Royal Ballet: A Diamond Celebration

[MJW]

Some rehearsal pictures up -

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/royaloperahouse/albums/72177720303567056

[bridiem]

Anna Rose O'Sullivan has posted on Instagram that she's dancing the Fille/Fanny Elssler pas de deux with Alexander Campbell on Wednesday evening.

[MJW]

4 minutes ago, bridiem said:

Anna Rose O'Sullivan has posted on Instagram that she's dancing the Fille/Fanny Elssler pas de deux with Alexander Campbell on Wednesday evening.

 

Not quite sure what to make of their costumes - they might look a little better "live"

[Dawnstar]

Good to hear that Campbell will be dancing. Given he's not on the cast list on the ROH's website, I was wondering if he wasn't going to get anything to do until the Nutcrackers start.

[bangorballetboy]

13 hours ago, MJW said:

 

Not quite sure what to make of their costumes - they might look a little better "live"

 

I assume you're talking about their costumes for the new Pan Tanowitz work (Dispatch Duet) that O'Sullivan is dancing with Bracewell.  She and Campbell will be wearing the usual Fille costumes!

[Jorgeb]

Calvin Richardson has posted that he will dancing the bedroom pas de deux from Manon with Akane Takada.

[MJW]

4 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I assume you're talking about their costumes for the new Pan Tanowitz work (Dispatch Duet) that O'Sullivan is dancing with Bracewell.  She and Campbell will be wearing the usual Fille costumes!

Correct 

[DoctorDerry]

23 hours ago, MJW said:

 

Not quite sure what to make of their costumes - they might look a little better "live"

The costumes for the Tanowitz look truly horrible, but I hope to be proved wrong tomorrow 

[LinMM]

I don’t suppose there is a running order yet for this tomorrow? 

[Bluebird]

59 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I don’t suppose there is a running order yet for this tomorrow? 

rehearsal cast list now on ROH website:

 

https://static.roh.org.uk/digital/cast-sheets/Diamond-Celebration/Diamond-Celebration-Cast-Sheet-16-11-22.pdf?_ga=2.18223993.1990707863.1668523121-1931094508.1652950752

[Lizbie1]

I don't understand what Benoit Swan Pouffer has to do with the RB.

[Dawnstar]

For a programme that's supposed to celebrate Friends attending 60 years of Royal Ballet performances, the balance between heritage & new/contemporary works seems very skewed towards the latter. If I'd realised before booking opened such a large proportion of the programme would be made up of new/contemporary works then I don't think I would have booked. As it is, I'm now considering spending the second part sat in the foyer tomorrow evening as the only one of the 4 pieces in that part that I have any interest in seeing is Zuchetti's & I'm not sure if I want to see that enough to sit through the other 3 pieces first.

[zxDaveM]

1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

I don't understand what Benoit Swan Pouffer has to do with the RB.

 

Possibly the choice of Natalia Osipova, at a guess

[MJW]

29 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

For a programme that's supposed to celebrate Friends attending 60 years of Royal Ballet performances, the balance between heritage & new/contemporary works seems very skewed towards the latter. If I'd realised before booking opened such a large proportion of the programme would be made up of new/contemporary works then I don't think I would have booked. As it is, I'm now considering spending the second part sat in the foyer tomorrow evening as the only one of the 4 pieces in that part that I have any interest in seeing is Zuchetti's & I'm not sure if I want to see that enough to sit through the other 3 pieces first.

 

Generally speaking I would agree with you - particularly the skew towards new works. However you never know you might enjoy them. I've been surprised by liking newer works more than I thought I would (though whether I would book to see them again is another matter!)

 

I have the advantage of going to the cinema screening tomorrow and then the matinee on Saturday (so I least know what to expect!)

[capybara]

On the face of it, a disappointing 'mash up'. I was anticipating a celebration..............

[zxDaveM]

starts joyous, ends joyous, with a few gems in the middle of the saggy bits. And who knows, what appears as the saggy bits might be enjoyable after all.

I'm in full optimism mode this morning 😉

[The Sitter In]

A ballet created for the company in 1962 was Rite of Spring (MacMillan)…anyone remember that?  They also acquired Napoli Divertissement and the Flower Festival at Genzano pdd…

 

[Richard LH]

53 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

I'm in full optimism mode this morning 😉

Go for it Dave !

[Sim]

I am also going with an open mind; I hope it doesn't close too quickly!  I also think there are many preferable pieces from the past 60 years that could have been shown.  I guess that the contemporary stuff is to look forward to the next 60 years, to show that the company is moving with the times, isn't a dinosaur, etc. etc.  Although perhaps a gala that is supposed to be celebrating the first 60 years of the Friends should have also been an opportunity to reacquaint Friends with pieces that they haven't seen for a while.

 

Anyway, I will reserve judgement until I've seen it!

[capybara]

There seems to be a fear of the retrospective -  but, occasionally, as with this anniversary, that would surely have been the most appropriate focus.

Anyway - I have my ‘open mind face’ firmly on.

[Beryl H]

Many thanks Bluebird for providing some real information to go on, usually I've left before casting appears but I might be lucky enough to see tonight's casting and print it 😀

[Odyssey]

I’m joining in with the optimism. There’s such a wealth of talented dancers in this programme in roles that shows the tremendous range of work in which they excel. Yes, there’s an argument for including more Ashton and Macmillan, but I am glad there’s no traditional classical pas de deux which you see regularly on gala programmes. I think it’s a very interesting  programme.

[ellyb]

I’m sorry to say I am very disappointed; I didn’t book for the theatre as it seemed to be all contemporary (apart from Balanchine, who I have to confess I’m not super fond of - and I’m unsure of how much he has to do with the Royal Ballet?) but having heard rumours there would also be lots else including Macmillan and Ashton I decided to book for cinema matinee. I saw the rehearsals on WBD and the Zucchetti looks good but the others looked (to me) dreadful! The Pam one seems to be contemporary ballet with some very ugly movements, which isn’t to my taste but does seem at least to be some sort of ballet… the Toonga one though isn’t ballet at all, or even contemporary… unless that’s the only bit they showed rehearsing and the rest will be ballet? Not only does it seem a horrendous waste of some of the world’s best ballet dancers but I would’ve thought most people booking to see a ballet gala are expecting ballet surely? Just as if someone were booking for a ‘streetdance’ show they’d presumably be surprised and possibly irritated to find a load of ballerinas in tutus doing Swan Lake! I’ll have to grin and try to bear it I suppose as the cinema’s non refundable but it seems a very dismal celebration of 60 years of Royal Ballet.

[PatC]

Six decades 

Six pieces representing each decade showing segments of works supported by The Friends

 

Would seem to me a more representative celebration…

[Dawnstar]

15 hours ago, MJW said:

Generally speaking I would agree with you - particularly the skew towards new works. However you never know you might enjoy them. I've been surprised by liking newer works more than I thought I would (though whether I would book to see them again is another matter!)

 

Having seen the rehearsal footage from WBD & the insight livestream, I would be extremely surprised if I found I liked either the Tanowitz or Toonga pieces as I disliked the parts that were shown. I suppose the Pouffer work, which I haven't seen anything of, could be a pleasant surprise, but my hopes are not high.

 

@ellyb I totally agree with you. Although I wish I'd only booked the cinecast as then I would have spent a lot less money than I have spent to see it live!

 

Am I right in thinking that the general consensus is that Ashton & MacMillan have been the most important choreographers for the RB in the last 60 years? If I have inferred this correctly then I am baffled that in a 2h45 performance celebrating 60 years each choreographer should get only one c. 5 minute extract performed.

[Fiona]

Well, I am heartbroken that it won't be Reece Clarke as the male lead in Diamonds, and Anna Rose O'Sullivan will not be dancing the Fille Mal Gardee pdd!  (I had hopes she had time for a quick change before the new work she's in.)

[Mary]

Much to enjoy at the rehearsal ..if ov erall a slightly odd programme. The criteria for choice of works were unclear to me. 

I did like the symmetry of having 2 pieces for four dancers- one male one female - and enjoyed both. Diamonds is a glorious celebration of classical ballet that makes me cry. But perhaps not the obvious choice for RB.

I agree it is all a bit of a mix. ..

[Beryl H]

The cast list for tonight is up now, available in many languages, don't know if there will be an extended one later for the theatre audience,  I wasn't impressed by the Insights but look forward to seeing Joseph Sissens' slithery solo!

 

 

 

 

 

[Fonty]

Are all the pieces in the second act new?  Or at least new to the RB?  I've never heard of any of them, but I freely admit to being a dinosaur.

 

I have to say that the name Benoit Swan Pouffer is brilliant.  Let's hope it isn't the best thing about the piece!  

[capybara]

I've just been to the ROH website for another purpose and see that these performances have the strapline:  A dazzling showcase

Elsewhere, there is reference to the RB's dazzling Principals

Hmmmm......................

[bangorballetboy]

19 minutes ago, Fiona said:

Well, I am heartbroken that it won't be Reece Clarke as the male lead in Diamonds, and Anna Rose O'Sullivan will not be dancing the Fille Mal Gardee pdd!  (I had hopes she had time for a quick change before the new work she's in.)

 

They are both performing those roles this evening.

[Mary]

17 minutes ago, Fiona said:

Well, I am heartbroken that it won't be Reece Clarke as the male lead in Diamonds, and Anna Rose O'Sullivan will not be dancing the Fille Mal Gardee pdd!  (I had hopes she had time for a quick change before the new work she's in.)

Clarke tonight and Sat mat?

 

Meaghan Grace Hinkis injured today so poor Acri had to dance on his own! 

 

[ellyb]

34 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

@ellyb I totally agree with you. Although I wish I'd only booked the cinecast as then I would have spent a lot less money than I have spent to see it live!

But at least you could exchange for credit, losing £4... I'd lose £44 as I'm escorting my mother. Such a shame, but it's sold out so presumably ROH is happy enough, and we may well see more of this sort of thing. The Zucchetti looks good though - other than the rolling about on the floor which seemed a bit out of place, but maybe that'll look better on the night. And never seen Takada so that'll be nice, though I really can't cope with any more Manons I am desperate to see - the next run is going to bankrupt me as is!