RB Sleeping Beauty - May/June 2023

[Sim]

Yes, they were both very good…her arms were gorgeous!

[Sim]

Just now, Emeralds said:

So true, Sim! She’s the company superhero! Our Wonder Woman. 👍

 

Toi toi toi, Yasmine and Reece! (Cheering them on from many miles away) 

 

Are you going tonight, Sim? I can’t do tonight but looking forward to it later in the run. Can’t wait to read members’ reports for tonight’s performance  - so exciting. 

No I’m not going…I never buy tickets to see Osipova in the classical ballets (with the glorious exception of Giselle).  Also, I’m in Wiltshire on a “girlie” weekend! Wish I could see Yasmine and Reece dance this together so will have to depend on forum folk to report back.  Whoever is going…enjoy! V

[Rob S]

13 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

With Leticia Dias, on 17th January, going by the cast sheets on the ROH website. I saw them together 2 days later on 19th.

 

I think his debut was during the Beauty Mixed performances in 2021...which I assume still counts as a debut

[Emeralds]

20 minutes ago, Sim said:

No I’m not going…I never buy tickets to see Osipova in the classical ballets (with the glorious exception of Giselle).  Also, I’m in Wiltshire on a “girlie” weekend! Wish I could see Yasmine and Reece dance this together so will have to depend on forum folk to report back.  Whoever is going…enjoy! V

Ah yes, I forgot your rule!  (As I had already switched casts to Naghdi/Clarke in my mind!) Have a great time in Wiltshire! 👍

 

PS am not cold shouldering anyone’s posts here but rather sheepish to admit I have run out of likes after just being temporarily topped up! 🐑 

[Linnzi5]

56 minutes ago, Sim said:

I would say she already is. Mr O’Hare has long been approaching her in the first instance when he needs a replacement…and she always steps up.  
She and Reece have guested together but have never danced SB together.  So by this evening they will have had exactly one rehearsal….and I bet no-one would know.  

I bet nobody will notice - she is the consummate professional. Always reliable, giving of her best and so versatile. I think Yasmine and Reece will be lovely together. I would love to see them!  

[capybara]

Didn’t Joonhyuk Jun first dance the Bluebird when the Company performed Act 3 as part of a mixed bill in June 2021?

 

Edit: Apologies - this has been confirmed already. That's what comes of trying to read BCF on one's phone!!!

Edited May 12, 2023 by capybara

[Dawnstar]

46 minutes ago, Rob S said:

I think his debut was during the Beauty Mixed performances in 2021...which I assume still counts as a debut

 

Argh, I carefully checked back the 2019-20 perfomances to make sure he hadn't done the role then but it never even occurred to me to consider those 2021 performances. I find it hard to remember those even happened, as I couldn't go to any of them for family illness reasons. I guess as the Bluebird only appears in Act III then it's the same as debuting in a full performance for that role. Actually I'm rather surprised to find he did the role in 2021 because the recent SB Insight livestream made it sound like he'd only just started doing the role, with repeated references to his inexperience vs Choe having being doing it for years.

[Geoff]

8 hours ago, capybara said:

Jonathan is already ‘in Australia’

 
Happily not tonight! Tonight, as above, he’s in the ROH pit. 

[capybara]

14 minutes ago, Geoff said:

 
Happily not tonight! Tonight, as above, he’s in the ROH pit. 

😀 I was responding to someone implying that he was full time in Oz.

Very glad indeed that he’s currently in London.

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by capybara

[Sophoife]

Jonathan Lo as music director of AusBallet ought to be there as they are performing at the Sydney Opera House at the moment. However we do understand that he had commitments made before he accepted the position, but it's still weird for me I've heard him three times in London and not at all yet in Australia (Charles Barker was in the pit the night I saw Don Q in Melbourne, and Simon Thew in Sydney).

[alison]

14 hours ago, Sophoife said:

As always, lovely to meet up with other forum members, particularly @DelphiumBlue as we turned out to already be friends from a different strand of interest. Thanks so much for stage-dooring with me, and lovely to finally meet your book-buyer too!

 

You mean I missed you again?

 

Quote

So now for the wedding. The biggest disappointment for me in David McAllister's Sleeping Beauty was that he ditched the fairytale characters in the last act, so I was very happy to see them appear here.

 

Mine too - I felt cheated when I went to see it in the cinema.

Quote

The end of the McAllister production has a glitter shower (photo taken by me) and, I feel, fits the grand music a little better.

 

You should have been here last Saturday - the Orchestra Stalls had one.  I did wonder if they were just using up the surplus from Cinderella, but I guess it probably had something to do with the Coronation.

 

12 hours ago, JennyTaylor said:

I had by chance printed 2 copies of the cast sheet before I left the office and during the 2nd interval I was sat next to 3 ladies who were desperately searching the programme trying to work out who the 2 lead role dancers actually were. Of course, no such information is contained in the programme, so I gave them one of my sheets.  They were hugely grateful. For me, it's now rare to have a printed cast sheet with me for a performance and I realised how much I really miss them.  So nice to just refer to it rather than peer at my phone or find a displayed sheet somewhere in the building.  

 

Me too.  It rather takes the gloss off the Special Issue Coronation programme if you have to DIY-print your cast sheet on your inkjet printer.  And for something like Sleeping Beauty, with so many cast members credited, I may look at the displayed sheet but I really don't take it in very well, and then waste my time trying to identify the dancers.  But the programme does actually contain the scheduled leads - although of course that's no help if there's a last-minute cast change as there was tonight.

 

11 hours ago, capybara said:

And so to James Hay. I have to admit to having loved him ever since his days at The Royal Ballet School but I wasn't quite so bowled over last night as I had been during the last run (?2020). He remains, of course, a very, very beautiful dancer but maybe his period of injury, lack of opportunity to dance classical roles and his stint as a Stepsister have had their combined effect on his technique?

 

Yes, I must admit that I was musing on whether my memory was playing tricks on me or whether I'd liked them more last time round.  It was pre-you-know-what, so I can't be sure either way.  But it's good to know that they were reaching the rear amphi: as I've been virtually confined to the Stalls Circle this year, I have no idea how well dancers are projecting.

[Sophoife]

Yes @alison sadly we missed each other. However, I did see Dame Monica coming out stage door and tell her the production needs a glitter shower and she said "Oh last Saturday we had one, for the Coronation!" And when I suggested maybe the King and Queen would have preferred to be in the House that evening she agreed. Said he really loves music and appreciates ballet all the more because of it.

[JohnS]

Fabulous Sleeping Beauty last night with Yasmine Naghdi and Reece Clarke making a wonderful Aurora and Florimund. They looked as if they’d been partnering each other for years - I know they’ve done a few guest performances together in numerous places but I’m unsure whether we’ve seen them in a full length ballet at the ROH. Yasmine is supremely confident as Aurora and there’s never any doubt that she’ll breeze through all the challenges, just as she did on her memorable debut. It’s wonderful to see and it’s great that she has the cinema relay. For my part and very much a reflection of my own preference, I find something very appealing in seeing an Act 1 Aurora who suggests a sense of vulnerability as I think that makes for more of an arc to a performance giving a greater contrast between Acts 1 and 3. Reece was astonishingly good, made for Florimund.

Nadia Mullova-Barley made her Lilac Fairy debut and certainly has a strong stage presence, essential for the role. I was a little underwhelmed by her solo and I’m very much hoping that she’ll find the solo flows more readily in future performances.

Very good to see Elizabeth McGorian‘s Carabosse and the value of years of experience.

Yuhui Choe and Joonhyuk Jun made for a wonderful Princess Florine/Blue Bird after Yuhui had excelled as Fairy of the Golden Vine.

A hugely enjoyable evening and I’m very much looking forward to Wednesday and Yasmine’s cast. I’m hoping Natalia Osipova recovers quickly from her illness and we can the full Osipova cast (with Olivia Cowley as Carabosse) later in the run.

[San Perregrino]

Reeve Clarke started off looking pale and wan last night. It didn’t affect his wonderful performance and by the end he had roses in his cheeks.  The result though, of my subconscious working overtime, was that I awoke from a nightmare at 3am in which Reece had succumbed to Natalia’s illness and passed it on to Yasmine which meant she was out for the livestream…. 
 

Top marks to Yuhui and Joonhyuk who took the Bluebird sequence to a higher level of beauty last night. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by PeterS

[JohnS]

18 minutes ago, PeterS said:

Reeve Clarke started off looking pale and wan last night.

Strikes me Reece Clarke was very much in role as those closest to him or with insight comment on his sadness.

[Sophoife]

Second and last live performance of Sleeping Beauty for me last night. Didn't mind the substitution of Yasmine Naghdi for Natalia Osipova as I've seen Miss Osipova before and never Miss Naghdi, and yes, she lived up to the hype. Apart from one tiny wobble out of a turning sequence in her first solo, she was confident, assured and dazzling. I did feel Akane Takada held her balances slightly longer but given this was not "her cast" Miss Naghdi was, as some have said above, truly a "super sub".

 

Reece Clarke was lovely to watch, and although noticeably taller than James Hay, landed everything just as neatly. I got a bit concerned in his wedding variation that the choreography was possibly too fast for his height, but then he just launched into that manège of jetés and WOW.

 

Yuhui Choe, Fairy of the Golden Vine, certainly stood out among the five fairies for her experience and assurance - I do understand that the others were almost on début and some definitely were. Her Princess Florine was delightful and as for her Bluebird... Joonhyuk Jun was fabulous! 

 

Bomin Kim as the Fairy of the Song Bird also presented beautifully.

 

Nadia Mullova-Barley as Lilac: if I'd not known it was her début I would never have guessed. She appears to be taller than many, which is such a help when radiating authority and serenity. I'll watch her future with great interest.

 

Elizabeth McGorian - a legend - was utterly convincing as Carabosse in all aspects, and I felt she was truly cowed by Lilac at the palace gates.

 

Kristen McNally glittered again as the Queen, this time with Bennet Gartside, who gave the King character, as usual, with his eyes. I remember his Leontes in Brisbane opposite Marianela Nuñez, when they communicated so much with just their eyes.

 

I did prefer Ashley Dean and Aiden O'Brien as Red Riding Hood and the Wolf to Sophie Allnatt and Harry Churches on Thursday. Mr O'Brien was clearly having great fun, letting loose with those giant leaps after his Cattalabutte on Thursday!

 

I was able to "scold" Jonathan Lo for having heard him three times in London and not at all in Australia this year, but admitted I'd been pleased to hear both Charles Barker and Simon Thew instead.

 

All in all, a production I'd be extremely pleased to see again, but I'm still wondering what happened to the four Princes in attendance at Aurora's 16th birthday...

 

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Sophoife
Added a couple of comments.

[capybara]

1 hour ago, PeterS said:

Reeve Clarke started off looking pale and wan last night. 

I wasn’t there but this Prince is meant to be feeling jaded! So Reece was probably ‘spot on’.

 

26 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

I did feel Akane Takada held her balances slightly longer but given this was not "her cast" Miss Naghdi was, as some have said above, truly a ‘super sub’.

 

 I got a bit concerned in his (Reece’s) wedding variation that the choreography was possibly too fast for his height, but then he just launched into that manège of jetés and WOW.

 

Nadia Mullova-Barley as Lilac: if I'd not known it was her début I would never have guessed. She appears to be taller than many……..

.

I think there was some debate on here during the first run as to the optimal execution of the balances! Maybe preferable to go shorter and neat than longer and wobbly (not that Akane was a wobbler!)

 

We often tend to overlook the fact that many ballet moves are harder for dancers with longer legs, not least because there is ‘further to go’ to reach, for example, a perfect arabesque position.

 

Nadia is indeed considerably taller than most other RB ballerinas (and also very active when the corps is surrounding the action in, say, MacMillan works). Good to hear that she made her stature and stagecraft count.

 

 

 

 

[maryrosesatonapin]

I went last night feeling disappointed to miss Osipova (and also anxious that she gets well again very soon), but was full of admiration for Naghdi's technique and musicality although she never 'does it for me' on the characterisation front.  I was further back than usual - front row middle of stalls circle rather than the stalls - so maybe those nearer the front were more persuaded that she was a sweet teenage princess.  Clarke attuned his lines with hers perfectly in the last act - it must have been a challenge for both of them but they certainly pulled it off.

Like others, I adored Choe and Jun as the bluebirds, and thought Mullova-Bailey successfully projected benevolence and power although her lovely fluid arms were better than her leg work IMO.  One of the other fairies stood out for me too but not having a cast list at the time I couldn't look her up.

I never get tired of the music, and the lush set and costumes were a delight as always.  Thank you Tchaikovsky, Petipa and RB!

[San Perregrino]

3 hours ago, JohnS said:

Strikes me Reece Clarke was very much in role as those closest to him or with insight comment on his sadness.

 

2 hours ago, capybara said:

I wasn’t there but this Prince is meant to be feeling jaded! So Reece was probably ‘spot on’.

 

when i wrote 'pale & wan' i was discretely describing the demeanour and bearing of the person who arrived onstage. i.e. perhaps not in the best of health which anxiety subsequently expressed itself in my nightmare.

not to be confused with Reece's spot on characterisation of the Prince.

 

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by PeterS

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, JohnS said:

Fabulous Sleeping Beauty last night with Yasmine Naghdi and Reece Clarke making a wonderful Aurora and Florimund. They looked as if they’d been partnering each other for years - I know they’ve done a few guest performances together in numerous places but I’m unsure whether we’ve seen them in a full length ballet at the ROH. Yasmine is supremely confident as Aurora and there’s never any doubt that she’ll breeze through all the challenges, just as she did on her memorable debut. It’s wonderful to see and it’s great that she has the cinema relay. For my part and very much a reflection of my own preference, I find something very appealing in seeing an Act 1 Aurora who suggests a sense of vulnerability as I think that makes for more of an arc to a performance giving a greater contrast between Acts 1 and 3. Reece was astonishingly good, made for Florimund.

Nadia Mullova-Barley made her Lilac Fairy debut and certainly has a strong stage presence, essential for the role. I was a little underwhelmed by her solo and I’m very much hoping that she’ll find the solo flows more readily in future performances.

Very good to see Elizabeth McGorian‘s Carabosse and the value of years of experience.

Yuhui Choe and Joonhyuk Jun made for a wonderful Princess Florine/Blue Bird after Yuhui had excelled as Fairy of the Golden Vine.

A hugely enjoyable evening and I’m very much looking forward to Wednesday and Yasmine’s cast. I’m hoping Natalia Osipova recovers quickly from her illness and we can the full Osipova cast (with Olivia Cowley as Carabosse) later in the run.

Thanks for your great detailed report, JohnS- I really enjoyed hearing how others in the solo parts did (including Nadia’s debut) as well as Yasmine & Reece’s new impromptu (!) Aurora & Florimund couple got on. 

 

Having searched a bit in my memory bank, the only full ballet (as opposed to pas de deux at galas) that I’ve seen Yasmine and Reece do as a pairing is last year’s Scenes de Ballet, where they were both the best pair for me in the whole performance (others did well in solo roles or they were brilliant but their partner didn’t have such a great time). Hence not a full length, but a full ballet, so I believe last night would be the first full length work as a partnership. Incidentally, recalling Yasmine’s excellent performance in Scenes de Ballet and other ballets  I’d seen her in last year made me feel she should have received a best dancer nomination at the National Dance Awards rather other dancers being nominated twice. 

 

Echoing your wishes for Natalia to have a speedy recovery to join Olivia Crowley and the rest of the cast later on. It would be Olivia’s return to the ROH stage after maternity leave, wouldn’t it? 

[JohnS]

Apologies PeterS - I hadn’t read your post in quite the way you’d intended. Here’s hoping the nightmare isn’t catching and we can all delight in the Naghdi/Ball cinema relay.

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, Sophoife said:

Second and last live performance of Sleeping Beauty for me last night. Didn't mind the substitution of Yasmine Naghdi for Natalia Osipova as I've seen Miss Osipova before and never Miss Naghdi, and yes, she lived up to the hype. Apart from one tiny wobble out of a turning sequence in her first solo, she was confident, assured and dazzling. I did feel Akane Takada held her balances slightly longer but given this was not "her cast" Miss Naghdi was, as some have said above, truly a "super sub".

 

Reece Clarke was lovely to watch, and although noticeably taller than James Hay, landed everything just as neatly. I got a bit concerned in his wedding variation that the choreography was possibly too fast for his height, but then he just launched into that manège of jetés and WOW.

 

Yuhui Choe, Fairy of the Golden Vine, certainly stood out among the five fairies for her experience and assurance - I do understand that the others were almost on début and some definitely were. Her Princess Florine was delightful and as for her Bluebird... Joonhyuk Jun was fabulous! 

 

Bomin Kim as the Fairy of the Song Bird also presented beautifully.

 

Nadia Mullova-Barley as Lilac: if I'd not known it was her début I would never have guessed. She appears to be taller than many, which is such a help when radiating authority and serenity. I'll watch her future with great interest.

 

Elizabeth McGorian - a legend - was utterly convincing as Carabosse in all aspects, and I felt she was truly cowed by Lilac at the palace gates.

 

Kristen McNally glittered again as the Queen, this time with Bennet Gartside, who gave the King character, as usual, with his eyes. I remember his Leontes in Brisbane opposite Marianela Nuñez, when they communicated so much with just their eyes.

 

I did prefer Ashley Dean and Aiden O'Brien as Red Riding Hood and the Wolf to Sophie Allnatt and Harry Churches on Thursday. Mr O'Brien was clearly having great fun, letting loose with those giant leaps after his Cattalabutte on Thursday!

 

I was able to "scold" Jonathan Lo for having heard him three times in London and not at all in Australia this year, but admitted I'd been pleased to hear both Charles Barker and Simon Thew instead.

 

All in all, a production I'd be extremely pleased to see again, but I'm still wondering what happened to the four Princes in attendance at Aurora's 16th birthday...

 

 

Sophoife, Jonathan Lo has obviously “followed” you to London to ensure that he conducted for you at least twice. 😂

 

I have wondered about the four Prince suitors in the past too. I thought they would have been very unfairly bereft if they not only got separated from and lost to family and friends who then mourned them and died, but then they woke up and found that after 100 years, not only had their friends and family died but their kingdoms or lands that they were due to inherit either went to some relative or worse still, got invaded by some conqueror, plus some other chap came and won the princess (with the unfair advantage that they were asleep at the time) they’d come to court!

 

In one or two versions I’ve seen the poor princes have been visibly present and sent to sleep at the same time as Aurora (then after 100 years apparently vaporised  - poof! - from the room, oh dear!) but in other versions they don’t appear again after carrying Aurora out gently, so I assume - and hope- the Lilac Fairy attendants must have ushered them out (while their boss is busy talking to the King and Queen and sending everyone to sleep) and telling them the doctor will be on the way, then thanked them and waved them (and their entourage) off home. 😀

Edited May 13, 2023 by Emeralds

[JohnS]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

It would be Olivia’s return to the ROH stage after maternity leave, wouldn’t it? 

I’m pretty sure that’s right. One of Olivia Cowley’s last performances before going on maternity must have been the Devil in The Dante Project where I thought she was chillingly terrifying. I do hope she’s not feeling typecast but am very much looking forward to her Carabosse.

[LinMM]

I think Olivia Cowley will be amazing as Carabosse. 

[Dawnstar]

2 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I have wondered about the four Prince suitors in the past too. I thought they would have been very unfairly bereft if they not only got separated from and lost to family and friends who then mourned them and died, but then they woke up and found that after 100 years, not only had their friends and family died but their kingdoms or lands that they were due to inherit either went to some relative or worse still, got invaded by some conqueror, plus some other chap came and won the princess (with the unfair advantage that they were asleep at the time) they’d come to court!

 

In one or two versions I’ve seen the poor princes have been visibly present and sent to sleep at the same time as Aurora (then after 100 years apparently vaporised  - poof! - from the room, oh dear!) but in other versions they don’t appear again after carrying Aurora out gently, so I assume - and hope- the Lilac Fairy attendants must have ushered them out (while their boss is busy talking to the King and Queen and sending everyone to sleep) and telling them the doctor will be on the way, then thanked them and waved them (and their entourage) off home. 😀

 

I wonder if any production has ever featured 4 deeply hacked off princes glowering in the corner during the Act III wedding celebrations?!

[Sophoife]

You're giving me ideas @Dawnstar! 😈😈😈

[Emeralds]

Sorry everyone, just noticed I got my Tchaikovskys in a twist. Jonathan Lo is scheduled to conduct Dante Project and Swan Lake, not Nutcracker (the long runs next season of both Tchaikovsky ballets confused me!) 

On 12/05/2023 at 09:10, Emeralds said:

Jonathan Lo is scheduled to conduct all the performances of The Dante Project and the first of the Nutcrackers (there will be three conductors for Nutcracker in total) for the next season- yippee! 

He is due to conduct the first chunk of Swan Lakes on 6 March to 12 April, after which Martin Georgiev will take over, followed by Koen Kessels from 12 June. (Sorry we’re borrowing AusBallet’s Music Director again, @Sophoife! He is just too popular. 😆)

 

For Nutcracker, the conductors will be Andrew Litton (flying over from his New York City Ballet Music Director post) followed by Charlotte Politi, the RB and BRB Conducting Fellow. Litton was previously principal conductor of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for years and also conducted the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BSO and other orchestras at the Proms numerous times, so pretty familiar with British stages and halls too. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Emeralds

[Jane S]

Wasn't Nadia Mullova-Barley the RBS girl who was featured in the documentary about Nutcracker a few years ago* - doing Snowflakes for the first time? Nice to see her come through.

 

* the one mostly about Hayward's debut as Sugar Plum

[Emeralds]

Just now, Jane S said:

Wasn't Nadia Mullova-Barley the RBS girl who was featured in the documentary about Nutcracker a few years ago* - doing Snowflakes for the first time? Nice to see her come through.

 

* the one mostly about Hayward's debut as Sugar Plum

Yes, that’s correct. She and several students were very unlucky to get stuck in a lift during a dress rehearsal! 

[Cescablue]

Yes, that's right.

[LinMM]

Which also featured the delightful Caspar Lench at White Lodge at the time so will be great to see him finally graduate this year. 

[Emeralds]

18 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Which also featured the delightful Caspar Lench at White Lodge at the time so will be great to see him finally graduate this year. 

He was Fritz in one of the Nutcrackers I attended and incredibly good at that age! The choreography for Fritz is not technically as advanced as one of the adult leads, of course, but you could see even then that he danced with unusual maturity and polish for his age, with a lot of attention to detail to feet, back, arms, and beautifully finished. It was like watching a mini  Muntagirov or child Cirio- he was extraordinary! I hope he is offered a position in RB and joins RB after graduating. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Emeralds

[alison]

10 hours ago, Emeralds said:

In one or two versions I’ve seen the poor princes have been visibly present and sent to sleep at the same time as Aurora (then after 100 years apparently vaporised  - poof! - from the room, oh dear!) but in other versions they don’t appear again after carrying Aurora out gently, so I assume - and hope- the Lilac Fairy attendants must have ushered them out (while their boss is busy talking to the King and Queen and sending everyone to sleep) and telling them the doctor will be on the way, then thanked them and waved them (and their entourage) off home. 😀

 

In ENB's previous production (i.e. the one prior to the MacMillan version they currently do), I'm pretty sure one or more of the princes got killed by Carabosse (and that it was Simon Cooper at at least one performance).  Can anyone confirm?