Royal Ballet MacMillan triple bill: Danses Concertantes, Different Drummer, Requiem 20 March to 13 April 2024

[Emeralds]

21 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

Well just back from the cinema where I had a lovely private showing because I was the only person in the cinema tonight.  

 

I felt she had slightly more chemistry with the drum major than with Woyzeck myself.  

I think that sounds like a better experience than some ROH experiences I've had, Tango Dancer! That means there were more staff to serve you  than there were customers to serve 😄 .....luxurious! 

 

You got the gist of the ballet there. Woyzeck is slaving away and putting himself through hell for Marie and their baby but she's already switched off from him - her interactions with him are just routine at best, cold at worst. The sashaying walk that Hayward did when she makes her entrance conveys how blasé she is with regard to Woyzeck. It's tragic for him and you can sense it's all going to end badly. Funnily enough I wasn't very fond of the ballet when I first saw it decades ago, but in today's society and perhaps with the passage of time, I realised what a brave thing it was for MacMillan to cover all these unpleasant and hard hitting topics that ballet hadn't really dealt with prior to 1984. 

Edited April 9 by Emeralds

[Tango Dancer]

1 minute ago, Emeralds said:

I think that sounds like a better experience than some ROH experiences I've had, Tango Dancer! That means there were more staff to serve you  than there were customers to serve 😄 .....luxurious! 

 

I was quite amused that one of the staff came in during the second interval to check I was ok and whether I needed any refreshments.  I have a suspicion she wanted to see if I was still there or whether they could close early.  But she was ever so sweet.  

[Linnzi5]

My cinema had about 20 there - which is a pretty poor show compared to other RB relays there. I'm not complaining - it was lovely and quiet! 

[Lucy M]

Really enjoyed tonight (and glad I decided to see this triple bill again) - also my first experience standing at the ROH so that was good fun! 

 

Thoroughly enjoyed Dances Concertantes, Isabella Gasparini was brilliant and I thought Giacomo Rovero stood out too. A real 'feel good' ballet and one I hope they do more frequently as it's so fun.

 

I didn't like Different Drummer the first time I saw it, but being a bit closer and being able to see a bit more of the acting and facial expressions made it a bit easier to follow the story. Can't fault Francesca and Marcelino's performance at all, they were both brilliant - just not my cup of tea.

 

Requiem was just sublime, made me feel quite emotional. It was the sole reason I decided to see this triple bill again and I'm so glad I did, Sarah, William and Melissa were all fabulous, as was the singing. I could watch it over and over and over again - it got a fabulous response from the audience at the end as well, which was well deserved! I hope it looked as good on the cinema screen as it did live!

[Scheherezade]

4 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

I have a suspicion she wanted to see if I was still there or whether they could close early.  But she was ever so sweet.  

 

What if you'd just popped out to the loo and she'd closed up by the time you got back ,,, Aaagh!!!

[Roberta]

Via 'Links' 

 

https://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/macmillan-celebrated-royal-ballet-review-out-mothballs-three-vintage-works-marvel

 

... also worth noting that MacMillan, who himself suffered from depression and bouts of crippling insecurity, made this ballet in 1984, at a time when the words "mental" and "health" rarely appeared in the same sentence, and in the face of widespread opposition to work such as this on the Covent Garden stage. He was accused of being on a mission to "destroy ballet", and ballet fans felt obliged to decide whether they were for or against him. One only wishes he could have lived long enough to overhear the comments of punters exiting towards the bars in the second interval the other night. Young people in particular are bowled over by the work's conviction and dramatic power.

 

I belong to the era when MacMillan certainly wasn't universally admired.  I've said before, Lady MacMillan wryly declared he became a genius the day after he died and I have a great deal of sympathy with her on that one. She had to live with him and the effect of all the negativity which did surround him, no doubt affected him deeply. 

 

I'd say he was way ahead of his time, but perhaps he made the future for ballet what it is. 

 

 

 

 

[alison]

2 hours ago, theorist said:

I think Maddison Pritchard replaced Chisato Katsura in Danses Concertantes tonight.

 

According to the credits at the end, yes.  I was quite surprised to find that Matthew Ball was allegedly dancing in Requiem (even Darcey Bussell seemed to think so) and James Hay in Different Drummer - neither turned out to be the case. 

 

I thought Danses Concertantes very well filmed - just a shame about the audio in a couple of places, which I hope was merely a broadcast problem rather than a recording one (from what Petroc Trelawney said, it sounds as though it was a nationwide issue).  I'm afraid that, unlike Linnzi, it was a big deal for me: sounded like a saw being drawn across rusty wires for a couple of minutes .  I hope it was less bad in other cinemas.

 

Very much appreciated the opportunity to see Different Drummer at close quarters, and being able to read Sambé and Hayward rather better than from the front amphitheatre.  From there, I had also liked Ball more than Bracewell in Requiem, but again, having seen him in close-up I can see just why people were so enthusiastic about Bracewell in this - the camera seemed almost to be lingering on him, to great effect.  Gorgeous.  Experienced cinema-broadcast goers probably won't be surprised to hear that Requiem as a whole was rather more crepuscular than usual, but I didn't feel that detracted from it at all.

 

I can understand why the ROH decided to restrict the broadcast to UK only for this one: my cinema was noticeably the least full I've seen it for RB broadcasts for some considerable time.  I'm still wondering about the cast selection for Danses Concertantes, though: is Muntagirov absent this week, or something?  It did seem rather odd to pick the noticeably more junior case for the cinema relay.  And I missed Joseph Sissens in sludgey green: I really liked him in this.

[alison]

1 hour ago, Roberta said:

Young people in particular are bowled over by the work's conviction and dramatic power.

 

That's been my impression during this run, too, to judge by the vocal voices at the end of the work.

[Roberta]

But MacMillan’s shorter pieces have challenged the art form in a greater variety of ways. They have arguably also done more to shape the collective identity of the company that he tried several times to escape but which repeatedly drew him back like a magnet.

 

Every once in a while you read a perceptive piece and it stays with you,  alters your own perception.  Thank you Jenny Gilbert.  https://www.theartsdesk.com/dance/macmillan-celebrated-royal-ballet-review-out-mothballs-three-vintage-works-marvel

 

As with the previous piece on this programme, the work's creative thrust is the product of difficult personal experience. In 1976 MacMillan was processing the shock and grief of losing a close friend, the choreographer John Cranko, and the startling opening image – a phalanx of dancers shaking their fists at the heavens – surely springs from his rage and bewilderment. As the ballet progresses the mood turns to serenity and acceptance, working both through and against the Latin words of the Catholic mass for the dead – because MacMillan wasn't in fact religious. Remarkably, Requiem rises above such petty distinctions by being ecumenical, monumental and timeless. By the final number, "In Paradisum", as the entire cast step one by one into a space of pearlescent light, applause feels inappropriate and intrusive. 

[LinMM]

Requiem was so beautiful tonight the ending incredibly moving at the moment I feel I could watch it once a week and not get tired of it! 

[FionaM]

@Tango Dancer  dancers in Danses Concertantes:

chap in yellow - Taisuke Nakao

chap in green - Valentino Zucchetti.   So good to see him back on stage.  

Edited April 10 by FionaM

[bridiem]

Our cinema was pretty full, so that was a nice surprise. I thought that this excellent bill was brilliantly danced and a real showcase for the company.

 

In terms of the presentation/interviews: when KOH was saying how great these works are and how important it is for the company to know and experience MacMillan's one-act works, I was inwardly yelling 'Yes! You're right! So why are they programmed so infrequently?!'. It was really good to hear Ross MacGibbon talk and I would have liked to hear more from him - I don't recall him being interviewed before at these screenings, though maybe I've just forgotten. But in general, given that cinema audiences will at best have only received a cast list for the programme, I thought that there was too much in the way of admiration (even though deserved) and too little in the way of actual information. There should have been more about the music used for each work (there was nothing even about when composed, or any background at all); in particular, I don't think that nowadays there can be an assumption that everyone will even understand what a Requiem Mass is and what the Latin words mean, so some outline of this should have been offered. (I noticed that the fact that it is in fact a Requiem Mass was scrupulously avoided; MacMillan may not have been religious, but the music certainly is.) The info about notation was very interesting, but I'm not sure why that should take precedence over more obvious information about music, designs, Cranko, etc, that could have been forthcoming. And once more, although Darcey Bussell looked wonderful and was so likeable, there were agonising moments where she stumbled over her words. The difference between Bussell the presenter and Bussell the (wonderful) coach was so glaring. And, as before, I do wish that they would not bring the presenters back to talk over and take the camera away from the curtain calls. (It's lovely to see the calls from behind the curtains, but we don't need to see the presenters at that point! A voice-over would do fine.)

[Emeralds]

I think just to add that a lot of MacMillan's more groundbreaking pieces took place  around or after the time of hard hitting or experimental themes being explored in ballets and theatre in Germany and the Netherlands. I wouldn't use the phrases "inspired by" or "followed on from" as none of us can know what inspired him or where he got his ideas from, unless he specifically says he did in interviews or bookss, so I won't make assumptions.

 

But certainly his ideas were ahead of their time for ballet in Britain and a lot of the English speaking world. It's also tempting to assume that other dancemakers  subsequently followed his example. 

 

However I think it's more the case that choreographers and other artists have always sought to express what people go through, and once the critics and the  public get used to the idea that this is a possible option, and stop  putting art in  pigeonholes ("ballet must be pretty-why is this not pretty!", "ballet is about being refined and elegant- can't you show torture and murder in an elegant way"), then choreographers get to stage such works more often, as directors or theatre managements get more confident that the works won't get empty houses or be  cancelled, but can in fact draw audiences in.

Edited April 10 by Emeralds

[Blossom]

Had a particularly lovely night at ROH last night for my 3rd and final viewing of the triple bill, sitting in the balcony on the loose tall stools. Really enjoyed seeing the alternate cast of Danses Concertantes, realised I was watching Marco Masciari and of course Giacomo Rovero who was lovely to see in a lead role, but due to the funny headdresses I didn't quite realise another favourite, Liam Boswell was dancing so looking forward to the recording hopefully making it onto the ROH stream next year (crossing fingers, toes...).  I relish the opportunity to see Valentino Zuchetti back on stage after so long off, plus got me thinking about whether this piece has been any inspiration for him in terms of his own creations. Ashley Dean really stood out among the new cast - there seemed to be an excellent personality fit with the piece, she had the right spark for the role. Isabella Gasparini has got better and better in the role over the run and have really enjoyed seeing her lead.

 

Having had a chance to see both casts of Different Drummer, it was great to revist what I have to admit is my favourite, which is interesting as I don't always feel that way about a first cast. I think the choreography particularly suits Marcelino Sambe's more compact frame, but in particular, found that every muscle of his body conveyed the progressing emotional depression of Woyzek as the ballet ensued. Bumped into (hopefully he didn't feel accosted) Edward Watson on my way up Floral Street and confirmed that he had indeed coached both Sambe and Clarke as found the physicality of their interpretations so different.

 

Requiem continues to deeply move me. I much preferred the view from the balcony which not only allowed me to see the shapes of movement on the stage better and a more interesting view of Sarah Lamb rising from among the dancers, but also provided a different perspective on some of those really difficult lifts where the women were carried, in horizontal pose, across the stage. Viewing from above strangely made the lifts look even more of an impossibility than viewing at a similar level from SCS.  I wasn't sure how Matthew Ball's lyricism could be matched by another dancer, but William Bracewell was different, yet equally mesmerising to watch. As with Gasparini in DC, I've enjoyed being able to see more from Melissa Hamilton that ever before, she really is a beautiful dancer.

 

The night was even better having bumped into Xander Parrish in the new foyer, he is here to dance in International Draft Works over the next few days (also always lovely to bump into @Balletbloke).

 

[Emeralds]

@bridiem, you are right that Ross MacGibbon hardly/never ever appears onscreen for these cinema relays. I think I've seen him talk once for a TV broadcast but that's it. (Happy to be corrected if there were appearances missed or not reported on!)

 

He danced with RB from 1973-86 and was in the casts for Requiem and Different Drummer (probably not Danses Concertantes as I think the revivals didn't occur during his time at RB). Did they chat about that in the interview?  😊

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

@bridiem, you are right that Ross MacGibbon hardly/never ever appears onscreen for these cinema relays. I think I've seen him talk once for a TV broadcast but that's it. (Happy to be corrected if there were appearances missed or not reported on!)

 

He danced with RB from 1973-86 and was in the casts for Requiem and Different Drummer (probably not Danses Concertantes as I think the revivals didn't occur during his time at RB). Did they chat about that in the interview?  😊

 

Yes, but very briefly.

[Silke H]

Some pics from last night (somewhat obscured by one of the film cameras)

 

Instagram

 

Facebook

 

 

[LinMM]

Don’t know which side of the Balcony you were on Blossom but I was sitting in row A just below the loose tall seats on the right hand side. I was looking at them in the interval to see whether I could sit in them and probably could in the back row as don’t feel you’re being  launched out into auditorium. 
Im pretty sure I saw Ed Watson go to a seat at the back of the Dress Circle just before Different Drummer started. 

[Roberta]

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

Ross MacGibbon

 

I recall his mandolin dance, with Dowell as Romeo.  Who would have foreseen where his career would go? I've never heard him interviewed before, he's been working on the cinema broadcasts for years. 

[Suffolkgal]

Slightly tangential but regarding Ross, I did follow him a lot when he was dancing, and interviewed him once too at his home . MacMillan used him quite a lot - he created the beautiful young man (that’s what the character was called) in Isadora, and often played Paris. He did a lot of those secondary character roles and had a big on stage personality… you could not miss him. In the recent rerun of the Magic of Dance you can see him in class. With Robert Jude and Wayne Eagling he published a book of photos called the company we keep. I think he came to film through that… anyway … there we go

[Roberta]

11 minutes ago, Suffolkgal said:

had a big on stage personality… you could not miss him.

 

Yes exactly!  It was the mandolin dance stuck in my memory particularly as he exploded on stage and every time I see his name in the credits I recall that for some reason! 

 

Yet I've never seen him being singled out for interview for a cine broadcast and he's been a stalwart of the ROH offerings. 

[alison]

4 hours ago, bridiem said:

But in general, given that cinema audiences will at best have only received a cast list for the programme, I thought that there was too much in the way of admiration (even though deserved) and too little in the way of actual information. 

 

Yes, I arrived late, and also got back late after the first interval, so missed some of the talking, but thought some more explanation could have been given about the plot - such as it is - of Different Drummer, just to put it into context.  After all, you can't really expect your audience to have read the play - or even seen the opera - especially in this day and age.  Did I miss something?  Or does the company seem to be as reluctant to talk about it as it does in its printed programmes?

[Tango Dancer]

14 minutes ago, alison said:

 

Yes, I arrived late, and also got back late after the first interval, so missed some of the talking, but thought some more explanation could have been given about the plot - such as it is - of Different Drummer, just to put it into context.  After all, you can't really expect your audience to have read the play - or even seen the opera - especially in this day and age.  Did I miss something?  Or does the company seem to be as reluctant to talk about it as it does in its printed programmes?

 

No they didn't give much information on the plot.  I think they should have done more talking about some of the detail of the story for Different Drummer and talked more about the different parts of the music for Faure because people may not understand the different parts or the meaning of the words. I know the Faure quite well but if you didn't they didn't say much about it.    

[Linnzi5]

22 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

 

No they didn't give much information on the plot.  I think they should have done more talking about some of the detail of the story for Different Drummer and talked more about the different parts of the music for Faure because people may not understand the different parts or the meaning of the words. I know the Faure quite well but if you didn't they didn't say much about it.    

I wasn't as impressed with all of the video clips and discussions as I normally am. They were quite short and not always very informative, particularly so with Requiem and plot details for Different Drummer. I agree that it's important to discuss the different parts of the Requiem Mass - I know them very well (not because I am religious but because I've both studied and performed them) and for me, I think it's important to discuss and understand them in the context of the ballet to appreciate it fully - though that may not be the case for everyone, of course. I would imagine that somebody not knowing the plot details of Different Drummer might be very confused about it. In fact, several audience members around me, though they loved the dancing, said they couldn't quite understand what was going on. 

 

As for the cast list sheet - I was very surprised about the one I was handed. Matthew Ball was never cast for 9th, so I can't understand why we were given the cast list we were. Lauren Cuthbertson and James Hay not dancing, I'm presuming was a last-minute thing, so that is understandable. In the scheme of things, it didn't matter to me as I knew who was cast for everything, but audience members around me did not and talked about who would be dancing and obviously didn't know the cast sheet was incorrect. 

 

@bridiem On a shallow note, I did like what Darcey was wearing and thought she looked amazing - she certainly brings glamour to the relay. Petroc is just an amazing presenter, IMO. I keep saying it, but he not only has the gravitas and knowledge needed, he also is such a professional, with a lovely, calm manner, is very likeable and I always think he supports Darcey really well. I think he's a brilliant choice. I can't deny, as lovely and likeable as Darcey is, that she does make me nervous and I feel uncomfortable for her when she stumbles - I understand that she is dyslexic and reading the auto-cue must be incredibly challenging for her, so have great sympathy in that respect. 

 

@alison The sounds issues happened three times and were maybe 10 seconds each time? I wouldn't say they were really bad at my cinema but they certainly were a bit distracting. They were distortions and the music sounded scratchy and incomplete, which it clearly was. It was annoying but in the scheme of things, I thought it could have been far worse - I'd have been far more upset if I'd lost the video feed, for example. I'm sorry it ruined bits for you though  On a selfish note, I was just relieved that it didn't happen during Requiem!

 

[Emeralds]

Very interesting and informative points, thank you @Linnzi5. Regarding the autocue issues, I wonder why they can't print out what is on it (since it's obviously pre-written) and give Darcey a copy in advance so that she can prepare/memorise it, and even if she changes a couple of words, it's better than witnessing her stumbles onscreen. 

 

Had no idea it was Petroc Trelawney co-presenting.....I'm sure if they had said, to him "Do a summary of the meaning and text of Fauré's Requiem to fill 2 minutes" he will do so beautifully as he will have covered it for Radio 3 before. He also presents at the Proms and Cardiff Singer of the World so he's used to filling in x number of minutes or seconds on a live broadcast.  And of the current classical music presenters working today, he and Katie Derham are the only ones I've seen who are able to discuss ballet knowledgeably.

 

They could also have got Darcey to fill in about Requiem being a tribute to Cranko as she has danced the ballet many times. What a shame about cast list for cinemas being wrong .....especially when the correct one was online at the same time! I assume the printed lists are done far in advance in their office but perhaps the cinemas could have put up printed notices saying that cast changes are online and given the link address or QR code. 

[Mary]

5 hours ago, bridiem said:

I thought that there was too much in the way of admiration (even though deserved) and too little in the way of actual information.

The presentation of the screenings is always like this.

Recently they have started to interview technical and backstage people, and i have found that so much more informative: many very articulate people speak with enthusiasm but quite calmly without all the gushing. For example, the lighting team interviewed in the Butterfly screening were excellent.

The RB people can't stop saying everything is wonderful, marvellous etc, which tells us nothing- and also, it is really for the audience to decide if it is wonderful, marvellous, good or OK..or not.....

I would much prefer to have a clear explanation of the background, plot where relevant, a few dates, names, some context and so on- it's a shame they feel they have to gush.

And after Requiem really all that is needed is a very quiet pause.

 

 

[Blossom]

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

Don’t know which side of the Balcony you were on Blossom but I was sitting in row A just below the loose tall seats on the right hand side. I was looking at them in the interval to see whether I could sit in them and probably could in the back row as don’t feel you’re being  launched out into auditorium. 
Im pretty sure I saw Ed Watson go to a seat at the back of the Dress Circle just before Different Drummer started. 

I was on the left hand side if facing the stage, entry via door 3B.

The loose tall seats are incredible value and feel quite snug and secure if you don't like being exposed. There can also be some obstructions depending on the kindness of the row infront (last night 2  people pulled their chairs together and further forward, somewhat obstructing the view of the young man sitting next to me) . The row B loose seats however are on a raised platform vs row A, so you're not sitting as snugly behind others (but this has benefits in terms of the view). 

[LinMM]

I tried the row B and had a vertigo attack!!! It’s very strange exactly what brings it on… a feeling of being exposed to a large amount of space(obviously my days are numbered lol) with sort of nothing in front of you. Because row B is raised above row A and on loose chairs it just didn’t work for me but I was thinking the higher chairs but in row C because they are set further back somehow just might be okay!! Row A has the solid barrier in front and the seat is actually quite low down so not too bad!! But expensive!! My favourite is seat no 54 in Row A ( usually gone by time I book) as it’s end of row seat so easy to get to and not too far round on the side so not too exposed to the amphitheatre space. I think I managed to get A 54 for one of the Winter Tales I’ve booked! 
 

Actually is the Ashton Triple with Rendezvous I ve got that seat for rest of bookings are all in row D!! 

Edited April 10 by LinMM

[Roberta]

A new ROH 'short' on costume making for Different Drummer.

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2075455429506228

[FionaM]

During the broadcast the fact that Requiem was a tribute to Cranko was mentioned at least 5 times but with very little background on who he was, how he died, or even his full name, not to mention his legacy and how MacMillan learnt from him in Stuttgart.   Woefully short on historical details

 

Francesca Hayward impressed me with her portrayal particularly last night.    

[Roberta]

3 minutes ago, FionaM said:

During the broadcast the fact that Requiem was a tribute to Cranko was mentioned at least 5 times but with very little background on who he was, how he died, or even his full name, not to mention his legacy and how MacMillan learnt from him in Stuttgart.   Woefully short on historical details

 

It's all a missed opportunity for education isn't it? The assumption is they are talking to an 'in crowd' who know all of this, rather than a general audience who may well be new to it.  Often it's rather good, it appears little effort was put into this one.

 

 

[Lynette H]

Sorry to report a complete failure of the cinema relay in south London last night. They just couldn't get it to work. Many apologies from the Odeon staff and a refund processed straight away. A pity. My only chance to see Hayward missed. 

[Linnzi5]

41 minutes ago, FionaM said:

During the broadcast the fact that Requiem was a tribute to Cranko was mentioned at least 5 times but with very little background on who he was, how he died, or even his full name, not to mention his legacy and how MacMillan learnt from him in Stuttgart.   Woefully short on historical details

 

Francesca Hayward impressed me with her portrayal particularly last night.    

I agree with both of your points. Cranko was mentioned but not really what his importance was or any details about anything much really.

 

Francesca Hayward was brilliant - I really was so drawn to her whenever she was on stage - she compelled me to look at her. When I saw her last week, I sat in row E of the stalls - so very near the front and I had an excellent view. However, on the relay, I felt I 'saw' so much more of her, directly into her soul, almost,  and her performance was more intimate and meaningful to me. She was so amazing, I thought.