Royal Ballet's The Nutcracker, Winter 2022/3

[zxDaveM]

4 hours ago, Rob S said:

1910 and still no cast sheet online yet 

 

I got to ROH just after 6pm, and there was a copy in the wee notice boards they have scattered about the place. The person that does the transfer probably on holiday....

[Dawnstar]

I read the cast sheet online at about 4.20pm via the main production page, which was actually earlier than the cast sheets for the previous Nutcrackers I've seen in this run were available. So it looks like someone uploaded it nice & early but forgot to then add the link to the main cast sheets page until several hours later!

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

[San Perregrino]

not in any way a scientific observation but, it felt to me last night that, under the baton of Jonathan Lo,  the orchestra had a lighter touch and more zing in its playing than it had before Christmas.

[Silke H]

1 minute ago, PeterS said:

not in any way a scientific observation but, it felt to me last night that, under the baton of Jonathan Lo,  the orchestra had a lighter touch and more zing in its playing than it had before Christmas.

I agree.  And I think they played a bit faster too, the show ended a few minutes earlier than the ones before Christmas

[Sim]

As there are no thoughts yet about last night, here's my two cents' worth!

 

Liam Boswell, replacing Joshua Junker, was (I think) making his debut as Hans Peter.  I have been commenting on the forum for a while about how impressed I am with this young man, and last night confirmed those impressions.  For a debut, and a junior dancer, his partnering was excellent:  calm, secure and attentive.  It goes without saying that his dancing was marvellous.  Beautifully placed turns, soaring leaps and clarity of mime.  He has an excellent future ahead of him.  Sophie Allnat was a lovely Clara.

 

Also debuting were Calvin Richardson and Leticia Dias as Sugar Plum and her Prince.  It was a rather tentative pas de deux.  There was nothing wrong with it (except I thought that she tired towards the end and couldn't raise her legs much and just about managed to complete the steps).  It is natural that they were nervous and therefore careful.  Also, we could hear 'sticky noises' from the floor of the stage, so perhaps there was a bit of film left from the dry ice.  I think that there is a lot of potential here, from them as individuals and as a partnership.  With more experience they will excel, I am sure.  Calvin needs more partnering experience, and I am sure it will come.  I did enjoy watching them, to see what the future holds.  Leticia has long stood out for me, and she could go 'all the way.' I had some of her extended family standing next to me, and they were all in floods of tears by the end of the pdd, and who can blame them? She radiates happiness and class and that made us all feel great.

 

The orchestra under Jonathan Lo sounded buoyant and joyful, and he accommodated the different speeds and requirements of the dancers beautifully.  It's great to have him back at the ROH.

[capybara]

I think that Leticia and Calvin had a Schools or Family/NHS matinee, as well as the Insight evening, but a ‘public performance’ brings its own pressures, so 👏👏👏
 

I wasn’t there last night but Sim’s comment, together with some clips of other RB dancers in pas de deux, makes me wonder whether the men, in particular, are given partnering-specific coaching.

 

 

 

[zxDaveM]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

Leticia has long stood out for me, and she could go 'all the way.'

She radiates happiness and class and that made us all feel great.

 

The orchestra under Jonathan Lo sounded buoyant and joyful, and he accommodated the different speeds and requirements of the dancers beautifully.  It's great to have him back at the ROH.

 

Agree with these comments. Perhaps the orchestra was full of mince pie jolliness 😉

I thought both Leticia's and Calvin's solos were wonderful - the opening pdd looked a bit nervy though, perhaps understandably.

[Rob S]

Couldn’t identify the snowflake that skilfully removed the abandoned sword without missing a step, but very well done ❄️ 🗡➡️👏

[Dawnstar]

3 hours ago, Sim said:

Liam Boswell, replacing Joshua Junker, was (I think) making his debut as Hans Peter. 

 

He did the schools matinee on 14th December so last night was his public debut but not his actual first performance. I can still hardly believe that after seeing him as Clara's Partner on 7th & commenting I hoped he'd get to dance Hans-Peter in the future that 3 weeks later I got to see him in the role. Future casting hopes do not usually come true that fast! I thought he was excellent in the role, though I freely admit I may be biased. I had tears in my eyes during Clara & Hans-Peter's pdd - the same thing happened last year when I got to see debuts I thought I wouldn't get to with the covid cancellations so it seems that while I don't cry at the Nutcracker per say, in the way I do for the MacMillan big 3, I do when it's a case of seeing dancers I like make debuts!

 

I really enjoyed Sophie Allnatt's Clara. I thought she pitched it perfectly for a girl just on the cusp of starting to grow up. I don't know if she's the shortest Clara I've seen or if the RBS students in the party scene were on the tall side for those roles but she didn't stand out as being much taller than them, which I thought made the scene work better than it can do when Clara sticks out as being significantly taller than the other girls.

 

Last night was the first time I'd seen a Drosselmeyer other than Gary Avis in the RB production, having seen him for 4 live performances & 2 cinecasts. It was interesting seeing a different interpretation & I thought Bennet Gartside was fine but somehow he didn't seem to have quite the joie de vivre that Avis has in the role.

 

It was interesting seeing a Sugar Plum Fairy & Prince in only their second performance after previously this season seeing the experienced Naghdi/Ball & Nunez/Muntagirov glide through making it look effortless, whereas for Leticia Dias & Calvin Richardson at times the effort did show. The final supported pirouette in particular looked like it went a bit wrong. However I thought they made a decent job of it overall. She was very good at keeping on smiling throughout, while he did look tense at times. Admittedly I guess she's a more naturally smiley dancer than he is in general. It's a pity that they haven't got the opportunity to have a few more performances to fine tune it but, unless either of them have to do a last minute sub, that will be it for them until next year. I thought both their solos were good. It's interesting how dancers new to roles seem to fare better in solos than pdds. Does anyone know if this is because it's easier to perfect something when a dancer only has themself to consider, or because a dancer can rehearse a solo more, or....?  Incidentally I could have cheerfully murdered the woman next to me who, having already checked her phone a few times during Act II, decided to type a message during Richardson's solo!

[zxDaveM]

Time:

Linear time which we all experience, as life goes on

Space-time, which explains the universe

Nutcracker time - where all the guests arrive at 8pm, tree gets fairy for the top and gets all lit up, presents given out, sweets thrown at children, children dance, teacher dances, everyone dances, conjuring tricks, lifesize dancing mechanical dolls, Nutcracker doll revealed, girls dance with dollies, boys make much noise with gifted trumpets and drums (for which guests are eternally grateful...) - and it's all still 8pm! Then grandad gets up to dance and by the time he's finished, it's 10pm and the guests all go home, which takes another 2 hours, then everyone goes to bed at midnight. At midnight, we get Clara getting back up to see her Nutcracker, a mouse revolution put down by the Nutcracker's crack troops and Clara's left shoe, swarms of Snowflakes dancing to a heavenly choir, a half time break, then the land of sweets, national dances, a grandest of grand pas de deuxs, everyone dances, then Clara wakes up and it's STILL midnight...

[capybara]

@Dawnstar says: 

I thought both their solos were good. It's interesting how dancers new to roles seem to fare better in solos than pdds. Does anyone know if this is because it's easier to perfect something when a dancer only has themself to consider, or because a dancer can rehearse a solo more, or....? 

 

Hence my question upthread about specific coaching for partnering................

 

 

[Sim]

I have just listened again to Will Bracewell discuss on the Open Barre podcast what it's like to dance in Nut, and the difference between the RB and BRB versions as he has danced them both.  Very funny listening to him say how he kept getting a couple of steps wrong in his solo as the SPF's cavalier in the RB Nut as he was still so used to the BRB version, which is a bit different.  

 

What a lovely guy.  Sigh.  💖

[Sim]

1 hour ago, zxDaveM said:

Time:

Linear time which we all experience, as life goes on

Space-time, which explains the universe

Nutcracker time - where all the guests arrive at 8pm, tree gets fairy for the top and gets all lit up, presents given out, sweets thrown at children, children dance, teacher dances, everyone dances, conjuring tricks, lifesize dancing mechanical dolls, Nutcracker doll revealed, girls dance with dollies, boys make much noise with gifted trumpets and drums (for which guests are eternally grateful...) - and it's all still 8pm! Then grandad gets up to dance and by the time he's finished, it's 10pm and the guests all go home, which takes another 2 hours, then everyone goes to bed at midnight. At midnight, we get Clara getting back up to see her Nutcracker, a mouse revolution put down by the Nutcracker's crack troops and Clara's left shoe, swarms of Snowflakes dancing to a heavenly choir, a half time break, then the land of sweets, national dances, a grandest of grand pas de deuxs, everyone dances, then Clara wakes up and it's STILL midnight...

Mind you...my hubby always complains that we are still somewhere two hours after we decide to leave as it takes me so long to say goodbye to everyone.  He says 'ok bye' and is out the door, whereas I chat to everyone, do the 'we must meet up soon' thing, the 'sorry we didn't get a chance to chat, how are you' thing, etc.  😅

 

Love your post, Dave!  😂

[Rob S]

Lovely to have Valentino back on stage 🙂

 

 

[Dawnstar]

Does anyone know why some of the Princes wear a garter & others don't? I keep on noticing its presence/abscence in Rob's photos.

 

Apropos the various comments throughout this thread on the reduced number of snowflakes, I found myself wondering during last night's snow scene whether it's because they were covering themselves against potentially having lots of dancers off sick after having to cancel part of last year's run? Presumably it would be easier to choreograph for 16 & have plenty of spare dancers to cover if required than to choreograph for 24 & have to frantically re-choreograph at the last minute if not enough dancers were available for a performance?

 

I was looking at the cast sheet for when I saw the RB's Nutcracker live for the first time in January 2019 & I note that the 4 Leading Flowers were due to be Calvert, Kaneko, Mendizabel & Stix-Brunell, though due to last minute substitutions they ended up being Kaneko, Stix-Brunell, Magri & Buvoli. So that was intended to be 4 First Soloists & ended up being 3 First Soloists & 1 Artist. This year the 3 quartets I have seen have, rank-wise, been 3 Soloists & a First Artist, 3 First Artists & an Artist, and 1 Soloist, 1 First Artist & 1 Artist. I haven't seen a single First Soloist doing a Leading Flower role. So is this because a) First Soloists are dancing the roles, I just haven't happened to see them, b) the 2019 performance I saw for some reason had an unusually highly-ranked group of Leading Flowers & usually they would be danced by lower-ranked dancers or c) the casting policy has changed somewhat over the last few years so what used to be considered suitable roles for First Soloists are now considered more suitable for lower-ranked dancers? I would like to state clearly that this is not intended as any sort of criticism against any of the lower-ranked dancers. Everyone I've seen this season has been absolutely fine in the roles (although I'm not sure that pairing the tallest of last night's Flowers, Nadia Mullova-Barley, with the shortest of the Cavaliers, Giacomo Rovero, was the best partnering decision!).

Edited December 29, 2022 by Dawnstar
Typo

[Mandy Kent]

A quick comment on the sheer volume of dry ice pouring over the stage and into the orchestra pit. For any musicians with asthma my heartfelt sympathies. Is there usually such a large quantity ? 

[cackles]

Kevin O'Hare came on stage tonight before the performance and confirmed that Akane has sustained an injury. Let's hope that she recovers soon.

[LinMM]

Sim your post made me laugh. 
when somebody gives me a lift home my partner cannot understand how we can spend another hour talking in the car when have just spent the whole evening together!  
I can’t explain it so just say it must be a womens thing!! 
Dave your post made me laugh as well these ballet stories just never seem to make much sense but we keep going back for more lol!!
Lovely piccie Rob S Valentino looks very handsome in it which is quite something in the Nutcracker outfit and head gear! 
I hope Akane is better soon what a shame it’s an injury hopefully not too bad a one …fingers crossed. 

[JennyTaylor]

18 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

then the land of sweets, national dances, a grandest of grand pas de deuxs, everyone dances, then Clara wakes up and it's STILL midnight...

As I'm a sad person, I actually watched for the clock last time I came to a performance It starts at 8pm, then rotates fast to 10pm, stops for a while and then rotates again swiftly on to midnight.  There it stays. I think we have to take on board that this is a magical day and night, so normal time rules don't apply.  Or perhaps they have a time turner like Hermione in Harry Potter, or the chariot that takes them to the Kingdom of the Sweets is in fact a tardis.  I prefer to think it's Drosselmeyer magic and the effect of all that glitter.  

 

Now, I'm off to find that Will Bracewell podcast

[Sim]

24 minutes ago, JennyTaylor said:

As I'm a sad person, I actually watched for the clock last time I came to a performance It starts at 8pm, then rotates fast to 10pm, stops for a while and then rotates again swiftly on to midnight.  There it stays. I think we have to take on board that this is a magical day and night, so normal time rules don't apply.  Or perhaps they have a time turner like Hermione in Harry Potter, or the chariot that takes them to the Kingdom of the Sweets is in fact a tardis.  I prefer to think it's Drosselmeyer magic and the effect of all that glitter.  

 

Now, I'm off to find that Will Bracewell podcast

Here you are, Jenny.  It’s also on Spotify and Apple. 
 

https://www.spreaker.com/user/openbarre/open-barre-s5-episode-6-14-12-2022-20-32_1

[art_enthusiast]

So how were Joseph Sissens and Mariko Sasaki as a last minute pairing? Must have been interesting for both of them it being Joseph’s first public performance and Mariko’s second. 
If I’d been around would have tried to get a last minute ticket!

[Dawnstar]

Tonight's cast list is up & the Spanish dance casting is certainly interesting!

 

[Silke H]

5 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Tonight's cast list is up & the Spanish dance casting is certainly interesting!

 

 

😄 ha ha ha, I was just about to post a comment on that too.

[Sim]

15 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Tonight's cast list is up & the Spanish dance casting is certainly interesting!

 

Well Isabel certainly has an interesting partner!!  I really would love to know who is in charge of the casting admin/info this week; clearly too much Christmas cheer has been had!! 

[Dawnstar]

I'm at ENB's Nutcracker tonight instead so I hope someone posts who actually does the RB's Spanish!

[Rob S]

Hopefully this Spanish Dance appearance will open new doors for Emergency Exit Arts. 

[Silke H]

Spanish dance casting has been updated to Joonhyuk Jun

[Guest oncnp]

31 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Hopefully this Spanish Dance appearance will open new doors for Emergency Exit Arts. 

Proof reading...never an ROH strong point

[zxDaveM]

Is Emergency Exit Arts a hip-hop dancer that the RB are letting 'have a go' at ballet?

[MJW]

13 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

Is Emergency Exit Arts a hip-hop dancer that the RB are letting 'have a go' at ballet?

 

I wouldn't joke about that - it may come to pass (!)

[art_enthusiast]

1 hour ago, MJW said:

 

I wouldn't joke about that - it may come to pass (!)

I agree that I wouldn’t want to pay for ballet and get hip hop instead - but it’s interesting to compare the different disciplines. There’s definitely unique skill on both sides; I believe there are some interesting collaborations on YouTube between ballet/hip hop dancers.

Probably not suited for the Nutcracker though!

[Rob S]

1 hour ago, art_enthusiast said:

I agree that I wouldn’t want to pay for ballet and get hip hop instead - but it’s interesting to compare the different disciplines. There’s definitely unique skill on both sides; I believe there are some interesting collaborations on YouTube between ballet/hip hop dancers.

Probably not suited for the Nutcracker though!

They’d be perfectly suited to replace the Russian dancers