Royal Ballet - Swan Lake 2024

[FionaM]

@Missfrankiecat I guess the prince should stand out as different to the rest of the court, so this physical difference helps 😉

 

And so we return to typecasting !!!  The elegant slim and long legged dancers are the Prince and the virtuoso short ones are his friend or jester.   It was ever thus 🤣

[Sim]

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

@Missfrankiecat I guess the prince should stand out as different to the rest of the court, so this physical difference helps 😉

 

And so we return to typecasting !!!  The elegant slim and long legged dancers are the Prince and the virtuoso short ones are his friend or jester.   It was ever thus 🤣

Marcelino Sambe is not long legged and he is playing the prince.  Joon-Hyuk Jun, playing Benno, is tall and long legged. Ditto Teo Dubreuil. 

[Buru]

21 hours ago, Geoff said:

Yes one function of this site is as an outlet for fanboys/girls, relatives and friends as well as enthusiastic newbies, to show their appreciation, and this is all well and good.
 

But that might get a little boring if this was all there was to read so thankfully you will also find objective criticism by experts and those with long experience, up to and including comments by dancers, choreographers, critics and others with professional experience, and even some academic scholarship. So please, keep watching keenly and sharing your opinions, negative as well as positive. For example I for one do not share the general view, sometimes expressed, that dancers these days are so much better than they used to be, or that all the RB does is wonderful.

Academic scholars - oh, I’d love that. There was a young (as far as I know) guy on a forum I used to spend a lot of time on. His insights and explanations of various nuances and history of various ballet productions were priceless!

[FionaM]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

Marcelino Sambe is not long legged and he is playing the prince.  Joon-Hyuk Jun, playing Benno, is tall and long legged. Ditto Teo Dubreuil. 

I was making a joke!  I’m personally glad that the RB has moved away from type-casting.  

[Fonty]

10 hours ago, FionaM said:

I was making a joke!  I’m personally glad that the RB has moved away from type-casting.  

 

On the other hand, we don't want the side kicks looking more regal than the Prince, do we??  Otherwise those princesses might start making eyes at the wrong chap!

 

On a more serious note, visually it does help if all the main characters are of similar height.  

[art_enthusiast]

I assume it helps if the cygnets are all of similar height? As they have to stay linked together the whole time. I don't think the casting is always the same height wise though.

[Sim]

1 hour ago, art_enthusiast said:

I assume it helps if the cygnets are all of similar height? As they have to stay linked together the whole time. I don't think the casting is always the same height wise though.

Yes, they do try to get the four cygnets at pretty much the same height.  

[Henry]

On the subject of soloists, I was looking through the cast lists for Swan Lake and I didn't notice Calvin Richardson.  Is he away or did I miss something?  

[Silke H]

46 minutes ago, Henry said:

On the subject of soloists, I was looking through the cast lists for Swan Lake and I didn't notice Calvin Richardson.  Is he away or did I miss something?  

possibly focusing on his debut as Polixenes in The Winter's Tale (first night's cast)

[Tattin]

I'm going to the cinema screening. Can anyone tell me at roughly what time I will find the "full" cast on line, i.e. other than just the principals ,Queen, Benno, Von Rothbart and Siegfried's sisters. I'd like to know as I have to drive some way to pick up a friend first so shan't be able to look at the last minute. 

[Sim]

18 hours ago, Silke H said:

possibly focusing on his debut as Polixenes in The Winter's Tale (first night's cast)

Not to mention his debut as Oberon in The Dream on 19th June...

[San Perregrino]

3 hours ago, Tattin said:

I'm going to the cinema screening. Can anyone tell me at roughly what time I will find the "full" cast on line, i.e. other than just the principals ,Queen, Benno, Von Rothbart and Siegfried's sisters. I'd like to know as I have to drive some way to pick up a friend first so shan't be able to look at the last minute. 

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/43/swan-lake-by-liam-scarlett/cast-list/54729

[alison]

Unfortunately, due to the incompetence of his suppliers, our electrician had to work late tonight, meaning that I couldn't get away in comfortable time for the cinema showing - and given the dirty looks I've previously received for daring to turn up just before the start I didn't fancy risking it this time.  So I guess I'll have to catch an encore performance.  Hoping everyone enjoys it.

[Silke H]

Wowza! 
2 words: Yasmine Naghdi

🤩

[Spoke]

Long time ballet fan here - new to the forum. Just wanted to say hello.

 

Tonight's Benno I really liked, I must say. Didn't know him before now. Very clean and lithe. Loved the conductor - what a cheery chap. And the orchestra less brassy than I've heard them in a while.

[Jamesrhblack]

Just back from a very well attended Kino in Rye. Big thanks to jmhopton for passing on their ticket when they were unable to use it.

 

Some, perforce, cursory observations as I’ve had an extremely busy work schedule and sleep is beckoning.

 

I was moved, as I hadn’t been before, by Scarlett’s last act. I’d cut the apotheosis of Odette to reinforce the message that Siegfried has failed, but the pas de deux to the music interpolated from Act 3 is really very beautiful and the Swans turning on Rothbart read powerfully.

 

I’m not sure Matthew Ball was quite on top of his game (was there a near miss in Act 3?) and without, this evening, that technical edge, I found him less involving than William Bracewell invariably seems to be. Nevertheless, there is a connection on stage between him and Yasmine Naghdi that is never less than appealing.

 

Six years ago, she blew me away with the vehemence and freshness of her attack en debut as Odette / Odile. At the moment, I find her now a more  polished dancer, but, leaving aside Nunez who is something different altogether, Hayward who I found unsatisfactory in this last time round and Lamb, who does nothing for me in the classics, less interesting than Cuthbertson, less sheerly glamorous than Kaneko (which is not as shallow a judgement as it might read) and less charismatic than Osipova. I share opinions voiced elsewhere that Magri and, particularly, O’Sullivan are currently less consistently impressive than they were as First Soloists and I found Claire Calvert most touching of all for various reasons last time. Naghdi’s technical ability is remarkable, she has the beauty of a Modigliani painting and her musicianship is exceptional, but I don’t always find her emotionally compelling.

 

Some things continue to grate within the concept, notably,

 

1. If Von Rothbart is known at Court, why does nobody know he has a daughter?

 

2. Where has Siegfried been between the end of Act 2 and arriving late for the Ball in Act 3 which is, presumably, the evening after?

 

I love the choreography for the Pas de Trois Coda in Act 3. I doubt any cast will expunge memories of Alexander Campbell, Francesca Hayward and Akane Takada, but Joonhyuk Joon, Annette Buvoli (great to see a tall dancer moving at such speed) and Leticia Dias seemed excellent to me.

 

Finally, kudos to the extremely involved and charismatic Maestro who certainly brought everything together through the genius of Tchaikovsky’s score.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 24 by Jamesrhblack

[Spoke]

On 22/04/2024 at 19:48, Missfrankiecat said:

Gosh, I thought Marianela utterly superlative and I thought the swan corps very well rehearsed on opening  night.  The only raggedness I noticed was the men in Act One (and I do think the staging is very busy and crowded there, although I quite like it).  I thought the swans were a bit ropier in the Naghdi/Ball cast the other night (but I was much further away and higher and I do think viewpoint makes a difference - will be interesting how it looks on the Live stream.

PS - re the comment that Vadim is the only swan - I will say that the only 'disadvantage' of having Vadim in the RB is that almost anyone looks inferior by comparison.  And not just when dancing.  I can remember looking at him in Act 1 standing around doing not very much next to Benno (Luca Acri) and various others and, whatever their heigh, they all looked slightly muscle bound or otherwise 'chunky' next to those perfect lines.

 

This made me smile. I was there on opening night and actually joined the forum then because I thought it was tremendous. Perhaps not in all technical areas, but there are some performances that just seem to have 'something'. But what I do recall from act 1 was my eyes drifting across the stage and thinking 'he even stands exquisitely'...Vadim's lines really are something other. They way people talk about being mesmerised by certain actors reading the telephone directory, I could watch Vadim walk about doing not very much for quite a long time!

[Spoke]

12 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:

Just back from a very well attended Kino in Rye. Big thanks to jmhopton for passing on their ticket when they were unable to use it.

 

Some, perforce, cursory observations as I’ve had an extremely busy work schedule and sleep is beckoning.

 

I was moved, as I hadn’t been before, by Scarlett’s last act. I’d cut the apotheosis of Odette to reinforce the message that Siegfried has failed, but the pas de deux to the music interpolated from Act 3 is really very beautiful and the Swans turning on Rothbart read powerfully.

 

I’m not sure Matthew Ball was quite on top of his game (was there a near miss in Act 3?) and without, this evening, that technical edge, I found him less involving than William Bracewell invariably seems to be. Nevertheless, there is a connection on stage between him and Yasmine Naghdi that is never less than appealing.

 

Six years ago, she blew me away with the vehemence and freshness of her attack en debut as Odette / Odile. At the moment, I find her now a more  polished dancer, but, leaving aside Nunez who is something different altogether, Hayward who I found unsatisfactory in this last time round and Lamb, who does nothing for me in the classics, less interesting than Cuthbertson, less sheerly glamorous than Kaneko (which is not as shallow a judgement as it might read) and less charismatic than Osipova. I share opinions voiced elsewhere than Magri and, particularly, O’Sullivan are currently less consistently impressive than they were as First Soloists. Her technical ability is remarkable, she has the beauty of a Modigliani painting and her musicianship is exceptional, but I don’t always find her emotionally compelling.

 

Some things continue to grate within the concept, notably,

 

1. If Von Rothbart is known at Court, why does nobody know he has a daughter?

 

2. Where has Siegfried been between the end of Act 2 and arriving late for the Ball in Act 3 which is, presumably, the evening after?

 

I love the choreography for the Pas de Trois Coda in Act 3. I doubt any cast will expunge memories of Alexander Campbell, Francesca Hayward and Akane Takada, but Joonhyuk Joon, Annette Buvoli (great to see a tall dancer moving at such speed) and Leticia Dias seemed excellent to me.

 

Finally, kudos to the extremely involved and charismatic Maestro who certainly brought everything together through the genius of Tchaikovsky’s score.

 

 

 

 

Yes, Ball did fluff a bit in Act III. There was a lift in Act I that I also thought was a bit heavy - not sure Naghdi's balance was quite on, and he seemed to have to really make an effort.

 

I found Naghdi a bit chilly this evening. I have previously enjoyed her partnership with Ball, but she didn't do much for me emotionally as the white swan. She's technically fine, but I don't find her very warm or charming...I'm not sure why the Prince would be so smitten with her, honestly. Much more convincing as the black swan.

 

Opening night was something else - and the ending moved me then. And it was okay tonight. But on the whole, it doesn't convince me - feels a bit unbalanced.

 

[balletyas]

On 18/04/2024 at 13:32, Lindsay said:

1 hour ago, Silke H said:

Wowza! 
2 words: Yasmine Naghdi

🤩

I finally saw it tonight and other than a tiny slip in Act3 I actually thought Matty was superb tonight. His acting was consistent and committed and he was deeply responsive to the music. As was Yasmine who I thought was technically utterly sublime - and always in character.  I wanted to love her odette as much as I did last run but I somehow felt her more as Odile, (dazzling, gorgeous,creamy) until Act 4 when I think she and Matty reached another level. They and the entire corps were just perfection. 

that balance in act 3 / wow - as Sim said she could’ve had a drink and maybe even a smoke, she held it so long.  That and the incredible trembling Odette foot (what is that called?) will stay with me for a very long time. 
 

so any more thoughts but ghastly train requires my attention… more anon 
 

 

On 18/04/2024 at 13:32, Lindsay said:

I do hate the stopping for applause after all the big moments - this seems very unusual for the ROH, am I right? it really wrecked the moment after the Act 1 Pdd / which was utterly beautiful. 

[Angela Essex]

1 hour ago, Silke H said:

Wowza! 
2 words: Yasmine Naghdi

🤩

Agreed! She was utterly amazing. Highlight for me was the black swan adage/pdd in Act 3 it was mesmerising. I absolutely loved Matthew Ball’s Siegfried - the pain on his face when dancing with Odette in Act 1 was so touching - I nearly cried for him - the sorrow of his situation of not being able to fully realise his love as his beloved was a swan projected right of of the cinema screen. Never has a Siegfried moved me in that way. Superb acting as well as dancing. 

 

Kudos to Joonhyuk Jun who was a brilliant Benno - his jumps were like he was suspended in air - such a joy to watch.

 

Also shout out to Annette Buvoli who was a lovely Siegfried’s sister - I love watching her dance she’s just so graceful, regal and generous. 

Basildon Cineworld was packed out, we had a m few dodgy moments with the sound in Act 1 but otherwise it all went off without a hitch. Darcey pointed out that Yasmine Nagdhi did 3 triples in succession in the fouettés and that not every ballerina can do that - I didn’t count them myself but I was glad Darcey pointed it out - how incredible. 
 

I really enjoyed seeing all the extra commentary that happens in the cinema intervals - especially how the tutus are made - it was really quite awe inspiring- over 400 costume items for every cast and 60 hours to make each tutu - we are so lucky to be able to witness such art here in the UK. 

[Spoke]

1 minute ago, Angela Essex said:

Agreed! She was utterly amazing. Highlight for me was the black swan adage/pdd in Act 3 it was mesmerising. I absolutely loved Matthew Ball’s Siegfried - the pain on his face when dancing with Odette in Act 1 was so touching - I nearly cried for him - the sorrow of his situation of not being able to fully realise his love as his beloved was a swan projected right of of the cinema screen. Never has a Siegfried moved me in that way. Superb acting as well as dancing. 

 

Kudos to Joonhyuk Jun who was a brilliant Benno - his jumps were like he was suspended in air - such a joy to watch.

 

Also shout out to Annette Buvoli who was a lovely Siegfried’s sister - I love watching her dance she’s just so graceful, regal and generous. 

Basildon Cineworld was packed out, we had a m few dodgy moments with the sound in Act 1 but otherwise it all went off without a hitch. Darcey pointed out that Yasmine Nagdhi did 3 triples in succession in the fouettés and that not every ballerina can do that - I didn’t count them myself but I was glad Darcey pointed it out - how incredible. 
 

I really enjoyed seeing all the extra commentary that happens in the cinema intervals - especially how the tutus are made - it was really quite awe inspiring- over 400 costume items for every cast and 60 hours to make each tutu - we are so lucky to be able to witness such art here in the UK. 

I think Ball is a very good actor - IMO he also has real stage charisma as a 'romantic hero', which really helps sell the narrative. Thanks for telling me who Benno was. I thought he was excellent! 

[balletyas]

3 minutes ago, balletyas said:

 

I don’t know how this happened but I wrote something about the applause after the big moment thing and it’s been attributed to Lindsey. I’m very sorry but I don’t know how to sort it out? Moderators? 

[Angela Essex]

7 minutes ago, Spoke said:

I think Ball is a very good actor - IMO he also has real stage charisma as a 'romantic hero', which really helps sell the narrative. Thanks for telling me who Benno was. I thought he was excellent! 

Yes MB dances with such emotion.
 

Also agree with others tonight cf Marianela Yasmine was not as emotional / expressive on this particular occasion, but to be fair Marianela has been a principal for 20+ years so there is that… I saw Marianela dance SL a couple of weeks back and I don’t think anyone can or will ever top that for me.
 

And yes there was very slight stumble by Matt Ball in Act 3 but for me it did not detract from his acting and him really being able to connect with the deep pain of Siegfried which he really brings out for me. 

Edited April 24 by Angela Essex

[Spoke]

Indeed. I find it fascinating how different principals and different pairings bring different qualities to the stage and how personal people's responses are to them.

[Rob S]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 24 by Rob S

[balletyas]

Finally saw it tonight and other than a tiny slip in Act3 I actually thought Matty was superb tonight. His acting was consistent and committed and he was deeply responsive to the music. As was Yasmine who I thought was technically utterly sublime - and always in character.  I wanted to love her odette as much as I did last run but I somehow felt her more as Odile, (dazzling, gorgeous,creamy) until Act 4 when I think she and Matty reached another level. They and the entire corps were just perfection. 

that balance in act 3 / wow - as Sim said she could’ve had a drink and maybe even a smoke, she held it so long.  That and the incredible trembling Odette foot (what is that called?) will stay with me for a very long time. 

I do hate the constant stopping for applause which wrecks the moment for me - is this happening more here at the ROH or just in this production? 

 

so many more thoughts but ghastly train requires my attention… more anon 

[Rachelm]

42 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:

Just back from a very well attended Kino in Rye. Big thanks to jmhopton for passing on their ticket when they were unable to use it.

 

Some, perforce, cursory observations as I’ve had an extremely busy work schedule and sleep is beckoning.

 

I was moved, as I hadn’t been before, by Scarlett’s last act. I’d cut the apotheosis of Odette to reinforce the message that Siegfried has failed, but the pas de deux to the music interpolated from Act 3 is really very beautiful and the Swans turning on Rothbart read powerfully.

 

I’m not sure Matthew Ball was quite on top of his game (was there a near miss in Act 3?) and without, this evening, that technical edge, I found him less involving than William Bracewell invariably seems to be. Nevertheless, there is a connection on stage between him and Yasmine Naghdi that is never less than appealing.

 

Six years ago, she blew me away with the vehemence and freshness of her attack en debut as Odette / Odile. At the moment, I find her now a more  polished dancer, but, leaving aside Nunez who is something different altogether, Hayward who I found unsatisfactory in this last time round and Lamb, who does nothing for me in the classics, less interesting than Cuthbertson, less sheerly glamorous than Kaneko (which is not as shallow a judgement as it might read) and less charismatic than Osipova. I share opinions voiced elsewhere that Magri and, particularly, O’Sullivan are currently less consistently impressive than they were as First Soloists and I found Claire Calvert most touching of all for various reasons last time. Naghdi’s technical ability is remarkable, she has the beauty of a Modigliani painting and her musicianship is exceptional, but I don’t always find her emotionally compelling.

 

Some things continue to grate within the concept, notably,

 

1. If Von Rothbart is known at Court, why does nobody know he has a daughter?

 

2. Where has Siegfried been between the end of Act 2 and arriving late for the Ball in Act 3 which is, presumably, the evening after?

 

I love the choreography for the Pas de Trois Coda in Act 3. I doubt any cast will expunge memories of Alexander Campbell, Francesca Hayward and Akane Takada, but Joonhyuk Joon, Annette Buvoli (great to see a tall dancer moving at such speed) and Leticia Dias seemed excellent to me.

 

Finally, kudos to the extremely involved and charismatic Maestro who certainly brought everything together through the genius of Tchaikovsky’s score.

 

 

 

 

Having seen the Naghdi/Ball partnership on Saturday, I would agree that Matthew Ball is perhaps not at his best currently. He had a fumbled ending to his act 3 solo, and I thought he seemed tired, but that’s me speculating. Joonhyuk Jun as Benno outshone him in my opinion. He was a joy.

Edited April 24 by Rachelm

[zxDaveM]

2 hours ago, Silke H said:

Wowza! 
2 words: Yasmine Naghdi

 

nuff said!!

[MildConcern]

I was so enamoured by Naghdi and Ball’s debuts in R&J in 2015, but I’m afraid I’ve never felt that way about her again. About Ball, certainly (his Rudolf and Beliaev among others). But as much as I admire her technique, I have never found Naghdi heartrending other than that first R&J outing. There is something very calculated about her presentation that is a barrier to my emotional enjoyment, and I’m afraid that came across to me strongly this evening.

 

I have Hayward, Kaneko and Sasaki to come still. Aside from Kaneko, I’m not sure the others will be able to match Naghdi on technical prowess. But I am more hopeful I will be able to be emotionally invested in the story. 

[balletyas]

1 minute ago, MildConcern said:

I was so enamoured by Naghdi and Ball’s debuts in R&J in 2015, but I’m afraid I’ve never felt that way about her again. About Ball, certainly (his Rudolf and Beliaev among others). But as much as I admire her technique, I have never found Naghdi heartrending other than that first R&J outing. There is something very calculated about her presentation that is a barrier to my emotional enjoyment, and I’m afraid that came across to me strongly this evening.

 

I have Hayward, Kaneko and Sasaki to come still. Aside from Kaneko, I’m not sure the others will be able to match Naghdi on technical prowess. But I am more hopeful I will be able to be emotionally invested in the story. 

I wonder if you’ve ever seen her Giselle? That, for me, was the moment I saw her vulnerability and I have seen that ever since although I think less so tonight… 

[MildConcern]

1 minute ago, balletyas said:

I wonder if you’ve ever seen her Giselle? That, for me, was the moment I saw her vulnerability and I have seen that ever since although I think less so tonight… 

I have not seen it live, but I did catch it on the ROH stream! Again, not to my taste but I do always like my Giselles slightly more deranged than politely insane. 

[Peanut68]

Must say, adorable photos RobS! Thank you! 

[Sim]

Interesting to read such varied views.  I haven’t seen tonight’s performance yet but from this cast’s first two performances I was totally emotionally engaged and found the lead couple inhabited their characters in a pure and natural way…I didn’t find anything calculated about either of them.  As I have said before, art is subjective so everyone has their own perspective and perception of what they see.  Very interesting!