DON QUIXOTE - ROYAL BALLET AUTUMN 2023

[Guest oncnp]

5 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Nuñez on top form this evening and particularly smiley 😀

 

Great to see Teo Dubreuil back on stage too, he’s on matador duty 

Thank you for identifying him. I thought that's who it was but wasn't sure. Can anyone identify the other matadors? I think one is Ben Ella but again not sure

 

Re: Nunez (and even more so for Muntagirov) - Must  be nice to get such an ovation for just showing up.

Edited September 30, 2023 by oncnp

[Rob S]

5 minutes ago, oncnp said:

Thank you for identifying him. I thought that's who it was but wasn't sure. Can anyone identify the other matadors? I think one is Ben Ella but again not sure

 

Re: Nunez (and even more so for Muntagirov) - Must  be nice to get such an ovation for just showing up.

Ella, Teo, Lukas BB, Nicol Edmonds, Calvin and I’ll remember the other one at curtain up 

[Rob S]

Joseph Sissens 

[LinMM]

Joe Sissens….last but not least!!! 

[Guest oncnp]

34 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Joseph Sissens 

Thank you!

[Richard LH]

This is all going very well....very appreciative audience!

[capybara]

2 hours ago, oncnp said:

Re: Nunez (and even more so for Muntagirov) - Must  be nice to get such an ovation for just showing up.

That’s a bit harsh. I love it when dancers are clapped on (if appropriate to the ballet of course). It’s a recognition of what they have brought to the stage previously and anticipation of what is to come.

 

Espada got a little welcome clap tonight too.

[Mary]

Nunez and Muntagirov were on top form and received a  fully deserved rapturous reception: a super evening. 

[Missfrankiecat]

I can't stop smiling.  Such a beautiful evening.  More tomorrow.

[Balletfanp]

Mind-blowingly good performance tonight! A thoroughly well deserved standing ovation. The whole cast were brilliant but Marianela and Vadim were just on fire! More tomorrow.

[emmarose]

There's a lot to say about tonight, but I just wanted to say how happy I was to be a part of that audience.

 

So often these dancers will give us so much in their performances and it's met with somewhat polite applause, but tonight everyone really showed their appreciation for what they were seeing and it seemed to add to the atmosphere. 

 

What a night!

[emmarose]

5 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

Mind-blowingly good performance tonight! A thoroughly well deserved standing ovation. The whole cast were brilliant but Marianela and Vadim were just on fire! More tomorrow.

 

Weren't they just, and their standards are already so high, but my god!

 

Ryoichi Hirano also in amazing form, it seems as if the role was made for him!

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JohnS]

Fabulous photos @Rob S - they encapsulate the joyfulness of the performance.

[Richard LH]

The most enthusiastic audience I can remember at the ROH.. matched by the enthusiasm of the whole cast. Some fantastic performances... Nela and Vadim on fire from the start, Mayara and Ryoichi brilliant, and some lovely debuts(?) e.g. from Annette Buvoli as Queen of the Dryads, Sae Maeda as Amour and Mica Bradbury as lead Fandango lady. Beautiful dancing from the Corps in the Dream sequence. Rounded off by Carlos Acosta being reluctantly dragged on stage at the end to take well deserved rapturous applause! Well worth the 2hr car journey to get there....

[capybara]

It was indeed a privilege to be part of that audience as well as to be witness to the outstanding performance itself. What a start to the season. What a spirit-lifter.

 

With that superlative cast** and Maestro Ovsyanikov in the pit, it felt as if the production had found an extra gear, a faster pace, a brighter look.

 

More once I’ve seen other casts.

(** As already mentioned by others but with an additional nod toThomas Whitehead’s excellent Gamache.)

 

[Henry]

13 hours ago, Rob S said:

Nuñez on top form this evening and particularly smiley 😀

 

Great to see Teo Dubreuil back on stage too, he’s on matador duty 

May I ask, has Teo Dubreuil been off injured or taking a guest year with another company?

 

[LinMM]

Lovely piccies especially like the one of Carlos and Nunez! 
I almost didn’t recognise Joe Sissens! 

[Missfrankiecat]

I am still enjoying a serotonin rush after last night's season opener.  It really was a lovely feel-good night, with a lively, appreciative audience apparently spurring on outstanding performances.  There will be far more technically detailed reports than I have capacity to give but my impression was that everyone was on top form.  There is always something new to notice and I couldn't believe that I had never clocked that Don Quixote's lance is one of the posts of his bed, seized in the prologue by Sancho Panza.  Christopher Saunders was the Don and, my programme instructs, also responsible for some corps coaching and Philip Mosely was Sancho - his being tossed in the air (very high) in Act One was one of two places where I heard very audible gasps from the audience. [the other were the two one-armed lifts by Vadim].  It was touching to hear welcoming applause for the first entrances of Kitri and Basilio - I like to think it was a particular 'welcome back home' after Summer travels for two very loved principals.  Ryoichi Hirano also got a ripple of applause on his first entrance.  It would have been deserved for his costume alone - he looks great in his Matador gear - but he danced a wonderful Espada, achieving effortless lines.  His Mercedes was Mayara Magri who was typically strong and zestful.  I am sorry not to be booked (currently!) to see her Kitri.  Of the matadors, Jospeh Sissens stood out to me.  The corps were excellent, especially the women in the Kingdom of the Dryads.  I particularly enjoyed Sae Maeda's vivacious turn as Amour. But the stars were Nunez and Muntagirov.  I booked to see this pairing, yet again, in part because, at Nunez' age and the relatively lengthy RB cycle for classics, you can't be too sure how many more Kitri's there will be for her.  But she is apparently ageless - a technical dynamo and master of artistry.  She seems both to hold her transitions in suspension and move seamlessly at the same time, her timing and the articulation of her footwork and her upper body are exceptional.  The Act 3 fouettés had the audience clapping along to her metronomic precision.  Above all she conveyed a warm, witty, playful Kitri with every smile, eye-roll and accent to the music.  An audience member sitting by us and explaining to novice ballet attenders what the ballet was about told them that Vadim was sometimes considered too classic a dancer to fully embody the bravura of Basilio.  Judging by their vocal enthusiasm, the first timers didn't agree and nor do I.  He was on majestic form with gravity defying leaps, beautiful lines and elegant partnering.  I was misty eyed at the Grand pas de deux, in part because I watched their lockdown version filmed on a bleak empty stage so often and it was wonderful to see it placed properly in the wedding scene.  From reading Vadim's book, I am aware he didn't feel he danced the lock-down version immortalised on film very well (!) so I hope he got satisfaction from last night's version.  He certainly looked pleased with his flowers at the end (Hirano jokingly indicating he was a bit miffed not to receive a bouquet too).  Carlos Acosta was reticent about being dragged on to take a bow by Marienela but he had every reason to be proud of how his production is looking, and he was very gracious with the fans leaving by the stage door after the performance.

[Mary]

Joseph Sissens was great- a real ensemble player-I found myself watching him even when  he was just clapping: he was really getting into it. As was the whole audience:  you could feel such a buzz and I thought any minute we'd all be clapping too. ....( best not,  I agree)

 

I agree that Hirano is a superb Espada and well worth booking for specially. 

 

I can't really find the words to praise Muntagirov and Nunez sufficiently, as  they were perfection and beyond, with Vadim making the most sensational feats look so easy and showing, not just fabulous showmanship but a restraint and a gentlemanly standing back for Marianela, exemplifying the ideal that just because you can do it doesn't mean you should all the time - that is something especially his (and my goodness we know he can do it.)  While Marianela, in some incredible way, seemed to be better than ever -  combining strength, precision and artistry with musicality and style.

And Vadim's hair was looking very nice.

 

 

[Ondine]

2 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

 Ryoichi Hirano also got a ripple of applause on his first entrance.  It would have been deserved for his costume alone - he looks great in his Matador gear - but he danced a wonderful Espada, achieving effortless lines.

 

 I gather it was his fortieth birthday last week. Wishing him many happy returns!

 

 

 

[mart]

1 hour ago, Henry said:

May I ask, has Teo Dubreuil been off injured or taking a guest year with another company?

 

Teo was injured 

[Tango Dancer]

19 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

I am still enjoying a serotonin rush after last night's season opener.  It really was a lovely feel-good night, with a lively, appreciative audience apparently spurring on out Ryoichi Hirano also got a ripple of applause on his first entrance.  It would have been deserved for his costume alone - he looks great in his Matador gear - but he danced a wonderful Espada, achieving effortless lines.  

 

Looking at the pictures I'm not surprised, that costume really suits him.  It's a great colour for him.  

[Linnzi5]

I was so inspired by all the reviews here that I've just snagged one of the last tickets to a Nunez/Muntagirov performance of DQ. I nearly bought one for last night,  as I was at ROH for the rehearsal, but because of the train strike, I didn't want to be driving home late at night from a tube station 30 minutes away from home. That means DQ on 14th October and then again on 16th. Then more in November. I loved DQ at the rehearsal so much, that I am really excited to see a number of performances.  I will be hiding my Mastercard bill from Mr Linnzi . . . 😱 I actually went paperless (I wanted to be environmentally friendly too, to be fair) so he couldn't actually SEE how I was spending our money. 😳🤫

[JohnS]

I take it Mr Linnzi doesn’t look at Ballet Forum?

[emmarose]

16 minutes ago, Linnzi5 said:

I was so inspired by all the reviews here that I've just snagged one of the last tickets to a Nunez/Muntagirov performance of DQ. I nearly bought one for last night,  as I was at ROH for the rehearsal, but because of the train strike, I didn't want to be driving home late at night from a tube station 30 minutes away from home. That means DQ on 14th October and then again on 16th. Then more in November. I loved DQ at the rehearsal so much, that I am really excited to see a number of performances.  I will be hiding my Mastercard bill from Mr Linnzi . . . 😱 I actually went paperless (I wanted to be environmentally friendly too, to be fair) so he couldn't actually SEE how I was spending our money. 😳🤫

 

If it's anything like last night you will not be sorry.

[LinMM]

Linnzi5 😂

Even though it’s my own money I’m spending my partner is still quite likely to react if money spent on a ticket goes above a certain point ….he always has to add “and by the time you’ve added on the train fare”………..!! 
So your bit about going paperless made me laugh….as I always used to print off tickets ( which he did on his computer so could see all) when I didn’t trust digital so much but now I never print them off just show the phone so he can’t really comment any more! 
I know he’s only after my best interests though and I do give more thought to combining Ballet and Theatre visits with other things I’m mixed up with in London. 

[capybara]

5 minutes ago, emmarose said:

If it's anything like last night you will not be sorry.

Agree but last night’s performance (and audience) was so very special that it needed to be bottled and kept for all time.

 

 

[San Perregrino]

Principal characters aside there is a wealth of side and subsidiary dancing and acting everywhere one looks. It is too much to absorb and appreciate in one viewing.

Big shout out to the corps and ensemble too who made it such a memorable first night.

The urchin quartet (*) of, I hope I‘m right, Leo Dixon, Liam Boswell, Kevin Emerton and Taisuke Nakao had a palpable energy and stayed present and in character throughout the performance whilst dancing some tight, impressive choreography and throwing some shapes.

Ditto Philip Mosley as Sancho Panchez who I presume, given the aerial ´bumps’ he receives, doesn’t eat much before a show

Ditto Lukas BB, Calvin Richardson, Benjamin Ella, Téo Debreuil, Joe Sissens, Nicol Edmonds & Harris Bell (3rd act only) as matadors. 
 

*the general rehearsal was Leo Dixon, Marco Masciari, Francisco Serrano & Harrison Lee
 

Edited October 1, 2023 by PeterS

[emmarose]

29 minutes ago, capybara said:

Agree but last night’s performance (and audience) was so very special that it needed to be bottled and kept for all time.

 

 

 

I was thinking the same thing, what a shame it couldn't have been filmed, or even the impossible that our brains couldn't record it moment for moment.

It's something that just cannot be replicated because truly it was magic seeing the stage feed off of the audience and the audience respond to the dancers. I'll never forget it.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2023 by emmarose

[LinMM]

There are these “one off” type 

special nights at the ballet from time to time and so become treasured memories. 

[bridiem]

I am now so regretting that I didn't book for last night, as I normally would have done for opening night. The DQ prices have meant severe rationing. Grrr... But reading all your write-ups is the next best thing, so thank you all!

[OnePigeon]

I’m so jealous, it sounds incredible.  I had wanted to book this performance but already had tickets for Our Voices, which I couldn’t attend anyway due to the train strikes.  Fingers crossed the magic is replicated when I see them in a few weeks!