Sophoife Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) On 18/10/2022 at 01:27, PeterS said: every step in Mayerling is there for a reason else MacMillan wouldn’t have included it. and @Sim said "I am with Peter on this one; if it ain't broke, don't break it down. MacMillan knew what he was doing, and I think any cuts would diminish the whole" ...yet when I saw Manon in July 1974 Georgina Parkinson danced the named role of The Gaoler's Mistress, in a scene that by November that year had been deleted, which surprised me mightily when I next saw the ballet, in Australia in 1994! Edited October 21, 2022 by Sophoife Added quote from Sim (don't know how to format it when editing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I’m not entirely sure that Aurora, Lise or Titania work as “pretty” either. Petipa’s choreography for Aurora shows her growing into a woman; Lise is headstrong; and Sibley has been very clear in interviews that Titania is a very sensual, wilful being, all borne out in the choreography. I can’t buy into the notion of Vetsera as a young innocent either historically (she was apparently known as the “Turf Angel” and Rudolf was not her first lover despite her young age) or in MacMillan’s ballet. Yes, the choreography shows her being “groomed” by Larisch, but she turns up for a first private assignation with a coat thrown over her nightdress (which is, apparently, historically accurate) and pulls a gun on her new beau fairly early on in their encounter for a start… 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Sophoife said: and @Sim said "I am with Peter on this one; if it ain't broke, don't break it down. MacMillan knew what he was doing, and I think any cuts would diminish the whole" ...yet when I saw Manon in July 1974 Georgina Parkinson danced the named role of The Gaoler's Mistress, in a scene that by November that year had been deleted, which surprised me mightily when I next saw the ballet, in Australia in 1994! Well I assume it was MacMillan who deleted the scene (or agreed to it) which bears out my point that he knew what he was doing. If he felt the need to tweak his ballets then, again, I am sure it was for good reason. He probably realised that the Gaoler's Mistress was unnecessary for the plot, either to further it or contextualise what was going on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Cast list for tonight... https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/40/mayerling-by-kenneth-macmillan/cast-list/51220 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) Very much looking forward to Vadim’s debut as Rudolf tonight Edited October 21, 2022 by RobR Missed word 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I don't know why I was under the impression it was next week Please report back, folks. (I'm sure you will) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 The beautiful Samira Saidi is appearing tonight (? her debut) as the indomitable Archduchess Sophie, a worthy successor to Ursula Hageli. I have such fond memories of her years as a ballerina. I believe she is Teo Dubreuil's mother. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) I was going to ask who she is, as her name is only very faintly familiar to me. I take it she must have retired some years ago, if she's now old enough to play Archduchess Sophie? Looking forward to seeing tonight's triple lead debut for Muntagirov, Naghdi & Kaneko and Yudes as Bratfisch and also Samantha Price as Katherina Schratt (I think she might also be debuting?). Edited October 21, 2022 by Dawnstar Added 2nd paragraph. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Rachel Hollings has posted absolutely stunning photos of the Muntagirov cast on Instagram - an extraordinary aperitif. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 1 hour ago, RobR said: Very much looking forward to Vadim’s debut as Rudolf tonight Am in a huge state of excited anticipation: the pictures of this cast on Flickr are so beautiful and, in addition to the announced principals, I am so pleased that Hannah Grennell is Louise, as well as looking forward to my artist’s debut as Katharina Schratt. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 55 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Samantha Price as Katherina Schratt (I think she might also be debuting?). Indeed she is 🌺 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Is this Isabella Gasparini's debut as Stephanie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellyb Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 So excited for this cast, even more so now we have Yasmine Naghdi - booked for 11th so eagerly awaiting reports! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Countess Larisch glove watch: Kaneko was wearing them in Act II tonight. I also noticed that in Act I she was wearing gloves to start with but had removed them before her pdd with Prince Rudolf. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 2 hours ago, bridiem said: Is this Isabella Gasparini's debut as Stephanie? Yes…believe it or not! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffolkgal Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 this is going to be as much fun as the Nutcracker-world-shortage-of-glitter theme last year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 5 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Countess Larisch glove watch: Kaneko was wearing them in Act II tonight. I also noticed that in Act I she was wearing gloves to start with but had removed them before her pdd with Prince Rudolf. But only up to her elbows in Act 2! Loving it so far! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I wouldn't say tonight's performance was perfect but I found it very emotional & was in bits in the final suicide scene. I found seeing Muntagirov, who usually comes over as so nice both on & off stage, playing such a messed-up character was very moving. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postie Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I was at the Insight and Rehearsal but tonight it really caught fire, for me. Vadim deserved a SO the moment the curtain lifted. Isabella and Yasmine marvellous. Exhilarating. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Exhilarating is the right word! I would add sensational for the whole night. Incredible debuts all round. Vadim…just wow. I knew he had it in him, and it came pouring out tonight, without a break. All the emotions known to man just spilled out in a torrent of passion. Another late-night glass of wine for me, so more tomorrow! Sigh. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) I’d agree with Dawnstar that tonight wasn’t perfect (with so many debuts I guess it was always going to be work in progress) but it was very moving. I’ll be bold enough to state that Fumi Kaneko (even en debut, multi-faceted, glamorous, cynical, scheming, heart-broken), Isabella Gasparini (a Stephanie who fought back), Itziar Mendizabal, David Yudes and Claire Calvert (a MacMillan dancer with Ashtonian épaulement) were about as good as you’d hope to see with a dazzling quartet of Officers led by William Bracewell too. Yasmine Naghdi had an unfortunate stumble in Act 2 which, understandably, seemed to throw her and I didn’t think her Vetsera achieved lift off, although her brooding, obsessive intensity suggested a different take on the character that will reap richer rewards on another evening. Vadim Muntagirov was more Slavonic melancholy than monster which made for some memorably moving moments. His sheer physical agony became ever more palpable and there’s a thrill to seeing the sheer splendour of his physical execution of choreography created for a great dance actor who was also in his day no technical slouch. The whole of the last Act gripped me and tears were shed more than once. Edited October 21, 2022 by Jamesrhblack 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I thought Muntagirov tremendous - an astonishing debut. He dominated the stage, and certainly demanded my attention at all times. I thought it made for an extraordinarily effective Mayerling having such a commanding Rudolf. Much else to enjoy and very much looking forward to this cast’s second performance. 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 I thought Miss Naghdi totally achieved lift-off. I don’t think I have ever seen a perfect performance of anything. Many have come close, but not perfection! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 3 hours ago, ellyb said: So excited for this cast, even more so now we have Yasmine Naghdi - booked for 11th so eagerly awaiting reports! you won't be disappointed! Super debuts all round, and from experience, Yasmine Naghdi always improves again next time out. Can't wait! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) Well, am I glad I had a ticket! Tonight's cast were terrific and the dancing/acting of all the cast and particularly Vadim, Yasmin, Fumi and Itzi will linger long in my memory - they were all that good. Apart from the debutant(e)s mentioned above there were about twenty debuts including; David Donnelly, David Yudes, Teo Dubreil, Lukas BB, Nadia Mullova-Barley, Julia Roscoe and, with apologies to anyone I’ve omitted, others. They really were that good. Edited October 21, 2022 by RobR Spelling 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 6 minutes ago, RobR said: Well, am I glad I had a ticket! Tonight's cast were terrific and the dancing/acting of all the cast and particularly Vadim, Yasmin, Fumi and Itzi will linger long in my memory - they were all that good. Apart from the debutant(e)s mentioned above there were about twenty debuts including; David Donnelly, David Yudes, Teo Dubreil, Lukas BB, Nadia Mullova-Barley, Julia Roscoe and, with apologies to anyone I’ve omitted, others. They really were that good. And Samantha Price … Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Wow, just wow. Anyone who thought Vadim was wrong for that role should eat their words. He found his inner Rudolf - and became him. A heart rending and astonishing performance. Wept at the end. He took us on that whole journey of mental and physical disintegration. I’m too tired and emotional to write more now, but there were just so many good performances. More tomorrow when I’ve recovered a bit! 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellyb Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) 39 minutes ago, zxDaveM said: you won't be disappointed! Super debuts all round, and from experience, Yasmine Naghdi always improves again next time out. Can't wait! I didn't book the debut as I thought it best to allow everyone to 'settle' a bit - debuting a ballet like Mayerling must surely make the most experienced a little bit nervous! But you gamble on maybe missing out on some of the electricity of a first night, these early reviews are making me a bit sick I decided to be cautious... Hopefully they'll recreate it in a couple of weeks, I'm even more excited now - I need a new Rudolf after losing Soares (although I did see the cinema showing and was impressed with Hirano, definitely one to watch). Vadim's photos do look amazing, and I adore him as a dancer so fingers crossed for the 11th! Edited October 21, 2022 by ellyb misspelling 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 25 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said: And Samantha Price … i posted that some debutant(e)s had been mentioned earlier in this thread, and Samantha Price was one of them. Mentioned by Dawnstar earlier 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 A revelatory performance from Muntagirov as a heartbreaking and heartbroken Rudolf living a life of initially quiet desperation that gradually erupts and takes over his whole being. He's lost, bewildered, agonised; the gun offers the only way out for him. There was a sort of wild beauty about much of his dancing, which brought out the brilliance of both the choreography and the music. And after her initial stumble I found Naghdi absolutely riveting. Very conscious of her power over Rudolf and taking a narcissistic pleasure in that as much as in him. Kaneko glittered through the performance as a stunningly beautiful, scheming but sorrowful Larisch, and Gasparini was just brilliant as Stephanie - a fully rounded character and thrillingly danced. So many moments tonight were like seeing the ballet for the first time. Wonderful. 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 (edited) 4 minutes ago, bridiem said: There was a sort of wild beauty about much of his dancing, This exactly. The brothel scene was joy on the very edge of mania. Edited October 21, 2022 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina99 Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Totally agree with what everyone has said. Great performances all round but for me Vadim was an absolute revelation. I was on my own and there was a lady sitting beside me also on her own who agreed that he was brilliant. I think that the coaching Vadim had from Irek Mukhamedov must’ve really helped him find his ‘inner Rudolph’ as Balletfanp calls it. i’m so glad I’ve got a ticket for the 11th of November. Can’t wait to see it all again! 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Well that all went rather well 🙂 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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