Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 1 hour ago, MJW said: Its very odd how ROH price some of their restricted seats. I was looking the other day at the unsold restricted balcony seats for something or other; some had very minor restrictions such as a tiny corner of the stage being blocked by the front of the balcony screen but others had a column or the protective rail right in the middle of the view - all seats regardless of restrictions were £112. Stalls circle C76 isn't too bad, nor C71 or C42. If its a good seat, I try and sit there again in the future. I had sat in B34/B45 so often in the GT, I ought to have my name on it. So true, MJW! ROH has several seats priced at £151 and £112 for Cinderella and next month’s Sleeping Beauty that have a rail, a pillar or tier overhang blocking your view that I would pay only half those prices if seated in them for ballet. At ROH it’s very much the case that the price doesn’t actually indicate how good or bad the seat is- you have to check the view from the seat in the booking website photos or use your experience after sitting there. In the past I have written down the seat numbers of good seats to remind myself, “buy these numbers again”! I used to know several good bargains in Front Amphi in the past too, but now all of them are £100 or above, making them no longer a bargain! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 I wish I could recall where but I came online across a theatre recently where apparently some seats have no view of the stage! Presumably music venue and hopefully those are the cheap seats. (And I'm old enough to recall when the 'Gods' in certain places were simply wide wooden steps and if you forgot your cushion woe upon woe.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 5 minutes ago, Ondine said: I wish I could recall where but I came online across a theatre recently where apparently some seats have no view of the stage! Presumably music venue and hopefully those are the cheap seats. You'll sometimes see these marked in German and Austrian houses as Hörerplätze (listening seats). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) On 29/04/2023 at 01:24, alison said: Talking of the Stepsisters, a recent conversation with a former dancer has me wondering what their costumes were like, say in the David Walker version or prior to that. Are there any good colour photos, or even design drawings, around, or do I need to watch the film (is it B&W?)? ------- Secondly, over the course of this run I've recalled various things said at Insight events and the like about other Ashton ballets, comedy, and playing a female character (my summing-up throughout), and have applied them to this production: - In relation to The Dream: the humour (or possibly everything?) is in the choreography - it doesn't need anything else added on top (this was last century, my first viewing, where even then, with my very limited knowledge, I thought that Ashton wouldn't have approved of the over-egging of the four lovers that was going on) - With regard to playing Widow Simone (this may have been some years ago when Thomas Whitehead was being coached in the role, but I'm not sure): don't play a woman (or possibly a mother?), just be one. It has struck me on both occasions that James Hay, in particular, does this really well. (The other things I was going to add escape me at the moment, but I'll add them later if I remember them) Hi Alison, I found an official National Ballet of Japan trailer of their production which has the Ashton choreography and David Walker sets and costume designs which I personally think (a number of fans who have seen the last four productions seem to agree) are the loveliest, most flattering for the men and women, the most magical, and best at conveying the beauty and invention of Ashton’s choreography. (I haven’t seen the original Macles designs on tv or video, so I haven’t included them in my vote.) RB had these designs from 1987 to 2002 and it’s the one I’ve seen Durante, Almeida, Bussell, Guillem and Yoshida in, although Yoshida and Bussell also danced in the 2003 production (as did Leanne Benjamin, although I missed seeing her). I can’t post that many photos, and besides, the video shows how Walker’s costumes move so beautifully to flatter the dancers and choreography so hence the YouTube link. The DVD of Sibley and Dowell has the older designs by Henry Bardon (sets) and Walker (costumes) which are not bad and the recording is in colour, but it is very dark and in what looks like mono ?- not even stereo, cf to the HD quality of the NBJ clip. Oh the video has automatically embedded itself- I can’t get it to change back to a link. I promise this is the official company material from National Ballet of Japan and New National Theatre Tokyo though, even if the credits are in Japanese! Edited April 30, 2023 by Emeralds 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) Listening seats. Not so good for ballet though! 😐 Edited April 30, 2023 by Ondine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 2 minutes ago, Emeralds said: Hi Alison, I found an official National Ballet of Japan trailer of their production which has the Ashton choreography and David Walker sets and costume designs which I personally think (a number of fans who have seen the last four productions seem to agree) are the loveliest, most flattering for the men and women, the most magical, and best at conveying the beauty and invention of Ashton’s choreography. (I haven’t seen the original Macles designs on tv or video, so I haven’t included that in my vote.) I can’t post that many photos, and besides, the video shows how Walker’s costumes move so beautifully to flatter the dancers and choreography so hence the YouTube link. The DVD of Sibley and Dowell has the older designs by Henry Bardon (sets) and Walker (costumes) which are not bad and the recording is in colour, but it is very dark and in what looks like mono ?- not even stereo, cf to the HD quality of the NBJ clip. Oh the video has automatically embedded itself- I can’t get it to change back to a link. I promise this is the official company material from National Ballet of Japan and New National Theatre Tokyo though, even if the credits are in Japanese! I think the one in the Sibley / Dowell DVD (which is online but I'm not going to link... though if anyone wants to see for 'educational purposes' I can point you in the direction) is the one I like best. That one has Ashton & Helpmann as the stepsisters too, Grant as Jester, Georgina Parkinson as FG, Wayne Sleep aged about five, magnificent fairies. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 29 minutes ago, Emeralds said: At ROH it’s very much the case that the price doesn’t actually indicate how good or bad the seat is- you have to check the view from the seat in the booking website photos or use your experience after sitting there. In the past I have written down the seat numbers of good seats to remind myself, “buy these numbers again”! I've started making a mental list, which I probably need to getting round to writing down, of which side of the auditorium is best for the restricted view side stalls circle seats for different productions, as it doesn't look like I'm ever again going to be able to afford to sit in unrestricted view seats. So far for this season's productions I'd go for left for Mayerling and Cinderella, right for Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker is about even. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 6 minutes ago, Ondine said: I think the one in the Sibley / Dowell DVD (which is online but I'm not going to link... though if anyone wants to see for 'educational purposes' I can point you in the direction) is the one I like best. That one has Ashton & Helpmann as the stepsisters too, Grant as Jester, Georgina Parkinson as FG, Wayne Sleep aged about five, magnificent fairies. That performance has fab dancing, Ondine! 👍 I bought the DVD as a small way to support RB, but good to know one can find it online if not at home.👍 I think the bit which I found less ideal in this version (from 1965) was that they decided that while Cinderella’s ragged dress was changing into a tutu for the ball, they would get the Seasons fairies changed as well (which seems to take away one's attention from Cinderella’s transformation) so there is this rather awkward contrast where the earlier three fairies get fairy tale Empire line dresses to dance in, but Deanne Bergsma has to dance the Winter solo in a tutu (which doesn’t really fit the choreography) so that she has “gotten changed and all ready” for the coda, when her fellow Fairies come in, all changed into tutus! By 1987 (Sir Fred was still around to supervise it) the fairies were all allowed to stay in their fairy dresses throughout Act 1 which looks more elegant (nobody honestly cares that they arrive in the ball in tutus, one just assumes they can morph their dresses into tutus in seconds, as they have Fairy powers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I've started making a mental list, which I probably need to getting round to writing down, of which side of the auditorium is best for the restricted view side stalls circle seats for different productions, as it doesn't look like I'm ever again going to be able to afford to sit in unrestricted view seats. So far for this season's productions I'd go for left for Mayerling and Cinderella, right for Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker is about even. Good thinking, Dawnstar! I also pick left for Cinderella (to see the fireplace scenes), right for Giselle (to see her cottage and her grave), right for Nutcracker if you want to see Drosselmeyer going in and out of the clock, but perhaps left if your Sugar Plum and Prince always start their variations and coda from the audience’s right! Then again, if it’s repeat viewings, I might just go on the opposite side for a bit of a change. But we’re not aiming for the same sections/numbers though- I like to sit higher up to get a “panoramic” sort of view and use binoculars/opera glasses for close up views instead. 😊 Edited April 30, 2023 by Emeralds 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 6 minutes ago, Emeralds said: That performance has fab dancing, Ondine! 👍 I bought the DVD as a small way to support RB, but good to know one can find it online if not at home.👍 I think the bit which I found less ideal in this version (from 1965) was that they decided that while Cinderella’s ragged dress was changing into a tutu for the ball, they would get the Seasons fairies changed as well (which seems to take away one's attention from Cinderella’s transformation) so there is this rather awkward contrast where the earlier three fairies get fairy tale Empire line dresses to dance in, but Deanne Bergsma has to dance the Winter solo in a tutu (which doesn’t really fit the choreography) so that she has “gotten changed and all ready” for the coda, when her fellow Fairies come in, all changed into tutus! By 1987 (Sir Fred was still around to supervise it) the fairies were all allowed to stay in their fairy dresses throughout Act 1 which looks more elegant (nobody honestly cares that they arrive in the ball in tutus, one just assumes they can morph their dresses into tutus in seconds, as they have Fairy powers). Yes the fairy frocks / tutu issue was jarring I agree. But oh the dancing! Sibley FLOATING in her bourres! (Can't add the accent.) Ashton & Helpmann. wonderful, not being 'drag queens', not detracting from Cinders, and the rest. And Dowell, every inch a prince. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Ondine said: Yes the fairy frocks / tutu issue was jarring I agree. But oh the dancing! Sibley FLOATING in her bourres! (Can't add the accent.) Ashton & Helpmann. wonderful, not being 'drag queens', not detracting from Cinders, and the rest. And Dowell, every inch a prince. Totally agree re: Helpmann and Ashton- funny but not hammy or overdone. I feel like the drag queen interpretation this season has come about because of the designs- I don’t know if the idea was initiated by Alexandra Byrne, Wendy Ellis or Kevin O’Hare. The costumes very much say “you have to play a drag queen, I’m making you look like one”. I much preferred the more understated interpretation of Gartside and Hay in not making it too “drag queen”, as that can look like they are entertaining Cinderella rather than mistreating her! Sibley performs the Ashton choreography so beautifully without fuss- lovely bourrees, I agree. Dowell the elegant prince in his solos and partnering. The Season Fairies performing with proper epaulement! Edited April 30, 2023 by Emeralds 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 My LIKES have gone again but I agree with every word! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 51 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: You'll sometimes see these marked in German and Austrian houses as Hörerplätze (listening seats). I vaguely remember that when I first started going to Covent Garden (late 1950s) the two upper slips nearest to the stage had a little stand in front of them with a small light so that though people couldn't see the stage they could follow a score. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 2 minutes ago, Emeralds said: Totally agree re: Helpmann and Ashton- funny but not hammy or overdone. Sorry @Emeralds but I found them entirely the opposite on the DVD! Loved Sibley and Dowell though. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 4 minutes ago, Jane S said: I vaguely remember that when I first started going to Covent Garden (late 1950s) the two upper slips nearest to the stage had a little stand in front of them with a small light so that though people couldn't see the stage they could follow a score. I think they have those in Vienna still, but don't know for sure. They do say the Germans (and presumably Austrians) take their pleasures seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 59 minutes ago, Emeralds said: Good thinking, Dawnstar! I also pick left for Cinderella (to see the fireplace scenes), right for Giselle (to see her cottage and her grave), right for Nutcracker if you want to see Drosselmeyer going in and out of the clock, but perhaps left if your Sugar Plum and Prince always start their variations and coda from the audience’s right! Then again, if it’s repeat viewings, I might just go on the opposite side for a bit of a change. But we’re not aiming for the same sections/numbers though- I like to sit higher up to get a “panoramic” sort of view and use binoculars/opera glasses for close up views instead. 😊 I agree with right for Giselle. Left for Swan Lake (though 2 important moments aren't visible from either side). Not sure about R&J as I hate having to miss anything in that. I've never got to grips with using binoculars so always want to sit close enough to see the acting with the naked eye (and my eyes are very short sighted). I'm not interested in seeing an overview of the corps & the patterns they make. If I could afford it I'd always sit in the front row of the stalls. Sadly with the price rises I'm not sure I'll ever again be able to afford to sit there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 44 minutes ago, Richard LH said: Sorry @Emeralds but I found them entirely the opposite on the DVD! Loved Sibley and Dowell though. No problem, Richard! It’s very much personal preference. Glad you liked Sibley and Dowell- and that you bought the DVD! I’m sad that both the 1987 and 2003 productions never got filmed for release on DVD as well. Why oh why.....so many brilliant dancers from the two and a half decades with performances that are now lost to us. Watching the Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet and NBJ performing the production with HD quality videos posted online makes one sad that RB never recorded theirs in similar fashion. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 1 hour ago, Dawnstar said: I agree with right for Giselle. Left for Swan Lake (though 2 important moments aren't visible from either side). Not sure about R&J as I hate having to miss anything in that. I've never got to grips with using binoculars so always want to sit close enough to see the acting with the naked eye (and my eyes are very short sighted). I'm not interested in seeing an overview of the corps & the patterns they make. If I could afford it I'd always sit in the front row of the stalls. Sadly with the price rises I'm not sure I'll ever again be able to afford to sit there. When I first started watching dance, I too would pick the front few rows of the Stalls if I could afford the prices. Before the renovation of the ROH in 1997-1999, the orchestra pit didn’t have that metal “grate” over it, so unlike nowadays, the first 5 rows had perfect close up views unlike now, where half their feet are obscured by that grate. It’s obviously safer for the musicians if any items should roll off or get thrown off the stage and into the pit, but it’s unfortunate that they couldn’t install it without obscuring the view. Eventually, after about 6 years, especially with some productions (eg visiting dance companies) costing more, and getting slightly bored of having the same view, I started to try other parts of the house, from Stalls Circle, Stalls Circle standing to balcony standing, grand tier, lower slips, various parts of the Amphi, balcony etc. I like the fact that the higher tiers also have slightly better sound. I did end up back in Stalls Circle for Federico Bonelli’s farewell Swan Lake though, as it was the only seat left to buy! Slightly restricted view despite the price, but admittedly I was there to see our Siegfried and Odette/Odile, not really the rest of the production.....although the soloists and corps de ballet were brilliant that evening. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 On 29/04/2023 at 13:18, LinMM said: I’m sure you will feel bereft Nogoat as you often do at the end of any Ashton run …like Fille, Pigeons, or Month etc as you don’t know when they will be back again. And I felt the same about this Cinderella last week 😥 I’d give it 18 months or so… 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted May 1, 2023 Author Share Posted May 1, 2023 Lovely photo of Laura backstage after one of her Cinders performances. I have Andrej's permission to post it here: 28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 What a lovely photo. I see she has her tutu undone, but still has her pointe shoes on. I would have thought those would be the first things to discard! Although it wouldn't make for such a nice picture, of course. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Fonty said: What a lovely photo. I see she has her tutu undone, but still has her pointe shoes on. I would have thought those would be the first things to discard! Although it wouldn't make for such a nice picture, of course. Earlier in the run there was a photo of Nunez coming off stage with her tutu undone so those hooks (at least the top ones) may be the first to go Edited May 1, 2023 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 22 hours ago, jmhopton said: Mods, please remove the link if it is not applicable. That's the most nausea-inducing article I've read in some time...and who is Princess Kate? 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 8 minutes ago, Sophoife said: That's the most nausea-inducing article I've read in some time...and who is Princess Kate? Well it is in Hello Magazine! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 I've just checked out the Hello article, as Kate and children certainly didn't take to the stage during the evening performance curtain calls. It refers to a video shared by a royal fan account and states that: "The clip suggests that Princess Charlotte was also joined by several friends at the poignant occasion, as all of them took to the stage beside the Princess of Wales." Can anyone suggest what was poignant about the occasion? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 "poignant occasion 3 hours ago, Fonty said: What a lovely photo. I see she has her tutu undone, but still has her pointe shoes on. I would have thought those would be the first things to discard! Although it wouldn't make for such a nice picture, of course. All the lumps and bumps of what's lurking inside the pointe shoe box are possibly best hidden? I suspect unhooking yer corset is a great relief though (and cooling.) 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 4 hours ago, bangorballetboy said: I’d give it 18 months or so… Cinders? Yep a Christmas 2024 return I suspect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: I've just checked out the Hello article, as Kate and children certainly didn't take to the stage during the evening performance curtain calls. It refers to a video shared by a royal fan account and states that: "The clip suggests that Princess Charlotte was also joined by several friends at the poignant occasion, as all of them took to the stage beside the Princess of Wales." Can anyone suggest what was poignant about the occasion? Was it not a birthday treat? It could be the first time any royal has been to the ROH since the death of Queen Elizabeth, and so Hello! is milking the pathos even more than the Ashton stepsister? "According to audience members at the Royal Opera House on Saturday evening, the Princess of Wales took her daughter for an early birthday treat to watch The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada's performance of Cinderella." Who knew, huh? Edited May 1, 2023 by Ondine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 37 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: I've just checked out the Hello article, as Kate and children certainly didn't take to the stage during the evening performance curtain calls. No they met the Matinee cast, as discussed above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 32 minutes ago, Ondine said: ... an early birthday treat to watch The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada's performance of Cinderella." Who knew, huh? There was quite a lot in that short article that none of us knew! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 Yep. I had a good view of the Royal Box for the evening performance, and even I would have noticed if any Waleses(?) had been present. And Sophoife, I agree with you - thankfully I was eating a gingerbread biscuit while I read it, which may have reduced the nausea somewhat. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 1 minute ago, Scheherezade said: There was quite a lot in that short article that none of us knew! They really are milking that visit! And still claiming it was Saturday evening. 😏 https://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/royal-style/491488/kate-middleton-ghost-blouse-ballet/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 We can only hope that the children enjoyed their evening treat to see the National Ballet of Canada performing with the RB. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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