Royal Ballet - La Bayadere, Spring 2013

[Bluebird]

Unusually, there's not a single London cinema listed.  Does anybody know if there are plans to show this performance in London at a later date?

[Beryl H]

I agree will all the comments about last night, what a great dancer and partner Matthew Golding is (I have the Don Q DVD so knew what to expect) Zenaida Yanovsky is such a pure, statuesque Nikiya, the first time I've seen here in this role, Itziar Mendizabal also rose to the occasion with great technical assurance in the difficult pdd, what a difference a really exciting Solor makes.

 

The audience was extra noisy during the scene change last night, but I've heard worse at the Coliseum!  I do find the rather dim lighting and gauze drop makes the Shades scene hard to see from further back, looking forward to seeing the Bolshoi's production without it (I hope).

[alison]

I certainly have my eye on him!!  It would be great if he moved to London....but I guess his wife would have to come too as she is a dancer with DNB.  They could do a Bonelli/Kobayashi!!

 

Couples have been known to manage the "commute" between the two cities before

 

Incidentally, in what way did the RB allow Matthew Golding to slip through their hands?

[alison]

Zenaida Yanovsky is such a pure, statuesque Nikiya, the first time I've seen here in this role

 

First time she's danced it, isn't it?  Certainly at the RB.

[Sim]

Alison, he studied at the RBS for a year or two.

[alison]

Ah, I did wonder.  Thanks.

[Bluebird]

First time she's danced it, isn't it?  Certainly at the RB.

 

I also thought it was her first time but, when I did a search I found that she'd done it in 2007.  Here's the review my search turned up:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2007/oct/17/dance

Edited May 2, 2013 by Bluebird

[annamk]

I'm less enthusiastic than others about last night. Matthew Golding has great elevation and delivered his solos at least as well as the RB men but I thought he wasn't an ideal partner for Zen. He's not tall enough for her so the partnering wasn't smooth and effortless and I don't feel they have very complimentary styles or looks. Understandable nerves on his part might account for the lack of warmth (& resulting lack of chemistry) in the Act 1 pdd.

I remember Zen's debut - she was as wonderful as Clement Crisp said :-

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/791b819c-7ddd-11dc-9f47-0000779fd2ac.html#axzz2S997ikIs

[alison]

Goodness, I have totally no memory of this   I stand corrected.

[JulieW]

Annmk - I was reading through all the comments before about Matthew Golding, thinking there must be something wrong with me because I didn't quite feel the same way about him, so I was glad when I got to your comment.  Back to that in a mo.....

 

Firstly - it was my first time seeing this ballet (other than YouTube clips!).  It's now up there in my top 5 I should think - wonderful costumes, lovely music etc.  I loved the Shades (am going to share a clip of them on our local dance school FB group as a lesson to the ballet students on being perfectly together).  My 18 year old daughter was with me and part way through the first act she did comment that she hoped there'd be more dancing soon as all there had been was a lot of arm waving.  (She was much happier later  )

 

Zen was fabulous as was our Gamzatti (sorry, hopeless with her name!) but that's the second time I've seen Matthew Golding and the second time I've been disappointed in his performance (Onegin last time).  He's a great ballet dancer, lovely jumps, turns, lines, but I don't "feel" anything from his performance - just a very "samey" expression throughout most of it and some of the partnering early on looked like it needed much more rehearsal (perhaps it did).  I agree that he wasn't really tall enough for her.  But all that said - I still really enjoyed it and would love to see it again with a different cast.

 

I'm pleased I saw James Hay as the Bronze Idol - he made a very good job of it (I usually like bigger male dancers in those types of roles - but that's personal preference!!)

 

(Did anyone else notice one of the girls - sorry memory's bad and I haven't got the cast sheet and I don't know the names of all the parts - the second "group" when there were four of them dancing - who seemed to be "doing her own thing" in that her leg was often at a different height to the others or was jumping at a different time?  It really irritated me, but my daughter didn't notice, so it was probably me being daft)

[Nina G.]

Julie W, you must be referring to the Pas d'Action in Act I Scene 3. 

 

The first group of four dancers on were Akane Takada, Yasmine Naghdi, Romany Pajdak and Maegan Grace Hinkis. 

The second group was Laura McCulloch, Nathalie Harrison, Melissa Hamilton and Claire Calvert.

I noticed that dancer too, you are not daft

 

Apart from jumping high and having fabulous turns, Golding left me cold too.

[Bruce Wall]

If the Royal Ballet were in the market for a dancing 'couple' to add a certain additional glamour to their already esteemed ranks .... I think money could not be better spent than on Leonid Sarafanov (a principal with the Mikhailovsky) and his beautiful wife - bringing a certain 'Julia Roberts' glow - Olesya Novikova, a soloist with the Mariinsky..  

 

 

Here you can see Sarafanov in LA BAYADERE with the Mariinsky (where he was formally resident).  If you pull through to 12.13 to 17.14 you can see him in an exquisite example of partnering in the opening segment of the Russian second act and between 25.48 to 26.50 in his most admirable solo variation as Solar.  He has feet that would rival Bujones. (Sadly, while fully admirable, that could not be said of Matthew Golding I think.)  Anyone who saw that Giselle with Sarafanov and those incredible 32 entrachat six at the Coliseum (quite the best I've ever seen - and that includes Baryishnikov) would know this - and would make him I feel the admirable partner of ANY RB ballerina.  Moreover he could do both the classical and contemporary work NO QUESTION.  This is someone who was born for Ashton in the Dowell adagio line mould.  

 

 

His stunning wife is seen here in a live taping of the rose adagio.  She is a fine actress/ballerina with a humane aura which radiates.  The feeling at the Coliseum in front of an audience who in large part did not know anything about her (no entrance applause for example) was, I felt, palpable by the end.  They rose as one in very well deserved cheers.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zAlq0V1i40

Edited May 2, 2013 by Meunier

[Tony Newcombe]

For anyone more interested in home grown talent, there is a wonderful chance to see to wonderful Gamzattis on Monday. Yuhui and Claire Calvert who made a superb debut this evening.

[alison]

Yuhui - home-grown?

[Nina G.]

For anyone more interested in home grown talent, there is a wonderful chance to see to wonderful Gamzattis on Monday. Yuhui and Claire Calvert who made a superb debut this evening.

Tony, you got that wrong Yuhui Choe is not a home grown talent (nevertheless she is a wonderful dancer!) but Claire Calvert did train at the RBS.

[Tony Newcombe]

Yuhui was taken on as a Prix de Lausanne winner and has spent her entire career with the Royal Ballet where she has developed into a wonderful dancer, so I personally think of her as a home grown talent

[JulieW]

Julie W, you must be referring to the Pas d'Action in Act I Scene 3. 

 

The first group of four dancers on were Akane Takada, Yasmine Naghdi, Romany Pajdak and Maegan Grace Hinkis. 

The second group was Laura McCulloch, Nathalie Harrison, Melissa Hamilton and Claire Calvert.

I noticed that dancer too, you are not daft

 

Apart from jumping high and having fabulous turns, Golding left me cold too.

 

Yes - that was the bit - thanks Nina and I'm glad you noticed too (I have a suspicion it was Melissa but only because I think she was blonde - lol   - didn't have my opera glasses with me!)

 

Wanted to add to my "review" that I was also slightly irritated by gauze screen - not so much for the Shades as I suppose it gives them a more "dreamy" feel, but I didn't like it there in the 3rd Act (although I realise they have it so they can do the special effects for the final scene - and it did save the orchestra from some of the dry ice!!)

[annamicro]

Matthew Golding has great elevation and delivered his solos at least as well as the RB men 

 

Really? I'm not sure about that...

But I think that his performance was good but not memorable and agree about the lack chemestry and thin characterisation.

All hypes seem to demonstrate that a large part of London audience instinctively carves good male dancers more than they are ready to admit or not even suspect.

 

The best of the show in my opinion were the ladies of the corps in the white act: amazingly precise.Yesterday night I saw them from the stall circle side and they were almost shocking: the ensamble was just perfect (they lost it just for few seconds)!!! Brave!

[annamicro]

 but that's the second time I've seen Matthew Golding and the second time I've been disappointed in his performance (Onegin last time).  

 

I didn't know he danced Onegin and I cannot imagine him in the role: where did he dance it?

[HPool]

Saw La Bayadere last night and thought the biggest applause of the night was well deservedly given to the corps in Act 2. Beautifully placed arabesques, perfectly timed and I just wanted the stage to never run out as they wound their way forwards. Alexander Campbell was also superb as the Bronze Idol.

[toursenlair]

I didn't know he danced Onegin and I cannot imagine him in the role: where did he dance it?

I'm pretty sure Golding has not danced Onegin.

[JulieW]

Oops - sorry - my mistake - it was Jason Reilly    OK - they're not exactly similar in looks  , but I felt the same about their dancing!!

[Nina G.]

Really? I'm not sure about that...

But I think that his performance was good but not memorable and agree about the lack chemestry and thin characterisation.

All hypes seem to demonstrate that a large part of London audience instinctively carves good male dancers more than they are ready to admit or not even suspect.

 

The best of the show in my opinion were the ladies of the corps in the white act: amazingly precise.Yesterday night I saw them from the stall circle side and they were almost shocking: the ensamble was just perfect (they lost it just for few seconds)!!! Brave!

I so agree! 

 

I went to see the Yanowsky/Golding cast on Tuesday. As you say it was the Corps de Ballet I found most impressive. I have never seen them so together and they deservedly got a huge applause, so long the orchestra resumed playing. 

 

FYI: last night's Bayadere was their 2nd performance that day, they also danced a School's Matinee so they can be forgiven losing it for a few seconds  

[Spax]

 

It was pretty abysmal at the Saturday matinee, certainly (several people in the amphitheatre tried to "shush" it). Seems to be an increasing proportion of the ballet-going crowd who think that it's fine to talk as long as the curtains are closed. Even Minkus doesn't deserve that fate

[Spax]

I went yesterday with my ds school to watch Royal class (Carlos, Marianela, Roberta. Lauren, Rupert, Thiago and so on was there) real treat for children. Then some other schools joined us to watch La Bayadere. It was like being in the pictures, crisps packets, talking, walking in and out when performance on. Nightmare!

[alison]

As you say it was the Corps de Ballet I found most impressive. I have never seen them so together and they deservedly got a huge applause, so long the orchestra resumed playing. 

 

I'm pleased to hear it.  When I saw them towards the beginning of the run, it wasn't one (or two) of their best performances.

 

I noticed a lack of unity among one of the sets of four girls last time I went, too, but I don't think the names were necessarily the same as those above.

 

BTW, Julie was irritated by the Act III gauze - that's changed at some time, hasn't it?  I think I remember a gauze that actually had 2D "boulders" attached to it - unless I'm confusing it with another production.  I don't have a copy of the Asylmuratova DVD, so can't check.

[JennyTaylor]

I went to see Thiago Soares/ Sarah Lamb / Clare Calvert last night and really enjoyed it.  Sarah Lamb at the top of her form  and Thiago was a romantic and dramatic Solor. Very interesting to see Clare Calvert as Gamzatti. I thought she did really well.

 

Top marks to the corps de ballet who worked their socks off. Was it 4 costume changes for some of them? The Kingdom of the Shades was the best I have seen so far this season- and Act 2 as a whole was a complete joy.

[billboyd]

I think last night's performance - Steven, Roberta, Yuhui....... - was about as good as it gets.

[jm365]

I couldn't agree more with the above comment!

[Tony Newcombe]

I agree. Marquez was outstanding. One of the finest interpretations of Nikaya that I have seen. Choe has grown into the role of Gamzatti and McRaes' first act solo received a tremendous reception from the audience

[jmhopton]

I was there too. it was a great performance; really wonderful. Seeing all the cast put their heart and soul into the ballet and perform the choreography so amazingly made me believe (perhaps for the first time) the Royal ballet can deliver a spectacular Don Q.

[Sim]

I also agree that last night's performance was one of the best I've seen. I loved Roberta's Nikiya with Bonelli on the opening night, but last night with her regular partner Steven McRae she took it to a different level. He was wonderful not only technically, but gave Solor a force of character not often seen. Yuhui Choe was excellent as Gamzatti, portraying her more as vulnerable than evil. I got the feeling in her beautifully danced third act solo that she was desperately begging Solor to love her, despite what she'd done. With another sublime performance from the Corps in Act 2, Valentino Zucchetti a brilliant Golden Idol and Eric Underwood and Gary Avis gracing the stage,  it made for a marvellous and moving night at the ballet.

[LinMM]

Can't wait now am going to see this next Tuesday (14th May) and have never managed to see the full length version before for some reason but feel I know some bits by heart from watching on YouTube....great to see for real now!