Royal Ballet's Swan Lake (Spring 2022)

[bridiem]

1 hour ago, JNC said:

this also reminded me I really don’t get the point of all the black swans that come on at the end of act 3 - no dancing, we don’t see them before or after. I guess the sense is that evil prevails and the additional number is meant to intensify this but who are they, where have they come from and where do they go? Surely they would pop up again and come to rothbart’s aid in act 4 when he is being attacked by the white swan troupe? 

 

I suppose they're Odile's henchgirls (?), so they've gone wherever she's gone. And since Von Rothbart thinks at this point that he's won a great victory, he must think he won't need any of them again...

[Sim]

1 hour ago, JNC said:

I know the male main dancer doesn’t have a huge amount to do in other classical roles like sleeping beauty and the nutcracker as well but at least in those productions there is no clear role that overtakes or equals them given costuming and choreography. 

Except that in Nutcracker (SPW version for RB) Hans-Peter (Soloist/First Soloist) gets a lot more dancing than the SPF's consort (usually a Principal)...

[LianneEva]

11 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I suppose they're Odile's henchgirls (?), so they've gone wherever she's gone. And since Von Rothbart thinks at this point that he's won a great victory, he must think he won't need any of them again...

 

I like to think of them as a 'vision' almost. Perhaps not literal entities, but part of Von Rothbart's magic. A flock of malevolent black swans that provide a direct juxtaposition to Act II - these are not the gentle swans that emphasise the idealised love between Siegfried and Odette, but a mockery of that; of beauty warped. The deceit personified. 

Personally I love a bit of drama, so I have quite a soft spot for them...😉

[Beryl H]

14 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I suppose they're Odile's henchgirls (?), so they've gone wherever she's gone. And since Von Rothbart thinks at this point that he's won a great victory, he must think he won't need any of them again...

 

Aren't there black swans in the traditional 4th act, although they dance to music that isn't used in this version ? 

 

From the upper amphitheatre Odette isn't visible anyway, I was able to see the ending on my Blu-ray though, I think she should be lower and possible further back so everyone can see her.

[capybara]

1 minute ago, LianneEva said:

 

I like to think of them as a 'vision' almost. Perhaps not literal entities, but part of Von Rothbart's magic. A flock of malevolent black swans that provide a direct juxtaposition to Act II - these are not the gentle swans that emphasise the idealised love between Siegfried and Odette, but a mockery of that; of beauty warped. The deceit personified. 

Personally I love a bit of drama, so I have quite a soft spot for them...😉

 

Every time the black swans appear all I can think of is the expense of the costumes for a few seconds of dashing on. 

[James]

5 minutes ago, LianneEva said:

 

I like to think of them as a 'vision' almost. Perhaps not literal entities, but part of Von Rothbart's magic. A flock of malevolent black swans that provide a direct juxtaposition to Act II - these are not the gentle swans that emphasise the idealised love between Siegfried and Odette, but a mockery of that; of beauty warped. The deceit personified. 

Personally I love a bit of drama, so I have quite a soft spot for them...😉

I love the way they flood onto the stage. It’s a superb piece of theatre. 

[Sim]

3 minutes ago, James said:

I love the way they flood onto the stage. It’s a superb piece of theatre. 

So do I.  They emphasise and multiply the dark evil that has been perpetrated on Odette, her white swan maidens, Siegfried, the Queen and the whole kingdom.  I remember giving a little gasp the first time I saw it...I thought it was a very effective touch.  Or slap.

[Jan McNulty]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

The Guardian review has come out this morning, after the links were published!  So that leaves the FT and the Telegraph to come...

 

It was the Observer review Sim.  Usually there's one in the Guardian too.

[bridiem]

9 minutes ago, James said:

I love the way they flood onto the stage. It’s a superb piece of theatre. 

 

Me too. Actually I think it's quite terrifying.

[Sim]

3 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

It was the Observer review Sim.  Usually there's one in the Guardian too.

Ah....because it's owned by the Guardian you can hardly notice 'The Observer' quietly nestling on the left side of the page!

[Ian Macmillan]

I think it was last week that I commented on the 'late' online publication of Observer reviews that has become habitual in recent weeks - and it was not so before.  Oddly, Guardian reviews are often online now by around 5pm on the day before print publication.

[Richard LH]

This had been said already by  myself and others but it can't be repeated too often in my view....the  RB Corps is outstanding in this, from the opening celebratory dances in Act 1, right through to sorting out Von Rothbart in Act 4.  The  Swans are just breathtaking....their sequences are so moving in both senses of the word... I love how they change formation so quickly and seamlessly, in a blur of white feathers. These are moments when ballet can bring tears to the eyes because of the sheer beauty these dancers can create...

[Jamesrhblack]

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

 

I suppose they're Odile's henchgirls (?), so they've gone wherever she's gone. And since Von Rothbart thinks at this point that he's won a great victory, he must think he won't need any of them again...

It’s interesting how we all see things in different ways. I read that as a nightmare multiplied manifestation of Odile to Siegfried, rather as the Corps de Bayadéres are an opium induced multiple vision of Nikiya for Solor…

[JNC]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

Except that in Nutcracker (SPW version for RB) Hans-Peter (Soloist/First Soloist) gets a lot more dancing than the SPF's consort (usually a Principal)...

True but I think the roles are definitely different in terms of costume/choreography but re amount of dancing they are equal. I think the main issue with Benno is I feel a lot of the dancing could be done by Siegfried whereas Hans-Peter is clearly a different character. 

[JNC]

1 hour ago, Beryl H said:

From the upper amphitheatre Odette isn't visible anyway, I was able to see the ending on my Blu-ray though, I think she should be lower and possible further back so everyone can see her.

yes I have often noticed the staging is often not designed with Amphi in mind - the beautiful moon that shadows the lake you cannot see either. I understand that a little more as a moon too low would have looked odd but Odette is important for the narrative! 

[Sim]

The advantage of sitting on high in this ballet is, of course, being able to see the corps in all their glory, seamlessly moving in formation to make all those complicated patterns.  We miss that down below...it's still lovely, but the higher perspective is the best one here.

[AnticaFiamma]

I saw it three times from stall circle right in the past week and I am yet to see the moon!

[JNC]

I agree - seeing swan lake from the Amphi is in some ways better! Feel the same about La Bayadere and Giselle. 
 

I still like the views from the scs though to feel the movement but it is a bit different. Good to do both if you can! 

[FionaM]

Initially I’d only booked to see Nunez & Muntagirov in Swan Lake this run.
 

Then I saw a short (few seconds only) clip on Instagram of Fumi with Vadim from a recent gala in Rome … the gorgeous juicy extension of her legs and feet in the supported a la seconde split from the black swan pdd … and I knew I had to see this live!  Sold out of course.   And that was before it was known it was Federico’s last performance.  Anyway long story short, I got a late return in the front row Grand Circle … at vast expense and I do not regret one penny!

 

It was a stunning performance  .. mesmerising, lyrical, powerful, knowing, divine control of her technique, beauty, emotionally heartbreaking.  In everyway superb.  Impossible to believe it was a debut.  Probably the best O/O I have ever seen. 
 

I’ve been ‘in love’ with Fumi since her Gypsy Girl in Two Pigeons.  She generates something very special on stage.  

[LinMM]

She came to my attention as the gypsy girl as well! I thought who is that!! Either shortly after or shortly before this I’d noticed her in a Balanchine piece though she didn’t have a main role. Somebody told me who she was…probably again!  But what a star! 

Edited March 6, 2022 by LinMM

[FionaM]

Others have written about Federico who was utterly charming in his after show speech and generous during the show to Fumi in his partnering.  His dancing was pretty good for his last dance too!  
 

Their emotional connection was strong and rather showed up the lack of connection between Yasmine and Vadim the following night.  They were mostly better on their own.  Vadim’s melancholy solo was divine. Though I do wish his hair hadn’t been quite so bouffant.  
 

So many others to mention .. both Bennos were super (Hay and Ella), the sister princesses were more mixed.  Best by long shot was Mariko Sasaki, who then shone again as a big Swan.  The demands of the technical solos revealed why Melissa Hamilton is not a principal.  Leticia Dias was a super big Swan and Spanish princess too.  Meghan Grace Hinkis and Isabella Gasparini both had dreadful pointe shoes in Act 1 … no flexibility towards the toe end of the foot … vamps too long perhaps?  Shoes certainly too rigid.  Isabella’s were much better in Act 3.  

 

[art_enthusiast]

1 minute ago, FionaE said:

 The demands of the technical solos revealed why Melissa Hamilton is not a principal. 

 

Just wondering, how exactly do the solos show this? Don't mean to spark any significant conflicts or anything here! Just wanted to say, I saw Melissa Hamilton as both a Big Swan and Siegfried's sister and I think she was pretty good in both - but I'm not a Swan Lake technical specialist so not completely sure!

I think she is an excellent dancer though. I thought she was a stunning Juliet and amazing in the Giselle Pas de Six and The Dante Project (and many other roles!)

Definitely agree that Mariko Sasaki was amazing as Siegfried's sister and a Big Swan, she is superbly confident on stage. Also Letitia Dias, who did spectacularly well as a Big Swan during Fumi's performance and as one of Siegfried's sister's in Natalia Osipova's performance the night before.

I've seen James Hay, Benjamin Ella and Luca Acri as Benno so far and they've all been pretty amazing!

[FionaM]

@art_enthusiast to clarify I do admire Melissa Hamilton in many roles, all the ones you mentioned, and many others, especially contemporary works.  Recently I thought she was outstanding in the Kyle Abraham, as an alternate cast to Osipova and also in Apollo.
 

These things are personal, for me she was outshone by Mariko Sasaki as Siegfried’s sister who coped with the technical demands of the classical choreography and made them look easy.  This is the difference.  

[JNC]

I don’t know whether Hamilton or Sasaki is a “better” dancer and certainly wouldn’t want to comment as everyone has strengths/weaknesses  but I did notice they do have rather different styles (to my untrained eye!). 
 

for example when doing the same movements Sasaki to me looked like she was moving slower than Hamilton even though for example the arm would lift to the same place at the same time. Maybe Hamilton has more “attack” and Sasaki is more lyrical/soft (I am not sure I have used these terms correctly or if people understand what I am saying here…!)

 

I think that when dancers are dancing the same choreography as a pair it is important to match their styles of dancing so the pair looks in harmony. I thought a similar thing when watching the Giselle insight and noting Hamilton and Calvert doing Moyna/Zulme - both to my eye very good dancers but clearly different styles that I personally find jarring when they are meant to be almost mirroring/identical to each other in movement. Any differentiation can lead to comparison that I feel isn’t helpful for the dancers or for the watcher. 
 

It’s just my opinion and there are obviously better and worse dancers in the grand scheme of things but in this instance the two swans and the two sisters seem to be equally good technically (or negligible difference to those of us technical people) so the issue seems to me more the contrasting style. And every dancer will dance the same movements slightly differently, and differently each time as they evolve - that’s what makes it so interesting! 

[LinMM]

In the two sisters performance on Friday what I would say is that Sasaki was the more engaging she drew you into her performance more and that is as important quality in a dancer as technique is. I suppose you would call it some innate Dance quality.  There is nothing wrong at all with Hamiltons technique but I do prefer her in more modern roles (eg: Wayne McGregor pieces) where there is either not a major story to tell or it doesn’t rely on pure classical dance quality alone.  I don’t feel I’m explaining it very well but some dancers just do seem to touch you more like Leticia Dias for example. 

Though in the end these things are very personal as anyone dancing with the RB will be of a very high standard anyway. 

 

[capybara]

The pairing of Hamilton and Sasaki (one a First Soloist the other a First Artist) as both Two Swans and Siegfried’s Sisters surprised me as their dancing seems different in style **.

 

Agree about the way in which some dancers (including Leticia Dias) connect with the audience and draw us in.

 

** Edited to add that the same applies (in my view) to the pairing of Hinkis and Gasparini as Siegfried's Sisters.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by capybara

[TomS]

I've also seen both Hamilton and Sasaki as Siegfried's sisters as well as two swans. Also having seen Ashley Dean and Sae Maeda as well as Yuhui Choe and Leticia Dias paired in the same roles, I thought the intention was to bring two physically similar dancers dancing in sync. In this regard, I thought both Hamilton and Sasaki synched really well and brought us wonderful synergy in both roles. To me, their differences were secondary. Having said that, if Sasaki was on par with the First Soloist, she may be under rated. So is Leticia Dias. 

[Jan McNulty]

5 hours ago, TomS said:

I've also seen both Hamilton and Sasaki as Siegfried's sisters as well as two swans. Also having seen Ashley Dean and Sae Maeda as well as Yuhui Choe and Leticia Dias paired in the same roles, I thought the intention was to bring two physically similar dancers dancing in sync. In this regard, I thought both Hamilton and Sasaki synched really well and brought us wonderful synergy in both roles. To me, their differences were secondary. Having said that, if Sasaki was on par with the First Soloist, she may be under rated. So is Leticia Dias. 

Hello TomS and welcome to the Forum!

[Scheherezade]

This is something that I have wondered about before - the lack of total synchronisation between two dancers dancing the same choreography at the same time. It seems all the more baffling when not only the four cygnets but, indeed, the whole corps appear from the audience’s perspective to be able to move as one. 

[Jan McNulty]

I know this is silly but my sister and I were not in the least bit alike.  Is it not more natural if the sisters are the same but different?

[Odyssey]

Interesting how two years ago the different nuances of the two sister dancers was celebrated. I came across this in the2020 Dance Tabs review  : Mayara Magri and Fumi Kaneko are well contrasted as the charming sisters, Magri exuberant and Fumi meticulous. 

I also don’t think it helpful to suggest the rank of a dancer is tied to a performance in a single role. 

[Lizbie1]

While we're talking smaller roles, I thought Katharina Nikelski's turn leading the Hungarian dance on Friday was excellent.

[LinMM]

Yes agree!
I do love that Hungarian Dance it’s the character dance in Swan Lake  I’d most like to do …in another Lifetime of course!!