GISELLE United Ukrainian Ballet 13-17 September, Coliseum

[Emeralds]

Am quite sure the production will be classical as the BRB Hayden Griffin costumes and sets are so classical that they look like a picture out of an encyclopaedia under the heading “classical ballet”- I love them.....went back to BRB’s website to admire them again. Also, Ratmansky is a self confessed historical production and traditional classical ballet super fan, and I can’t see him ever being tempted to do modern reboots of the classics. More likely the other way round (going back in time to the closest reconstruction of the original).

 

My seats for this show with similar sight lines to what I recently had at ROH were cheaper than what I paid for Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake, and miles cheaper than ballet at Royal Albert Hall in 2016-2019, although admittedly there were lower prices at ROH at the time. I expect once the balcony section is opened up for booking, there will be more inexpensive ticket price ranges. 

[Bluebird]

18 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I expect once the balcony section is opened up for booking, there will be more inexpensive ticket price ranges. 

 

I called the Coliseum Box Office last week and was told that, at this stage, there are no plans to open up the Balcony for booking.  I imagine that this will only change if they manage to fill up the rest of the auditorium.

[Jeannette]

Oh, it will be traditional, as per the ENB designs. I’m not sure that it will be THE December 2019 recon/historical staging that AR staged for the Bolshoi Ballet…unless the Bolshoi doesn’t own the rights. I suppose that a few bits can be altered, to get around the legalities?

[JNC]

4 hours ago, Bluebird said:

 

I called the Coliseum Box Office last week and was told that, at this stage, there are no plans to open up the Balcony for booking.  I imagine that this will only change if they manage to fill up the rest of the auditorium.

Bit worrying they’re not even trying to sell this out in a full house sense, both from a financial but also audience perspective?

 

all a bit chicken and egg isn’t it, maybe people who would have bought balcony tickets can’t afford to sit elsewhere/those tickets may be sold out by the time they look and so they won’t book anything at all. And then the other areas may not sell out, when you could have the same capacity in other areas plus balcony seats…

[Blossom]

It is a very large auditorium - perhaps they are considering demand based on previous shows. I assume that they would open up the highest tier if demand exceeds supply.

[Bruce Wall]

5 hours ago, Bluebird said:

 

I called the Coliseum Box Office last week and was told that, at this stage, there are no plans to open up the Balcony for booking.  I imagine that this will only change if they manage to fill up the rest of the auditorium.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if now this becomes standard practice here.  It breaks my heart with NYCB at the State Theater (well, Koch Theater if I must) that they NOW not only close the Fourth and Fifth Rings but also - at many performances - the Third Ring.  This would have been unheard of in Balanchine's day.  Also with ABT at the MET they have yet to reinstate standing (and the MET has over 200 standing places) .... and the prices for the remainder of places are eye watering ... True, not quite at Japanese levels yet ... but heading in that direction.  Certainly their only way appears to be UP.  Way of our world I fear.  

Edited July 5, 2022 by Bruce Wall

[Lizbie1]

I think we should give them credit for making at least some £10 tickets available in the Upper Circle.

[Sim]

Using Candleque's link, I have just bought two tickets at £10 each in the Upper Circle (Row K) for one of Alina's shows.  That's great value, methinks....and thanks for posting the link, @Candleque!

[Jeannette]

On 05/07/2022 at 13:03, Bruce Wall said:

 

It wouldn't surprise me if now this becomes standard practice here.  It breaks my heart with NYCB at the State Theater (well, Koch Theater if I must) that they NOW not only close the Fourth and Fifth Rings but also - at many performances - the Third Ring.  This would have been unheard of in Balanchine's day.  Also with ABT at the MET they have yet to reinstate standing (and the MET has over 200 standing places) .... and the prices for the remainder of places are eye watering ... True, not quite at Japanese levels yet ... but heading in that direction.  Certainly their only way appears to be UP.  Way of our world I fear.  

I remember Third Ring closed quite often even before COVID, for what they anticipated to be low-selling mixed bills.

[Emeralds]

I’m actually now wondering if they never intended to have a production for a theatre as big as the Coliseum, so maybe the Balcony was closed off as the show might not “read” well in a big space eg in the back half of the balcony (balcony in the Coliseum = amphitheatre at ROH).

 

I have now seen their Dutch language website and noticed that the other theatres on their Dutch tour so far seem to be smaller, more intimate spaces. You may well ask, why don’t they book a smaller theatre like Sadler’s Wells- well, SW is likely to be booked up already, and also I think English National Opera and the Coliseum might be more sympathetic to their plight- ENO saved Ivan Putrov tens of thousands of pounds by giving them the use of the Coliseum on a Saturday night in peak theatre season for free for the Ukraine fundraiser in March, and the staff and orchestra worked for free too. I don’t expect them to be working for free in September, I really hope they aren’t. But ENO has been supportive from the beginning, playing the anthem and flying the flag across the front, whereas when we visited SW and other small theatres their response was very very muted and no anthem, only an occasional picture of the flag on their TVs  in between trailers at SW. 

 

Anyway, so maybe the production is currently planned to be small, and Ms de Jongh and the organisers might not be confident that tickets will sell hence only 3 tiers. Plus you can offer last minute discounts if there are unsold £200 seats but if you start at £30 or £35 and then they don’t sell fully, you’re virtually giving tickets  away for free if you discount those. The £10 seats in Upper Circle are actually a super bargain - for ENB Nutcracker or Swan Lake those  seats (I’ve sat there) would be more than double that price, and for the sold out Sunset Boulevard some years back I think it was triple or quadruple that. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

You know what would be great- if they have the resources to do it, it would be fantastic if they could tour the show to some other cities outside London like they’re doing in the Netherlands - eg Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham etc etc. I don’t know if the theatres are already booked or if the costs are too high or whatever. It’s just a thought. But so thrilling if they could. Wouldn’t need guest stars. We’ve booked another show with no idea which Ukrainian Giselle (or Albrecht or Myrtha) we’ll get, but we’re excited to dive into the unknown. 😁

[Beryl H]

Thought I would just try Candleque's link too, and was so surprised at how easy it was and the thought of seeing Alina's Giselle again, I went slightly mad and bought an expensive Upper Circle ticket!

[Tango Dancer]

17 hours ago, Beryl H said:

Thought I would just try Candleque's link too, and was so surprised at how easy it was and the thought of seeing Alina's Giselle again, I went slightly mad and bought an expensive Upper Circle ticket!

I've also booked an Upper circle ticket.  Shockingly extravagant but I want to support Ukraine at the moment (having visited it a few times it's a place I like very much).  Alina will be lovely to watch as always.  

[LinMM]

I’m very confused about this booking. 
It says on their website that public booking doesn’t open until July 11th that only Friends and Supporters can book from July 1st 
Are all the people booking here Friends of the Coli then 🤔

Somebody said they booked because they’ve booked with the Coli before which surely doesn’t count as being a Friend or supporter. 
So something seems to be misleading somewhere or they need to be clearer who they deem as supporters. 
I’ve booked with the Coli several times before but don’t count myself as a Friend or supporter as have paid no subscription to them!! 
I was going to call in on way back to Brighton today but will it be worth it before the 11th? 

 

[LinMM]

I’ve just phoned the Colisseum and they told me that only paid up Friends of ENO etc or subscribers to the Daily Telegraph who will have been sent a link by them can book currently. 
Im still not sure which link has been put out on the Forum that people seem to be using 🤔

There is currently still plenty of availability even for Alina performances so will wait till in London again on Tuesday to book now. 

[LinMM]

Just out of interest I followed the page  in Candleques post which appeared to take to usual booking page so not seemingly a special link and “booked” a seat and had no trouble getting right through to card payment page so I could have bought that ticket…. so am still confused about what they told me in person just now!! 
I think I will call in at the Coli on way back anyway!! 
But there did seem to be good availability and still some £10 seats showing though I might go for a bit further down. 

 

[FionaM]

@LinMM I guess it’s a loophole the Coliseum haven’t noticed.  If you’ve booked online before then you can access your account and book.  That feels like a ‘supporter’ to me.  
 

If that’s not what the Coliseum meant by a ‘supporter’ then it’s a design fault.  
 

Anyone can search for ‘Giselle’ on their website and find this same link.

 

Don’t ruin it for others.  Please wait before seeing them in person. 

Edited July 8, 2022 by FionaE

[LinMM]

I decided not to go today anyway as it’s far too hot and would have meant two buses and a lot of messing about in central London to do it and then a later more crowded train home!
Don’t worry I’m currently just past Gatwick Airport lol so nowhere near the Coli!! 
it’s so close to public booking now I’m not worried about waiting until next week. 
I know friends who’ve booked but not sure whether they are Friends of ENO as sometimes go to operas whereas I rarely do. 
If anybody can access to book currently then that’s the Coli’s fault for not having tighter security on their website but it must be a little annoying for people who have paid to have a subscription to them if anyone from Jo public can book before the 11th. 
Imagine this happened at ROH all the Friends and Friends plus etc etc would be furious I’m pretty sure. 
I will wait till Monday. 
If you weren’t in the know earlier then it’s fine to have already  booked but I can’t unlearn what I know! 
In the end it’s the Coli’s problem though. 

 

[Emeralds]

Interesting interview with Alexei Ratmansky a few days ago (see the Dance Links forum to click on it directly) “I’m not sure Ukrainians will to sit through Swan Lake again”- if this means we get a bit more variety in ballet programming ie more La Sylphide, Giselle, Coppélia, Napoli, The Two Pigeons, La Fille mal Gardee, Sylvia, Esmeralda, Kermesse at Bruges, etc, that can only be a good thing. I hope they have made contact with/ had some chats with Pierre Lacotte and Bournonville repetiteurs like Dinna Bjorn and Frank Andersen. They could also mount Ashton’s versions of Fille, Sylvia or 2 Pigeons. 😊

Edited July 10, 2022 by Emeralds

[JNC]

Well if RB aren’t go to show them (and even if they are!) I’d happily love the chance to see those ballets you’ve mentioned @Emeralds in London!

 

Napoli and Sylvia would be of particular interest, and what about Les sylphides which hasn’t been shown here in a while…?

[Emeralds]

Thanks, JNC! I think many dancers, artistic directors and dancegoers do feel that the repertoire nowadays has become too narrow, and effectively turned into predominantly the Big Three Tchaikovsky ballets, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, and one other mixed bill or full length for many companies.

 

While it’s understandable if some companies are limited in budget, it gets bad if even the well subsidised companies are following this route to maximise box office income. We lost The Joffrey Ballet with its distinctive focus on 20th century works when it became a traditional type company in Chicago, Peter Martins started adding more conventional classics to the NYCB repertoire (eg his full length Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake), other distinctive companies did the same so they started looking more and more alike and shows started looking......boring. 

 

I was thinking just of the pre-twentieth century classics that are not Russian in origin, and it’s quite surprising how long that list actually is. Eg we think of Sylvia, Fille and 2Pigeons as being Ashton but Fille is actually from 1789 and Sylvia and 2P are from the 19th century between the Romantic Era ballets like La Sylphide, Giselle, Pas De Quatre, Esmeralda, Napoli, Konservatoriet, A Folk Tale (forgot to mention those two) and the classical era of Petipa like Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Raymonda.

 

The Paris Opera actually has versions of Coppélia, Fille and 2P with choreography from the 19th century that has more or less survived, although the productions are usually danced as school performances by their senior students. And Royal Danish Ballet has the original versions of the Bournonville works eg Napoli, A Folk Tale etc. Knowing how much Ratmansky likes going back to a ballet’s original routes and his recent successes with recreating the original Paquita and Harlequinade, this could be right up his street!

 

It would be a new path for a Ukrainian company to start tackling more Bournonville and Romantic Era ballets but I think they would be great in them given the right coaching and ample rehearsal time. When Boston Ballet tackled Bournonville’s Abdallah (admittedly part reconstructed) it was thought to be a huge risk and odd departure from their usual repertoire of Balanchine and the five classics I mentioned, but it turned out to be a great critical and box office success. 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by Emeralds

[LinMM]

The Coli sent me an email about this production this morning so have now booked to see Cojocaru. 
I might decide to go again to see another dancer in the lead role much nearer the time. 
There are still many seats left and still ranging from £10 ( not so many now) to £30/40/50/70 £ 85 so prices to suit all purses and in the Upper Circle there’s a reasonable view from most seats anyway. 

 

[RalphB]

Does anyone know who is lead ballerina on the Sat 17th Sept performances?

[Jan McNulty]

Hello RalphB and welcome to the Forum!

[Emeralds]

On 15/07/2022 at 20:43, RalphB said:

Does anyone know who is lead ballerina on the Sat 17th Sept performances?

No other casting has been made available yet, but Yuliia Moskalenko, who is dancing with some of the Royal Ballet, ENB and Staatsballett Berlin principals at Hatch House this week, is among the cast, so she could well be one of the Giselles. 

[Bruce Wall]

Such a moving trailer ..... Who would have ever thought - given the World Histories that so devastated our forefathers - that we would ever see anything like this? ... Still I'm hugely excited by these artists of keen courage and prowess.  Bring it ON!!  

 

https://cloudflarestream.com/564171df138fa4e77fb6ac7023b547d8/watch

[FionaM]

It seems Vladimir Malakhov is somehow now involved from photos on his and Ukrainian Giselle’s Instagram alongside Ratmansky 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgRkXl_opqN/?igshid=NmZiMzY2Mjc=

[Emeralds]

On 22/07/2022 at 00:00, FionaE said:

It seems Vladimir Malakhov is somehow now involved from photos on his and Ukrainian Giselle’s Instagram alongside Ratmansky 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgRkXl_opqN/?igshid=NmZiMzY2Mjc=

I was hoping they’d say he is performing in the show and what role (after all, he’s probably not doing choreography for it, haha), but they’re keeping it very quiet! Even a mime role would be great. Can’t wait to read the reviews from their Netherlands tour and to see the pictures. 

[capybara]

6 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I was hoping they’d say he is performing in the show and what role (after all, he’s probably not doing choreography for it, haha), but they’re keeping it very quiet! Even a mime role would be great. Can’t wait to read the reviews from their Netherlands tour and to see the pictures. 

 

There was something online which suggested that Malakhov was helping with the coaching.

 

 

[Emeralds]

On 27/07/2022 at 17:37, capybara said:

 

There was something online which suggested that Malakhov was helping with the coaching.

 

 

Thanks Capybara, I wonder if it’s the same photo and post  I spotted today on Ratmansky’s Fb page that said “thank you for teaching and coaching”....hoping that both can still be persuaded to have Malakhov in an acting role (Wilfred? Duke of Courland? Leader of the hunt?) if he’s no longer dancing. I last saw him dancing in the Le Parc pas de deux in 2011 but I don’t know if he’s retired from dancing or not. 

[Naomi M]

11 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Thanks Capybara, I wonder if it’s the same photo and post  I spotted today on Ratmansky’s Fb page that said “thank you for teaching and coaching”....hoping that both can still be persuaded to have Malakhov in an acting role (Wilfred? Duke of Courland? Leader of the hunt?) if he’s no longer dancing. I last saw him dancing in the Le Parc pas de deux in 2011 but I don’t know if he’s retired from dancing or not. 

 

The National Ballet School of Ukraine was expected to tour Japan in 2020, sadly that was cancelled because of Co-vid but it was Malakhov's choreography and he was supposed to appear as Coppelius. 

 

I don’t think he has completely retired of dancing as he gives free online classes every day on his instagram. So we can have a little hope!

https://www.instagram.com/malakhov_dayly_class/

Edited July 29, 2022 by Naomi M
typo

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, Naomi M said:

 

The National Ballet School of Ukraine was expected to tour Japan in 2020, sadly that was cancelled because of Co-vid but it was Malakhov's choreography and he was supposed to appear as Coppelius. 

 

I don’t think he has completely retired of dancing as he gives free online classes every day on his instagram. So we can have a little hope!

https://www.instagram.com/malakhov_dayly_class/

Thanks for the info, Naomi! Oh, I’d love to have seen him as Coppelius. Coppelia would also be a fantastic next project for UUB. I don’t think I’ve seen Ratmansky tackle Coppelia yet, and the Delibes score is delightful.

 

Looking forward to Giselle and the mystery casting (keeping fingers crossed) in the meantime. 😁🍀🤞

Edited July 29, 2022 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

Almost forgot- NEWSFLASH for those concerned by the ticket prices/range of budget options aside from the £10 tickets.....

 

The balcony sections for this Giselle have opened for public booking 👏👍 for two of the performances: the first night (Tues) and the Thursday matinee on the 15th!!! Over 440 seats available per show from £10 to £40 to choose from in the balcony (sounds like bargains compared to the £100 amphitheatre seats for the same season at the Royal Opera House!) 

 

Not sure why it’s only for two shows- maybe it is due to Coliseum staffing numbers or something else unrelated to the box office? Or maybe they will open up the balcony for more shows later. NB I generally find the sight lines better at the Coliseum than ROH, but as always, be careful of restricted view seats where the booking website has pointed them out.