LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE: RB June 2022

[postie]

I went back for a second helping last night and reminded myself to ‘Never judge a new work by its Dress’. This was crisper, more vivid than the rehearsal – I have pondered why that was because I’m aware the largest variable might well be me (mood, understanding of the work, in my case literally day of the week), though it was a different cast and there have been changes.

 

I certainly felt more comfortable with the dynamics of the matriarchy, the ‘births, marriages and deaths’ of family life, as well as men coming and going ..

 

The complicated woven arcs were easier to assimilate, the generational timeline fine, the design an ambitious success at times, though the magic realism still felt a little – either – elusive or awkward.

 

Also, the score sat so much better, which I think suggests a much more relaxed moi. There are no great bangers but the musicality and structures across the piece are so impressive.

 

Full house seemed very engaged. Partial and not insignificant standing ovation.

 

After, I did wander off along Floral Street with a sense of mild exhilaration, which was a shame as I had planned to wander to Holborn tube with mild exhilaration. I took it to be the sign of a very decent evening.

Edited June 9, 2022 by postie
para

[capybara]

Another look, this time from afar, and the staging is theatrically impressive.  I was surrounded by young enthusiasm (the £25 ticket scheme, which is great).

I have to say that not all the characterisations 'carried' to where I was sitting, even with binoculars, but the four main roles (Tita, Pedro, Mama Elena and Rosauro - Yasmine Naghdi, Cesar Corrales, Fumi Kaneko and Claire Calvert) were completely 'readable' throughout. Terrific from all of them

[art_enthusiast]

13 minutes ago, capybara said:

the four main roles (Tita, Pedro, Mama Elena and Rosauro - Yasmine Naghdi, Cesar Corrales, Fumi Kaneko and Claire Calvert) were completely 'readable' throughout. Terrific from all of them

 

Indeed, I found this cast incredible in terms of their characterisation. Fumi's versatility and dramatic range is really in evidence here. I found that she really convinced me of both sides of Mama Elena's character - the innocent young girl in the flashback, to the terrifyingly cold matriarch/malevolent spirit. Claire conveys Rosaura's agony and desperation  in Act 3 so well.

[alison]

2 hours ago, capybara said:

Another look, this time from afar, and the staging is theatrically impressive.  I was surrounded by young enthusiasm (the £25 ticket scheme, which is great).

 

 

Ah, so that's who they were.  They certainly were "enthusiastic"

[LinMM]

I had a very pleasant surprise yesterday evening….I actually very much enjoyed it!! Even the music!! 
And I was never confused except right at the beginning. 
Will write a bit  more later as travelling and a bit noisy just at the moment! 
 

[Candleque]

On 07/06/2022 at 12:09, Richard LH said:

I thought the musical worked very well if regarded more along the lines of an accompanying  film score than a stand-alone work

My thoughts exactly. The music reminded me of a film score. Fit the action but I didn't remember any of it from the rehearsal on Wed to the opening on Thursday. An observation more than a criticism. 

Fwiw, I cannot imagine what it is like having your work judged against composers like Tchaikovsky.  Enjoying any cast (or company) in Swan Lake is so much easier when you bring a deep lifelong love of that music with you to the show 🎶

[Geoff]

A few days ago the critic Mark Ronan published this short review in The Article, which makes an interesting comparison with the work of Ashton:

 

https://www.thearticle.com/magic-matriarchy-and-mexico

 

The same critic then went back for another performance:

 

 

[capybara]

Rupert Christiansen’ review in Links is worth a read. I guess that it will reinforce the views of some and outrage others.

[JennyTaylor]

I went last night (second time) and really enjoyed it. A lot more than the 1st showing. That may be because I had a brilliant seat at the front of the Orchestra Stalls, so I was able to enjoy the full impact of the orchestra and see the dancers really close up. 

 

I'm still not sure if this is a sustainable ballet. The performance of all the dancers was fantastic (once again) but I think my initial view was reinforced: the music doesn't move me at all - it's pleasant but I don't remember any of it afterwards.  Normally, I have music running through my mind for days afterwards.  Act 1 is too long, but Acts 2 and 3 have some fun moments and I enjoyed them more. 

 

Discussing with friends during the intervals, we all preferred Alice and The Winter's Tale to this latest offering. It has many merits and judging from the Instagram posts, the dancers are enjoying it.  I'm going one more time so, I'll be curious to see if my reaction changes again.   

[Lizbie1]

18 minutes ago, capybara said:

Rupert Christiansen’ review in Links is worth a read. I guess that it will reinforce the views of some and outrage others.

 

Very interesting review - not having seen LWFC I don't feel qualified to comment on most of it but it's interesting that he, like Lindsay, didn't think much of Wheeldon's version of Winter's Tale (a play I've seen and read several times and love). I didn't either - and felt I was missing something, but it's reassuring that I'm not alone.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Lizbie1
clarity

[TSR101]

3 hours ago, capybara said:

Rupert Christiansen’ review in Links is worth a read. I guess that it will reinforce the views of some and outrage others.

 

thanks for those who updated all the links all the time. I couldn't agree with the man more! 

 

"contain[s] nothing choreographically substantial or sustained until a bodice-ripping last pas de deux for the ultimately united Tita and Pedro that relies heavily on MacMillan for its inspiration."  - spot on indictment of the lack of any real ballet in this ballet for me! For all others have enjoyed it (I am very glad some people did), I don't think anyone can really argue with this point. 

[DanJL]

Well I'm afraid I thought it was full of great choreography. Perhaps not full of traditional classical ballet choreography, but I don't think it set out to be. Wheeldon has his own style for narrative ballets and I thought there were many wonderful moments created from that. 

[zxDaveM]

8 hours ago, TSR101 said:

 

"contain[s] nothing choreographically substantial or sustained until a bodice-ripping last pas de deux for the ultimately united Tita and Pedro that relies heavily on MacMillan for its inspiration."  

 

- spot on indictment of the lack of any real ballet in this ballet for me! For all others have enjoyed it (I am very glad some people did), I don't think anyone can really argue with this point. 

 

I certainly would

[bangorballetboy]

TBH I didn't see very much MacMillan influence in any of the pd2s.

[LinMM]

Neither did I to be honest but have only seen it once so a lot to take in and can easily miss things. 
But Macmillan certainly didn’t come into my mind when watching it. 
And I’m finding it difficult when some people seem to be saying there was NO real dancing in it!!! It wasn’t the most classical ballet on display but I saw a lot of dancing I have to say!!! 

[Lizbie1]

I'm quite interested in RC's assertion that it may have been a rushed job. I think someone upthread mentioned changes after the dress rehearsal - I'm not asking anyone to comment on the nature of these, but their being noticeable is interesting. How often does this happen with new productions?

[zxDaveM]

13 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

I'm quite interested in RC's assertion that it may have been a rushed job. I think someone upthread mentioned changes after the dress rehearsal - I'm not asking anyone to comment on the nature of these, but their being noticeable is interesting. How often does this happen with new productions?

 

quite often I think. Indeed, Chris Wheeldon himself said that tweaks would be ongoing almost up to opening night during the Insights. Unlike west end shows/musicals, the RB don't have a single production run for 6-12 months (or more!)- thank goodness!! - plus a 3-4 week run in with previews to polish it all up. They rely instead on the artistic abilities of the dancers, individually and as a collective, to pull the performance almost out of the ether 🙂

[zxDaveM]

1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said:

TBH I didn't see very much MacMillan influence in any of the pd2s.

 

to my eyes, there were a couple of lifts that hinted of MacMillan's; and all these complex lifts that seem de rigeur these days can be traced back to Manon, R&J and Mayerling's pdd's. But hints, not copying, is the key

 

[LinMM]

Yes I suppose in the final pas de deux there were some which I thought unnecessary complications in a couple of the lifts ( especially the one where Tita ends upside down) which just seemed a tiny bit out of keeping with the theme of enduring passion. Although that final pas de deux was the only truly moving point in the ballet definitely 5 stars to Naghdi and Corrales for their DANCING on Wednesday! 

 

[TSR101]

2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

TBH I didn't see very much MacMillan influence in any of the pd2s.

 

The only obvious MacMillan inspiration is in the final PDD imo. Where the style completely changes to what has gone before and then there are a number of lifts which a very Manon. 

[TSR101]

3 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

I certainly would

 

Please do - which bits of this prior to the final PDD do you consider substantial or sustained ballet choreography? That is just west end dancing but dancing only a ballet dancer could do?

 

[LinMM]

Hmmm ….many west end dancers are pretty good ballet dancers as well and no doubt without that foundation in the classical dance wouldn’t be so amazing in what they dance on west end stages!! 
I know two personally who were in west end musicals who were lovely and proficient ballet dancers as they attended a class I went to when they were free. 

I think I’m trying to say I’m not sure why dancers not dancing in all but the purest of classical style are seen in quite such a pejorative sense. Many have come from the same schools of training. 
 

[Lindsay]

A useful test for me is whether choreography if seen on its own, without sets or costumes, would be in any way interesting or distinctive or convey any ideas or meaning.  That is true for at least some of the choreography from every Petipa, Balanchine, Ashton, Macmillan, Robbins, Ratmansky or McGregor ballet I have seen.

 

For this, I might guess that it was Wheeldon because of the combination of pointe shoes and flexed feet but I would otherwise find it very difficult to distinguish from any generic west end choreography.  Lots of high legs accompanied by yearning arm-reaching.  And a bit of floor work to make it look modern.  

 

Take away the setting and I don’t know what would be interesting about LWFC - imagine even the last PDD (probably the most developed section) without the lighting and props and compare it with say the Manon or Chroma pdds.  They have a shape, structure and originality that would hold the interest.  I’m not sure that this would…

[Candleque]

For me, I see MacMillan influence as not just copying exact steps. But in following his path, that is putting lifts, etc, into the choreography that strive to be unique/never seen before. Can come across as 'trying too hard' imo — some of the shapes in LWFC were reminding me of yoga poses more than ballet 🧘🏽‍♀️ 

[DanJL]

The three insights show aspects of the choreography without sets (apart from a table sometimes) or costumes and I found plenty of those passages inspiring. 

 

Probably I'm misunderstanding Candleque's point (so apologies in advance!) but if unique lifts are derivative of MacMillan, doesn't that imply that any lifts would be derivative? 

[LinMM]

If Macmillan had choreographed this ballet it would have been much shorter and very much more intense and anguished. The nearest in theme but not really that comparable as the women were even more trapped in it …is Las Hermanas ( a ballet I really love for what it gets across in suppressed emotions and living hell)  though not very jolly of course so probably why not performed that much these days. 
To me Wheeldon and Macmillan are totally different in both approach to and type of choreography they produce. 
 

[Candleque]

2 minutes ago, DanJL said:

if unique lifts are derivative of MacMillan, doesn't that imply that any lifts would be derivative? 

I don't think that is what I mean exactly. 'Derivative' usually seen as a negative word, but classical ballet by nature uses the same steps.

My point was that when I see choreography where the lifts are so hard / in such intricate poses that you wonder about the mechanics, it make me think the choreographer is trying to outdo MacMillan, vs say Balanchine, where the pas de deux (no matter how actually hard) look effortless.

[DanJL]

Thank you Candleque that does make sense. The distinction is interesting though. 

[Fiona]

Surely Wheeldon has more "Dancing" in his productions than McGregor?

[Lindsay]

12 minutes ago, Fiona said:

Surely Wheeldon has more "Dancing" in his productions than McGregor?

what do you think “Dancing” is Fiona?

[art_enthusiast]

2 hours ago, Candleque said:

My point was that when I see choreography where the lifts are so hard / in such intricate poses that you wonder about the mechanics, it make me think the choreographer is trying to outdo MacMillan, vs say Balanchine, where the pas de deux (no matter how actually hard) look effortless.

 

I definitely see your point - however doesn't the effortless appearance also depend on how confident the dancers are in interpreting it?

 

When watching the final pas de deux with Yasmine/Cesar, in some places the transitions into/out of each lift looked a little more seamless compared to the first cast. However that may be because I was sitting on a different side which may have impacted my perspective. (I think all three casts are excellent.)

 

As this is a very new ballet presumably the choreography may change slightly in the future, the more it is performed. I'm interested in how ABT dancers will interpret it.

[Jan McNulty]

Many years ago a lady whose daughter and son-in-law had danced with a ballet company told me that the hardest lifts are not the most spectacular ones but the more gentle looking lifts.

 

An example she gave me was of a lift where the lady probably wasn't lifted more than a few inches off the floor but was held a couple of inches away from the male's body.  An example of this would be during Nimrod in Enigma Variations where Elgar lifts his wife just a couple of inches off the floor (at which point I tend to be reduced to mush!).  David Nixon used this type of lift quite often and dancers did say how hard they were to pull off.

[Lizbie1]

6 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

An example she gave me was of a lift where the lady probably wasn't lifted more than a few inches off the floor but was held a couple of inches away from the male's body.  An example of this would be during Nimrod in Enigma Variations where Elgar lifts his wife just a couple of inches off the floor (at which point I tend to be reduced to mush!).  David Nixon used this type of lift quite often and dancers did say how hard they were to pull off.

 

I saw an old documentary about Anthony Dowell, where he too said how difficult and strenuous they are. He called them fork lift truck lifts, I think!