Manon, Royal Ballet Winter 2024

[San Perregrino]

2 hours ago, Silver Capricorn said:

it seems that this is the beginning of a permanent collaboration, because their the partnership will also continue in Swan Lake and The Winter's Tale

I sincerely hope not and that each will continue to be paired with other partners at the ROH. 

[San Perregrino]

2 hours ago, Silver Capricorn said:

I would like to see them in the classical repertoire, in which Vadim has no equal competition and Fumi is his perfect partner.

Fumi may be another perfect partner for Vadim if there is such a thing  but, I don’t think that Vadim is Fumi’s perfect partner. At least not yet. It’ll be interesting to see how their partnership develops as the season progresses. 

[Blossom]

26 minutes ago, PeterS said:

Fumi may be another perfect partner for Vadim if there is such a thing  but, I don’t think that Vadim is Fumi’s perfect partner. At least not yet. It’ll be interesting to see how their partnership develops as the season progresses. 

An astute statement.

[Silver Capricorn]

38 minutes ago, PeterS said:

Fumi may be another perfect partner for Vadim if there is such a thing  but, I don’t think that Vadim is Fumi’s perfect partner. At least not yet. It’ll be interesting to see how their partnership develops as the season progresses. 

You can't just judge by Manon. I've seen them dance together many times (not in the UK of course) and I think the partnership works well. They even devoted their last summer vacation to joint ballet training at a dance school in Alanya under the guidance of Vadim's father. But time will tell. It is true that unexpected partnerships can bring new positive experiences. From this point of view, I am very curious about the performance of Marianela Núnez in Giselle at the end of May at the National Opéra de Paris, where her partner will be the French ballet megastar Hugo Marchand.

[Emeralds]

14 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

At least the wrapping paper held up. I was running out of time & couldn't find anywhere to put it down so had to somehow get the paper round the flowers while holding both of them in mid-air, then try to slap some sellotape on without having any scissors to cut it. While as for the handwriting on the card, he'll probably be looking for a hieroglyphics expert to decipher it!

Wouldn't have known it was a £10 supermarket bouquet (£10 bouquets are still posh!) with the wrapping paper, Dawnstar- looks more like £50! Also. the wrapping paper matches his costume, which is very clever and sophisticated. BTW, in the past the RB leadership have instructed that bouquets for soloists (or dancers in supporting roles) should not be brought on stage if a) the ballerina in the leas role doesn't get flowers at all, b) if the ballerina in the lead role only receives a much smaller bouquet than the one for the soloist/supporting role dancer- due to  etiquette.

 

Seeing as Donnelly danced a villain and it's not one of the biggest roles, I think you made the right decision to keep it tastefully modest sized (even if it was mostly dictated by time constraints and budget). I'm very impressed by how organised you are with sellotape, card, a pen that works (everyone seems to "write" using their phone nowadays) and wrapping paper! David looked thrilled to be included among those receiving bouquets! 

[Balletfanp]

Unlike some posters, I thought last night’s performance was a tour de force from both Fumi and Vadim. No nerves in this performance . I love their partnership - I felt quite tearful by the end of Act 1 because the pas de deux were so beautiful. The steps flowed and I found their connection positively glowing. There was an intimacy and a realness about them that I don’t think I’ve seen in any other partnership. And their Act 3 was simply stupendous.

 

I love Fumi with William, although I’m not sure I see it as the ‘best partnership since…..’ that some seem to find it. For me, last night in particular, we have seen a wonderful new partnership beginning, and of course Fumi will continue to dance with William, in the same way as Vadim will continue to dance with Nela. Mixing things up from time to time is a good thing, not least for the dancers themselves, who must start to get a bit stale if they dance with the same partner all the time.

 

I see no reason why ‘special’ partnerships need be restricted to one particular combination. Vadim has had wonderful connections in different roles with, for instance, Sarah Lamb and Laura Morera (magic really seemed to happen the few times she and he danced). Ball has always had a great partnership with Yasmine Naghdi, but has also forged great performances with Cuthbertson and Magri. But they are just all different. And now Vadim looks to be starting a really beautiful partnership with Fumi that in no way takes away from her lovely partnership with William. Bring on more of all of them, I say!

[FionaM]

@Balletfanp @Silver Capricorn I’d like to echo both your sentiments about the Fumi/Vadim onstage partnership being something special.   It touched me too.   You can see the connection between them carrying on into the curtain calls.
 

I am especially looking forward to their Swan Lake.  Siegfried which is possibly Vadim’s signature role.  Will has the edge in some adagio technique, but not in jumps and virtuoso.  I saw Fumi’s debut as O/O and it was nothing short of spectacular.  
 

And I also like the mix and match approach.  I prefer dancers to not always be paired with the same partner.   For me, that’s a tradition that can happily die out with Sibley/Dowell.  Having seen Yasmine Naghdi and Reece Clarke this last weekend being fabulous in the R&J balcony pdd and Spring Waters …. this is a pairing I’d like to see more of.  Though it seems unlikely at ROH.  

[Nina99]

34 minutes ago, FionaM said:

@Balletfanp @Silver Capricorn I’d like to echo both your sentiments about the Fumi/Vadim onstage partnership being something special.   It touched me too.   You can see the connection between them carrying on into the curtain calls.
 

I am especially looking forward to their Swan Lake.  Siegfried which is possibly Vadim’s signature role.  Will has the edge in some adagio technique, but not in jumps and virtuoso.  I saw Fumi’s debut as O/O and it was nothing short of spectacular.  
 

And I also like the mix and match approach.  I prefer dancers to not always be paired with the same partner.   For me, that’s a tradition that can happily die out with Sibley/Dowell.  Having seen Yasmine Naghdi and Reece Clarke this last weekend being fabulous in the R&J balcony pdd and Spring Waters …. this is a pairing I’d like to see more of.  Though it seems unlikely at ROH.  

I absolutely agree with you @FionaM. 

[Dawnstar]

2 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Wouldn't have known it was a £10 supermarket bouquet (£10 bouquets are still posh!) with the wrapping paper, Dawnstar- looks more like £50! Also. the wrapping paper matches his costume, which is very clever and sophisticated. BTW, in the past the RB leadership have instructed that bouquets for soloists (or dancers in supporting roles) should not be brought on stage if a) the ballerina in the leas role doesn't get flowers at all, b) if the ballerina in the lead role only receives a much smaller bouquet than the one for the soloist/supporting role dancer- due to  etiquette.

 

Seeing as Donnelly danced a villain and it's not one of the biggest roles, I think you made the right decision to keep it tastefully modest sized (even if it was mostly dictated by time constraints and budget). I'm very impressed by how organised you are with sellotape, card, a pen that works (everyone seems to "write" using their phone nowadays) and wrapping paper! David looked thrilled to be included among those receiving bouquets! 

 

That was more serendipity than cleverness, as I didn't much like any of the other wrapping paper options available in the Waterstones just across the road from Tesco (which also yielded the card & sellotape, it was only the pen I already had on me). I knew that wouldn't be a problem, given when I went to the stage door to hand in mine there was a man just in front of me handing in a much larger & better-presented lot of flowers for Lamb.

 

More generally on Gaolers, I note that the 3 Gaolers who have made their debuts this run, Braendsrod, Edmonds & Donnelly, have all been paired with experienced Manons, Osipova, Hayward & Lamb, while the 2 debutante Manons, Naghdi & Kaneko, have both been paired with the extremely experienced Avis. Do people think this is likely to be deliberate? It must be such a difficult scene to do emotions-wise for both dancers that I can imagine they might want to avoid having 2 debuting dancers together. Incidentally, I'd be fascinated to see an Insight on how Act III Scene II is rehearsed.

 

Thanks to everyone who has made kind replies to my very long post yesterday. I'm also relieved that, at least thus far, no-one has told me that I've completely misinterpreted Lamb's Manon.

[Sim]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

That was more serendipity than cleverness, as I didn't much like any of the other wrapping paper options available in the Waterstones just across the road from Tesco (which also yielded the card & sellotape, it was only the pen I already had on me). I knew that wouldn't be a problem, given when I went to the stage door to hand in mine there was a man just in front of me handing in a much larger & better-presented lot of flowers for Lamb.

 

More generally on Gaolers, I note that the 3 Gaolers who have made their debuts this run, Braendsrod, Edmonds & Donnelly, have all been paired with experienced Manons, Osipova, Hayward & Lamb, while the 2 debutante Manons, Naghdi & Kaneko, have both been paired with the extremely experienced Avis. Do people think this is likely to be deliberate? It must be such a difficult scene to do emotions-wise for both dancers that I can imagine they might want to avoid having 2 debuting dancers together. Incidentally, I'd be fascinated to see an Insight on how Act III Scene II is rehearsed.

 

Thanks to everyone who has made kind replies to my very long post yesterday. I'm also relieved that, at least thus far, no-one has told me that I've completely misinterpreted Lamb's Manon.

May I also add a kind reply....as I am not seeing this cast, it was wonderful to have such a good and incisive description of it.  Thanks Dawnstar. 

 

[Tango Dancer]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

 

 

More generally on Gaolers, I note that the 3 Gaolers who have made their debuts this run, Braendsrod, Edmonds & Donnelly, have all been paired with experienced Manons, Osipova, Hayward & Lamb, while the 2 debutante Manons, Naghdi & Kaneko, have both been paired with the extremely experienced Avis. Do people think this is likely to be deliberate? It must be such a difficult scene to do emotions-wise for both dancers that I can imagine they might want to avoid having 2 debuting dancers together. Incidentally, I'd be fascinated to see an Insight on how Act III Scene II is rehearsed.

 

I think that's probably by design.  If the debutante Manon is given an experienced Gaoler it's probably one less thing to be nervous about.  Gary always strikes me as such a supportive and encouraging person so he probably gets the newer Manons deliberately and vice versa.  It's a good idea to mix the newer and more experienced dancers.  

[Tango Dancer]

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Wouldn't have known it was a £10 supermarket bouquet (£10 bouquets are still posh!) with the wrapping paper, Dawnstar- looks more like £50! Also. the wrapping paper matches his costume, which is very clever and sophisticated. BTW, in the past the RB leadership have instructed that bouquets for soloists (or dancers in supporting roles) should not be brought on stage if a) the ballerina in the leas role doesn't get flowers at all, b) if the ballerina in the lead role only receives a much smaller bouquet than the one for the soloist/supporting role dancer- due to  etiquette.

 

Seeing as Donnelly danced a villain and it's not one of the biggest roles, I think you made the right decision to keep it tastefully modest sized (even if it was mostly dictated by time constraints and budget). I'm very impressed by how organised you are with sellotape, card, a pen that works (everyone seems to "write" using their phone nowadays) and wrapping paper! David looked thrilled to be included among those receiving bouquets! 

 

Definitely.  It looks a very stylish bouquet with the paper.  I bet he was absolutely thrilled.  More junior dancers probably don't get as many flowers so it probably made his night.  

[Nogoat]

On reflecting on last night's performance on the long journey home (during the Tube bit, not the driving-through-dense-fog bit!), I ended up wondering if Manon is the 3-act MacMillan ballet (or, indeed, that of any choreographer) that offers not only the greatest number of different characters, major and minor, but also the most flexibility for the dancers to provide their own interpretations as they move the complex story forward. 
(On reflecting on that reflection, Mayerling might disagree!)

 

From the titular Manon all the way through to - as I think someone has previously mentioned - the poor servant who has to field the coat Mon GM throws at her, each interaction - some rehearsed, some seemingly ad-libbed as the stage-dynamics ebb and flow - provides a brushstroke to the masterpiece that is painted before our eyes and wordlessly works its way inside our hearts and souls.

Admittedly I've only seen three performances in this run (two Osipova/Clarke and one Kaneko/Muntagirov), but I've seen many before these - on stage and on DVD/YouTube - but I think it would be difficult to find two with the same overall 'tone', even with the same casts.

 

The above is a bit of a prelude/excuse (delete as appropriate) to the following observations about the two casts I've seen this run. Seeing only two makes that easy, but the risk is that these are seen as 'comparisons' in terms of which is 'better' - that is not the intent.

As a ballet, I think Manon is so flexible it is difficult to 'break'; you might end up with a different overall 'shape' to the ballet, and different emphases as the narrative spins towards the tragic conclusion, but given the differing sensitivities and preferences of individual ballet lovers, and their tendency (when casting is available!) to self-select casts that are likely to meet those expectations, then it is little wonder that performances are so enthusiastically attended and received.

 

Manon:
This will be difficult, even given the above 'disclaimer', as feelings run deep (and who'd want it any other way? After all, ballet, like any other art form, is about how you feel), so let's deal with it first...

On the technique-acting spectrum, Fumi sits more towards the technique end than Osipova. I loved Fumi's mastery of technique last night - it was beautiful to behold - but this meant there was less emphasis on acting while dancing (note it's a matter of degree here, not absence).

Having said that, when she wasn't dancing I thought she did a fabulous job of propelling the story; for example, her indecision and internal conflict between Mon GM's material wealth and Des Grieux's love was very clearly expressed in the brothel scene in Act 2.

I also thought she really managed to project a sense of her own agency in the 'bracelet' scene at the end of Act 2.

Also, her reaction during the Gaoler's assault in Act 3 was harrowing - those flailing arms told a story we didn't want to hear (though I was really hoping she'd then show her contempt for the Gaoler by spitting at his dead body).

But, for me, the final Act 3 PDD would have had a greater impact if it had been 'uglier'. 

The point is, it all still worked for me and it would have pushed all the right buttons for many in the audience; conversely, Osipova pushed all the right buttons for me, but would not have done for everyone there.

 

Des Grieux:
DG may be the focus of the title of the original book, but in the ballet he seems to be the main character that (at least initially) is the simplest and, therefore, the most tightly constrained - a bookish, idealistic, fairly naïve young man.

 

Perhaps it is the physical stature of Clarke that makes him more immediately noticeable as he moves around the stage in Act 1. And perhaps it is Muntagirov's experience that allows him to be somewhat more expressive in his solos (though Clarke was certainly much more expressive in his second outing).

 

When Clarke, in his Act 2 attempt to woo back Manon, falls to the floor and looks up at her with all his exposed vulnerability, I distinctly remember thinking how much he reminded me of the pure, noble, innocent persona Muntagirov is so good at adopting; and when Muntagirov did exactly the same last night, I thought how much he looked like Clarke!

Overall, I got the impression (from a very limited sample) that Clarke was the physically stronger of the two DGs, but that physicality - coupled with differences in stature between Clarke's Des Grieux and Campbell's Lescault - seemed to make the submission of the former by the latter at the end of Act 1 less convincing for some on the forum.

Again, you pay your money and you make your choice - both 'work' and variety really is the spice of life.

 

Lescault:
Lescault may be the most complex character on stage, if measured by all the other characters he has to deal with and the number of sub-plots he instigates to drive the narrative forward, in their increasing recklessness and impact.

His main interaction, dance-wise, is through his 'drunk' solo and duet with his mistress. My first Lescaut of this run was Campbell, and I wrote that I preferred Sambe's more exuberant performance from the previous run.

However, the cinema broadcast contained an interview about Morera's role in guiding the MacMillan legacy, and I now think that Campbell was deliberately emphasising the more pathetic aspects of drunkenness mentioned. 

Last night, Sissens was more Sambe than Campbell.

I went to the ROH prepared to be a bit disappointed, as reviews of Sissens in his first outing were a bit subdued. However, given that I know just how good Fumi and Muntagirov are, my astonishment at the bravura performance of Sissens yesterday almost allowed him to steal the show.

In fact, in the brothel scene in Act 2 I did find myself looking at his antics at the expense of the main characters, as he seemed to remain drunk in everything he did.

When Manon enters in that incredible gown adorned with 200 bows and greets him, Sissens' Lescaut managed to dislodge one and it fell on the stage. After she walked away he noticed it on the floor and, still acting the drunk, slowly tried to zero in on it to pick it up. With much effort he managed to do so, then he stared at it and tried to stick it on his lapel. A wonderful bit of ad-lib acting/stage cleaning! (I'm also sure that, at the start of the fight scene, Manon's black wrap became attached to Sissens as he ran around - resistentialism again?)

Like Sambe in the last run, Sissens really attacked his solo with gusto - an extroverted, happy drunk.

We all have different expectations and criteria, and the more reflective, maudlin approach of Campbell is neither 'better' nor 'worse' than that or Sissens or Sambe.

A quick search on YouTube for 'Lescaut drunk solo' shows just how much room for interpretation there is in this iconic piece.

 

Gaoler:
If there can be a definitive Gaoler in Manon, then it has to be Gary Avis. Is there a more base character in ballet, MacMillan or otherwise, than this sexual predator?

There are two things that Avis does that magnifies the sense of revulsion. The literal climax of his attack on Manon is completely uninhibited - it is pure self-gratification.

Perhaps more disturbing, as it takes place in public, is how Avis' Gaoler treats Manon as he forces her across the front of the stage once she has disembarked. I haven't seen anyone else do it, but have seen Avis do it on several occasions; I'd rather not describe it - suffice it to say it's literally the modus operandi of the ex-president of the USA, as 'grabbed' on audio tape a number of years ago following an interview.

There are no nuances to the Gaoler - the more the dancer can lower themselves into the cesspit of the worst of human behaviour, the more chillingly effective it becomes.
And I still can't understand why the end of those first two scenes in Act 3 are met with applause; it just seems so inappropriate. 

 

There are so many other character interpretations to mention, but this is way too long already!

 

PS: I'm sure the last set of jumps from Des Grieux and Lescault, as the one is chased across the stage by the other at the end of Act 1, were different last night (Muntagirov/Sissens) compared to the broadcast (Clarke/Campbell); is this right and, if so, is it something the dancers decide amongst themselves?

 

PPS: Did I miss the 'achoo!' from the snuff-taking last night? I don't remember seeing/hearing it yesterday.

 

PPPS: Not really anything to do with cast, but I thought the orchestra under Kessels last night was exceptional; none of the cautious, nervy playing I heard in the first two performances, particularly the streamed one - just a confident, full-bodied accompaniment to the tremendous on-stage dancing.

 

[Dawnstar]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

May I also add a kind reply....as I am not seeing this cast, it was wonderful to have such a good and incisive description of it.  Thanks Dawnstar. 

 

 

Thank you - though incisive is about the last word I'd use to describe my own writing!

 

49 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

I think that's probably by design.  If the debutante Manon is given an experienced Gaoler it's probably one less thing to be nervous about.  Gary always strikes me as such a supportive and encouraging person so he probably gets the newer Manons deliberately and vice versa.  It's a good idea to mix the newer and more experienced dancers.  

 

I've just been looking up the ROH performance database & found he first performed the Gaoler in 2005, so that's a lot of experience in Manon-assaulting! Though I'm slightly susprised to find the several years younger Whitehead has been doing the Gaoler for even longer, starting in 2003.

 

43 minutes ago, Nogoat said:

(I'm also sure that, at the start of the fight scene, Manon's black wrap became attached to Sissens as he ran around - resistentialism again?)

 

That reminds me of something I forgot to mention from Monday's performance. At the end of the dance near the start of Act II by the Mistress & Courtesans where they are wearing their wraps, Hinkis's wrap got caught on the jewelled band on her forehead. She had to get Nakao, who was the playing Gentleman who's keen on the Mistress, to help her disentangle it, just in time for her to join Lescaut when he entered.

 

Does anyone know if Manon is supposed to remove the bracelet before she leaves the stage at the end of Act III Scene II? Lamb definitely did on Monday but I'm pretty sure I've seen at least one Manon this run, I think it was Cuthbertson, still have it on when she left.

[Mary]

1 hour ago, Nogoat said:

And I still can't understand why the end of those first two scenes in Act 3 are met with applause; it just seems so inappropriate. 

 

I have always thought the same, yes indeed.

[LinMM]

I love your description of trying to wrap the flowers Dawnstar! I’d be in a nervous Twitter if suddenly decided to do that and then panic about exactly what to write on the card lol!! 
 

A bit the other way around when I finally got Joe Sissens autograph unexpectedly walking along Floral

Street you would have definitely needed a hieroglyphics expert to decipher his writing!!! 
 

Perhaps we should have a “guess the dancer” thread where people try to work out autographs Forum members have received over the years!! 

[Sim]

17 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Does anyone know if Manon is supposed to remove the bracelet before she leaves the stage at the end of Act III Scene II? Lamb definitely did on Monday but I'm pretty sure I've seen at least one Manon this run, I think it was Cuthbertson, still have it on when she left.

Yes, it's usually the case that Manon takes off her bracelet and throws it at the Gaoler or onto the floor right next to him.  She is so disgusted she would never want to keep it.  In the heat of the moment Lauren probably forgot to take it off!  

[JennyTaylor]

I'm not sure what I can add after some of the stupendous reviews posted already about last night. So, I will keep it brief. I booked to see Vadim and Fumi, so was surprised to come away thinking that for me, the star was Joseph Sissens. Surprised because although I admire him as a dancer, I didn't expect that to happen. I felt his Lescaut was understated and for that reason, all the more effective in Act 2 in particular.  My favourite Lescaut's so far have been Acri and Campbell, but he's now definitely right at the top of my list!  

 

I spent some time watching the harlots / clients: they have such fun. I found myself beguiled by Marianna Tsembenhoi last night in Act 2 - there's just so much going on!  Somehow, I found that I'd rather watch Marianna than some of the principal solo work.  Olivia Cowley is another of my favourites when she's dancing.  Fumi and Vadim were lovely but I got no emotional pull at all from them.  That's not something I can manufacture; it just happens.  I do prefer Fumi with Will Bracewell.     

[JennyTaylor]

On the topic of flowers, I don't send them very often but had a bad experience with Interflora so reverted to Bloomsbury.  I then used Will Bracewell's partner Andy Monaghan who has set himself up as a florist - several posts on Instagram on this from Will and Andy including his website. I particularly like him because he tries to use home grown flowers and his arrangements are rustic and very beautiful. It's not cheap but it is a start up business to support.  It felt like a win / win.  

[Dawnstar]

50 minutes ago, Sim said:

Yes, it's usually the case that Manon takes off her bracelet and throws it at the Gaoler or onto the floor right next to him.  She is so disgusted she would never want to keep it.  In the heat of the moment Lauren probably forgot to take it off!  

 

Thanks. It did seem emotionally as though she ought to remove it. I was re-reading the thread from the 2019 run & there was quite an extensive discussion on there as to whether the bracelet was supposed to be the same one GM had given Manon in Act II or a different one.

[li tai po]

If I remember correctly from the premiere and the scene with the gaoler's wife, which was cut after the first season, the gaoler took the bracelet from his wife and gave it to Manon, which caused a jealous outburst - David Drew and Georgina Parkinson.

[Dawnstar]

Thanks @li tai po. A pity that scene was cut then if it explained a point that is now a bit puzzling. I did think it wasn't very likely that Manon or Des Grieux would have been able to bring the bracelet with them from France given their arrest just after he'd pulled it off her wrist.

[Emeralds]

Just a quick reminder to anyone wanting to get a Friday Rush ticket for Alexander Campbell's last performances with the Royal Ballet that the Friday Rush tickets for both Sat 2nd and Fri 8th go on sale tomorrow ie Friday 1st March at 1pm. (There are currently a few single £99 seats available on 2nd as I type but 8th is sold out.)

[Dawnstar]

I am dreading tomorrow's rush. For ages, long before Campbell's retirement was announced, I'd been hoping to get tickets for 5th & 8th. Now the 8th is going to be a nightmare to try to get a ticket for & I'm worried that while I'm trying to get 8th then all the tickets for 5th will also go & I'll be left with nothing.

[bridiem]

17 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I am dreading tomorrow's rush. For ages, long before Campbell's retirement was announced, I'd been hoping to get tickets for 5th &8th. Now the 8th is going to be a nightmare to try to get a ticket for & I'm worried that while I'm trying to get 8th then all the tickets for 5th will also go & I'll be left with nothing.

 

Good luck, @Dawnstar! I hope you do get tickets.

[Dawnstar]

Extremely relieved to report that I managed to get the tickets I wanted: 8th March for me & my mother plus 5th March for me. I've been so stressed about it that it took me several attempts to put in the right card number, I nearly started crying when I finally got the confirmation screen, & I'm still shaking!

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

Extremely relieved to report that I managed to get the tickets I wanted: 8th March for me & my mother plus 5th March for me. I've been so stressed about it that it took me several attempts to put in the right card number, I nearly started crying when I finally got the confirmation screen, & I'm still shaking!

 

Yay!!

[Dawnstar]

Thanks @bridiem. Thank goodness that's the last of the Friday rushes I've had to do for Manon & I now have several rushes off before I'll be trying for Swan Lake!

[LinMM]

Well done Dawnstar for persevering! 
I’ve never done Friday Rush as know I couldn’t take all the tension especially as I only ever book one ticket at a time 🙄
Still no pain no gain as my hand physio keeps saying!!

[Mary]

Remember the days when you filled in a form,-I often made a mess of that- as the rows were very narrow and boxes very small- and then posted it off and waited...and one day- an envelope would fall on the mat and you would tear it open with tremendous trepidation to pull out a fat wad of tickets- or not so fat - leaf through excitedly and see what you'd got!

In a way it was good fun and a lot less stress. I loved getting those beautiful tickets with raised gilt lettering.

 

But of course, very slow and inconvenient compared to today. But we pay for the speed, flexibility  and convenience with the booking procedure many of us find very stressful.

 

Sorry nothing to do with Manon! but I got one for 5th!

Edited March 1 by Mary

[Sim]

3 minutes ago, Mary said:

Remember the days when you filled in a form,-I often made a mess of that- as the rows were very narrow and boxes very small- and then posted it off and waited...and one day- an envelope would fall on the mat and you would tear it open with tremendous trepidation to pull out a fat wad of tickets- or not so fat - leaf through excitedly and see what you'd got!

In a way it was good fun and a lot less stress. I loved getting those beautiful tickets with raised gilt lettering.

 

But of course, very slow and inconvenient compared to today. But we pay for the speed, flexibility  and convenience with the booking procedure many of us find very stressful.

 

Yes, those good old days, when you had to fill in that tiny form, write out a cheque (remember those?!) and provide a stamped addressed envelope for return of tickets.  When you could still rely on the mail.  As you say, Mary, the excitement of opening your returned envelope was so much fun.  I always used to add a little note requesting certain seats, and almost always got what I asked for.  

[Dawnstar]

4 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Well done Dawnstar for persevering! 
I’ve never done Friday Rush as know I couldn’t take all the tension especially as I only ever book one ticket at a time 🙄
Still no pain no gain as my hand physio keeps saying!!

 

Unfortunately I was unable to make any bookings when the Winter booking period opened due to being broke at the time so I've had to do all my Manons via Friday rush. Swan Lake was more annoying because I tried to book in advance but 2 of the 3 performances I wanted had already sold out of the stalls circle row C bench seats, not sure if it was while I was stuck in the queue or before public booking even opened. There's also the dilemma that the Friday rush stalls circle row C bench seats, being further away from the stage than the advance booking seats, are actually better in terms of losing a bit less of the near side of the stage so you get a worse view booking in advance than booking via rush.

 

By the time I first booked with the ROH in 2004 I believe they had online booking, if I remember correctly. The Proms were still booking via forms though, as I remember a couple of seasons of filling those in at around the same time. I remember when the Proms moved to online booking the online queuing took so long in some years, 3-4 hours, that I was longing for the forms to still be used, especially as I rarely wanted to book more than 1 concert per year. I haven't seen anything at the Proms since before covid so I don't know if the online queuing still take hours.

[Emeralds]

56 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Well done Dawnstar for persevering! 
I’ve never done Friday Rush as know I couldn’t take all the tension especially as I only ever book one ticket at a time 🙄
Still no pain no gain as my hand physio keeps saying!!

LinMM, have you managed to get any ticket for yourself (at any time; not necessarily Friday Rush) - will you be able to get to Manon for this run at all? Have you recovered sufficiently to be able to travel to London?