DON QUIXOTE - ROYAL BALLET AUTUMN 2023

[Linnzi5]

25 minutes ago, alison said:

Well, I hope those who are going will report back for those of us who haven't been able to get an affordable ticket

There is no option on the response button for a sad face - so I'll do it here instead.     

[rosefairy]

After seeing the cinema relay this week in Germany, I'm really looking forward to experiencing the final Don Q show with Osipova and Clarke in the leads in one week! 

 

I bought my ticket back in August but now a friend wants to join me and even though we both tried yesterday at 1 pm on the dot, we couldn't get a Friday Rush ticket for her (max. 40 pounds).

 

Is anyone here possibly selling one? It doesn't matter what view/seat category.

[alison]

You could put a request in the Tickets forum.

 

Have discovered it may not be a bad thing that I'm not at Don Q today, but it's still disappointing.

[Rob S]

All debuts going well so far…a particularly long second hold from Reece, Lukas as Espada was every bit as good as I’d hoped and lovely Mercedes from Annette 

[MJW]

2 hours ago, alison said:

Well, I hope those who are going will report back for those of us who haven't been able to get an affordable ticket

As Kevin O’Hare is sitting a few seats away from me perhaps I should ask him about pricing at the next interval!

[capybara]

6 minutes ago, MJW said:

As Kevin O’Hare is sitting a few seats away from me perhaps I should ask him about pricing at the next interval!

Not his domain!

[Rob S]

Delightful Dryad debut from Sumina Sasaki 👏

[art_enthusiast]

Loved it, Natalia is brilliant and a superb debut from Reece.

Such an amazing vibrancy from everyone.

[Lindsay]

Agree with Rob.  That was very secure indeed and stylish for a first go at the Dryad Queen!

 

Osipova went full comedy Kitri - won’t be for everyone but you can’t say it isn’t exciting.  The steps are so easy for her that she just wanders around the stage being a real-life person and occasionally chucking in some pyrotechnics.  Started the fouettés late, steamed through with mostly triples then strolled off with her hands on her hips. So different from every other ballerina doing it ‘properly’ but I love her!

[MildConcern]

A very fine debut by Clarke and some excellent partnering (those lifts!). It was also great to finally see Osipova in her signature role - her Act 1 solo variation was truly sizzling and her Kitri has a very naughty demeanour. I also thought her excitement when watching the gypsy camp was very cute - dancing away in her chair.
 

I have the slightly unfortunate (or very fortunate) condition of having seen the utterly superlative Kaneko and Bracewell cast twice now and the cohesiveness they portray really carries the ballet. With Osipova and Clarke, I felt they were always most focussed on technical fireworks which, once executed, was followed by a huge grin. While impressive, it really exposes how “bitty” this ballet is, particularly in the Acosta production.

 

 

[MJW]

This afternoon was the first time I have seen Osipova live in a three-ballet (I've  seen her Raymonda Act III and Symphony in C). Clearly she had a lot of vocal support in the audience and (as with @MildConcern above) I preferred that with Bracewell and Keneko, it was certainly a fun afternoon and glad I managed to grab a late ticket Monday lunchtime.

 

From this afternoon - 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzhBSInIgwZ/

Edited November 11, 2023 by MJW

[Sim]

I really enjoyed this afternoon’s show. Fabulous debuts from all the debutants, and Miss Osipova is a force unto herself!  As ever, she did it her way…and it really worked!  Calvin was hilarious as Gamache…he really camped it up and he was riveting.  
 

Such beauty, grace and confidence from Annette Buvoli as Mercedes. She is just wonderful in everything she does and if she isn’t promoted at the end of the season I will be banging on Kevin’s door!  I think that the fledgling partnership between her and Lukas BB could develop into something special.  I really liked his Espada…arrogant, vain, and all with his tongue wedged firmly in his cheek.  
 

Sumina Sasaki was incredibly assured and confident in her debut as Queen of the Dryads…such grace and such joy.  One to look out for in future.  
 

Huge kudos to Reece Clarke. A lovely debut;  he visibly improved as the ballet went on. I could happily watch him stand and read the phone book onstage, but here he showed what he can do. Such a warm connection and understanding with NO…, he so romantic, she flirting with him and the audience and showing us all that she’s still got it. Her very own it.  Great stuff!  

[capybara]

14 minutes ago, Sim said:

I really enjoyed this afternoon’s show. Fabulous debuts from all the debutants, and Miss Osipova is a force unto herself!  As ever, she did it her way…and it really worked!  Calvin was hilarious as Gamache…he really camped it up and he was riveting.  
 

Such beauty, grace and confidence from Annette Buvoli as Mercedes. She is just wonderful in everything she does and if she isn’t promoted at the end of the season I will be banging on Kevin’s door!  I think that the fledgling partnership between her and Lukas BB could develop into something special.  I really liked his Espada…arrogant, vain, and all with his tongue wedged firmly in his cheek.  
 

Sumina Sausalito was incredibly assured and confident in her debut as Queen of the Dryads…such Grace and such joy.  One to look out for in future.  
 

Huge kudos to Reece Clarke. A lovely debut;  he visibly improved as the ballet went on. I could happily watch him stand and read the phone book onstage, but here he showed what he can do. Such a warm connection and understanding with NO…,he so romantic, she flirting with him and the audience and showing us all that she still got it. Her very own it.  Great stuff!  

? Sumina Sasaki. 😂

[Ondine]

14 minutes ago, Sim said:

Annette Buvoli as Mercedes. She is just wonderful in everything she does and if she isn’t promoted at the end of the season I will be banging on Kevin’s door!

 An oldie but worth the time

 

If anyone didn't see this when first 'broadcast'  it's worth watching. Annette Buvoli comes across as such a lovely person!

 

Great to see her progress since then!

 

 

 

[Sim]

Sorry, what is an ‘oldie’, @Ondine

[serenade]

I was at this afternoon's performance too, really enjoyed it.  Natalia is still my favourite Kitri....loved her performance today.  I didn't realise it was Reece's debut performance in the role until I read it here, he was really good.  I loved Calvin Richardson as Gamache...it's actually one of my least favourite bits of the ballet and usually I don't find it funny but he unexpectedly really made me laugh.  Loved Lukas BB and Annette Buvoli as Espada/Mercedes- they were both really charismatic and I thought they did a fun, glam take on the roles.   Ashley Dean was lovely as Amour.  Gary Avis was funny as Lorenzo I really didn't recognise it was him for ages even though I was in the stalls.  And I really liked Thomas Whitehead's Don Q. 

 

I'm now a bit sad I only booked for one performance plus I went to the cinema relay.  I didn't really enjoy Don Q in the last run so I decided to save my money for other ballets but I loved both this performance and the cinema so much I'm now kicking myself 😂

Edited November 11, 2023 by serenade

[capybara]

14 minutes ago, Sim said:

Sorry, what is an ‘oldie’, @Ondine

😊The Dance Europe reel

dates from when Annette had been in the Company for seven years and Harry for five. She had just become a First Artist but Harry had not then begun to climb up the ranks.

Edited November 11, 2023 by capybara

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Silke H]

Facebook Don Q album

 

Instagram 11 Nov 2023 matinee

 

 

[Occasional audience member]

Well my first Don Quixote experience was everything I had hoped. What a magical way to spend a November afternoon. I laughed at Gamache and Sancho Panza,  gasped at the virtuoso variations and nearly cried at the lovely Rosinante puppet as Don Quixote exited the stage. I’ve seen the very well known variations on youtube before, mostly performed by competition students. So enjoyed the “real thing” performed by top notch professionals as part of the whole ballet. Would never have guessed it was  Reece Clarke’s debut. Loved Natalia Osipova’s cheeky OTT Kitri. Failed to find the Balletco gang (thought I’d understood Sim’s directions then realised I was about to introduce myself to Kevin O’Hare’s table in the Floral Hall!). Slightly awkward moment as someone had come into the wrong section of the auditorium and they were in my seat, but all amicably resolved. What a treat. Time to start saving up for my next London/Ballet trip! 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Occasional audience member

[Ondine]

39 minutes ago, Sim said:

Sorry, what is an ‘oldie’, @Ondine

 

Well I am obvs but the wee video is too, it's an old one on YouTube. From lockdown times.

[Sim]

1 hour ago, capybara said:

? Sumina Sasaki. 😂

Sorry….auto text.  Didn’t have time to read the post before I uploaded it!  Duly corrected!

[bridiem]

I really enjoyed this afternoon too. For complicated reasons, I ended up much nearer the stage than anticipated so I had a bird's eye view of much of the proceedings. Osipova is - of course - unique. There are times when she looks less like a ballerina about to start a solo than a gymnast about to perform a difficult vault. And she doesn't generally try to hide the difficulty of what she's doing - you can see the preparation and the concentration, and the relief when it's over. But in the end, none of that matters because she has such charisma, such energy, such panache, that she is just completely gripping. 

 

And I agree with all the comments above about the débuts - Clarke was excellent, and I loved Lukas BB and Annette Buvoli - both so strong and so stylish. For me, Annette Buvoli is already a real ballerina. I'm not sure exactly what I mean by that, but I just want to say it. I thought Sumina Sasaki did really well as Queen of the Dryads - very secure and really quite powerful. I look forward to seeing her in other roles. And Calvin Richardson was a very amusing Gamache.

 

Gary Avis as Lorenzo - almost unrecognisable, but totally brilliant. Funny and completely credible, and as usual bringing immense depth of characterisation to a role that in other hands could go for not very much. What an artist he is.

[Linnzi5]

10 minutes ago, Sim said:

Sorry….auto text.  Didn’t have time to read the post before I uploaded it!  Duly corrected!

Sumina Sausalito really made me giggle! How does autocorrect come up with these things?! 🤣

[Emeralds]

The photos of Gamache (Richardson) being dragged off by Lorenzo (Avis) are hilarious- thank you and well done @Rob S and @Silke H! 😄 👏 

[Paco]

3 hours ago, Sim said:

Huge kudos to Reece Clarke. A lovely debut;  he visibly improved as the ballet went on. I could happily watch him stand and read the phone book onstage, but here he showed what he can do. Such a warm connection and understanding with NO…,he so romantic, she flirting with him and the audience and showing us all that she still got it. Her very own it.  Great stuff!  

I fully agree!!! For me this afternoon's performance was Reece's performance. Everything was amazing in his dancing: the goldsmith precision of his jumps and jetés, notably in the Act III variaiton, the extraordinary partnership/ complicity with Natalia Osipova (those crossed looks, the way he almost "eats" her when he looks at her, those cute kisses), and most of all the surprinsing character that he has created: His Basilio is not only seducer, feline, player, he is also full of that Spanish virilism that few best Basilios truly have: In a way, Clarke's Basilio also holds some Espada DNA in his character. This is a very original approach and reflects the talent of a smart artist.

 

Natalia Osipova started very well the performance, with her usual electrical/ sunshine energy, devouring the stage like a volcano and showing her usual amazing technical easiness and charism. However and unfortunately, the more the performance went ahead the more tired she started to be, showing sometimes breathing difficulties and chiefly some caution in jetés and moves, caution that is unusual compared to what she is used to doing. Compared to her former performances of Kitri here or in Paris or at la Scala, and compared to her unforgettable superlative performances at the Royal Ballet, this Saturday was somehow under-powered, terminating in a half-delivered variation at Act III, where she ended with a pantomime instead of the expected choreography, showing a most probable physical bad confition this afternoon. Perhaps it was a mistake to dance in Dubai on Wednesday, take the flight back and jump onto the stage only 24h later, chiefly for a engaging ballet like DQ and at 37 y-old.

However, thanks to a very good partnership with Reece and a strong monitoring of the technical difficulties, she and him managed to provide the needed excitement that we expect in a DQ performance, and it was globally a much enjoyable matinee.

 

Moreover I discovered the so charming and magical Cupidon of Ashley Dean. How amazingly musical is her dance, it was a delight and I will keep her name in my record, hoping to see one day at the RB in characters like Clara or Coppelia.

 

Once again, at the end of this performance I consider this production of DQ as a very good one: full of smart details, very theatrical. Much better than most other productions of this ballet. Bravo to Carlos Acosta !

 

 

[art_enthusiast]

55 minutes ago, Paco said:

this Saturday was somehow under-powered, terminating in a half-delivered variation at Act III, where she ended with a pantomime instead of the expected choreography

 

I didn't see this. I can't agree, I thought she was amazing today.

 

Just got back from Meaghan/Luca's performance and similarly bowled over, I thought they were both stunning. And Isabella Gasparini's Mercedes - probably one of my favourites. I believe Meaghan has recently got back from an injury? Not sure when it happened exactly, I remember seeing a post on Instagram. Massive kudos to her, given how difficult a role Kitri is. 

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

[Lindsay]

32 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

 

I didn't see this. I can't agree, I thought she was amazing today.

 

 

Me neither.  Paco, are you referring to the fact that Natalia didn't use her fan on the last diagonal but held it closed above her head instead? That was of course different from the usual step but I don't think it makes it any easier.  And those fouettes didn't look like a display of tiredness from where I was sitting...

[Sim]

Furthermore, Natalia has always done her own thing on stage, which sometimes involves slight tweaks to the choreography. That’s what makes her so exciting to watch…you never know what you’re going to get.  As my daughter said today:  we are lucky enough to see wonderful dancers doing it the “correct” way, so it’s just very interesting to see a different interpretation, which is what we always get with Natalia. DonQ is one of those ballets that can take it. 

[Rob S]

Natalia can’t even kiss Don Q goodbye at the end the same way as all the other Kitris 😆 She’s very special 

[Sim]

59 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Natalia can’t even kiss Don Q goodbye at the end the same way as all the other Kitris 😆 She’s very special 

Yes I noticed that…all he got was a handshake!  😂

[Occasional audience member]

I was very taken with a few of the dancers in unnamed “roles” yesterday afternoon - no way of telling from the cast sheet who they were. In particular one of the four men dancing in ragged clothes as ?urchins? ?scruffy street lads? yesterday afternoon really stood out and if he is an early career artist I would be keeping an eye out for him for the future. Is there more detail anywhere? Does anyone who knows the company well know who those four were? Seems odd that the briefly appearing (lovely) guitar players get a full credit, but not some of the standout dancers.