JNC Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I would also like to see Coppelia return. I agree it’s odd Frankie and Cesar haven’t been partnered much recently - their R&J was fab. I believe they were both meant to debut in swan lake together but that performance was cancelled due to the pandemic. I feel they would be very interesting together in Manon, Mayerling as well as Swan Lake. Giselle too! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) 1 hour ago, JNC said: my inexpert opinion was in parts of Odille’s act 2 solo danced by Nunez there were points were I felt she was holding herself back from going a bit faster because she was trying to stick to the music, I think in one of the slower turns it looked to me like she almost physically stopped herself from naturally taking the next step and having to pause and drag the movement out. It would be a pure assumption as I would like to hope that Kessels and the dancers have a conversation about this in advance or there is an agreed set tempo for all but I feel dancers would prefer this faster as it would be easier/flow better. Not the same ballet I recall once Naghdi saying something about one of the shade variations in Bayadere being trickier than it looked because it’s so slow so your technique is really tested. My guess would therefore be it would be “easier” and more natural for dancers to take this at a bit of a faster pace and it also helps build better flow and pacing in the plot as well. Didn’t see last night’s performance but glad Cesar has made a return to the stage. I can’t speak to chemistry in these particular roles but I remember thinking Magri and Corrales worked really well together in Coppelia many years ago… I thought this tempo was a deliberate choice - Kessells watched her very closely - because it shows off Nunez' phenomenal control and balance, her ability to 'float' in transitional movements and, interpretively, was conveying the labour of Odette's anguished imprisonment in swan form. Of course, this pace is a lot harder for less technically gifted dancers to follow. Edited March 8 by Missfrankiecat 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I can't imagine what it was like on the other side of the curtain last night before the performance - I certainly needed to calm my nerves in anticipation of Cesar Corrales being back on the ROH stage! It really was wonderful to see him back, although it did feel like he was playing it safe last night. Having said that, I really enjoyed his performance in terms of not just the dancing, but the quality of his acting. He seemed to be a particularly young and innocent Siegfried, which led to Odile's deception having double the impact.. I felt particularly in Act IV that Corrales deeply connected with Odette and was intensely regretful. Mayara Magri is one of my preferred Odette/Odiles - her Odette is a character of beauty and timeless classical style, contrasting with her sly, predatory Odile. I do particularly enjoy her partnership with Corrales which I hope will get back to full, explosive power after a bit more stage time and a bit more confidence on his part. It's such a shame that the next performance is Young ROH only - and would love to find a way to sneak in, perhaps I could be an usher for the evening?! Also really enjoyed Sae Maeda and Leticia Dias as Siegfried's sisters but particularly Joonhyuk Jun's elegant and effortless Benno - amazed at the softness of his landings. There was so much to enjoy in terms of the whole company last night from the beautiful swans of the company to the incredibly stylish character dances and the fun of Ashton's Neapolitan that I wouldn't want to do anyone a disservice by mentioning some names and not others. Last night was a reminder of exactly what puts this company on top. I could easily watch Swan Lake over and over again with the rich set designs and gorgeous costumes, Tchaikovsky's incredible score and the talent of the Royal Ballet to boot, but unfortunately due to holiday clashes, I now have to wait a painful 2 months until my next performance, so will have to survive on all of your fabulous reviews. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 4 hours ago, Mary said: Was it this slow last night? Almost inevitably. As has been discussed on the Forum many times the RB has got slower over the decades, at least from the 1950s (there are recordings that can be checked) to the late 1970s and then far worse from then on. There are occasional exceptions (I can think of one guest conductor who even made public comments about how much faster the company was in earlier recordings) but he has never been asked back. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 It may have been Nunez’s preference to dance slower but my personal preference is to go a bit faster regardless! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I get the impression that Kessels is a law unto himself. His head is usually more buried in the score than in connecting with the dancers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, Silke H said: - The princesses (Katharina Nikelski, Charlotte Tonkinson, Isabella Gasparini, Yu Hang) We don’t often discuss make up. So here is a perhaps silly question. Was it me or did Katherina Nikelski have a light sheen of gold body paint last night? Perhaps it was just a heavier foundation base than this very light-skinned dancer normally uses and that caught golden lustre reflected off the magnificent palace walls, but in any case it looked very fetching and appropriately exotic for the character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke H Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 minute ago, Geoff said: We don’t often discuss make up. So here is a perhaps silly question. Was it me or did Katherina Nikelski have a light sheen of gold body paint last night? Perhaps it was just a heavier foundation base than this very light-skinned dancer normally uses and that caught golden lustre reflected off the magnificent palace walls, but in any case it looked very fetching and appropriately exotic for the character. Ms Nikelski’s IG post about her Hungarian princess debut last night shows a close up but might have a bit of a filter on it https://www.instagram.com/p/C4P5ZteoZbQ/?igsh=MWgwOXg3eXMyMGFhdQ== 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 5 minutes ago, capybara said: I get the impression that Kessels is a law unto himself. His head is usually more buried in the score than in connecting with the dancers. I watched him quite a lot on Wednesday due to our position in the SC and he definitely had an eye on the dancers . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 10 minutes ago, capybara said: I get the impression that Kessels is a law unto himself. His head is usually more buried in the score than in connecting with the dancers. It's not just Kessels that slows things down....Boris Gruzin virtually brings The Shades to a standstill in the last RB recording of La Bayadere! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 5 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: I watched him quite a lot on Wednesday due to our position in the SC and he definitely had an eye on the dancers . Good - thanks for saying. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 15 minutes ago, JNC said: It may have been Nunez’s preference to dance slower but my personal preference is to go a bit faster regardless! Maybe send her a message to get a move on next time in Act 2 - we've all got trains to catch after all! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) 1 hour ago, JNC said: I agree it’s odd Frankie and Cesar haven’t been partnered much recently - their R&J was fab. I believe they were both meant to debut in swan lake together but that performance was cancelled due to the pandemic. I feel they would be very interesting together in Manon, Mayerling as well as Swan Lake. Giselle too! Yes, they were paired together for the 2020 Swan Lake. I wondered in 2022 why various pairings had been changed from 2020 but since those 2022 pairings have been retained for this run evidently they're now the preferred ones for whatever reason. I'd love to see them together in Manon or Mayerling. I wonder if Corrales would have made his Des Grieux debut in this run if he hadn't been injured? Maybe now Hayward is losing Campbell as one of her main partners she could dance more with Corrales? I thought Corrales was excellent as Siegfried in 2022 so it's a pity, though totally understandable, to hear that he evidently had to be more careful last night. Hopefully it will pay off & he will be able to continue to perform going forward, rather than the one-performance-then-off-again that happened last January. Edited March 8 by Dawnstar 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) 55 minutes ago, JNC said: It may have been Nunez’s preference to dance slower but my personal preference is to go a bit faster regardless! The tempo was faster last night than on opening night (at one point it bordered on funereal but the execution of the choreography was exquisite and thus hypnotic to watch). Overall there seemed to be more energy in the Company last night. Sparks were flying last night in the national dances and Mayara Magri whipped up a storm with her fouettés. Opening night was more sedate from Marinella Nunez with exquisite control displayed. Both excellent interpretations and why no one performance can be considered as definitive. Edited March 8 by PeterS 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Ha ha PeterS had me foxed there for a bit was just trying to work out how you could be in two places at once but see your NYCB visit was a matinee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, bridiem said: Of course if circumstances were different Alexander Campbell could/should be doing Rhapsody. Just saying. And Oberon. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 11 minutes ago, LinMM said: Ha ha PeterS had me foxed there for a bit was just trying to work out how you could be in two places at once but see your NYCB visit was a matinee! 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I have a feeling that the factors involved in settling on partnerships are multi-faceted to an extent which we will never be fully privy to. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 8 minutes ago, capybara said: I have a feeling that the factors involved in settling on partnerships are multi-faceted to an extent which we will never be fully privy to. Quite. Re Francesca Hayward dancing with Cesar, I seem to recall reading an article relatively recently (when she was preparing for The Limit) in a women's/fashion mag where she was asked about dancing with her boyfriend and said they enjoyed dancing together some but not all of the time. She also said height was a factor because she claimed he is a lot taller than her (!) and so sometimes it was better to be paired with a partner nearer her height. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art_enthusiast Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 13 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: She also said height was a factor because she claimed he is a lot taller than her (!) and so sometimes it was better to be paired with a partner nearer her height. Really? I don't think he's that tall though. I thought he was roughly the same height as Marcelino Sambe, who I think is very well matched with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 13 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said: Really? I don't think he's that tall though. I thought he was roughly the same height as Marcelino Sambe, who I think is very well matched with her. I hear you. I aways think of Corrales as being relatively short. I've found the article (it was the Telegraph last Oct, not a women's mag but it was a fashion shoot!). Here's what was said about heights: "I’m curious to know how she and her 27-year-old Cuban-Canadian beau navigate the pressures of living and working together? ‘Well, you know, I don’t think we dance together as much as we could, because actually it all depends on heights.’ (Corrales is 5ft 11in, Frankie 5ft 2in.) ‘Some real-life ballet couples end up dancing with each other all the time. I think we dance together for just the right amount, so that we can enjoy what we do, but it’s not all season long!’ " I'd link but I have the idea we're not supposed to on here. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
art_enthusiast Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 30 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: Corrales is 5ft 11in, Frankie 5ft 2in. I really don't think he can be 5ft 11! Not if Mayara is taller than him on pointe. I think whoever wrote this must have their facts wrong! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missfrankiecat Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 5 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said: I really don't think he can be 5ft 11! Not if Mayara is taller than him on pointe. I think whoever wrote this must have their facts wrong! Well, I'm not getting much work done this afternoon researching these fascinating facts but it The London Ballet Circle "In Conversation with Cesar Corrales" in 2021 records this from the(taller than he looks!) horse's mouth. "Linda said: “ You were actually quite small here for 15.” He responded: “ Yes, I was a slow grower. I thought I was going to be very, very short. I was very sad about my height as I was always the shortest in class. Mum decided to take me to a doctor because I was getting nervous about my height. They actually had a prediction that I was going to be 5ft 5 inches which is super, super short. Luckily it didn’t turn out that way. I’m 5ft 11 inches. I’m a good size.” Mind you, I'm often amazed at 5'4" me looking eye to eye at men who claim they are 6'. 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnzi5 Posted March 8 Author Share Posted March 8 16 hours ago, Sim said: Ooooo Lukas as Von Rothbart. Tonight I could imagine myself going over to the dark side! 😅 This made me giggle! 😈 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 53 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: I hear you. I aways think of Corrales as being relatively short. I've found the article (it was the Telegraph last Oct, not a women's mag but it was a fashion shoot!). Here's what was said about heights: "I’m curious to know how she and her 27-year-old Cuban-Canadian beau navigate the pressures of living and working together? ‘Well, you know, I don’t think we dance together as much as we could, because actually it all depends on heights.’ (Corrales is 5ft 11in, Frankie 5ft 2in.) ‘Some real-life ballet couples end up dancing with each other all the time. I think we dance together for just the right amount, so that we can enjoy what we do, but it’s not all season long!’ " I'd link but I have the idea we're not supposed to on here. Perfectly fine to link to a bona fide article, although the Telegraph is behind a paywall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 Hi all. I have hidden a few posts (after a report) that refer to RB couples and ex-couples dancing together. No real breaches of AUP, just trying to nip it in the bud so no further discussion ensues. Thank you. 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Perregrino Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 26 minutes ago, Missfrankiecat said: Mind you, I'm often amazed at 5'4" me looking eye to eye at men who claim they are 6' often the 2-3 inches of hair sticking up from the scalp with gel are included in the measurement 😉 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 22 minutes ago, Sim said: Hi all. I have hidden a few posts (after a report) that refer to RB couples and ex-couples dancing together. No real breaches of AUP, just trying to nip it in the bud so no further discussion ensues. Thank you. Apologies, I think I have been at fault here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 26 minutes ago, Richard LH said: Apologies, I think I have been at fault here. Thank you Richard, but no apology necessary here. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elodie Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I thoroughly enjoyed the opening night of Swan Lake; Marianela And Vadim were amazing and outdid themselves! I did have a bit of a laugh though in the last act, as I could see Marianela’s shadow waving to people in the wings and standing there before she was lit up as Odette’s ghost !! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) [Matthew Ball is 5’10” and that is a reliable statistic as he’s a model and will have been measured.] EDIT: Incorrect - see post below From this photo Cesar looks to be 2 inches shorter. Whatever… there is no way he is 5’11. https://www.gettyimages.fi/detail/uutiskuva/james-frecknall-marcelino-sambe-francesca-hayward-cesar-uutiskuva/1192961472 Edited March 14 by alison At poster's request - inaccurate information 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 (edited) I would have said between 5ft 9in and 10ins about an inch or so taller than myself! I suppose Cesar could have been part joking in the interview …he’s gone from being smaller than average height to an acceptable average height for males …like 5ft 11 ins lol. Edited March 8 by LinMM 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard LH Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 hour ago, FionaM said: Whatever… there is no way he is 5’11. Maybe when on pointe ..... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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