Bravissima35 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 I would love to see the RB dance Mayerling as wasn't particularly enthused with the pairings for the last run and agree that they should cast William Bracewell as Crown Prince Rudolf. A Triple Bill of Glass Pieces - Robbins Infra - McGregor Momentum pro Gesualdo - Balanchine La Sylphide La Jeunne Homme En Sol Les Sylphides with Nunez, Morera and Cuthbertson and either Bonelli/Clarke or Muntagirov. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 A couple for a potential triple bill that I don't think have been mentioned: Gloria - MacMillan. Checkmate - De Valois The former hasn't been performed by the RB since 2011, apparently, and the latter was last seen in 2007. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 14 minutes ago, Fonty said: A couple for a potential triple bill that I don't think have been mentioned: Gloria - MacMillan. Checkmate - De Valois The former hasn't been performed by the RB since 2011, apparently, and the latter was last seen in 2007. BRB performed Checkmate in 2011 and most memorably in Munich in 2012. NB did fabulous justice to Gloria for the McMillan festival including at ROH. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 14 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: NB did fabulous justice to Gloria for the McMillan festival including at ROH. And Las Hermanas, which has also been mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCL Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 I’d love to see RB perform Fille and/or Cinderella. I’d definitely be delighted to see Onegin again as I’ve only seen it once, just before the first lockdown, and I’d like to see it from a different seat - I was in the balcony and the view was a bit restricted. I don’t know Mayerling at all and would really like to see it. I would love to see BRB’s Giselle again; I was blown away by the performance I saw at Sadlers, end of 19. There is a lot of their rep that I’m unfamiliar with, I regret hugely that I didn’t see Hobson’s Choice when I had the chance. When did they last perform Sleeping Beauty? I would LOVE to see BRB dance this. I’ve seen quite a lot of ENB over the past few years. I really enjoyed Etudes at the 70th Birthday Gala so I’d be happy to see that again. I don’t see Northern Ballet very often. I’d like to see Madame Butterfly. My aim is to see NB at least once this year. My final wish is for Carlos Acosta to take On Before on tour again. Wishing all mods and members a very Happy New Year! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 1 hour ago, CCL said: I would love to see BRB’s Giselle again; I was blown away by the performance I saw at Sadlers, end of 19. There is a lot of their rep that I’m unfamiliar with, I regret hugely that I didn’t see Hobson’s Choice when I had the chance. When did they last perform Sleeping Beauty? I would LOVE to see BRB dance this. The pandemic has skewed my timeframes but I think last time BRB performed Sleeping Beauty was either 2017 or 2018. It is my favourite production of SB and really is an opulent production. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 4 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: The pandemic has skewed my timeframes but I think last time BRB performed Sleeping Beauty was either 2017 or 2018. It is my favourite production of SB and really is an opulent production. I saw it in February 2018 in Birmingham - I don't know if they toured it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 1 minute ago, Lizbie1 said: I saw it in February 2018 in Birmingham - I don't know if they toured it as well. Yes they would have toured it ... it's been quite a cash cow for them over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanJL Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: Yes they would have toured it ... it's been quite a cash cow for them over the years. Yes indeed and even to Cardiff, where I saw it! A really great production 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newcombe Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 16 minutes ago, DanJL said: Yes indeed and even to Cardiff, where I saw it! A really great production 🙂 I saw the Saturday matinee there. A superb performance from Yvette Knight as Aurora 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 I’d love the Directors of various ballet companies to see this thread. If I were in their shoes, I might be saying, “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” I’m not going to risk listing my hopes for fear of tempting fate, but I have ‘ ‘provisionally cast’ a number of the works already mentioned!!!😉 Someone referred earlier to the long runs now needed to give all the Principals several performances but, actually, the norm is now two shows apiece. And I guess we should be celebrating the fact that, taking Soloists into account as well, there are now so many potential casts for each production. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 3 minutes ago, capybara said: I’d love the Directors of various ballet companies to see this thread. If I were in their shoes, I might be saying, “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” I’m not going to risk listing my hopes for fear of tempting fate, but I have ‘ ‘provisionally cast’ a number of the works already mentioned!!!😉 Someone referred earlier to the long runs now needed to give all the Principals several performances but, actually, the norm is now two shows apiece. And I guess we should be celebrating the fact that, taking Soloists into account as well, there are now so many potential casts for each production. I agree with you, but this forum is read by dancers, and they may pass the message on. Fingers crossed. I know I mentioned the need for long runs with regard to Principals, others may have as well. They may only be given two each, but the RB now has 11 female Principals. As far as the Tchaikovsky ballets are concerned, I know not all of them will be cast in the lead, but even so, there are still a lot of them who would definitely expect to be. Plus there are usually one or two soloists who are given an opportunity as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 I’d happily watch Onegin several times a year, every year (if only), and would love to see Bonelli (again) and Ball in the title role. I’d also love to see, in no particular order: Serenade Afternoon of a Faun Francesca Hayward’s Manon Matthew Ball in Mayerling Fille Cinderella Naghdi in Sleeping Beauty and I know it’s not a popular choice, but it’s one of my favourites - Marguerite & Armand, preferably with Cuthbertson and Ball. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 With Cuthbertson and Ball, I might just agree with you for M&A, based on last time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 40 minutes ago, capybara said: Someone referred earlier to the long runs now needed to give all the Principals several performances but, actually, the norm is now two shows apiece. I wonder if the dancers are happy with only doing 2 performances each? I'm no performer but if I were I think I'd find it rather frustrating to rehearse a role for weeks & then only get to do 2 performances. It doesn't seem like it gives any time to really settle into a role, especially if making a debut or performing in a ballet that's only done infrequently. I remember reading an article a while ago about Cojocaru & Kobborg leaving the RB & it said that one season not long before they left they danced almost a third of the performances that season. Admittedly that included extra performances due to other dancers being injured, but even considering that they must have had far more scheduled performances than any of the RB Principals have had in recent years. I think if I was a dancer I'd prefer to stay at First Soloist level than become a Principal as, because the First Soloists get to do some lead roles but also smaller roles, they must get more stage time than Principals. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Someone said to me years ago that if graduates want to dance as much as possible they join BRB or NB because being smaller companies with similar numbers of performances there are lots more opportunities... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share Posted January 2, 2022 17 minutes ago, Anna C said: I’d happily watch Onegin several times a year, every year (if only), and would love to see Bonelli (again) and Ball in the title role. Me too Anna. definitely my favourite ballet and as well as Vadim, I'm also salivating at the thought of William Bracewell as Onegin. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I wonder if the dancers are happy with only doing 2 performances each? There's at least one who isn't but in the current environment not sure there is a lot of choice. "I managed to dance no more than two or three times. From an artist's point of view, that's not a good thing. Imagine: at the premiere you are terribly worried, at the second performance you feel more confident, at the third you are just starting to have fun. And that's all –..." Vadim Muntagirov is a leading dancer at the Royal Opera House - ZIMA Magazine (may need to translate) Edited January 2, 2022 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 43 minutes ago, jmhopton said: Me too Anna. definitely my favourite ballet and as well as Vadim, I'm also salivating at the thought of William Bracewell as Onegin. I'd like to see Bracewell do Lensky first, before doing Onegin. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share Posted January 2, 2022 2 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I'd like to see Bracewell do Lensky first, before doing Onegin. Well yes, I suppose that is the traditional way of doing things, to do Lensky first and then Onegin. have any dancers ever started straight with Onegin? Lensky is a great role also, with pas de deux and that emotive, dramatic solo just before the duel. I'll settle for either but first we need Onegin to be staged (please, Kevin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 11 hours ago, jmhopton said: Well yes, I suppose that is the traditional way of doing things, to do Lensky first and then Onegin. have any dancers ever started straight with Onegin? Lensky is a great role also, with pas de deux and that emotive, dramatic solo just before the duel. I'll settle for either but first we need Onegin to be staged (please, Kevin). As far as I am aware they did when ENB did it (going straight in as Onegin that is). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 On 01/01/2022 at 13:09, Mary said: I would also like to see the ballet companies doing more to advertise themselves. Not to change to be like something else but to let people know how wonderful they are- get on the telly a bit more for a start. The Nutcracker documentary did good work: I know 2 friends whose kids saw it and asked to go to the ballet, perhaps because the approach of focusing on the dancers as normal young people- just ultra-talented and skilled- helped the audience to find a way in. It should have been the start of a series. Since BBC 4 is into repeats, how about Tamara Rojo's excellent program on Swan Lake (2014), esp where they talk a bit about the psychology of it and talking through the pdd steps, explaining how they tell the story? I might be the only one who finds this fascinating, but it might make ballet more understandable to the non-ballet goer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 4 minutes ago, oncnp said: Since BBC 4 is into repeats, how about Tamara Rojo's excellent program on Swan Lake (2014), esp where they talk a bit about the psychology of it and talking through the pdd steps, explaining how they tell the story? I might be the only one who finds this fascinating, but it might make ballet more understandable to the non-ballet goer. The Giselle one is also excellent. (I too would love for ENB to revive the Skeaping production.) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 On the subject of ENB, I've said it somewhere before, but it would be great if they were to pick up some of the Tudor ballets, as I can't see Rambert staging them any time soon and the RB have many other "heritage" fish to fry. Dark Elegies would be a good place to start and I'd be very keen to see the Lilac Garden too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 1 hour ago, jmhopton said: Well yes, I suppose that is the traditional way of doing things, to do Lensky first and then Onegin. have any dancers ever started straight with Onegin? Reece Clarke in the last RB revival? As far as I know he hadn't previously done Lensky. He was down for Gremin before replacing Muntagirov as Onegin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 RB - to include: Cinderella Onegin Sleeping Beauty Symphonic Variations Apollo (esp since I missed it last summer! And it did only have a few performances) Requiem Gloria Concerto The Four Seasons (MacMillan) Solitaire (MacMillan) Dances of Albion (Tetley) A bill including divertissements (inc Dance of the Blessed Spirits) Serenade Mozartiana Jewels Daphnis and Chloe The Firebird Les Noces Whilst I realise that there has to be light and shade in the programming, I would like less in the way of tragedy and personal drama and a clear focus on classicism rather than contemporary dance, since the former reaches for the skies whereas the latter is much more earth-bound. I'm looking for an emphasis on beauty, hope and reconciliation rather than distortion, angst and despair. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Newcombe Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Someone said to me years ago that if graduates want to dance as much as possible they join BRB or NB because being smaller companies with similar numbers of performances there are lots more opportunities... Before lockdown BRB would take at least one full length ballet around the country. They did at least 50 performances of Beauty and the Beast and one First Soloist danced Belle over a dozen times. These were scheduled performances. BRB has been the company for talented dancers to join if they really want to get their teeth into major rples 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke H Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 I would love to see RB doing: Cinderella Les Patineurs Onegin Symphony in C Ballo della Regina Stars and Stripes Theme and Variations Divertimento No 15 Jewels Walpurgisnacht Ballet Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Polyphonia Glass Pieces La Bayadere 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 3 hours ago, Dawnstar said: I think if I was a dancer I'd prefer to stay at First Soloist level than become a Principal as, because the First Soloists get to do some lead roles but also smaller roles, they must get more stage time than Principals. Perhaps, but they've also tended to be the first dancers to be booted out of a role when a director wants to cast someone new in that role. Even if they're better at it than some of the principals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 17 hours ago, jmhopton said: Well yes, I suppose that is the traditional way of doing things, to do Lensky first and then Onegin. have any dancers ever started straight with Onegin? Yes, lots - of the Royal Ballet's Onegins I remember, only 2 (Bonelli and Hristov) had already done Lensky - though of course others may have danced Lensky before joining the company, or some of the Lenskys may have done Onegin since leaving. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Yes, I didn't think it was that common, either. I'm not sure whether Patrick Armand - still my favourite Lensky, I think - ever got to dance Onegin after he moved to Boston. I know I was salivating at the prospect of him and Tamara Rojo together when he came back to ENB around the turn of this century, but then the scheduled performances never happened, and were replaced by Coppelia, so I never found out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serenade Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 19 hours ago, Anna C said: and I know it’s not a popular choice, but it’s one of my favourites - Marguerite & Armand, preferably with Cuthbertson and Ball. It's one of my favourites too, would love to see it again. Cuthbertson/Ball would be great, I can also imagine Bracewell suiting the role really well. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 I do wish the Prodigal Son will be restaged after being pandemic cancelled. And more Rhapsody casts please. Way too few in the next run … only Sambe, McRae, Corrales. Of these, Sambe has the artistry to be ‘above the technique’ required, the others tend to show the athletic effort only. It would be great if they could rise above it … they both have the potential for sure 🤞 I bet Joe Sissens would be great in Rhapsody. Also Daichi Ikarashi was brilliant in the solo at Yeo Valley in summer 2021 (better than many I’ve seen). These two both have lovely musicality without having to show any effort, as their technique is so good. Full lengths I’d like to see at RB … - Cinderella (with the pantomime dame sisters rewritten) - Fille - Mayerling - The Winter’s Tale - La Sylphide - Woolf Works Wish list for shorter ballets, in addition to Prodigal Son and Rhapsody …. - Gloria - M&A - Yugen 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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