RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24

[Emeralds]

21 hours ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I would find this very disappointing.  Was there no other dancer who could fulfil the role correctly?

It's not a criticism at all, but there was a time when the brises were actually more common than entrechats for Albrecht's "enforced" dance by Myrtha. When I started watching Giselle, the brises were "canon" - the more common one that everyone knew.

 

I think as long as it has been discussed with the choreographer whose production it is and she/he is involved and happy that it will turn out right it should be OK. And sometimes the dancer can actually do the step but the choreographer actually says, no, do this other version as it suits you much better. The brises are more complex than entrechats so I think Adam's audiences got a good deal! 😀

[Cescablue]

Back on a train having narrowly avoided missing today's matinee courtesy of SWR!! 

 

On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the performance today. I found  Mariko Sasaki to be so assured and unhurried, absolutely lovely - the star of the show today. Joseph Sissens, my favourite, did not disappoint and Julia Roscoe was so elegant - not sure I've seen her in such a starry role before. 

 

And Marianna and Giacomo - saw them in the Insight and loved them in that - fantastic to see the rehearsal to the performance (just wish I could have seen them as close up as in the Clore!).

 

I was really struck by the height difference between Nadia Mullova-Barley and Taisuke - didn't bother me, but it was noticeable! 

 

Looking forward to hearing thoughts from other audience members today.

 

Oh, and shout out to our usher - she was on it, hawk-like throughout the performance - no mid-performance mobile phone shall pass! As it should be!

[Sim]

1 hour ago, Cescablue said:

Back on a train having narrowly avoided missing today's matinee courtesy of SWR!! 

 

On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the performance today. I found  Mariko Sasaki to be so assured and unhurried, absolutely lovely - the star of the show today. Joseph Sissens, my favourite, did not disappoint and Julia Roscoe was so elegant - not sure I've seen her in such a starry role before. 

 

And Marianna and Giacomo - saw them in the Insight and loved them in that - fantastic to see the rehearsal to the performance (just wish I could have seen them as close up as in the Clore!).

 

I was really struck by the height difference between Nadia Mullova-Barley and Taisuke - didn't bother me, but it was noticeable! 

 

Looking forward to hearing thoughts from other audience members today.

 

Oh, and shout out to our usher - she was on it, hawk-like throughout the performance - no mid-performance mobile phone shall pass! As it should be!

I think you must have been near me, Cesca....our young usher was shushing people, asking them not to rustle their sweet wrappers, jumped on anyone with even a sign of an open mobile...and a woman sitting in front of where I was standing had a half glass of wine that she had somehow sneaked in.  This usher told her it wasn't allowed so the poor woman had to guzzle it down and hand over the glass!  

 

But to the show....

 

I really enjoyed it.  Giacomo and Marianna make a fine partnership.  She is such a good actress (and had to improvise at the end when she was not wearing the necklace that the SPF had given her; it must have fallen off somewhere, so instead of touching the necklace she gave another long, quizzical look to Dross' nephew, and then realised that perhaps it wasn't a dream after all).  Her dancing is razor sharp and she is so confident.  Giacomo is so noble and princely, and I look forward to his Albrecht and Siegfried in due course.  I thought from the insight that they were going to be gorgeous together, and they were.  

 

Mariko and Joe were lovely together, and this first performance augurs well for Swan Lake.  We all know he can dance solo, but his partnering has been a bit unsure...until today, that is.  Like Will Bracewell, he is in love with his ballerina in the way he takes care of her and looks at her all the time, so proud of her, so happy to be there with her.  He was assured in his solos and in the pdd, and made a very noble and benevolent SPF consort.  Mariko was, I felt, a bit nervous, so took things slowly and carefully.  I liked it because in a way it is very romantic.  Instead of whip-cracking turns and points with the arms, everything was mellow and creamy and smooth.  And, somewhat perversely, I could see the beginnings of Odile in her SPF!  It's those eyes, the way she uses them, the way she looks down and then up with a smile on her face.....ooooo bring on the Black Swan!!  

 

I am thrilled that I got to see Julia Roscoe as the Rose Fairy.  Again, graceful and assured and that smile can light up the whole of Covent Garden.  

 

Once again I really liked Tom Whitehead's understated but effective Drosselmeyer (although he laid the doll the wrong way round on the bed...but hey, who would notice except us?!).

 

That was my final Nut of the run, and I leave it having seen the future, and it is good.  Not only from today's show, but thinking back to other shows, remembering Viola Pantuso's Clara, Aiden O'Brien's Drosselmeyer, Ginevra Zambon's Columbine, etc. etc.  There are others, but these spring to mind first.  

[alison]

I like my sugar plum fairies to be creamy, anyway 😀

[Dawnstar]

4 hours ago, Cescablue said:

I was really struck by the height difference between Nadia Mullova-Barley and Taisuke - didn't bother me, but it was noticeable!

 

Was that as a Leading Flower & Rose Fairy Escort? If so then I noticed it on 20th. She's nearly a head taller than him when en pointe. I realise pairings can't always be an ideal height match, especially if there are last minute changes of dancers, but given at that performance she was the tallest of the 4 Leading Flowers & he was the shortest of the 4 Escorts it did seem a bit odd to pair them up.

 

Waiting enviously for reports of tonight's cast, which I would have really liked to have been able to see.

[Cescablue]

2 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Was that as a Leading Flower & Rose Fairy Escort? If so then I noticed it on 20th. She's nearly a head taller than him when en pointe. I realise pairings can't always be an ideal height match, especially if there are last minute changes of dancers, but given at that performance she was the tallest of the 4 Leading Flowers & he was the shortest of the 4 Escorts it did seem a bit odd to pair them up.

 

Waiting enviously for reports of tonight's cast, which I would have really liked to have been able to see.

Yes, that's right! 

 

And I'm also looking forward to hearing about tonight - I tried to get a return for this evening after the matinee but they had none sadly!

[Dawnstar]

10 minutes ago, Cescablue said:

And I'm also looking forward to hearing about tonight - I tried to get a return for this evening after the matinee but they had none sadly!

 

I suppose this week is still peak Nutcracker season, even though it's after Christmas, as it's the school holidays, so tickets will be at a premium. I didn't try, even after seeing the cast changes that made me want to see the performance even more, as I can't face the rail replacement buses that I'd have had to tackle.

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[selene]

For those who attended the show with Lukas Braendsrod's debut as the Sugar Plum Prince, how was he? He strikes me as a wonderfully charismatic dancer on the rise, and curious how the performance went. 

[zxDaveM]

Just now, selene said:

For those who attended the show with Lukas Braendsrod's debut as the Sugar Plum Prince, how was he? He strikes me as a wonderfully charismatic dancer on the rise, and curious how the performance went. 

 

He was jolly good - certainly looked the part, very regal and elegant. Excellent partnering too.

[Emeralds]

I notice Lukas has been steadily improving in technique and artistry this year, becoming quite the exciting rising star, and while he was a masterfully menacing Mouse King before, it's great that he's made the leap from villain role to Prince, like so many tall Princes I've seen (eg Hirano, Edmonds, Clarke etc) before him. Congratulations to Lukas! Also best wishes to Calvin Richardson for a speedy recovery from whatever kept him offstage. 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Emeralds

[Sim]

20 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I notice Lukas has been steadily improving in technique and artistry this year, becoming quite the exciting rising star, and while he was a masterfully menacing Mouse King before, it's great that he's made the leap from villain role to Prince, like so many tall Princes I've seen (eg Hirano, Edmonds, Clarke etc) before him. Congratulations to Lukas! Also best wishes to Calvin Richardson for a speedy recovery from whatever kept him offstage. 

Calvin said on Instagram yesterday that he is nursing an injury but is on the mend and hopes to be back soon.  

[MantaRay]

Long time lurker but first time poster.
I’m not a huge Nutcracker fan and usually just watch the cinema relays although I missed it this time, so last night was my only performance. 
I enjoyed it. I thought Madison Bailey was a charming and engaging Clara & had a lovely rapport with Liam Boswell as the Nutcracker.

The Grand pas went well, a little nervy in places but Lukas partnered well and allowed Leticia Dias to shine. Both solos were excellent. You wouldn’t have guessed Lukas was making his debut.

[San Perregrino]

4 hours ago, selene said:

For those who attended the show with Lukas Braendsrod's debut as the Sugar Plum Prince, how was he? He strikes me as a wonderfully charismatic dancer on the rise, and curious how the performance went. 

Lukas BB was every inch a Prince. Assured and confident, calm and gracious. He inhabited his role and delivered precise and polished choreography infused with the joy of knowing that one is in the right place at the right time. A privilege to see his debut. I’d buy a ticket for Swan Lake were he to be cast as Siegfried. (IIRC he danced a beautiful pas de deux at the Friends Celebration in the Paul Hamlyn hall back in October 2022).

[Jan McNulty]

15 minutes ago, MantaRay said:

Long time lurker but first time poster.

 

Welcome out of the lurking shadows @MantaRay

[Swan]

2 hours ago, PeterS said:

I’d buy a ticket for Swan Lake were he to be cast as Siegfried. (IIRC he danced a beautiful pas de deux at the Friends Celebration in the Paul Hamlyn hall back in October 2022).

Lukas BB and Charlotte Tonkinson danced the Swan Lake pdd (IIRC) and I had a front row seat on the floor that Sunday morning. They were lovely and I believe they both joined in the quiz later that morning. I’m looking forward to another Friends Celebration, in 5 or 10 years maybe…!

[maryrosesatonapin]

On 26/12/2023 at 03:03, bangorballetboy said:

Thank goodness you don’t have any artistic role in any ballet company.

Ha ha, I agree with you there @bangorballetboy!  

[JohnS]

Just received the following cast change after getting a returned ticket for 3 January:
Monday 1 and Wednesday 3 January, 7.30pm

Leticia Stock is replaced by Sophie Allnatt as Clara

[Dawnstar]

Sophie Allnatt is doing well for extra Claras this run! If I'm remembering correctly she had 3 shows originally scheduled & has already done 2 extra so with another 2 that'll be 7 altogether. With the way lead roles are cast at the RB nowadays, it must be pretty unusual for anyone to get to dance a lead role 7 times in one run as even if a dancer does a replacement 4 or 5 performances is usually the maximum.

[alison]

Perhaps it wasn't so much "injury" (or at least not hers) that had her removed from yesterday's matinee cast, then.  Best wishes to Ms Stock, though.

[Amanda Liu]

Looks like Reece is replaced by Lukas tonight?

[Silke H]

So, cast sheet for tonight states Lukas Brændsrød replacing Cesar Corrales.  I wonder what happened to Reece...  

 

cast sheet 29 Dec 2023

[Rob S]

A surprise Prince this evening!!!

[Dawnstar]

Gosh, that's a bit of a baptism of fire for Braendsrod as the Prince, cavaliering 2 different SPFs in 48 hours. I wonder if he was chosen to cover tonight because he danced with Magri in The Cellist?

[Rob S]

 Maybe he just connects particularly well with Brazilian Sugar Plum Fairies 🤔

[Silke H]

Kevin O'Hare announced before curtain up that Reece had sustained an injury today and that Lukas was kind enough to step in after his great debut earlier this week.

[FionaM]

Bravo to Lukas … making himself dependable and indispensable 😉

 

👏👏👏

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[James]

5 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

Gosh, that's a bit of a baptism of fire for Braendsrod as the Prince, cavaliering 2 different SPFs in 48 hours. I wonder if he was chosen to cover tonight because he danced with Magri in The Cellist?

As a matter of interest, Mayara Magri and Lukas BB danced the Nutcracker pdd at Gary Avis’s Gala in Ipswich back in September 2016.  Here’s the comment I posted at the time:-

 

“The Nutcracker – Act II Grand pas de deux

Dancers: Mayara Magri, Lukas Bjorneboe Braendsrod. (Danced quite regally, which is probably how it should be done. The Sugar Plum solo was very good – with recognisable gargouillades – though the presto ending was cut. Lukas shows a lot of promise, tall and elegant with good elevation. The final leap into the fish dive was nicely timed.)”

[FionaM]

I’m wonder why Matthew Ball didn’t partner Mayara.  
 

Maybe he was elsewhere.  Perhaps with Alina Cojocaru and Kim Brandstrup creating their new work for the Metamorphoses shows in Bath which start later in January.  

[MildConcern]

Worth noting that Clarke and Lukas BB are two of the tallest men in the company.

 

If Magri has been rehearsing with a tall sugar plum prince, maybe it’s easier to sub in another similar physique?

[capybara]

39 minutes ago, FionaM said:

I’m wonder why Matthew Ball didn’t partner Mayara.

Lukas BB would still have been in Prince mode whereas, having danced his two Nutcrackers, Matthew will, in all probability have moved on to Manon which deploys a dancer’s body in an entirely different way.

[Rob S]

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

I’m wonder why Matthew Ball didn’t partner Mayara.  
 

Maybe he was elsewhere.  Perhaps with Alina Cojocaru and Kim Brandstrup creating their new work for the Metamorphoses shows in Bath which start later in January.  

It would appear he was in the wings during the curtain call