Royal Ballet - Swan Lake 2024

[Scheherezade]

9 minutes ago, Sim said:

Yes....I would recommend Vadim/Fumi and Yasmine/Matthew (although you can see the latter in the cinema soon so if you can only come once perhaps try the former at the ROH and see the latter on the screen).

Yes, luckily I have them both to come. 

[Sim]

1 minute ago, Scheherezade said:

Yes, luckily I have them both to come. 

Same....even more luckily, both at the ROH!

[Buru]

26 minutes ago, jmhopton said:

If you don't have any joy on the ROH ordinary website for returns there is always Friday Rush, or the Forum sales or returns. I'd recommend Vadim/Fumi but I am a touch biased!

Thank you so much. I had a look at Fumi and Yasmine and somehow feel that Fumi’s lines may be more swan like. And then again, there is the phenomenal Vadim who is my absolute favorite in the company now. I just wished he had more solos. Classical ballets are really prejudiced on the female side) Will try to  get tickets for Fumi and Vadim. I couldn’t find resales on Forum, unfortunately. Can you please help me to look for them?

[Missfrankiecat]

There are so many intriguing partnerships in the next run - I think Francesca Hayward and Will Bracewell would be a very interesting contrast to Marianela/Vadim.  Frankie Hayward's great acting skills will be right at home with the Odette/Odile split.  I am looking forward to Joe Sissen's Siegfried debut (his partner seems to be an alarmingly moveable feast atm) - I'm sure he is a star of the future and, naturally, I will also be enjoying Osipova and her vulgar fouettés!

[emmarose]

I don't really have much to add and I'm utterly exhausted. But I agree with how much of a privilege it was to be there last night and opening night and there's ballet and there's dance but those two are living and breathing art, there is no act, it's all being lived on the stage organically.

 

The ovation was quite moving and you could see they were both moved in the curtain calls and where I was in SC it was a beautiful view of a full Orchestra Stalls all standing up and applauding.

[Missfrankiecat]

2 minutes ago, emmarose said:

I don't really have much to add and I'm utterly exhausted. But I agree with how much of a privilege it was to be there last night and opening night and there's ballet and there's dance but those two are living and breathing art, there is no act, it's all being lived on the stage organically.

 

The ovation was quite moving and you could see they were both moved in the curtain calls and where I was in SC it was a beautiful view of a full Orchestra Stalls all standing up and applauding.

They lifted the full lights fairly early in the red run so they could see the audience enthusiasm.  I thought Vadim looked slightly choked up.

[emmarose]

2 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

They lifted the full lights fairly early in the red run so they could see the audience enthusiasm.  I thought Vadim looked slightly choked up.

Yes, I noticed that, when they came out again the lights came up a bit to light the standing ovation. You could see it meant a lot to them.

[Kerfuffle]

1 hour ago, BeauxArts said:

Marianela is world famous and a star ballerina, and rightly so, but I cannot agree that her RB colleagues are just « good ». For example, as Capybara mentioned earlier this week, Fumi Kaneko is widely acknowledged now as a world star (see Dance Europe) - she is surely more than good, she is stellar and her  time has come - fortunately for us! 

I am not saying that there isn’t considerable talent within the RB. I would love to see Fumi perform as well as several others. I can’t help feeling that seeing Marianela is a priority for me given her age and I think that every aspect of her dancing really is an absolute peak right now. I know this subjective and of course individual dancers blossom at different times in their careers.

[Balletfanp]

I really like that the ROH have started to do this, to enable the dancers to see just how much they are appreciated. Lovely.

[Sim]

34 minutes ago, Buru said:

Thank you so much. I had a look at Fumi and Yasmine and somehow feel that Fumi’s lines may be more swan like. And then again, there is the phenomenal Vadim who is my absolute favorite in the company now. I just wished he had more solos. Classical ballets are really prejudiced on the female side) Will try to  get tickets for Fumi and Vadim. I couldn’t find resales on Forum, unfortunately. Can you please help me to look for them?

Just keep checking our Ticket Sales and Exchange area.  If someone is selling a ticket, you will find it there. You can also post up to let everyone know what you are looking for.  

[LinMM]

Yes and keep checking the website especially nearer the performance dates as returns come in all the time. 

[Aruna S]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere, but the Kaneko-Muntagirov combination is performing in Swan Lake in Rome in June, on the 22nd, 25th and 27th. Just in case no tickets turn up for their performances at ROH!

47 minutes ago, Buru said:

Thank you so much. I had a look at Fumi and Yasmine and somehow feel that Fumi’s lines may be more swan like. And then again, there is the phenomenal Vadim who is my absolute favorite in the company now. I just wished he had more solos. Classical ballets are really prejudiced on the female side) Will try to  get tickets for Fumi and Vadim. I couldn’t find resales on Forum, unfortunately. Can you please help me to look for them?

 

[Sim]

A beautiful photo of Yasmine Naghdi in her debut run as Odette/Odile. 

 

Photo by Rachel Hollings.

[Missfrankiecat]

Yasmine reminds me a lot of Margot Fonteyn - who, btw, I have only seen on film.  Not just the looks (especially the smile and the chin tilt) but both have/had slightly aloof elegance and a certain reserve in their public personalities.  

Edited April 7 by Missfrankiecat

[capybara]

I am wondering whether the reaction of the two leads at the curtain calls last night (and the fact that the calls were extended) had anything to do with the probability that it will be another (2)/3 years before SL returns to the rep. ?

 

I agree that both Marianela and Vadim looked quite choked up - the reception was pretty overwhelming: they and the whole company deserved it so much. And all those flowers for each of them.

[zxDaveM]

4 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said:

Yasmine reminds me a lot of Margot Fonteyn - who, btw, I have only seen on film.  Not just the looks (especially the smile and the chin tilt) but both have/had slightly aloof elegance and a certain reserve in their public personalities.  

 

Not sure where you get that from, as I've found Yasmine one of the lovliest, friendliest, warmest dancers I've met (though yes, definitely elegance personified!)

No wonder I'm biased! 😉

[Missfrankiecat]

11 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

Not sure where you get that from, as I've found Yasmine one of the lovliest, friendliest, warmest dancers I've met (though yes, definitely elegance personified!)

No wonder I'm biased! 😉

I didn't mean to convey any pejorative description - of either Yasmine or Dame Margot. In our over-sharing world, it seems 'reserve' and a certain distance are now regarded as personality defects.  Not by me!  I would, however, maintain that, when interviewed in the company of others, Yasmine is often the more reticent and considered in her responses and she doesn't share much as much personal stuff on her social media as others.  For eg Marianela - whose cats I could pick out of an ID parade just as I could tell you what colour her bathroom tiles are.  Not a criticism of either woman.  

[Lesley]

I couldn’t help wondering if this was Marianela at her zenith in this performance of Swan Lake as she certainly was on fire. As capybara has said -it will be some time before Swan Lake is repeated and I feel she must have been aware of this and was making the most of this iconic role and her partnership with Vadim while she can.

[emmarose]

2 minutes ago, Lesley said:

I couldn’t help wondering if this was Marianela at her zenith in this performance of Swan Lake as she certainly was on fire. As capybara has said -it will be some time before Swan Lake is repeated and I feel she must have been aware of this and was making the most of this iconic role and her partnership with Vadim while she can.

 

I'm not so sure. It's every other year and a few days ago she thanked Vadim for his partnership and said they had done these roles many times and she knew they had many more to come.

[Lesley]

Let’s hope so.

[LinMM]

Have to disagree about Yasmine being like Margot Fonteyn either in looks or performance! 
I love Yasmine but her style is very different to Fonteyns. Yasmine has a much stronger technique than Fonteyn ever had but she doesn’t really have the emotional vulnerability on stage of Fonteyn. 
This is not to say Yasmine can’t give emotional performances but doesn’t (yet anyway) have that real abandon that Fonteyn could bring out of nowhere. 
I don’t think anybody has this particular quality in the Royal at the moment …not even Hayward….though she has some of her naturalness and maybe it will remain unique to Fonteyn. 

Love the piccie of Yasmine above! 
 

Edited April 7 by LinMM

[Linnzi5]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

A beautiful photo of Yasmine Naghdi in her debut run as Odette/Odile. I can’t remember where I got the photo so I’m afraid I can’t credit it.  If anyone can enlighten me, I will rectify that. 

What a stunningly beautiful photo - I hope she's seen that as it's one to stick in a future autobiography. I'm really looking forward to seeing Yasmine in SL - I know she will be fantastic. I loved her Manon and felt she portrayed a great emotional depth and I would definitely book to see her in that role again. I therefore am positive I will love her Odette and Odile. 

[Jane S]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

A beautiful photo of Yasmine Naghdi in her debut run as Odette/Odile. I can’t remember where I got the photo so I’m afraid I can’t credit it.  If anyone can enlighten me, I will rectify that. 

 

 

A google Lens search (never tried that before for something like this!) brings up several copies naming the photographer as Rachel Hollings

[Missfrankiecat]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

Have to disagree about Yasmine being like Margot Fonteyn either in looks or performance! 
I love Yasmine but her style is very different to Fonteyns. Yasmine has a much stronger technique than Fonteyn ever had but she doesn’t really have the emotional vulnerability on stage of Fonteyn. 
This is not to say Yasmine can’t give emotional performances but doesn’t (yet anyway) have that real abandon that Fonteyn could bring out of nowhere. 
I don’t think anybody has this particular quality in the Royal at the moment …not even Hayward….though she has some of her naturalness and maybe it will remain unique to Fonteyn. 

Love the piccie of Yasmine above! 
 

I guess part of my problem is I can only go on the relatively rare and poor quality recordings of Margot, which are mostly from late career.  One can easily see the difference in technique and I think a lot of her obvious charm and artistry does translate but the precise quality of emotional interaction with an audience is more ephemeral.  

[Sim]

14 minutes ago, Jane S said:

 

A google Lens search (never tried that before for something like this!) brings up several copies naming the photographer as Rachel Hollings

Thanks Jane.  I thought it might be Rachel. 

 

[FionaM]

In addition to the many world class swans of the RB mentioned above  … I think Akane Takada will also be a special Odette/Odile in the later block, partnered by Joe Sissens.  I am really hoping she returns from injury fully fit to do it.  
 

There are excerpts to be found online of Akane and Federico Bonelli, from recordings made in early March 2020 (before lockdown thank goodness) for the Japanese audience …. in 8K-HDR !!!

https://media.imz.at/avant-premiere/catalogues/2021/film/8k-swan-lake-by-the-royal-ballet-12769055/

 

[Roberta]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

real abandon that Fonteyn could bring out of nowhere. 

 

Perhaps some of Fonteyn's real life passions and experiences fed into her performances!

 

She did lead quite a remarkable life off stage, including through war. 

 

 

[Kerfuffle]

Fonteyn had huge charisma and musicality - she managed to dance the role of a teenage Juliet  in her sixties, she had a real vivacity that I think overcomes some of what we might see now as less evolved technique. Ballet has become more athletic but the British ballerinas of her generation had quick neat footwork, perfect for Ashton’s repertoire. 

[Suffolkgal]

I truly think there are some one-offs and Fonteyn is one of them. And Nureyev. Olivier … I could go on but I think the effect they had in their time and continue to have must mean something. I think somewhere in Seymour’s biography (creating the Ashton dances) she speaks of the effect Isadora Duncan has on Ashton, as he described how he felt seeing her live. 

[Mora]

4 hours ago, Missfrankiecat said:

I didn't mean to convey any pejorative description - of either Yasmine or Dame Margot. In our over-sharing world, it seems 'reserve' and a certain distance are now regarded as personality defects.  Not by me!  I would, however, maintain that, when interviewed in the company of others, Yasmine is often the more reticent and considered in her responses and she doesn't share much as much personal stuff on her social media as others.  For eg Marianela - whose cats I could pick out of an ID parade just as I could tell you what colour her bathroom tiles are.  Not a criticism of either woman.  

I also prefer more reserved personalities.

That's the reason why, apart from their astistry and charisma, William's and Fumi's instgram accounts are my favourites. In my opinion, they are sensitive and very kind persons but reserve (mostly Fumi) and private as well. I love them for that too.

[capybara]

26 minutes ago, Mora said:

I also prefer more reserved personalities.

That's the reason why, apart from their astistry and charisma, William's and Fumi's instgram accounts are my favourites. In my opinion, they are sensitive and very kind persons but reserve (mostly Fumi) and private as well. I love them for that too.

That’s interesting as William is one of the RB Principals who posts quite a lot of his modelling shots. (Not criticising that 😊 - their IGs are a matter for each individual dancer.)

 

I recall many years ago hearing a conversation among fans which implied that their perception of artists and their performances was quite significantly influenced by opinions about them as people off stage.

[Nina99]

40 minutes ago, Mora said:

I also prefer more reserved personalities.

That's the reason why, apart from their astistry and charisma, William's and Fumi's instgram accounts are my favourites. In my opinion, they are sensitive and very kind persons but reserve (mostly Fumi) and private as well. I love them for that too.

 

 When I did a backstage tour at the ROH, we went past one of the rehearsal studios where Fumi and Vadim were rehearsing for their PDD in Mayerling.  Our tour Guide made a point of saying that Miss Kaneko, as she called her, was considered to be one of the nicest people in the company.  

Edited April 7 by Nina99

[Tango Dancer]

15 minutes ago, capybara said:

That’s interesting as William is one of the RB Principals who posts quite a lot of his modelling shots. (Not criticising that 😊 - their IGs are a matter for each individual dancer.)

 

I recall many years ago hearing a conversation among fans which implied that their perception of artists and their performances was quite significantly influenced by opinions about them as people off stage.

 

I think it certainly can be. People have a lot more visibility of dancers off stage thanks to social media and other things and it can affect how you see them.  

 

I do some of the ballet master classes that Danceworks offer on zoom.  Vadim teaches regularly and one of the reasons I think he's my favourite RB dancer (apart from his dance ability) is how nice and supportive he is as a teacher.  He's just so unassuming and sweet. 

 

He came into the studio this afternoon in a tracksuit, looking like a teenage student and not the least like someone who was centre stage at Covent Garden last night and was so positive with the class, even apologising for getting one of the sequences wrong because he said he was a bit tired today after performing.  I mean he's just so adorable I want to hug him and take him home. 

 

I've done Fumi's online masterclasses as well and she's also lovely and has a smile for everyone.  I don't always get along with her teaching but she's really sweet.