alison Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 Although we have a separate thread on the recent transmission of the Royal Ballet School's "Peter and the Wolf" , I thought I'd start an overarching thread for all the Royal Opera House's "Our House To Your House" showings. I am, unsurprisingly, loving seeing the Royal Opera/Royal Ballet coproduction of Acis and Galatea again Ed Watson will be making an appearance soon (well, heck, sorry, I've been suffering withdrawal symptoms) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 I do love watching Lauren Cuthbertson's face in this: she's so expressive. Would perhaps have appreciated some subtitles, though - or possibly it was just that the audio on my computer is poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 Looking on YouTube, it rather looks as though Peter and the Wolf is still available, despite it being outside the specified dates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted April 10, 2020 Share Posted April 10, 2020 On 09/04/2020 at 15:15, alison said: I do love watching Lauren Cuthbertson's face in this: she's so expressive. Would perhaps have appreciated some subtitles, though - or possibly it was just that the audio on my computer is poor. No, not your computer. I listened to it through my perfectly good audio system and for some time wasn't sure what language they were singing in! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I can't remember whether it had surtitles at the time, live at the ROH. What I DO remember, as somebody who at the time only ever booked for opera and wasn't into ballet at all, was that it was treated as a ballet rather than an opera in the sense that, for example, it went on sale on "ballet day" back when they used to separate out booking for opera and ballet. So, given that the ROH never uses surtitles for ballets with a sung score, it's quite possible that Dido/Acis didn't have any to begin with. (I mean, of course theoretically the singing should be understandable to an Anglophone audience anyway, but we all know that isn't always the case). I know I'm once again betraying my background as Not a Proper Ballet Fan, but I always long for surtitles when I'm at a ballet with sung words! Song of the Earth in particular, and... was it Yugen that had Chichester Psalms as the score? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 Yes, it was. I get very frustrated with not being able to understand anything that's being sung, if it's supposed to be important: watching that bit of Eugene Onegin from Kazakhstan the other day without subtitles was tricky, even though I know the opera well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Okay am putting this on this thread! I see there’s a separate thread for Peter and Wolf but will go with this one if it includes other things coming from ROH Last night I saw Metamorphosis for the very first time and was completely bowled over by this ‘ballet’ and Ed Watson’s extraordinary performance in particular. But the whole collaboration on this choreography music sets/staging and casting was first class. This is really an experience rather than a ballet and a nightmarish one at that with some subtle touches of humour on occasions... unless you could describe the whole thing as a sort of black humour. Watson became more and more beetle like right down to his toes.....which I became fascinated with at one point they seemed to have an independent life of their own 😳 I missed this entirely when it was on before and have no idea why I should have made such a stupid error as it is such powerful theatre. I was wondering whether this was ever performed on consecutive nights as a role like that must take an awful lot out of you. Certainly very brave of Watson to allow himself to be turned into a beetle on stage!! It’s a very long time since I’ve read this Kafka tale ....as a student circa 1968-9 ...but seeing this last night has inspired me to want to read it again ....and maybe even watch it again if have a week to recover that is.. ...I think it’s on ROH website till end of April but will check. But definitely worth catching if you have never seen this ballet ...or to be reminded of how just amazing Ed Watson and this piece is. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 It’s on website till 17th May which is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 2 hours ago, LinMM said: I was wondering whether this was ever performed on consecutive nights as a role like that must take an awful lot out of you. It was performed on consecutive nights for about a week in Sep 2011. I saw it twice back then and again last night, and it made me realise just how much I miss seeing Edward Watson perform, anything really. It's his eyes, that look of yearning, seeking understanding, seeking belonging as well as his ability to adopt, with his hands and feet, the movements of a beetle. I fully agree, the choreography, music, set, costumes and the cast all came together to create something very special. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 2 hours ago, LinMM said: Watson became more and more beetle like right down to his toes.....which I became fascinated with at one point they seemed to have an independent life of their own 😳 They gave me cramps in my feet just watching them! I was very surprised at the end to see/hear that it had been a live performance...I had assumed it had been filmed in a studio specifically to be watched on a screen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share Posted April 18, 2020 5 hours ago, LinMM said: I was wondering whether this was ever performed on consecutive nights as a role like that must take an awful lot out of you. Certainly very brave of Watson to allow himself to be turned into a beetle on stage!! Not only that, but I think they even had the odd matinee and evening performance. Can someone confirm, or is my memory playing tricks on me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share Posted April 18, 2020 FWIW, the original thread was here: We don't seem to have a thread for the first run, so I'm guessing it must have taken place before this forum came into being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 8 hours ago, alison said: Not only that, but I think they even had the odd matinee and evening performance. Can someone confirm, or is my memory playing tricks on me? 8 hours ago, alison said: We don't seem to have a thread for the first run, so I'm guessing it must have taken place before this forum came into being. Just found the programme booklet for the 2013 run ... I hadn't remembered that I saw two more performances on that occasion ... So this makes it First run 19/20/21/22/23/24 Sep 2011 (all evening performances) plus a matinee performance on 24 Sep. Second run 16/17/18/20/21/22/23 Mar 2013 (all evening performances) plus a matinee performance on 23 Mar. There was also an Insight Event on 13 Mar 2013. Iirc this was filmed and extracts were put on YT at the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 I finally caught up with The Metamorphosis last night, and what an experience it was! Completely different from being there in the theatre, too - not better, not worse, just different (although I did miss not being able to watch Watson for long periods when the camera was focusing on the "kitchen"). The camera shots were quite incredible, especially the close-ups, and very atmospheric (difficult to achieve, I would have thought, in the old, "industrial" Linbury Theatre) - I did wonder whether their choice was actually constrained by the lack of space around the stage, as I remember that the audience was very close, but boy, did it work well! I was right about how effective Watson's eyes were close up (see the original thread), but what I had forgotten was what a good and expressive actress the young Laura Day, playing his sister, was. In fact, the whole cast were top notch. I really would advise not missing this one. Now I need to go back and watch yet another live webinar ... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Not sure this is the right thread, please move if there is a better one. This caption is on a beautiful clip on ROH faceboook feed. But really - who writes this, don't they know anything? "Absolute perfection - The Royal Ballet's Marianela Núñez and Vadim Muntagirov in rehearsal for Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny ballet, Coppélia The gorgeous music is by Léo Delibes"🎶 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 6 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said: Not sure this is the right thread, please move if there is a better one. This caption is on a beautiful clip on ROH faceboook feed. But really - who writes this, don't they know anything? "Absolute perfection - The Royal Ballet's Marianela Núñez and Vadim Muntagirov in rehearsal for Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny ballet, Coppélia The gorgeous music is by Léo Delibes"🎶 Haven’t seen the clip (not on facebook) but am struggling to see the issue with the caption. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 I just feel it is rather a stretch to say the choreography is by Ninette de Valois. The RB version was produced for the Vic Wells in 1933 by Sergeyev using his notations of the Russian version choreographed by Petipa and Cecchetti. It was restaged in 1956 when new set and costume designs were commissioned from Osbert Lancaster and Ninette de Valois revised some of the choreography. The Osbert Lancaster designs were revived for the the current staging, but if ROH wants to credit the choreograph to de Valois, surely it should at least say "after Petipa and Cecchetti". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 3 hours ago, Pas de Quatre said: I just feel it is rather a stretch to say the choreography is by Ninette de Valois. The RB version was produced for the Vic Wells in 1933 by Sergeyev using his notations of the Russian version choreographed by Petipa and Cecchetti. It was restaged in 1956 when new set and costume designs were commissioned from Osbert Lancaster and Ninette de Valois revised some of the choreography. The Osbert Lancaster designs were revived for the the current staging, but if ROH wants to credit the choreograph to de Valois, surely it should at least say "after Petipa and Cecchetti". The Royal Ballet ascribe the choreography to De Valois so I don't think it's overly appropriate to chastise the social media person who is following their employer's language. Also, the caption doesn't actually say "choreography"; it just refers to a possessive - the 1933 production was "made" by de Valois whilst Sergeyev taught the steps from the (not complete) notations; Sergeyev then created the second production in the 40s, which was then completed re-worked by NdV. If you have an issue, maybe raise it with RB management, rather than making a negative comment about a staff member. In any event, I think "NdV's charming and funny ballet, Coppélia (after Petipa and Cecchetti)" is a bit OTT and formal for a Facebook caption. I assume 1956 was a typo and you meant 1954. All of which reminds me, there is a lovely picture of NdV as Swanilda in the Kathrine Sorley Walker biography (which, a google search tells me, can also be found here). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Yes, a typo - should be 1954. To quote from Zoe Anderson's book The Royal Ballet 75 years: "...de Valois staged the one new production of the season, a revised Coppelia." It goes on to list the wonderful Swanhildas, Nadia Nerina, Svetlana Beriosova, Avril Navarre, Rosemary Lindsey and Margaret Dale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 38 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said: To quote from Zoe Anderson's book The Royal Ballet 75 years: Have it sitting on my desk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 Just finally catching up with the streaming of The Winter's Tale (finishes sometime on Friday, I think). It looks absolutely stunning - I'd forgotten quite what a tour de force it was for the whole company. Act II is an absolute dream. RobR may prefer to watch newer casts (this one dates from 2014 - the original first cast), but I'm really enjoying watching the corps and spotting how many have since risen (right) up the ranks in the intervening years 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 I am surprised, though, that the ROH hasn't taken the opportunity to put the full synopsis on the YouTube page (Opening Up? Attracting newcomers to the artform?) - but thankful that someone is explaining the plot in the chat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 I'd forgotten just how well-tailored this was to the Royal Ballet and the strengths of its dancers, who were all fantastic. Last time I saw this recording was on TV, but up close and personal on a laptop it's even more moving. Glorious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 Winters' Tale is indeed a wonderful ballet, but find I really do not like Jony Talbot's score (and not isolated to this ballet alone). Please someone explain to me how wrong I am and why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 7, 2020 Author Share Posted May 7, 2020 Who says you're "wrong"? I've not thought much about it: I suppose it is perhaps a bit cinematic, rather than balletic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 59 minutes ago, Blossom said: Winters' Tale is indeed a wonderful ballet, but find I really do not like Jony Talbot's score (and not isolated to this ballet alone). Please someone explain to me how wrong I am and why. I'm not going to say you're wrong either - I find his music really bland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candleque Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 17 hours ago, alison said: Act II is an absolute dream. Agree. To me, it is almost a different work (which means I have to admit the tortured emotional twisting of Act I isn't my taste in ballet) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 2 hours ago, Blossom said: Winters' Tale is indeed a wonderful ballet, but find I really do not like Jony Talbot's score (and not isolated to this ballet alone). Please someone explain to me how wrong I am and why. I'm not that keen on the music either. I saw the livescreening back in 2014 mostly because I'd recently seen a musical version of the piece & was curious to see how a ballet version compared. The musical version, by Howard Goodall, in my opinion certainly had much better music! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tebasile Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 2 hours ago, Lizbie1 said: I'm not going to say you're wrong either - I find his music really bland. I would go so far as to call it noise 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted May 7, 2020 Share Posted May 7, 2020 I've seen WintersTale several times on stage and have also watched the DVD quite often and find the music totally unmemorable. I suppose the music for act 2 and the wedding dances in act3_are meant to show the difference between Leontes more formal court and the more relaxed atmosphere of Polixenes country, but even after many viewings there's nothing that I ever remember. And I love the ballet itsekf! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 13 hours ago, Tebasile said: I would go so far as to call it noise 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Glad i am not the only one. Score for Alice is just about bearable but neither WT or Alice listenable on their own. Hope Wheeldon has a different composer in mind for his upcoming offering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 16 minutes ago, Blossom said: 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Glad i am not the only one. Score for Alice is just about bearable but neither WT or Alice listenable on their own. Hope Wheeldon has a different composer in mind for his upcoming offering. Doesn't look like it.....https://www.fedora-platform.com/discover/shortlist/like-water-for-chocolate/243 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 9 minutes ago, oncnp said: Doesn't look like it.....https://www.fedora-platform.com/discover/shortlist/like-water-for-chocolate/243 Unfortunately it does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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