Royal Ballet's Swan Lake (Spring 2022)

[bangorballetboy]

1 minute ago, art_enthusiast said:

Joseph is back as Benno! 😊

 

with his amazing technicolor dreamcoat?

[Rob S]

Siiiiiiiiii and Liam Boswell and Madison Bailey in the Neopolitan!!! 

[San Perregrino]

Before tonight’s fresh pairing of Sarah & Ryo kick off, I just wanted to say that Anna-Rose totally upped her game last night and shone on stage as both Odette & Odile. So pleased she had the opportunity to evolve and grow in this role by having the extra dates added. Gina S-J was watching from the SCS at one point. Luca Acri has settled with added confidence into Benno too. It just goes to illustrate how a couple of extra performances can make all the difference. 

[capybara]

1 hour ago, PeterS said:

Before tonight’s fresh pairing of Sarah & Ryo kick off, I just wanted to say that Anna-Rose totally upped her game last night and shone on stage as both Odette & Odile. So pleased she had the opportunity to evolve and grow in this role by having the extra dates added. Gina S-J was watching from the SCS at one point. Luca Acri has settled with added confidence into Benno too. It just goes to illustrate how a couple of extra performances can make all the difference. 

 
Which is why the two shows norm is unfortunately not enough for debutantes (or any leading dancer).

But, from my persoective, Luca Acri has been splendid as Benno throughout this season’s Swan Lakes.

[Odyssey]

29 minutes ago, capybara said:

 
Which is why the two shows norm is unfortunately not enough for debutantes (or any leading dancer).

 

I agree. I don’t think it’s necessary for virtually every Principal to dance Odette/Odile in a season. I realise that COVID was an important contributing factor, but should all the ‘junior’ principals have debuted this role in the same run? As we’ve also noted earlier in this thread, it seemed equally unsatisfactory (and wasteful ) that Clare Calvert was given just a single performance. If Kevin O’Hare believed in her ability to carry this role, then I find it difficult to understand why he didn’t demonstrate this more fully. A single performance smacks of tokenism. 
The Royal Ballet has such a wide repertoire, with the major classical ballets regularly in the repertoire. As such, I would like to see slightly fewer casts having more opportunities to develop their interpretation. .

 

[art_enthusiast]

Indeed. Either way, it was great to see Claire back as a Big Swan tonight as well. Sublime performance from Sarah Lamb and Ryoichi Hirano - I was particularly moved by Act 4.

[Rob S]

2 hours ago, Odyssey said:

I agree. I don’t think it’s necessary for virtually every Principal to dance Odette/Odile in a season. I realise that COVID was an important contributing factor, but should all the ‘junior’ principals have debuted this role in the same run? As we’ve also noted earlier in this thread, it seemed equally unsatisfactory (and wasteful ) that Clare Calvert was given just a single performance. If Kevin O’Hare believed in her ability to carry this role, then I find it difficult to understand why he didn’t demonstrate this more fully. A single performance smacks of tokenism. 
The Royal Ballet has such a wide repertoire, with the major classical ballets regularly in the repertoire. As such, I would like to see slightly fewer casts having more opportunities to develop their interpretation. .

 

I’m glad all the new principals got a go this time around and even more glad Claire got  her chance too, which she nailed (imo)

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bridiem]

Thanks for the excellent photos, Rob S! A lovely reminder of an excellent performance. Sarah Lamb's Odette is interesting: less frightened than most, with more of a sense that this is a princess who has been captured and trapped and so feels intense frustration and terrible sadness. This is not what she was made for. Her body is so small and yet so regal, bending with a kind of grandeur and dignity. Her Odile is quietly contemptuous rather than out-and-out vamp. Hirano's prince is dazzled by both, and touchingly distraught at the end.

 

Surprisingly, Lamb slipped in an innocuous section of Act II but it didn't appear to distract her. Lots of lovely dancing from the rest of the cast, especially the big swans Claire Calvert and Hannah Grennell and another wonderful Benno from Joseph Sissens. And as always, an incredibly beautiful stage full of swans.

[Rob S]

5 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

 

Surprisingly, Lamb slipped in an innocuous section of Act II but it didn't appear to distract her. 

 

The Queen almost had a bit of a moment on the stairs in act 3 too

[bridiem]

4 minutes ago, Rob S said:

The Queen almost had a bit of a moment on the stairs in act 3 too

 

I didn't notice that! I find it very stressful when the Queen is descending because it would be such a calamity if she upended herself...

[Rob S]

10 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I didn't notice that! I find it very stressful when the Queen is descending because it would be such a calamity if she upended herself...

 

Did you not hear the gasps?

 

I've always been very nervous when people have to come down stairs...particularly in R&J! They should have the automated warning we have at our railway station....'when on the stairs, please use the hand rail and take care'.....and install a hand rail!

Edited May 18, 2022 by Rob S

[bridiem]

8 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Did you not hear the gasps?

 

I've always been very nervous when people have to come down stairs...particularly in R&J! They should have the automated warning we have at our railway station....'when on the stairs, please use the hand rail and take care'.....and install a hand rail!

 

Or maybe an escalator! (I was probably looking away out of stress; I heard some nervous laughs but didn't realise why...). 

[art_enthusiast]

I find it very gracious, the way that Sarah gives a flower to her partner and the conductor as well. Very sweet to observe!

[Rob S]

I wasn't imaging this was I, it was announced just before curtain up that there was a cast change, Isabella Gasparini replacing Amelia Townsend....which she did do (it certainly looked like her)...but in act 4 and curtain call, Gasparini was replaced by Sophie Allnatt?

[DoctorDerry]

Rob , as someone who cannot attend as often as they would like ,your wonderful photos make me think I have been in the auditorium too.

Thank you

[art_enthusiast]

24 minutes ago, Rob S said:

I wasn't imaging this was I, it was announced just before curtain up that there was a cast change, Isabella Gasparini replacing Amelia Townsend....which she did do (it certainly looked like her)...but in act 4 and curtain call, Gasparini was replaced by Sophie Allnatt?

That's true, I also noticed that

[TomS]

2 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

That's true, I also noticed that

I also noticed the disapearance of Gaparini in act 4 from the Cygnet team (although I was mistakingly thinking Bomin Kim was filling the role), but wondering how many would have noticed. People in this forum are incredible!

When I have some chat with people sitting next to me, usually they don't even know the Principal dancers of that day. (Except for the excellent Claire Swan Lake day when there was no Principal.)

Edited May 18, 2022 by TomS

[art_enthusiast]

On 17/05/2022 at 19:19, PeterS said:

I just wanted to say that Anna-Rose totally upped her game last night and shone on stage as both Odette & Odile. So pleased she had the opportunity to evolve and grow in this role by having the extra dates added.

Just wanted to add my agreement to this. I also wanted to add that Steven McRae was a superb Siegfried (in both of his performances) and it was great to see his restored confidence and passion for dance on stage again. His relationship with her was very strong throughout, they really told the story incredibly well through their emotions. I have been following his recovery journey via Instagram, as I'm sure many others here have as well - it's very inspiring to see him conquer the obstacles and get back to where he wants to be. I very much like to see the reality/hard work behind perfection - which is why the RB's rehearsal/class videos (and other companies) are some of my most watched on YouTube!

I'm also very interested in the psychological aspects of ballet and injury recovery, and how the trauma of an injury can literally make you terrified to dance again. To anyone who has overcome that (as I'm sure most if not all ballet dancers have) it is such an incredible achievement. It really makes you appreciate the performance as a whole even more.

[LinMM]

And the wonders of the human body as well!! 

[EVWS]

Is anyone else going to watch tonight in the Cinema? I've just looked at my ticket at the screening starts at 6.45 (they usually start at 7.15 in the cinema so they can screen the backstage films etc for a few mins before curtain up). I'm guessing that the performance actually starts at the ROH at 7.30, so is the cinema relay actually live? 45 minutes seems like a lot of time to fill with trailers etc?? 

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, EVWS said:

Is anyone else going to watch tonight in the Cinema? I've just looked at my ticket at the screening starts at 6.45 (they usually start at 7.15 in the cinema so they can screen the backstage films etc for a few mins before curtain up). I'm guessing that the performance actually starts at the ROH at 7.30, so is the cinema relay actually live? 45 minutes seems like a lot of time to fill with trailers etc?? 

 

My screening starts at 7.15pm. Maybe double-check at your cinema?

[EVWS]

Definitely 6.45 - very strange! 

[Jorgeb]

7.15

[Ian Macmillan]

And certainly 7-15 at Saffron Screen, where we're going.

[zxDaveM]

there will probably be trailers (and adverts?) from the programme start (7.15, or even 6.45) and maybe an intro of some sort by the hosts for the evening, until the curtains go up at 7.30. Is there a slight delay from 'live-live', as my cinema says it ends at 10.45? (though saying that, I've not been coming out of ROH much before 10.37 when I've been there in person, so perhaps it's just as well they don't end bang on 10.30!). And of course, there is often something interesting to fill in during the intervals.

[DelphiumBlue]

Definitely 7:15pm where at the Odeon where I’ve just booked my ticket. Thanks for the heads up about the time it’ll finish. 

[LianneEva]

My ticket states 19:15, but Lauren Cuthbertson has mentioned on IG that there will also be a short film shown about her return to dance post-pregnancy. Not sure whether that’s got anything to do with it, or whether that will slot into the spare 15 mins before curtain up?

[bridiem]

1 minute ago, LianneEva said:

My ticket states 19:15, but Lauren Cuthbertson has mentioned on IG that there will also be a short film shown about her return to dance post-pregnancy. Not sure whether that’s got anything to do with it, or whether that will slot into the spare 15 mins before curtain up?

 

It could also be in one of the intervals.

[alison]

That will presumably be one of the interval fillers.

 

Curtain has been coming down around 10.30 or so, in my experience, so expect a few minutes later for Kevin to come on front of curtain and say hello to the cinema audiences.

[taxi4ballet]

2 hours ago, EVWS said:

Is anyone else going to watch tonight in the Cinema? I've just looked at my ticket at the screening starts at 6.45 (they usually start at 7.15 in the cinema so they can screen the backstage films etc for a few mins before curtain up). I'm guessing that the performance actually starts at the ROH at 7.30, so is the cinema relay actually live? 45 minutes seems like a lot of time to fill with trailers etc?? 

We will be at the RoH this evening, so if you hear someone weeping at the end, that will be me!

[art_enthusiast]

1 hour ago, LianneEva said:

My ticket states 19:15, but Lauren Cuthbertson has mentioned on IG that there will also be a short film shown about her return to dance post-pregnancy. Not sure whether that’s got anything to do with it, or whether that will slot into the spare 15 mins before curtain up?

Interesting - will this film be available to watch afterwards, does anyone know?

[Lizbie1]

They usually show up on YouTube later.