cast sheet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 I didn't look at my watch last night but judging by what time I got home I don't think it finished much after 10.30 ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onemouseplace Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 1 hour ago, capybara said: But Symphony in C is such a wonderful note on which to end a terrific Royal Ballet Season. Indeed, and now I’m here and perusing the cast sheet I am fairly sure I’ll be staying! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHowarth Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, MJW said: Sorry not trying to quote MJW but can't get rid of the box above on my phone! Who is the dancer who stepped forward from the corps in Firebird curtain call to accept flowers - encouraged by Claire Calvert? Edited to add: Helen Crawford. I haven't seen her for so long since her maternity leave I couldn't place her! Edited June 14, 2019 by RHowarth Info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 1 minute ago, RHowarth said: Sorry not trying to quote MJW but can't get rid of the box above on my phone! Who is the dancer who stepped forward from the corps in Firebird curtain call to accept flowers - encouraged by Claire Calvert? Helen Crawford. It would appear that she is leaving too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 I too was wondering who she was, so checked on here as I was sure some of the experts would know! I did see her as the Nurse in R&J but failed to recognise her in a different costume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 A quite superb end to a wonderful year. Muntagirov in Month was perfection. Ashton with a Russian soul. Sublime. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 15 minutes ago, Mary said: A quite superb end to a wonderful year. Muntagirov in Month was perfection. Ashton with a Russian soul. Sublime. Indeed. A marvellous Month cast with an exceptional performance from Muntagirov. What an extraordinary artist, how lucky are we to have him in London 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Three brilliant works, superbly danced. A strange, powerful Diaghilev work; a perfectly-constructed, beautiful Ashton one-acter; and a sublime 20th-century abstract work, all with magnificent designs and to wonderful music. By a happy coincidence, it was precisely this combination that I saw at the ROH in October 1977 for my first ever ballet performance: Enigma Variations, Symphonic Variations, and Les Noces; and tonight I reached a personal landmark of my 1,000th ballet/dance performance. I know by the standards of some forumites that makes me a positive slacker, since it's taken me nearly 42 years to get there; but I'm very proud of this milestone, and more grateful than I can ever express for all the joy ballet has given me over the years. The fact that it came on the last night of what has been such an incredible season for the Royal Ballet makes it even more special. It was a magnificent company performance, by a magnificent company. 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Here's to your next 1000, bridiem! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Too tired to write a proper review now, but still on a high from tonight. Magnificent performances all round, but Muntagirov in Month, as has already been said, was stunning. More tomorrow. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Agree with all the superlatives above. A spectacular way to end a wonderful season. Now I am going to dream about Vadream. Not for the first time, he bared his soul tonight and shared it with all of us. We are indeed blessed by the ballet gods to have him. When he was dancing with Anna-Rose my daughter whispered to me “Lensky and Olga.” Yes please! All the dancers were on fire tonight. Thanks to each and every member of the company for giving us such joy this season. Wishing them a fun and successful tour. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 15, 2019 Author Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) I don't know whether we're allowed to copy from an Instagram page. But this is lovely. Edited June 15, 2019 by capybara 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thalia Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 11 hours ago, Sim said: All the dancers were on fire tonight. Weren’t they just? The orchestra, too. I thought everyone was rather brilliant. Firebird got me teary-eyed, even before the farewell to Kish, A Month in the Country was wonderful and Symphony in C was the most enjoyable performance of that in the whole run for me. Great evening. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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