Laura Morera’s farewell and thread for appreciation and fond memories

[Sophoife]

Erk. I meant Cinderella recently, not Aurora. Got mixed up with my two brief London visits!

[Scheherezade]

On a more mundane level, I have to say, by the way, that short hairstyle shown in the photos really suits Laura. 

[Fonty]

While looking at Laura's varied repertoire,  I can't help thinking about all the roles she didn't get a chance to dance, as far as I know.  

 

Juliet is the obvious one, and why she was denied that chance is a much discussed topic, but I would have loved to have seen her have a crack at some of these too:

Odette/Odile - her technical skills are more than up to the task, but her exceptional acting abilities would undoubtedly have made this a stunning performance

Aurora - surely she should have had at least one season's opportunity to perform what is one of the core roles for any RB principal?.

I know there are some people who might think that she didn't suit the pure classical roles, of course, but having seen her Cinderella I would disagree!

 

The Girl in the Two Pigeons - I know she played the Gypsy Girl, but she would definitely have been able to make this less twee that some of the other dancers in the role.

 

That is all I can think of at the moment, I am sure people will come up with others.  

 

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by Fonty
typo

[JohnS]

15 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Am just going to list some of my faves she has danced (of course far from an exhaustive list of her roles- she worked so hard and was such a popular choice of choreographers that I couldn’t even see them all)

Given your list @Emeralds does that mean you weren’t able to see Laura in Emeralds (Jewels), Lady Elgar (Enigma Variations), and as Cinderella? I do hope you were.

[Dawnstar]

Having only been watching the RB for a few years, I've seen Morera in far fewer roles than the rest of you, only 7 in full length ballets & 6 in short ones. I wish I had been able to see her in more but between covid knocking out 18 months, her not being cast in several of the RB's big 3-acters & a couple of injury-related replacements (I remain gutted not to have seen her as Mary Vetsera) that's all I've been able to manage since I first saw her in The Concert at the end of 2018. Out of those roles, I think Manon, Giselle & Natalia Petrovna have been the ones that I thought were the best, the most moving & memorable, though that's not to say the other roles weren't very good as well. When I spoke to her at the stage door after seeing her as Cinderella I said that I wished I had started watching the RB sooner so as to have seen her in more roles & she replied something along the lines of "But think of the younger dances whose careers you'll be able to follow" which I thought was a lovely selfless sentiment from her.

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, JohnS said:

Given your list @Emeralds does that mean you weren’t able to see Laura in Emeralds (Jewels), Lady Elgar (Enigma Variations), and as Cinderella? I do hope you were.

Sadly, I had to miss her Cinderella and Emeralds from Jewels  due to schedule clashes (but the same schedule did allow me to catch this farewell performance) but you’re right - I did manage to catch her performance as Lady Elgar and it was brilliant, and speaking of roles in green, I also forgot to mention the Girl in Green in Dances at a Gathering, which was a charismatic, musical performance from Laura. Thank you for the lovely reminders. 

[alison]

Oddly enough, when I was thinking about this last night, I was flashing back to her earlier days in the company, pre-principal.  An uncredited Morera, in the girls' "round dance" in Act I, Scene I of Onegin, so much more vibrant than anyone else that I wondered why she hadn't been cast in something more individual already.  Room of Cooks, on the Dance Bites tour.  One of Lise's friends in La Fille Mal Gardée, several years before she got to dance the title role herself.  The years of the "Ric and Lau" show - so many years of her and Cervera dancing together, in particular doing the Ashton Neapolitan Dance in the former production of Swan Lake.  And, of course, all those lead Harlot performances in Romeo & Juliet...

[Sim]

4 minutes ago, alison said:

Oddly enough, when I was thinking about this last night, I was flashing back to her earlier days in the company, pre-principal.  An uncredited Morera, in the girls' "round dance" in Act I, Scene I of Onegin, so much more vibrant than anyone else that I wondered why she hadn't been cast in something more individual already.  Room of Cooks, on the Dance Bites tour.  One of Lise's friends in La Fille Mal Gardée, several years before she got to dance the title role herself.  The years of the "Ric and Lau" show - so many years of her and Cervera dancing together, in particular doing the Ashton Neapolitan Dance in the former production of Swan Lake.  And, of course, all those lead Harlot performances in Romeo & Juliet...

Yes. She was always my favourite lead Harlot.  And I also remember her happiness in the clog dance in Fille. Thanks for reminding me of all the above!

[FionaM]

8 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

On a more mundane level, I have to say, by the way, that short hairstyle shown in the photos really suits Laura. 

That’s the wig for Anastasia 😉

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, FionaE said:

That’s the wig for Anastasia 😉

I know. The style did suit her though. 

[Emeralds]

I’ve bought Swan Lake DVDs just to have a recording of Laura dancing - so beautifully - the Neapolitan Dance with Ricardo Cervera and the Act 1 pas de trois with Steven McRae and Yuhui . More than worth the money! 😊. Only wish there was a DVD of her dancing Lise in Fille as well.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Emeralds

[Ondine]

46 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Neapolitan Dance with Ricardo Cervera and the Act 1 pas de trois with Steven McRae and Yuhui .

 

Both are on YouTube, if anyone wants to watch. Not as good quality as a DVD.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Ondine

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

with Steven McRae and Yuhui .

*Typo: Steven McRae and Yuhui Choe. 

 

Apologies to Ms Choe! My device is playing up this morning. It’s already played havoc on another website! 

 

[capybara]

Reflecting on Laura’s rep., which is nevertheless extraordinary in its quantity and range, I have a sense that it could/would have been even greater in scope had there not been an element of ‘type-casting’ around during at least the earlier two thirds of her career.

Nowadays, as I think Marcelino Sambe put it in an interview, there is no impediment to anyone doing anything (provided they have the talent, of course). 
I have mixed feelings about this as, during the last two seasons, I felt that some casting was misjudged but, then, we had Muntagirov as Rudolf which might never have happened in days gone by.

[alison]

24 minutes ago, capybara said:

Reflecting on Laura’s rep., which is nevertheless extraordinary in its quantity and range, I have a sense that it could/would have been even greater in scope had there not been an element of ‘type-casting’ around during at least the earlier two thirds of her career.

 

Yes, indeed.

[alison]

I've just spent ages trying to hunt down the enthusiastic report I did on the originally unexpected pairing of Morera and Bonelli in what may have been her first Manon following injury to her scheduled partner, only to discover from the ROH Collections database that it was back in 2011 and therefore before the scope of this forum   Nevertheless, it was one of those "if you were there you were really fortunate" moments, even though fortunately there were later opportunities to see them scheduled together in it.

[Bluebird]

40 minutes ago, alison said:

I've just spent ages trying to hunt down the enthusiastic report I did on the originally unexpected pairing of Morera and Bonelli in what may have been her first Manon following injury to her scheduled partner, only to discover from the ROH Collections database that it was back in 2011 and therefore before the scope of this forum   Nevertheless, it was one of those "if you were there you were really fortunate" moments, even though fortunately there were later opportunities to see them scheduled together in it.

 

I've managed to find the 2011 thread on the Wayback Machine.  However, I've a feeling it's incomplete as there aren't many comments on the Morera/Bonelli performance:

http://web.archive.org/web/20150322203218/http://www.ballet.co.uk/dcforum/happening/8066.html#82

[alison]

You're a star, Bluebird - thank you!

[Bluebird]

It seems that Laura Morera's debut was in 2008 rather than in 2011.  I've continued to search the Wayback Machine but have been unable to find the Manon thread for that year.  I have, however, found some Manon reviews, from that particular run, in the November 2008 Magazine.  Your review, Alison, is of two other casts:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20081215173931/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/nov08/ap_rev_rb_1008.htm

 

In the same Magazine, there is a glowing review of Laura's debut, written by Sim and her husband Ged:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20081215174604/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/nov08/sd_rev_royal_ballet_1008.htm

Edited June 20, 2023 by Bluebird

[Sim]

6 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

It seems that Laura Morera's debut was in 2008 rather than in 2011.  I've continued to search the Wayback Machine but have been unable to find the Manon thread for that year.  I have, however, found some Manon reviews, from that particular run, in the November 2008 Magazine.  Your review, Alison, is of two other casts:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20081215173931/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/nov08/ap_rev_rb_1008.htm

 

In the same Magazine, there is a review of Laura's debut, written by Sim and her husband Ged:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20081215174604/http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_08/nov08/sd_rev_royal_ballet_1008.htm

Oh my goodness I had completely forgotten about that review...and Part 2 is the only time my hubby has ever written about ballet!!    Thanks Bluebird.  xx

[alison]

Ah, for the days when I had the luxury of time - and inclination - to report at length on performances! 

 

So, not only was I wrong about it being Morera's debut, but she had danced the role with Bonelli before.  I wonder, then, why they weren't cast together in that later, summer, run?  Unless I'm mis-remembering, and they were cast, and he got injured before the second performance, but I don't think that was the case.  The performance database, of course, doesn't indicate replacements of scheduled casts.

[bridiem]

13 minutes ago, Sim said:

Oh my goodness I had completely forgotten about that review...and Part 2 is the only time my hubby has ever written about ballet!!    Thanks Bluebird.  xx

 

And wonderful reviews they were too, Sim!

[Sim]

14 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

And wonderful reviews they were too, Sim!

Awww thanks Bridie!  xx

[Fonty]

47 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

And wonderful reviews they were too, Sim!

 

They were. 

But I am astounded by the comment that there were so many empty seats.  Appalling!  I am trying to think who the top headliners would have been then.  Bussell and Guillem would already have retired, so who else was around, I can't remember.  

[capybara]

2 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

They were. 

But I am astounded by the comment that there were so many empty seats.  Appalling!  I am trying to think who the top headliners would have been then.  Bussell and Guillem would already have retired, so who else was around, I can't remember.  

 

Cojocaru/Kobborg?

Rojo/Acosta?

[Fonty]

2 minutes ago, capybara said:

 

Cojocaru/Kobborg?

Rojo/Acosta?

 

Goodness me, how could I forget such fabulous dancers.  

[Balletbloke]

On 18/06/2023 at 15:47, Sophoife said:

Am I correct in thinking that she and Bennet Gartside graduated RBS in the same year? How very fitting, then, that they shared her last performance as a company principal on the Covent Garden stage (please note I'm leaving it open for her to perform there again!).

I believe that to be the case, and I think they go back as far as White Lodge together. It would seem that Bennet had something in his eye during the curtain calls!

[Bluebird]

22 minutes ago, Balletbloke said:

I believe that to be the case, and I think they go back as far as White Lodge together. 

In her recent Ballet Association interview, Laura said she and Ben were first paired together at the age of 12!

Edited June 20, 2023 by Bluebird

[postie]

I couldn't see that this has been shared yet?  Quite lovely and very well done >>

 

 

[Guest oncnp]

1 minute ago, postie said:

I couldn't see that this has been shared yet?  Quite lovely and very well done >>

 

 

Mention upthread from Dancer's Diary but certainly worth a repost

[MAX]

Not to mention she was a great Kitri too.

[Ondine]

 

From Alice The Tart Adage Laura Morera (official ROH link)

 

 

[Emeralds]

😂😂

They should have commissioned another comedy from Christopher Wheeldon to create with Laura before her farewell! Maybe a Shakespeare comedy. Or some other author/libretto. We need laughter in these times. And Laura does it so well. As did her partners- poor Bennet Gartside getting slapped by the Queen! Or Nicol Edmonds looking comically terrified! 😆 Or one from Will Tuckett! Well, there’s always the Linbury....