Jan McNulty Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 12 minutes ago, Emeralds said: 😂😂 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.... Much Ado??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 20, 2023 Author Share Posted June 20, 2023 5 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Much Ado??? She would make a fantastic Beatrice! Who should be Benedick? I vote Muntagirov as Claudio. Let’s have a few nice classical solos for him, plus some elegant pas de deux, like he did for Alice & Jack, Perdita & Florizel. Sarah Lamb or Yasmine Naghdi as Hero. Other ideas welcome! 😊 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 20, 2023 Author Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) I got it, @Jan McNulty! Alexander Campbell as Benedick. They were brilliant as Swanilda/Franz and Titania/Oberon. That’s sorted. Now to raise some sponsorship, check their diaries, and book a theatre. 😊👍 Edited June 20, 2023 by Emeralds 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) I would (natch) go for Alex Campbell because of his acting ability. Posting at the same time as Emeralds - we are as one on this! Edited June 20, 2023 by Jan McNulty Added 2nd sentence 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 20, 2023 Author Share Posted June 20, 2023 Just now, Jan McNulty said: I would (natch) go for Alex Campbell because of his acting ability. That’s uncanny! We cast the same person at the same time!!! 😮👏😄 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 20, 2023 Author Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) Ok members. How many people would buy tickets to see Laura Morera, Alexander Campbell, Vadim Muntagirov, Sarah Lamb/Yasmine Naghdi in a ballet version of Much Ado About Nothing? Costumes by Bob Crowley (he’s very reliable and creative, nothing weird). Tickets will not be more than £80. Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Ooh, the production could tour several cities. So that nobody has to endure train hassles and expenses. 😁 Edited June 20, 2023 by Emeralds 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 2 minutes ago, Emeralds said: Ok members. How many people would buy a tickets to see Laura Morera, Alexander Campbell, Vadim Muntagirov, Sarah Lamb/Yasmine Naghdi in a ballet version of Much Ado About Nothing? Costumes by Bob Crowley (he’s very reliable and creative, nothing weird). Tickets will not be more than £80. Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. 😁 ME!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 20, 2023 Author Share Posted June 20, 2023 (I just added the touring bit, Jan, thinking of you, @jmhopton, @JohnS and so many members having the stress of trains.) It’ll be fun. 😄 Like Wheeldon’s touring production of An American in Paris, but more theatres.) Have to log off now but will pop by later to see how many people think it’s crazy, and how many want to see it. 😉😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 Much Ado is my favourite Shakespeare play so I'd defiinitely be up for a ballet version. Though I'd want it to stick fairly closely to the play's plot, as I found Berlioz's operatic version disappointing because it ditched half the plot. I'd be very happy with Morera, Campbell & Muntagirov but I think I'd go for Hayward as Hero. Whitehead as Don John, Saunders as Leonato. I'm still thinking for Dogberry.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 (edited) ROH has a YouTube video up of Laura’s curtain call and the flower throw Edited June 20, 2023 by Shade Spelling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted June 20, 2023 Share Posted June 20, 2023 4 hours ago, Emeralds said: 😂😂 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.... Sounds a great idea, Emeralds and thanks for making it touring so us outliers can get to see it. While it sounds a great ballet (love the casting!) I can't say I'm enthusiastic about Wheeldon as I'm not a fan of any of his ballets. This one sounds great fun and I would certainly go, but I think I'm going to be reckless here and suggest a second ballet (money no object!) and that is David Bintley's new full length ballet for Sarasota Ballet, Comedy of Errors. This is part of a review. The world’s newest story ballet is a fun, funny, foible-filled and fantastic romp that erases all thoughts of war and despots, plague and politics, and replaces them with a sumptuous feast for the senses and sunny solace for the soul. If you weren’t there, I promise you are sorry. Sounds good to me and hopefully there'll be a suitable part for Laura as I don't really know the plot. One reason I was so pleased Sarasota were coming was I hoped they'd return and bring this ballet though it may be too expensive to tour the sets and costumes. I'd also love to see Laura star in Cranko's or Maillot's Taming of the Shrew. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Emeralds Posted 14 hours ago Ok members. How many people would buy tickets to see Laura Morera, Alexander Campbell, Vadim Muntagirov, Sarah Lamb/Yasmine Naghdi in a ballet version of Much Ado About Nothing? Costumes by Bob Crowley (he’s very reliable and creative, nothing weird). Tickets will not be more than £80. Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Ooh, the production could tour several cities. So that nobody has to endure train hassles and expenses. 😁 Edited 14 hours ago by Emeralds Oh yes, fabulous idea! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 I love Much Ado, but it is a very 'verbal' plot where most of the entertainment comes from the witty repartee between the principals, and the ambivalence between their words and actions. Powerful though mime can be, I'd struggle to see this translating to ballet in the way the more emotionally powerful Shakespearean tragedies do. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina99 Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 I remember Alex Campbell, saying on a podcast, that if the opportunity arose he would love to appear in anything with Vadim. I think they would be great together, especially if there was comedy involved. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 4 minutes ago, Nina99 said: I remember Alex Campbell, saying on a podcast, that if the opportunity arose he would love to appear in anything with Vadim. I think they would be great together, especially if there was comedy involved. Perhaps they could/should have been cast as the Sisters in Cinderella... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Great idea Bridiem 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 The Sisters seem to be cast with the taller dancer as the bossier one & the shorter dancer as the shyer one but I feel like the other way around would be the better fit for Campbell & Muntagirov. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 5 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: The Sisters seem to be cast with the taller dancer as the bossier one & the shorter dancer as the shyer one but I feel like the other way around would be the better fit for Campbell & Muntagirov. Maybe so! But it could also be fun to see them cast against type. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 I’m pretty sure Muntagirov could do “bossy” and can see Campbell as the oh so shy maiden lol!! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Personally I think maybe in 20 years time but not yet please! Meanwhile.....I'd like to see Campbell in one of the classical male roles ...it's been too long. I haven't been as often this year but still..not many opportunities to see him. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 21, 2023 Author Share Posted June 21, 2023 3 hours ago, Missfrankiecat said: I love Much Ado, but it is a very 'verbal' plot where most of the entertainment comes from the witty repartee between the principals, and the ambivalence between their words and actions. Powerful though mime can be, I'd struggle to see this translating to ballet in the way the more emotionally powerful Shakespearean tragedies do. That’s the genius of dance 😉- I didn’t think The Winter’s Tale or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland would work in dance either, given the complexity of Winter’s Tale and the familiar quotes, sayings and poetry in the latter, but Wheeldon did a brilliant job of it. Or even Romeo and Juliet with its famous quotes and speeches-how could one not speak in the famous balcony scene? -but Cranko, MacMillan, Ashton, Ratmansky, Lavrovsky, Neumeier et al have pulled it off, helped by Prokofiev’s music of course. The important thing is not to “transliterate” it word for word and use mime as sign language, but to emphasise other non-verbal aspects of the plot, and capitalise on what dance can do that words alone can’t. Eg there’s no jam tart Adagio in Lewis Carroll’s book, but Wheeldon cleverly uses it to emphasise the Queen of Hearts’ wilful, random and illogical way of striking terror in the characters and alarm in us....and of course, Morera’s way of depicting “Off with his head!” is hilarious, as was Zenaida Yanowsky’s (surprisingly, a lot of ballerinas seem to enjoy portraying her 😊- and the ballet has been acquired by many of the world’s major companies). The Comedy of Errors (based on an older but equally funny Greek play) would be even harder,I would have thought, with the gold, the mantle and the servant asking for his freedom, but David Bintley and Sarasota Ballet seem to have managed it - I haven’t been able to see it, but the critics and audience members who have managed to write something about it say it is really entertaining. Would love to see them bring it here. Of course, the whole notion of even such a creation and touring it north, south, east, west, midlands and London is really at present just the ballet equivalent of fan fiction and fantasy football league at the moment. I’d also like to have a different Hero in different cities, as I now can’t decide between casting Lamb, Naghdi or Hayward, and have decided they should all be invited to dance it eg Hayward in Liverpool, Naghdi in Plymouth, Lamb in Birmingham (something like that), etc etc which would be brilliant for the box office because some people might travel to catch changes of cast. But Morera in every city! @Dawnstar, was thinking Ryoichi Hirano for Don Pedro and Bennet Gartside for Dogberry, but I don’t mind which way they distribute roles as long as Ben is in it. Really hoping some choreographer and impresario/producer will steal this idea and make it happen with Morera and Campbell! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 It would probably take Benn to make Dogberry funny 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Please look out for Jonathan Gray in Gramilano (doubtless in Links tomorrow) for a lovely tribute to Laura - and a side-swipe at the first two pieces on the RB’s bill last week. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 22 minutes ago, Ondine said: Lovely photos Most of them by @Rob S I see. He should think about turning professional! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondine Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Just now, Dawnstar said: Most of them by @Rob S I see. Yes so I noticed! Always a treat to see. 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 20 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Most of them by @Rob S I see. He should think about turning professional! Thank you 😊 I should point out the very last pic of the flower delivery which I’ve been credited with isn’t mine. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnzi5 Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 32 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Most of them by @Rob S I see. He should think about turning professional! I'd presumed he was a professional photographer! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 Oh hang on, it is mine but from a week earlier 😆🤦🏻♂️ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 21, 2023 Share Posted June 21, 2023 12 minutes ago, Linnzi5 said: I'd presumed he was a professional photographer! He is 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 11 hours ago, Rob S said: Oh hang on, it is mine but from a week earlier 😆🤦🏻♂️ Rob S, you reminded me of George Gershwin, who wrote so many great pieces, that when a friend hummed one of his tunes, he said, oh that’s nice, who wrote it? His friend said, you did! (I don’t think GG was trying to be smug and asking him while knowing full well it was his work.) Love the pictures, Rob S, especially when you post them for premieres and special occasions like farewells. I’m also impressed by your dedication in making your way to so many premieres, debuts and special occasions like farewells and fundraisers - wonderful to see and have a record of them - so thank you 👏🍾🎁. (I know you might want to be there yourself, but it’s still brilliant that you get there whatever the weather, traffic issues and other events going on at the same time.) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 22, 2023 Author Share Posted June 22, 2023 Just randomly throwing this out there, but one of my fond memories of Laura’s dancing is from 2015 when she and Federico danced an excerpt from Ashton’s Rhapsody to a full house at a fundraising gala at Sadler’s Wells Theatre to honour the murdered school teacher Ann Maguire and raise funds for a new education charity set up in her name (Mrs Maguire was the mother of Emma Maguire, who was a soloist at the Royal Ballet at the time). Laura and Fede were so lyrical and beautiful in it. I also remember Akane Takada (beautifully dressed in a pretty and chic skirt suit, looking like a film star!) and Benjamin Ella (cool in dressed down casual) holding buckets to help collect donations at the door! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 When Laura and her husband were arranging their gala/teaching events in Japan, she asked me for some photos of the dancers involved, which I was happy to provide. I certainly wasn't looking for payment, but Laura wanted to do something nice for me in return, so got me a spot backstage when she was dancing 'Rhapsody' (and for the rest of the triple bill). Immensely kind of her, but then that is so typical of her. One of the best evenings of my life! 🙂 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 There is a lovely picture of Laura after her penultimate show on Rachel Hollings' IG account here: https://www.instagram.com/lahollings/?hl=en 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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