BRB's Don Quixote in cinemas - and now on BBC4

[Richard LH]

Also  I thought Yu Kurihara was very good as both Mercedes and the Queen of the Dryads...

 

 But why have they used different music (from the RB version) for the lovely PDD at the beginning of Act 2? It doesn't seem to fit the choreography at all well....😕

[Jan McNulty]

28 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

 

 

 But why have they used different music (from the RB version) for the lovely PDD at the beginning of Act 2? It doesn't seem to fit the choreography at all well....😕

 

Because it's a different production?

[capybara]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

But why have they used different music (from the RB version) for the lovely PDD at the beginning of Act 2? It doesn't seem to fit the choreography at all well....😕

Carlos choreographed a new pas de deux for the start of Act 2.

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Also  I thought Yu Kurihara was very good as both Mercedes and the Queen of the Dryads...

 

 But why have they used different music (from the RB version) for the lovely PDD at the beginning of Act 2? It doesn't seem to fit the choreography at all well....😕

I like Carlos’s new pas de deux better than his  RB version that uses La Bayadere music..... it uses music from Don Q (the Bolshoi version by Alexei Fadeyechev uses it for flamenco dancers in the tavern) that has more Spanish features and it’s more charming  as well as having choreography that shows off the dancers’ partnering and technical skills. 

 

I agree Kurihara was excellent! I missed her Mercedes in the 2022 run but she was a brilliant Kitri at the second show we attended, so it was fantastic to see her again in this filmed performance.

[Emeralds]

On 29/01/2023 at 21:03, jules_skichick said:

Any 9ne had any luck with a cast list??? Just realized cupid is actually danced by a (small) man ...... can't find any cast info . .any ideas please? Brandon Lawrence and Mathias dingman looking good

The tv cast list at the end had some mistakes! (Sigh- why can’t the post production team check ?) Eg:

Cupid - Tsu Chao Chou

Max Maslen danced the Lead Fandango role, not Cupid. 

The Two Matadors (partnering Kitri’s friends) were Alexander Yap and Haoliang Feng

They misspelled Yaoqian Shang’s name (!)

 

Let us know who else you are missing/couldn’t identify. 

[Emeralds]

We set our alarm to watch this from the beginning as we had enjoyed the performances so much last summer, and it was wonderful to see it again. It’s funny how evocative dance and music can be- it just brought back memories of those joyous summer evenings seeing BRB. This version by Carlos for BRB now ranks among my faves as well as BRB’s performances of it. Fantastic that we can watch it on iPlayer repeatedly for some time. 

 

If I recall correctly, this is the first filmed and broadcast BRB production since the filming of Bintley’s Cinderella in 2011 (over a decade ago)! All the principals in that production have now retired or left, apart from Marion Tait (in the character/mime role of the stepmother)....although if you have the DVD, you can see Momoko Hirata aka Kitri, dancing the Spring Fairy solo and   Fairies’ dance in Act 1.  She was already incredible then! 

[Richard LH]

6 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

Because it's a different production?

Yes of course but my "why change it?" was really a rhetorical question! ☺

 

Whilst on the subject of BRB at the Hippodrome, can anyone please suggest what seating area might be best for seeing The Nutcracker with a pint sized 7 year old?

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

The tv cast list at the end had some mistakes! (Sigh- why can’t the post production team check ?) Eg:

Cupid - Tsu Chao Chou

Max Maslen danced the Lead Fandango role, not Cupid. 

The Two Matadors (partnering Kitri’s friends) were Alexander Yap and Haoliang Feng

They misspelled Yaoqian Shang’s name (!)

 

Let us know who else you are missing/couldn’t identify. 

 

In this production the character is named as Amour and was danced by Tzu Chao Chou.

 

The lady in the Fandango looked more like Emma Price to me but she was partnered by Max Maslen.

[Jan McNulty]

16 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Yes of course but my "why change it?" was really a rhetorical question! ☺

 

Whilst on the subject of BRB at the Hippodrome, can anyone please suggest what seating area might be best for seeing The Nutcracker with a pint sized 7 year old?

 

My rhetorical answer is Why Not?  Carlos Acosta made it clear in talks and interviews that he wanted to create a production that was unique to BRB where possible.

 

Re BRB performances at the Hippodrome I always try to sit on the front row of the stalls (row E) but that is just verging on the acceptable for me (I know people who think it too low).  The few rows behind row E can be plagued with big heads as there is very little rake until further back in the stalls.  If you can get them the side aisle seats, numbered 12 and 36, are excellent if you are further back.  I have had a great view from row M.  I think the theatre has child booster seats available too.

[Richard LH]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

Re BRB performances at the Hippodrome I always try to sit on the front row of the stalls (row E) but that is just verging on the acceptable for me (I know people who think it too low).  The few rows behind row E can be plagued with big heads as there is very little rake until further back in the stalls.  If you can get them the side aisle seats, numbered 12 and 36, are excellent if you are further back.  I have had a great view from row M.  I think the theatre has child booster seats available too.

Thank you...what about near the front of the Circle, please Jan?

Edited February 3, 2023 by Richard LH

[alison]

3 hours ago, Emeralds said:

The tv cast list at the end had some mistakes! (Sigh- why can’t the post production team check ?) Eg:

Cupid - Tsu Chao Chou

Max Maslen danced the Lead Fandango role, not Cupid. 

The Two Matadors (partnering Kitri’s friends) were Alexander Yap and Haoliang Feng

They misspelled Yaoqian Shang’s name (!)

 

Let us know who else you are missing/couldn’t identify. 

 

That really is appalling - and so disrespectful to the dancers.

[Balletfanp]

My sister confidently assured me that Tom Rogers was dancing Basilio. I told her I doubted it! But she assured me that’s what it said in the Radio Times - I have no idea if that was true as I didn’t have a copy to check!

[Jan McNulty]

5 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Thank you...what about near the front of the Circle, please Jan?

 

I've only ever sat in the circle once and that was on the back row so I can't really comment.

[SheilaC]

The Circle is very steep, RichardLH and it can be very difficult to access your seat. Normally I prefer the circle in a theatre but at the Hippodrome I always book side stalls.

[Emeralds]

On 03/02/2023 at 16:14, Jan McNulty said:

 

In this production the character is named as Amour and was danced by Tzu Chao Chou.

 

The lady in the Fandango looked more like Emma Price to me but she was partnered by Max Maslen.

Thanks Janet- I was so busy trying to check the names for jules_skichick that I just hurriedly typed the role name, yes, the character is usually called Amour in the ballet! I just think of it as being the Cupid role because the costumes look like Cupid (or usually do).  And that’s the third time my device has changed Tzu-Chao Chou’s name to Tsu [space bar] Chao! I usually catch it but sometimes it changes it after I’ve just corrected it. It’s temperamental- it used to believe “ballets” and “Sylphide” were not real words either! After rewatching on iPlayer (and zooming in) I agree- the lady in the Lead Fandango role looks like Emma Price. 

 

I hope that after this successful recording, someone at BBC4 or the  commissioner of arts programmes will ask BRB to film either Swan Lake or Coppelia this season for broadcast too. I’d like them to film the Forgotten Land/Hotel/Seventh Symphony triple bill as well, but that might be asking a lot! 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Emeralds

[jmhopton]

My letter to the Radio Times about the TV Don Q screening was published this week; headed A Time to Dance

 

'As a ballet enthusiast, I was thrilled by Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote from Birmingham Royal Ballet (29th January, BBC4). The choreography, sets and costumes were terrific and the dancing world-class. You could almost feel the Spanish sunshine on a cold, dreary January evening.

For once the BBC actually showed something I could enjoy. I just hope it's not too long before we get another feast of ballet'.

 

I did actually mention Margot as well but that was obviously edited out. I did want to question why it wasn't shown at Christmas as (for me) it was far superior to anything else shown then and I would also have liked to drop a hint about how great it would be if their refurbished Nutcracker was filmed for next Christmas but they don't like their letters too long. I think I will email in about the Nutcracker next Christmas as a programme suggestion. I'm sure it would be hugely popular. Perhaps if a few of us emailed for this (or any other ballet suggestion people prefer) it may have more weight. It will at least show there is an audience for ballet which is what the powers that be seem to doubt. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comments-feedback/#/Your comment

 

This seemed to be the most relevant form I could find. Like many information websites the BBC don't really make it easy to contact them, but I will be filling in this form, requesting the Nutcracker and more ballet/arts programmes generally and hope for the best.

[jmhopton]

Well I filled in the BBC comments form. Even with the link it seems to take ages to get anywhere that you can actually leave a comment. There were several headings to choose from. I think I selected the first, 'Positive feedback about a programme' or something similar. This is what I said.

 

Birmingham Royal Ballet Don Quixote

I've just had my feedback letter on this splendid production published in the Radio Times. It was so great to have classical ballet on TV I couldn't understand why it wasn't shown at Christmas. It was certainly far superior to any programmes that were shown. Too often ballet (and opera) enthusiasts feel ignored on mainstream tv and would be terrific to have more of both then I wouldn't feel I was buying my TV licence in vain. Also, it is a great way of introducing ballet to a new audience. Many people may never think of going to a ballet or opera and think perhaps it's not for them but I'm sure many who caught even a glimpse of this amazing, colourful, humorous ballet may rethink their ideas of ballet as being all about swans! Please may we have more ballet evenings. The docu/drama about Margot Fonteyn that followed Don Q was also very interesting. I do worry we may have even fewer evenings like this if BBC4 is phased out and goes online. I get the Radio Times delivered every week and BBC4 is one of only 3 channels I check every day to see what it's showing. The BBC has a huge archive and there was talk at one time of it being digitised and content made available. That is something I would be interested in as the BBC used to show a huge amount of ballet in the 1950s and 60s; far more than it does now. I know a lot of it might not have survived but I would love to see, for example, Margot Fonteyn's series The Magic of Dance. One episode was shown in a dance evening about 10 years ago so hopefully the series survived. Also, looking to the future it would be wonderful if Birmingham Royal Ballet's newly refurbished Nutcracker could be broadcast by the BBC next Christmas. I'm sure it would be really popular and it is a fabulous production; possibly the best in the world.'

 

I'm sure everyone has their own ideas as to what they'd like to see and of course it will probably come to nothing but we can only try!

 

 

[JohnS]

Many thanks @jmhopton and congratulations on getting another letter published! Very good to see Radio Times this lunchtime and here’s hoping the BBC responds positively to your suggestions.

[northstar]

Thanks so much ballet forum for alerting me to this I may have missed it otherwise. From my sofa I've been indulging in the sheer wonder of this production and performance, and the memory of seeing it performed live in Salford last year. A ballet and production with such intense series of spectacles and scenes, I'd forgotten how intense and packed with riches the ballet is. What dancers, what art, what quality. 
 

Good to know that BBC are still prepared to have this in their programming at the moment. Although with the imminent demise of BBC4 as a broadcast channel, one does wonder if we are in the dying days of being able to 'tune in' to a traditional ballet on TV. I have to completely agree with jmhopton, in that I preferred this recorded BRB Don Quixote infinitely to any of the dance broadcast on traditional terrestrial TV over Christmas 2022. We haven't often seen BRB on TV (compared to RB). Thanks Emeralds for the reminder of BRB's recording/broadcast of Cinderella in 2011. Am I right in saying Sir David Bintley's The King Dances was also broadcast, on BBC4, in 2015 ? (documentary which included a performance of the whole ballet) 

 

I feel so glad that these astounding dancers, who I have been privileged to see live in numerous theatres, have been recorded, and hopefully will remain maintained/archived at the BBC for at least my lifetime. When the events of very recent years, and even those occurring now, makes one sometimes wonder what is happening to the world and civilisation (maybe was ever thus?) a recording like this fabulous BRB Don Quixote on our mainstream media gives comfort.   

Edited February 8, 2023 by northstar