Royal Ballet's The Nutcracker, Winter 2022/3

[Emeralds]

57 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

what lottery numbers are you doing?

zxDaveM, we have a similar saying in our family for this sort of thing: “With your luck so good today, you ought to rush out and buy a lottery ticket” (not that we actually do, but we still say it). 

[Rob S]

How long have the snowflakes been throwing snow in the air as they come on in ones and twos and then all throwing some when they’re all on together? 
 

And even the mighty Gary Avis failed to make the candle on the box….disappear, this afternoon!!!🕯 🤦🏻‍♂️😆

Edited December 23, 2022 by Rob S

[zxDaveM]

25 minutes ago, Rob S said:

How long have the snowflakes been throwing snow in the air as they come on in ones and twos and then all throwing some when they’re all on together? 
 

 

I think they used to do it on the last show of the run - perhaps this time, they have festive fever!

[Rob S]

Must be, the conductor got the audience to clap to the Russian dance, everyone threw glitter during the red run, only one Chinese dancer at the end and red run…

 

And Ashley Dean was lovely in her Rose Fairy debut 

[Emeralds]

22Dec Nutcracker thoughts:

Cast- Isabella Gasparini  & James Hay (Clara & Hans Peter), Yasmine Naghdi & Matthew Ball(Sugar Plum & Prince), Gary Avis (Drosselmeyer) etc

 

Our first outing to see Nutcracker since the Battle Scene was restored to the usual choreography with the Royal Ballet School children as mice, soldiers, White Rabbit, gingerbreads, toys, and the live children’s choir (from London Oratory School) was restored for the snow scene. I must admit I enjoyed the smart uniforms and neat dancing of the corps de ballet men when it was reworked for Covid precautions, so was a little sad to see it go, but I was also happy to see the children as the small mice and toys return. Maybe they could offer two different versions sometime (not in the same show of course) for a special anniversary or festival (hint hint, RB). 

 

My first time booking specifically for Clara and Hans Peter (usually I book based on Sugar Plum Fairy casting) as James Hay hasn’t been in the cast for a lot of the performances I booked this year, and I’ve never seen Isabella Gasparini in this role. They made a sweet and delightful pair, Gasparini expressive and fleetfooted, and Hay with his signature soaring jumps and dazzling turns. PS I noticed that the portrait of Hans Peter actually looked like Hay at this performance, whereas sometimes the portrait at some shows seemed not to be of the dancer portraying Hans Peter! Naghdi and Ball were very elegant and made a regal and gracious Royal couple as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince.

 

I’ve had different Drosselmeyers in the last few Nutcrackers we attended- all brilliant in their own way, but very nice to have Gary Avis again in the role that is now so closely identified with him. Having seen his energetic and expressive interpretation for many seasons, I notice that his interpretation is a little different this time- more subtlety, more eloquence in each gesture, more powerful in each movement, yet still compelling (and of course, generous with the glitter magic!). Lovely to see an interpretation develop and evolve even if it was already very good. 

 

Other highlights: Bennet Gartside and Tara Brigitte Bhavnani as loving, kind but firm Stahlbaum parents, Gina Storm Jensen as a young, slightly bossy and strict dancing mistress, Mica Bradbury, Leo Dixon, Leticia Dias and Joonhyuk Joon impressive as Columbine, Harlequin, Vivandiere and Soldier, Calvin Richardson, Nicol Edmonds, Leo Dixon and David Donnelly were excellent Rose Fairy Escorts, Ashley Dean, Leticia Dias, Amelia Townsend and Ginevra Zambon a precise but graceful quartet of Mirlitons, and Taisuke Nakao and Daichi Ikarashi’s soaring leaps in the Chinese Dance-so nice to see this dance with the correct hairstyle and costuming at last. Lots of visible doubling up at this performance (eg Storm Jensen as both Arabian and Dancing Mistress, Ikarashi as both Drosselmeyer Assistant and Chinese, Dias as both Vivandiere and Mirliton, etc). And of course the children were delightful in their roles, dancing and acting with 100% commitment.

 

I didn’t mind the slightly smaller complement of snowflakes (16 this year-seems like the Royal Ballet School students are not in the snowflakes corps this year as they normally are pre Covid). The other pre Covid bits not yet restored are the four child pages for the Kingdom of Sweets, and the trapdoor work for the Mouse King’s entry and the blue sky/background scenery for the transformation pas de deux, which I take it is due to building/structural issues rather than Covid or artistic ones. 

 

Tchaikovsky’s music, Peter Wright’s choreography and stage direction (meticulously perfected over 38 years), and the love and commitment of the dancers and crew for this ballet, never fail to weave their magic. Bliss!  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Emeralds

[alison]

I've decided I ought to buy a ticket for one of Gary Avis' Drosselmeyer performances and just spend the first act watching him!

[JennyTaylor]

4 hours ago, alison said:

I'm not going tonight anyway, but my trains appear to be running as normal.  So I guess the answer is to double-check your own trains before you set off.  I think these cancellations may be due to overtime bans - although it's difficult to tell what's what now.

Yes, I could have got there by train, but couldn't get home again.  

[LinMM]

Yes there was a bit of a slow burn with the clapping this afternoon!! At first I thought it must be some enthusiastic relatives but then noticed the conductor facing the audience and clapping madly so of course you had to join in lol!! It was a nice bit of fun though! 
It was easy to get in the mood for this matinee before the Show seeing all the little girls with their best party/fairy frocks on some of them at the ballet for the very first time (at least two different parents informed me anyway!) I’m sure they all had a wonderful time if they enjoyed it as much as I did! 
I Loved the performances this afternoon Sae Maeda and Joe Sissens an absolute delight together….and can’t wait till Sae gets some more meaty type roles definitely a rising star as is Joe of course!!  
Maybe somebody can help as was discussing with a friend whether she’d  had some considerable time out with injury in last couple of years as I remember noticing her a few years back and then thought she’d left the Company!! Well I’m very glad to see she hasn’t but this can happen with dancers they just seem to disappear for ages! 
Loved the Sugar Plum Pas Hayward so wonderfully unforced …I often think she’s going to get behind the music but she never is always spot on..I think she has a way of magically slowing time down. She looked like she was enjoying herself and always has that natural engagement with the audience a true fairy Sugar Plum. Campbell a noble and elegant Prince and light as a feather in his landings. 
All the dancing was lovely this afternoon nothing I didn’t like though does take a lot to beat Olivia Cowley in Arabian…I’ve never seen Melissa Hamilton 

so can’t comment on her in the role …though I’d imagine would suit her really well too! 
It does seem as if slightly less people on the stage generally now in second Act …has it always been just two dancers for the Russian and Chinese as well as the Arabian …which was discussed previously here….

I didn’t recognise Ashley Dean as the Rose Fairy so a good debut from her then ….though spent some time trying to think who she was!!. 

Gary Avis always seems to be having a marvellous time on the stage as Drosselmeyer so always a pleasure to watch and we could do with some of his magic in the real world at the moment but at least an afternoon immersed in this Nutcracker with Tchaikovsky’s glorious music does leave some of its magic on you when you leave. 
So very glad was able to make it after all and am now on an earlier than expected train back to Brighton so alls well that ends well!! 


 

Edited December 23, 2022 by LinMM

[gdallas]

Ages since we have been but just saw this, and Marino Sasaki was just an absolutely outstanding Sugar Plum Fairy. Fabulous technique. They were applauding her from the wings which I’ve not heard before. Wonderful to see. 
 

Merry Christmas!!

[gdallas]

2 minutes ago, gdallas said:

Ages since we have been but just saw this, and Marino Sasaki was just an absolutely outstanding Sugar Plum Fairy. Fabulous technique. They were applauding her from the wings which I’ve not heard before. Wonderful to see. 
 

Merry Christmas!!

Mariko 

 

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by Rob S

[JennyTaylor]

Well I'm so pleased I drove up and made the effort (never in doubt with this casting). What a performance.  James Hay and Isabella Gasparini were sparkling as Hans-Peter and Clara. James was out of this world with his characterisation (oh, those expressive eyes) and their pdd was utterly magical.  Then we had the excitement of Mariko Sasaki's Sugar Plum Fairy.  The grand pdd was glorious throughout.  She looked emotional at the end of the 1st section and overwhelmed at the end. So lovely!  Then at the final curtain calls with huge bouquets of flowers, I think she finally did shed tears of joy.  You can see all the cast applauding her.  What a joy. 

 

I was in the front row tonight and felt so lucky to see the wonderful dancing and expressive characterisation close to.  I've never seen a Hans- Peter bring so much to the part as James did tonight. Impeccable dancing but so much more too.  I cried. Lots and lots of smiles too.  Ben Gartside was an excellent Drosselmeyer and I caught him surreptitiously applauding the grand ppd with a couple of taps of his hands on his knee. Undiluted joy all round 

[Balletfanp]

I thought it looked as though she was crying in Rob’s photos, bless her! How wonderful for her to have all that support from her colleagues, and that it went so well 🙂.

[alison]

Very odd some of the scheduling this time around, I thought: Gasparini/Hay having a long break and then two nights running, and something similar for Dean/Ella?

[Rob S]

1 hour ago, Balletfanp said:

I thought it looked as though she was crying in Rob’s photos, bless her! How wonderful for her to have all that support from her colleagues, and that it went so well 🙂.

 

She was very emotional, I tried to pick as flattering a pic as possible

[Jan McNulty]

5 hours ago, alison said:

Very odd some of the scheduling this time around, I thought: Gasparini/Hay having a long break and then two nights running, and something similar for Dean/Ella?

From Isabella’s IG she was guesting in Sao Paolo with Luca Acri for a couple of days.

 

[Swan]

Wonderful photos and comments about yesterday’s performance, would loved to have been there! 

[MJW]

I see from photos that James Hay was also presented with flowers last night which is very sweet - he certainly seemed very chuffed.

 

 

[bangorballetboy]

[LinMM]

In the Matinee performance flowers came out for Francesca then a couple of curtain bows for all on stage and then curtain came down for more individual calls and I thought oh no after that lovely performance no flowers for Sae Maeda! It made me rather irrationally at that point want to rush out and buy her some!
However luckily when the full cast took a bow again some flowers came on for her…..almost like Gary Avis had read my mind lol!!  

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

What a beautiful photograph BBB.  Thanks for sharing.

[JennyTaylor]

4 hours ago, MJW said:

I see from photos that James Hay was also presented with flowers last night which is very sweet - he certainly seemed very chuffed.

 

 

All 3 male lead dancers received a bouquet - Will, Benn and James. Lovely!  

Edited December 24, 2022 by JennyTaylor
To add further comment

[JohnS]

I very much enjoyed my triple Nutcracker last week - Monday’s matinee, Thursday’s evening performance, and Friday’s matinee. Chance to see three favourite Sugar Plum Fairies - Anna Rose O’Sullivan, Yasmine Naghdi, and Francesca Hayward with Marcelino Sambé, Matthew Ball and Alexander Campbell their Princes. Much to admire in all three casts and I thought Maddison Bailey a fabulous Clara. Leo Dixon, James Hay and Joseph Sissens were the hugely impressive Hans Peters. Gary Avis was Drosselmeyer in all three performances. There were a few glitches during the Friday matinee: Drosselmeyer’s candle was already out of the bag when brought on stage and he couldn’t very well make it disappear; the Nutcracker doll didn’t break when dropped by Fritz so Clara had to help; the door for one of the dolls threatened to come open; and Joonhyuk Jun injured himself at the very end of the Chinese dance and didn’t make it for the grand finale nor the curtain call and so David Yudes had a solo. But it was a joyous occasion with Barry Wordsworth encouraging the audience to join in clapping the Russian dance.
I know some posters don’t like the Royal Ballet production (and I cannot comment on relative merits) but I love the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker. It’s very much Clara’s ballet and I find the Nutcracker/Hans Peter story very effective. The Clara/Hans Peter pdd is fabulous and always moves me. I’m all for Clara/Hans Peter joining in the Act 2 dances (although it does seem a bit odd that for part of the time they’re not on stage witnessing the spectacle put on for their enjoyment). For me Clara’s recognition that she has her pendant given to her by the Sugar Plum Fairy heralds Christmas. And we’re left with the possibility that she and Hans Peter will find true love.

I also enjoy seeing the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince as characters in themselves, not Clara and/or the Nutcracker taking on the Sugar Plum Fairy/Prince roles. For me there’s a pleasing symmetry in seeing Clara and Hans Peter, Drosselmeyer, and the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, take their curtain calls.

A bit early to think about Christmas 2023 but I’d ask Santa for 8 more snowflakes. I’m afraid 16 snowflakes aren’t able to convey the excitement, speed and chaos of being caught in a sudden snow storm. And a working trap door (or a slight revision to Hans Peter’s mime) would also be on my list.

[LinMM]

Oh sorry to hear that Joonhyuk Jun didn’t appear at the finale because he was injured…I hope not seriously…it’s a very tricky and energetic dance so probably easy to tweak a muscle in.   I’ve only just recently been noticing him more and he was very good in the Chinese on Friday. I assumed that he had had to leave early to get somewhere so hope he recovers soon. 
 

[Dawnstar]

Checking the ROH's website nervously that there aren't any more cast changes for tonight (there aren't, at least not at the moment) & I've just spotted that Mariko Sasaki is replacing Akane Takada tomorrow evening. I hope Takada's not injured yet again; she's still down for 7th & 12th at the moment so maybe she's just got some seasonal bug. It must be nice for Sasaki to get a second go.

[Richard LH]

29 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Checking the ROH's website nervously that there aren't any more cast changes for tonight (there aren't, at least not at the moment) & I've just spotted that Mariko Sasaki is replacing Akane Takada tomorrow evening. I hope Takada's not injured yet again; she's still down for 7th & 12th at the moment so maybe she's just got some seasonal bug. It must be nice for Sasaki to get a second go.

😬..for Akane (yet again) ... but shall be interested  to see Mariko in the role.

[Emeralds]

On 23/12/2022 at 16:28, Emeralds said:

22Dec Nutcracker thoughts:

Cast- Isabella Gasparini  & James Hay (Clara & Hans Peter), Yasmine Naghdi & Matthew Ball(Sugar Plum & Prince), Gary Avis (Drosselmeyer) etc

 

Our first outing to see Nutcracker since the Battle Scene was restored to the usual choreography with the Royal Ballet School children as mice, soldiers, White Rabbit, gingerbreads, toys, and the live children’s choir (from London Oratory School) was restored for the snow scene. I must admit I enjoyed the smart uniforms and neat dancing of the corps de ballet men when it was reworked for Covid precautions, so was a little sad to see it go, but I was also happy to see the children as the small mice and toys return. Maybe they could offer two different versions sometime (not in the same show of course) for a special anniversary or festival (hint hint, RB). 

 

My first time booking specifically for Clara and Hans Peter (usually I book based on Sugar Plum Fairy casting) as James Hay hasn’t been in the cast for a lot of the performances I booked this year, and I’ve never seen Isabella Gasparini in this role. They made a sweet and delightful pair, Gasparini expressive and fleetfooted, and Hay with his signature soaring jumps and dazzling turns. PS I noticed that the portrait of Hans Peter actually looked like Hay at this performance, whereas sometimes the portrait at some shows seemed not to be of the dancer portraying Hans Peter! Naghdi and Ball were very elegant and made a regal and gracious Royal couple as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince.

 

I’ve had different Drosselmeyers in the last few Nutcrackers we attended- all brilliant in their own way, but very nice to have Gary Avis again in the role that is now so closely identified with him. Having seen his energetic and expressive interpretation for many seasons, I notice that his interpretation is a little different this time- more subtlety, more eloquence in each gesture, more powerful in each movement, yet still compelling (and of course, generous with the glitter magic!). Lovely to see an interpretation develop and evolve even if it was already very good. 

 

Other highlights: Bennet Gartside and Tara Brigitte Bhavnani as loving, kind but firm Stahlbaum parents, Gina Storm Jensen as a young, slightly bossy and strict dancing mistress, Mica Bradbury, Leo Dixon, Leticia Dias and Joonhyuk Joon impressive as Columbine, Harlequin, Vivandiere and Soldier, Calvin Richardson, Nicol Edmonds, Leo Dixon and David Donnelly were excellent Rose Fairy Escorts, Ashley Dean, Leticia Dias, Amelia Townsend and Ginevra Zambon a precise but graceful quartet of Mirlitons, and Taisuke Nakao and Daichi Ikarashi’s soaring leaps in the Chinese Dance-so nice to see this dance with the correct hairstyle and costuming at last. Lots of visible doubling up at this performance (eg Storm Jensen as both Arabian and Dancing Mistress, Ikarashi as both Drosselmeyer Assistant and Chinese, Dias as both Vivandiere and Mirliton, etc). And of course the children were delightful in their roles, dancing and acting with 100% commitment.

 

I didn’t mind the slightly smaller complement of snowflakes (16 this year-seems like the Royal Ballet School students are not in the snowflakes corps this year as they normally are pre Covid). The other pre Covid bits not yet restored are the four child pages for the Kingdom of Sweets, and the trapdoor work for the Mouse King’s entry and the blue sky/background scenery for the transformation pas de deux, which I take it is due to building/structural issues rather than Covid or artistic ones. 

 

Tchaikovsky’s music, Peter Wright’s choreography and stage direction (meticulously perfected over 38 years), and the love and commitment of the dancers and crew for this ballet, never fail to weave their magic. Bliss!  

 

 

 

 

 

Just noticed (belatedly!) my typing errors:

Taisuke Nakao and Joonhyuk Jun’s soaring leaps

Joonhyuk Jun as both Soldier and Chinese dance

(The perils of being distracted by talking to family members while typing a review!!)

33 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Checking the ROH's website nervously that there aren't any more cast changes for tonight (there aren't, at least not at the moment) & I've just spotted that Mariko Sasaki is replacing Akane Takada tomorrow evening. I hope Takada's not injured yet again; she's still down for 7th & 12th at the moment so maybe she's just got some seasonal bug. It must be nice for Sasaki to get a second go.

Hope Akane is recovered soon, or whatever is keeping her offstage tomorrow is resolved in time for her to dance on 7th and 12th. 

 

[alison]

Well, I'm pleased to see Sasaki getting a second go (she was originally only scheduled to do one, wasn't she?) but sorry for Takada.  I hope it's not an injury.

[Rob S]

1910 and still no cast sheet online yet 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Rob S

[LinMM]

It was very late for the evening performance on the 23rd as well but not quite this late!!! 

[Rob S]

In the race between the cast sheet and the 10 minute bell, the bell wins 

[LinMM]

Looks like it’s a case of “spot who’s dancing” tonight then! 

[alison]

3 hours ago, Rob S said:

1910 and still no cast sheet online yet 

 

I'd seen it by the time I posted above, I think.  Maybe just not put in the right place?