The Winter's Tale, Royal Ballet Spring '24

[RobR]

2 minutes ago, Ian Macmillan said:

Rob: As the lady of the house will attest from days of yore, you speak truly.  Bourréing like mad in the final act of Swans, whilst thinking "We have to do this again tonight."   Usually on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I think. 

😀

[Sim]

As I said above, I really did enjoy last night.  It has taken me a few years to warm to Winter's frost, but I do like it.  No, it doesn't engage me emotionally.  Another choreographer (MacMillan, Ashton, Cranko) might well have succeeded in making me weep at the end; like an afternoon movie its final mix of redemption and tragedy should set the tears rolling down my cheeks, but it doesn't, despite the best efforts of the dancers.  That aside, I know that I will therefore just sit back and enjoy the spectacle.  

 

Cesar Corrales was on cracking form and, let's face it, no-one does jealousy like a Latin man!  His was profound and frightening, and he brought a new depth to the role.  Lauren C was also on great form.  Frankie Hayward and Marci Sambe were like young lambs gambolling in a sunny field:  happy, carefree and full of boundless energy and the joys of spring.  Gorgeous dancing from both of them.  Calvin Richardson made a likeable, dislikeable, then likeable again Polixenes and worked well with Cesar and Lauren.  As others have mentioned, Melissa Hamilton once again showed her acting chops just via her dancing and her facial expressions.  She is a deeply moving Paulina and a worthy successor to those who came before.  I really do think that it is time for her to be promoted.  And yes, Marco Masciari was wonderful as Brother Clown.  He is quickly developing into a very special dancer and I look forward to seeing more.  He was a good partner for Meaghan GH, as was she for him.  They fed off each other very convincingly.  Others have said that Act 2 has too much 'peasants frolicking' but I really enjoyed it last night.  The colour burst in the middle of two much more gloomy acts is very welcome, and although the music is indeed forgettable I do like the pseudo-medieval group music.  The solo flute is particularly atmospheric.  A shout-out too for the corps who danced with energy and joy.  

 

My two little niggles are:  1)  after all these years they still haven't been able to organise a bear that bears any resemblance to a bear.  I took a friend along and in the interval she said 'what bear?' which is just what I said on my first viewing.   "Exit, pursued by a bear" is probably the most famous stage direction in the theatrical canon, and yet you have to be eagle-eyed and know where to look in order to see it.  2)  I wish they could find better material for the costumes in Act 2....sweat patches abound and whereas of course it shows what efforts the dancers are making it is unflattering.  

 

Having got that off my chest, I am looking forward to the other casts I am seeing and congratulate everyone on a very successful opening night.  The great and the good were all there as well and I am sure they enjoyed it as much as the rest of the audience did.

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, zxDaveM said:

Whilst all the leads are owed much credit for a super performance, I tip my hat to the corps dancers too, as they danced the group scenes better than I recall, which added even more to a great evening.

I totally agree. A wonderful performance all round. 

[art_enthusiast]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

My two little niggles are:  1)  after all these years they still haven't been able to organise a bear that bears any resemblance to a bear.  I took a friend along and in the interval she said 'what bear?' which is just what I said on my first viewing.   "Exit, pursued by a bear" is probably the most famous stage direction in the theatrical canon, and yet you have to be eagle-eyed and know where to look in order to see it. 

Yes - this was my first viewing and I certainly didn’t spot the bear! 
 

I actually forgot about that stage direction - The Winter’s Tale as a play is relatively unknown to me, though I have now been inspired to read it when I get the time. In school, there was a massive focus on Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, King Lear, Midsummer Night’s Dream - the Winter’s Tale rarely got a look in!

[FionaM]

Regarding which companies perform this ballet:

 

Royal Ballet (premiere 10 years ago)

 

National Ballet of Canada (original go-producers) 

 

Bolshoi Ballet (have 3 more performances remaining before their licence expires. Last night Wheeldon said to a friend that he misses Denis Savin as Leontes.)

 

Hamburg Ballet (in 22/23 season)

 

Vienna State Ballet (coming in 24/25 season.  Incoming AD, Alexandra Ferri was present last night))

 

Possibly coming to Stuttgart?   (AD,Tamas Dietrich was at last night’s performance)

 

Maybe other companies? Wheeldon’s own website doesn’t say. 
 

[FionaM]

I was at the general as well as the opening night.   I know we don’t comment on performances in rehearsals, but I will say I am looking forward to seeing the Ball/Nunez cast again. 
 

I agree with @Sim they could do better with the ‘bear’.  I see the projection on the billowing silk (though it looked upside down to me both times yesterday?) because I know where to look.  
 

The lady sitting next to me at the rehearsal had studied this play for her degree and said Wheeldon has done a good job at portraying the play except for this famous line. She was disappointed to discover she’d missed it.  

[FionaM]

The other video projections … the boats and seas, and the silks used as sails are all very effective.  
 

They seem ‘up to date’ too. This is something that can quickly look dated  as video technology is developing so fast.  I don’t know if they are updated (or not) for each revival. 

[art_enthusiast]

2 minutes ago, FionaM said:

The other video projections … the boats and seas, and the silks used as sails are all very effective.  

 

Yep, I thought the boats were great

[art_enthusiast]

3 hours ago, Sim said:

I wish they could find better material for the costumes in Act 2....sweat patches abound and whereas of course it shows what efforts the dancers are making it is unflattering.  

 

I noticed those - I don't think it was too obvious but I'm surprised the costume department hasn't addressed it before, presumably they've been using the same costumes for a while

[Sim]

Just now, art_enthusiast said:

 

I noticed those - I don't think it was too obvious but I'm surprised the costume department hasn't addressed it before, presumably they've been using the same costumes for a while

Yes, and it has always been this way.

[FionaM]

A trailer from Hamburg Ballet which describes the ballet and Christopher’s motivation, plus, reminds me of his Benois de La Danse award for its creation. 
 

The narrator is the regular narrator for Hamburg Ballet videos.  (I found it jarring at first as I’m not used to this kind of narration.  It’s common across all Hamburg Ballet videos, so I’m used to it now.)

 

it occurs to me that this was a big honour for Christopher.  Hamburg Ballet’s repertoire is almost entirely Neumeier’s own ballets.

 

 

Edited May 4 by FionaM
Repertoire or repertory 🤔

[FionaM]

And the successful premiere at the Bolshoi in 2019

 

I wonder if the set designs were expanded for the larger stage 🤔 

 

 

[alison]

20 minutes ago, FionaM said:

The narrator is the regular narrator for Hamburg Ballet videos.  (I found it jarring at first as I’m not used to this kind of narration.  It’s common across all Hamburg Ballet videos, so I’m used to it now.)

 

Ghastly.  An AI narrator and a not very good translation from the German, by the sounds of it  

[zxDaveM]

The 'Bear'....

 

 

[zxDaveM]

3 hours ago, FionaM said:

 

I agree with @Sim they could do better with the ‘bear’.  I see the projection on the billowing silk (though it looked upside down to me both times yesterday?) because I know where to look.  
 

 

I think the bear's face (and body) is printed on the billowing cloth, so as it revolves it gets upside down/inside out at times - and when they push it up to its full height it looks more like a bear rug than anything else! lol

[Sim]

24 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

The 'Bear'....

 

 

That's certainly not how it looked last night.  Last night it was like a tiny face on a large sheet, that was it.  

[Balletfanp]

I think they need to rethink it….. there has to be a better way!

 

In the last run I came with a friend and pointed it out to her. Her reaction was uncontrollable giggles, which I don’t think was the reaction they were hoping for!

[alison]

It also looks more like a polar bear ...

[Bluebird]

1 hour ago, Sim said:

That's certainly not how it looked last night.  Last night it was like a tiny face on a large sheet, that was it.  

It did look like that from the amphitheatre. Maybe it looks different from the stalls circle?

[art_enthusiast]

2 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

It did look like that from the amphitheatre. Maybe it looks different from the stalls circle?

 

I was in the stalls circle and didn't see it! Maybe because I was focusing on the animated baby too much, I wasn't really paying much attention to the projections.

Edited May 4 by art_enthusiast

[Sunflower]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

That's certainly not how it looked last night.  Last night it was like a tiny face on a large sheet, that was it.  

Gosh! I missed that completely. I too was waiting for the bear, having studied the play seriously before in a previous life. My daughter spotted it and I missed it, as was focussed on the baby.

I assumed from her description that it was a profile outline of a bear head as a wave 🌊 

[FionaM]

Congratulations to Nicol Edmonds who replaces Ryo Hirano in the cast with Sarah Lamb as Hermione.  Now on the ROH cast lists.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6grYXnohLP/?igsh=MTRwY2tlejFtNm44eg==

[MJW]

High praise for last night's opener from Mark Monahan in the Telegraph (5 stars). 

 

(Behind paywall) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/dance/ballet/the-winters-tale-royal-ballet-review-shakespeare

 

Marco Masciari described as "a star to be"

[San Perregrino]

2 hours ago, FionaM said:

Congratulations to Nicol Edmonds who replaces Ryo Hirano in the cast with Sarah Lamb as Hermione.  Now on the ROH cast lists.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6grYXnohLP/?igsh=MTRwY2tlejFtNm44eg==

The changes were announced and made to the website last month. 
 

THE WINTER’S TALE

Tuesday 21 May 7.30pm; Tuesday 28 May 7.30pm; Saturday 1 June 7.30pm

Ryoichi Hirano is replaced by Nicol Edmonds as King Leontes

Anna Rose O’Sullivan is replaced by Sae Maeda as Perdita

 

Also Olivia Crowley replaces Claire Calvert as Paulina in the Kaneko/Mutagirov/Pantuso/Sissens cast.

[FionaM]

Thanks @San Perregrino I didn’t find a mention of the casting of Nicol in the forum.  Congratulations to Olivia Cowley too.  

[Dawnstar]

16 hours ago, Mary said:

I've seen WT several times, but try as I might just now, could not recall any of the music at all

 

I couldn't recall any of hte music from a decade ago so I was surprised in Act II when suddenly there came a section of music that sounded familiar. I quickly realised that it's because it is used for the intro for the ROH cinema broadcasts. I had no idea it was from Winter's Tale!

 

10 hours ago, FionaM said:

The other video projections … the boats and seas, and the silks used as sails are all very effective. 

 

The sea & boat projections, especially in Act I, made me wonder if they should include a trigger warning for sea sickness!

[Sophoife]

6 hours ago, Bluebird said:

It did look like that from the amphitheatre. Maybe it looks different from the stalls circle?

 

Set designers often omit the higher levels from their considerations. It's extremely irritating to hear people oohing and ashing about something and not be able to even glimpse it let alone experience it as the designer intended.

 

I was sitting higher up at QPAC for those 2017 Winter's Tale shows, and had no trouble seeing the bear.

 

OTOH sitting higher up at the State Theatre in Melbourne or (shudder) the Sydney Opera House, can't even see the "ceiling" style scenery let alone projections that supposedly enhance the sets! A production of Swan Lake with a projected Swan that people raved about comes to mind. Invisible Swan more like!

[JohnS]

I very much enjoyed the opening night’s cast and a real bonus seeing the cinema cast in the General Rehearsal - I’m sure the cinema relay (and encore) will be well worth catching. And two other ‘must see’ casts to come.

 

As regards the back cloths, I rather like the bear but am less taken with the sea/ship cloths which seem too literal and prolong action/storm/flight/pursuit without adding greatly to the drama. That said the change of sail for Polixenes works well but I do rather think action for action’s sake dissipates the tension at the end of Act 2 and the bag over Perdita’s captor verges on the ludicrous, all a bit too Captain Pugwash.

 

The opening night’s cast were very strong. Great to see Cesar Corrales on stage and his deeply disturbing Leontes. I was very taken with Lauren Cuthbertson’s Hermione and Melissa Hamilton really impressed as Paulina, fittingly drawing the threads together at the end. I very much enjoyed Francesca Hayward’s vivacious Perdita and Marcelino Sambe’s Florizel - I think they’ll be even greater fluidity in partnering in later performances. Calvin Richardson was a compelling Polixenes. I liked Meaghan Grace Hinkis’ Shepherdess and Marco Masciari’s Brother Clown. I did wonder if he were a shade overstated and I think they’ll be a number of Brother Clowns who’ll catch the eye this run.

 

As a footnote, I’d brought my old programme to London as it’s been a long time since I last saw Winter’s Tale. I was rather pleased to find a cast sheet for a 2016 matinee including Hayward and Hay as Perdita/Florizel, and Sambe as Brother Clown, with Takada as the Shepherdess. Soares, Calvert, Arestis and Hirano were the other principal characters.

[Vanartus]

Just realised the cinema live broadcast isn’t available outside of UK

☹️😩😫

[JohnS]

I’m sorry to hear that @Vanartus - very disappointing for non UK audiences after the MacMillan triple bill UK only screening. I do hope these performances are quickly made available on the streaming service.

[FionaM]

About the opening night cast

 

Cesar Corrales | Leontes  - impressive debut.  Dramatic and intense.  A broken man in the final act.  I was worried he might not be tall enough to partner Lauren, but that all worked out fine.  I had the feeling of Napoleon syndrome in his descent into jealousy in Act 1 
 

Lauren Cuthbertson | Hermione - adored her portrayal in the final act.  Long term pain trying to melt with forgiveness.  

 

Calvin Richardson | Polixenes - good interaction with Cesar (in both the good and bad times of their relationship), though I spent much of the evening wondering what he’d do with the main role

 

Francesca Hayward & Marcelino Sambe | Perdita & Florizel - such a special partnership between these two, and Marci flew around the stage and through the technical parts seemingly effortlessly.   Perfect casting.

 

Marco Masciari | Brother Clown - great pyrotechnics (the original creator was Valentino Zucchetti).  It’s the first time I’ve understood the buffoonery of this character.  Previous dancers have been smiley, this was a clown.
 

Melissa Hamilton | Paulina - standout performance of the night for me.  Connecting the threads of the story, she showed a wide range of emotions.  The humanity of her character shone through.

 

Bravo to the coaching team 👏👏👏

[Emeralds]

5 hours ago, Vanartus said:

Just realised the cinema live broadcast isn’t available outside of UK

☹️😩😫

@Vanartus- is there any chance you can fly back for one of the performances in May or on 1 June ?  Having seen the ballet on screen (TV and online, not cinema, but I was told it was the same recording as the first cinema relay) I think this ballet is much nicer in person and really worth the journey and cost if you are free and able to make it to ROH during the next few weeks. 

[Tattin]

Yes, I feel very frustrated that, once again, the cinema screening will only be available in the UK. This and the MacMillan triple bill were the performances I was most looking forward to seeing live-streamed.