JNC Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Has it been confirmed if the McGregor casting is the same every night? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 1 minute ago, JNC said: Has it been confirmed if the McGregor casting is the same every night? To be honest there's very little confirmed is there? Was it only yesterday we saw the casting? But I suspect with such a short run possibly the same? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 9, 2023 Author Share Posted June 9, 2023 I think that it is often the case with new McGregor works that, in their debut runs, there is only one cast. Hearsay suggests that Untitled 2023 is going to follow that pattern. Maybe the creative process consumes all the available time……. While I am writing, can I just ask why it is that, in many McGregor and other modern pieces, the choreography seems to be disassociated with the music being played. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnzi5 Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 I’m enjoying it all so far, but I do like Corybantic Games and thought that was great! Ball/ Bracewell are amazing together! Untitled 2023 had its plus points for me. I liked the staging, lighting and costumes. The dancers were as good as I’d expect - some great performances. Not really sure what else I can say about it. Music was interesting, but not something I’d listen to. Whereas, I would listen to the Bernstein. If I’m honest, I am not really certain what it was all about or meant to be - but maybe that’s just me! Looking forward to seeing Laura Morera next. After seeing her interview on the ROH Stream last night (it left me feeling full of admiration but a little sad) I can’t wait to see her characterisation. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 My friend attending tonight titled it “Endless boredom” 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 1 hour ago, capybara said: While I am writing, can I just ask why it is that, in many McGregor and other modern pieces, the choreography seems to be disassociated with the music being played. I could be wrong but I think I recall from an insight some time ago that McGregor doesn’t choreograph to the music. He creates the choreography in silence and the music is added later. It sounds odd but maybe explains why there’s no connection between the dance and the music in most of his work for the RB. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 8 minutes ago, annamk said: I could be wrong but I think I recall from an insight some time ago that McGregor doesn’t choreograph to the music. He creates the choreography in silence and the music is added later. It sounds odd but maybe explains why there’s no connection between the dance and the music in most of his work for the RB. Why add music then? I think I would have disliked Act II of Woolf Works and the Qualia pdd in the Diamond Celebration slightly less if they had been performed in silence rather than the loud music they were performed to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 9, 2023 Author Share Posted June 9, 2023 10 minutes ago, annamk said: I could be wrong but I think I recall from an insight some time ago that McGregor doesn’t choreograph to the music. He creates the choreography in silence and the music is added later. It sounds odd but maybe explains why there’s no connection between the dance and the music in most of his work for the RB. Now you come to mention it …….I recall that being said too. Thanks. So, if any music would do, why does he tend to choose ‘noise’ ? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke H Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 2 hours ago, JNC said: Has it been confirmed if the McGregor casting is the same every night? Cast in the rehearsal was the same as evening. It suggests that in true McG style rehearsals started late and with choreo being tailored to creating cast that there’s no time to properly rehearse a second cast 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 3 hours ago, Ondine said: Looks very Herrera painting! I'm suspecting the costumes are very last minute... Costumes look great- far better than those for Corybantic Games! From what McGregor and designer Daniel Lee have said, it sounds like Lee studied ballet before training as a designer, so at least they’re not unflattering (or dangerous) to the dancers like the ones in CG. So it’s watchable for me even if the music doesn’t gel with it, or vice versa. The music for CG (Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium) is a violin concerto that’s popular with a lot of violinists even if it doesn’t have the catchy melodies of Mendelssohn or Tchaikovsky’s violin concertos (or even Bernstein’s own West Side Story) and I’d like to hear Levitin and the ROH Orchestra play it again. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 51 minutes ago, Silke H said: Cast in the rehearsal was the same as evening. It suggests that in true McG style rehearsals started late and with choreo being tailored to creating cast that there’s no time to properly rehearse a second cast Could you explain your comment “in true McG style…”, is he known for late starts? Any proof/concrete examples? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, JNC said: Has it been confirmed if the McGregor casting is the same every night? Not officially confirmed, JNC, but usually he only has one cast for the premiere run of a new one act ballet. Woolf Works, Dante Project (both three acts) and Raven Girl (two acts) both had second casts at their premiere runs but they were exceptions. I suspect it was to cover instances of injury so that the show can still go on. McGregor had a second cast Virginia/Mrs Dalloway (Mara Galeazzi) but she didn’t dance it till the second run 20months later, while the second cast of Becomings danced in the first run of WW, as did the second cast of DP and RG in their first runs. When Osipova was injured during the first run of Tetractys, which is only one act, the ballet was cancelled until she had recovered enough to finish the run- the other ballets went ahead without it. Patrons were offered a refund if they didn’t want to see a shortened programme. Edited June 9, 2023 by Emeralds 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Sir Fred Ashton always said his first cast, those he worked with and created on / for, were the best fit and he didn't like it when others danced the roles. No doubt it's all been very intense and working with several inexperienced dancers (in terms of contributing to the choreography) may have drawn out the creative process, but is there any evidence of that? There is the original cast, those who worked in collaboration with the choreographer, to dance the work. That's good. I suspect others will have worked on it too, in case of injuries (and Ed Watson is involved). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 If it’s any help, Sylvia only had one cast (Fonteyn, Somes, Farron, Alexander Grant) for years- not just in the first run, but also the second, the third.....etc etc. No idea what they did to cover injury- logic suggests there were covers (understudies) who prepared by watching but imagine being the poor souls who learnt the tiring lead roles and never ever got to dance them! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 6 hours ago, Dawnstar said: The cast sheet is up for tonight & I'm baffled by the timings. Adding up the individual times I make it 2 hours 45 mins, but their overall time is 3 hours 5 mins. I'd be interested to know from anyone either at the dress rehearsal or who's going tonight what the timings are actually working out to be? drinking time for the high, the mighty, and the sponsors... 😉 (it ended at 10.29 tonight, so not quite enough time for my wee legs to get me to Charing Cross to get a train to London Bridge for my connection to the last local train. Off to Victoria instead, adding 25mins+ to home time) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 22 minutes ago, Emeralds said: The music for CG (Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium) is a violin concerto that’s popular with a lot of violinists even if it doesn’t have the catchy melodies of Mendelssohn or Tchaikovsky’s violin concertos (or even Bernstein’s own West Side Story) and I’d like to hear Levitin and the ROH Orchestra play it again. Quite a while since I saw it, here's the music. I didn't mind the idea of the costumes, I just felt for the dancers in white knickers. Reminded me of how I hated gym at school, partly because of the knickers (which weren't lycra in those days and were considerably more roomy ) and I felt exposed. Thankfully never was, 🫥 but why do blokes like to put women in these? Same with skimpy leotards, I can't concentrate on the dancing for fear of untoward shifts of fabric 😏or worse. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoVR Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 6 minutes ago, Ondine said: I suspect others will have worked on it too, in case of injuries (and Ed Watson is involved). There are some dancers vaguely in the background of some of the rehearsal pics doing the same choreography as the main cast, so they probably had at least some kind of second cast in case of injury 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJW Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Curtain call of tonight's Untitled, 2023 https://www.instagram.com/p/CtSXjjkomHB/ 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 2 minutes ago, MJW said: Curtain call of tonight's Untitled, 2023 https://www.instagram.com/p/CtSXjjkomHB/ It looks beautiful! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnzi5 Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 1 hour ago, FionaE said: My friend attending tonight titled it “Endless boredom” It did go on a bit! 🤣 Anastasia Act III showcased Laura Morera very well. She lived the character on stage and I don't think there is a greater compliment I can give. However, though this was interesting (the story is fascinating and I did enjoy the narrative) it wouldn't be something I would want to see alone (neither would Untitled 2023). Somebody here said (I'm so sorry, I can't remember who) that it was a shame Anastasia wasn't shown in its entirety and I would totally agree with this. I'd see Corybantic Games again - though I'd have to pick the cast I liked. I didn't enjoy parts of the score for Anastasia Act III - it was so loud it actually hurt my ears and though I understand the reasons for the voices at the beginning, I found it too disturbing and unpleasant - I know that's the intention, but I didn't enjoy it. So, it was an evening that I enjoyed one of the three works, but the other two I could take or leave - probably leave! That's not to say the dancers weren't as great as usual - they were. Bring on DQ! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 *Whisper* I don't care much for Anastasia and I'm sorry Laura Morera didn't get something more cheerful as her goodbye. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 v quick 25p worth: New McGregor: quite enjoyed, though the music was very dull I thought; the lighting and set were very nice though (it made me think of a headland jutting into a bay, with an iceburg floating in front of it). Costumes seemed to be green/white combos half and half - some green back, white front, others vice versa, and some with 'blocks' of green on white (etc), not unlike his Tectractys ones I think? (but not multicoloured). Were they really Burberry? Wasted cash if so... Corybantic - I like a lot of the choreography, but also really struggle with those costumes. Takes a mighty effort to make those gorgeous dancers look 'frumpy'. The set design and lighting are super though, so I'll grin and bear those ghastly 50's pant-corsets Anastasia III is not a ballet I warm to - despite the best efforts of an utterly commited Laura Morera. Before it started I was thinking to self, "I'm sure I really dislike this ballet" - and I wasn't disproved 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 1 minute ago, Ondine said: *Whisper* I don't care much for Anastasia and I'm sorry Laura Morera didn't get something more cheerful as her goodbye. the lucky Japanese audiences get Month in the Country. We have obviously been bad people and get Anastasia 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 1 minute ago, zxDaveM said: We have obviously been bad people and get Anastasia Are we on the naughty step? Oh eck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 1 minute ago, Ondine said: Are we on the naughty step? Oh eck. well, at least it wasn't Judas Tree.... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 8 minutes ago, Ondine said: Quite a while since I saw it, here's the music. I didn't mind the idea of the costumes, I just felt for the dancers in white knickers. Reminded me of how I hated gym at school, partly because of the knickers (which weren't lycra in those days and were considerably more roomy ) and I felt exposed. Thankfully never was, 🫥 but why do blokes like to put women in these? Same with skimpy leotards, I can't concentrate on the dancing for fear of untoward shifts of fabric 😏or worse. Looks like a slightly reduced orchestra who are also seated far apart due to Covid. They sound lovely but for the proper version recorded pre Covid, there’s an excellent rendition on YouTube conducted by ROH Music Director Antonio Pappano with the brilliant Janine Jansen and the LSO. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp868n6rem8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Would have preferred to see Laura Morera in the full length Anastasia as a farewell ballet/performance too. The McGregor premiere could have been fitted in some other time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Well it was the first one I came across, I didn't search too long for the music for CG! As for the costumes for Untitled, 2023, (sad Herrera died before this could be staged, but she did get to do the set design) I think Daniel Lee has tried to incorporate the ideas behind her paintings and at least it all looks part of a whole. https://www.lissongallery.com/artists/carmen-herrera 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Emeralds said: Would have preferred to see Laura Morera in the full length Anastasia as a farewell ballet/performance too. The McGregor premiere could have been fitted in some other time. Too much to rehearse I suspect, been a busy year what with Cinders and all. Edited June 9, 2023 by Ondine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 10, 2023 Share Posted June 10, 2023 14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted June 10, 2023 Share Posted June 10, 2023 50 minutes ago, MJW said: Curtain call of tonight's Untitled, 2023 https://www.instagram.com/p/CtSXjjkomHB/ Anyone else getting vibes of The Green Triangle in a tin of Quality Street from these costumes? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 10, 2023 Share Posted June 10, 2023 14 minutes ago, Peanut68 said: Anyone else getting vibes of The Green Triangle in a tin of Quality Street from these costumes? The ones that contain nuts? 🙃 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 10, 2023 Author Share Posted June 10, 2023 5 hours ago, zxDaveM said: the lucky Japanese audiences get Month in the Country. We have obviously been bad people and get Anastasia Pleeeease don’t rub that in zxDaveM. The Laura/Vadim cast in Month is absolutely ‘to die for’ and Japan seems to have it twice. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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