Royal Ballet - Swan Lake 2024

[Legseleven]

Blown away by the cinema relay performance, especially Naghdi. I was thinking as I left that her technical ability, as with that of Nunez, allows me to relax and watch her performance without feeling anxious that a technical slip may derail things a little. I never ‘catch her acting’, as I can feel with other performers, actors as well as dancers - she becomes the characters she portrays for me. I prefer that lack of ‘showiness’ - her Act 4 tonight was goosebumps-inducing. And her musicality is on another level. 
 

[balletyas]

31 minutes ago, Legseleven said:

Blown away by the cinema relay performance, especially Naghdi. I was thinking as I left that her technical ability, as with that of Nunez, allows me to relax and watch her performance without feeling anxious that a technical slip may derail things a little. I never ‘catch her acting’, as I can feel with other performers, actors as well as dancers - she becomes the characters she portrays for me. I prefer that lack of ‘showiness’ - her Act 4 tonight was goosebumps-inducing. And her musicality is on another level. 
 

I quite agree that Naghdi is the safest pair of hands  besides Nunez and that makes it so easy to watch her.   And yes - she does ‘become’ her characters and I’m beginning to think that’s why her Odette tonight was on the chilly side -  I think what we were seeing was someone who darent let herself show her feelings too much, in case it might all crumble, as indeed it does.  In fact once she knew she was doomed I felt she let herself go completely and felt her utter resignation very strongly.  It takes a great artist to be selective in what they show us.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Richard LH]

6 hours ago, MildConcern said:

I do always like my Giselles slightly more deranged than politely insane

😂

[Linnzi5]

My companions and I thought there was a lot to enjoy about the cinema relay last night. The orchestra was on top form under the baton of Martin Georgiev. Magnus Johnston's playing was just divine and I much preferred his solos to the previous concert master's ones this run (being a violinist, I am picky, and this is just my personal preference of the interpretation of the solos). I preferred Georgiev's interpretation generally to the previous performances I've been to this run - and what a lovely man!  The costumes looked absolutely stunning and were so visually pleasing.

 

Standouts for me were Joonhyuk Jun as Benno. His dancing was excellent, so confident and light,  but he was such a happy and joyful dancer that I found myself smiling alongside him. Leticia Dias shone as one of Siegfried's sisters, as did Annette Buvoli, though I found their height differences a bit jarring, especially when they were dancing in unison. Nadia Mullova-Barley shone again in the Spanish Dance and I thought Leo Dixon and Isabella Gasparini were adorable in the Neapolitan Dance - and the tambourines behaved! (I always get so nervous when they throw them!)

 

Yasmine Naghdi was as technically brilliant as I expected. Her fouettés as Odile were showy, technically excellent, and, especially considering this was a cinema relay, were confident and dazzling - they certainly hit the spot for me when they needed to! Bravo to her as I can only imagine, not only how technically challenging hers were but how absolutely nerve-wracking it must have been to deliver those so perfectly! All of my party were blown away here!

 

I  found the Act II PDD to be technically excellent, but for me, would have liked to have seen more vulnerability in her Odette - just my personal taste.  I did feel she came to her own in Act IV though, where she emoted brilliantly and I felt her despair and pain at Siegfried's betrayal. This I found very moving and I think I liked her best in this movement as I felt so much emotion myself here. 

 

Yasmine's Odile was playful, flirty and seductive but didn't quite have the malicious, evil/cold streak I  like - again, I think that's personal taste on my part. Overall, I thought she was excellent and so confident - I never once felt unsure of her and she made the choreography look easy and technically, I feel she is one of the best dancers at RB.  

 

I can't deny I didn't feel Matthew Ball was at the top of his game last night - he is such an excellent dancer and I really like him. Though I thought parts of his dancing were as technically excellent as he usually is, something was missing for me at times. I also found his Siegfried a little expressionless sometimes, as did my companions, though we all felt that in Act IV, he came to his own. I wonder if nerves played a part? I certainly couldn't blame him if that was the case! His partnering was assured, supportive and excellent, I thought.

 

I thought the Corps was excellent but do take on board some of the earlier comments about the Big Swans and Cygnets. I found them to be absolutely fine and I had nothing to complain about specifically,  but didn't feel they were the best I've seen for some reason.

 

The quality of the relay itself was sadly not the best. For the first act, for some reason, the picture on the screen was too high and the dancer's feet were cut off! I found that really frustrating. The sound was too low and we had some horrible distortion in the sound again - hearing it in Stravinsky is one thing, in Tchaikovsky, it's a crime. I also did not like some of the cut-in shots - I found some were random and the dancing I wanted to see was missed. I have preferred other Swan Lake relays in that respect, I'm afraid. 

 

However, overall, it was an enjoyable night that was definitely Yasmine Naghdi's - congratulations to her and to the whole cast. 

[Sim]

7 hours ago, balletyas said:

 I’m beginning to think that’s why her Odette tonight was on the chilly side -  I think what we were seeing was someone who daren't let herself show her feelings too much, in case it might all crumble, as indeed it does.  

 

This is a very good point.  Why would Odette immediately be passionate and warm to this guy who has just come along, when the last guy who just came along turned her into a captive bird?  I would also be very wary and take my time to loosen up and open my heart to him.  

[JNC]

9 hours ago, balletyas said:

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? 

I can’t answer your question but I very much agree with this.

 

On opening night there was almost a mini “curtain call” (no curtain) for Marianela and Vadim after the act 2 pas de deux. Deserved but it totally broke the spell of the plot for me and yes felt “untraditional” to ROH - in as I see this more from Russian companies but it didn’t really happen much at ROH previously? I suppose they are only responding to fans but I do wish they wouldn’t do it at certain points.

 

It maybe doesn’t make sense but I have less of an issue with it in Act 3, as there it’s almost a performance within the plot for the court, so a little bow to the applause doesn’t detract from the plot here for me as it’s like they are showing off and bowing to the audience *in the plot* (I.e. courtiers watching them). Similarly I don’t mind the bows in the sleeping beauty pas de deux finale or even after Aurora’s act 1 solo as they both in plot audiences at those points. But I would be annoyed at Manon and Des Grieux taking a bow after their bedroom pas de deux! 

Edited April 25 by JNC
Spelling

[balletyas]

Just now, JNC said:

I can’t answer your question but I very much agree with this.

 

On opening night there was almost a mini “curtain call” (no curtain) for Marianela and Vadim after the act 2 pas de deux. Deserved but it totally broke the spell of the plot for me and yes felt “untraditional” to ROH - in as I see this more from Russian companies but it didn’t really happen much at ROH previously? I suppose they are only responding to fans but I do wish they wouldn’t do it at certain points.

 

It maybe doesn’t make sense but I have less of an issue with it in Act 3, as there it’s almost a performance within the plot for the court, so a little bow to the applause doesn’t detract from the plot here for me as it’s like they are showing off and bowing to the audience *in the plot* (I.e. courtiers watching them). Similarly I don’t mind the bows in the sleeping beauty pas de deux finale or even after auroura’s act 1 solo as they both in plot audiences at those points. But I would be annoyed at Manon and Des Grieux taking a bow after their bedroom pas de deux! 

Yes absolutely right - if it fits  the narrative then fine, but after what is a deeply private and intense moment in the story, like the act 2 pdd,  it is so jarring and must undermine the dancer’s own engagement with their character. It doesn’t happen in theatre so I don’t think it should happen in ballet.

[Scheherezade]

I haven’t seen Yasmine and Matthew’s earlier performances so can’t give comparisons here’s what I thought of last night (theatre not cinema).

 

First off, to negate the negatives, I didn’t find Yasmine chilly and nor was I underwhelmed by Matthew.

 

Having seen Sarah Lamb the other night - someone I used to find chilly but didn’t on Saturday - they were very different. Sarah’s was an Odette whose vulnerability carried a discernible hope that the enchantment could be broken; Yasmine’s was a heavy-hearted Odette who seemed to know her fate from the start.
 

Yasmine was, of course, technically sublime and beyond that, I did feel that her dancing conveyed the overarching sadness of her Odette. Yes, Matthew’s passion gave her a temporary respite, a glimmer of hope broke through, but deep down she always knew that it couldn’t last. 

So on to Matthew, whose performance, for me, had all the dramatic heft that we have come to expect from him, and apart from the slight slip that has been mentioned in earlier posts I couldn’t find anything to criticise technically either. A heartbreaking, totally convincing Siegfried, who made total sense of all the inbuilt negatives in that particular role.
 

Staying with technique, I agree that Joonhyuk Jun made a spectacular impression as Benno but would add a caveat since I do feel that at present he lacks the skill to add characterisation to his virtuosity. Someone commented above that he is very joyful and indeed he is but that joyousness is where, for me, his Benno falls down. He is still young and his portrayal will obviously develop over time but at present it is too one dimensional to convince, particularly when pitched against Matthew’s dramatic skills.

 

And again, a big shout out for the wonderful corps. And for the four cygnets. I did not find them heavy in any sense last night. 

 

[Rachelm]

22 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

I haven’t seen Yasmine and Matthew’s earlier performances so can’t give comparisons here’s what I thought of last night (theatre not cinema).

 

First off, to negate the negatives, I didn’t find Yasmine chilly and nor was I underwhelmed by Matthew.

 

Having seen Sarah Lamb the other night - someone I used to find chilly but didn’t on Saturday - they were very different. Sarah’s was an Odette whose vulnerability carried a discernible hope that the enchantment could be broken; Yasmine’s was a heavy-hearted Odette who seemed to know her fate from the start.
 

Yasmine was, of course, technically sublime and beyond that, I did feel that her dancing conveyed the overarching sadness of her Odette. Yes, Matthew’s passion gave her a temporary respite, a glimmer of hope broke through, but deep down she always knew that it couldn’t last. 

So on to Matthew, whose performance, for me, had all the dramatic heft that we have come to expect from him, and apart from the slight slip that has been mentioned in earlier posts I couldn’t find anything to criticise technically either. A heartbreaking, totally convincing Siegfried, who made total sense of all the inbuilt negatives in that particular role.
 

Staying with technique, I agree that Joonhyuk Jun made a spectacular impression as Benno but would add a caveat since I do feel that at present he lacks the skill to add characterisation to his virtuosity. Someone commented above that he is very joyful and indeed he is but that joyousness is where, for me, his Benno falls down. He is still young and his portrayal will obviously develop over time but at present it is too one dimensional to convince, particularly when pitched against Matthew’s dramatic skills.

 

And again, a big shout out for the wonderful corps. And for the four cygnets. I did not find them heavy in any sense last night. 

 

With regards to Joonhyuk Jun and his joyful portrayal of Benno- you remarked that you felt this was where his interpretation fell down. I’m interested to know if you felt it was inappropriate to portray the friend this way? That perhaps he should have allowed himself to “support” rather than stand out? I’m genuinely interested in your opinion!

[San Perregrino]

1 hour ago, JNC said:

On opening night there was almost a mini “curtain call” (no curtain) for Marianela and Vadim after the act 2 pas de deux. Deserved but it totally broke the spell of the plot for me and yes felt “untraditional” to ROH - in as I see this more from Russian companies but it didn’t really happen much at ROH previously? I suppose they are only responding to fans but I do wish they wouldn’t do it at certain points.

Perhaps because they dance extracts at so many galas they are used to applause at the end of a sequence where in the context of the complete narrative it makes no sense at all?

My observation is that Nunez and Muntagirov are the couple most likely to step out of character to take a prolonged bow mid-ballet be it Swan Lake or Don Quixote. However, these are complex technical and emotional sequences so on a practical level, for dancers of any age, let alone those more advanced in their careers, an opportunity to get one’s breath back is probably most welcome. 

[balletyas]

20 minutes ago, Scheherezade said:

I haven’t seen Yasmine and Matthew’s earlier performances so can’t give comparisons here’s what I thought of last night (theatre not cinema).

 

First off, to negate the negatives, I didn’t find Yasmine chilly and nor was I underwhelmed by Matthew.

 

Having seen Sarah Lamb the other night - someone I used to find chilly but didn’t on Saturday - they were very different. Sarah’s was an Odette whose vulnerability carried a discernible hope that the enchantment could be broken; Yasmine’s was a heavy-hearted Odette who seemed to know her fate from the start.
 

Yasmine was, of course, technically sublime and beyond that, I did feel that her dancing conveyed the overarching sadness of her Odette. Yes, Matthew’s passion gave her a temporary respite, a glimmer of hope broke through, but deep down she always knew that it couldn’t last. 

So on to Matthew, whose performance, for me, had all the dramatic heft that we have come to expect from him, and apart from the slight slip that has been mentioned in earlier posts I couldn’t find anything to criticise technically either. A heartbreaking, totally convincing Siegfried, who made total sense of all the inbuilt negatives in that particular role.
 

Staying with technique, I agree that Joonhyuk Jun made a spectacular impression as Benno but would add a caveat since I do feel that at present he lacks the skill to add characterisation to his virtuosity. Someone commented above that he is very joyful and indeed he is but that joyousness is where, for me, his Benno falls down. He is still young and his portrayal will obviously develop over time but at present it is too one dimensional to convince, particularly when pitched against Matthew’s dramatic skills.

 

And again, a big shout out for the wonderful corps. And for the four cygnets. I did not find them heavy in any sense last night. 

 

I so agree with that analysis of Yasmine’s Odette - she was deeply sad and knew she was doomed - and that underpinned it all. Likewise think Matthew was convincing, truthful and so direct in conveying his feelings to her and did in fact dance particularly beautifully after the ‘slip’ . 
 

And yes although I thoughJun’s  jumps even more remarkable than I remember then, I didn’t feel his overall technique held up against the others and more importantly perhaps his characterisation wasn’t yet there - as you say he is very young and inexperienced and will get better and better. 
 

 

[JNC]

@San Perregrino I think any professional dancer knows the difference between a gala, where an excerpt is danced and yes you still convey emotion and character but it’s only a segment, so once you’ve performed of course you take your applause and bow straight after.

 

This is different to a full story ballet being performed where dancers (in my opinion) should be in character when on stage until the very last curtain drop. I appreciate that dancers perhaps feel they are responding to the prolonged applause and “thanking” the audience for this, but I’d rather the conductor swiftly moved the music along and the dancers saved the bows for the curtain call (unless as already mentioned it could be part of the plot where they’re dancing to an audience in the ballet itself, in this case I think they’re still in character). 

 

It’s obviously not easy to keep dancing with maximum effort but they shouldn’t “need” to have an on stage bow for stamina reasons, other dancers can manage. The choreography/music is designed so after a big solo or pas de deux they have some rest time in the wings while the other dancers do their bit. 
 

This isn’t be being critical to Nunez/Muntagirov specifically, I don’t like it when any dancer does this type of thing. Galas and plotless ballets are different! 
 

Imagine if Hamlet broke character for a bow and some smiles to the audience after a big soliloquy? Ultimately anything that is definitely a break in character before the final curtain call I tend to find removes me from the plot slightly and therefore removes some of the “magic” of the story they’re trying to tell. It’s not going to stop me seeing performances by great dancers or writing into ROH to complain but it’s my preference. 

Edited April 25 by JNC

[San Perregrino]

3 minutes ago, JNC said:

@San Perregrino I think any professional dancer knows the difference between a gala, where an excerpt is danced and yes you still convey emotion and character but it’s only a segment, so once you’ve performed of course you take your applause and now then. 

 

This is different to a full story ballet being performed where dancers (in my opinion) should be in character when on stage until the very last curtain drop. I appreciate that dancers perhaps feel they are responding to the prolonged applause and “thanking” the audience for this, but I’d rather the conductor swiftly moved the music along and the dancers saved the bows for the curtain call (unless as already mentioned it could be part of the plot where they’re dancing to an audience in the ballet itself, in this case I think they’re still in character). 

 

It’s obviously not easy to keep dancing with maximum effort but they shouldn’t “need” to have an on stage bow for stamina reasons, other dancers can manage. The choreography/music is designed so after a big solo or pas de deux they have some rest time in the wings while the other dancers do their bit. 
 

This isn’t be being critical to Nunez/Muntagirov specifically, I don’t like it when any dancer does this type of thing. Galas and plotless ballets are different! 
 

Imagine if Hamlet broke character for a bow and some smiles to the audience after a big soliloquy? Ultimately anything that is definitely a break in character before the final curtain call I tend to find removes me from the plot slightly and therefore removes some of the “magic” of the story they’re trying to tell. It’s not going to stop me seeing performances by great dancers or writing into ROH to complain but it’s my preference. 

I totally agree with you on all points. 
It totally irks me when dancers stop the action and step out of character to smile and take prolonged bows mid story. It’s another form of distraction. Coming from a theatrical background it makes me start wondering how invested a dancer actually is in becoming a character and living his/her truth if they can turn it on and off so easily. But, theatre and ballet are different art forms and perhaps I expect too much. 

[Silver Capricorn]

2 hours ago, JNC said:

I can’t answer your question but I very much agree with this.

 

On opening night there was almost a mini “curtain call” (no curtain) for Marianela and Vadim after the act 2 pas de deux. Deserved but it totally broke the spell of the plot for me and yes felt “untraditional” to ROH - in as I see this more from Russian companies but it didn’t really happen much at ROH previously? I suppose they are only responding to fans but I do wish they wouldn’t do it at certain points.

 

It maybe doesn’t make sense but I have less of an issue with it in Act 3, as there it’s almost a performance within the plot for the court, so a little bow to the applause doesn’t detract from the plot here for me as it’s like they are showing off and bowing to the audience *in the plot* (I.e. courtiers watching them). Similarly I don’t mind the bows in the sleeping beauty pas de deux finale or even after Aurora’s act 1 solo as they both in plot audiences at those points. But I would be annoyed at Manon and Des Grieux taking a bow after their bedroom pas de deux! 

And it was Vadim, who was asked in the course of the interview whether the applause during the performance after the variations disturbs him, who answered that he welcomes every such interruption, because every second of applause means a moment to rest and catch his breath for the next dance. Few people can imagine the physical strain dancers are exposed to during a performance. For me personally, it certainly does not spoil the artistic experience.

[JNC]

To make it clear I’m not trying to diminish how physically demanding dancing is, particularly the big solos and pas de deux. I also certainly think people should applaud during the performance as imagine this is very positive for the dancers and pushes them on, as well as creating a nice atmosphere for the audience. 

 

I certainly wouldn’t begrudge a bit of a pause in the wings while the applause continues. Bowing on stage during the plot doesn’t spoil the performance at all. It’s more in the slightly irritating preferences category. I appreciate others in the audience probably like showing their appreciation in this way directly right after a particular solo. 

[Balletfanp]

I have found that Marianela and Vadim stay in character when taking a bow at the end of the Act 2 pas de deux - they don’t become “all smiles.” Plus, it’s hard to avoid taking a bow when the applause is such that one is obviously expected. Neither of them are show-off characters so they don’t do it for egotistical reasons.

[art_enthusiast]

16 minutes ago, Silver Capricorn said:

And it was Vadim, who was asked in the course of the interview whether the applause during the performance after the variations disturbs him, who answered that he welcomes every such interruption, because every second of applause means a moment to rest and catch his breath for the next dance. Few people can imagine the physical strain dancers are exposed to during a performance. For me personally, it certainly does not spoil the artistic experience.

Exactly. I know from watching Kathryn Morgan’s ballet commentary videos on YouTube that they use that applause time to breathe. So they should certainly have it - not for too long obviously but I see the need for it.

[Legseleven]

3 hours ago, Sim said:

This is a very good point.  Why would Odette immediately be passionate and warm to this guy who has just come along, when the last guy who just came along turned her into a captive bird?  I would also be very wary and take my time to loosen up and open my heart to him.  

This is why I am much more affected by Naghdi’s acting than by many others. She becomes the character portrayed and has clearly take the very understandable view that her Odette will be wary and that she perhaps has a foreboding that things will not end well. To stay true to her view of how Odette will react may therefore seem chilly to people who prefer a different interpretation of the role, but it is just as valid - and in my view more so - than other portrayals.

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, Rachelm said:

With regards to Joonhyuk Jun and his joyful portrayal of Benno- you remarked that you felt this was where his interpretation fell down. I’m interested to know if you felt it was inappropriate to portray the friend this way? That perhaps he should have allowed himself to “support” rather than stand out? I’m genuinely interested in your opinion!

In a way, yes. Had he been part of the entertainment at the ball, his joyousness would have seemed more appropriate but he was portraying a character and the nuances that come with characterisation were missing.

 

As I mentioned earlier, he is young, dramatic skills generally take time to acquire and his dancing was certainly impressive but currently of a one note quality, which was perhaps more evident than usual given that he was dancing alongside Matthew Ball. 

[zxDaveM]

I think we may be overthinking the 'plot' a bit 🙂

Seems to me the plot points are just convenient hooks to hang some wonderful dancing upon. I'd say pretty much all the old classics and romantic ballets have plots not so much a bus could drive through the holes in them, as it would struggle to touch the sides

[Scheherezade]

Yes, but I do feel that more nuanced performances from the main characters - and, given his prominence in the Scarlett SL, I count Benno as one of them - adds to the overall satisfaction factor. 

[Fonty]

41 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

I have found that Marianela and Vadim stay in character when taking a bow at the end of the Act 2 pas de deux - they don’t become “all smiles.” Plus, it’s hard to avoid taking a bow when the applause is such that one is obviously expected. Neither of them are show-off characters so they don’t do it for egotistical reasons.

 

But what characters are those?  Who are Odette and Siegfried bowing to?  The other swans?  Somebody they think might be spying on them?  As others have said, it is ok to take a bow when the dancers are performing on stage to other characters, such as in the Rose Adagio.  Having performed what I have heard described as the Grand National of ballerina dances, I can imagine Aurora does need a bit of a breather, and in any case the choreography makes allowances for this at the end when she bows to her suitors.  In that instance the audience could be seen as further members of the spectators at court, as she bows to us in turn.  

 

But in Act 2 of Swan Lake, this is a private meeting.  I can think of absolutely no way where it could be done in character.  And as for giving the dancers a bit of a breather, I suspect Vadim might not have been entirely serious.  Yes, we know these variations are punishing, but I would hate people to start thinking "Oh, I must show my appreciation here because I know they need a rest."   I do hope it is not going to become more and more prevalent.  It really used to annoy me when the Russian companies performing would automatically stop to take applause after every variation.  Sometimes the bows seemed to take longer than the piece they had just performed.  

[Balletfanp]

Vadim was being entirely serious, as far as I can tell, he has said so more than once. In the case of Act 2 Swan Lake, any breather is probably more for Marianela’s benefit, she has a big solo coming up and these things become harder the older one gets.

[Jake]

Thoroughly enjoyed the live stream last night in a pretty full cinema (as usual I suspect that in my mid 60s I was one of the youngest there…).

The segments around the costumes and the interview with the delightful conductor only added to the occasion. A slight transmission glitch early on made me fear for a repeat of Danses Concertantes but thankfully all was soon more or less well. Felt the lake scenes were once again a bit too dark and in one of Yasmine’s solos I wish the camera could have stayed solely on her. The sumptuous costumes and acts one/three sets remain as magnificent as ever.

Yasmine has such amazing confidence in addition to her technique and for that reason must surely be a very reliable choice for these broadcasts. Loved her portrayal of Odile with her deceptive flirtatiousness and glances back to her father particularly obvious in close-up viewing.

Interesting to read other posters’ thoughts about her and others’ interpretation of Odette - must be a difficult character to know how to play, compared with her more flamboyant doppelganger.

As ever the camera understandably loved Matthew and he is so good at portraying emotion, from the sulky prince to starstruck lover to someone devastated and ashamed at being so easily fooled. Felt the one slightly clumsy finish to a solo was scarcely noticeable in the context of his overall performance.

For some reason, perhaps just the choice of camera angles, I felt the finale made more sense than on previous viewings. Still prefer it when Odette and Siegfried can ascend to heaven together, though.

Hadn’t previously seen Joonhyuk Jun in a major role - what gorgeous fluidity and lightness of touch. It was good to see his sheer joy in dancing - certainly didn’t detract for me especially as Benno surely doesn’t need any particularly complex characterisation.

Talking of joy, just loved Leo Dixon and Isabella Gasparini’s Neapolitan dance - well done to her for standing out in both the two most recent cinema streams.

Can’t say I was too bothered by the applause after the solos - what always does grate a bit is following the gorgeous act two pas de deux with the very much out-of-place cygnet dance. Talk about ruining the mood…

Immaculate performances by Thomas Whitehead and Christina Arestis completed a lovely evening. Can’t wait now until Fumi and Vadim…

[annamk]

59 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

I think we may be overthinking the 'plot' a bit 🙂

Seems to me the plot points are just convenient hooks to hang some wonderful dancing upon. I'd say pretty much all the old classics and romantic ballets have plots not so much a bus could drive through the holes in them, as it would struggle to touch the sides

 

You took the words right out of my mouth  😂 

[hephaistion03]

Attended the relay  of the  performance last night from the ROH at the high end Curzon Cinema Goodman Fields London Aldgate E1

 

Only 19 people in attendance in a 60 or seat cinema , there were 22 people at the recent triple bill a  few weeks ago , I would have thought that Swan Lake would have attracted a lot more ballet lovers.

 

No gripe with regards to the performance , but I do  think it is not conducive to have food served to attendees sat in their seat watching a ballet !!!

 

eg, cheese pizza , nachos with cheese, salad bowls , pop corn etc 

 

It spoils the atmosphere of the evening.

 

Edited April 25 by hephaistion03

[RobR]

3 minutes ago, hephaistion03 said:

Attended the relay  of the  performance last night from the ROH at the high end Curzon Cinema Goodman Fields London Aldgate E1

 

Only 19 people in attendance in a 60 or seat cinema , there were 22 people at the recent triple bill a  few weeks ago , I would have thought that Swan Lake would have attracted a lot more ballet lovers.

 

No gripe with regards to the performance , but I do not think it is not conducive to have food served to attendees sat in their seat watching a ballet !!!

 

eg, cheese pizza , nachos with cheese, salad bowls , pop corn etc 

 

It spoils the atmosphere of the evening.

 

The smells would spoil the atmosphere anywhere at any time 

[marcse8]

Well having seen the very well attended showing at Greenwich Picturehouse last night I find myself in almost complete agreement with @Scheherezade and @Jake and as a fellow violinist I so echo and reinforce what @Linnzi5 says about the new leader/concertmaster Magnus Johnston and the enthusiastically charming conductor Martin Georgiev. A magnificent performance of the score which just emphasised again what a major masterpiece it is - how underestimated because it's a ballet - I think it's the equal of Mahler symphonies or Wagner operas.

I saw the Scarlett production live on stage a couple of years ago so it was good to see it from the different angles in a live relay and I appreciated the chance to see closeups I can't usually get from my usual Amphitheatre seats.
I'm finding the production is growing on me more and the interval interviews helped me appreciate the painstaking work and dedication that goes into the fabulous costumes and sets.

Matthew Ball is perhaps my favourite current male dancer at the RB so it was an added bonus to see him close up and for me he epitomises Siegfried - his looks and bearing and dramatic yet elegant style just shout prince to me ! He's also such a thoughtful and genuinely questioning dancer and artistic thinker - there's a fascinating post on his Instagram account where he discusses his recent thoughts about the role and ballet and the music - and mentioning another of my faves, Sibelius, only increased my respect !

[LianneEva]

Really enjoyed last night's cinema relay and every time this production rolls around I am just blown away by the beauty and opulence of Macfarlane's sets and costumes, whilst avoiding the gaudiness of some other Swan Lakes. He has truly produced a theatrical masterpiece here - and the partnership with Scarlett only enhances the beauty. It's a tragedy that we've lost him, and I was relieved that there was sufficient tribute paid last night, as I think, in the couple of years since his passing, the ROH seem to have dodged the issue in a way that left a slightly bad taste in the mouth. 

 

One thing that does occur to me is that Yasmine and Matthew are being relied upon heavily for the cinema broadcasts - between them they've covered all the biggies in the last few years (Swan Lake / Giselle / R&J / Nutcracker - just Yasmine (albeit as a stand-in for Akane Takada) / Don Quixote - Just Matt / Sleeping Beauty and also the upcoming Winter's Tale broadcast!) and possibly more. I adore them but I am keen for a bit more diversity in the relays. Particularly, I would love to see Fumi / Akane / Francesca  featured more going forward (I have fingers crossed for Fumi as Odette / Odile the next time the cinema relay rolls around!)

 

I had seen Yasmine in her Swan Lake debut (from a bit of a distance in the amphi) and wasn't terribly moved at the time, so I was pleasantly surprised at what I felt was a really beautiful interpretation last night! There were moments when I missed the nuance of Marianela's acting (I've watched the 2018 version many times, and it's a hard act to follow) but it was beautifully elegant and technically assured. I won't push comparisons too much, but this performance had far more impact than the Cuthbertson relay a couple of years ago for me. 

Couple of little observations - I wish they had used Leticia Dias as the Odette double in the prologue, as she bears the greatest passing resemblance to Yasmine. The dancer they did use was lovely, but the magic was broken a little as they didn't resemble each other at all in my opinion and that part fell flat for a cinema relay where you can see details clearly. That being said, Leticia was busy last night with her role as a sister and I very much enjoyed her and Annette as a pairing.

 

Out of all the designs I don't always think that the Rothbart makeup and costume holds up that well in close up! Effective from a distance though.

I was slightly bothered by a couple of the applause bows, as others have mentioned. The black swan PDD bows in particular seemed more Yasmine and Matthew than Odile and Siegfried. 

 
Everything else? Gorgeous. 

[zxDaveM]

Worth 6 minutes of anyone's time... 🙂

 

 

[balletyas]

1 hour ago, LianneEva said:

Really enjoyed last night's cinema relay and every time this production rolls around I am just blown away by the beauty and opulence of Macfarlane's sets and costumes, whilst avoiding the gaudiness of some other Swan Lakes. He has truly produced a theatrical masterpiece here - and the partnership with Scarlett only enhances the beauty. It's a tragedy that we've lost him, and I was relieved that there was sufficient tribute paid last night, as I think, in the couple of years since his passing, the ROH seem to have dodged the issue in a way that left a slightly bad taste in the mouth. 

 

One thing that does occur to me is that Yasmine and Matthew are being relied upon heavily for the cinema broadcasts - between them they've covered all the biggies in the last few years (Swan Lake / Giselle / R&J / Nutcracker - just Yasmine (albeit as a stand-in for Akane Takada) / Don Quixote - Just Matt / Sleeping Beauty and also the upcoming Winter's Tale broadcast!) and possibly more. I adore them but I am keen for a bit more diversity in the relays. Particularly, I would love to see Fumi / Akane / Francesca  featured more going forward (I have fingers crossed for Fumi as Odette / Odile the next time the cinema relay rolls around!)

 

I had seen Yasmine in her Swan Lake debut (from a bit of a distance in the amphi) and wasn't terribly moved at the time, so I was pleasantly surprised at what I felt was a really beautiful interpretation last night! There were moments when I missed the nuance of Marianela's acting (I've watched the 2018 version many times, and it's a hard act to follow) but it was beautifully elegant and technically assured. I won't push comparisons too much, but this performance had far more impact than the Cuthbertson relay a couple of years ago for me. 

Couple of little observations - I wish they had used Leticia Dias as the Odette double in the prologue, as she bears the greatest passing resemblance to Yasmine. The dancer they did use was lovely, but the magic was broken a little as they didn't resemble each other at all in my opinion and that part fell flat for a cinema relay where you can see details clearly. That being said, Leticia was busy last night with her role as a sister and I very much enjoyed her and Annette as a pairing.

 

Out of all the designs I don't always think that the Rothbart makeup and costume holds up that well in close up! Effective from a distance though.

I was slightly bothered by a couple of the applause bows, as others have mentioned. The black swan PDD bows in particular seemed more Yasmine and Matthew than Odile and Siegfried. 

 
Everything else? Gorgeous. 

I so agree re the double - I felt the hair colour difference was so jarring at the end that it completely broke the spell.

A properly dark wig isn’t surely that hard to come by. 
 

I’ve always felt that there are too many Nunez/Muntagirov livestreams but maybe Nagdhi/Ball are catching up… 
 

 

[Roberta]

The making of the Swan Lake tutus

 

 

[Jake]

Yes, forgot to mention that the prologue did seem a bit strange with the two people bearing no resemblance.