RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24

[Richard LH]

6 minutes ago, Sim said:

Tonight's cast sheet:

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/43/the-nutcracker-by-peter-wright/cast-list/54522

 

Great cast... apart from James Hay's absence. Looking forward to my first Nut of the season!

[alison]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

There can be large or small rondes de jambe. In the gargouillades they are small (and very fast). You may see some pas de deux where a ballerina does larger ones on pointe with her partner holding one hand over her head and the other out to the side.

 

How a ronde de jambe looks depends on whether it originates from the hip or the knee, doesn't it?

 

I also meant to say that I have a feeling we did have a thread on photography techniques, and possibly even curtain-call photography techniques somewhere.  Don't know if someone can find it?

[capybara]

27 minutes ago, alison said:

BTW, I thought Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani had retired?  Was I wrong, or is she guesting?

 

When she 'left' it was said that Tara-Brigitte would continue to take some characters roles (and also be involved with the RB's education activities, I think.)

[Pas de Quatre]

A double rond de jambe is the shape of a safety pin, mini circle close to supporting leg. Grand rond de jambe is where the dancer extends the leg to the front and carries it round to the side or can continue all the way to arabesque. Not trying to hijack the thread - hopefully this will help people in their discussions and appreciation of ballet.  Now fouettés are a real can of worms! There are several recognised ways of executing them.

[MJW]

37 minutes ago, alison said:

Another new Arabian couple?  And was someone saying they hadn't spotted Lara Turk recently?

 

BTW, I thought Tara-Brigitte Bhavnani had retired?  Was I wrong, or is she guesting?

Looking forward to seeing Harris Bell in the Arabian

[Lizbie1]

Coming late to this it seems, but I was mostly confused by the "tap" description because it doesn't look like that is what's going on - even if you didn't know what a ronde de jambe is I can't see how a gargouillade can have that appearance unless it's being done very badly!

[RHowarth]

On the subject of gargouillades, they aren't done in RAD ballet these days until allegro 2 in Advanced 2 - which is demonstrated in the syllabus video by none other than Anna Rose O' Sullivan! 

Edited December 19, 2023 by RHowarth

[Shade]

Gargouillades - looks like the dancer is trying to shake something unpleasant off the foot😂

[Scheherezade]

Viola Pantuso - just gorgeous!

[Rob S]

She’s doing so well 👏

[Sam L]

On 21/11/2023 at 04:56, PeterS said:

 if we get a new climate change Nutcracker at some point the snowflakes will doubtless be rays of sunshine. Don Quixote is full of sunshine. 

Made me crack literally! haha 

[FionaM]

The very fast round movement of the foot and lower leg in the gargouillade is supposed to be a DOUBLE small circle for each leg, in the middle of a pas de chat

The legs turn in opposite directions .. right turning outwards.  Most ballerinas manage to show a double here … though it doesn’t always look like a circle.   The left leg turns inwards.  The movement of the second leg often looks more like a single.  All this while jumping and trying to look graceful!
 

It’s rather similar to the challenge to make a circle on your stomach with one hand, and to tap the top of your head with the other.  
 

Beautifully pointed feet, a charming smile and graceful carriage of the body can make anything going on below be acceptable in my view 😉

[taxi4ballet]

Gargouillades were once described to me as a small circling movement, like water going down a plughole, such as you would find draining out of the mouth of a gargoyle on a building. Hence the name - the French word for gargoyle is gargouille.

 

 

[Linnzi5]

Sneaks in quietly . . .  I quite like the gargouillades  . . . sneaks out again 😳

[Tiptoesmama]

Silly question, but do the first artists perform other roles on the nights they aren’t in a leading role? Or do they only perform on the nights they have leading roles? (And is it the same dancers in the corps numbers every performance?)
 

 

[Sim]

33 minutes ago, Tiptoesmama said:

Silly question, but do the first artists perform other roles on the nights they aren’t in a leading role? Or do they only perform on the nights they have leading roles? (And is it the same dancers in the corps numbers every performance?)
 

 

In general the principals don’t, but all the other ranks do mix it up.  The corps can also change a few dancers per show.  However it depends on the ballet, number of shows, etc.  

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zxDaveM]

8 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Every so often, there is a gargouillade discussion for The Nutcracker (just like there's- more frequently - a Fouettes/32 fouettes discussion for Swan Lake 😀). Good to see @zxDaveM starting this season's one. I'm not totally certain I understand zxDaveM correctly, so am going to ask if it looks the same as what Sarah did many seasons back on the live cinema relay (on the YouTube account called Notas de Ballet): she does a tap tap of the right foot and the left foot sort of flicks out elegantly, in a series of three each time. She did this tap flick in 2021 when I saw her too.

 

 

 

My understanding of the gargouillade (which I realise is a bit scant) is a 'rond' motion of the right foot in a clockwise direction (2-3 circulations), then do a rond with the left in an anticlockwise direction (won't concern the arms for this discussion) in the same jump. In the SPF variation, repeat twice more, then change diagonal and do 3 more, change, do 3 more. Most seem to do the right foot, then just flick the left out at an angle. What Sarah did was two gargouillades, then step out of the diagonal with a little bit of a hop (I think), then crossed the front shin with the one that had been behind. I thought it looked much prettier than the unnecessarily tricky and ugly gargouillade step, in this dance watchers personal opinion (and of course I know I'm wrong, cos 'that's not the choreography'...)

Of course, it might all have been an unintentional wobbly on the first instance, which she covered by repeating it on all the others, and I'm embarassing her by being a numpty!

[bridiem]

Excellent performance this evening - individual excellence from Naghdi, Ball, Pantuso, Ikarashi and Sasaki, and Gary Avis displaying a kind of corporate excellence that seemed to generate, command and direct the whole affair. He told the story, he created the magic, he watched over and guided every dancer and every moment, and he brought it all to a close with both emotion and panache. Stunning. He changes the whole dynamic of the show, in a way that is quite breathtaking and completely masterful. He seems to become part of its creation - not just a performer, but an equal to Wright/Ivanov and Tchaikovsky.

 

I was thrilled by Viola Pantuso's Clara - she has such beautiful arms! (And legs!). And she danced beautifully as well as responding well dramatically. I can't wait to see more of her. I also really enjoyed Daichi Ikarashi as Hans Peter. Mariko Sasaki was an elegant Rose Fairy, and Naghdi and Ball glittered impressively as Sugar Plum and her Prince.

 

Wonderful.

 

I also wanted to record a conversation I heard in the lift at Covent Garden tube after the performance, even though it has no relevance to anything! I found myself standing next to a tall, elegant couple with their little girl aged about 7. The little girl was in her best coat and gold ballet shoes, so it was easy to guess where they'd been. And this was their conversation:

Little Girl: 'What time is it?'

Elegant Mother: 'About 10'

Little Girl: 'Is that late?'

Elegant Father: 'Yes'

Little Girl: 'Nina says that she goes to bed at 11.30, and that when she's 8 she'll be allowed to go to bed whenever she wants to'

Elegant Mother: 'Well she's talking absolute gibberish, dear'.

 

For some reason I found this exchange touching, amusing and strangely reassuring.

[zxDaveM]

Completely agree bridiem - I was coming on to say pretty much the same thing about the performance (though not the lift conversation obviously).

Yasmine Naghdi never lets me down, and I really enjoy watching her SPF. She brings such assured majesty to it.

Was also deeply impressed by Viola Pantuso's performance - full of character, joy, enthusiastic 'zip' - as well as being beautifully danced.

And Gary Avis did what Gary does - masterful showing.

[zxDaveM]

2 hours ago, Linnzi5 said:

Sneaks in quietly . . .  I quite like the gargouillades  . . . sneaks out again 😳

 

nothing wrong with that 🙂

[LinMM]

So pleased to be reading Viola Pantuso doing so well!! I originally booked this performance to see her and James Hay and because it coincided with never having seen Yasmine as SPF before either. 

I think she would be a perfect Vera in Month in the Country!! 
 

 

[Sim]

Agree with the above comments. A beautiful, classy and regal performance from Naghdi/Ball…I could watch them all night in these roles and wish there were more for them to do…but what they did do was lovely.  What I mean when I say ‘more’ is that I wish they had more in the ballet as they are so gorgeous to watch!  
 

Very impressive performances by Viola and Daichi and Mariko.  As for Mr Avis…@BridieM has said it all.   
 

A lovely evening, with a very appreciative audience.   

[Blossom]

I have never had such a keen eye on gargouillades as I did this evening….

 

Viola Pantuso was incredibly refreshing to watch, she dances with a lyricism and joy which reminds me of Isabella Gasparini. Meanwhile, technically she seemed to be completely on point (as opposed to on pointe, which of course she also was). To see her dance the Act 1 pas de deux with Daichi was just perfection. He is also superb to watch and they have a great partnership. If only there was room in the music and the action for applause before the snowflakes make an appearance.

 

Yasmine Naghdi was on usual sparkling form this evening but I think Matthew Ball was ever so slightly off at a couple of points in his solo… 

 

Mariko Sasaki was a beautiful Rose Fairy, but one of the flowers- although not one of the four leads- really caught my eye this evening. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to deduce who she was. She was one of the smaller flowers and I wondered if perhaps she may be one of the temp dancers. 
 

There was a particularly lovely buzz around the ROH this evening, excitement pre performance but also lots of joy as people left the building- a kind of joy that only the ROH’s Christmas magic can bring.

[alison]

1 hour ago, bridiem said:

Excellent performance this evening - individual excellence from Naghdi, Ball, Pantuso, Ikarashi and Sasaki, and Gary Avis displaying a kind of corporate excellence that seemed to generate, command and direct the whole affair. He told the story, he created the magic, he watched over and guided every dancer and every moment, and he brought it all to a close with both emotion and panache. Stunning. He changes the whole dynamic of the show, in a way that is quite breathtaking and completely masterful. He seems to become part of its creation - not just a performer, but an equal to Wright/Ivanov and Tchaikovsky.

 

I think I said last season that I could probably quite happily just focus on Avis as Drosselmeyer while he was on stage and nothing else ...

 

Glad to hear Pantuso did so well.  I was disappointed not to be able to see it.

[AllAboutTheJourney]

Having been scrambling around a few weeks ago trying to find any last minute tickets that I could for certain performances (once some of the student casting was confirmed!) I feel very lucky to be seeing both today's matinee cast and Friday evening's cast.

 

I am so excited to see Fumi and Will today, and I am a big fan of Viola Pantuso so am very much looking forward to seeing her Clara on Friday. Gary Avis is, as others have said, always a treat, but we're also keen to see Aiden O'Brien's debut today. Obviously a certain party guest is going to be the star of the show for our family 😉 but what a treat to see this whole production again this year. 

 

Christmas starts now...!

[Swan]

6 hours ago, Blossom said: To see her dance the Act 1 pas de deux with Daichi was just perfection. He is also superb to watch and they have a great partnership. If only there was room in the music and the action for applause before the snowflakes make an appearance..

I wholeheartedly agree with your comment @Blossom, every time I see the act 1 pdd I long to give the dancers the applause they deserve!

 

Lovely photos from @Rob S. I would have loved to have seen this cast, particularly those in new roles, and am looking forward to seeing another Nutcracker at the ROH tomorrow.

[capybara]

What a lovely collection of reviews. Looking forward to more today 😊

 

[LinMM]

So pleased for your DC Allaboutyhejourney!!
I’m  sure was delightful as a mouse but much nicer to see  in a party outfit!!  
Am looking forward to hearing what you think of Fumi and Will tonight and Viola and Daichi on Friday. 

[Richard LH]

10 hours ago, bridiem said:

I was thrilled by Viola Pantuso's Clara - she has such beautiful arms! (And legs!). And she danced beautifully as well as responding well dramatically.

Completely agree....Viola stole the show for me! Her dancing is so light, quick and  expressive and she was very much in tune with the beautiful music and with the character of the role as Clara. I am not at all surprised she is making a name for herself already. A star in the making, I feel.....

[Fonty]

10 hours ago, zxDaveM said:

Yasmine Naghdi never lets me down, and I really enjoy watching her SPF. She brings such assured majesty to it.

 

 

I am desperate to know how her Googlies went.  

[zxDaveM]

8 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

I am desperate to know how her Googlies went.  

 

lol

'ok' I guess, but then not many can do them as well as Laura Morera.

The rest of the variation was simply sublime

[MJW]

Lovely performances last night and thoroughly enjoyable (I am in the last throws of a cold so was very pleased not to have had a coughing fit last night!). 

 

I don't often see Yasmine Naghdi live so great to see her - such a professional.

 

Shame that James Hay wasn't performing but Daichi Ikarashi was pretty impressive and as others have said Viola Pantuso was lovely. 

 

Glad to see Harris Bell and that (unlike some others) didn't seem to struggle in the Arabian.

 

First of three trips to London in a week (bit mad).

 

From last night: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Esy_xIxnL/

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by MJW