Royal Ballet: Manon, autumn 2019

[Ellie]

3 hours ago, redshoesgirl2 said:

is anyone looking forward to Núñez and Bolle? the rehearsal pics are beautiful.

Does anybody here know if Bolle usually goes to the stage door ? One of my little ballet students has a lovely surprise in store for him on Saturday (he has no idea that he's going to watch Manon at the ROH) They are travelling a long way and his mum told me that he'd love to wait and see the dancers after the performance. 

[maryrosesatonapin]

4 hours ago, redshoesgirl2 said:

is anyone looking forward to Núñez and Bolle? the rehearsal pics are beautiful.

I was ... until 5pm when I had an emergency vet appointment for my cat.  I'm devastated that I won't be able to get there now, and am eagerly awaiting everyone's reports!

[ninamargaret]

25 minutes ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I was ... until 5pm when I had an emergency vet appointment for my cat.  I'm devastated that I won't be able to get there now, and am eagerly awaiting everyone's reports!

Cats have an unerring sense of occasion. Hope all is we!l.

[Sim]

5 hours ago, Tony Newcombe said:

Yuhui listed on tonight’s cast sheet. So not a last minute injury to Yasmine

No it isn’t.  She has had it for a while which is why I don’t understand the lack of cast change information on the website.  

[Clara_f]

10 minutes ago, Sim said:

No it isn’t.  She has had it for a while which is why I don’t understand the lack of cast change information on the website.  

 Maybe naghdi / management were hoping the injury would improve in time? 

[Sim]

2 minutes ago, Clara_f said:

 Maybe naghdi / management were hoping the injury would improve in time? 

They have known for a while that she would not be able to dance tonight.  I for one really missed her as her Mistress was wonderful last time around.  We knew who she was, what she was, what she was thinking, what she was feeling.  She really made this character an important part of the ballet, which doesn’t always  happen.  

[JennyTaylor]

A stunning performance tonight from Roberto Bolle and Marianela Nunez with the equally stunning Gary Avis as Monsieur GM and Marcelino Sambe as Lescaut. To say it was a treat is the understatement of the year.

 

The Bolle/ Nunez partnership were on fire from the start and the audience reacted accordingly with applause and cheers for the 1st pdd. It then went from strength to strength - wow, have they got chemistry.  We had the exciting Marcelino Sambe as Lescaut and he has definitely grown into this role since the last run with far more characterisation and of course, excellent dancing.  Yuhui Choe was fun as the Mistress but Gary Avis nearly stole the show with the most remarkable Monsieur GM - every gesture oozed sleeze and unpleasantness and he put so much into the part - something's happening ALL the time.  How can such a nice person manage to be like that!!  He is such a good actor. 

We had 4 top class courtesans too in Melissa Hamilton, Claire Calvert, Romany Pajdak and Olivia Cowley.  

What to say about Bolle/ Nunez: the passion, the fusion of the pdds, they were SO together.  So pleased that he came over to partner her - shame he didn't do Romeo with her earlier this year - that would have been something, but I don't think he does all the full length parts any longer.

 

Completely blown away and I've seen Manon loads of times. 

 

 

[capybara]

Unfortunately, I'm not quite with Jenny Taylor. It was a good performance, yes, and Roberto Bolle offered us more expression than I had seen from him before; but I don't feel that Des Grieux (a young student) and Manon (an innocent at first) are a good fit for either him or Marianela Nunez. That wonderful smile of hers is far too 'knowing' from the start although I do like the way she plays Act 2.

I wanted to celebrate Marcelino Sambe's first appearance at the ROH since becoming a Principal and, yes, he was good (with more characterisation than last time around). But I felt that his Lescaut was diminished by being set alongside the physically towering Bolle. Sambe really needed to be cast alongside a slighter Des Grieux and a shorter Manon. [Maybe Hirano would have been better suited to this cast?] It's always difficult with a substitution, but, good though she was, Yuhui Choe wasn't quite the right fit for Sambe and other courtesans projected more to me in my fairly distant perch. [I agree with Sim that Yasmine Naghdi is able to give the Mistress a very clear identity and I missed that added interest.]

The supporting cast was, indeed, excellent and I would add the Gentlemen (Clarke, Edmonds and Richardson) to those already mentioned. And, as for Gary Avis............!!!  Whereas, in the first cast, Christopher Saunders had scarcely registered with me, last night's Monsieur GM almost stole the show.

Last Saturday, I was blown away; last night, I was not. But sharing and reading our differing reactions is part of the joy of having this forum.

 

[Richard LH]

I am more with capybara than Jenny Taylor about Bolle. This is the first time I have seen him live in any role,   and for me his acting was notably lacking, particularly  compared to other dancers I have seen playing  Des Grieux (especially with last week's General Rehearsal still fresh in my memory). I did not perceive  that wonderful connection Des Grieux makes with Manon in his first solo, which is so critical in setting up their relationship. I see Des Grieux as a  more bookish, vulnerable fellow than Bolle's physicality suggests and so I also noticed the disparity in his size with that of Sambe...it seemed unlikely that this Lescaut would be able to  dominate this Des Grieux so much!

I thought Nunez was great, though perhaps not so much at the outset  in terms of character, as capybara observed,  but certainly in Act 2, and she really threw herself into Act 3. It was lovely seeing her taking in the audience's  applause at the curtain calls.

I thought Yuhui Choe's mistress was superb, as were the three gentlemen, and indeed the rest of the corps....some wonderful timing to the music in the leg raising department! 

And yes Avis was splendidly odious. 

Looking forward now to next Wednesday, and the following Saturday's matinee...

Edited October 10, 2019 by Richard LH

[Sim]

I agree with Capybara and RichardLH.    I have never got anything much from Bolle (except that he is tall and handsome!) and last night was no exception.  His dancing was ok, his partnering was ok, but having recently seen Vadim Muntagirov and Matthew Ball in the role, it was nothing like those performances.  His finest moment was at the end of the ballet, when his despair at Manon's death was deep and heartfelt.  That final pdd was taken very slowly,  to the point where I almost thought it would stop altogether.  Nunez was fine and I really liked her Acts 2 and 3, but for some reason she never quite does it for me in the MacMillan repertoire.  She is such a beautiful and natural classical dancer, but, for me, she lacks the 'edge' required to convey a MacMillan role.

 

I really liked Sambe's Lescaut, which made much more of an impression this time.  That might have been because he has grown into the role more since last time, but also he didn't have the foil of Yasmine Naghdi to compare against.  Yuhui Choe was fine as his Mistress, but didn't stamp any real authority onto the proceedings.  Itziar Mendizabal is another Mistress whose presence I really feel.

 

Very good support from the whole cast;  I never tire of looking at all the shenanigans going on in Act 2.  I love the way, when Manon makes her entrance, all the girls give her dirty looks and are jealous.  I noticed a couple of them looking down at their own dresses in disgust, and one of them thereafter sinking a glass of wine thinking 'ah well, this is as good as it's ever going to be for me, so I will drink instead."  Such richly detailed interpretations of even the smallest role.

 

Speaking of richly detailed, I agree with everyone above that Gary Avis as Mr GM once again gave a tour de force and indeed almost stole the show.  What an incredibly gifted actor he is.  He really gets into the character, and his evil is there for all to see, from beginning to end.  Neither Bennet Gartside nor Christopher Saunders made any kind of impact for me, but here, I was so angry at GM.  Well done Gary;  I could watch him for days on end.  How lucky we are to have him on our stage.

[Fiz]

We really are, Sim. Long may it continue. 

[penelopesimpson]

19 hours ago, capybara said:

The new ROH magazine is out with a big piece about The Dante Project with pictures of Edward Watson. He will be going out on a real ' high' if these prove to be his farewell performances. And that will be absolutely fitting for an artist who has contributed so much to the RB.

 

Now, please can we get back to Manon?

When is the Dante project?

[bridiem]

6 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

When is the Dante project?

 

It opens 6 May 2020. (But Watson might also be involved in the preceding triple bill? Not that that would be on the same scale.)

[maryrosesatonapin]

I very much enjoyed all your varying descriptions of last night's performance.  Thank you everyone.  I felt so sad at having to miss my lovely mid stalls seat to watch Bolle for possibly the last time.  I wasn't expecting Bolle to be a particularly 'good' des Grieux; he is more of a God or Hero (capitalisation intended).  And of course he's well into his forties now so we can't expect his dancing to be what it was.  I always think (having seen him dance a number of times) that, on stage, he isn't Armand or Romeo or Prince Siegfried, he is Roberto Bolle in all his superhumanly handsome magnificence, and I accept and enjoy that as I wouldn't from almost anyone else.  To me, the ultimate Des Grieux would be Muntagirov who although now nearly thirty still has, and will probably always have, something student-ish about him.  In my opinion Muntagirov dances as well or better than Bolle ever did and his own personality and even body language are subsumed by his deep and, for want of a better word, humble/ego-less characterisation.  He's not trying to be a superstar - he's trying to produce the best art he possibly can.  Saying that sounds a bit unfair to Bolle whose main fault is being too handsome, too statuesque, too - Bolle.  A fault I am very happy to feast my eyes on, and which I deeply regret having missed one final time.  (My cat is fine by the way - he broke a leg with an awkward jump so had to have emergency surgery late in the day.)

[JNC]

I echo thoughts above about Bolle. Yes he looks good but lacked in a real emotional gravitas that I felt Ball brought to the role. I felt he was often just going through the movements without a real connection to the character. But it's undeniable he looks good and is a solid partner. (And brought in much needed ticket sales!)

 

I thought Sambe was great at Lescaut. He nailed the drunk scenes with much laughter, and whilst I agree he probably would have worked better with Naghdi, he and Choe pulled it off considering. I have to admit I still haven't seen a Lescaut who is good at explaining the sudden change of personality he seems to have, when he goes from pimping out his sister to deciding to get her and Des Grieux back together and fighting off G.M. The closest was perhaps Cirio in ENB's version earlier this year. I do think Sambe has really grown over the last year or so in both technique and stage personality and his promotion is well deserved. I think Sambe was actually quite well matched for Bolle considering the comments above. He is shorter but looks strong. I actually thought the Lescaut/Des Grieux difference was far more keenly felt with Zucchetti and Ball last week - with Ball not only towering over Zucchetti but looking more stronger/more muscled too so it looked almost comical when Zucchetti tried to wrestle him down to the floor at the end of Act 1, in reality Zucchetti would have no chance! Sambe may be shorter but he is 'bulkier' (in a good way!) so definitely looked like he would have a chance taking Bolle on, considering the character is mentally devasted at that point. 

 

Choe did brilliantly considering she was a last minute fill in. I feel a bit sorry for her as inevitably she was always going to be compared to Naghdi, but I think she played the role well (and whilst I haven't seen Naghdi in the role, I feel she would have played it quite differently so perhaps that helped distance the two in my mind). I also thought the corps was notably sharper tonight than last week, perhaps the additional stage time has helped. 

 

I can only echo the fantastic praise above for Gary Avis. He brought real personality to G.M. and is the best I've seen in the role. Avis was full on creepy when caressing Manon's shoe, had the perfect balance of controlling to indifferent to Manon in Act 2, then the way he turned the tables (literally!) to anger and pride was just brilliant. 

 

As for Nunez, I think she was brilliant. I didn't see her smiles as knowing in Act 1, more genuine and naive - cheeky and charming as a child, rather than flirting. She was on top form last night, everything executed brilliantly. She played three very different Manon's (the switch in character from  her Act 1 to Act 2 reminded me a bit of Odette/Odile actually!) with Act 1 being the young child, in love, unaware. I felt her Manon was less seduced by G.M.'s wealth and more going along to please her brother because she thought that was the 'right' thing too do. Act 2 was completely different - fully in control, grown up and loving the attention. Despite the contrast I think it is a believable change - if you imagine some time has passed between Act 1 and 2 (not sure exactly how much is 'meant' to have passed) it is believable that she would change in this way, finding a new side to her self or putting it on to survive. In Act 3 she is a shell of her former self, and actually I think this was probably her weakest scene as despite her excellent acting I thought she actually danced a bit too strong/healthily to be believable as someone broken (i.e. her dancing was 'too good'!). As an aside I think Cuthbertson spat at the dead gaoler whereas if Nunez did, I missed it. I thought the spitting was actually quite dramatic and good and wouldn't mind it being a regular thing!

 

Sorry this post has ended up far longer than I intended! In short - overall slightly disappointed that presumed fireworks for Bolle/Nunez didn't happen. Nunez was brilliant and I think with a different partner it would have raised the game a bit (perhaps Ball?). I think Sambe is going from strength to strength and no-one can top Avis in a dramatic character role! 

 

I am slightly annoyed that if they knew about Naghdi far enough in advance to get the cast sheets printed, why I was not emailed about the cast change in advance as has been done previously? If it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't have even known before I arrived at ROH. It certainly wouldn't have stopped me from attending but I was really looking forward to seeing Naghdi in the role and so it would have tempered my expectations if I had known a few days ago. I think it also would have been better for Choe (or anyone in her position) as this then avoids the dreaded groan at the announcement before the show (in fairness last night it was more a small sigh but still). And it also gives people a chance to book to see the alternative dancer specifically (which I appreciate is probably a very small percentage but still). But when other ballet companies such as ENB don't announce casts this far in advance, I guess we can't complain too much! But I think my point stands that it would have been a very quick and easy thing to do, that would have been quite useful and appreciated by a lot of people. 

[Richard LH]

6 minutes ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

My cat is fine by the way - he broke a leg with an awkward jump

 

Ow! Those grands jetés can be dangerous....hoping  he is better soon! 

[Scheherezade]

Oh dear, showing my age, I know, but I can't imagine that anyone will ever surpass Anthony Dowell as Des Grieux.

 

Muntagirov is the closest that I have seen and I would imagine that Matthew Ball would bring something similar to the role.

 

Perhaps this is the role for Hallberg but I did not choose to see him and Osipova as I feared that Hallberg might disappoint me again and, much as I love Osipova, I always feel that she, too, is too 'knowing' in the opening scenes.

 

I am afraid that Bolle has always been too much of a blank canvas for me. 

[capybara]

1 hour ago, JNC said:

 I am slightly annoyed that if they knew about Naghdi far enough in advance to get the cast sheets printed, why I was not emailed about the cast change in advance as has been done previously? If it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't have even known before I arrived at ROH. It certainly wouldn't have stopped me from attending but I was really looking forward to seeing Naghdi in the role and so it would have tempered my expectations if I had known a few days ago. I think it also would have been better for Choe (or anyone in her position) as this then avoids the dreaded groan at the announcement before the show (in fairness last night it was more a small sigh but still). And it also gives people a chance to book to see the alternative dancer specifically (which I appreciate is probably a very small percentage but still). But when other ballet companies such as ENB don't announce casts this far in advance, I guess we can't complain too much! But I think my point stands that it would have been a very quick and easy thing to do, that would have been quite useful and appreciated by a lot of people. 

 

I have written to the ROH about this and hope that others will do so too. It is a matter of courtesy to the artists involved in any changes and to the audience. The announcement caused not only a groan around where I was sitting, but also an amount of confusion with people reaching for their cast sheets and a lot of mumbling.

 

[I did actually book mainly for Sambe and Naghdi last night but I would have stuck with it, even with prior notice! On another occasion, I might appreciate the opportunity to swap my tickets, which I have done in the past - mainly to avoid repetition.]

 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by capybara

[JNC]

I agree. It’s not fair on dancers to get groans. And it’s such a quick easy win for ROH. 

 

We shouldn’t really be resorting to dancers’ social media for updates on casting. 

[San Perregrino]

As the French say “chacun à son goût”.

For me, different dancers bring different things on different days to the characters they portray on stage. This is the excitement of live performance. Carpe Diem. No two performances, even by the same dancer,  are identical nor should they be.  This is something to be celebrated not condemned. If not I’d be happy to see a ballet once and not return to it because there would be nothing new to discover.

As it happens, I’ve seen 3 Manon casts so far this run and each has pleased and entertained me for different reasons.

Never having seen him dance before, I for one, was ‘Bolled’ over (pls excuse the pun) by last night’s production. As the evening progressed Bolle and Nunez inhabited their characters more and more so that long before the end I was 100% engaged,  believed in and was moved by what I was watching. 

 I suspect that having found his ‘feet’ Bolle will shine even more on Saturday.

After last night, Robert has at least one new fan and, judging by the audience reaction during and after the performance and the multiple curtain calls that continued long after the lights came up, I suspect I am not alone. It was a special evening and one that I feel privileged to have seen.

[capybara]

18 minutes ago, prs59 said:

After last night, Robert has at least one new fan and, judging by the audience reaction during and after the performance and the multiple curtain calls that continued long after the lights came up, I suspect I am not alone. It was a special evening and one that I feel privileged to have seen.

 

That's great, prs59. Roberto Bolle has a travelling 'army' of fans, a number of whom were surrounding me last night. They will be there in even greater force on Saturday - good for them!

[Sim]

2 hours ago, capybara said:

 

That's great, prs59. Roberto Bolle has a travelling 'army' of fans, a number of whom were surrounding me last night. They will be there in even greater force on Saturday - good for them!

Yes, some were near me as well.  I have never seen applause for Des Grieux’s entrance before, and I found it wholly inappropriate.  

[bridiem]

11 minutes ago, Sim said:

Yes, some were near me as well.  I have never seen applause for De Grieux’s entrance before, and I found it wholly inappropriate.  

 

I never even notice his entrance! He seems to just materialise from nowhere.

[Sim]

5 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I never even notice his entrance! He seems to just materialise from nowhere.

Exactly...he enters quietly, humbly, no fuss, no flourish...an early indication of his personality/character. 

[Richard LH]

Is it OK to applaud Manon's entrance though? 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by Richard LH

[Richard LH]

3 hours ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

My cat is fine by the way - he broke a leg with an awkward jump so had to have emergency surgery late in the day

 

3 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Ow! Those grands jetés can be dangerous....hoping  he is better soon! 

 

Or perhaps it was  a pas de chat?

[bridiem]

11 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Is it OK to applaud Manon's entrance though? 

 

 

I think so, because she does 'make an entrance'. But I'm a bit ambivalent about clapping anyone's entrance really; though sometimes I do because I know it's sort of expected!

Edited October 10, 2019 by bridiem

[Richard LH]

3 minutes ago, bridiem said:

I think so, because she does 'make an entrance'.

 

Yes because there is a definite fanfare for her,  isn't there, which almost seems to ask for applause.

 

The slightly embarrassing aspect about applauding entrances  is when some  dancers get little, or none, compared to others....

[capybara]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

 I have never seen applause for De Grieux’s entrance before, and I found it wholly inappropriate.  

 

I agree.

 

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

I never even notice his entrance! He seems to just materialise from nowhere.

 

The group near me knew the exact moment when Bolle would be coming on because most of them wouldn't have been able to see him from their particular seats. I couldn't, but their body language and then their applause told me that he must be on!!!!!

 

[ninamargaret]

2 hours ago, Richard LH said:

 

 

Or perhaps it was  a pas de chat?

My white Persian exotic is busy rehearsing his beautiful jetes so that he can audition for Sleeping Beauty. Must tell him to be careful!

[ctas]

Getting excited reading all the thoughts on last night — I honestly never enjoyed Manon until I saw Roberto Bolle last time around, and I can’t wait until Saturday’s performance. 

[capybara]

21 hours ago, capybara said:

I have written to the ROH about this and hope that others will do so too. It is a matter of courtesy to the artists involved in any changes and to the audience.

 

I have heard back from the ROH that enquiries are being made of the ballet office and that I will hear more when their response is known.

[RuthE]

19 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

I never even notice his entrance! He seems to just materialise from nowhere.

 

Last Saturday matinee, having seen this ballet many many times and on several occasions been watching for it specially, I FINALLY spotted the moment when he comes in!  It's when the two Courtesans are dancing and have ended up on stage right (auditorium left), a sweeping waltz theme comes in in the music, and some men come forward in a row.  Then Des Grieux enters stage left behind them, looking down at his book.  Now I've noticed it once I don't think I'll ever un-notice.  But I agree with Sim that the applause on Wednesday was entirely inappropriate!