RB Nutcracker Dec/Jan 23/24

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Silke H]

Instagram 04 Jan 2024

 

Aiden OB's cape battle - IG 04 Jan 2024 (I have permission from Aiden to post these)

 

Facebook album

 

[FionaM]

Ah the cape won the red run!  I bet the audience loved it.  

[RobR]

18 minutes ago, FionaM said:

Ah the cape won the red run!  I bet the audience loved it.  

I've no idea what he was thinking but he looked totally relaxed and happy 😊 

[JohnS]

It worked brilliantly before Christmas.

[Emeralds]

The Cape Strikes Back- occupational hazard for magicians!  😄 At least he managed to free himself before he left...  😃 .  I'm sure some audience members thought it was a deliberate comic turn and enjoyed it! 😁 

[li tai po]

I have just seen my first Nutcracker of the season.

 

Dear, oh dear - little girls playing with their dollies, only boys allowed drums and trumpets, not a child with a pronoun in sight.  Time to ban this production alongside Bayadere and Fille.

[Dawnstar]

I couldn't resist the indulgence of one more Nutcracker, even though I saw all tonight's cast last year too (not all together then). It's not often you get to see a cast where all 5 leads are among your favourite dancers. I thought they all gave fabulous performances. Nunez & Muntagirov are just perfection together. I nearly cried in the grand pas they were so lovely. Bailey & Boswell obviously aren't at that level of technical perfection, there were a couple of briefly off-balance moments in their pdd, but I thought they both portrayed their characters very well & I really enjoyed seeing them paired together in lead roles for the first time since The Cunning Little Vixen.

 

I thought the SPF's solo seemed slower tonight than the ones I saw before Christmas. I know there have been a few comments about some of the less experienced SPFs having slower solos in recent performances but goodness knows Nunez isn't in that category. Could it be that with the change of conductor from before to after Christmas the tempo is more to do with Politi choosing to conduct more slowly than Litton rather than it being slowed down for particular dancers? It did give me a good view of the already-much-discussed gargouillades.

 

It was nice to see Rovero as Clara's partner & a Rose Fairy Escort on the day of his promotion announcement.

 

I love Donnelly as the Mouse King & I also love the irony when he's on stage as a Rose Fairy Escort in Act II watching Hans-Peter describe how he defeated him!

 

Tomorrow I'm going to go through all this season's cast sheets & count how many Arabians Braendsrod has done because it feels like it's at least half the performances! I've already seen him both at the cinema & live with Cowley, so it was nice to at least see him with a different partner tonight.

 

Nunez gave flowers to Muntagirov, Avis & the conductor. She mustn't have had much of that bouquet left!

 

Medal correctly in place for Hans-Peter.

 

And a few more curtain call photos as no-one else has yet posted any for this performance on here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by Dawnstar

[Janite]

Thank you for the pictures @Dawnstar, I took some of the family last night and they loved it much more than I expected. My granddaughter had performed an adapted version of the Spanish Dance and it was fun to compare it.

Edited January 6 by Janite

[Jan McNulty]

Lovely pix @Dawnstar

[LinMM]

Are those pics taken with your phone Dawnstar? 

[Linnzi5]

7 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I couldn't resist the indulgence of one more Nutcracker, even though I saw all tonight's cast last year too (not all together then). It's not often you get to see a cast where all 5 leads are among your favourite dancers. I thought they all gave fabulous performances. Nunez & Muntagirov are just perfection together. I nearly cried in the grand pas they were so lovely. Bailey & Boswell obviously aren't at that level of technical perfection, there were a couple of briefly off-balance moments in their pdd, but I thought they both portrayed their characters very well & I really enjoyed seeing them paired together in lead roles for the first time since The Cunning Little Vixen.

 

I thought the SPF's solo seemed slower tonight than the ones I saw before Christmas. I know there have been a few comments about some of the less experienced SPFs having slower solos in recent performances but goodness knows Nunez isn't in that category. Could it be that with the change of conductor from before to after Christmas the tempo is more to do with Politi choosing to conduct more slowly than Litton rather than it being slowed down for particular dancers? It did give me a good view of the already-much-discussed gargouillades.

 

It was nice to see Rovero as Clara's partner & a Rose Fairy Escort on the day of his promotion announcement.

 

I love Donnelly as the Mouse King & I also love the irony when he's on stage as a Rose Fairy Escort in Act II watching Hans-Peter describe how he defeated him!

 

Tomorrow I'm going to go through all this season's cast sheets & count how many Arabians Braendsrod has done because it feels like it's at least half the performances! I've already seen him both at the cinema & live with Cowley, so it was nice to at least see him with a different partner tonight.

 

Nunez gave flowers to Muntagirov, Avis & the conductor. She mustn't have had much of that bouquet left!

 

Medal correctly in place for Hans-Peter.

 

And a few more curtain call photos as no-one else has yet posted any for this performance on here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You always take such beautiful photos! Thank you! I don't blame you for indulging yourself to another Nutcracker.  

 

Nunez has always taken her SPF solo slower than some - I have seen her so many times and always noticed. If she wanted to take it faster, then she would as she is technically an amazing dancer. I believe she must like it that way and I always think she is a dancer who interprets the music and therefore the choreography, very musically but with her own touch to it. Nunez and Muntagirov are lovely together and I am glad you had such a wonderful time.  Is that Nadia Mullova-Barley in the Arabian Dance? 

[Emeralds]

8 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I couldn't resist the indulgence of one more Nutcracker, even though I saw all tonight's cast last year too (not all together then). It's not often you get to see a cast where all 5 leads are among your favourite dancers. I thought they all gave fabulous performances. Nunez & Muntagirov are just perfection together. I nearly cried in the grand pas they were so lovely. Bailey & Boswell obviously aren't at that level of technical perfection, there were a couple of briefly off-balance moments in their pdd, but I thought they both portrayed their characters very well & I really enjoyed seeing them paired together in lead roles for the first time since The Cunning Little Vixen.

 

I thought the SPF's solo seemed slower tonight than the ones I saw before Christmas. I know there have been a few comments about some of the less experienced SPFs having slower solos in recent performances but goodness knows Nunez isn't in that category. Could it be that with the change of conductor from before to after Christmas the tempo is more to do with Politi choosing to conduct more slowly than Litton rather than it being slowed down for particular dancers? It did give me a good view of the already-much-discussed gargouillades.

 

It was nice to see Rovero as Clara's partner & a Rose Fairy Escort on the day of his promotion announcement.

 

I love Donnelly as the Mouse King & I also love the irony when he's on stage as a Rose Fairy Escort in Act II watching Hans-Peter describe how he defeated him!

 

Tomorrow I'm going to go through all this season's cast sheets & count how many Arabians Braendsrod has done because it feels like it's at least half the performances! I've already seen him both at the cinema & live with Cowley, so it was nice to at least see him with a different partner tonight.

 

Nunez gave flowers to Muntagirov, Avis & the conductor. She mustn't have had much of that bouquet left!

 

Medal correctly in place for Hans-Peter.

 

And a few more curtain call photos as no-one else has yet posted any for this performance on here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely review and pictures Dawnstar! They consoled me for having to cancel because a family member got ill (another one succumbing to the winter flu+Covid+other viruses outbreak). Very sad to miss Marianela and Vadim! Thank you for the post! 

[Emeralds]

16 minutes ago, Linnzi5 said:

  Is that Nadia Mullova-Barley in the Arabian Dance? 

Correct, Linnzi5- Nadia MB and Lukas BB  👍 

Edited January 6 by Emeralds

[Linnzi5]

19 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Lovely review and pictures Dawnstar! They consoled me for having to cancel because a family member got ill (another one succumbing to the winter flu+Covid+other viruses outbreak). Very sad to miss Marianela and Vadim! Thank you for the post! 

That's so disappointing. I hope your family member recovers quickly.  

[capybara]

8 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

Nunez gave flowers to Muntagirov, Avis & the conductor. She mustn't have had much of that bouquet left!

 

Medal correctly in place for Hans-Peter.

 

And a few more curtain call photos as no-one else has yet posted any for this performance on here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Vadim gave a large rose to Marianela. I like this new 'tradition', except that I don't understand why the man's flowers come on some time after the ballerina's.

[San Perregrino]

I’m surprised that Valentino Zucchetti is still listed as dancing the Nutcracker on January 13th. I’d be delighted if he does take the stage but given that he has withdrawn from all Nutcrackers this season to date due to injury it is unlikely. 
Perhaps a substitute has yet to be decided upon or perhaps as this is possibly the last RB Nutcracker until 2025 Valentino is hoping to be fit in time.

Edited January 6 by PeterS

[Missfrankiecat]

Had a wonderful time at last night's performance, having treated myself to a central front stalls seat for once.  I generally sit (or stand!) in the Stalls Circle and it was interesting to see how different impressions are when the whole stage is visible at once and so close.    Being so familiar with this production, I was very struck by the active engagement of those surrounding the main action - there is so much detail, particularly in the first act, and it really illustrated to me how much emphasis the RB places on acting.  The dancing, of course, was superb.  Many, like me, had booked to see the 'dream team' and it was exciting to see Vadim and Marienela back on their home stage and hear them greeted by a round of applause as the curtain raised on Act two.  What is there left to say about them?  Glorious technique and seemingly effortless control, musicality and warm rapport.  Vadim's partnering is always praised and, close enough for once to see fine detail of hand placement and pressure, it was striking to compare how relaxed but steady his grip in lifts and supported turns is and how smoothly he adjusts, with other dancers where the muscle tension (and sometimes facial reaction) are, unsurprisingly, much more apparent.  I enjoyed Madison Bailey's youthfully fresh Clara but I didn't find the partnership with Liam Boswell quite gelled for me, especially in the first act.  In their solos and dancing apart they were both clean and expressive but some of their pdd work felt a little awkward to me.  I think that Liam's facial reactions - very noticeably frowning/straining and then flashing a very wide grim when a lift was completed - highlighted the very 'effortful' partnering and really need a little work.  To be fair, the facial contortions were much reduced in the second act.  It was a joy to watch, in Gary Avis, a master of mime and character dancing in full flow.  His presence really fills the stage and this interpretation of a wholly sympathetic Drosselmeyer bent on bringing life and love makes for a very satisfying seasonal treat.

Edited January 6 by Missfrankiecat

[Tattin]

16 hours ago, li tai po said:

I have just seen my first Nutcracker of the season.

 

Dear, oh dear - little girls playing with their dollies, only boys allowed drums and trumpets, not a child with a pronoun in sight.  Time to ban this production alongside Bayadere and Fille.

 

 

I don't agree. This is depicting Victorian England as it most likely was, not 21st century London.  I love the RB's current production of Nutcracker - it's by far the best of  any I've ever seen. If every ballet and theatrical performance were banned as not being "politically correct" in the modern world we would never be able to see a single Shakespeare play, for example, ever again. And I don't support banning Fille or La Bayadère either.

[capybara]

1 minute ago, Tattin said:

I don't agree. This is depicting Victorian England as it most likely was, not 21st century London.  I love the RB's current production of Nutcracker - it's by far the best of  any I've ever seen. If every ballet and theatrical performance were banned as not being "politically correct" in the modern world we would never be able to see a single Shakespeare play, for example, ever again. And I don't support banning Fille or La Bayadère either.

I read @li tai po’s post as being tongue in cheek.

[Balletfanp]

I too was there last night and really enjoyed it. The whole cast looked on fine form and seem to have such an affectionate familiarity with this production. And by familiarity I don’t mean boring.

 

We were sat in the Stalls Circle side surrounded by people who, from their comments and conversations, either hadn’t been to a ballet before or hadn’t seen the Nutcracker before. It was rather nice hearing their enthusiastic reactions, not just to the dancing but to small things like the magic tricks, and it made me see it all in a refreshing new light, reminding me of how I felt when seeing it for the first time.

 

I thought Madison Bailey and Liam Boswell made a very fresh and charming partnership although I agree with you @Missfrankiecat about the partnering in places. But this will improve with practice and more experience, of course. Overall I loved their performances.

 

The divertissement I really enjoyed in Act 2 (although all were excellent) was the Arabian, with Nadia Mullova-Barley and Lukas BB (sorry, no disrespect meant but I am struggling to write this on a bumpy train !). He is always excellent in that, but Nadia was a really pleasant surprise - she exuded presence and sensuality and I found her quite mesmerising. I also found her really good in the Spanish dance in the last run of Swan Lake - one to watch.

 

And well, what more can one say about the Vadream Team? Like @Missfrankiecat, I was struck anew last night by Vadim’s wonderful partnering. His confidence and sensitivity give them both the ability to concentrate on the phrasing, presentation and their relationship with each other. The pas de deux was just exquisite - I have seen them dance it so many times but they always seen to do something new - some small gesture or look - that makes it different each time and just adds that extra touch. And their eye contact and the tenderness with which they relate to each other is beautiful to watch.

 
Quite apart from anything else, how does Vadim manage to look SO DARNED HAPPY in every single second, even with a ballerina on his shoulder and a tutu in his face?? 😁There was not a single moment where his face said “I need to concentrate here” or “Tricky moment coming up,” which is not something you see with other partners, even other Principals. It all looked so natural, relaxed and easy (although it obviously isn’t!) and it allowed Marianela to shine. Both solos were fantastic, of course. Personally, I think that the slower the SPF tempo is taken, the harder it must be to dance because it requires more control - which of course Marianela has in spades along with a host of lovely nuances unique to her. Vadim’s solo and coda was a masterclass in butterfly lightness and soundless landings and a manège where he seemed to float at high speed around the stage. Utterly gorgeous from them both.

 

Gary Avis is still my favourite and inimitable Drosselmeyer and there were no cloak shenanigans on the red run!

[Sophoife]

17 minutes ago, capybara said:

I read @li tai po’s post as being tongue in cheek.

 

So did I.

[Dawnstar]

4 hours ago, LinMM said:

Are those pics taken with your phone Dawnstar? 

 

No, I use a camera, it's only a compact one & is getting rather elderly but it has a decent amount of zoom which helps. If I tried taking photos with my phone they'd be utterly useless, as I have a cheap phone with a lousy camera.

 

3 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Lovely review and pictures Dawnstar! They consoled me for having to cancel because a family member got ill (another one succumbing to the winter flu+Covid+other viruses outbreak). Very sad to miss Marianela and Vadim! Thank you for the post! 

 

I'm sorry you couldn't make it. We were on a crowded bus on Wednesday surrounded by people coughing so I'm amazed neither my mother have gone down with anything. I suppose there's still time but at least we got in the Nutcracker first! Admittedly I don't want to go down with anything in the next few days either, with ENB's Giselle in under a week.

[Missfrankiecat]

20 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

I too was there last night and really enjoyed it. The whole cast looked on fine form and seem to have such an affectionate familiarity with this production. And by familiarity I don’t mean boring.

 

We were sat in the Stalls Circle side surrounded by people who, from their comments and conversations, either hadn’t been to a ballet before or hadn’t seen the Nutcracker before. It was rather nice hearing their enthusiastic reactions, not just to the dancing but to small things like the magic tricks, and it made me see it all in a refreshing new light, reminding me of how I felt when seeing it for the first time.

 

I thought Madison Bailey and Liam Boswell made a very fresh and charming partnership although I agree with you @Missfrankiecat about the partnering in places. But this will improve with practice and more experience, of course. Overall I loved their performances.

 

The divertissement I really enjoyed in Act 2 (although all were excellent) was the Arabian, with Nadia Mullova-Barley and Lukas BB (sorry, no disrespect meant but I am struggling to write this on a bumpy train !). He is always excellent in that, but Nadia was a really pleasant surprise - she exuded presence and sensuality and I found her quite mesmerising. I also found her really good in the Spanish dance in the last run of Swan Lake - one to watch.

 

And well, what more can one say about the Vadream Team? Like @Missfrankiecat, I was struck anew last night by Vadim’s wonderful partnering. His confidence and sensitivity give them both the ability to concentrate on the phrasing, presentation and their relationship with each other. The pas de deux was just exquisite - I have seen them dance it so many times but they always seen to do something new - some small gesture or look - that makes it different each time and just adds that extra touch. And their eye contact and the tenderness with which they relate to each other is beautiful to watch.

 
Quite apart from anything else, how does Vadim manage to look SO DARNED HAPPY in every single second, even with a ballerina on his shoulder and a tutu in his face?? 😁There was not a single moment where his face said “I need to concentrate here” or “Tricky moment coming up,” which is not something you see with other partners, even other Principals. It all looked so natural, relaxed and easy (although it obviously isn’t!) and it allowed Marianela to shine. Both solos were fantastic, of course. Personally, I think that the slower the SPF tempo is taken, the harder it must be to dance because it requires more control - which of course Marianela has in spades along with a host of lovely nuances unique to her. Vadim’s solo and coda was a masterclass in butterfly lightness and soundless landings and a manège where he seemed to float at high speed around the stage. Utterly gorgeous from them both.

 

Gary Avis is still my favourite and inimitable Drosselmeyer and there were no cloak shenanigans on the red run!

 

Someone close to us described the sound of Vadims' landings as 'like a kitten's breath' - which I thought was lovely.  How he manages to land with no noise is astonishing - he's a tall guy.

[Balletfanp]

I love that! It’s quite astounding and amazes me every time.

[Emeralds]

Thank you @Linnzi5 and @Dawnstar 🙏 

[Christine]

This was my first RB Nutcracker live and I did enjoy this sumptuous production; the second half more than the first, simply because there is so much more exciting dancing.

But then, this is first and foremost meant to be a Christmas treat for children and for adults to revisit and indulge in memories of Christmas cheer.
 

After having seen the Stuttgart SB‘s new Nutcracker which puts the coming-of-age aspect of Clara firmly into the foreground (culminating in the final PDD danced by Clara & the Nutcracker/D‘s nephew), thereby gaining some dramatic pull, the pace of this traditional version seemed almost sedate. I do hope this does not sound too negative, I just can‘t think of a better word. 
There was certainly time to dwell on the infinite amount of lovely detail during the first act.

 

I haven‘t seen Madison and Liam dance before and found them both very good and fresh, but agree with those above who commented on the less successful PDD work (too much focused on themselves, so that potential rapport suffered) compared to when they danced on their own. 
 

Great to see Gary Avis live in this role for the first time.

 

After the many furry and winged animals of the Stuttgart Ballet version, it was fun to see the traditional tea & coffee etc. 
The dancing I found admirable throughout, with the men‘s jumps especially impressive. 

Masciari in the Russian dance was a standout - someone further up wrote that he occasionally takes this to the point where it can become a distraction. This was not the case for me yesterday with the dance performed  completely in character and with great esprit.

 

I had expected a little more from Yuhui, I admit, but feel that this may well have to do with the slow pace of the music, or rather, the conducting. On videos Yuhui comes across as a very charming, very lively dancer, little of which transported to me yesterday (Centre stalls circle, third row).

In fact, my only quarrel with yesterday‘s performance was indeed the conducting. To me it seemed almost devoid of contour, moving though the gorgeous tunes like clockwork, almost deadpan.

 

For some reason, the slow pace and even-tempered rendition of the score did work miraculously well in the final PDD of the  dream team. Marianela certainly knows how to fill the space between the notes with grace, grandeur and beautiful detailing, Had the tempo been even slower she still would have been mesmerizing. The same is true of Vadim - his gorgeously clean lines and velvety-pawed landings are just breathtaking.

 

So, in brief, I had a great evening at the ROH yesterday!

 

PS: lovely to see so many young visitors in the House and also at the stage door after the performance! 

 

 

[Fonty]

So many of us have commented on the slow pace of the music.  I am sure the original score is clearly marked with the speed at which the composer expected it to be played, and if by some chance it isn't, there are a fair few older recordings which must indicate the correct tempi.  Surely it cannot be because the dancers prefer it that way?  And even if they do, it is the old, old question as to whether this should be allowed?  

 

I know that some people said it could be because inexperienced dancers can cope better, and I can understand a certain amount of caution on the part of a dancer making their debut.  But once someone has gained experience and got over the beginner's nerves, then I would have thought they would be expected to dance it "properly".  

[zxDaveM]

22 hours ago, Fonty said:

So many of us have commented on the slow pace of the music.  I am sure the original score is clearly marked with the speed at which the composer expected it to be played,

 

I personally don't mind it being played a bit slow - watching old performances it always looks rushed, and the steps half finished or clipped

I suppose it's what I'm used to

[bridiem]

In general I prefer fast to slow, but very fast can be pretty stressful to watch in case someone ends up on the canvas...

[alison]

I thought Act I sped along the other day when I saw it.

[Emeralds]

I don't mind fast or slow as long as the interpretation as well considered and works. I don't like fast tempos that the dancer(s) struggle/s to keep up with (eg in the RB Giselle Act 2) or slow tempos that a star is using to show off poses (referring to a company east of the UK) rather than for meaningful interpretation. 

[Linnzi5]

12 hours ago, bridiem said:

In general I prefer fast to slow, but very fast can be pretty stressful to watch in case someone ends up on the canvas...

 

11 hours ago, alison said:

I thought Act I sped along the other day when I saw it.

 

10 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I don't mind fast or slow as long as the interpretation as well considered and works. I don't like fast tempos that the dancer(s) struggle/s to keep up with (eg in the RB Giselle Act 2) or slow tempos that a star is using to show off poses (referring to a company east of the UK) rather than for meaningful interpretation. 

I feel the same way as the quotes above. I don't mind what the tempo generally is, though do prefer some parts to be on the quicker side. When I attended live (opening night, Andrew Litton conducting) the pace was brisk and I liked it very much, In fact, I felt he did an excellent job with the orchestra and I was very impressed with the nuances and details. I also agree that too fast can be perilous! As long as the music has phrasing and is sympathetic to the dancers and choreography, I don't mind the pace really, though it would jar if some parts are too slow. 

 

Later scores from Tchaikovsky usually have metronome markings in them as well as the usual Italian-termed tempo guidance. If I remember correctly,  Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is marked as 'allegretto' - so moderately fast, with the end being 'presto' - which is a very fast tempo.