Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker Winter 2021/22

[art_enthusiast]

5 minutes ago, alison said:

The choir is recorded this year, I believe.  That's what it's sounded like so far, anyway.

Oh really? Because of Covid restrictions I assume.

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sim]

Lovely review, @LinMM   
 

You are right, the choir is usually in the orchestra pit (on the far left)….but not this year.  😢

[LinMM]

Rob S ....at the end of the performance during the curtain calls I could see a man with a  decent looking camera taking piccies so decided to risk it ...once it was obvious the dancers were finally going home ...so said to him “Excuse me you’re not Rob are you” But he replied “No I’m Dave” but then immediately “oh did you mean the Rob who puts pictures on the Forum” so then wasn’t sure whether he knew you or not!  He added maybe I should post some of mine there too.  So you may get some competition lol...which can only be great for us of course! 

[RobR]

On 09/12/2021 at 23:34, FionaE said:
 

Really liked the fight scene between dancers of the company.  Is it shorter than pre-pandemic version?  Or am I imagining things.

It's very good - but different.

 

For my part, and I’m probably engaging my 'inner child', I very much miss the White Lodge 'rats'; stabbing with their swords whilst twirling their tails, the two mice bringing on a stretcher to carry off their injured colleague and, at the end, struggling under weight of the mouse king as he topples into their arms and is carried off stage by them. 
 

So, good though the current ‘lockdown' version is, I (and probably most children) look forward to their return 😯

[Rob S]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

Rob S ....at the end of the performance during the curtain calls I could see a man with a  decent looking camera taking piccies so decided to risk it ...once it was obvious the dancers were finally going home ...so said to him “Excuse me you’re not Rob are you” But he replied “No I’m Dave” but then immediately “oh did you mean the Rob who puts pictures on the Forum” so then wasn’t sure whether he knew you or not!  He added maybe I should post some of mine there too.  So you may get some competition lol...which can only be great for us of course! 

😆 At least you spotted a fellow forum reader though 👏 I was in SCS D46 last night. Alternative viewpoints are always good 🙂

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, RobR said:

It's very good - but different.

 

For my part, and I’m probably engaging my 'inner child', I very much miss the White Lodge 'rats'; stabbing with their swords whilst twirling their tails, the two mice bringing on a stretcher to carry off their injured colleague and, at the end, struggling under weight of the mouse king as he topples into their arms and is carried off stage by them. 
 

So, good though the current ‘lockdown' version is, I (and probably most children) look forward to their return 😯

 

I think they moved up to Birmingham for the season there!

[AnticaFiamma]

I was at the matinee yesterday for my last ROH visit of the year, and what a delight it was. Leo Dixon is really growing in the role and he's very charming on stage, especially when paired with Meaghan Grace Hinkis's beautiful Clara. But there were lovely performances everywhere, and I'm particularly glad to have caught Stanislaw Wegrzyn in the Chinese Dance and Marco Masciari in the Russian Dance, since I've never seen them doing it. Lauren Cuthbertson and William Bracewell walk away with the show, as they should, with their superb dancing and partnership. He needs to be promoted asap, the RB doesn't have many better dancers.

Edited December 11, 2021 by AnticaFiamma

[LinMM]

Rob S ...I was there on the 9th ...just a bit late in writing review. 
The thing is I didn’t spot him as a Forum member! I was hoping it was going to be you so I could thank you in person for all the lovely piccies! When he said oh do you mean Rob from the Forum he somehow took it for granted that I would know what that meant!!! It’s why I thought he must know you! 

Another piece of luck that night... though not sure if should be revealing this ...was I was with a friend who was standing in D9 so pretty close to where I was sitting just further round to the right and the seat next to me remained empty ...must have been the only one in whole of Row A! 
When the time over ran for starting we sort of assumed nobody was now coming so she came and sat next to me as lights went down ( luckily an end seat so could gracefully leave if somebody did turn up really late) and was able to sit there the whole time!!  I couldn’t see the point of it just remaining empty. 
I felt particularly pleased for her as usually she can only stand or sits in middle to back Amphi ( I can’t usually sit next to her any more because I can’t sit that high up these days) So it was a real treat for her as well!! 
I was having a look at the Standing along that side and decided D.7 to D.14 is really the most excellent for view (except D.10 has a post a little bit in the way). But I think only Friends would be able to book these initially as they’ve usually gone by public booking. I don’t know whether it’s similar along the other side for viewing but some of the more direct central standing on our side do have lights hanging down but wasn’t sure whether that’s because it was being streamed or whether they are always there. But anyway those Stalls Circle Standing are amazing value for money at £10 or sometimes even less!! 
 

[LinMM]

In the above piccies it looks like Benjamin Ella ....and is that Ashley Dean with him? It’s just I thought she had much blonder hair🤔 

[Rob S]

1 minute ago, LinMM said:

In the above piccies it looks like Benjamin Ella ....and is that Ashley Dean with him? It’s just I thought she had much blonder hair🤔 

 

Her hair colour does change every now and then...follow her on Instagram for updates 🙂

[LinMM]

Thanks! Except not on Instagram or Twitter etc. It’s bad enough being on Facebook and the Forum....I’d never getting anything done otherwise! 

[Rob S]

48 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Rob S ...I was there on the 9th ...just a bit late in writing review. 
The thing is I didn’t spot him as a Forum member! I was hoping it was going to be you so I could thank you in person for all the lovely piccies! When he said oh do you mean Rob from the Forum he somehow took it for granted that I would know what that meant!!! It’s why I thought he must know you! 

Another piece of luck that night... though not sure if should be revealing this ...was I was with a friend who was standing in D9 so pretty close to where I was sitting just further round to the right and the seat next to me remained empty ...must have been the only one in whole of Row A! 
When the time over ran for starting we sort of assumed nobody was now coming so she came and sat next to me as lights went down ( luckily an end seat so could gracefully leave if somebody did turn up really late) and was able to sit there the whole time!!  I couldn’t see the point of it just remaining empty. 
I felt particularly pleased for her as usually she can only stand or sits in middle to back Amphi ( I can’t usually sit next to her any more because I can’t sit that high up these days) So it was a real treat for her as well!! 
I was having a look at the Standing along that side and decided D.7 to D.14 is really the most excellent for view (except D.10 has a post a little bit in the way). But I think only Friends would be able to book these initially as they’ve usually gone by public booking. I don’t know whether it’s similar along the other side for viewing but some of the more direct central standing on our side do have lights hanging down but wasn’t sure whether that’s because it was being streamed or whether they are always there. But anyway those Stalls Circle Standing are amazing value for money at £10 or sometimes even less!! 
 

 

I know very few Daves but clearly this can be my chance to meet a new one, the next time I see anyone else with a decent camera I shall ask 🙂

 

I never sit in any empty seat, in part as I just know the rightful owner will turn up with a second to go...or later I've seen!! A couple of weeks ago someone invited me to sit in one and I declined, sure enough the owner turned up just as the lights went down. The main reason though is that as you say, the views you get for, in the case of Nutcracker £10, are excellent and amazing value, I feel I'm robbing the ROH as it is, to sit down as well is totally out of the question except the time the usher invited us to sit down as there were so many....it was Frankenstien...but even then I declined one on the second occasion as it would affect the appeal of the seat I'd actally paid for for the third visit.

 

I was in D16 last week and it's true that a ceiling mounted light and in particular a loop of cable hanging from it did get in the way if I stood up straight but I'm a bit of a leaner...something not understood by the woman sat in front of me that thought I'd want to rest on her scarf and coat even when I said I want to lean here!! 'Have you sanitized your hands!?' 😄🙄

 

 

Edited December 11, 2021 by Rob S

[Dawnstar]

12 hours ago, LinMM said:

Isabella Gasparini was a real star as Clara perfectly capturing the essence of that borderline between childhood and adulthood. She definitely deserves a shot at Juliet I think she’d be fab in the role.

 

Do many dancers get to do Juliet at soloist level? I understand Hayward did but can't off hand think of anyone else I've heard of. The RB Juliet market seems pretty over-crowded as it is, with 10 Principals & 1 First Soloist.

1 hour ago, AnticaFiamma said:

Lauren Cuthbertson and William Bracewell walk away with the show, as they should, with their superb dancing and partnership. He needs to be promoted asap, the RB doesn't have many better dancers.

 

This may well be just be my opinion but it feels at the moment like since the last round of promotions the RB doesn't have any major female promotions that feel outstanding but does have 2 male ones: Bracewell & Clarke. Given there are currently 11 female Principals & only 8 male Principals it feels rather like they could just promote the 2 of them & even up the balance.

 

26 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Her hair colour does change every now and then...follow her on Instagram for updates 🙂

 

Oh, I thought I kept failing to recognise her this season because I was misremembering the colour of her hair pre-pandemic. It didn't occur to me that she'd changed the colour!

[Bluebird]

17 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Do many dancers get to do Juliet at soloist level? I understand Hayward did but can't off hand think of anyone else I've heard of. 

 

Lauren Cuthbertson was still a soloist in 2004 when she did her first Juliet.

 

Edited to add link to the cast list for that debut:

https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=5108&row=199

Edited December 11, 2021 by Bluebird

[Dawnstar]

4 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

Lauren Cuthbertson was still a soloist in 2004 when she did her first Juliet.

 

Edited to add link to the cast list for that debut:

https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=5108&row=199

 

I did not know that Christina Arestis has been dancing Lady Capulet since (at least) 2004!

[Emeralds]

On 05/12/2021 at 15:46, Shade said:

I call those the bunny hops - v weird to my eyes. I do recall Osipova having no problem with them back in 2013 I think, although her expression was more of a grimace! Has she danced this role at RB since then?

Last year’s Covid-modified production was to have been Natalia’s first time resuming Sugar Plum since debuting in it during the 2013-2014 season, but all hers were cancelled by the subsequent  London Tier restrictions, so this December was her first and only one since 2013-2014. (Unless she steps in for someone later in the run!) 

[Sim]

Weren’t Naghdi/Ball Soloists when they did their first R&J in 2015?

[capybara]

17 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

 

Lauren Cuthbertson was still a soloist in 2004 when she did her first Juliet.

 

Edited to add link to the cast list for that debut:

https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=5108&row=199

Fascinating cast sheet.

Thanks Bluebird

Just now, Sim said:

Weren’t Naghdi/Ball Soloists when they did their first R&J in 2015?

Wasn’t Ball still an Artist then?

[bridiem]

1 minute ago, capybara said:

Fascinating cast sheet.

Thanks Bluebird

Wasn’t Ball still an Artist then?

 

Yes - First Artist (promoted to Soloist 2016). Naghdi was Soloist in 2015.

[Emeralds]

2 minutes ago, Sim said:

Weren’t Naghdi/Ball Soloists when they did their first R&J in 2015?

Matthew Ball was a First Artist at the time! Yasmine Naghdi a soloist then, yes.

[Dawnstar]

I'm evidently completely wrong & there have been loads of Soloist Juliets! Though I still wonder if its likely in the near future. With 11 Juliets performing this season, including 2 debuts, does the company really need/want any more?

[Emeralds]

Report of the 10 December evening show with Sarah Lamb (Sugar Plum), Vadream, sorry I mean Vadim (haha) Muntagirov (Prince), Ashley Dean (Clara), Benjamin Ella (Nutcracker/Hans Peter), Thomas Whitehead (Drosselmeyer), Mariko Sasaki (Rose Fairy). With thanks to Rob S’s photos above for illustration! 

 

Took 2 friends who had never seen Nutcracker before and we sat Balcony level at the sides with pretty good views of the stage as well as orchestra.

 

It was fun seeing the Covid changes again as I realised they could be “limited edition”- once the pandemic is over it will be lovely to have the students back as pages, mice, soldiers, drummer rabbit, gingerbreads, additional snowflakes, etc back again, but I will actually miss the smart and  colourful costumes that the Costumers have made for the adult soldiers and mice, and Will Tuckett’s battle scene, which is as exciting as Peter Wright’s. 

 

It was a joyful performance and everyone was on great form, with Olivia Cowley as a young, energetic and graceful dancing mistress, and Tom Whitehead as a mysterious and deep Drosselmeyer, both new to me in these roles. After watching many shows of this, I always wondered if the stick/baton for Grandfather in the magic trick ever refused to cooperate and tonight it did -oops! (But Whitehead and Kevin Emerton, as Grandfather, handled -pun unintended- it well.) I’m afraid I was the one who let out an audible gasp when the Nutcracker broke as an extra piece seemed to fall off and bounce towards the orchestra pit and I thought Nutcracker had lost his legs!! Luckily “he” was ok - looked like a stage light fixture that broke off. 

 

Ashley Dean and Benjamin Ella were delightful as Clara and HP, both look very youthful, but with naturalistic and eloquent acting. I love how Ella is such an attentive and gentle partner to his Clara. 

 

The snowflake scene was magical and the children and adults in the party scene were excellent, putting so much detail and acting so that they don’t just drift about with gestures till it’s time to dance, like in some companies. When we saw this last fortnight, our Mouse King entered sitting down in the enlarged wheelchair menacingly, but Tomas Mock as Mouse King tonight had balanced himself while standing in the chair “I’m King of the castle!” (yikes, that is a long way up!) and jumped all the way down. 

 

The Act 2 dances were all brilliantly done- I especially liked Joseph Sissens and Luca Acri in the Chinese Dance, with Sissens having his short hair loose. Mariko Sasaki (her debut I think?) as Rose Fairy was on great form, and the Mirlitons sparkling. Sarah and Vadim lived up to expectations as a regal, elegant and loving Royal Couple of the Kingdom of Sweets, gorgeous dancing, both perfect. 

 

Whitehead as Drosselmeyer was moving in the last scene, when his face registered  initial disappointment and grief that he thought he’d lost his nephew after all, and the marvellous expression of surprised delight and joy when Ella walks in was just wonderful. Kevin O’Hare came onstage after the bows with champagne and a gift for him, made a short speech and presented Tom’s 25th anniversary silver medal to great applause. Have met Tom in the audience while he was watching BRB and he is such a humble, friendly and thoroughly nice person, nothing at all like the dark villains he portrays so well (eg. Monsieur M). 

 

My friends thought the show was simply glorious and perfect- my friend commented that Royal Ballet prices were really very reasonable compared to other shows, and her teenage daughter thought the production and performances were stunning. My dream of seeing both Sarah and Vadim in Nutcracker this season came true, so a wonderful night all round! 

[Rob S]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

It was a joyful performance and everyone was on great form, with Olivia Cowley as a young, energetic and graceful dancing mistress, and Tom Whitehead as a mysterious and deep Drosselmeyer, both new to me in these roles. After watching many shows of this, I always wondered if the stick/baton for Grandfather in the magic trick ever refused to cooperate and tonight it did -oops! (But Whitehead and Kevin Emerton, as Grandfather, handled -pun unintended- it well.) I’m afraid I was the one who let out an audible gasp when the Nutcracker broke as an extra piece seemed to fall off and bounce towards the orchestra pit and I thought Nutcracker had lost his legs!! Luckily “he” was ok - looked like a stage light fixture that broke off. 

 

 

It's the second performance in a row I've seen that the wand trick hasn't worked...Bennet Gartside had problems with it too. From what I saw the Nutcracker's handle was what made a break for the orchestra pit...Ashley retrieved it from near stage edge and put it with the main body before Drosselmeyer came to repair him.

 

I enjoyed seeing Olivia as the dancing mistress, not a character I pay much attention to usually. I've noticed she's the only Arabian dancer so far that doesn't get carried off at arms length at end (and during the red run), she sits on the man's shoulder....maybe she's about as keen on heights as I am!!

Edited December 11, 2021 by Rob S

[Silke H]

18 hours ago, Sim said:

Lovely review, @LinMM   
 

You are right, the choir is usually in the orchestra pit (on the far left)….but not this year.  😢

@Sim @LinMM At least there's some sort of choir this year.

In the very short-lived Covid version last year there wasn't even a recoding of the choir and the Waltz of the Snowflakes really felt a bit deflated with there being far fewer snowflakes and also missing something essential in the music without the choir.

[maryrosesatonapin]

I don't think I have ever seen Lamb/Muntagirov as dancing partners but now I wish I could!  I think they would be very well-matched in style and appearance/build.

Edited December 11, 2021 by maryrosesatonapin
typo

[art_enthusiast]

23 minutes ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I don't think I have ever seen Lamb/Muntagirov as dancing partners but now I wish I could!  I think they would be very well-matched in style and appearance/build.

I believe they did Manon together before? I've seen the recording and it's definitely amazing.

[art_enthusiast]

45 minutes ago, Silke H said:

@Sim @LinMM At least there's some sort of choir this year.

In the very short-lived Covid version last year there wasn't even a recoding of the choir and the Waltz of the Snowflakes really felt a bit deflated with there being far fewer snowflakes and also missing something essential in the music without the choir.

Wow, it must have been very strange to hear that incredibly familiar music without the choir - I'm actually intrigued at to how it would have sounded though, and how they may have felt dancing without it.

[Guest oncnp]

4 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

I believe they did Manon together before? I've seen the recording and it's definitely amazing.

 

and

WINTER DREAMS - Sarah Lamb and Vadim Muntagirov / DANCE OPEN 2015 - YouTube

 

and a few others that aren't quite legal.......

[serenade]

44 minutes ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I don't think I have ever seen Lamb/Muntagirov as dancing partners but now I wish I could!  I think they would be very well-matched in style and appearance/build.

I think they did afternoon of a faun together- it’s on a dvd with Carmen, Viscera and Tchaikovsky PDD

[DanJL]

1 hour ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I don't think I have ever seen Lamb/Muntagirov as dancing partners but now I wish I could!  I think they would be very well-matched in style and appearance/build.

They're wonderful together! As well as the ballets already mentioned, they were paired in Romeo and Juliet in the 2019 run. For Manon, they were together for at least the last two runs, with a recording from the first of those available on DVD. And they were together in a more recent Winter Dreams as well (December 2018 I think?). 

[Dawnstar]

Yes, it was December 2018. They seem to get paired in the MacMillans but not in the classics. (Admittedly they did do Raymonda Act III together in October 2019 but that was again because Muntagirov was standing in for an injured McRae.)

[Rob S]

And I’ll not forget their Romeo and Juliet (which provided me with one of my favourite pics)