Your favourite dance performance of 2019?

[MJW]

10 hours ago, nycitybird said:

I only made it to 4 performances this year unfortunately, but my highlight was The Two Pigeons with Choe and Campbell. I miss their partnership and find this ballet so whimsical and moving. And of course I burst into tears when the pigeons were reunited!

 

Don't worry, you won't have been the only one to have done that ! I saw it three times and still ended up doing that.

[CCL]

I’ll nominate three: the Hayward/Campbell/Corrales/Magri ‘Manon’, which I felt truly fortunate to see; I also loved ENB’s ‘Manon’ with Alison McWhinney and Gabriele Frola - in fact, everything I’ve seen Frola in this year has been a highlight; BRB’s ‘Giselle’ at Sadlers with Momoko Hirata and Cesar Morales - sublimely beautiful.

[Richard LH]

On 29/12/2019 at 22:00, maryrosesatonapin said:

If you could choose just one, what would be your choice? (No cheating - no lists of lots of performances!)

 

Just one is very difficult, witness the abject failure of most posters to respect this rule ! 

 

I will take the moral high ground, though, and go for Akane Takada and Alexander Campbell in Don Q. 

[CCL]

26 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

 

Just one is very difficult, witness the abject failure of most posters to respect this rule ! 

Oops! I had forgotten the just one, no cheating rule! I’d probably go for Francesca Hayward et al in ‘Manon’ then

[San Perregrino]

Still two performances at ROH before the end of year, both with 2 debuts so perhaps the best is yet to come.....:

[LinMM]

For me if had to be ONLY one it would be Hayward/Corrales/Ball R and J ...completely riveting and moving have never enjoyed R and J so much ... but I did love love love the Muntagirov performance in Month in the Country he was a revelation in this. 

More personally was very pleased to finally see Oscar Frame performing with Bolshoi dancers who came over to support Zakharova at the Colisseum in an unusual but very interesting programme. It’s wonderful to see a young dancer go from a really talented 14 year old in class to appearing with a major Company like the Bolshoi. 

Have missed a lot this year though .. but a lot coming up already booked in 2020 to look forward to. 

[Bruce Wall]

Since I see some are mentioning productions they have seen outside of the UK - be it in greater Europe, the USA and beyond - I would like to reference one of the many highlights I have enjoyed while travelling for work this year outside of my home turf (where certainly viewing Scottish Ballet's The Crucible by Helen Pickett in Glasgow with its original company ranked highly).  I was thrilled to see a programme called Joyaux Francais at the Theatre du Capitole in Toulouse when I was there undertaking a project.  The presentations of two Lifar ballets - the effervescent Suite en Blanc and the mysterious Les Mirages was totally magical.  TOTALLY!  How I adore both of these works.  I saw this programme three times and could easily have seen it three more.  If they ever revive it - which I somehow doubt - I will go to the entire week!  The Capitole Ballet is a very solid company, certainly well funded, and there are some very fine dancers amongst its ranks.  If I had to pick one out it would be Ramiro Gomez Samon - a graduate of the National Ballet School of Cuba - who is not only possessed of a brilliant line and musical acumen but a rich dramatic capacity as well.   A word also for Natalia de Froberville who I thought very fine as L'Ombre in Les Mirages and - at the Sunday matinee - a young soloist, Philippe Solano, who made a spectacular debut in the Suite en Blanc solo Mazurka.  I heartily cheered alongside the crowds.  

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Bruce Wall

[Duck]

It's been a few years already since I've seen the company in Toulouse but I certainly enjoyed their performances, and in particular those with Ramiro Gomez Samon.

 

As for the repertoire - ah, the exquisite joy of choreography that is so distinct from what's on at Paris Opera (and at ticket prices that are far more affordable, too).

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Duck
The perils of posting using by phone only ...

[Irmgard]

As others have mentioned how many performances they have seen this year, I was curious to total mine up and they came to fifty-two, not including dress rehearsals but including two performances of Makarova’s “Giselle” in Stockholm which sadly did not make my list of highlights, apart from being in the presence of the legend herself!  In previous years we have not been limited to only one highlight so I am listing my most outstanding ones, in no particular order, other than chronological:

 

Jurgita Dronina in “Manon” and “Swan Lake” (English National Ballet)

Begoña Cao and Aitor Arrieta in “Manon” and “Swan Lake” (ENB)

The ladies of English National Ballet in Ashton’s choreography for Act IV of Derek Deane’s “Swan Lake”

Katja Khaniukova and Irek Mukhamedov in “Broken Wings” (ENB)

Cesar Corrales and Francesca Hayward in “Romeo and Juliet” (Royal Ballet)

Ekaterina Krysanova in “Don Quixote” (Bolshoi Ballet)

 

[JennyTaylor]

I feel I've seen so many breathtaking moments. I've tried to differentiate but not possible - so, 

1) Vadim Muntagirov in anything - he really is on a planet of his own

2) RB Romeo and Juliet - Hayward/ Corrales / Ball/ Sambe / Hay  - astonishingly brilliant all round performance

3) Will Bracewell in RB Coppelia - such a talent 

4) Anna-Rose O'Sullivan's debut as Aurora in RB Sleeping Beauty

5) Gary Avis - I have to include him as he brings so much to every ballet in which he performs and I so enjoy watching him

 

Then my non performance highlight of all time actually - seeing Ed Watson coach Matthew Ball for Rudolf in Mayerling with Sarah Lamb, Laura Morera and Meghan Grace Hinkis.    

[BeauxArts]

My highlight: Friedemann Vogel as Rudolf in the brilliant Stuttgart production of Mayerling: sublime.

[San Perregrino]

23 hours ago, prs59 said:

Still two performances at ROH before the end of year, both with 2 debuts so perhaps the best is yet to come.....:

I guessed right.

Akane Takane as Swanhilda and William Blissful (oops Bracewell 😀) as Franz were both outstanding in Coppélia on the last day of 2019 and they get to do it all again tomorrow in 2020. Can’t wait....

[LinMM]

Great to know Akane Takada is back dancing. 

[jmhopton]

Seen so much this year and it's almost all been amazing so to pick one performance is almost impossible. I've really enjoyed some incredible debuts; Sambe /O' Sullivan and Hayward /Coralles in Romeo and Juliet. Naghdi /Ball in Coppelia as well as some great mixed bills. However I agree with Jenny Taylor that at the moment Vadim is in a league of his own so my outstanding performance must include him. His solo in Coppelia I think is one of the most outstanding solo's I've ever seen as was his performance in Winter Dreams. Like others I cried at the end of his Two Pigeons but if I can only choose one outstanding performance it would have to be his performance in A Month in the country which I found emotionally draining and so incredibly moving. I went with my husband, Terry, and we both thought the same. We booked specifically for the second week so we could see him twice in this and also once in Symphony in C, another great ballet with great performances. We have been so spoilt with such amazing rep. and dancing in 2019 it's difficult to see how 2020 can equal it let alone surpass it but it will be a lot of fun finding out! 

[capybara]

It is, as everyone has said, almost impossible to pick just one 'performance' for 2019 but I will go for in Month in the Country with Vadim Muntagirov as Beliaev which was made extra special by Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Vera. Vadim's lines in the solo were simply glorious and, for me, he captured the essence of the role is every dance move, gesture and facial expression. The whole of that Triple Bill (Firebird/Month/Symphony in C) was a delight on which to end the 2018/19 season.

 

But I'm also going to cheat and say that I agree with what others have said (on this or other threads) about the astonishing first night of Don Q (Nunez/Muntagirov), Francesca Hayward's Manon, Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Aurora and Swanilda, and Cesar Corrales as Franz. But I also want to mention Matthew Ball, William Bracewell, Reece Clarke, James Hay,  Fumi Kaneko, Mayara Magri, Yasmine Naghdi and Akane Takada all of whom have gone from strength to strength during the last 12 months and whose list of stellar achievements would fill a whole page.

 

2019 has been a truly special one for The Royal  Ballet and huge thanks are due to Kevin O'Hare and the whole amazing company for giving us, their audience, such pleasure.

 

Then there are the joys also provided by ENB and all its leading dancers (some of them still in the corps) with, for me (in alphabetical order), Begona Cao, Jeffrey Cirio, Katja Kaniukova, Shiori Kase, Daniel McCormick, Fernanda Oliviera, Ken Saruhaski, Francesca Velicu and Eric Woolhouse shining especially brightly. So a big 'thank you' to ENB too.

 

 

[MJW]

As people have said it is very difficult to chose just one performance, and one always tends to remember the most recent. However, I would have to say my choice would be Alexander Campbell and Yuhui Choe in the Two Pigeons earlier in the year which moved me to tears 

Edited January 1, 2020 by MJW
correction

[Lizbie1]

I too will stick to the brief, and go for the Fonteyn Gala, which impressed with the breadth of talent in the company now while simultaneously reminding us that those multitudes had all been contained in one dancer.

[Jeannette]

Ah...just one top performance in 2019. Sorry, Bruce!

 

APPARITIONS revival in Sarasota. Marcello Gomes and Victoria Hulland starred.

[ChrisG]

Hayward and Campbell in Manon x 2 (I saw the Friends' Rehearsal and a regular run performance - both were outstanding!)

[penelopesimpson]

If I must have just ONE it has to be Ed Watson Mayerling 2013 with Mara Galeazzi.  As The Telegraph described it, there are nights at the ballet you will remember all your life and this was one of them.  It became evident early on that something special was unfolding and there was such excitement in the house.  At the end, just silence.  And then the roaring and the cheering and a half-dead dancer who had given his all, hardly able to stand.

 

My husband was nearing the end after a long illness and I nearly cancelled but he insisted I go and for those precious hours I was transported.  I cried all the way home on the train and it was a release.  I shall always be grateful to the wonderful, the incomparable Edward Watson.  

[maryrosesatonapin]

20 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

If I must have just ONE it has to be Ed Watson Mayerling 2013 with Mara Galeazzi.  As The Telegraph described it, there are nights at the ballet you will remember all your life and this was one of them.  It became evident early on that something special was unfolding and there was such excitement in the house.  At the end, just silence.  And then the roaring and the cheering and a half-dead dancer who had given his all, hardly able to stand.

 

My husband was nearing the end after a long illness and I nearly cancelled but he insisted I go and for those precious hours I was transported.  I cried all the way home on the train and it was a release.  I shall always be grateful to the wonderful, the incomparable Edward Watson.  

Wrong thread, but I am so in agreement with you here that you are more than forgiven   It was a very very special evening.

[penelopesimpson]

Thank you Maryroses, and sorry everyone for using wrong thread.

[FionaM]

At the RB ..... agree with many .... Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell in Manon.  Best Manon/Des Grieux since Penney/Dowell.  And with Cesar Corrales as Lescaut and Mayara Magri as his mistress  Superb performances from all.
 

Elsewhere in UK ..... Alina Cojocaru in Akram Khan’s Giselle for ENB.   Achingly sad and visceral. 

 

Outside UK ..... Alina Cojocaru and Sergei Polunin in the premiere of Johan Kobborg’s new Romeo and Juliet in the Arena Di Verona, along with 10,000+ others in the audience.  Unbelievably emotional for many reasons .... not least that the play is set in Verona.  The score included recordings of local church bells, the costumes were divine (unrevealed fashion designers) and the trio of Johan, Sergei and Alina created very special dancing and storytelling.

Edited January 7, 2020 by FionaE
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