Birmingham Royal Ballet - Sleeping Beauty, Spring 2024

[alison]

I'm sure Kurihara would be fine if you wanted to continue with that.  I haven't seen Hirata for quite some time, and am not sure how she is currently - I think she's been off with injury for quite a while, unless I'm thinking of last season.

[capybara]

The ends of SW Stalls  Row C have a really good view as far as I’m concerned.

 

And Yu Kurihara (as well, of course, as Momoko Hirata) seems to be accumulating a lot of admirers.

 

Choices, choices - always difficult but BRB really does seem to have a rich reservoir of Auroras. 

Edited April 15 by capybara

[lady emily]

21 hours ago, capybara said:

The ends of SW Stalls  Row C have a really good view as far as I’m concerned.

 

And Yu Kurihara (as well, of course, as Momoko Hirata) seems to be accumulating a lot of admirers.

 

Choices, choices - always difficult but BRB really does seem to have a rich reservoir of Auroras. 

 

Your assessment of the seats did it for me; not having to get the train back with drunk hen parties another significant plus to switching. Very excited to see the performance and glad to see the performance is close to sold out! 

[FionaM]

Sleeping Beauty at the Bristol Hippodrome on Saturday 20/4 (evening):

 

I’d not seen this production before.   Loved it.  Beautiful sumptuous sets and very French costumes.  Though I found the fairies costumes to be too samey.  I enjoyed having the Lilac Fairy as a character walk on part to counter Carabosse.  The Lilac Fairy has a beautiful lace costume which I wished was more lilac. It seems off-white which is lit by a pale lilac spot. But this is a small gripe and may be different in each theatre.   
 

Bravo to the cast on coping with what seemed like a cramped stage (diagonals having to be foreshortened, corps de ballet waltzes looked cramped, etc) and clearly narrow wings squashing tutus on exit.   I believe this theatre is known for its very limited backstage space.  I had thought it was reasonable size for ballet … we’ve had the ENB Akram Khan Giselle with its huge wall without a problem.  I do hope the space problems won’t deter BRB from continuing to tour here.  We don’t get much good quality ballet in Bristol.  One visit annually from ENB and one from BRB.  And both only for 3 days since Covid. 
 

Yu Kurihara was a sparkly Aurora who interacted well with the 4 Princes.  I enjoyed their individual characterisation and their more obvious admiration for her than I’ve seen in other productions.  I don’t mind that more than one balance of Yu’s had minor problems.  She covered well.  They are a menace in my view!  She clearly is a very good turner and has beautiful lines, musicality and grace with a lovely smile.  I enjoyed her performance very much. 
 

Lachlan Monaghan had super high and fully completed double tours in the very difficult act 3 Prince Florimund solos.  Good partnering too … which highlighted some of the less good partnering by the 4 Princes earlier.  He coped well with the interminable ‘come hithers’ from Aurora and ‘not yet’ from the Lilac Fairy in the dream sequence.  
 

Eilis Small has a super aura of calm as the Lilac Fairy.  I felt everything was safe in her hands.  And Daria Stanciulescu was clearly having a ball letting rip as Carabosse.  Bravo to both!!!

 

A few of the soloists who caught my eye were Sofia Liñares as both a fairy and the Bluebird Princess.  Olivia Chang Clarke flew across the stage en pointe in her fairy solo, and principal Miki Mizutani whose class shone through as the Fairy of Modesty.  (No idea if she was covering unexpectedly.  Is it usual for BRB principals to do such solos on tour?

 

I’m looking forward to seeing the Celine Gittens and Yasiel Hodelin Bello cast later this week in London. 

[Tony Newcombe]

FionaM in reply to your question about Miki Mizutani dancing a soloist role. This is normal with BRB particularly while touring. Yu Kurihara danced Aurora, Fairy of Joy(Lilac Fairy solo) and the Lilac Fairy in the space of a couple of days. I enjoyed your review which coincided with my thoughts. The partnering by the four princes did seem a bit strained during the Rose Adagio scene which probably led to the slight mishap you mentioned. I think I know which Prince it was partnering her at the time and I am quite sure it would have caused much discussion post performance

[northstar]

Thanks FionaM for your review from Bristol, I too attended the BRB Sleeping Beauty there, opening night (Thurs) led by Miki Mizutani and Lachlan Monaghan. Bristol is not close to my home, but worth the travel for such a piece of art.

 

I saw Mizutani and Monaghan in Salford in March and again they were simply class, class, class. I was much closer to the action than in Salford and I repeat what I said earlier in the thread, that they would grace any company and stage worldwide. As well as their technically and artistically supremacy, the closer view allowed me to see the beautiful bodily and facial expression they gave to their steps. Yes indeed Monaghan's effortless high double tours are worthy of mention, his relaxed mastery of the Act III solo, as in Salford, was just sensational. Mizutani's exquisite brilliance I can't adequately describe. The whole company performed and delivered in a manner fitting to this ballet masterpiece, and to this wonderful production.

 

New principal Beatrice Parma danced the Fairy of Temperament/Violente in the prologue, and the Enchanted Princess Act III. I felt her confidence and clarity and it's exciting to see her rise.

 

It's been a while since I've seen ballet in Bristol and was good to be back. I believe that since 1999, BRB has toured to Bristol only in 2016-2018 (info gleaned from this excellent forum!).  Bravo again, and thanks again, to BRB, for their splendid, elevating art, and this brilliant production which is fabulous to have touring the UK. 

Edited April 23 by northstar

[Naomi M]

On 15/04/2024 at 22:11, alison said:

I'm sure Kurihara would be fine if you wanted to continue with that.  I haven't seen Hirata for quite some time, and am not sure how she is currently - I think she's been off with injury for quite a while, unless I'm thinking of last season.

 

I saw Momoko Hirata in Swan Lake guesting in Japan this January and she was still at the top of her game, fabulous and flawless, stunningly beautiful. 

[Amanda Liu]

Cast sheet for tonight:

https://brb-c3.s3.amazonaws.com/Castsheets/24-4-24e.pdf?mtime=20240424150313&focal=none

Edited April 24 by Amanda Liu

[CCL]

I have just seen the full cast list for tonight and I think it is fair to say that I am very excited! 

[CCL]

@Amanda LiuWe must have posted at the exact same minute!

[Dawnstar]

An impressive line up of fairies, with 3 Principals. I suppose Mizutani & Gittens can leave after the Prologue & get an early night before their Auroras.

 

A query: are the fairy variations danced in the same order as in the RB production? With all the fairies having different names I can't tell from the cast list.

[Amanda Liu]

Cast sheets for all the 5 performances have been published.

https://www.brb.org.uk/downloadable-castsheets

[alison]

I hope everyone who goes tonight enjoys it.

[Sebastian]

Congratulations to conductor Philip Ellis for tonight driving the score at tempi which approach the authentic rehearsal metronome marks (rather faster than we have got used to at the Royal Ballet). Was every cast member to my taste? No, but all showed that speed is no obstacle to dancing this wonderful ballet, despite what we are sometimes told. 
 

Incidentally, three choreographers are credited in the programme. Petipa, of course, and also Peter Wright (it is his production and Wright in turn credits Frederick Ashton for an Aurora solo and a pas de quatre variation). But equal prominence is also given to Lev Ivanov, as if Sleeping Beauty is like Swan Lake or Nutcracker. Does anyone know why? As BRB will not have made a mistake, what did Ivanov contribute to this production? 
 

 

[Angela Essex]

I’m going tonight 25/4 and am very excited as I’ve never seen BRB before. Also just checked the cast sheet thanks @Amanda Liu and Hannah Martin, whose you tube channel I love, is Red Riding Hood - hooray! 

[Dawnstar]

I see the better curtain call photographers were at Swan Lake tonight so I'm afraid you'll have to make do with mine! Some labelling because I for one wouldn't know who all either the dancers or characters were if I hadn't been there tonight. As it is now ten to three I will save my comments until tomorrow.

 

The company

 

Yu Kurihara (Aurora), Lachlan Monaghan (Florimund) & Daria Stanciulescu (Carabosse)

 

If anyone can identify the fairytale character on the left then I'd love to know the answer because he baffled me. (It's not the Wolf, who's on the right.) Behind Monaghan's arm is Alisa Garkavenko, who danced the Fairy of Song.

 

Eilis Small (Lilac Fairy), Yu Kurihara & Lachlan Monaghan

 

Yu Kurihara & Lachlan Monaghan with conductor Philip Ellis.

 

Yuki Sugiura (White Cat) & Gus Payne (Puss-in-Boots)

 

Sofia Linares, Ryan Felix, Rachele Pizzillo & Shuailun Wu (Pas de Quatre)

 

Enrique Bejarano Vidal (Bluebird) & Beatrice Parma (Florine)

 

Eilis Small

 

Lachlan Monaghan & Yu Kurihara

[Sebastian]

3 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

If anyone can identify the fairytale character on the left then I'd love to know the answer because he baffled me. (It's not the Wolf, who's on the right.) 

Based on the characters traditionally expected in the Act III procession, maybe Beast (as part of Beauty and the Beast)? 
 

In answer to your earlier question about the Prologue Fairies @Dawnstar you will be pleased to know that their music was played in the order given in the score, I.e. the variations came in the same order as usual. 
 

Edited April 25 by Sebastian

[CCL]

Thanks Dawnstar, you did well to get such good photos as the curtain calls were brief! 
I enjoyed the performance very much, and will elaborate later if time, but just wanted to say that Yu Kurihara was absolutely radiant and joyful as Aurora - I am still smiling now!

[FionaM]

@Sebastian thank you for mentioning the tempi.   I completely forgot to and I was rather shocked at the time by the pace of the music.  I hadn’t known it was intentional.  It caused me some anxiety on behalf that the dancers.
 

I did notice the conductor was paying close attention to all the soloists.  
 

Bravo to the dancers for dancing at this speed.  👏👏👏

[Scheherezade]

13 hours ago, Sebastian said:

 

Congratulations to conductor Philip Ellis for tonight driving the score at tempi which approach the authentic rehearsal metronome marks (rather faster than we have got used to at the Royal Ballet). Was every cast member to my taste? No, but all showed that speed is no obstacle to dancing this wonderful ballet, despite what we are sometimes told. 

 

Thank you for this, Sebastian, I am now looking forward to Saturday evening with added interest. 

[SheilaC]

BRB has always danced that ballet, and other classics, at that speed, which was normal in most companies in the past. Makarova was a factor in the slower speed  and more recently Nela, who dances many ballets, even Robbins' Dances at a Gathering, more slowly than originally created.

Presumably the changes in technique eg more extreme leg height have encouraged a slower speed. Personally I sometimes find the slower pace can distort the music. 

[Angela Essex]

I saw this production at Sadler’s Wells for the first time this evening and I really liked the way the prolonged sledge ride Prince Florimund and the Lilac Fairy go on to find Aurora had been cut and replaced by a corps number - hooray! Also raining glitter at the end was lovely.
 

I did miss the fairies all having very distinctly different coloured tutus as they do at the RB. The BRB version has all the fairies in similar hues of tutu which makes them stand out less imo.
 

Also the scene with the 3 weaving ladies that illegally use spindles and the king threatens to hang them with the Queen begging him for their life had been cut. I missed it a little bit, but it didn’t detract from the performance overall. 
 

The dancers all beautiful especially Max Maslen whose Prince Florimund Act 3 solo was powerful. Bluebird danced by Shuailun Wu was especially good too I thought and the white cat (Yuki Sugiura) and puss in boots (Eric Pinto Canta) were danced with a lot of personality and got quite a few giggles from the audience. 
 

Gabriel Anderson as Carabosse was fantastic - first time I’ve seen a male Carabosse and he was very imposing and wicked with a faint touch of diva. 

[Geoff]

13 hours ago, SheilaC said:

BRB has always danced that ballet, and other classics, at that speed, which was normal in most companies in the past. Makarova was a factor in the slower speed

For professional reasons I once had the opportunity to view a series of recordings of Sadler’s Wells and then the Royal Ballet performing the Sleeping Beauty over the decades, more versions than are generally available. This fascinating comparison showed, yes Makarova could be slow but in fact the company had started slowing down years before her production.  Things were beginning to slip by the 1970s.
 

Some recordings are commercially available and worth looking out for. The Sadlers Wells film of the ballet, with Fonteyn, Somes, Ashton and Grey (currently on dvd though it can be hard to find) is eye-opening for a number of reasons. Other archive recordings, of varying quality, have been issued on dvd over the years and are well worth getting hold of when they turn up. 
 

Edited April 26 by Geoff

[Roberta]

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

The Sadlers Wells film of the ballet, with Fonteyn, Somes, Ashton and Grey (currently on dvd though it can be hard to find

 

There are three in stock via Amazon  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleeping-Beauty-Sadlers-Wells-Ballet/dp/B0002VGRAE

[Rob S]

 

 

I was too close to the stage for the more discreet lens I brought yesterday (SW don’t like decent cameras being used, apparently) 

 

I was pleased that I quickly forgot about the lack of Alina thanks to Miki Mizutani 🙂

 

[San Perregrino]

59 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

 

I was too close to the stage for the more discreet lens I brought yesterday (SW don’t like decent cameras being used, apparently) 

 

I was pleased that I quickly forgot about the lack of Alina thanks to Miki Mizutani 🙂

 

I got told to put my phone away at the curtain call. 

[Rob S]

19 minutes ago, San Perregrino said:

I got told to put my phone away at the curtain call. 

 

Well that is odd! Where were you sat?

[San Perregrino]

15 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Well that is odd! Where were you sat?

First Circle Side Gallery oppsite you. I chatted to the security chap after. He was very pleasant. His briefing was no cameras. I suggested that this might not include curtain calls and that both he and I might better inform ourselves before tonight’s show. 

[Rob S]

10 minutes ago, San Perregrino said:

First Circle Side Gallery oppsite you. I chatted to the security chap after. He was very pleasant. His briefing was no cameras. I suggested that this might not include curtain calls and that both he and I might better inform ourselves before tonight’s show. 

 

Indeed...let's hope you have a better experience tonight. I'm in the second circle tonight but may be right next to a side exit so may have grief myself.

 

I had problems at the La Strada performance once a female usher spotted my regular camera (I was in the Stalls Side Gallery and she said I'm not allowed to use that type of camera, I then proceeded to use my phone which she was fine with although I'd taken the pics I wanted to take already)

Maybe it's a BRB thing as the ushers were quick to stop me trying to take a pic at La Fille at the Bristol Hippodrome with my phone...I was taking pics of the set to see if it was the same as the RB's.

Edited Friday at 10:59 by Rob S

[Jan McNulty]

17 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Maybe it's a BRB thing as the ushers were quick to stop me trying to take a pic at La Fille at the Bristol Hippodrome with my phone...I was taking pics of the set to see if it was the same as the RB's.

 

It may be a BRB thing.  The ushers at the Hippodrome were jumping on anyone with a phone let alone a camera at the curtain calls for Cesar's penultimate performance.

[Dawnstar]

This is rather confusing to read. I was able to take curtain call photos on Wednesday without being stopped, as was the woman sat next to me (I was using a compact camera, she was using a phone), and as I was sat front row stalls I was hardly inconspicuous. Then I posted the same photos on Twitter yesterday that I'd posted on here tagging in BRB & they have "liked" my posts.

[MJW]

4 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

This is rather confusing to read. I was able to take curtain call photos on Wednesday without being stopped, as was the woman sat next to me (I was using a compact camera, she was using a phone), and as I was sat front row stalls I was hardly inconspicuous. Then I posted the same photos on Twitter yesterday that I'd posted on here tagging in BRB & they have "liked" my posts.

 

Interesting....I'll see what happens Saturday afternoon!

 

[San Perregrino]

54 minutes ago, MJW said:

 

Interesting....I'll see what happens Saturday afternoon!

 

I spoke to Front of House when I arrived at this evening. Curtain call photos are permitted.