Mix & Match Mayerlings?

[alison]

11 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

Me too. That’s another work I’d like to see revived. 

 

Hmm, yes - but it really needs a smaller theatre than the Royal Opera House, I think.  It was difficult watching it from the amphitheatre last time around.

[Sim]

2 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I found her Odile disappointing. She looked like some of it was a struggle. I saw her second performance so it couldn't have just been debut nerves. It'll be interesting to see if she has another go in the next SL revival or if it's written off as not a role for her.

I agree.  I love her in Ashton and MacMillan ballets but much less so in the classical ballets. For those, it’s Nuñez/Naghdi/Kaneko/Takada for me.  

[Linnzi5]

3 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I found her Odile disappointing. She looked like some of it was a struggle. I saw her second performance so it couldn't have just been debut nerves. It'll be interesting to see if she has another go in the next SL revival or if it's written off as not a role for her.

Agreed.  I saw her second performance and it definitely was not the confident woman I usually see. On her Instagram account, she talked about what a struggle the ballet was for her, with a photo of her being carried to her dressing room - she clearly was exhausted and it did make me feel concerned.. I got the impressions that she was saying she was just really pleased to have managed to get through the ballet. It maybe that this is just not for her, or maybe she will develop more stamina? I have to say that I did love some parts of her performance though - I came away feeling happy with the whole experience, though a little underwhelmed here and there. I did enjoy watching her and Bracewell (I love his Siegfried and am a huge fan of his performances - so maybe my positive experience was influenced by my love of his dancing?) I'd definitely see her in Swan Lake again.

[LinMM]

I have a feeling …but can’t be sure that it was when Hayward was dancing Swan Lake….that she was dancing when ill with a kidney infection some time in the last couple of years…which could at least explain any lack of stamina. 
I would definitely like to see her in this role but would depend who she is partnered with. 
I can confirm that Corrales was a terrific Hungarian Officer in the last run …couldn’t take my eyes off him when on stage …even when not dancing!! 
Would love to see him get a shot at Rudolf. I thought he might not be ready for this role just yet but then I thought that about Sambe’ too and he very much rose to the occasion last week. 
 

[jmhopton]

When I mentioned about Francesca in the classics perhaps that was unfair as I haven't seen her Swan lake and I've only seen the recording of her Nutcracker. I was thinking of her Giselle which I thought terrific and her Aurora which I thought sublime. I saw her first performance with Campbell and I thought the two of them absolutely amazing. All the more so as until then it wasn't a ballet I'd go out of my way to see, but she and Alex totally converted me to it and now I always go and see them whenever it's staged. It was all the more amazing as she was ill when she debuted it and Yasmine was in the wings waiting to go on if necessary. Saw her at the stage door afterwards when she explained this and said she didn't want to spoil Yasmine's debut (as she had still to perform it) so she struggled on but cancelled her second performance. How she managed such a performance when feeling so bad I don't know; perhaps the adrenaline kept her going but something magical (for me) happened at that performance and I've been hooked on her performance of it ever since. Re swan lake, perhaps she just takes time to get into it. It's so iconic for any ballerina, you must feel the weight of tradition even more than other ballets.  She's plenty of time to get into it more as I expect it will be brought back next season as a theatre filler as we've had SB and Cinderella this year; not to mention Nutcracker. I wish next Christmas we could have Coppelia instead. I thought it sold really well in 2019 and it will have been 4 years by Christmas next year.

Edited December 4, 2022 by jmhopton
altered text

[art_enthusiast]

49 minutes ago, jmhopton said:

I wish next Christmas we could have Coppelia instead. I thought it sold really well in 2019 and it will have been 4 years by Christmas next year.

 

If it was Coppélia instead of the Nutcracker, I would try to be at every single performance!

I was also slightly underwhelmed with Hayward's Swan Lake this year but again that must be due to the stamina it demands, and she can of course build upon this.

I hope that when they do bring Swan Lake back, Claire Calvert gets more than one performance. She was superb in the role.

Also very sad to miss Akane Takada in Swan Lake this year, and as Juliet - so I was thrilled to be seeing her Mary Vetsera. It's hard to choose as I thought all the Marys were brilliant - the only one I missed was Morera unfortunately, who I had anticipated the most! I was especially impressed as I believe Takada and Hirano didn't have much time to rehearse - I thought their partnering was extremely good. Melissa Hamilton is another stand out Mary for me, as were Osipova and Lamb. Hayward is of course very naturally suited to the role, and her partnership with Sambé exhilarating to witness.

Edited December 4, 2022 by art_enthusiast

[Dawnstar]

15 hours ago, Sim said:

I agree.  I love her in Ashton and MacMillan ballets but much less so in the classical ballets. For those, it’s Nuñez/Naghdi/Kaneko/Takada for me.  

 

I've not see her as the Sugar Plum Fairy but when I saw her Aurora in the last SB run I really liked her in the role, hence I was surprised when she was a bit disappointing in SL. Thinking of the classics, has she ever done Kitri? (I know she was absent due to Cats during the last run.) I can't really imagine her in that role.

[Scheherezade]

I’m part there with Sim and part with jmhopton in that I find Hayward an absolute natural for Ashton and MacMillan but I also loved her Giselle and Aurora. 
As per Swan Lake, when I saw her she did run out of stamina and fell out of the fouettés, and I think that she was or had been ill and may have had a stamina problem when she opened the last run of Coppelia.
I don’t have a problem with her Sugar Plum Fairy but would choose others in preference as I find her a more natural fit for Clara. 

[jmhopton]

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

I don’t have a problem with her Sugar Plum Fairy but would choose others in preference as I find her a more natural fit for Clara. 

 

Yes, I love her as Clara too. In fact, I find the role of Clara and Hans Peter far more interesting in general then the prince and Sugar Plum Fairy mainly because they do my favourite pas de deux in my favourite scene in the Land of Snow. If I was attending a performance (which I seldom do because of cost) I would go for the Clara/Hans Peter combination every time as opposed to the two main leads.

[LinMM]

That’s why I think I’ve got a near perfect cast on the 13th!! Kaneko and Bracewell for the Grand Pas and Sissens and Sae Maeda for Hans Peter and Clara. Though I would be equally happy with Hayward and Campbell for Grand Pas and same two as above ( cast on 20th). 
I think Hayward is a delightful Sugar Plum anyway no problems at all with her in that role but she could just as well equally play Clara. 

 

[FionaM]

I’d love to see Melissa Hamilton paired with Vadim Muntagirov in anything … and especially as Mary and Rudolf.  
 

Have they performed together in anything?  

[bridiem]

I wish that Hayward and Campbell were still doing Clara and Hans Peter. They were magnificent.

[Scheherezade]

3 hours ago, FionaE said:

I’d love to see Melissa Hamilton paired with Vadim Muntagirov in anything … and especially as Mary and Rudolf.  
 

Have they performed together in anything?  

 

I'm pretty sure they did L'Apres Midi d'un Faune and they were very good together.

[Linnzi5]

11 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

I’m part there with Sim and part with jmhopton in that I find Hayward an absolute natural for Ashton and MacMillan but I also loved her Giselle and Aurora. 
As per Swan Lake, when I saw her she did run out of stamina and fell out of the fouettés, and I think that she was or had been ill and may have had a stamina problem when she opened the last run of Coppelia.
I don’t have a problem with her Sugar Plum Fairy but would choose others in preference as I find her a more natural fit for Clara. 

Totally agree with you. I found her Clara to be absolutely mesmerising - though there are many other excellent Claras, she is my favourite. 

[Linnzi5]

4 hours ago, bridiem said:

I wish that Hayward and Campbell were still doing Clara and Hans Peter. They were magnificent.

Agreed. My favourite Clara and Hans Peter pairing.

[FionaM]

9 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

 

I'm pretty sure they did L'Apres Midi d'un Faune and they were very good together.

thank you!  
 

ROH collections confirms  ‘Afternoon of a Faun’ with Melissa and Vadim 30.5.2015 and 1.6.2015