Emeralds Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 The long awaited Sarasota Ballet from Sarasota, Florida, led by former SWRB and RB dancers Iain Webb (as director) and Margaret Barbieri (as assistant director) since 2007, with its extensive repertoire of Ashton ballets, makes its Linbury Theatre debut tomorrow night on Tuesday 4 June 2024. Their 6 day residency (4-9 June) at the Linbury runs alongside appearances by five of their dancers alternating on the Main Stage in Ashton's Walk to the Paradise Garden as part of the Royal Ballet's The Dream/Short Works/Rhapsody mixed bill being danced during 7-22 June. Their visit kicks off a mega week of Ashton ballets at the Royal Opera House as part of the 19 day "limited edition" celebration of Ashton works by the Royal Ballet from 4 to 22 June. A warm welcome to our American visitors and let the celebrations begin! 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 3 Author Share Posted June 3 (edited) Just a summary of SB info in one place (although you probably won't need it if very organised!) Tue 4th and Wed 5th 7.45pm, Sat 8th 2pm: Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Dante Sonata, Sinfonietta (Running time approx 1h 40min, including 2 intervals) Thu 6th and Fri 7th 7.45pm, Sun 9th 2pm: Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Divertissements: Friday's Child from Jazz Calendar, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Pas de cinq from Illuminations, La Chatte, Balcony pas de deux from Ashton's Romeo and Juliet, Facade (Running time approx 1h 45 min including 2 intervals) Sat 8th 7.45pm Gala: Valses Nobles et Sentimentales (Sarasota Ballet), Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Vadim Muntagirov), Varii Capricci (Sarasota Ballet) Facade (Lauren Cuthbertson, Anna Rose O'Sullivan, Gary Avis with dancers of Sarasota Ballet) (Running time approx 1h 35min including 2 intervals) There are currently a few returns for the 4th, 5th and 6th only, but ticket availability does change quickly. Casting and programme may also be subject to changes. (Casting and divertissement list from Gramilano listing). Looking forward to reviews, reactions or photos from members of the performances! Edited June 3 by Emeralds 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 I do wish they’d think to do cinema broadcasts of visiting companies….a short flying visit & limited performances (& then most of those in smaller Linbury theatre) mean very many like me who’d have loved to see Sarasota will sadly completely miss out 😢 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 4 Author Share Posted June 4 (edited) 15 hours ago, Peanut68 said: I do wish they’d think to do cinema broadcasts of visiting companies….a short flying visit & limited performances (& then most of those in smaller Linbury theatre) mean very many like me who’d have loved to see Sarasota will sadly completely miss out 😢 I do sympathise- with companies from abroad and complicated streaming fees/rights/foreign taxes and laws etc involved, it has pretty much never been done that I know of . The only exceptions I can think of were not streamed but filmed: New York City Ballet filmed dancing mixed bills on tour in Paris and (much earlier) in Montreal for tv and DVD, Bolshoi Ballet filmed in Paris in Spartacus with Carlos Acosta as a guest star for DVD, and Pacific Northwest Ballet in Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream while on tour at Sadler's Wells for BBC. SkyArts and DVD (Opus Arte, who also produce the ROH DVDs). I've not yet seen an instance of a foreign ballet company's performance live streaming in cinemas or online (paid streaming) here or in any country but would be curious to know if anyone else has. The problem is that the various fees, red tape, etc would be so extensive and expensive that it might cost as much as £40 or more to attend the cinema relay....so much so that you're better off travelling to see them in London! In the case of Sarasota Ballet, people in the know are aware this is a brilliant little company and worth seeing, but they don't have the pull of a big name like Royal Ballet or New York City Ballet so there are not going to be as many booking for it as, say RB in Nutcracker or Romeo and Juliet. Even a Bolshoi Ballet cinema relay of Raymonda in our local cinema 6 years ago (usually sold out for RB Nutcracker or Swan Lake relays) drew only about 10 people in a big auditorium. For Ashton mixed bills , unfortunately, not gonna happen. I think with their success at the box office, it's likely Sarasota Ballet will be invited back- to the Linbury (or Sadler's Wells, which I think will be a good fit). Hopefully you can catch three or five of their dancers in Walk to the Paradise Garden on 18, 21, 22 matinee or 22 evening in June (if you can't make it on the 7th). Edited June 4 by Emeralds 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 Round here, the only thing that cinemas have used recently was Swan Lake - nothing else. Presumably they know their market? If the RB Winter's Tale is not thought an adequate draw, then I fear fat chance with Sarasota Ballet. More's the pity. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke H Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 Posted this in the RB Ashton thread too, but the kudos really belong here: A very lovely touch of Sarasota Ballet handing out programme books after tonight's show. So many lovely pictures (past and present) and tons of information on the ballets' composers, designers and the pieces themselves. 82 pages and not a single ad in sight 💗 13 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 1 minute ago, Silke H said: A very lovely touch of Sarasota Ballet handing out programme books after tonight's show. So many lovely pictures (past and present) and tons of information on the ballets' composers, designers and the pieces themselves. 82 pages and not a single ad in sight 💗 Very classy! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 Oh, I missed that I did see one woman had one, but simply assumed she was some sort of American Superfriend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 What a lovely opening night for Sarasota Ballet, although I think I would have been rather anxious to be dancing infront of an audience including some of the famous faces of the Royal Ballet past... To name a few in attendance, Sir Peter Wright, Dame Monica Mason, Dame Darcey Bussell, Carlos Acosta (CBE if I am going to list such accolades), Christopher Powney of the Royal Ballet School, Zenaida Yanowsky, Wayne Eagling and some older faces too... The evening opened with Valses Nobles et Sentimentales with ladies in soft, pink, romantic style skirts, hair in half up do's worthy of a prom and men in rich red velvet tunics, striking a note of opulence and glamour. Dancing was elegant, but I wonder if, to quote a programme note, this was 'Ashton, American style' with a slight lacking of the anticipated epaulement. Next came Dante Sonata, which seemed to channel something of Isadora Duncan, sans floaty scarves, was a powerful non-narrative ballet simply conveying a battle between light and darkness. The men's costumes representing darkness consisted of nude shorts and a black cord wrapped down one arm, across the body and down the opposite leg. Finally was Sinfonietta, which I will probably remember as 'the skullcap ballet'. I'm not quite sure what the purpose of the head gear was in movements 1 and 3. The costume story was rather disjoined - tunics with brightly coloured stripes for 1 and 3, but silvery grey all-in-ones, Monotones style (which was mirrored choreographically). From a dance perspective, movement 1 was quite sprightly with lots of tight footwork, movement 2 was an elegy, mostly to 'noise' not music which involved a spectacular array of lifts, movement 3 was back in the look and feel of the first movement and musically was described as a tarantella, so again quite perky (and thankfully musical). It was fabulous to see the dancing so close up, although row H (which unexpectedly came after row E) is still a little bit too close to the action. Dancers of note were principals Jessica Assef and Ricardo Rhodes in Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Jennifer Hackbarth in Dante Sonata and the second movement of Sinfonietta which she spend mostly in challenging lifts and Ricardo Rhodes again for movement 3 of Sinfonietta. It's hard to name some of the wider cast without knowing them better... Attendees were gifted a beautiful commemorative programme as we left which covers company history, information on Sir Fred and an overview of all of the ballets in their London visit. I had the pleasure of meeting one of the younger dancer's dads before the performance and understand that some parents have struggled to get tickets, so please return if you can't attend (there were a few seats empty tonight which had been sold). I also wonder for those Friends with tickets they can't use, whether gifting them to the parents via the company could be an option - many are planning to attend every Sarasota performance leaving no room for the main house other than daytime. 11 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 1 minute ago, Blossom said: Dancing was elegant, but I wonder if, to quote a programme note, this was 'Ashton, American style' with a slight lacking of the anticipated epaulement. Depends on which dancers you were watching, I think. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 (edited) Just got home from this. A few, not well formed, thoughts. Valses Noble et Sentimentales reminded me of a Balanchine work. Very lyrical and easy to watch. Dante Sonata made me think of black & white silent films of the 1920's, Good versus Evil, Christian imagery, a bit like Expressionist films. At first I was surprised that it was choreographed as late as 1940. Then the penny dropped. This was in the early years of World War II. Sinfonietta is in 3 movements. The 2nd movement made me think of Symphonic Variations or Monotones, especially the costumes. To my eyes, there was a disparity between the costumes for the 1st and 3rd movements and the costumes for the 2nd. Almost as if they had been designed for different ballets. I liked the costumes for the 1st and 3rd movements. However, please throw way the black headpieces. When I first noticed it, I thought the dancer had a toupee. I don't remember seeing male dancers so uniformly well-barbered, all with short back & sides. Is there a company barber? Great teeth. Is there a company dentist? Wonderful performances from a very even company. I remember Monica Mason remarking that dancers were faster in her day. The company coped well - but many would have struggled with Sinfonietta. Unfortunately the Linbury stage is a bit small for these works and sometimes the work looked cramped. I suppose they were first performed at the old Sadler's Well Theatre? I have just bought another ticket. I want to see more of this. How commercial would the pieces be now? Not sure - but shouldn't the Royal Ballet be a home for these heritage pieces? Edited June 4 by Henry 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 What a memorable evening! As Blossom has said, lots of star-spotting in the foyer and a real sense that this was an exciting and much anticipated event. And it was really thrilling seeing these unfamiliar Ashton works and relishing the varied and imaginative choreography. But also wondering: why is it a visiting company who is showing us these works from our founder choreographer? Why does the RB not perform them? They were all fascinating and richly creative and I would love to see all of them regularly. And very interesting thinking about their places in Ashton's timeline. Valses nobles et sentimentales created in 1947, the year before both Scènes de Ballet and Cinderella, and (I think) the year after Symphonic Variations. So Ashton moved from simple, almost sculptural movement to the rose blossom romanticism of Valse and then to the sharp lines of Scènes, and then Cinderella which incorporates all those elements. He was really on fire post-war!! Then Dante Sonata, created during the war and very influenced by modern dance but still individual and really powerful and effective. And Sinfonietta, created in 1967 and in parts prefiguring Monotones but also full of fast, entertaining classical steps and with a quirky sense of humour. The dancers were excellent throughout and got a great reception. And the beautiful (free) programme book was a lovely surprise and I will treasure it. I managed to say a quick thank you to Iain Webb after the show - he was surrounded by enthusiastic audience members and he must have been very pleased with how it all went. A triumphant evening, for him, for the company and above all for Ashton. 23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 Why does the RB not perform them? I know, as Henry says, that the Linbury stage is a bit cramped, but would they have been lost on the (now larger) ROH main stage? I'm aware that the last time I saw the two works I'd seen previously, it was at Sadler's Wells (old and "new") in each case, so a smaller stage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 In setting out her list of celebrities seen in the audience, Blossom failed to mentioned Doreen Wells, now a glamorous 86 years old, for whom Ashton created the leading role in Sinfonietta, the "Monotones" ballerina carried aloft in the second movement (Elegy) by 5 cavaliers. She danced the role at the premiere in 1967 and was still dancing it in the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet revival of 1981. Ashton created the virtuoso role in the third movement (Tarantella) for a 20 year old soloist, David Wall, who would be promoted to principal at the end of the season. 14 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNC Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Lovely reviews, very excited to see this tonight. I do hope the programme isn’t just a first night thing…I’d happily pay for one! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 7 hours ago, alison said: Why does the RB not perform them? I know, as Henry says, that the Linbury stage is a bit cramped, but would they have been lost on the (now larger) ROH main stage? I'm aware that the last time I saw the two works I'd seen previously, it was at Sadler's Wells (old and "new") in each case, so a smaller stage. I never really understand the argument about stage size which is often put forward as a reason for not featuring certain works at ROH - because after all we do see plenty of pas de deux on the stage in which attention is certainly not lost and the dancers are certainly not 'lost' either, and we also see many smaller ballets focusing mostly on 2-6 dancers....why not? Then if this is such an issue I wonder why the Isadora Duncan piece always seems to feature when we do get some Ashton short works, it being just one dancer. I have seen this several times over the years - it is interesting but, to be honest I could happily live without seeing it again and the Sarasota repertoire does seem more generally appealing. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 True. Maybe then it's also a question of house size in general? I know that I felt that both Las Hermanas and The Rake's Progress would be seen better in a smaller venue. Neither are Ashton, admittedly, but they are two ballets which came to mind. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 9 hours ago, alison said: Why does the RB not perform them? I know, as Henry says, that the Linbury stage is a bit cramped, but would they have been lost on the (now larger) ROH main stage? I'm aware that the last time I saw the two works I'd seen previously, it was at Sadler's Wells (old and "new") in each case, so a smaller stage. I think whichever Artistic Director and Board members at the time perceive it as too risky (in terms of audience members being interested) or not liking the ballets themselves is the answer. They have no problem giving the green light to Monotones I & II or Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan which are also small works with a tiny cast and equally niche appeal. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 To be honest if they never show certain works how do they know whether they will be liked by the public or not!! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 (edited) 2 hours ago, alison said: True. Maybe then it's also a question of house size in general? I know that I felt that both Las Hermanas and The Rake's Progress would be seen better in a smaller venue. Neither are Ashton, admittedly, but they are two ballets which came to mind. The reverse I think is also true. For example, they do some Balanchine works which are simply too large (as rendered by the stagings that are employed) for the intimate ROH - sorry RBO - space. There are so, SO many works that would be more appropriate. Some they do (or once did) like Apollo, Four Temperaments, Prodigal Son, Agon, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Ballo, Liebeslieder for example - but what of things like Allegro Brilliante, Square Dance, Valse Fantasie, Donizetti Variations, Raymonda Variations, etc. (and endlessly on) that would be so, SO much MORE appropriate. Edited June 5 by Bruce Wall 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 1 hour ago, Bruce Wall said: The reverse I think is also true. For example, they do some Balanchine works which are simply too large (as rendered by the stagings that are employed) for the intimate ROH - sorry RBO - space. Funny you say that, as the stage of the David H. Koch Theater is only marginally larger than that of the ROH (yes, ROH). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 13 hours ago, Blossom said: What a lovely opening night for Sarasota Ballet, although I think I would have been rather anxious to be dancing infront of an audience including some of the famous faces of the Royal Ballet past... To name a few in attendance, Sir Peter Wright, Dame Monica Mason, Dame Darcey Bussell, Carlos Acosta (CBE if I am going to list such accolades), Christopher Powney of the Royal Ballet School, Zenaida Yanowsky, Wayne Eagling and some older faces too... Oh, I am so envious. I was supposed to see last night's performance but I'm stuck at home with a heavy cold. I've just had to give up my ticket for tomorrow night & am busy praying that I might be recovered in time for Saturday. I will be so disappointed if I end up not being able to see Sarasota at all, having been looking forward to seeing them since the first visit announcement nearly a year ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 2 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Oh, I am so envious. I was supposed to see last night's performance but I'm stuck at home with a heavy cold. I've just had to give up my ticket for tomorrow night & am busy praying that I might be recovered in time for Saturday. I will be so disappointed if I end up not being able to see Sarasota at all, having been looking forward to seeing them since the first visit announcement nearly a year ago. Oh no. Feel better very soon Dawnstar, and definitely in time for Saturday. Keeping everything crossed for you. xx 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 3 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Oh, I am so envious. I was supposed to see last night's performance but I'm stuck at home with a heavy cold. I've just had to give up my ticket for tomorrow night & am busy praying that I might be recovered in time for Saturday. I will be so disappointed if I end up not being able to see Sarasota at all, having been looking forward to seeing them since the first visit announcement nearly a year ago. I'm so sorry Dawnstar. I can sympathize as I started with stomach ache and a temperature last night and I'm hoping I'll be Ok for travel tomorrow for my 3 nights. However, seem better today so I'm crossing everything for travel tomorrow and Sarasota Sat and Sun. Let's hope we both make it! 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 @jmhopton Oh dear. I hope you recover in time. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 18 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Oh, I am so envious. I was supposed to see last night's performance but I'm stuck at home with a heavy cold. I've just had to give up my ticket for tomorrow night & am busy praying that I might be recovered in time for Saturday. I will be so disappointed if I end up not being able to see Sarasota at all, having been looking forward to seeing them since the first visit announcement nearly a year ago. Hope you get better soon - a lot is going around at the moment! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 5 minutes ago, Blossom said: Hope you get better soon - a lot is going around at the moment! It feels like at this time of year there should be fewer germs around but clearly not. The last time I was ill was also in June, 2 years ago (that one stopped me from seeing LWFC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 There are a lot of bugs around at the moment Dawnstar but thankfully many of them are of a shorter duration so hopefully you and jmhopton will be able to make your next planned visits to the ROH. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 @Scheherezade I'm on day 5, having started symptoms only a couple of hours afer getting home from NB's R&J on Friday night, so if this is shorter duration then I don't want to meet a longer duration bug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 46 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: @Scheherezade I'm on day 5, having started symptoms only a couple of hours afer getting home from NB's R&J on Friday night, so if this is shorter duration then I don't want to meet a longer duration bug! Oh no! But logic says if you’re 5 days in already, you have to be well enough come Saturday! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 3 hours ago, bangorballetboy said: Funny you say that, as the stage of the David H. Koch Theater is only marginally larger than that of the ROH (yes, ROH). I must say that based on remarks here I was expecting the stage there (which I viewed several times from several vantage points last week) to be bigger than it was. I didn't perceive any real difference between the two in terms of size and on looking it up found that the difference isn't that great. Perhaps as one gets used to it it becomes more apparent, or maybe it's a trick of the greater height of the ROH stage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 Wishing you both a speedy (literally, as the a) SB visit is short, b) no fun to be ill) recovery, @Dawnstar and @jmhopton. Lots of sleep, fluids (but avoid tea and coffee, which seem to prolong symptoms in many people) and if you can manage, more protein in your diet till you are recovered. Might you consider Sunday matinee for the Diverts programme if you recover in time for Sat but not Fri, Dawnstar - have the train services gone back to normal for your route? My route has just started work this weekend; I can get to another station though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 (edited) 6 hours ago, Bruce Wall said: The reverse I think is also true. For example, they do some Balanchine works which are simply too large (as rendered by the stagings that are employed) for the intimate ROH - sorry RBO - space. There are so, SO many works that would be more appropriate. Some they do (or once did) like Apollo, Four Temperaments, Prodigal Son, Agon, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Ballo, Liebeslieder for example - but what of things like Allegro Brilliante, Square Dance, Valse Fantasie, Donizetti Variations, Raymonda Variations, etc. (and endlessly on) that would be so, SO much MORE appropriate. Looks like they gave up on Liebeslieder Walzer after 1979! Did you mean Agon and Stravinsky Violin Concerto are too big for ROH or do you mean they aren't staged very often, Bruce- they seem to be a good fit for ROH Main Stage. Would love to see Donizetti Variations and Square Dance danced by RB on the ROH Stage. La Source too. And now, back to Ashton and Sarasota Ballet. 😀 🎭 🎶 Edited June 5 by Emeralds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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