Ashton's Cinderella - new Royal Ballet production

[ElleC]

44 minutes ago, JennyTaylor said:

I went to a rehearsal today and really enjoyed it!  Not sure how much else I am allowed to say!

 

Two questions, Jenny:

 

1. Are the sets and costumes beautiful (no need for detail - just overall impression)?

 

2. Which cast did you see? 
 

If you don’t feel you should answer - no problem! 😊

[ElleC]

4 minutes ago, JennyTaylor said:

The fairy godmother has a beautiful dress! 

This tiny detail alone is already making me ridiculously excited!😆

[JennyTaylor]

Yes, it's beautiful.  I saw Naghdi/Ball plus Mayara Magri as the Fairy Godmother.  Very happy with all 3! 

[ElleC]

Thank you Jenny.  So looking forward to seeing it!

[Mary]

I am greatly looking forward to seeing this, a full evening of Ashton, - and all the interest of a new production to discuss- can't wait.

 

[Fonty]

1 hour ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

Out of interest, which one was that?

 

Les Rendezvous.   

 

 

[OnePigeon]

1 hour ago, JNC said:

Young people don’t get standard discount. They also don’t necessarily work if they are students (although the poorest likely have to to supplement meagre student support loans, but we’re talking the lower paid part time jobs most likely in this instance).
 

The whole point of the young people scheme is to get them interested in attending ballet/opera at that age when finances are tight (you’re either a student with not much financial resource, or only starting out on your career so getting paid the least you’ll probably be during your lifetime). If you get these audiences in at this age then they could become lifetime regulars. I guess I may be biased as I benefitted from the scheme but it definitely worked in my case! Of course yes you could argue some rich young people will take advantage but it’s not practical to means test such a thing - by the time you bothered to resource that any point of it is just eroded. 

I’m not 100% sure how it works now but back in the day selected performances (we are talking 1-2 per year for ballet, not for “popular”/more expensive ballets like swan lake but more the modern mixed bills priced cheaper) would be designated as Young Roh where the amphitheatre only would have some discounted prices. In addition, if there were some unsold tickets last minute (again, not like Cinderella a week in advance but 24 hours in advance) you could snap up tickets for £10. This was pre pandemic so I have no idea how it works now, though I can see an upcoming sleeping beauty is designated roh but no idea if the reduced pricing is still in play.

 

I appreciate I’m not a parent but at the end of the day a bum on the seat is a bum on the seat - when children reach a certain age they are charged full price for airplane tickets etc as the same principle. Seems unfair on one hand, on the other hand it means roh (and other businesses) don’t have to factor in % of children that might attend to overall pricing strategies as this would effect overall sales. You’d need a consistent child discount across every single performance, which would cost ROH much more than the odd Young ROH discounts they provide. 

 

I think overall pricing too high is an issue generally - even if you had child discount you still need the adult to afford taking them and paying for their own seat! 
 

Sorry maybe a bit off topic but I’m a big supporter of the Young ROH scheme, or at least what it used to be. 

The Young person scheme is great for those young people, but I do think it’s unfair to not include children in the scheme.  It does mean that children who would love to go, but whose parents can’t afford it and who don’t attend a school that offers the school matinee scheme, will certainly miss out and they too are the next generation to inspire and attract.  Anyway, it’s a moot point in this instance as the discount isn’t being offered for Cinderella.

[MJW]

Perhaps the lack of details of running time has put people off booking? I'm a bit flummoxed as to why this can't be confirmed just days before the production starts.

 

Looks as though I will be travelling home with the drunks tomorrow night on the train then if it does run to more than three hours!

[MJW]

Rehearsal pics - 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72177720306929243

[Mary]

Thank you- so many lovely young dancers in these photos as well as the stars.....

[LinMM]

Thanks MJW for the link to rehearsal photos finally sorted out a couple of the younger dancers once and for all!! 

[capybara]

38 minutes ago, MJW said:

Rehearsal pics - 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72177720306929243

 

Thanks and, as others have said, nice to see dancers from all 'levels'.

However, normal dance wear does not exactly raise the temperature of interest. Most of the images could equally well be from another show.

[JohnS]

I’m hoping the Royal Ballet will offer a few more glimpses of sets, costumes, ballet over the next few days. The sets Instagram 30 seconds has certainly whetted my appetite.

[Linnzi5]

12 hours ago, serenade said:

I fit that criteria but didn’t get the offer…the criteria for who to offer the discount to seems pretty complex 😂. Personally I think the offer should go to anyone on their mailing list as I thought the point of offering discounted tickets was simply to sell them. Therefore I would presume the easiest and fairest way to do that is to send the offer to everyone. 
 

if they want to do a friends discount I guess I understand the point but then it has to be all friends otherwise it’s not a friends offer. If a shop you’ve bought something from sends an offer through for 10% off I would presume it wasn’t only sent to people who bought jeans on a Thursday afternoon for £50 or under or whatever 😂😂

 

of course maybe there’s method in the madness (let’s hope!)

Yes.  I agree.  Send it to all. I don't understand the methods used at all. I think sending it to all Friends makes sense, especially when so many tickets remain unsold. What do I know though? 😂

[JohnS]

Some fabulous Cinderella costume photos - thank you Rachel Hollings. Here’s one of them:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqKcATRotmA/?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=

[Fonty]

Well, it is a pretty tutu.  But it still says Aurora to me, rather than Cinderella.  

[alison]

And up-close detail is fine, but what really matters is how it will look from far away.

[Fonty]

It has been a very long time since I saw it, but didn't Cinderella make her entrance to the ball sweeping down the stairs wearing a majestic cloak?  Or have I got muddled up with another ballet?  I shall be interested to see how they manage it this time, but there does seem to be a distinct lack of sparkle to this costume.  

[Sim]

1 minute ago, Fonty said:

It has been a very long time since I saw it, but didn't Cinderella make her entrance to the ball sweeping down the stairs wearing a majestic cloak?  Or have I got muddled up with another ballet?  I shall be interested to see how they manage it this time, but there does seem to be a distinct lack of sparkle to this costume.  

My memory is that she comes down the stairs on pointe, so it's a slow but sure entry.

[zxDaveM]

Just now, Sim said:

My memory is that she comes down the stairs on pointe, so it's a slow but sure entry.

 

Yes, she steps out of the transformed carriage that the fairy godmother provided, and goes down 2-3 flights of steps whilst gazing straight out at the ballroom (or audience, if you prefer). A magical, but for the dancer a terrifying I should imagine, moment of balletic theatre

[Lizbie1]

Can we wait till at least the first performance to judge how well the costumes work?

Edited March 24, 2023 by Lizbie1

[Fonty]

Yes, I remember the steps down the stairs.  I am not imagining the cloak; I just checked on line and it is being held by a retainer.  

2 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

Can we wait till at least the first performance to judge how well the costumes work?

 

I see no harm in speculation.  After all, changing the setting for a fundamental bit of the story is a major change.  I would like to know the reason behind it, given that the original costumes for that were spectacular.  

[JennyTaylor]

44 minutes ago, Fonty said:

It has been a very long time since I saw it, but didn't Cinderella make her entrance to the ball sweeping down the stairs wearing a majestic cloak?  Or have I got muddled up with another ballet?  I shall be interested to see how they manage it this time, but there does seem to be a distinct lack of sparkle to this costume.  

She still does - don't worry.  I saw an Insight day into this scene years ago with Wendy Ellis directing it.  It looked pretty much the same as this yesterday.  Beautiful. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by JennyTaylor
typo

[Silver Capricorn]

I'm really looking forward to the new costumes and sets.  They will definitely be beautiful.  And the element of surprise is a good idea from the side of dramaturgy.

[capybara]

Given the hundreds of unsold tickets, I have written to Alex Beard AGAIN about the fact that Cinderella is currently at #11 on the What's On section of the website.

[Sim]

18 minutes ago, capybara said:

Given the hundreds of unsold tickets, I have written to Alex Beard AGAIN about the fact that Cinderella is currently at #11 on the What's On section of the website.

At this point it should be all over their website, not languishing downstream at number 11.  🙄

[capybara]

39 minutes ago, Sim said:

At this point it should be all over their website, not languishing downstream at number 11.  🙄

 

And all over the ROH's social media. Rachel Hollings' images from the trailer shoot are all very nice but totally insufficient.

I really do hope that the response on the opening night is going to be so positive as to encourage people to book. But human behaviour and commitments are such that there isn't going to be a sudden rush to buy tickets for the three subsequent nights. Maybe they will 'paper' the house somehow?

[Richard LH]

2 hours ago, Fonty said:

It has been a very long time since I saw it, but didn't Cinderella make her entrance to the ball sweeping down the stairs wearing a majestic cloak?

 

2 hours ago, Sim said:

My memory is that she comes down the stairs on pointe, so it's a slow but sure entry.

In the Sibley DVD version she comes down the stairs in her tutu, staring forwards in wonder…there is  a long transparent train attached to her shoulders, held up by the Jester some way behind. She steps normally (for a ballerina!) down about a dozen steps (met about half way down by the Prince who takes her hand)   then  pauses on  pointe, before taking the last three steps on pointe (one hand still held by the Prince) and then she bourrées a long way forward, unsupported on her own (train still held by the Jester, the Prince walking admiringly alongside) to the front of the stage, all this time still staring forwards as if in a dream. It is a really magical moment!

 

She than “comes to”,  notices and acknowledges the Prince with a courtesy, attendants remove the train, and the dancing begins…..!

 

In a Boston Ballet clip (still Ashton) she is on pointe down at least four steps, looking forward, and the commentator explains the Prince has to squeeze her hand to let her know when to step…

 

I have only found  a snippet of  a later (2010?)  version  of the steps entrance, where Cojocaru looks to be wearing a fairly short  transparent cape, not held up by anyone. It looks like she is partly on pointe again but the clip is too short to make things out exactly, and doesn’t show what happens next.

Edited March 24, 2023 by Richard LH

[Richard LH]

2 hours ago, Silver Capricorn said:

And the element of surprise is a good idea from the side of dramaturgy.

I remember the gasps from many of us in the audience at the opening of Act 3 of Liam Scarlett's new version of Swan Lake when we saw John Macfarlane's design for the ballroom for the first time. A "you had to be there" moment!

[Sim]

28 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

I remember the gasps from many of us in the audience at the opening of Act 3 of Liam Scarlett's new version of Swan Lake when we saw John Macfarlane's design for the ballroom for the first time. A "you had to be there" moment!

Yes, I remember that too on the first night!  We were all taken by surprise!

[JNC]

3 hours ago, Fonty said:

Well, it is a pretty tutu.  But it still says Aurora to me, rather than Cinderella.  

interesting, for me it says more swan lake as I think at a distance it’s hard to tell it’s flowers on the v-neck and it could look like feathers.

 

it’s beautiful but we have a lot of white tutus in swan lake already so would have loved to have seen something pale blue maybe (not sure if that’s a Disney association!)

 

also wouldn’t have been opposed to more sparkle!

Edited March 24, 2023 by JNC

[Bluebird]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

I have only found  a snippet of  a later (2010?)  version  of the steps entrance, where Cojocaru looks to be wearing a fairly short  transparent cape, not held up by anyone. It looks like she is partly on pointe again but the clip is too short to make things out exactly, and doesn’t show what happens next.

 

I just checked the recording I made of the TV broadcast (recorded December 2022). Alina Cojocaru arrives in a carriage and two courtiers help her down the three steps from the carriage (not on point).  She then bourrées* on the spot at the top of the stairs and the prince (Johan Kobborg) takes her hand and she comes down five steps on point, pauses on the fifth step (more bourrées) and comes down the remaining steps, still on point.

 

All this time she has a very long transparent train attached to her shoulders. The courtiers initially hold the ends of it  and, while she is bourréeing on the fifth step, the jester uses this opportunity to start to take hold of the train, eventually taking full possession of it as she finishes her descent of the stairs.

 

*Apologies if my use of the term is inaccurate. My knowledge of ballet terms is not very wide so I don’t know if bourrée is the correct term if there’s no travel involved.

 

Edited to clarify what happens to the train.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Bluebird

[art_enthusiast]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

Maybe they will 'paper' the house somehow?

 

Invite NHS workers maybe?