Royal Ballet 2023/24 Season - predictions/wishes

[AnticaFiamma]

On 08/04/2023 at 22:53, oncnp said:

 

The database says April 2017 so you were very close

 

Welcome to Royal Opera House Collections (rohcollections.org.uk)

The Australian Ballet is doing Jewels at ROH in early August too

[Benjamin]

10 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

Not sure if it’s a typo or not, but her name is actually Yolanda Sonnabend.

 

I also wonder how much of their programming choices is influenced by certain conditions laid down by their ACE funding? Worshiping at the altar of all things new, at the expense of honouring heritage, seems to be the way things go these days.  

Omg sorry I always spell it wrong. 

[Fonty]

56 minutes ago, alison said:

 

It's worth repeating that the fakirs aren't "blacked up" - they are wearing (smeared with?) grey makeup which is supposed to represent marks made by the ashes (soot, if they're jumping over it?) of the sacred fire.

 

And if people don't understand that, it should be explained in the programme.

On that topic, I remember reading this when the complaints first started.  Apparently they did perform in the full costume this year as well.  

https://www.ladbible.com/community/news-controversial-morris-dancers-refuse-to-stop-blacking-up-their-faces-20211006

[Sim]

8 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

And if people don't understand that, it should be explained in the programme.

On that topic, I remember reading this when the complaints first started.  Apparently they did perform in the full costume this year as well.  

https://www.ladbible.com/community/news-controversial-morris-dancers-refuse-to-stop-blacking-up-their-faces-20211006

Sadly, these days some people prefer to immediately 'take offence' and accuse people of this, that and the other before even knowing the facts, history or traditions of what is happening.  

[San Perregrino]

22 hours ago, Ginny said:

Well, ROH just posted the chicken dance from La Fille on their IG page as a “Happy Easter” blast, so maybe there’s hope for La Fille!  😊🤞🏻

BRB posted similarly. Perhaps deux filles will be magicked forth in 23/24? I’ve seen it danced by both companies in the past. I remember it as a charming ballet but am surprised at the depth and strength of support it engenders on the forum. May I ask what makes it so special for so many people? 

[Sim]

30 minutes ago, PeterS said:

 May I ask what makes it so special for so many people? 

 

A lovely, bucolic setting.

It is a feelgood piece, that makes me laugh, feel positive about life, and very happy.  I am lost to another time and place when I watch it.  

It has wonderful choreography, very challenging and a joy to watch.

The costumes are pretty, and not overbearing.  

I love the music. 

I love the Widow Simone, and her clog dance. 

I love that it works out for everyone in the end (with the exception, perhaps, of Alain's dad!).

And last but not least, Naughty Peregrine (or whichever little horse is available for the run)!

 

[alison]

Because it's a masterpiece.

[Mary]

The way steps are fitted to music, action, and character, and the way they create character,  is superbly done not just in one or two moments but all the way through - and that is what lifts me up on a wave of joy and keeps me there until the end.

[Ginny]

I love all the ribbon choreography in La Fille. I think the various PDDs have lovely choreography with some beautiful lifts. The corps gets a lot of great ensemble bits. The scene with the Dutch door is enchanting. The love story seems real (maybe because Lise & Colas (sp?) are supposed to already be in love and they are being prevented from being together, whereas in some other classical ballets - the hero falls in love with heroine at first sight!  Which is unrealistic, we all know.).  
 

And I think it is a great ballet to introduce children to the ballet.  

Edited April 10, 2023 by Ginny

[Sim]

Welcome to the forum, @Ginny !

[Balletfanp]

Everything that everyone else has said above, but with Ashton ballets that appear light hearted there is often a surprise moving climax - and in Fille, after all the comedy, there comes the wedding pas de deux, with its gorgeous music and beautiful tenderness, that gives me a big lump in my throat every time.

[SheilaC]

But after that false ending Alain breaks into the room to rescue the love of his life, his red umbrella. An ending that proves conclusively, to me at least, how important Alain (and the dancer who created the role, Alexander Grant) was to Ashton; and that the caricature of a comic idiot that people rightly object to, is a gross misreading of Ashton’s ballet.

[Geoff]

Fille is special like (to pick some movies) Top Hat, Singing in the Rain, Casablanca, The Big Sleep are special. Fille always works. 

[LinMM]

Well if Sim will do her fouettés in the aisle when Swan Lake is on I will act out the bit with Alain and his umbrella in the aisle for Fille!! 

[OnePigeon]

I read in the Julie Kavanagh book on Ashton that he gave Alain the last moment in each scene, as opposed to Lise, as a way of settling old scores with Nadia Nerina whom he had been insanely jealous of when she and Grant had been a couple. 
 

It’s pure, effervescent joy from start to finish and absolutely charming.

[Jamesrhblack]

33 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

Everything that everyone else has said above, but with Ashton ballets that appear light hearted there is often a surprise moving climax - and in Fille, after all the comedy, there comes the wedding pas de deux, with its gorgeous music and beautiful tenderness, that gives me a big lump in my throat every time.

I can’t remember who I am paraphrasing but the greatness of Fille lies in the fact that whilst its subject matter may seem slight, Ashton’s treatment of the material is anything but that.

[Fonty]

It is that rare thing - a ballet that is both moving and amusing.  And it has a gorgeous live pony in it.  

[Benjamin]

It’s a sunny setting with a beautiful story, enjoyable and thoroughly entertaining. 

[Dawnstar]

In my case I'm very keen to see it because I've not seen it live. From the clips I've seen & what I've read about it it looks like a lovely romantic comedy, which is my favourite genre across most artforms. I'd also like to see more Ashton in general & Fille looked until recently one of his more likely pieces to be revived by the RB.

[sybarite2015@]

Wish: a tour by the Ballet Paris National Opera Garnier as I cant ever recall them touring London in the last decade or so. Especially since I don't think the Bolshoi or Mariinsky will be coming for political reasons BNP would be a fantastic alternative.

 

 

[JNC]

7 hours ago, sybarite2015@ said:

Wish: a tour by the Ballet Paris National Opera Garnier as I cant ever recall them touring London in the last decade or so. Especially since I don't think the Bolshoi or Mariinsky will be coming for political reasons BNP would be a fantastic alternative.

 

 

maybe they could bring Fille…

 

(Slightly joking as they have great repertoire we don’t have in London so I’d rather see that as I’m presuming Fille is in the RB repertoire still.) 

 

But yes would love to see Paris Opera Ballet (POB is a much better acronym than BNP…) in London. I know they’re not far away but the cost of Eurostars and a one night stay minimum in Paris makes it prohibitive for most people I’d think. 
 

Would also like to see NYCB in London to bring some Balanchine rep. 
 

You never know, after all that talk about Cinderella last year and it was actually revived so maybe we’ll all be surprised with Fille. It’s popped up a few times - in recent social media posts and at the diamonds gala so maybe it is in the works. Don’t want to get my hopes up though…

[zxDaveM]

51 minutes ago, JNC said:

You never know, after all that talk about Cinderella last year and it was actually revived

 

except these things are planned 2,3, or even 4 years in advance in some cases. Perhaps our strong wishes here (in this thread) may come to fruition in 24-25 season...

[Benjamin]

8 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

except these things are planned 2,3, or even 4 years in advance in some cases. Perhaps our strong wishes here (in this thread) may come to fruition in 24-25 season...

Kevin O‘hare had this in the plans for a while now, Asking Tom Pye to design sets for Cinderella in 2018 (If I’ve got my facts right) and he’s probably had it in the plans for longer than that. I always wonder if Kevin O’hare is looking at this forum, at this very moment, considering La Fille Mal Gardée. It’s extremely unlikely, but still possible.

[LinMM]

I don’t think the Forum would influence Kevin O’Hare that much as devoted as it’s members are they are still only a very small proportion of the Ballet going public. I have a lot of ballet friends but hardly any of them write on or even read this Forum!! 
I will say though that nearly all of them love Fille Mal Gardee 

[Benjamin]

Just now, LinMM said:

I don’t think the Forum would influence Kevin O’Hare that much as devoted as it’s members are they are still only a very small proportion of the Ballet going public. I have a lot of ballet friends but hardly any of them write on or even read this Forum!! 
I will say though that nearly all of them love Fille Mal Gardee 

Yeah I doubt it but I can still dream that he is and for La Fille Mal Gardée. 

[bridiem]

28 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I don’t think the Forum would influence Kevin O’Hare that much as devoted as it’s members are they are still only a very small proportion of the Ballet going public.

 

But possibly amongst the most regular attendees and those with the most impassioned (and sometimes informed!) opinions and thoughts about ballet, both in Britain and more widely. So I think it would be foolhardy for company leaders to ignore this Forum.

[Guest oncnp]

5 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

But possibly amongst the most regular attendees and those with the most impassioned (and sometimes informed!) opinions and thoughts about ballet, both in Britain and more widely. So I think it would be foolhardy for company leaders to ignore this Forum.

 

I think they have amply demonstrated they have no interest in regular attendees and the only thoughts/opinions they are interested in are their own.  

 

I suspect their only concern at this point is/has to be financial, esp with the proposed ACE cuts., and they will program accordingly.  This may actually help the La Fille cause. While I would give it a miss, what better way to introduce new audiences to ballet? 

[AnticaFiamma]

To be fair two things can be true at the same time. The seasons planned here are 100% more interesting than what we will end up with, but on the other hand they would probably tank any ballet company.

[bridiem]

10 minutes ago, AnticaFiamma said:

To be fair two things can be true at the same time. The seasons planned here are 100% more interesting than what we will end up with, but on the other hand they would probably tank any ballet company.

 

I don't think that Forum members are oblivious to the financial realities of programming for companies. I would be happy to have big crowd pleasers there every year (because they please me as part of the crowd too!), but there's always scope for other works - it's just a question of which ones are chosen (and to at least some extent, how they are marketed).

[JNC]

3 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

 

except these things are planned 2,3, or even 4 years in advance in some cases. Perhaps our strong wishes here (in this thread) may come to fruition in 24-25 season...

Yes I think I rather meant sometimes when the forum appears to have (almost) lost hope, like with Cinderella, it turns out incorrect! 
 

But yes either way if Kevin OH is reading this please do bring it back at some point in the not too far away future! 

[LinMM]

My only two main wishes for next year is for a couple of Ashtons ….Fille or Pigeons…and/or a triple including The Dream , Month in Country (unlikely though), Les Patineurs, any of his one acters really ……and Onegin as the main dramatic ballet ( sorry Cranko not Macmillan as originally put 🙄) 

Im not actually that bothered about seeing Swan Lake next year ( though would miss Sims fouettés of course!) and ENB are doing Swan Lake in the round at RAH if did suddenly get desperate to see it next year. 

Id prefer Bayadere ( probably unlikely though) or Giselle though as ENB doing Giselle this year that might be too much. 
It’s a real pity the RB don’t have their own version of Le Corsair as could be an alternative to Don Q. 
I wouldn’t even mind a full length version of Raymonda for a change …. I’m sure the Royal did once have a full length version? 
My absolute dream triple though (and would love every year in some combination)  is :Dances at a Gathering,  Concerto and Month in the Country! 
I think it’s time for a new Month in the Country type ballet….a one acter so shortish and sweet and to the point…..based on some good story….there’s still plenty out there!! 
 

Edited April 12, 2023 by LinMM

[Bluebird]

31 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I wouldn’t even mind a full length version of Raymonda for a change …. I’m sure the Royal did once have a full length version? 

 

It appears, from the Performance Data Base, that Raymonda was only performed abroad.  It was performed by the Royal Ballet Touring Company.  Here's a quote from the data base:

 

"The Festival of Two Worlds at Spoleto commissioned this production for the 1964 festival. It was not subsequently taken into the company's repertoire." 

 

Here’s a link to the cast for that performance (led by Rudolf Nureyev and Doreen Wells!:

https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=15701&row=0

 

 

31 minutes ago, LinMM said:

and Onegin as the main Macmillan. 

?????????????

Edited April 12, 2023 by Bluebird

[LinMM]

Yes Bluebird …shameful 🙄…but I did correct it …hoping nobody had seen it  ……But nobody can escape the sharp eyes of this Forum not even for two minutes lol!!! 
Thanks very much for the above Raymonda info. 
Do you think there is scope for it to return or is it just too late now and with all the modern sensitivities etc.