Royal Ballet: Romeo and Juliet, Autumn 2021

[Guest oncnp]

6 minutes ago, JennyTaylor said:

 Very interesting to choose a non Principal for the film.  

 

Everyone on the film was screen tested. Perhaps the camera liked him best.  And as I recall it was filmed at the end of the season (happy to be corrected) when some of the Principals may have  had other commitments or just weren't interested. 

Edited October 26, 2021 by oncnp

[alison]

Plus, of course, he was also scheduled as Siegfried in the 2020 cinema relay of Swan Lake - again, unusual for a non-principal.

[Bluebird]

20 minutes ago, alison said:

Plus, of course, he was also scheduled as Siegfried in the 2020 cinema relay of Swan Lake - again, unusual for a non-principal.

 

Will Bracewell is again scheduled for the 2022 cinema relay  (with Lauren Cuthbertson)

 

Edited to add that I'm basing that assumption on the fact that, according to the ROH website, the performance is scheduled to be transmitted live. He and Lauren Cuthbertson are listed as the cast for May 19, the day of the relay.

Edited October 26, 2021 by Bluebird

[maryrosesatonapin]

2 hours ago, oncnp said:

 

Everyone on the film was screen tested. Perhaps the camera liked him best.  And as I recall it was filmed at the end of the season (happy to be corrected) when some of the Principals may have  had other commitments or just weren't interested. 

I actually preferred Bracewell in the film than on stage.  As for Hayward - what a perfect face for film.  I just love that film and have recommended it to many non-ballet-going friends.

[capybara]

3 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

Yes, Kevin O'Hare was there for both performances and I might just have managed to mention to him my thoughts!   

 

 😂 Jenny! I have the feeling that Kevin is very well aware of William’s strengths. My guess is that, but for injury, he would indeed be a Principal by now.

[LinMM]

Am a little disappointed still only one review of Kaneko and Bracewell in R&J 

That was on October 11th by Lyndsey Winship for the Guardian and is not a bad summary of both Hayward/ Corrales and the above couple. But would like to have seen at least one review of the matinee on Saturday. 

[Irmgard]

Having been at two electrifying performances by Cesar Corrales and Francesca Hayward in 2019, I was delighted to see that their performance on 23 October was just as spontaneous, and Corrales, in particular, had added even more wonderful details to his characterisation.  My heart did sink when the overture started, as it sounded pedantic and rather plodding (and I note I felt the same in 2019!). It did seem to be rather an off-night for the orchestra with fluffed notes, especially in the wind section, and I wished the music had been as passionate as Corrales was in the balcony pas de deux! I was very pleased that there was the same dream team of Marcellino Sambé as Mercutio and James Hay as Benvolio, and the pas de trois with Corrales before the ballroom scene was a real highlight, especially his beautifully stretched feet! I did not like Matthew Ball’s interpretation of Tybalt previously, having thought it too laid back, but he seems to have rethought it so that his arrogance is more obvious and his facial expressions more reactive, giving him a much more dangerous edge.  As in 2019, I liked the way he was seemingly caught unawares by Corrales after he has killed Mercutio, so that there was a completely spontaneous feel to their swordfight, with Corrales attacking him with such ferocity in his grief at the death of Mercutio that it led to some truly heartstopping moments.  I think what is so wonderful about Corrales’s Romeo is that he gives himself completely to the character so that his technique, fabulous as it is, is the servant rather than the master, resulting in an exuberance and a passion which bursts forth across the footlights and draws the audience into the action so that we feel we are in Verona with him.  Hayward is the perfect foil for him and their chemistry made every glance or gesture between them emotionally charged.  For me, her standout moment came in the scene when she finally agrees to marry Paris.  It seemed to me that all the other characters in the scene were rather weak in their interpretations but it could just be that Hayward’s Juliet is so poignant and tugs at the heartstrings so much that the others pale into insignificance!   Just as in 2019, the final scene in the crypt was heartbreaking, with the distraught Corrales trying to bring the ‘dead’ Hayward back to life, manipulating her limp (but still extremely expressive) body almost recklessly in his anguish before their wonderfully understated deaths.  This was yet another performance to treasure and I deeply regret there are no more performances for this outstanding couple for the rest of the run.

[LinMM]

I loved them so much last time I deliberately didn’t book them this time ...so as not to perhaps possibly spoil the “spell” they cast in 2019 ...but that was partly also because I could only go once this time if didn’t want to sit in the Amphitheatre! So went for Kaneko and Bracewell instead...who have now cast another spell!! 
 

[Mora]

On 23/10/2021 at 13:39, JennyTaylor said:

Well, I've just had the pleasure of telling Will Bracewell how marvellous I thought his performance was in person, Plus I met his mum!  I went round to the stage door after the performance which is something I have never done before, but I'm here for the performance in the evening so I thought - let's see what it's like round there. There were a few people but there was a nice opportunity so I took it.  What an absolutely delightful experience. 

 

So, he and Fumi plumbed the full depths of emotion this afternoon. I'm still shaking. Utterly passionate, romantic, despairing. Gorgeous, brilliant, exquisite. I don't have sufficient adjectives. 

 

The whole cast pulled out the stops and it was great to see Joe Sissens as Benvolio at last - he was excellent as was Luca Acri (again). 

 

A mention for Natalie Harrison about whom Kevin O'Hare came out to give a special announcement before the performance. A special farewell for her today and she received flowers and applause from the whole cast at the end of the show. 

 

What an afternoon. Can this evening match it?  Well, Matthew Ball is in the building because I saw him arrive,  so watch out for that fiery Tybalt.  

 It sounds gorgeous!

What a healthy envy I have.

I do hope to have the chance to see Fumi and William dance R&J one day 🙏 

[Scheherezade]

I hope you do too, Mora.