RB Sleeping Beauty - May/June 2023

[Rob S]

It mentioned Rory on the printed cast lists in the foyer too! 

[FionaM]

It was Nadia dancing tonight 

[FionaM]

My highlights tonight … Akane (Aurora), Annette Buvoli (Lilac), Harrison Lee (Florestan trio), Meaghan Grace Hingis (Florine), Itziar Mendizabal (Carabosse), Prologue fairies by Amelia Townsend and Isabella Gasparini.   Nice to see beaming smile of Chisato Katsura in corps and as The White Cat.  

[alison]

5 hours ago, capybara said:

 

Very unfortunate that, in consequence of this obvious error, a dancer is missing out on being named.

 

And I'm pretty sure that there were only 5 Prologue Cavaliers mentioned on-screen.  Bad enough that they're not identified along with their associated fairy (how long has that been happening for?), but very poor for one to be left off altogether.

 

[alison]

A random thought which passed through my mind tonight: if it's a French/Russian etc. production, is it the French/Russian etc. Prince which does the major part of the partnering in the Rose Adage, or do they use the English one, or what?  (Assuming the nationalities stay roughly the same, of course.)

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

[alison]

Those last two are really nice  

 

Bit of a mixed evening for me, I think - maybe it couldn't have been anything else after Wednesday's top-notch broadcast - but can I say how much I appreciated the way Takada was playing with the music?

[Rob S]

And they missed out/changed the same bit of near end of Act 3 choreography as Osipova/Clarke 🤔

[FionaM]

Agree with Allison … really interesting to see Akane’s different emphasis of the music.  

[nycitybird]

She was so stunning and ethereal in the vision scene.

 

The person behind me made me smile when he said 'the prince is a bit dense. The real hero here is the Indigo Fairy!' 😂

[annamk]

So so annoying last night that in the middle of Akane's wonderful Rose Adagio a woman opened the door to the stalls circle left side and marched noisily along in her heavy boots all the way to the back of the standing places. It was totally distracting and broke the spell. How does anyone think that is ok ? 

 

It was even worse than the person standing next to me during the live relay who spent more time on her phone than watching the stage and left in the middle of the grand pas. 

 

Not an usher in sight on either occasion. 

[Suffolkgal]

I raise on every customer survey/audience experience question that there are not enough ushers in the amphitheatre. Each show starts with applause as auditorium darkens and shadowy figures peering at phone screens and desperately looking for their seats. To the hushed tones of: this is row P!

[FionaM]

9 hours ago, alison said:

A random thought which passed through my mind tonight: if it's a French/Russian etc. production, is it the French/Russian etc. Prince which does the major part of the partnering in the Rose Adage, or do they use the English one, or what?  (Assuming the nationalities stay roughly the same, of course.)

It’s the English prince who does the major partnering. Often Gary Avis.  
 

The Russian prince costume is so unglamorous and out of place to the others. Looks more like a very rural Russian peasant in his Sunday best.  Always annoys me.  

[FionaM]

So pleased to see Harrison Lee finally in  a pure classical role. His dancing is so beautiful and pure.  And obviously enjoying it too.  

[Ondine]

10 minutes ago, FionaE said:

So pleased to see Harrison Lee finally in  a pure classical role. His dancing is so beautiful and pure.  And obviously enjoying it too.  

 

His feet...  he and Joe Sissons, both have feet you can't stop looking at! 🤩 (I think I have a foot fetish.)

 

 

 

 

[LinMM]

Ha ha 😂

I think anyone who has practised ballet for a while at some point in their lives could very easily develop this type of foot “fetish” lol. 

[FionaM]

Another costume criticism … those neck ruffs of the 2 Florestan sisters.  Dreadful.  They do nothing for the costume and everything to make the ballerinas look awful and short necked.   Could so easily be ditched.  

If it was me … I’d just ‘forget’ to wear them 😉 

[James]

11 hours ago, alison said:

A random thought which passed through my mind tonight: if it's a French/Russian etc. production, is it the French/Russian etc. Prince which does the major part of the partnering in the Rose Adage, or do they use the English one, or what?  (Assuming the nationalities stay roughly the same, of course.)

When I looked at my old programmes I was surprised to see that in the revival of the “Messel” production in 2006, the first prince (the one who does most of the partnering) was called the French Prince -  but by 2011 he had become the English Prince. The French Prince was then relegated to second place, and the second prince in 2006, named as the Spanish Prince, has disappeared. Curiously, according to C W Beaumont’s very detailed account of the 1946 production, the nationalities of the four princes are said to be English, Italian, Indian and Polish.
Incidentally, Beaumont’s book, which I acquired recently, contains 40 full page photographs of the 1946 production    and its cast by Edward Mandinian, intended to provide “a permanent record and souvenir of the elaborately staged revival of The Sleeping Beauty”. I wish I could share some of these photographic gems.

[Ondine]

Quite why Florestan and his sisters are in some strange balletic Tudorbethan garb is a mystery.

 

Pas de trois introduced by Diaghilev into Aurora's Wedding (1923) using the Act III music from Sleeping Beauty which originally accompanied the Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Sapphire Fairy variations.

 

I'm sure I've delved into who they are in the past but have no recollection. It's a lovely opportunity for three dancers to shine, there are only so many fairies you can take in one ballet really. 

 

Update. I've read all this in ther past and it appears I'm not alone in my puzzlement. Reality is, nobody knows?

 

 

 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12775839/1/Florestan-and-His-Two-Sisters

 

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Ondine
Addition.

[Richard LH]

10 hours ago, alison said:

can I say how much I appreciated the way Takada was playing with the music?

 

8 hours ago, FionaE said:

really interesting to see Akane’s different emphasis of the music.  

Yes I love the way Akane develops the character  of Aurora from Act to Act and interprets the music accordingly.

 

In Act 1 she is the essentially  teenage Princess , with variable feelings, rather unsure of herself at times, tending to look to her Mother or Father for guidance, and uncertain about being courted - she gives a very  dubious look to her Mother after being introduced to her suitors! At other times  she is clearly enjoying the attention she is receiving,  a young girl delighting in romance,  dance and  music, even being a bit of a show-off, holding on to some of those balances way longer than strictly necessary!  She is girlish and mischievous when not giving up the  dangerous needle but immediately vulnerable when disaster strikes,  seeking the reassurance of her parents and friends before succumbing to the inevitable in a way that tugs the heart-strings.

 

In Act 2 she is indeed ethereal but she is not simply a vision, she conveys her human distress,  imploring her Prince to come to her aid and break the spell. Her superb classical dancing with James Hay here is so delicate, finely judged and moving – a wonderful part of the Ballet, with such beautiful backing from the ladies in the Corps.

 

In Act 3 she has attained maturity (yes, 116!) and now inhabits her regal status whilst showing her devotion and love to her Prince in every glance and movement during their great PDD and at the end. In her solo she chooses to hold some  positions in freeze-frame in time to accents in the music, and crosses the stage bending particularly deeply forward, arms outstretched and turning as if to gather in and hold the music, the moment, and everyone around her – including the audience!

 

Her Cinderella and Aurora have been such a triumph, a great end to a difficult  season for Akane after her earlier injuries…let’s hope for a trouble-free 2023/24!

[Sophoife]

@Richard LH Thank you, you have most beautifully articulated my thoughts after seeing Miss Takada and Mr Hay on Thursday 11 May!

[Emeralds]

Another addition to the Akane Takada/James Hay Sleeping Beauty reviews.

 

What a fun, energetic and uplifting performance of Sleeping Beauty. SB is often danced in a formal and grand manner by companies, and of course, it does have stately and grand qualities which are great, but can sometimes look very serious, proper, and sometimes not much...fun, especially during the balances or other technical challenges in the choreography. 

 

Akane was a charming, musical and expressive  Aurora, whose elegance in the Rose Adagio and grace in the second act pas de deux and solo were delightful. Her standout moment for me was the grand pas de deux solo, where her musicality and her joy in every movement, epaulement and step were palpable. James was an expressive prince who really lived every moment and took you on his journey- from the sad/depressed prince at the start, falling deeply in love with Aurora (some princes can be more concerned with the partnering and solos, and end up making themselves a bit invisible), “conversing” with the Lilac Fairy during the boat journey, and finally the proud bridegroom on his wedding day, happy to be with his true love. He is one of the few princes who actually seems to notice the thick forest and senses its hidden dangers (Carabosse and her minions), whereas some princes can look smiley and be appear to be glancing around and saying  “ooh, nice comfy boat ride”, “ooh, nice forest”! The Act 2 Florimund solo, often a difficult one for many because of the Ashton choreography for Dowell, whose strengths were elegant lines, shifts of position and difficult balances, was so elegantly danced with such mastery and control - worth the price of the three digit ticket (my friend and I decided to treat ourselves). 

 

Annette Buvoli was an elegant, benevolent and authoritative Lilac Fairy, Meaghan Grace Hinkis and Benjamin Ella a joyful, compelling and fun pair as Florine and Bluebird. It’s been such a long wait to see Benjamin as Bluebird - better late than never! What joyful soaring jumps and solid landings (and nice to see a Bluebird relaxed and smiley)! I loved this fun pair. Also, a standout performance as Florestan from Harrison Lee- what a thrill to see such wonderful technique from a young artist in the ranks! He reminded me of young Dowell, Hallberg and Muntagirov (the first two seen on recordings). Hope he’s cast in the Swan Lake pas de trois next season.

 

Delightful dancing and acting from Nadia Mullova-Barley, Isabella Gasparini and all Aurora’s other friends (what a weird typo in the cast list-doesn’t anyone check the final result against the company roster before posting it?) and lovely to see Chisato Katsura in a featured role after her long injury hiatus. Ashley Dean was a charismatic and expressive Countess in Act 2. Leticia Stock was graceful and expressive in the Florestan pas de trois as well as her Fairy and corps roles. Marianna Tsembenhoi, Daichi Ikarashi and Marco Masciari were also delightful in the corps, with joyful dancing in the Act 1 Waltz and other acts. In fact, the corps were all on form last night, whether as courtiers, Fairy attendants or fairy tale characters, 100% committed to the story and the dancing.

 

There was truly wonderful playing of the Tchaikovsky music by RB Sinfonia under the baton of Jonathan Lo- if it was ever possible for the Sleeping Beauty score to “look” as well as sound beautiful, magical and energetic, while keeping to the spirit of Tchaikovsky’s writing, this was it. Jonathan received the loudest cheers I’ve ever heard in the red runs for a conductor as did the orchestra- well deserved. At some moments I looked down at the orchestra playing and it really felt like there was a second show going in the pit as well as on the stage. Love it.

 

Thank you to the dancers and musicians, and the crew, coaches and staff who help put the show on stage, for a fun and delightful performance, a welcome break amidst a busy and tiring few weeks at work.  One of the most enjoyable Sleeping Beauty shows I’ve ever attended. Bravi! 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

On 23/05/2023 at 13:45, Dawnstar said:

I saw this because ENB tweeted a link to the Twitter thread but as several tweets refer to the RB's SB production I hope this is on topic enough to go in this thread, as there's no current ENB SB thread. I am a bit confused by the fifth tweet referring to a Royal Opera House 2009 production, as the current production has been used since 2006. Does anyone know if the 2009 production referred to is an error of date or an error of company or what?

 

 

I wonder if they meant Makarova’s 2003 production for the Royal Ballet, but it was only in the repertoire for a short time, so not many photos of it are online. It’s definitely not the Dowell production from the 1990s, and after those two, there’s only the current one we have. It was designed by Luisa Spinatelli, and the Wolf & LRRH costumes do seem to be in her signature style. It’s also possible that they got the company wrong - the photo isn’t clear enough for me to identify the dancer dancing LRRH under hood and wig with 100% certainty! 

Edited May 27, 2023 by Emeralds

[Richard LH]

Lovely review, thank you @Emeralds.

James does bring some unique aspects to his interpretation....for example, other Florimunds seem to be dismissive of Lilac  Fairy, or in denial, when she appears and asks about his sadness, whereas James  agrees and  acknowledges his feelings. This  makes rather more sense to the narrative, as Florimund's next response is to confirm that this sadness arises from his lack of a loving partner.  

[Ondine]

What a load of old softies we all are aren't we?

 

And nothing wrong with that!

 

[Jane S]

51 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I wonder if they meant Makarova’s 2003 production for the Royal Ballet, but it was only in the repertoire for a short time, so not many photos of it are online. It’s definitely not the Dowell production from the 1990s, and after those two, there’s only the current one we have. It was designed by Luisa Spinatelli, and the Wolf & LRRH costumes do seem to be in her signature style. It’s also possible that they got the company wrong - the photo isn’t clear enough for me to identify the dancer dancing LRRH under hood and wig with 100% certainty! 

 

If I'm looking at the photo you mean, a LENS search identifies it as David Pickering and Iohna Loots, taken by John Ross for ballet.co. So presumably the Makarova Production?

[James]

1 hour ago, Jane S said:

 

If I'm looking at the photo you mean, a LENS search identifies it as David Pickering and Iohna Loots, taken by John Ross for ballet.co. So presumably the Makarova Production?

I think that when the Messel production was revived in 2006 Peter Farmer created new costumes for some of the characters, including the wolf and, notably the Lilac Fairy. After a few years the Farmer costumes were replaced with ones that more closely replicated the original Messel designs, including that of the wolf. 

[Jane S]

22 minutes ago, James said:

I think that when the Messel production was revived in 2006 Peter Farmer created new costumes for some of the characters, including the wolf and, notably the Lilac Fairy. After a few years the Farmer costumes were replaced with ones that more closely replicated the original Messel designs, including that of the wolf. 

 

That would make sense, as Loots and Pickering did the fist night of the 2006 revival.

[JNC]

2 hours ago, James said:

I think that when the Messel production was revived in 2006 Peter Farmer created new costumes for some of the characters, including the wolf and, notably the Lilac Fairy. After a few years the Farmer costumes were replaced with ones that more closely replicated the original Messel designs, including that of the wolf. 

yes I’ve noticed in the DVD with Cojocaru (can’t remember exactly but off top of my head 2006?) it’s definitely the Messel designs mostly except I noted the lilac fairy and bluebird/Florine costumes were different. I can’t remember if this particular Woolf costume appeared in the dvd now, a good excuse for a rewatch! 

[Benjamin]

6 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I wonder if they meant Makarova’s 2003 production for the Royal Ballet, but it was only in the repertoire for a short time, so not many photos of it are online. It’s definitely not the Dowell production from the 1990s, and after those two, there’s only the current one we have. It was designed by Luisa Spinatelli, and the Wolf & LRRH costumes do seem to be in her signature style. It’s also possible that they got the company wrong - the photo isn’t clear enough for me to identify the dancer dancing LRRH under hood and wig with 100% certainty! 

I would love a revival of Dowell’s production from the 1990s because it’s just so visually crazy, but stunning and not ancient.

[Emeralds]

12 hours ago, JNC said:

yes I’ve noticed in the DVD with Cojocaru (can’t remember exactly but off top of my head 2006?) it’s definitely the Messel designs mostly except I noted the lilac fairy and bluebird/Florine costumes were different. I can’t remember if this particular Woolf costume appeared in the dvd now, a good excuse for a rewatch! 

Looks like JNC and I, with a hint from @James, have solved the mystery @Dawnstar unearthed -  the costumes are definitely from the 2006 production with the first set of costumes used, which were a mixture of designs by Peter Farmer and some Oliver Messel originals- this Wolf and Red Riding costume is indeed by Peter Farmer from 2006. I’m now so used to seeing this production with the recreated original Oliver Messel designs that were brought in several years later, that it’s easy to forget it has had two sets of costumes for some of the characters. 

 

I’d bought the DVD but never had time to watch the whole thing (just the prologue, Act 1, and grand pas de deux!) A rummage among my DVDs and a five-minute job of flicking to Act 3- indeed it is the Peter Farmer design. Mystery solved!  (The DVD was issued in 2008; there is also a DVD of this production with Nunez /Muntagirov/ Calvert from 2018, with the current recreated Messel designs, to compare if one wishes to.)

 

10 hours ago, Benjamin said:

I would love a revival of Dowell’s production from the 1990s because it’s just so visually crazy, but stunning and not ancient.

I don’t know if the sets and costumes were even kept, Benjamin, so a revival might not be possible, but you could see the production on DVD, which is still available to buy. I must say that the Bjornson designs while unconventional, were not all that jarring (even though I had been used to the beautiful designs from the 1977 de Valois production when I first saw it), and unlike this year’s Cinderella redesign, still looked like a classical ballet. The cast included Viviana Durante, Zoltan Solymosi, Benazir Hussain and Anthony Dowell, as Aurora, Florimund, Lilac Fairy and Carabosse respectively. The casting was originally scheduled to be Darcey Bussell and Solymosi, who were usually partners in the classics at the time; Durante was usually partnered by Bruce Sansom in the Tchaikovsky “big three” classics. However Bussell sustained an injury so Durante replaced her at short notice, and was, as always, impeccable, beautiful and elegant in the role with a new partner. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Emeralds

[Sebastian]

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Durante replaced her at short notice, and was, as always, impeccable, beautiful and elegant in the role with a new partner. 

+1

[DVDfan]

This just shows how different tastes and preferences are.

To me, the only thing that makes the recording of the Dowell SB bearable is his performance as Carabosse and Durante's as Aurora. I find the designs both hideous and vulgar and I am full of admiration for the dancers who manage to give a  performance looking so ridiculous, especially the king and queen. Aurora's entrance in point shoes and tutu down a steep staircase, unsupported, fills me with horror for the poor ballerina, and I believe the reflective floor, which adds nothing to the ambiance, caused a number of falls. So to me this is a prime example of what a ballet set and costumes ought not to be.

I'd be interested in other opinions - I might learn something!