Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Swan Lake - Southampton, Birmingham, Salford, Sunderland, Plymouth, Edinburgh (Feb-Apr 2023)

[Sim]

Thanks Chris. It sounds wonderful!

[FionaM]

I also drove 90 miles there, and back. And it was no hardship!

 

Polina was exquisite … she has beautiful face, arms, feet in particular.   She gave so much attention to detail to this version which is new to her.  Deliciously devious and with an aura of thoroughly enjoying herself as Odile.   Attacked everything including the fouettés at speed … no holding back.   She was s passionate traumatised Odette with divine swan arms and non-rigid upper body.  
 

Brandon also thrilled in the ballroom scene with his fabulous smile and split jetes.  
 

The people in the seats next to me wanted to know why Riku Ito wasn’t the prince.   Quite!  So graceful and accomplished in Act 1 pd3.  Soon hopefully.

 

This was my first viewing of this Sir Peter Wright production and as always his narrative is clearer than many others, beginning with the king’s funeral procession.   I loved the sets and costumes … much more vibrant and rich and impressive than ENB, though some of the ballroom cloaks are really bulky.  The stage seemed too small for the Czardas and Mazurka couples.  
 

Finally a production with real solos given to the prospective princesses.  Loved their disdain for each other.   I never heard anyone laugh at Swan Lake before tonight.
 

The Spanish and Neapolitan dances were the best choreographically.    
 

The audience applauded enthusiastically throughout but especially for the Act 4 mist which flowed thickly and at speed across the stage into the orchestra pit.  Like a dam overspilling its wall!  
 

There were gasps and more applause as the swans appeared out of the mist.  

At the stage door, when Carlos Acosta was thanked for bringing Polina here … he responded with “we need more of this, right?” (IIRC) and a wink.  🤞

[FionaM]

Amongst the supporting cast who particularly caught my eye … (though all the soloists were good) 

 

Enrique Bejarano Vidal in Act 1 set of 4 couples.  
 

Beatrice Parma as the Neapolitan princess

Edited February 18, 2023 by FionaE

[RHowarth]

8 hours ago, Sim said:

Was anyone lucky enough to be at the Semionova/Lawrence SL tonight?  

Yes, and can only echo what others have said. Semionova was exquisite. All the pliany and physique of a Russian-trained dancer but with such warmth. The longest arms, and they're boneless. She occupied the narrative from the moment she stepped onstage. Her Odette was in a kind of dreamlike state, with eyes only for her Siegfried (and what chemistry between her and Lawrence, who fit together like hand and glove) while as Odile she flashed her eyes at her audience onstage and off, reeling us all in. Due to the kindness of a friend I was lucky enough to be in the third row of the stalls with no-one in front of me and a very clear view, and I was so involved in the story that I welled up at the end of act 3 when Lawrence, as Siegfried, realised her deception.

 

Riku Ito as Benno showed that his move from Northern Ballet is paying dividends for him, and the whole company was on top form. There was a real air of excitement; as Semionva danced, the eyes of the corps followed her, and during the standing ovation that met the whole company at the end, I could see from my slighty side-on seat that the wings were packed with dancers. A wonderful evening and well worth the 170 mile (each way!) trip. Now looking forward to this afternoon's matinee. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by RHowarth
Typo

[capybara]

13 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

Swan Lake

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Birmingham Hippodrome, 15 February, 2023

*****

 

Cast

Odette/Odile Miki Mizutani

Prince Siegfried Cesar Morales

The Queen Mother Daria Stanciulescu

Baron Von Rothbart   Jonathan Payn

Benno Haoliang Feng

 

Production:        Sir Peter Wright and Galina Samsova

 

On Wednesday evening Birmingham Royal Ballet opened a 2-week run of Sir Peter Wright and Galina Samsova’s production of Swan Lake, which was first performed in November 1981.  The season is dedicated to Galina Samsova, who passed away in 2021.

 

This is a gorgeous, traditional production of Swan Lake with brilliantly gothic designs by Philip Prowse.

 

 

The prologue shows the funeral procession for Prince Siegfried’s father, which sets the tone for his melancholy.  Cesar Morales did not follow the coffin with a bowed head but was looking up at the coffin and crown.

 

Morales is a supremely elegant dancer who, in Act 1, looked as though he had the weight of the world on his shoulders as he came to terms with who he now was and the potential actions that he would be forced to take.  He also gave a presentiment of the tragedy that would unfold.  As Benno, beautifully danced and acted by Haoliang Feng, tried to cheer the Prince up with a party with his friends and courtiers and the gift of a crossbow you could see that Siegfried was mourning the loss of his father and, effectively, of his freedom of choice.  When his Mother arrived (an imperious Daria Stanciulescu) and insisted that he would have to marry his melancholy deepened and even the arrival of the courtesans failed to lift his mood.  He was persuaded to dance with the courtesans in a pas de trios that included an elegiac solo danced with great depth of feeling by Morales.  Karla Doorbar and Beatrice Parma were delightful as the courtesans who could not lift the Prince’s spirits.

 

As everyone drifted off, Siegfried saw the swans and decided to go hunting to try out his new crossbow.

Siegfried is alone when Odette appears.  Miki Mizutani first entrance showed us the depth of her sadness being trapped in the body of a swan who is allowed to be human for a few hours.  She is a natural Odette who is fragile and melting and who entrances Siegfried.  The interactions between Mizutani and Morales were heartfelt and beautiful to watch.  Jonathan Payn is an effective Rothbart who is hampered by a not-very-scary costume.  He is much more effective in Act 3 where we can see his evilness better.  As Odette is reclaimed by Rothbart, Morales’ Siegfried is left bereft.

 

 

The swans were immaculate and a joy to watch.  I particularly like the sections where they form a V-shape, reminiscent of how flocks of swans form flying skeins.

 

In Act 3 the national dances are performed by sumptuously costumed dancers and the Princesses make the most of the opportunity to show disdain to each other, each convinced they will win the hand of the Prince.  Morales has a nice contrast of mood from his bored attempts at ignoring the Princesses to his joy at thinking Odette has returned to him.  Mizutani does not quite give us the sleazy, wicked Odile yet but she dances and acts strongly and it is easy to see why Siegfried is fooled by her.  Morales’ is totally bereft when he realises he has been duped and he rushes off the find Odette.

 

 

 

Act 4 starts with the swans hidden in a sea of mist and there were gasps from the audience as they appeared.  As with Act 2 they were immaculate and Mizutani gave us a masterclass in desolation and despair.  The tragic climax when first Odette throws herself in the lake and then Siegfried defies Rothbart to join her in death was very emotional.

 

This production is wonderfully traditional and very well presented by Birmingham Royal Ballet.  Mizutani and Morales gave us a performance to savour and remember.

 

Photo credits:  Emma Kauldhar

 

Janet McNulty

Very happy to see that this ‘mastercrit’ from Jan has made it into today’s links 😄

[Odyssey]

My friend went to last night’s performance and took this lovely photo. She said it was a privilege to be there.

[San Perregrino]

8 hours ago, FionaE said:

 

Enrique Bejarano Vidal in Act 1 set of 4 couples.

Enrique danced Benno at Wednesday’s matinee and his performance was outstanding. He lit up the stage. Hard to believe that this is only his second season at BRB. A very bright future ahead of him methinks. One to watch. 

[Emeralds]

22 hours ago, Sim said:

Was anyone lucky enough to be at the Semionova/Lawrence SL tonight?  

 

It’s not a competition of course, but I travelled over 140 miles - I was surprised to find out it was that far - by train, London Underground, then train again, from the southeast (according to Google Maps it is 143 miles by car one way) to catch a) Polina, b) Peter Wright’s production (one of my favourite versions), as there was no announcement that is would cone to London this season and I’ve really missed seeing it.

 

All credit to Avanti (a huge surprise) their services from London Euston to Birmingham New Street and back were actually faster and more comfortable (and polite, informative announcements) than the much shorter London to southeast local trains. Well worth the costs of the 280 plus miles and hotel stay. 

 

So what about the show? W.O.W.  

 

Polina Semionova has danced many Swan Lake productions around the world as a guest, but this traditional, classic production really suits her. She and Brandon Lawrence made a wonderful pairing both as Odette/Siegfried and Odile/Siegfried. Her long limbed elegance and technical mastery are of course ideal for this ballet (both are also quite tall) and as both are now experienced performers of the ballet in their own right, they feel very much like equals, whereas sometimes guest stars can end up in a partnership that feels very “veteran and newbie” and rather uneven, but not so Polina and Brandon. They have great chemistry together and their meticulous preparation shows in their natural, almost instinctive reactions to each other - they look like they’ve been regular partners for years! 

 

I also love it that Polina has amazing pyrotechnics in her arsenal and hyperextensions if she wishes to use them, but they were never used here for showing off: she kept to classical lines as befits the production, and only used the pyrotechnics to tell the story. Brandon matched her equally in terms of dramatic sensitivity and pyrotechnics in service to the story. I’ve watched Brandon over the years when he was in corps and Soloist ranks, and he always stood out most as an elegant partner and sensitive dance actor. But somehow, since the pandemic, Brandon has quietly continued to grow as a dancer and technician, and we now have Brandon the Virtuoso, which is fantastic, and that was really in evidence last night- the instinctive actor in Acts 1, 2, and 4, but also the virtuoso in Act 3, matching Odile/Polina in pyrotechnics and dazzle.

 

The company was in top form too: Riku Ito as a loyal Benno with his own dazzling jumps and turns, yet expressive in his interactions with Siegfried, the Queen and the courtiers, the neat and precise cygnets of Rosanna Ely, Reina Fuchigami, Rachele Pizzillo and Sofia Liñares, the lyrical Two Swans (called Swan Maidens here) of Yijing Zhang and Lucy Waine, the three prospective Princess brides (Wright’s version reduces the number to three so that each has a classical solo as well as being represented by a national dance) of Beatrice Parma, Rosanna Ely and Yijing Zhang (Odile is represented by the Spanish dance and it is Rothbart who brings the dancers with them), Eilis Small authoritative but loving as Siegfried’s mother, and Jonathan Payn excellent as the malevolent Rothbart.

 

Wright’s production cuts out the teasing of Wolfgang the tutor (the tutor character is omitted completely) in Act 1, but with a solo for Siegfried in Act 1 (not just half a minute of interpolated jumps and turns in the Waltz) and three solos for the princesses (using music from the original pas de six  in Act 3, and Tchaikovsky’s additional music for Anna Sobeshchanskaya now well known as the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux music), it’s a worthwhile exchange. And the corps de ballet? The women were simply sublime and beautiful as the corps of swans in both Act w and Act 4, and the corps danced with elegance in the Waltz and drama in the polonaise of Act 1, and great verve in the national dances of Act 3.

 

It was also wonderful to see the magnificent designs of Philip Prowse again: opulent but not over the top, rich colours but never clashing- everything feels just right. Rothbart’s costume doesn’t look as menacing as some until Act 3-my friend thought he looked a bit goofy in Act 2 compared to other Rothbarts we’ve seen, but that was the style of the original designs. Rothbart’s power and evil are well conveyed, though, in his mime and interactions with Odette and Siegfried, rather than relying on the costume. It was also a joy to see the slightly longer tutus of Acts 1 and 3 reminiscent of the successful Petipa/Ivanov revival of the ballet that made Swan Lake the big hit it is today. They are far more regal and decorous than the too-short tutus of the princesses in the current RB version. 

 

My reaction at the end : OMG, BRB! 

 

While many of us had made the trip specially to see Polina in a rare appearance in the U.K., the entire company were on fire, every bit as spectacular as their guest star. It will go down as one of my top five Swan Lake performances that I’ve had the good fortune to witness.. If the production ended up coming to London this summer anyway, I would go again!  I went home the next day still thrilled by the artistry and virtuosity of the whole company. Thank you, Carlos and BRB! 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

*Just to say if anyone is still looking/waiting for the post-performance promotions of Lachlan Monaghan and Max Maslen after their Swan Lake performances, they have now been uploaded to the BRB website, under the news item about the promotions. Both men received gift bags which looked like bottle bags containing champagne or wine, Carlos made funny quips before each announcement. 😄Lovely moments for them both! 

[SheilaC]

I attended both performances on Saturday. I agree that Polina Semionova was excellent and I always thoroughly enjoy Brandon Lawrence's performances, lovely personality, style and jump, although I wouldn't put him in the top rank of classical dancers yet. The whole cast at the evening performance were good, better overall than at the matinee, which gave less experienced dancers a chance., although Rachele Pizzillo as a courtesan and Hungarian princess, and Yuki Sugiura as a 'swan maiden' were impressive.

 

However, I thought Yaoqian Shang was as good, in her way, as Polina  as Odette. I first saw her do the dual role in Sunderland some years back, when she was new to the role. Her second act then blew me away, she had something of the liquid Lyrical quality of the young Lynn Seymour's Odette. In Act 3 her fouettes then were an unmitigated disaster. I had booked to see her do Swan Lake a week before lockdown, in 2020, but, to my great disappointment she injured herself that morning in class (the bonus was that casting changed and Brandon did an extra show). This year she's not going to Sunderland so I booked for the matinee at Birmingham. Once again her movement was beautifully articulated, musical, expressive, eloquent, even more than in her early performance. Semionova also shaped her movement beautifully, capitalising on her height to create dramatic arabesques, not unlike Zen's (Yankovsky) who has a similar physique. However, come Act 3, Semionova was the more brilliant technically as after a successful start with the fouetees, Shang lost confidence half way through and it all unravelled.

 

Another pleasure at the matinee was to see Max Maslen as Siegfried, the first performance after the announcement of his promotion. He always comes across as sincere and believable in any role he undertakes and he is a sympathetic partner and fine dancer. I was more moved at the end of his performance than I usually am nowadays at Swan Lake, and Wright's production has a more dramatic ending than most productions. so it really does seem climactic.

[Jan McNulty]

24 minutes ago, SheilaC said:

as after a successful start with the fouetees, Shang lost confidence half way through and it all unravelled.

 

 

What a shame re Shang's fouettés - they had been superb on Thursday evening.

[RHowarth]

3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

What a shame re Shang's fouettés - they had been superb on Thursday evening.

Shang had an exit strategy- she transitioned into a flick jete and it wasn't too noticeable. The fact that she managed that suggests that she hadn't fully lost control of the fouettes.

 

Sorry I missed you, Sheila! 

[Emeralds]

I’ve always found Yaoqian to be solid as a rock technically -for example, she sailed through the Queen of the Dryads variation that holds terror for many dancers in last season’s Don Quixote without any hesitation or hints of a wobble at all. Then again, I’ve seen Natalia Osipova lose control of fouettes at the end once, and seen Sylvie Guillem fall heavily flat on the floor (not part of the choreography) after a leap in Giselle....everyone is human and has an off day, I guess.

 

Then again, when we were there on Friday night, my friend noticed someone taking photos (the screen flashed up) twice during the pas de trois (it did affect the dancers but they both made a good recovery and it was only very subtle) so maybe someone was doing that, perhaps on a different section/level to where SheilaC was sitting, and momentarily blinded Shang. Possibly the same person doing it at both shows! 

[Tango Dancer]

24 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I’ve always found Yaoqian to be solid as a rock technically -for example, she sailed through the Queen of the Dryads variation that holds terror for many dancers in last season’s Don Quixote without any hesitation or hints of a wobble at all. Then again, I’ve seen Natalia Osipova lose control of fouettes at the end once, and seen Sylvie Guillem fall heavily flat on the floor (not part of the choreography) after a leap in Giselle....everyone is human and has an off day, I guess.

 

 

Definitely.  Every dancer has less good days, days when they're dancing through a cold or a minor injury or preoccupied emotionally.  They're amazing but they're not perfect and things go wrong on occasion.  

[SheilaC]

20 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

 

Definitely.  Every dancer has less good days, days when they're dancing through a cold or a minor injury or preoccupied emotionally.  They're amazing but they're not perfect and things go wrong on occasion.  

I totally agree and I rate artistry, lyricism , musicality and style above the ability to thrash out fouettés. I once saw a performance of Swan Lake by Zen where her fouettés unravelled; but her Act 4 Odette was the best I've ever seen.

[Emeralds]

18 minutes ago, SheilaC said:

I totally agree and I rate artistry, lyricism , musicality and style above the ability to thrash out fouettés. I once saw a performance of Swan Lake by Zen where her fouettés unravelled; but her Act 4 Odette was the best I've ever seen.

I so miss seeing Zenaida Yanowsky on the Royal Opera House stage! Or any stage.

[northstar]

Thanks all for the reviews and photos from this BRB Swan Lake tour so far from Southampton and Birmingham. And the great memories from the production in ROH years ago, Emeralds.

 

I was at the Friday 10th March 2023 evening performance at the Empire theatre in Sunderland, with Miki Mizutani and Lachlan Monaghan leading. A bit of a trek for me, I usually see BRB when they are at the Lowry, Salford in early March but unaccountably completely missed their visit this time.  It was well worth the trek, because I enjoyed an evening and performance of the most superb quality and magic, which I have invariably experienced when going to see BRB. I sometimes think I've seen enough Swan Lakes now (especially this season, when ENB also did it in autumn/winter), but when the lights went down and the music of the overture started in the Sunderland Empire on Friday I was tingling, and the following performance was utterly transporting and satisfying.  

 

I am rather enamoured with Mizutani these days, especially since I saw her in Don Quixote last year, she seems to have evolved into the most stunning principal dancer that you could find amongst the great ballet companies of the world, and my main reason for choosing this performance in Sunderland. I really liked Janet's description of her as a natural Odette with the sadness/constraint of that character embodied with utter conviction/commitment. There was so much clarity and meaning to her every gesture and step; her performance was alive and distinctive. The white pdd adagios she and Monaghan performed were simply spellbinding, I feel perhaps the best I've ever seen. But also as a bright and wicked Odile (you can even see it in the photo Janet posted), her virtuosity dazzles, her very very strong technique delivers the thrill, the spectacle that is my favourite part of the ballet, again completely convincing. I found the black pdd adagio of the highest possible quality, both bravura and exquisite, the long attitude balance she held en pointe just the icing on the cake. 

 

I remember the pleasure of seeing Monaghan and Mizutani leading La Fille Mal Gardee in 2018 as rising soloists. It's an extraordinary thing to put that memory of that light lyrical performance against the grandeur and nobility of their performance on Friday, where they demonstrated mastery of the ballet Mt Everest that is Swan Lake. It seems utterly right that Monaghan is now promoted to principal, thank you for the photo PeterS.  

 

There's too much else in this masterpiece of a production, and in how it was performed on Friday, to detail.  I'll just mention the princess variations in Act III as a highlight (Rachele Pizzillo,  Sofia Liñares, Yuki Sugiura) were just brilliant. Still kicking myself that I missed the BRB Swan Lake stop in Salford this year, did any other forum members see any of these performances?

[MaddieRose]

Today Yijing Zhang is giving her final performance with the company: 

 

https://www.brb.org.uk/stories/yijing-zhangs-final-performance-with-brb

[Tony Newcombe]

24 minutes ago, MaddieRose said:

Today Yijing Zhang is giving her final performance with the company: 

 

https://www.brb.org.uk/stories/yijing-zhangs-final-performance-with-brb

Will be there

[Sim]

33 minutes ago, Tony Newcombe said:

Will be there

Gosh, I had no idea she was leaving.  I really like her dancing. She is tall and elegant with lovely lines.  I wish her every success in her future. 

[Jan McNulty]

Yijing is a supremely elegant, serene dancer who proved to be remarkably versatile.

 

She and Brandon Lawrence were absolutely outstanding together in Forgotten Land and I had hoped to see more of them as a partnership.

 

Very best wishes to her for the future.

[MaddieRose]

I think the most moving dancing I've ever seen has been Yijing Zhang and Brandon Lawrence in the End of Time Pas de deux. An unforgettable performance from both of them, I feel honoured to have been able to watch it. I will miss her dancing. 

[Odyssey]

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing this production in Plymouth. I can’t recall the last time I saw it in Birmingham, but I’m  old enough to recall its first run by the then, Sadler Wells Royal  Ballet, and I remember marvelling at the richness of the costumes, the beauty of the lakeside and the ‘logic’ of many choices regarding the narrative as told by Sir Peter Wright. I also had the pleasure of seeing the late, great Galina Samsova’s Odette/Odile who was responsible for many aspects of this production. Pleased to say that this is a production that, like Wright’s versions of the other major classics, continues to look magnificent. The dramatic mood created through the sombre colour palette shot through with red hues in Act 3 speaks of impending, doom and menacing evil. The lakeside acts  are beautifully realised with Wright’s arrangements for the corps, memorably  in Act 4, where in flowing movements in a wedge like formation they rise and fall,folding and unfolding their arms . Apart from just a couple of ragged moments, the corps were beautifully ‘drilled’ throughout and were deservedly cheered by a very enthusiastic audience.

As an ‘Earlybird’ booker, I’d been offered the chance to exchange seats for either of the performances which will to be danced by Vadim Muntagirov tonight & tomorrow. I won’t deny I wasn’t tempted,  but decided to stay loyal to my original booking and instead enjoyed a commendably nuanced performance by artist Beatrice Parma and the elegant, fleet-footed Tzu-Chao Chou. Both making their debut this season ( I think this was only their second performance). First to say,  aesthetically they are a beautifully matched pair . He is a very slight dancer, who at times in the first act and third acts, needed to find ways of commanding more presence amongst his courtiers. But he is a beautifully, light, and technically strong dancer who was wonderfully attentive in act 2 and by act 4 had thoroughly convinced me of his utter regret and misery for letting Odette down. Beatrice Parma definitely rose to the challenge. She has a lovely lyrical style and although also small in stature, she managed to create the illusion of length in the gorgeous shaped arabesques and epaulement. (Her exit at the end of Act2 all rippling arms was a match for anyone). She attacked the vicious fouettés of act3 with promise, but just in the final few she travelled and lost control of what would have otherwise been an impressive show. Her Odile needs more definition but as she gradually drew Siegfried in,  she had a nice menacing grin which convinced me she will steadily grow into this role. 
Elsewhere, I find the one slightly dissatisfying element of this production is tVon Rothbart. As has been noted previously, the costume is verging on the comic, but it is also ineffective because it seems to restrict movement and as such prevents  the projection of the character beyond a rather robotic , ‘baddie’ . The removal of the headdress at the end to reveal a ghostly white, faced man who bears little resemblance to the act 3 Rothbart is temporarily confusing, when our attention should be elsewhere. 
The Sinfonia played wonderfully and all in it was a great performance. 

 

[li tai po]

I made a rare foray to Plymouth to see BRB in Swan Lake.  I may be as long in the tooth as Odyssey, but I don't think I have ever seen the Peter Wight production before, so I don't have a wealth of experience to fall back on.

 

In Act One, Riku Ito as Benno gave Vadim Muntagirov a run for his money in terms of energy, attack and virtuosity.

 

Vadim produced all his customary fireworks in Act Three, including the pairs of double tours, which brought the house down.

 

I was bowled over, however, by Celine Gittens and Vadim Muntagirov in Act Four, dancing the beautiful Peter Wright choreography, with its statuesque and sculptural poses.  They were tragic and intense; Vadim, post-Mayerling, is plumbing new depths of misery and despair.  The Plymouth audience roared with enthusiasm at the end of the show.  After the curtain came down for the last time and we were leaving the theatre, there was a burst of applause from behind the curtain.  Richly deserved!

[Balletfanp]

I too saw the production in Plymouth and really enjoyed it. Still getting over the joy of seeing Vadim dance onstage in Plymouth! I will write a full review once I have marshalled my thoughts and impressions.

[Balletfanp]

Spoiler alert: very long review ahead so don’t start reading if you are a) short of time or b) don’t like long reviews!

 

My first time seeing BRB’s production of Swan Lake and a huge privilege to have Vadim here in Plymouth - for once, no travelling or hotels to deal with, an unaccustomed luxury for me!

 

I found a great deal to enjoy in this production. Beautiful costumes and sets and some fine choreography courtesy of Peter Wright. Great effects - surprise pyrotechnics (if you haven’t seen it before!) in Act 3 as Siegfried attempts to pursue Rothbart and Odile that made the audience jump in a very satisfactory manner! 😂 And the beginning of Act 4 is really beautiful - the curtain rises on a thick layer of mist accompanied by the lovely opening music. That in itself elicited gasps from an appreciative audience, but when the swans suddenly rise up, all unsuspected, from the mist, it’s an absolutely gorgeous effect and the audience spontaneously applauded (along with more gasps) - which broke the spell a little, but in this case was understandable.

 

The audience enjoyed the dagger looks given by the princesses in Act 3 to each other when they have to line up together!

 

I love the RB production, but for me, Act 4 always feels like a bit of an anticlimax after the splendour and fireworks of Act 3. The RB’s Siegfried always feels like a bit of a wimp in Act 4 - he isn’t given much to do apart from partner Odette and waft around looking despairing. He doesn’t seem to make any serious efforts to take on Rothbart, and I always feel vaguely that he gets what he deserves for not making more effort! And don’t start me on the ending, which I have never liked…. BRB’s Act 4 is much more satisfying - more actual dancing from Siegfried and a proper full-on struggle with Rothbart that has you rooting for Siegfried rather than thinking “Well, do something!! 😂 And it’s the tragic ending (my favourite!) with that heartbreaking music bringing a lump to the throat. And I liked the twist of Benno (arriving to help just too late) retrieving Siegfried’s body from the lake and walking forward with it as the curtain comes down. Very moving.

 

As to performances - a lot of good ones - a couple of standouts for me were the Hungarian Princess’s solo, danced by Lucy Waine (she also caught my eye during class on stage on Saturday morning). Also Riku Ito as a vibrant Benno - Act 1 is his chance to shine, and shine he did with a powerful solo and a winning personality.

 

I liked Celine Gittens very much as Odette/Odile. She was a beautiful, vulnerable, fluttering Odette in Acts 2 and 4, with lovely technique and lines. Her Odile was very good, my only criticism might be that she lacked a feel of any real malevolent intent, although she was seductive and playful. Technically very sound, with clean and confident fouettés. She was very touching in Act 4. And she and Vadim looked and felt very good with each other, given that they must have had minimal rehearsal.

 

I couldn’t quite believe Vadim was in Plymouth until I saw him appear onstage! But there he was. As Li Tai Po says, his acting and characterisation throughout has grown and deepened, and his anguish and despair in Act 4 was gripping. But likewise, his depression and melancholy in Act 1, and he just seemed to soar with joy in his Act 3 solo and coda.

 

I was glad to see that this production contained the soliloquy in Act 1, and it was a thing of joy - meltingly beautiful lines and gorgeous arabesques, danced with effortless control and yearning by Vadim. I was there with three friends (two of whom had never seen a ballet before) and they were blown away by the whole thing. One of their comments at the end of Act 1 was “Well, he’s in a league of his own, isn’t he?”

 

I liked the fact that in Act 3 the Princesses’ solos were interspersed between the national dances, which gave a bit of variety. A special mention for the Neopolitan dance team (Olivia Chang Clarke, Rachele Pizzillo, Enrique Bejarano Vidal and Gus Payne), who danced it with infectious verve and actually managed to bang the tambourines in the time with the music (that always grates when they are out of time!).

 

Vadim’s dancing in Act 3 was spectacular. Leaps that hung suspended and landed almost soundlessly (an achievement given that it seemed generally a very noisy stage), pristine pirouettes and spins, all danced effortlessly and with a carefree and infectious joy (that smile!). And he has really got those double double tours down to a fine art now, they were immaculate and hugely impressive. The audience evidently appreciated them!

 

A fantastic and well deserved reception from the audience at the end, with a standing ovation.

 

At the stage door, the dancers were piling out with their suitcases to get straight on a coach - it’s a tough life! Celine came out and had a polite and patient queue for photos and autographs. They all stayed to wait for Vadim. It was lovely to see a lot of children and teenagers there (including a boy from Elmhurst). I always like to see that at the ROH, but in this case it was particularly touching because, talking to them, Vadim was one of their idols and they had thought they would never get the chance to see him dance, let alone meet him afterwards. He was as lovely as ever, and despite the fact that he had a car waiting to take him home (about a four hour journey from the depths of Devon!), took plenty of time for selfies and autographs and spent a long time talking patiently with a group of voluble starstruck teenage girls with lots to say and lots of questions, who eventually went home very happily on cloud nine!

 

On another note, I have to say the audience was very well-behaved despite drinks being brought in. Quiet, respectful, discreet drinking and not a mobile phone being scrolled in sight! Just goes to show that it can be done if people know how to behave. The one fly in the ointment was a woman nearby who coughed incessantly throughout the White Swan pas de deux - but as she probably couldn’t help it (and I have been there myself!) I can let her off for that!

 

I very much enjoyed class on stage taken by Dominic Antonucci and it was very nice to see Carlos taking part. Rather to my surprise, Vadim was also there (I had thought he wouldn’t attend having performed the night before - Celine wasn’t there). An enjoyable and relaxing (for the audience, anyway!) event for a Saturday morning!

 

And finally - I have to say that we in Plymouth are extremely lucky to have a theatre like the Theatre Royal. It’s apparently the most successful provincial theatre in the country and I can see why. It was purpose built in the early 1980s and has had at least two major refurbishments since. It has also benefitted from a long term previous Director who has recently retired, but had the vision and ambition to make the Theatre Royal one of the foremost theatres in the country. The new Director seems very similar, and with Darcey now Chair of the Board I have high hopes for ballet and dance here in Plymouth!

 

There must be very few seats in the auditorium where there isn’t a cracking view. I’ve sat in various areas over the years and have never had a bad one. We were sitting in the back row of the stalls, and had a perfect grandstand view of the stage. The seats are raked sufficiently throughout to enable a clear view without heads in the way (more than I can say for areas of the ROH!). And it didn’t even seem too far from the stage because the orchestra pit is almost entirely under the stage, unlike the ROH where it makes for a big gap between the stage and even the front row of the stalls.

 

I’m very glad I saw this production and even more glad that Vadim made it into the depths of the west country!

[Balletfanp]

Mods - not sure why the font is so big compared with other posts, can it be corrected?

[Sim]

1 hour ago, Balletfanp said:

Mods - not sure why the font is so big compared with other posts, can it be corrected?

Yes it can! 

[Odyssey]

Balletfanp, thank you for such a lovely, detailed review. So pleased to hear that Vadim immersed himself fully in the experience of guesting with the Company, taking a public class following a performance the previous evening and his attentiveness towards his fans at the stage door, but from what I hear, it’s totally in keeping with his demeanour. How lucky we are to have him as a resident dancer in this country. 
i share your appreciation of the Theatre Royal.  I haven’t lived in the area too long, and have  discovered it is a rare artistic jewel in this area of the country. 

[Balletfanp]

Thanks @Odyssey - I didn’t know you were from my area!

 

Yes, it was an unexpected pleasure to see Vadim in the class, chatting with the dancers and I noticed one of the dancers taking a photo of him and Carlos together whilst they were taking a breather 🙂. And it’s always a delight to meet him in person, he is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, I think.

 

It will be interesting to see what Darcey brings to the table for the Theatre Royal….

[li tai po]

Thank you very much, Balletfanp, for your detailed and thoughtful review above.  I endorse every word and every detail of it.  I also waited after the second performance to have a quick word with Vadim - and he was so cheerful and so gracious with all those young dancers and fans - what a way to encourage the next generation!

 

Just completed the long trek home - but worth very minute.  Saturday and Sunday were days of warm sunshine in Plymouth and a former colleague took me on a very interesting guided tour of Plymouth Hoe and the Barbican - so I am doubly fulfilled.

 

[Balletfanp]

I must have seen you there after the show, then, @li tai po! I did see a man talking to Vadim - was that you?

 

And I’m glad you saw something of Plymouth - it’s at its best in the sunshine, not so much much in the pouring rain with a gale blowing!

[LinMM]

Great review BalletfanP

I think one of the advantages of some out of London theatres is that you mostly get a great view from wherever you sit and for a lot less money!! 

The disadvantage is often shows  don’t run for very long sometimes just two to three days so can be difficult to be free to catch them. 
I have relatives in Liskeard just over the border so must try and time a visit when there is ballet or perhaps a musical ( more my cousins’ cup of tea I think!) on at the theatre in Plymouth. 
One works at the main hospital there as does her daughter.