ROH 23/24 season announced

[Ondine]

Well, I look forward to seeing who is the lucky couple!

 

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/photos/40729020523

 

[Ondine]

46 minutes ago, FLOSS said:

The Cellist was an interesting idea which does not work in the theatre and it uses far too many talented dancers  as little more than living scenery.

 

Yes.  However I suppose it was a considerable investment so has to have another outing.

 

 

[J_New]

1 hour ago, FLOSS said:

The Cellist was an interesting idea which does not work in the theatre and it uses far too many talented dancers  as little more than living scenery

And not enough ‘real’ dancing anyway.  I just remember the seemingly never-ending lifts …..

[Sim]

6 hours ago, Ondine said:

Yes I know.

So I'm not sure what you meant by 'back just in time for DonQ' when it doesn't open for a few months yet?

[Ondine]

i meant in time for the announcement of the new season! Hopefully she will be dancing. And an excuse to post a clip of  her 🤩

 

 

[Ondine]

Actually here's another.  I like Don Q.  Good old rep war horse with singalong tunes. I'm not ashamed to to say it!  Lots of fun in a world which needs a lot more fun. 😊

 

 

 

[Candleque]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

Actually here's another.  I like Don Q.  Good old rep war horse with singalong tunes. I'm not ashamed to to say it!  Lots of fun in a world which needs a lot more fun. 😊

 

 

 

I first encountered Don Q in the movie The Turning Point where a new Kitri is rehearsing with a revered coach. Loved that scene in the film and then in the ballet. So will book just to see this IRL again 😆

Also (and here is why we REALLY need more of the cast mentioned in advance) I think Ryoichi Hirano is amazing perfect as Espada. Would book just to see him again. 

Since we can assume (mostly) who will dance Kitri, it would be fun to think about who gets to debut as Mercedes. Has Leticia Dias done this role already?

[capybara]

3 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Since we can assume (mostly) who will dance Kitri, it would be fun to think about who gets to debut as Mercedes. Has Leticia Dias done this role already?

No, Leticia was an Artist when Don Q was last on the ROH stage. But she would be a great fit.

 

By the way, has she been dancing since the night when an injury sustained in Act 1 caused her to have to withdraw from Autumn mid show.

[Lizbie1]

9 minutes ago, Candleque said:

Also (and here is why we REALLY need more of the cast mentioned in advance) I think Ryoichi Hirano is amazing perfect as Espada. Would book just to see him again. 
 

 

He really is!

[Sim]

4 minutes ago, capybara said:

No, Leticia was an Artist when Don Q was last on the ROH stage. But she would be a great fit.

 

By the way, has she been dancing since the night when an injury sustained in Act 1 caused her to have to withdraw from Autumn mid show.

I have been to a few since then and haven't seen her. 

[Dawnstar]

She hasn't been on any of the Cinderella cast lists since. I've been checking because of wondering if she was okay. Sadly that presumably means that she isn't. Hope she recovers soon.

[balletfanatic]

3 hours ago, J_New said:

And not enough ‘real’ dancing anyway.  I just remember the seemingly never-ending lifts …..

I find a lot of modern ballets have way too many lifts and not enough dancing, and the lifts are often really complicated and don't look elegant to my eyes

[Ondine]

I like steps.

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Ondine
Addition

[Dawnstar]

8 minutes ago, balletfanatic said:

I find a lot of modern ballets have way too many lifts and not enough dancing, and the lifts are often really complicated and don't look elegant to my eyes

 

Also a pretty good description of modern ice skating! (Replace lifts with jumps for the singles competitions.)

[Emeralds]

4 hours ago, Ondine said:

 

Yes.  However I suppose it was a considerable investment so has to have another outing.

 

 

I actually enjoyed The Cellist with the first cast (Cuthbertson & Ball as du Pre and Barenboim, Sambe as her cello(s) and the embodiment of music) and was looking forward to seeing the second but circumstances disappointingly stopped us from being able to, and unfortunately Beatriz Stix-Brunell has left. The portrayal of her playing the renowned Elgar Cello Concerto was actually very thrilling, having seen the actual concerto performed by different great cellists (unfortunately I missed du Pre herself as her MS struck her so young)....and Sheku Kanneh Mason himself was in the audience with his pianist sister Isata Kanneh Mason and some friends watching it. 

 

Marston’s works can be a bit Marmite for some- I enjoy some but there are a few I haven’t connected with, even though objectively you can see that they’re crafted with the same care and detail. I wonder if she will tweak some bits after having been able to see how it looks on the Main Stage with a full orchestra. I did like this one immensely, even with a few bits that felt like they needed tweaking. I did actually like the use of dancers to be “objects” like the gramophone (just like Ashton used dancers to be chairs in Cinderella) as the Cello is also a dancer, so it was right that other music items were “human”. But preferences are personal. 

 

The Cellist also benefited from being on the same bill as Dances at a Gathering which was different enough in style but still having a “serious music” theme so I’m guessing that’s why Anemoi was paired with it. I might be in the minority here, but I preferred the costumes used for Scherzo (the short initial version of Anemoi) which were less fussy and less “grey” looking- the bright colours looked cheerful and uplifting. It’s possible that they weren’t even “designed” but just sets of new practice leotards with skirts for the women and coloured tights for the men taken from a catalogue-but they worked really well! (After all, Balanchine’s Agon, Four Temperaments, Concerto Barocco etc also use practice clothes that could also be ordered from a catalogue). I’m looking forward to seeing the final ending as (due to Covid affecting the cast, I was told) I ended up seeing two different endings for the two casts of Anemoi, so it will be interesting to see what the intended result should be!

[zxDaveM]

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

Going back to Liam Scarlett … I am beyond disappointed to read this extract from a Gramilano interview (Paul Arrowsmith) with Laura Morera …

 

“Will we see Scarlett's ballets at The Royal Ballet again?

I have asked the question, and the answer is a hard ‘no.' [Morera's eyes fill with tears]. But never say never. Other companies are making different choices.”

 

 

but.... they scheduled Symphonic Dances before it became a victim of lockdown. I'd love to see that again, for sure

[Ondine]

And yet... Swan Lake? 

 

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/liam-scarlett-s-enduring-legacy-royal-ballet-s-swan-lake-reviewed/

[Benjamin]

27 minutes ago, Ondine said:

And yet... Swan Lake? 

 

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/liam-scarlett-s-enduring-legacy-royal-ballet-s-swan-lake-reviewed/

Bit confused by that, but it’s not like they aren’t going to not do the production they spent millions on, they might just try to hide the name Liam Scarlett and just call it: Swan Lake.

[Guest oncnp]

1 minute ago, Benjamin said:

Bit confused by that, but it’s not like they aren’t going to not do the production they spent millions on, they might just try to hide the name Liam Scarlett and just call it: Swan Lake.

But they don't - 

ADDITIONAL CHOREOGRAPHY

Liam Scarlett and Frederick Ashton

 

Perhaps the distinction they are drawing is that it's not solely Scalett's, therefore it can/will be performed.  And, more likely as you point out, they spent a gazillion pounds on it and can't afford a new one. 

[FionaM]

Swan Lake ‘Additional choreography’ by Liam … being most of every act, plus this entire version of the story.  
 

what’s left of Ashton - the Neapolitan?

of Petipa - The Black Swan pdd?    

of Ivanov - the White Swan solo and adagio? 

 

I look forward to hearing from others with better knowledgeable who can help here.  

[Ondine]

17 minutes ago, oncnp said:

But they don't - 

ADDITIONAL CHOREOGRAPHY

Liam Scarlett and Frederick Ashton

 

Perhaps the distinction they are drawing is that it's not solely Scalett's, therefore it can/will be performed.  And, more likely as you point out, they spent a gazillion pounds on it and can't afford a new one. 

 The gazilion pounds I reckon is the clincher. And it's another curate's egg.

[Guest oncnp]

6 minutes ago, FionaE said:

Swan Lake ‘Additional choreography’ by Liam … being most of every act, plus this entire version of the story.  
 

what’s left of Ashton - the Neapolitan?

of Petipa - The Black Swan pdd?    

of Ivanov - the White Swan solo and adagio? 

 

I look forward to hearing from others with better knowledgeable who can help here.  

I believe the entire second act is original (i.e. not Scarlett) because it was too perfect to touch. 

 

Scarlett remains faithful to them – you don’t mess with Ivanov’s Act 2 – but has provided new ensembles and character dances, along with a clever twist or two. It’s a mark of his achievement that it’s sometimes difficult to discern when Petipa/Ivanov end and Scarlett begins.

 

A keeper: Scarlett delivers a triumphant new Swan Lake for The Royal Ballet | Bachtrack

Edited April 29, 2023 by oncnp
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[bridiem]

7 hours ago, FionaE said:

Swan Lake ‘Additional choreography’ by Liam … being most of every act, plus this entire version of the story.  
 

 

It does credit the production to him, not just additional choreography.

[Benjamin]

@OndineI feel you. I assume it’s for data storing purposes.

[Ondine]

I appear to have been topped up again!

[Ondine]

On 26/04/2023 at 19:53, Ondine said:

Rake's Progress, depends on who is cast of course! 

 

I'd love to see revivals too but I think not very likely.

 

Ah the Wells books! 

 

I see I've used up my quota of LIKES for today. Hmm.

 

Apologies for quoting  myself, but I note that Sarasota Ballet has Rake's Progress in its repertoire. Ravishing costumes!

 

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2022/jan/18/sarasota-ballet-returns-to-familiar-territory-with-the-rakes-progress/

 

I've been looking at its programming and it's interesting how one act ballets are grouped and marketed.

 

" "The Rake's Progress" will be just one of three acts in the Sarasota Ballet's Love & Betrayal program"

 

Sarasota  has Checkmate too.

 

How good would it be to have a certain amount of 'exchange' of dancers and more of its rep which relates to the Royal Ballet's history / choreographers?

 

 

[Ondine]

Oh how wonderful is that old footage? Thank you @OnePigeon

[OnePigeon]

Speaking of the Rake’s Progress, here is some more wonderful old footage, though annoyingly attributed to Ashton.  I’d dearly love to see it performed one day, though I don’t like my chances.  My favourite moment of this video is spotting a very young Christopher Gable. 

 

 

[alison]

As this thread made a VERY major digression into Laura Morera's retirement, Royal Ballet style, Cecchetti and so on, I've moved a lot of posts into a perhaps more suitable thread here:

 

 

[Suffolkgal]

I remember seeing David Bintley in the title role ... must have been a SWRB tour of Rake’s Progress at Norwich. Pineapple Poll and Flower Festival at Genzano on same bill. Don’t ask me how I remember this stuff! 

[Lizbie1]

5 minutes ago, Suffolkgal said:

I remember seeing David Bintley in the title role ... must have been a SWRB tour of Rake’s Progress at Norwich. Pineapple Poll and Flower Festival at Genzano on same bill. Don’t ask me how I remember this stuff! 

 

So envious!

[SheilaC]

25 minutes ago, Suffolkgal said:

I remember seeing David Bintley in the title role ... must have been a SWRB tour of Rake’s Progress at Norwich. Pineapple Poll and Flower Festival at Genzano on same bill. Don’t ask me how I remember this stuff! 

Madam was very impressed by Bintley and chose him to perform her ballets, notably Checkmate. The Rake's Progress was one of the very first English ballets (score, choreography, design- based on Hogarth's classic pictures) so should be kept in the rep for historical reasons- also it gave Fonteyn a major early role as the Betrayed Girl.

I am not alone in thinking Bintley was at least as good a character dancer as choreographer, if not better. He was unsurpassed in Fille as the Widow and Alain. But once he stopped dancing he didn't like any reference to his career as a dancer. One of the times I interviewed him when he was director he gave me short shrift for referring to his dancing career.

[Jane S]

I never saw Bintley as the Rake, but I do remember him very clearly as the Tailor, completely absorbed in his sewing. There's a film somewhere of de Valois rehearsing Checkmate with Bintley as the Red King, and as I remember it she doesn't appear to know his name and addresses him throughout as what's written on his t-shirt - Chicago or something. He was an outstanding Petrushka, too.

 

(This Rake film was a Margaret Dale production for the BBC in 1961, with de Valois collaborating. Donald Britton is the Rake and Elizabeth Anderton is the Betrayed Girl - also it's good to see Brian Shaw as the Dancing Master - unexpected, too, as almost everyone else is from the RB touring company of that era.)

 

Laura Morera did the Betrayed Girl in the RB's last staging of it - a very good role for her!