Manon, Royal Ballet Winter 2024

[balletfanatic]

8 minutes ago, Roberta said:

 

See Deborah MacMillan describing how obsessed with ice skating Kenneth MacMillan was at the time, hence many moves and slides which he based on skating technique. 

That's really interesting and makes absolute sense..thank you 

[Roberta]

30 minutes ago, BeauxArts said:

the crassness of the scenes involving harlots/prostitutes/courtesans have never improved for me.

 

The critics at the time these ballets were new also had misgivings.  MacMillan was criticised for his handling of crowd scenes.  As I said in a post above, the constraints of choreographing for a large company are many and when you can't knock up a  garland dance, and require something more earthy, you have to fill the time / music and give the company something to dance.

[Sim]

The following is from my extensive interview with the late, great David Wall in 2005.  He created the role of Lescaut. Amongst other things, he explains the drunk scene that seems to jar with some people:

 

MacMillan created the complex character of Lescaut on Wall in
1974 in the ballet Manon. How easy was it for him to portray a
character who begins as a pimping libertine, becomes a comic
drunk, and ends up the caring brother who decides the right
thing to do is help his sister follow her heart and loses his life
as a result? "Well, he was depraved, to say the least. We diverted
a bit from the book, but not much. The drunk scene was
created straight in the first instance. Then it was Dame Ninette
who suggested doing something comic since there wasn't much
comedy in the ballet" he laughs. "Do you know, it took a lot
longer to re-choreograph it inebriated than it did as a straight
piece!" He loved dancing Lescaut: "he is very manipulative." I
mention the discussion that has been taking place on Ballet.co
regarding the very beginning of the ballet, and asked him to
clarify it for readers, who had been wondering why the ballet
begins with Lescaut sitting on his own, centre stage, with his
cape wrapped around him. "We tried many openings to this
ballet. One of Kenneth's ideas was to have a parachute silk with
slits in it flutter down, then have a character appear, then the
silk would move, then another character would appear... but we
just couldn't make it work. We tried several other things, but
then Kenneth finally had the idea of Lescaut just sitting there in
an almost drugged state; it could have all been a dream of his.
But it was really just to emphasise that he is central to the
piece. It is a very difficult opening for a dancer because you
can't even move your eyeballs, which is very hard when beggars
are moving all around you, and the lights come up!" It would be
interesting to know who he thinks is or has been a particularly

good Lescaut since he set such a high standard. "Well, I haven't
seen that many performances at the Royal....I don't go to the
ballet much! Certainly Stephen Jefferies was a wonderful
Lescaut. It's a very difficult role because you really have to be a
dance actor to bring it off. I've seen a few slight performances
over the years. Although everything is said in the choreography,
this has to be danced very strong to counter the slight
weakness of Des Grieux's character."

[Anna C]

I think we need that moment of light relief in Manon, to be honest.  As much as I admire Mayerling, it can be a depressing watch, and being based on historical events - as opposed to adapting a novel - comedy in Mayerling really would be jarring.  
 

Manon is extraordinarily moving and heartbreaking, but at least we have that moment of comedy to prevent that descent into darkness that Mayerling takes us to.  I’d rather leave the theatre in a weepy and emotional state than in a gloomy and depressed one! 

[Roberta]

Bouquets.  It would be very odd if there were none delivered for such a night.

 

This is a guess. It's possible this was deliberate, in order not to break he intensity of mood created by the dancers, of utter heartbreak? Suddenly switching to grinning and 'star dancer' mode somehow doesn't seem right here. That massive bouquet of white roses spoke it all. 

[Roberta]

1 minute ago, Anna C said:

I think we need that moment of light relief in Manon, to be honest.  

 

Also, this is supposed to be palace of pleasure, of amusement, with sex, sin, gaming, fuelled by DRINK! ((I sound like Father Jack don't I?) We need to see the attraction of being there, the fun.  Yes it all goes terribly wrong but possibly the contrast with what then happens after the light relief moves the tale along. 

[zxDaveM]

7 minutes ago, Roberta said:

 

This is a guess. It's possible this was deliberate, in order not to break he intensity of mood created by the dancers, of utter heartbreak?

 

Blimey - that IS a wild guess!

And would be pretty much a one off

[Roberta]

3 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

And would be pretty much a one off

 

Yes. However, given the debuts etc it's hard to believe there was only one bouquet sent? 

[Silver Capricorn]

2 hours ago, Anna C said:

So still probably no older than 16 then - and isn’t Des Grieux the narrator?  Possibly not the most unbiased or reliable narrator, being a man.  
 

I’m glad MacMillan gives us a more romantic portrayal of DG, and I wouldn’t change anything about the ballet, but it’s a little disappointing to see Manon still being described reductively as a slut/conniving and so on, given her age and that the whole story was originally told from a man’s point of view.

Yes, the story is told by Des Grieux, but he does not say anything bad about Manon, on the contrary, he excuses all her mistakes and betrayals.  In general, the fate of Manon in the ballet is depicted much more dramatically and harshly, for example, the rape, as depicted in the 3rd act of the ballet, does not occur at all in the novel.  In New Orleans, Manon is courting the governor's nephew, whom Des Grieux lets go and injures in a duel.  After the death of Manon, Des Griuex is absolved of all guilt at the intercession of the governor and his nephew and returns to France to his family.

[Richard LH]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

I would have gladly done it.  

Me too! 😂

[Roberta]

As an addition to my post here

 

https://www.balletcoforum.com/topic/28902-manon-royal-ballet-winter-2024/page/6/#comment-429585

 

if anyone cares to dive further into the less seemly side of 18th century life in London, and there is little reason to think France differed greatly, a readable introduction is Dan Cruickshank's  "The Secret History of Georgian London: How the Wages of Sin Shaped the Capital".

 

Sex trade and slave trade, the funders of modern society?

 

"Georgian London evokes images of elegant buildings and fine art, but it was also a city where prostitution was rife, houses of ill repute widespread, and many tens of thousands of people dependent in some way or other on the wages of sin. The sex industry was, in fact, a very powerful force indeed, and in The Secret History of Georgian London, Dan Cruickshank compellingly shows how it came to affect almost every aspect of life and culture in the capital.

Examining the nature of the sex trade, he offers a tantalising insight into the impact of prostitution to give us vivid portraits of some of the women who became involved in its world. And he discusses the very varied attitudes of contemporaries - those who sympathised, those who indulged, and those who condemned. As he powerfully argues, these women, and many thousands like them, not only shaped eighteenth-century London, they also helped determine its future development."

 

Edited January 21 by Roberta

[Balletfanp]

1 hour ago, Roberta said:

I think the dancing harlots, drunken dance, the role of Mistress in 'Madame X’s hotel particulier* where every woman is for sale', where fornication, drinking and high stakes gambling were all provided for gentlemen of large means and low morals in an upmarket setting was in part MacMillan's attempt to fit Manon into the three act traditional ballet format. It was the divertissement element, entertainment for the audience, not really meant as plot and character development.  Also of course, these dances give the spotlight to  higher ranking dancers in the company. The art of choreography for a large company has many constraints. 

 

See also @Sophoife post way back in this thread which describes what many would consider the sordid tastes of some and how poor young women were too often used, abused then discarded.  There was no safety net, no welfare state. The lucky ones worked in the more upmarket establishments such as this. Disease, pregnancy, age meant a constant supply of fresh young women had to be sourced. Virgins were highly prized.  Prostitution was illegal, which is why Manon was arrested.  Certain high level establishments had the protection of the very wealthy and influential who enjoyed all they offered.  This was an orgy in reality, dressed in finery. MacMillan did attempt to move the artform onwards, and, at times, upwards. 

 

Watch Deborah MacMillan describe how Kenneth MacMillan was badly affected by the criticism of Anastasia, and tailored Manon accordingly. He really was not adored by all fifty years ago.  Critics were frequently brutal. Ballet was still considered by many as a pretty entertainment, a nice night out at the Opera House.  https://www.kennethmacmillan.com/new-page-97 

 

(*London also had similar architecturally significant large townhouses in their own grounds owned by the fabulously wealthy, who also had even more splendid country mansions; a few of these townhouses survive.  Not all, of course, were used as brothels, gaming hells, drinking clubs, certainly some were. It was how life was lived by many. See also De Valois' Rake's Progress.) 

I read a fascinating book about this some years ago and interesting although it was it was a hard read at times because of the tragedy of the life that these women had, in most cases, no choice but to live. It was that or starve. Even the courtesans at the pinnacle of their success were vulnerable and could fall into the doldrums if their protector deserted them - they had to find another quickly.

 

And of course the centre of the sex trade in London - and of Europe, according to the book - was Covent Garden and the surrounding areas. There are contemporary engravings of prostitutes plying their trade under the very portico of St Paul’s church. And I worked out that one of London’s biggest and best known brothels was on the very site of the new wing of the ROH. Something to think about if you visit the stage door…. Particularly after Manon!

[Roberta]

1 minute ago, Balletfanp said:

I read a fascinating book about this some years ago

 

Our posts overlapped, see mine above yours! 

[Lizbie1]

1 hour ago, Roberta said:

 

The critics at the time these ballets were new also had misgivings.  MacMillan was criticised for his handling of crowd scenes.  As I said in a post above, the constraints of choreographing for a large company are many and when you can't knock up a  garland dance, and require something more earthy, you have to fill the time / music and give the company something to dance.

 

But why must he keep returning to harlots/prostitutes/courtesans for these scenes? A casual observer might be forgiven for wondering if this was simply the first role to come into his mind when he considered women.

 

Most reasonably educated people are well aware that the 18th century had its seamier side* and many here have seen the defences from the MacMillan camp before. That doesn't stop a significant minority of viewers finding such scenes gratuitous and, yes, crass. (And I'd add, not always that well choreographed.)

 

*Edited to add that IMO far from being subversive such depictions verge on cliché.

Edited January 21 by Lizbie1

[Roberta]

11 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

But why must he keep returning to harlots/prostitutes/courtesans for these scenes?

 

Presumably because prostitutes / harlots / courtesans were everywhere?  And he had a large corps de ballet to deploy? R & J. Manon. Women of good social standing weren't to be found gathering in the squares of Verona or in brothels, no matter how high end. 

 

I surmise that half a century ago when MacMillan was attempting to fuse tales of tragedy and gritty reality with ballet convention to assuage the critics, and provide theatrical entertainment for a large audience,  this was new and slightly shocking, though certainly not all critics back then were convinced either.  

 

 

Edited January 21 by Roberta

[Linnzi5]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

I have heard that there were bouquets of flowers backstage, but that no ushers were around to distribute them onstage.  So, no debut photos for Will, Yasmine and Anna-Rose surrounded by bouquets.  That's why the stage manager had to dash in front of the curtain to give Yasmine one of her bouquets.  For a triple debut night, I think it is very, very poor not to have had anyone at all able to take some bouquets onto the stage.  

I was surprised last night. I thought - hmmm, this is strange! Don't tell me nobody sent flowers for Yasmine on her debut. When they arrived later, I thought, OK, maybe Yasmine wanted them later, though I couldn't quite think why and it all looked like an afterthought. 

 

I have to say, I am pretty disappointed to hear this though. Fans may have sent bouquets that they will not have seen presented to dancers. How on Earth can it be that no ushers are around?! Pretty poor show, I think. 

[MAB]

16 minutes ago, Roberta said:

Women of good social standing weren't to be found gathering in the squares of Verona

 

Women traders, servants and housewives would though, that's why in other productions you see lively ensemble dancing without harlots.  Ashton and Lavrovsky for example did very well without them.

[Balletfanp]

40 minutes ago, Roberta said:

 

Our posts overlapped, see mine above yours! 

Haha, yes, the very book! 😁 My husband bought it for me one Christmas - not really sure what he was trying to say!! But a fascinating read.

[Roberta]

26 minutes ago, MAB said:

Women traders, servants and housewives would though, that's why in other productions you see lively ensemble dancing without harlots.  Ashton and Lavrovsky for example did very well without them.

 

I suspect MacMillan wanted bawdy, rumbustious, seamy, as a background to the drama which unfolded.  Maybe he thought 'ordinary' women wouldn't provide enough colour and opportunity for crowd action, and little reason for them to be hanging around.  Try this, which explores the role of the harlots in R & J in more depth. https://pure.coventry.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/26737708/Binder3.pdf

 

I've also seen productions where dancers were used as corps de ballet in unison and thought that didn't work really.  

 

I love the Mandolin dance, it's not all bad! 

 

It's difficult to have a bawdy house scene as in Manon without harlots of some sort.

I think all would agree MacMillan's strengths lay in his pas de deux more than his crowd action. 

 

Edited January 21 by Roberta

[alison]

2 hours ago, Roberta said:

 

See Deborah MacMillan describing how obsessed with ice skating Kenneth MacMillan was at the time, hence many moves and slides which he based on skating technique. 

 

Yes, I thought I'd heard something along those lines - and was certainly reminded of pairs skating last night.

[San Perregrino]

2 hours ago, Anna C said:

I think we need that moment of light relief in Manon, to be honest.  As much as I admire Mayerling, it can be a depressing watch, and being based on historical events - as opposed to adapting a novel - comedy in Mayerling really would be jarring.  
 

Manon is extraordinarily moving and heartbreaking, but at least we have that moment of comedy to prevent that descent into darkness that Mayerling takes us to.  I’d rather leave the theatre in a weepy and emotional state than in a gloomy and depressed one! 

in Mayerling the comic relief is provided by Bratfisch, Rudolph’s ‘fool or jester,’ in the Act 2 Tavern scene. The depth of Rudolph’s melancholy is underlined later in Act 3 when even Bratfisch is unable to raise a smile and despairs of cheering up his master even as Rudolph is dismissing him. 

[WoodlandGladeFairy]

Some further thoughts on last night's Manon

 

I thought William Bracewell really sold the whole 'how did I get into this situation', felt so sorry for his Des Grieux having to resort to cheating at cards, the pull of Manon is just hard to resist.

 

Luca Acri and Anna Rose O'Sullivan's drunk pas de deux was quite funny, certainly raised a chuckle or two from the audience!

 

I don't mind the brothel scene, I love the music used in it, and well it's a brothel not a nunnery so I would expect it to be bawdy. 

 

Nicolas Georgiadis costumes are gorgeous, like an oil painting come to live and brings to mind films like Barry Lyndon or Dangerous Liaisons, grubby and glamorous 18th Century.

 

Also from the dancing you get a sense that Yasmine Naghdi's Manon doesn't know who she is really, is she a ingénue, a passionate lover or a money chasing floozy compared to Lescaut's mistress who is honest about who and what she is, it was a interesting juxtaposition.

 

Yasmine Naghdi's Manon was wonderful though, and I'm sure each times she comes back to the role she will discover new facets, same for William Bracewell and Anna Rose O'Sullivan, felt really special to see a triple debut as well, the Royal Ballet is so so blesse to have such a luxurious and talented group of dancers to choose. 

[Scheherezade]

So much has already been posted about Saturday’s wonderful triple debuts that it really is difficult to find anything to add, but I have to say that much as I enjoyed Act 1, for me the emotional connection between Naghdi and Bracewell moved into another gear with the Act 2 pdd and reached a breathtaking, heartrending climax in what can only be described as a truly unforgettable Act 3. 
 

The controlled lyricism in Bracewell’s dancing allied with the unforced dramatic integrity that we have come to expect from him formed the lynchpin of this performance and made the tragedy of Manon’s downfall all the more poignant, as Yasmine’s Manon moved seamlessly from the avaricious hedonism of shallow self interest to a moving and untimely recognition of the beauty and value of enduring true love.

 

The emotional intensity and pitch-perfect partnering - those Act 3 aerial spins in particular- had me catching my breath more than once. Whose heart could not break for the cruel fate that met this Manon and this Des Grieux? Mine is still more than a little splintered. 
 

A shout-out too for Anna Rose O’Sullivan’s spirited, minxy mistress and Luca Acri’s Lescaut, another complex, shifting and ultimately tragic victim of the venal society of haves and have-nots in which this cautionary tale is set.

 

There are those who have said that the gaoler’s scene is hard to watch. Yes it is, but life in those times for convicted prostitutes in the penal colonies was hard and to paper over this would be disingenuous and would also dilute the impact of the rest of Act 3 and of the ultimate tragedy that befell Manon. And I have to say that sleazy as Gary Avis’ gaoler was, memories of David Drew’s gaoler back in the ‘70s are imprinted in my memory as far more uncomfortable to watch.

 

But coming back to the present, what wonderful performances from the entire cast for those of us lucky enough to be in the audience last night and how very glad I am that I was there for the stunning debuts from Yasmine, Will and Anna Rose. 

[Linnzi5]

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

So much has already been posted about Saturday’s wonderful triple debuts that it really is difficult to find anything to add, but I have to say that much as I enjoyed Act 1, for me the emotional connection between Naghdi and Bracewell moved into another gear with the Act 2 pdd and reached a breathtaking, heartrending climax in what can only be described as a truly unforgettable Act 3. 

I would agree with this. Act 1 was absolutely lovely, but in Act II, something suddenly changed. The connection between these two beautiful dancers suddenly snapped together. From then onwards, I was so emotionally invested in both characters that it was a joy to watch them and to be a part of their story. Act III was the killer for me. As you say, those aerial spins were breathtaking and people around me gasped! (My gasp was in my head!) I loved Yasmine's vulnerability and her physical weakness - it really looked to realistic to me. The moment DG realised Manon had died? Sob! 

 

Both William and Yasmine did what Laura said dancers should do - they weren't acting, they were those characters and lived their thoughts, emotions and actions. 

 

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

There are those who have said that the gaoler’s scene is hard to watch. Yes it is, but life in those times for convicted prostitutes in the penal colonies was hard and to paper over this would be disingenuous and would also dilute the impact of the rest of Act 3 and of the ultimate tragedy that befell Manon. And I have to say that sleazy as Gary Avis’ gaoler was, memories of David Drew’s gaoler back in the ‘70s are imprinted in my memory as far more uncomfortable to watch.

I think if it isn't hard to watch, then it hasn't hit the mark and one would have to be very hardened not to think it degrading and horrifying. I can understand some revulsion at the events of that scene but I believe it added realism and explained DG's actions. 

 

1 hour ago, Scheherezade said:

But coming back to the present, what wonderful performances from the entire cast for those of us lucky enough to be in the audience last night and how very glad I am that I was there for the stunning debuts from Yasmine, Will and Anna Rose. 

I second this. I am so glad I went. My train line was closed (overhead wires down) so I had to get to my nearest tube station, which is 25 minutes away by car. It was definitely worth it! 

[Dawnstar]

13 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

Seeing the ballet has made me want to see the opera as well, although I believe the music is different? I adore the arrangement of Massenet’s music in the ballet. Perfectly done.

 

I can't see that anyone else has answered this but if they have then apologies. The ballet score doesn't use any of the music from the opera version of Manon. If you've not come across it already, the ballet's Wikipedia page lists the sources of all the music in the score, including several other Massenet operas but not Manon. I've not seen the opera live but during the 2020 lockdown streamings I watched a couple of performances of it from the Met. I have to say that I found the music for the opera less beautiful & moving than the music for the ballet! It baffles me that an assembled score can be better than a score a composer wrote specifically for a plot but, at least for me, that's the case for Manon.

 

10 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Overall this is a fabulously staged  production, with all the cast on top form.....the whole company now have a well-earned mid-season break. Looking forward to seeing two other casts later on....

 

Does anyone know why the company have their break after just 3 performances of Manon? It kind of feels like it would make more sense to have the break at the end of the Nutcracker run rather than to just get started on Manon then have to stop for a couple of weeks. Do they have to have the break for the same dates each year?

[Sim]

32 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I can't see that anyone else has answered this but if they have then apologies. The ballet score doesn't use any of the music from the opera version of Manon. If you've not come across it already, the ballet's Wikipedia page lists the sources of all the music in the score, including several other Massenet operas but not Manon. I've not seen the opera live but during the 2020 lockdown streamings I watched a couple of performances of it from the Met. I have to say that I found the music for the opera less beautiful & moving than the music for the ballet! It baffles me that an assembled score can be better than a score a composer wrote specifically for a plot but, at least for me, that's the case for Manon.

 

 

Does anyone know why the company have their break after just 3 performances of Manon? It kind of feels like it would make more sense to have the break at the end of the Nutcracker run rather than to just get started on Manon then have to stop for a couple of weeks. Do they have to have the break for the same dates each year?

They put the break in the middle of the season, so sometimes the scheduling looks strange but the dancers need their break at the midway point of the season.  Right after Nut would mean they have a long second part to their season. 

[Roberta]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

It baffles me that an assembled score can be better than a score a composer wrote specifically for a plot but, at least for me, that's the case for Manon.

 

Urgh, had hours of power cut this evening so no internet, very frustrating. A fallen tree took out the power lines apparently. 

 

I think the fact Leighton Lucas was the compiler and orchestrator of the score possibly helped. He had been a dancer with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes (where I  believe he was called Lukine to make him sound Russian) and then became a conductor for ballet and (self taught) composer of music, including film scores.  MacMillan loved the movies,  and according to Deborah MacMillan that influenced how he approached his choreography. 

 

Leighton Lucas and his compositions and other work  https://www.robertfarnonsociety.org.uk/index.php/legends/leighton-lucas a very long list of work. You'll be surprised! 

 

The legendary company pianist Hilda Gaunt selected pieces for MacMillan to begin to choreograph the pas de deux and presumably, the rest fitted around those. 

 

Leighton Lucas also composed music for ballet classes, I recall his name on RAD sheet music. Many of you have probably danced to his compositions for exam work! Gorgeous music. 

 

https://calmview.roehampton.ac.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=AHG%2F7%2F2%2F11%2F20&action=983e26e4

 

https://www.sheetmusicwarehouse.co.uk/tutors/the-royal-academy-of-dancing-music-for-advance-examination-solo-seal/

 

He joined the Markova - Dolin ballet company in the thirties; he was also associated with the Ballet Guild, short lived though important to those with an interest in ballet history.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballet_Guild

 

There is a striking portrait by Dame Laura Knight of Leighton Lucas here sketched at the Coliseum in 1920, when he was dancing with Ballets Russes. Handsome face.  (His mother played the piano for company rehearsals.) 

 

https://christopherkingzettfineart.com/artists/knight/laura-knight

 

 https://www.facebook.com/female.artists.in.history/posts/laura-knight-british-painter-1877-1970portrait-of-leighton-lucas-1920charcoal362/3256072174677649/

Edited January 22 by Roberta

[Roberta]

I was just too late to add this to my post, it's from ENB and there are clips of the sources of pieces of the Manon music. https://www.ballet.org.uk/blog-detail/spot-tunes-manon/

[alison]

I'm glad so many people really enjoyed this performance.  From my somewhat restricted view, I did, however, find that Acts I and II didn't hang together so well.  I've been wondering since whether the very large number of debuts / dancers not very experienced in their roles might have been a contributing factor in this, by not providing such a rich background tapestry as we have seen in some performances.  But I loved Bracewell's Act I solo - always a tricky one to pull off effectively, but he managed it.  Act III was on another level entirely, though.

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, alison said:

But I loved Bracewell's Act I solo - always a tricky one to pull off effectively, but he managed it.  Act III was on another level entirely, though.

Wasn’t it just! And it was the physical and emotional heft of Act III that we took away. 

Edited January 22 by Scheherezade

[Linnzi5]

5 hours ago, alison said:

I'm glad so many people really enjoyed this performance.  From my somewhat restricted view, I did, however, find that Acts I and II didn't hang together so well.  I've been wondering since whether the very large number of debuts / dancers not very experienced in their roles might have been a contributing factor in this, by not providing such a rich background tapestry as we have seen in some performances.  But I loved Bracewell's Act I solo - always a tricky one to pull off effectively, but he managed it.  Act III was on another level entirely, though.

It's hard for me to say as I don't know Manon that well and I deliberately didn't reacquaint myself with it before the first performance I saw (which was the latest one). I wonder if nerves played a part? Act I did not have the same impact on me as Acts II and III. However, like you, I loved William Bracewell's first solo in Act I. I loved his lyricism and the beauty of his dancing and it must have been nerve-wracking to perform it so near to the beginning of the performance and as a debut. I think Laura Morera hit the nail on the head when she said that he is so good at showing his vulnerability and I think that is one of the things I love about him as a performer. Act III just tore me to pieces! I am astounded that William and Yasmine could perform to that level on their debuts. 

 

I did rewatch a stream of Manon yesterday. Interestingly, I noted a lot of different choices by the two performers, which I didn't like as much; less intimate ones. I did not rate the performance as highly, despite both dancers being technically excellent. I felt a strong connection and emotional attachment to William and Yasmine's characters by Act III and I didn't sense the same in the recording I rewatched. I am very much looking forward to seeing Yasmine and William again and the other Principals in other performances I have booked (I'm particularly looking forward to Fumi's)

 

 

4 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

Wasn’t it just! And it was the physical and emotional heft of Act III that we took away. 

I totally agree with this and even today, I still feel moved by that final act. I often wish that I could rewatch what I've seen and live it all over again and this was ones of those times. I am still amazed by those emotional and exciting turns in the air! They were just so amazing to witness.

Edited January 22 by Linnzi5

[DVDfan]

Manon a slut and DG a fool? Yes indeed, but I think it is up to the dramatic skill of the dancers to show that that is not all that they are. Judging by the reviews on the forum, the current generation is delivering in spades.

[Roberta]

2 hours ago, DVDfan said:

Manon a slut and DG a fool? Yes indeed, but I think it is up to the dramatic skill of the dancers to show that that is not all that they are. Judging by the reviews on the forum, the current generation is delivering in spades.

 

I think you have to put that in the context of the time it was written.  MacMillan was not universally admired for his ballets back then.