Letter To Tchaikovsky (with James Hay)

[MJW]

This looks really interesting - hopefully it might be filmed or shown again (its being premiered today)

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpFoeLTIHjL/

[Sim]

What’s a “queer body”?  

[capybara]

6 minutes ago, Sim said:

What’s a “queer body”?  

 and “queer focused”?

 

[MJW]

7 minutes ago, Sim said:

What’s a “queer body”?  

 

I presume its reference to dancers who are gay (or bi etc) and whether there needs to be more reference to sexuality on stage.

[Sim]

I understand that, but perhaps it would have been better to say queer people. It just sounds strange to me, as if queer bodies are different!  

[MJW]

15 minutes ago, Sim said:

I understand that, but perhaps it would have been better to say queer people. It just sounds strange to me, as if queer bodies are different!  

 

Perhaps the suggestion is that queer bodies are different in some way (not in a strict anatomical sense obviously!)

[bridiem]

To talk about making 'queer focused work for children' sounds extremely questionable to me. (As would making any explicitly sexual work aimed at children.)

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, MJW said:

 

Perhaps the suggestion is that queer bodies are different in some way (not in a strict anatomical sense obviously!)

 

But they're not. Feelings don't change your anatomy.

[Guest oncnp]

It appears to be for today's event at the ROH so parents know what's involved (or do if they read the brochure)

 

Suitable for all, but activities are designed for families with children aged three to ten.

 

Family_Sunday_Feb_23_PM.pdf (roh.org.uk)

Edited February 26, 2023 by oncnp

[OnePigeon]

32 minutes ago, bridiem said:

To talk about making 'queer focused work for children' sounds extremely questionable to me. (As would making any explicitly sexual work aimed at children.)

 

Yes, aiming the event at age 3-10 seems quite a strange target age group to me. I have very strong concerns about this current trend to push sexuality and gender focussed events onto young children - seems like a kind of grooming to me under the umbrella of inclusivity.  As a parent and educator to this age group, they are really still very sexually innocent, if they are allowed to be.  Anyhow, just my opinion, don’t wish to get flamed or cause offence.

[Guest oncnp]

7 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

 

Yes, aiming the event at age 3-10 seems quite a strange target age group to me. I have very strong concerns about this current trend to push sexuality and gender focussed events onto young children - seems like a kind of grooming to me under the umbrella of inclusivity.  As a parent and educator to this age group, they are really still very sexually innocent, if they are allowed to be.  Anyhow, just my opinion, don’t wish to get flamed or cause offence.

 

To clarify - all of the ROH 's Family Sundays are aimed at this age group - not just this one. 

[AnticaFiamma]

Ignoring the various section-28-themed comments above, the entire event is in celebration of LGBTQ+ history month, and many children in attendance have LGBTQ+ parents themselves. The whole list of activities is available online. The description of "Letter to Tchaikovsky" is this: "Everyone should be free to live openly wherever they are in the world, is the message in dance duo T&T’s new piece, Letter to Tchaikovsky. Featuring first soloist of The Royal Ballet, JAMES HAY, this performance is inspired by the life of PYOTR ILYITCH TCHAIKOVSKY and the ‘Letter Scene’ in Onegin". So yeah, it's not Magic Mike for children.

[Ianlond]

Thank you AnticaFiamma 

[Sophoife]

2 hours ago, AnticaFiamma said:

So yeah, it's not Magic Mike for children.

🤣🤣 Thank you!!

[CHazell2]

Anyway, where's the harm about learning about the different ways that you can love people. Times have changed (thank goodness) and I admire the way that people have become more accepting of gay people. 

 

Children understand much more than we think

[MJW]

From DancersDiary -

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6_o0qpNS8M

[Sim]

What a lovely piece. Hay always dances with such emotional depth.  Now I want to see him have a go at Onegin.  

[alison]

Onegin or Lensky - I'd be happy with either

[Sim]

13 minutes ago, alison said:

Onegin or Lensky - I'd be happy with either

Yes, he would be a lovely Lensky.  

[FionaM]

When I was primary school age in the 60s/70s, my father’s male boss and his male partner were often at dinner parties, BBQs at our house.  I understood they were lovers and lived together.  A fact, and accepted as such.  No problem. 

[LinMM]

Thankyou for the James Hay piece MJW just love his expressive dancing. 

[Sim]

I also thought that the narration is very sensitively done, explaining how much unhappiness can ensue if you aren't allowed to be who you really are, and that everyone should be free to love who they want.  It's never too soon to learn this.      

[Emeralds]

Always wonderful to see James Hay’s expressive and elegant dancing whatever the piece. I agree with everyone.... James for Lensky next! And later, Onegin! And also the roles of Colas and Lescaut. I mean, he’s an excellent Beggar Chief, but it’s time he was moved up from pickpocketing watches in between jumps to bigger things. That difficult Act 1 solo for Lescaut- he would be great in it!

 

There’s another solo or role that I think he would be great in - I can’t see it ever being done by RB other than as a gala item as it belongs in the Paris Opera Ballet repertoire - Nureyev’s Manfred, set to Tchaikovsky’s Manfred symphony. You can see it on YouTube: a clip of Mathias Heymann dancing it at the Nureyev and Friends gala 10 years ago. 

 

This clip is making me very nostalgic/wistful for The Two Pigeons, which James was brilliant in. I didn’t see his first run with Akane Takada, but I caught the performance he gave with Yasmine Naghdi- when his Young Man returned to the Young Girl, his growing remorse during the pas de deux made me cry too! The pigeon he carried in was obviously just as emotional....it refused to stay on the chair like it was meant to and instead sat on the floor close to their dancing, and only flew up to the chair when they finished the  pas de deux! We were crying (with the beauty of the pas de deux and emotion from the story) and laughing (at the pigeon) in equal measure when it finished.  One of the best shows ever! 😀

[OnePigeon]

I so admire all of the dancers who manage to carry the pigeon in on their arm and dance.  I’m not great with birds (I blame Hitchcock) and wonder if any of them feel slightly freaked out, as I would.  

[Sim]

2 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

I so admire all of the dancers who manage to carry the pigeon in on their arm and dance.  I’m not great with birds (I blame Hitchcock) and wonder if any of them feel slightly freaked out, as I would.  

 

[Tony Newcombe]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

Always wonderful to see James Hay’s expressive and elegant dancing whatever the piece. I agree with everyone.... James for Lensky next! And later, Onegin! And also the roles of Colas and Lescaut. I mean, he’s an excellent Beggar Chief, but it’s time he was moved up from pickpocketing watches in between jumps to bigger things. That difficult Act 1 solo for Lescaut- he would be great in it!

 

There’s another solo or role that I think he would be great in - I can’t see it ever being done by RB other than as a gala item as it belongs in the Paris Opera Ballet repertoire - Nureyev’s Manfred, set to Tchaikovsky’s Manfred symphony. You can see it on YouTube: a clip of Mathias Heymann dancing it at the Nureyev and Friends gala 10 years ago. 

 

This clip is making me very nostalgic/wistful for The Two Pigeons, which James was brilliant in. I didn’t see his first run with Akane Takada, but I caught the performance he gave with Yasmine Naghdi- when his Young Man returned to the Young Girl, his growing remorse during the pas de deux made me cry too! The pigeon he carried in was obviously just as emotional....it refused to stay on the chair like it was meant to and instead sat on the floor close to their dancing, and only flew up to the chair when they finished the  pas de deux! We were crying (with the beauty of the pas de deux and emotion from the story) and laughing (at the pigeon) in equal measure when it finished.  One of the best shows ever! 😀

He danced Lescaut at a dress rehearsal a few years ago. He was a late replacement for Zucchetti. His Manon was Hamilton. They were absolutely superb together. 

[alison]

Hasn't he already danced Lescaut?

[San Perregrino]

20 hours ago, MJW said:

From DancersDiary -

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6_o0qpNS8M

 

thank you for sharing this.  does anyone know what the music is and why it was chosen? for me, the music alone is dramatic enough and without context or sub/sur-titles the vocals detract from the piece rather than add to it.  i don't get what the vocals are meant to represent unless it is his disenchanted wife screaming at Tchaikovsky that he isn't a man to her either in reality or in his imagination.  it certainly set my teeth on edge.

[Lizbie1]

23 minutes ago, PeterS said:

 

thank you for sharing this.  does anyone know what the music is and why it was chosen? for me, the music alone is dramatic enough and without context or sub/sur-titles the vocals detract from the piece rather than add to it.  i don't get what the vocals are meant to represent unless it is his disenchanted wife screaming at Tchaikovsky that he isn't a man to her either in reality or in his imagination.  it certainly set my teeth on edge.

 

As the introduction says, it's the Letter Scene from the opera Eugene Onegin. The "vocals" are integral to the music.

 

The introduction also explains why it was chosen.

[ninamargaret]

I found the whole thing absolutely beautiful! For a start, the opera is just about my favourite, and I found James Hay's dancing marvellous to watch. I admit he is one of my favourite dancers - each movement seems to use his whole body - difficult to explain, but a simple foot movement seems to finish Archie fingertips! If anyone can tell.me what I mean I'd be grateful. And certainly 'yes' for Lensky, double 'yes' for Onegin!

! 

[CHazell2]

I love the Letter Scene - always find it very poetic and moving. It works in a gay context rather well too

[San Perregrino]

33 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

As the introduction says, it's the Letter Scene from the opera Eugene Onegin. The "vocals" are integral to the music.

 

The introduction also explains why it was chosen.

 

thank you.  perhaps if the piece was sub/sur-titled or sung by a man it would make more sense to me in this context

[Jorgeb]

The "letter scene" is one of the great monologues in the history of opera, the centerpiece of Evgeny Onegin - one of my favorite operas.

In the letter scene, Tatiana goes through all emotions, from passion and ecstasy to despair and fear of rejection.

Great choice, in my opinion, and an extraordinary display of James Hay artistry and sensibility.