DON QUIXOTE - ROYAL BALLET AUTUMN 2023

[emmarose]

5 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

King Charles is head of state of so many countries that I'm sure he would happily cede sovereignty of the ROH to Nunez and Muntagirov.

 

It only seems fair!

[Linnzi5]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

I think it is an unfair exaggeration to compare the audience reaction with Nunez/Muntagirov to Beatlemania or the sort of mindless (and orchestrated) cheering that takes place on some TV shows. I felt it to be spontaneous, and an unusual and rather surprising, but genuine, sign of appreciation for two wonderful dancers on dazzling form,  back on stage at the start of a new season. It certainly wasn't all the time, and if anything I thought it enhanced, rather than hindered, the flow of a cheerful ballet...and the dancers clearly enjoyed the enthusiasm and fed off it to a large extent.

 

I’m glad it didn’t bother you and you felt it enhanced the performance for you - but it did not for me. At the performance I went to, (not opening night) it was non-stop and I didn’t enjoy it and that is my opinion, just as you are entitled to yours. It was near hysteria at times (loads of screaming girls!)  I can’t comment on tv shows, but the comparison I made was appropriate to how I felt.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Linnzi5

[Sim]

1 hour ago, emmarose said:

I probably did mean the slight disrespect to Charles and Camilla though... 

Why?

[San Perregrino]

34 minutes ago, emmarose said:

As an aside, re the cast for a cinema relay... Yes, Nunez does have a recording of her and Carlos, but it does feel like a great shame that her and Vadim have not been shown to the world in these roles together, because what they created together was nothing short of magical.

Having seen all the casts including opening night and with the exception of Osipova/Clarke which is yet to come, my vote for the Don Quixote that should have been filmed this season is definitely Fumi Kaneko/William Bracewell. Their lead partnership together with how they inhabited the characters of Kitri & Basilio along with the rest of the Company at their first performance was refreshing and breathtaking. Beyond magical. 

Edited November 9, 2023 by PeterS

[Jan McNulty]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

I’m not so sure Janet! When tickets are entirely free for audience members especially when in very good seats I don’t think it will necessarily attract them to come back again when they have to pay!! 
It was a very nice gesture by the Patrons but I think for many will be seen as a lovely one off treat. 
Still you never know a few might suddenly get a liking for either the ballet or the ROH from this visit. 

Many years ago BRB produced a single for the Dance of the Knights as a promotion in Sunderland where the football team march on to that music.

 

At the midweek matinee there was a large group of supporters (all men - around 30 of them) sitting on the front row.

 

It did encourage at least some of them to go back for some years - we used to recognise them!

[Silke H]

3 minutes ago, PeterS said:

Having seen all the casts including opening night and with the exception of Osipova/Clarke which is yet to come, my vote for the Don Quixote that should have been filmed this season is definitely Fumi Kaneko/William Bracewell. Their lead partnership together with how they inhabited the characters of Kitri & Basilio along with the rest of the Company at their first performance was refreshing and breathtaking. Beyond magical. 

I couldn't agree more.  All three of their shows were fabulous

[alison]

Hindsight is always a great thing, isn't it, especially when it comes to cinema relays.  But yes, the originally scheduled cast did sound particularly exciting.  I imagine the royals, unlike many people on this forum, don't pick performances according to who's dancing, but when they can fit it into their schedules.

[Ondine]

24 minutes ago, Sim said:

Why?

 Not everyone admires them. Not everyone supports a monarchy.

 

Let's not all fall out.

 

Let's consider what happened to that cloth of gold that was used to line the royal box in 1953.  Was it recycled for costumes? Is it languishing in a trunk somewhere backstage? Was it melted down and flogged off?

 

[Richard LH]

49 minutes ago, Linnzi5 said:

I’m glad it didn’t bother you and you felt it enhanced the performance for you - but it did not for me. At the performance I went to, (not opening night) it was non-stop and I didn’t enjoy it and that is my opinion, just as you are entitled to yours. It was near hysteria at times (loads of screaming girls!)  I can’t comment on tv shows, but the comparison I made was appropriate to how I felt.

Probably just as well you missed  the opening night @Linnzi5, as it was the most enthusiastic audience of their three shows!

But I am afraid I just don't recognise your description of  the audience behaviour at any of their performances.....but perhaps it was different according to the locale within the auditorium (we were in the Stalls)?

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Richard LH

[Fonty]

15 minutes ago, Ondine said:

 Not everyone admires them. Not everyone supports a monarchy.

 

 

 

 

Please, this is not the place to be discussing the monarchy.  If people want to discuss this, I am sure there are plenty of other forums for that.  

[art_enthusiast]

38 minutes ago, PeterS said:

Having seen all the casts including opening night and with the exception of Osipova/Clarke which is yet to come, my vote for the Don Quixote that should have been filmed this season is definitely Fumi Kaneko/William Bracewell. Their lead partnership together with how they inhabited the characters of Kitri & Basilio along with the rest of the Company at their first performance was refreshing and breathtaking. Beyond magical. 

 

Me too - I missed their performance unfortunately. Sounded incredible and of course, a very important moment for Fumi given her previous experience with the role.

 
Still haven't seen their recorded Nutcracker from last year, which I was hoping would turn up on ROH Stream...

[Ondine]

1 minute ago, Fonty said:

Please, this is not the place to be discussing the monarchy.  If people want to discuss this, I am sure there are plenty of other forums for that.  

 Sim asked why, I answered,  as I said, let's not all fall out.

 

I do wonder about that cloth of gold though.  We still had sweet rationing in 1953 I recall!

 

Official visits certainly aren't what they were. I wonder if the smell of mothballs (the furs) was overwhelming?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sim]

I only asked why because I wanted to know if they had done something particular to gain Emmarose's disrespect.  

 

Okay, enough about the subject please.  I didn't realise it was going to turn into a pro or anti Monarchy debate.

[art_enthusiast]

19 hours ago, alison said:

I have to say, Magri didn't look at all upset at the end - quite the contrary, she was beaming, and looked radiant.  If it had been me, I'm sure I'd still have been mentally kicking myself, but she appeared to have shrugged it off with no problems.  I didn't even notice that Lukas B B had stumbled.

 

That's good. One thing I was curious about is how experienced Magri is as Kitri, given that she has had 2 slips so far in the run - not that this is a big deal at all to me, I was just interested in the possible reasons for it (I thought it might be the stage floor, as I think was discussed earlier in the thread). I believe she debuted in 2019, wondering how many performances she got? Not sure. I know she has done the PDD frequently for galas.

 

I think more experience in the role will be the best thing. Also I'm another person who doesn't like when there's too much exuberant clapping/screaming during the tricky technical parts - the fouettés here and the ones in Swan Lake for example. I think if it was me, I was definitely get thrown off timing wise!

 

I am definitely a "whooper", but only in the curtain calls usually. Although in the Act 3 fireworks of Don Q and Swan Lake, there are moments where it seems appropriate to make more noise - ideally at a break in the music.

[Rob S]

13 minutes ago, Ondine said:

 Sim asked why, I answered,  as I said, let's not all fall out.

 

I do wonder about that cloth of gold though.  We still had sweet rationing in 1953 I recall!

 

Official visits certainly aren't what they were. I wonder if the smell of mothballs (the furs) was overwhelming?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bet the ushers had a hard time telling the regulars not to put anything on the ledge that night!!😮

[emmarose]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

Why?

 

Well, this is a long and complicated issue and will probably just lead to off topic arguments, but I am a republican. The royal family serve no purpose in a modern society and it was never more obvious than on Tuesday when he sat on a gold throne draped in gold and mink with a diamond studded crown and talked about the struggles of the cost of living.

We shouldn't have them, especially as they currently are.

[Ondine]

1 minute ago, emmarose said:

mink

 

Ermine I think. To denote high status, restricted to high nobility & royalty. Many small creatures died to make up the his n her costumes.

 

None of which has to do with ballet or the ROH, royal visits are rather more toned down these days.

 

 

 

 

[Sim]

15 minutes ago, emmarose said:

 

Well, this is a long and complicated issue and will probably just lead to off topic arguments, but I am a republican. The royal family serve no purpose in a modern society and it was never more obvious than on Tuesday when he sat on a gold throne draped in gold and mink with a diamond studded crown and talked about the struggles of the cost of living.

We shouldn't have them, especially as they currently are.

Well that's your opinion, and clearly other people's on here as well, but many people will disagree with you.

 

As I said, enough now about the Monarchy please.  We don't want to have to lock this thread.  Let's leave it here.

[Sim]

In order to get this thread back on topic, we will be hiding any further discussion or comments about the Monarchy,  as requested above.

 

Thank you.

[emmarose]

7 minutes ago, Sim said:

In order to get this thread back on topic, we will be hiding any further discussion or comments about the Monarchy,  as requested above.

 

Thank you.

 

Sorry, but I was literally only answering your own question on the monarchy... But no more.

[Linnzi5]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

Probably just as well you missed  the opening night @Linnzi5, as it was the most enthusiastic audience of their three shows!

But I am afraid I just don't recognise your description of  the audience behaviour at any of their performances.....but perhaps it was different according to the locale within the auditorium (we were in the Stalls)?

 

Possibly that is the case. As I said, I can only comment on what I heard and experienced and that is personal to me and no less valid than any other opinion 😊

[Sim]

1 minute ago, emmarose said:

 

Sorry, but I was literally only answering your own question on the monarchy... But no more.

For which thank you.  But after that I really needed to get this thread back on track.

[Linnzi5]

1 hour ago, PeterS said:

Having seen all the casts including opening night and with the exception of Osipova/Clarke which is yet to come, my vote for the Don Quixote that should have been filmed this season is definitely Fumi Kaneko/William Bracewell. Their lead partnership together with how they inhabited the characters of Kitri & Basilio along with the rest of the Company at their first performance was refreshing and breathtaking. Beyond magical. 

Well. I’m very biased and have liked Kaneko/Bracewell best so far. However, as it was a debut run for Will Bracewell, I do wonder if it would have been a bit too nerve-wracking for him? He did also do the Swan Lake relay in 2022 and Nutcracker last year. As much as I will watch the man (and Fumi!) in anything (especially together), I think it’s only fair others do them too. Me? I’d be terrified performing on the relays! 😱

[Richard LH]

33 minutes ago, Sim said:

In order to get this thread back on topic, we will be hiding any further discussion or comments about the Monarchy,  as requested above.

 

Thank you.

@Sim do you just mean no more  general discussion here on the merits of the Monarchy? I don't think we should prevent any further relevant observations on this thread about the King (President of the ROYAL Ballet) and Queen attending this particular performance of Don Q.....

[Sim]

14 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

@Sim do you just mean no more  general discussion here on the merits of the Monarchy? I don't think we should prevent any further relevant observations on this thread about the King (President of the ROYAL Ballet) and Queen attending this particular performance of Don Q.....

Yes, that's exactly what I meant, which is why I specifically said 'Monarchy' (i.e., the institution) rather than 'King and Queen' .  

[ellyb]

Another one at a Nunez/Muntagirov performance and I was surprised at the audience response, but rather liked it and it seemed to add extra excitement to the occasion. I am not a whooper at all but it did seem appropriate on that particular night, and I assumed it was just because it was those two in that ballet - of all ballets I think this is the one most acceptable to go a bit wild! It's the only one I've attended so far, I also have Osipova which I also expect to be noisy. I don't mind people applauding fouettes etc in a coda when there are real fireworks but I wouldn't want it to become the norm for any performance, and I'd actually probably limit that to just Don Quixote, Swan Lake and possibly Nutcracker. I won't be so charmed if it happens in Manon! 

[Dawnstar]

1 hour ago, art_enthusiast said:

That's good. One thing I was curious about is how experienced Magri is as Kitri, given that she has had 2 slips so far in the run - not that this is a big deal at all to me, I was just interested in the possible reasons for it (I thought it might be the stage floor, as I think was discussed earlier in the thread). I believe she debuted in 2019, wondering how many performances she got? Not sure. I know she has done the PDD frequently for galas.

 

She had 2 performances as Kitri in 2019, as well as dancing Mercedes, Queen of the Dryads & Fandago lead over a number of other performances. So the cinema performance would have been her 6th Kitri, at least at the ROH, I don't know if she's danced it anywhere else. She managed to stay upright alright for her debut performance in 2019, although Clarke as Espada did get injured in Act I (not in an obvious to the audience way) & had to be replaced by Edmonds for Act III. Don Q does seem to be a bit of an injury-prone production all round!

[LinMM]

I’m pretty sure Sim means the former! 

Well you win some and lose some! 
Having had to relinquish any idea of seeing Mayara as Kitri this time around even as a cinema relay I just managed to see and buy a Forum “sold out” ticket ( as they always are by public booking) for a Royal Ballet rehearsal in the Clore studio so can now look forward to that in a couple of weeks time…..will be Nutcracker though. 
I don’t know whether Mayara is doing SPF in Nutcracker but would be nice if by Sods Law she was rehearsing this that day!! 
It could be something entirely different they’re rehearsing but won’t mind what it is really as get to so few of these Clore events……now just have to remember where to go! 

[Sim]

3 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I’m pretty sure Sim means the former! 

Well you win some and lose some! 
Having had to relinquish any idea of seeing Mayara as Kitri this time around even as a cinema relay I just managed to see and buy a Forum “sold out” ticket ( as they always are by public booking) for a Royal Ballet rehearsal in the Clore studio so can now look forward to that in a couple of weeks time…..will be Nutcracker though. 
I don’t know whether Mayara is doing SPF in Nutcracker but would be nice if by Sods Law she was rehearsing this that day!! 
It could be something entirely different they’re rehearsing but won’t mind what it is really as get to so few of these Clore events……now just have to remember where to go! 

Yes, as I responded!  When you get to the ROH, take the escalator up to the amphi, turn right at the top, keep walking past the long bar and the toilets and you will see signs for the Clore, which is up the stairs.

[Linnzi5]

5 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I’m pretty sure Sim means the former! 

Well you win some and lose some! 
Having had to relinquish any idea of seeing Mayara as Kitri this time around even as a cinema relay I just managed to see and buy a Forum “sold out” ticket ( as they always are by public booking) for a Royal Ballet rehearsal in the Clore studio so can now look forward to that in a couple of weeks time…..will be Nutcracker though. 
I don’t know whether Mayara is doing SPF in Nutcracker but would be nice if by Sods Law she was rehearsing this that day!! 
It could be something entirely different they’re rehearsing but won’t mind what it is really as get to so few of these Clore events……now just have to remember where to go! 

I'm going to the Nutcracker rehearsal. I'm very excited. I loved the Don Q one  

[LinMM]

Honestly my brain is definitely going into a decline 😥

Soon to be another year older but not another year wiser unfortunately! 

Only mentioning this here as it’s relevant to post above but not only is Mayara dancing SPF several times but I’m already booked to see her on Dec21st!!! Completely forgotten already  who I’m seeing in two Nutcrackers I’m going to!!
Though you do have to book up so far in advance is my only excuse! 

Linnzi5 Would be nice to

meet up if it proves possible can message nearer the time 

Sorry back to Don Q……only a few performances left now. 

Edited November 9, 2023 by LinMM

[Linnzi5]

11 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Honestly my brain is definitely going into a decline 😥

Soon to be another year older but not another year wiser unfortunately! 

Only mentioning this here as it’s relevant to post above but not only is Mayara dancing SPF several times but I’m already booked to see her on Dec21st!!! Completely forgotten already  who I’m seeing in two Nutcrackers I’m going to!!
Though you do have to book up so far in advance is my only excuse! 

Linnzi5 Would be nice to

meet up if it proves possible can message nearer the time 

Sorry back to Don Q……only a few performances left now. 

Yes. That would be lovely   I didn't go the way @Sim said to get to the Clore studio. My way was much less straightforward and of the meandering kind - but I got there eventually! 🤣

[Richard LH]

41 minutes ago, Sim said:

Yes, that's exactly what I meant, which is why I specifically said 'Monarchy' (i.e., the institution) rather than 'King and Queen' .  

Thanks for confirming that @Sim.

Drawing a couple of discussion points together, and going back  to the King's visit, I hope his reported "foot tapping along to the music"  was suitably discrete and not a distraction for those nearby!

It's something I find myself wanting to do with catchy and familiar ballet pieces, but probably not a good idea...I know l would be annoyed if a neighbouring attendee started it!