Royal Ballet - Romeo and Juliet - Winter 2022

[Sim]

I can only echo the previous praise for last night's performance.  It was one of those nights when everyone and everything clicked (with the exception of some very duff notes from the orchestra's brass section...not sure what was going on there).

 

The chemistry between Naghdi and Campbell really worked well, much more convincingly than Naghdi/Muntagirov.  I found them both utterly convincing from start to finish, and the scene in the crypt particularly sad.  These were both very intelligent yet seemingly spontaneous portrayals:  young, free, passionate...both of them knowing that they were moving into dangerous territory but didn't care and went for it with youthful abandon. There is so much depth to Naghdi's Juliet, and so many layers...she was the perfect partner for Campbell's assured RB debut.

 

In the ballroom scene when Romeo first sees Juliet, it was done differently last night and I wonder if it was planned that way, or whether Alex was so distracted by Claire Calvert's Rosaline that he forgot to notice Juliet?  Last night, instead of spotting Juliet dancing with Paris and watching her, Romeo didn't see her until he turned from Rosaline and Juliet was already there, right in front of him.  It took him aback and I really got the sense of a 'coup de foudre'.   I will be interested to see if it's done the same way on Saturday.

 

The other roles were all played out as if they were main roles, and this contributed to the joyful success of the night.  Joe Sissens was very impressive as Mercutio (especially having learned the role in 24 hours!), and although he doesn't have the speed of the more experienced Sambe and Acri, I am sure it will come with more shows.  That aside, I loved his interpretation, full of small and telling details...and as others have said, his death scene was poignant and very moving.  He got huge and deserved applause at the end.   Leo Dixon was so sweet as Benvolio...and I found myself wishing that he was my faithful friend too.  He has such an expressive face and I can see him as a future Romeo when he is a bit more senior.   I liked Bennet Gartside's menacing portrayal of Tybalt;  as TTP said in her excellent review, there is no remorse here, just more anger and provocation and I almost felt relieved when Romeo removed him from the Veronese people.  Claire Calvert made the most of Rosaline, using her eyes and facial expressions to maximum effect.  Romany Pajdak's Nurse always makes me sad;  the hurt she feels when Juliet will no longer speak to her is reflected on her face and in her body language.  Kristen McNally's mourning scene was so visceral that I got goosebumps just watching her.  David Donnelly made a fine Paris, trying hard to keep his anger and frustration in check as he is a gentleman, but not always succeeding...and when he doesn't, we can see the regret on his face.  Tom Whitehead as Capulet also gave a very clear interpretation of the head of this household.

 

Finally, keeping it all together was a conductor who is new to me:  Alondra de la Parra.  Great to see a woman conducting the orchestra, and I liked the sound (although there were one or two places where I found the tempi a bit strange) that she brought out of them. 

 

I was thinking of skipping Saturday's performance due to the early start, but after last night I have changed my mind and am very much looking forward to seeing this cast again.  It was a true ensemble, company performance...which is just as it should be.  Big bravos to them all.  

 

 

[alison]

24 minutes ago, Sim said:

In the ballroom scene when Romeo first sees Juliet, it was done differently last night and I wonder if it was planned that way, or whether Alex was so distracted by Claire Calvert's Rosaline that he forgot to notice Juliet?  Last night, instead of spotting Juliet dancing with Paris and watching her, Romeo didn't see her until he turned from Rosaline and Juliet was already there, right in front of him.  It took him aback and I really got the sense of a 'coup de foudre'.   I will be interested to see if it's done the same way on Saturday.

 

I LOL'd at the thought of this   I believe there is quite a lot of leeway in interpretation here: I'm pretty sure I've seen everything from Romeo noticing Juliet very early on, right through to turning round and seeing her right there.

 

Ms de la Parra has conducted for the Royal Ballet before - I think it was probably a Wheeldon ballet? - but I think for fewer engagements than originally planned owing to having to start maternity leave earlier than expected.

[Sharon]

10 hours ago, Rob S said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantastic photos Rob ❣

[ToThePointe]

A detail that David Donnelly does, that I love, is after he shakes Juliet and she pulls away, he stands there looking at his hands, as if to say 'yikes I'm turning into her father, is this really what I want to become.' I think it's really poignant and made me think that he's also just a young boy being pushed into a marriage of convenience, acting in the way that he has seen the other men around him act. It's thoughtful and makes Paris seem more human and just as much a product of their situation, which I like a lot. 

 

[Sim]

Excellent observation TTP.  I agree.  

[Dawnstar]

I came on here to try to say something about last night but everyone else seems to have already said everything, so I won't bother to repeat!

 

I hope whichever it was of the Mandolin dancers who tripped when they first entered was okay. The last thing the RB must need right now is anyone else getting injured.

 

Does anyone have a list of all the RB Mercutios, Tybalts & Benvolios? I'm trying to work out whether, having seen Gartside's Tybalt last night, I've now seen all of the currently-active Tybalts? I know I'm still a Hay short for the Mercutios, on top of however many more possibly-emergency debuts happen in the next few weeks.

[bridiem]

1 minute ago, Dawnstar said:

I came on here to try to say something about last night but everyone else seems to have already said everything, so I won't bother to repeat!

 

I hope whichever it was of the Mandolin dancers who tripped when they first entered was okay. The last thing the RB must need right now is anyone else getting injured.

 

Does anyone have a list of all the RB Mercutios, Tybalts & Benvolios? I'm trying to work out whether, having seen Gartside's Tybalt last night, I've now seen all of the currently-active Tybalts? I know I'm still a Hay short for the Mercutios, on top of however many more possibly-emergency debuts happen in the next few weeks.

 

Only here could the sentence 'I know I'm still a Hay short for the Mercutios' mean anything!! Brilliant.

 

And I thought it was lovely that various dancers went to reassure the one who'd tripped, whilst staying in character all the time. Really heart-warming.

[Dawnstar]

22 minutes ago, bridiem said:

And I thought it was lovely that various dancers went to reassure the one who'd tripped, whilst staying in character all the time. Really heart-warming.

 

Similarly, a number of dancers, including the 3 lead Montagues, congratulating Ikarashi after his Mandolin solo.

 

A couple more minor queries: was it Amelia Townsend or Charlotte Tonkinson as the lead Friend? Could anyone see if Whitehead was wigged or had he ditched the ponytail & hit the talcum powder?

 

ETA I see the cast for tonight is up. Sambe replacing Acri again. Those dancers who are fit & healthy are certainly being kept busy: Sissens, Dixon & Donnelly are all down for the Mandolin dance.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Dawnstar

[bangorballetboy]

3 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

 

A couple more minor queries: was it Amelia Townsend or Charlotte Tonkinson as the lead Friend? Could anyone see if Whitehead was wigged or had he ditched the ponytail & hit the talcum powder?

 

Tonkinson.

[Rob S]

4 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Similarly, a number of dancers, including the 3 lead Montagues, congratulating Ikarashi after his Mandolin solo.

 

A couple more minor queries: was it Amelia Townsend or Charlotte Tonkinson as the lead Friend? Could anyone see if Whitehead was wigged or had he ditched the ponytail & hit the talcum powder?

 

I depends what you call lead Friend....it was Charlotte that played the mandolin. I thought I saw the ponytail.

[Fonty]

I am jealous of those who saw Campbell as Romeo.  He is one of my favourites, and I can't understand why it has taken so long for the RB to cast him in this role.  Long may he continue in the part, so that I might actually get a chance to see him myself.  

[Dawnstar]

4 minutes ago, Rob S said:

I depends what you call lead Friend....it was Charlotte that played the mandolin.

 

I meant the one who joins in with Romeo in the ballroom scene while Juliet is playing. (Incidentally, given Juliet sits stage right, I wonder why they have the real player on the right of the auditorium. I would have thought it would sound more realistic if they were on the left as they'd be nearer Juliet.)

Edited January 13, 2022 by Dawnstar

[art_enthusiast]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I meant the one who joins in with Romeo in the ballroom scene while Juliet is playing. (Incidentally, given Juliet sits stage right, I wonder why they have the real player on the right of the auditorium. I would have thought it would sound more realistic if they were on the left as they'd be nearer Juliet.)

That's definitely who I think of as the lead Friend - I really love that part where they dance with Romeo. Not sure about yesterday, but I believe on Monday it was Isabella Gasparini.

[art_enthusiast]

6 hours ago, Sim said:

The other roles were all played out as if they were main roles, and this contributed to the joyful success of the night.  Joe Sissens was very impressive as Mercutio (especially having learned the role in 24 hours!), and although he doesn't have the speed of the more experienced Sambe and Acri, I am sure it will come with more shows.  That aside, I loved his interpretation, full of small and telling details...and as others have said, his death scene was poignant and very moving.  He got huge and deserved applause at the end.   

I would love to see Joseph Sissens doing Mercutio - very grateful that I got to see Marcelino on Monday of course but Joseph Sissens is definitely one of my favourite dancers (his performance in the Dante Project made a huge impression on me) and I'd love to see him in this role again at some point! Or as Romeo eventually...

Learning it in 24 hours must have been outstandingly difficult. Extreme respect to him, and of course the entire company, for successfully rallying to last minute changes.

[Candleque]

9 hours ago, Sim said:

Finally, keeping it all together was a conductor who is new to me:  Alondra de la Parra.  Great to see a woman conducting the orchestra

This was the first time I got to see a female ballet conductor at the ROH. (I certainly don't get to see all the shows, so may have missed earlier ones.)

Going by the cheers from the people seated around me, the audience was as as excited as I was to applaud Alondra. As much as I love the Royal Ballet, they could do so much more in terms of gender equality. 

[Dawnstar]

4 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

Learning it in 24 hours must have been outstandingly difficult. Extreme respect to him, and of course the entire company, for successfully rallying to last minute changes.

 

It must be hard enough to learn a dance role in 24 hours, let alone have to also learn the sword fighting sequences. Though I suppose it must have helped a bit at that he's already done Benvolio, for those parts when they do the same steps.

 

10 hours ago, Sim said:

The chemistry between Naghdi and Campbell really worked well, much more convincingly than Naghdi/Muntagirov.

 

In the ballroom scene when Romeo first sees Juliet, it was done differently last night and I wonder if it was planned that way, or whether Alex was so distracted by Claire Calvert's Rosaline that he forgot to notice Juliet?  Last night, instead of spotting Juliet dancing with Paris and watching her, Romeo didn't see her until he turned from Rosaline and Juliet was already there, right in front of him.  It took him aback and I really got the sense of a 'coup de foudre'.   I will be interested to see if it's done the same way on Saturday.

 

Finally, keeping it all together was a conductor who is new to me:  Alondra de la Parra.  Great to see a woman conducting the orchestra, and I liked the sound (although there were one or two places where I found the tempi a bit strange) that she brought out of them.

 

I thought that too. Obviously that was a major part of why I found last night's performance far more moving than the Naghdi/Muntagirov one I saw last October. However there were also moments with Naghdi on her own when I was moved by her last night where I wasn't previously. I rather wish I could re-watch both performances in parallel to see whether she actually did anything differently or if it was just me responding differently.

 

Calvert & Campbell spent so much time interacting at the side together that I found myself wondering if, when dancers have to look like they're talking, they actually talk to each other or just mime; & if the former then whether they stay in character or discuss, for instance, what they're going to have for dinner afterwards or what they're going to do at the weekend!

 

Did anyone think that the tempo for the balcony pdd was a bit slower than usual? I can't decide if it actually was or if it was one of those moments when you feel like time has slowed down because the music & dancing are so lovely!

[DanJL]

I picked up a last minute ticket for this evening after the great reviews from Nuñez and Bonelli's first performance and very glad I did! An outstanding performance from pretty much everyone I thought! I also thought the orchestra sounded incredible under the baton of Alondra de la Parra. Sambé was wonderful as Mercutio, a great angry Tybalt from Whitehead, lovely emotional performance from Bonelli but most of all Nuñez was extraordinary! Such intensity of emotion - she didn't even look like Nuñez in the final act, it was like the distraught Juliet had possessed her. An incredibly engaging performance! But also set up by a really wonderful balcony pdd. A great evening! 

[art_enthusiast]

19 minutes ago, DanJL said:

 she didn't even look like Nuñez in the final act, it was like the distraught Juliet had possessed her

Definitely agree - that's exactly what I thought, particularly in the final scene.

[Sim]

Marianela was magnificent tonight.  I have never seen her like that before.  I was knocked for six and deeply moved.  

[Guest oncnp]

18 minutes ago, Sim said:

Marianela was magnificent tonight.  I have never seen her like that before.  I was knocked for six and deeply moved.  

 

Perhaps she should dance with Bonelli more often?

[Tony Newcombe]

20 minutes ago, Sim said:

Marianela was magnificent tonight.  I have never seen her like that before.  I was knocked for six and deeply moved.  

I thought she was absolutely stunning on Monday night. Instagram postings seem to suggest that she has been advised by Ferri for these performances

[Angela Essex]

Oh Marianela what a stunningly beautiful Juliet you were this evening 🥰🥰🥰 Just got home and I’m too tired to coherently articulate my thoughts, but the first pdd between Nela & Fede moved me to tears. Pure magic. I literally believed in their joyous love at their first meeting. Nela shone love out into the audience and danced so joyously - perfection. My first time watching Marianela and she blew me away 😮😮😮

[Angela Essex]

54 minutes ago, Sim said:

Marianela was magnificent tonight.  I have never seen her like that before.  I was knocked for six and deeply moved.  

This 💯 ☝️☝️☝️☝️

[Angela Essex]

Oh and the lead mandolin dancer Joonhyuk Jun 😮😮😮😮 loved his solo - can’t believe he’s an artist and not a soloist. He was fantastic. 

[mzpf]

44 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

Perhaps she should dance with Bonelli more often?

He seems to be a very responsive and generous partner who makes whoever he dances with shine.

[Sim]

47 minutes ago, oncnp said:

 

Perhaps she should dance with Bonelli more often?

Yes perhaps…they were passionate and lovely together.  But this performance came from deep within her soul.

[Sim]

6 minutes ago, Angela Essex said:

Oh and the lead mandolin dancer Joonhyuk Jun 😮😮😮😮 loved his solo - can’t believe he’s an artist and not a soloist. He was fantastic. 

I am sure he has a good future ahead of him.  😀

[MJW]

6 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

Oh and the lead mandolin dancer Joonhyuk Jun 😮😮😮😮 loved his solo - can’t believe he’s an artist and not a soloist. He was fantastic. 

 

He was very impressive in the same role last October 

[AnticaFiamma]

56 minutes ago, MJW said:

 

He was very impressive in the same role last October 

Yeah he was brilliant! And he led the pas de six beautifully on the closing night of Giselle

[San Perregrino]

16 hours ago, Candleque said:

. As much as I love the Royal Ballet, they could do so much more in terms of gender equality. 

With the exception of not putting male dancers ‘en pointe’, I’m not aware of anything where the  RB doesn’t offer gender equality. In fact I’d suggest that the ROH bends over backwards to promote and encourage equality. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by prs59

[Lizbie1]

3 minutes ago, prs59 said:

With the exception of not putting male dancers ‘en pointe’, I’m not aware of anything where the  RB doesn’t offer gender equality. 

 

The Director, Rehearsal Director, Music Director, both resident choreographers and the Senior Repetiteur - who I respect! - are all men. There were for a long time and only until the last few years almost no main stage commissions from women choreographers, and two of the most neglected choreographers in the company's repertoire under KO'H are women (Nijinska and de Valois).

 

Compare it to ENB and it is very far behind on this front.

[bangorballetboy]

5 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

The Director, Rehearsal Director, Music Director, both resident choreographers and the Senior Repetiteur - who I respect! - are all men. There were for a long time and only until the last few years almost no main stage commissions from women choreographers, and two of the most neglected choreographers in the company's repertoire under KO'H are women (Nijinska and de Valois).

 

Compare it to ENB and it is very far behind on this front.

 

Are you suggesting you don't respect the Senior Ballet Mistress, the Ballet Mistress, the Assistant Ballet Mistress, the Administrative Director, the Senior Benesh Choreologist, the Company Manager and the Creative Producer, the Senior Producer, Producer, Administrative Producer and Assistant Producer?  [sorry, belligerence being used for artistic purposes].

 

Also worth noting that the chair and vice-chair of governors are female. 

[Lizbie1]

2 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

Are you suggesting you don't respect the Senior Ballet Mistress, the Ballet Mistress, the Assistant Ballet Mistress, the Administrative Director, the Senior Benesh Choreologist, the Company Manager and the Creative Producer, the Senior Producer, Producer, Administrative Producer and Assistant Producer?  [sorry, belligerence being used for artistic purposes].

 

Also worth noting that the chair and vice-chair of governors are female. 

 

But the most senior positions are overwhelmingly held by men.