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The Royal Ballet's Don Quixote, 2013


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Ah ha, so the gypsy was Thomas Whitehead - he's a bit lovely ;-)

 

I'm so pleased I went to see it - I was quite astonished at how wonderful Marianela looked (I like her every time I see her dance but she just looked so "joyful" in this)

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I saw it last night and it was absolutely phenomenal. I went with all the other student ambassadors, and each of us left on such a high and were all blown away. Steven Mcrae definitely made the performance, and he delivered in every way possible. Akane Takada was also wonderful, however i couldn't help think by watching Laura Morera dance that she would've been perfectly suited to the role. As Kitri's friends, I found that Yasmine Naghdi completely stole the limelight from Romany Pajdak (who was also very good, but just not AS good), and the last mention I have to make is to Anna Rose O'Sullivan, who was quite charming and definitely one to watch.

 

As never having seen Don Quixote live before, and knowing that the Royal Ballet has failed so many times in bringing it to the stage, I didn't have very high expectations, but I fell in love with it. Not only is it such a happy ballet, but I found the choreography breathtaking. I really hope that this production lasts a long time!

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I went last night too, and fall more in love with the ballet, every time I see it.  Not difficult as Steven McRae put in yet another phenomenal performance, plus perfect supporting cast.  Ryoichi Hirano and Laura Morera just fabulous. It is really important to have really strong people in those parts. I would have loved to see Laura as Kitri - I feel she is made for the part.

 

I also met my new found Ballet Co friends at the intervals again. Thank you! It's great to talk to people who have seen all the performances (I wish) and spot certain differences in each cast. Or even differences in the same cast.  We also commented, that although one might always want to book for the first night, actually, it gets better when the cast beds in.  Marienela and Carlos are a classic case. 3rd time round on Wednesday, was SO much better  I'm feeling quite sad about some of the critics' sniffy comments after the opening. I read the ballet piece in the Telegraph today ... and it made some grudging comments about Carlos being past his best as a dancer but a fun production. 

 

Sorry, but bring yourself up to date.  All performances sold out, Carlos and Marianela rocked all round the country on Wednesday,  and come and see the reaction to the performances at the ROH every night.

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On repeated viewing (opening night, cinema relay and Friday night), I definitely think this Don Q is "a keeper" (as all the reviews seemed to put it). So much fun, and the company seems to have really relaxed into the production making it more fun and joyous. I will certainly be getting tickets for future runs, especially if put in the Autumn as an antidote to a cold and wet October!

 

The cinema relay was fantastic - all the dancing was superb but, for me, Nunez absolutely stole the show. Between her flawless technique and her cheeky grin she was sheer perfection. If it is indeed released on DVD next year I shall be first in line, if not just to watch her three variations on repeat. She has truly cemented her status as a ballet superstar.

 

I was also very impressed with Takada on Friday night, especially in Act I and III. Her castanet variation had all the vim and vigour you could ask for - and even from the Amphi you could tell she was enjoying every second. McRae's Basilio was exactly as I had hoped - bright, cheeky and virtousic! Two parts worth mentioning - the first one-handed lift in Act I must have lasted for around 15 seconds, truly unbelievable and resulting in a stunned silence throughout the auditorium. Secondly, McRae's Act III variation was astonishing - instead of finishing with the diagonal of tours, he did a string of (7, I think?) double tours to pirouettes (from 5th), finishing with a split leap mid-tour en l'air. I actually gasped at the final jump - truly thrilling and nice to see him be given the freedom to make the variation play to his strengths. Hugely inspirational, although I don't think I'll be attempting that particular sequence any time soon. Much of the other principal casting was the same as the Acosta/Nunez cast and they were as brilliant as the other performances. Mention should go to the new (to me) castings of Kitri's friends (Naghdi/Pajdak), Queen of the Dryads (Choe) and Cupid (O'Sullivan) who all gave fantastic performances.

 

I wonder if any critics saw the production later in its run? It would be interesting to see whether their thoughts have changed...

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Both casts I've seen extended that overhead lift ("oh look - a "Bolshoi" lift!"), to the detriment of the music, I felt.  I have mixed feelings about that: yes, I know it's a showstopper, but it also kills the momentum of the music stone dead, in my opinion.  I know it's "only Minkus", but even so ...

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Both casts I've seen extended that overhead lift ("oh look - a "Bolshoi" lift!"), to the detriment of the music, I felt.  I have mixed feelings about that: yes, I know it's a showstopper, but it also kills the momentum of the music stone dead, in my opinion.  I know it's "only Minkus", but even so ...

McRae's lift on Friday was particularly egregious and egocentric.It became ludicrous and sadly very typical of his tendancy to show off.

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McRae's lift on Friday was particularly egregious and egocentric.It became ludicrous and sadly very typical of his tendancy to show off.

 

No worse than Ivan Vasiliev. In fact, if I recall rightly, the latter holds the lift longer and in arabesque on half point too!

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 Secondly, McRae's Act III variation was astonishing - instead of finishing with the diagonal of tours, he did a string of (7, I think?) double tours to pirouettes (from 5th), finishing with a split leap mid-tour en l'air....

 

The sequence of double tours/pirouettes at the conclusion of the Act III variation for Basilio used to be performed by the great Vladimir Vasiliev. More recently I remember seeing Inaki Urlezaga perform them in a diverts programme when he was still with the RB. I guess that this sequence is an established option for the male dancer with the necessary technique and stamina.

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No worse than Ivan Vasiliev. In fact, if I recall rightly, the latter holds the lift longer and in arabesque on half point too!

 

Yes, but of course that's a Bolshoi Don Q.  It's supposed to be OTT :)  This one is supposed to be tailored more to RB style, I thought?

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Since nobody has reported on last night, I will do so briefly. I can't allow Fumi Kaneko's debut to go unnoticed.  I thought that her Kitri was quite gorgeous and that she had great chemistry with her characterful Basilio, Thiago Soares.  In their final pas de deux she seemed particularly radiant.  To my eyes she just glowed!  

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Tonight's performance was the best of the three which I have seen. Carlos doesn't have as much power as some younger dancers but he has the right style and charisma for the role and he had great chemistry with Marienela who sparkled as Kitri. I do think that Kitri's first entrance is a bit lame and should be changed. Generally, the first Act was much livelier, but I was still unconvinced by the torreadors. I don't know whether the casting was wrong or whether the capes hampered the dancers. I thought that Philip Moseley was brilliant as Pancho Sanza, but all the 'character roles' were very well done tonight and the audience laughed more than they had done at the other performances. Ryochi received huge applause for his solo in Act 3. The audience didn't applaud madly throughout but there was very prolonged applause at curtain call when Carlos and Marienela, looking very happy, acknowledged each other and the audience warmly, which was nice to see. I wonder whether Carlos will dance this again when it comes back to the ROH. I thonk that Marienela is the definitive Kitri in the Royal Ballet style.

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Since nobody has reported on last night, I will do so briefly. I can't allow Fumi Kaneko's debut to go unnoticed.  I thought that her Kitri was quite gorgeous and that she had great chemistry with her characterful Basilio, Thiago Soares.  In their final pas de deux she seemed particularly radiant.  To my eyes she just glowed!  

 

 

And the grand thing is, Fumi will be even better next time, now that first time nerves dissipated. Definitely one to watch, as her career blossoms.

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I too thought Fumi Kaneko was lovely on Friday, she got noticeably more relaxed after act 1, the one-hand lifts were excellent, especially the second one, Thiago Soares is such a secure partner and his dancing was very stylish, by the last pdd they looked really happy and pulled off some great dancing, a feelgood evening!

 

Last night was another happy one, what can I say about Marienela Nunez and Carlos Acosta except they seemed even more radiant than usual, and Ryoichi Hirano rightly got an ecstatic reception for his Espada, Johannes Stepanek was good on Friday but there's only really one Espada. 

 

I've never seen a ballet that produces so many thrills and spills, last night it was Yuhui Choe's turn to slip, she was replaced in the last act by Akane Takada, shouldn't think it was serious. I thought the toreadors looked more cautious again last night, compared to Friday.

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I'm glad Fumi Kaneko is doing so well then. I hadn't a clue who she was until I really noticed her in Symphony in C and thought she had a sort of radiance about her then.

 

I shall have to miss this round of Don Q as my last chance would have been yesterday but not possible unfortunately. I really hope they will do it again next season anyway.

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I hope that Beryl H is correct and that Yukui didn't sustain a serious injury last night. After the slip I was sure she had injured herself as she went off stage for a while and then stood half in the wings until she danced again. Ryoichi certainly deserved the applause both after his solo and at the curtain calls for his performance as Espada.  

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They weren't using the cobbled floor, though, were they? I assume that this has been abandoned. It does seem strange that there have been so many slips and falls in the performances of this production.

 

Lsst night I really noticed how much Kitri's friends' dresses (lilac) clashed with their torreador partners' outfits (red and gold). They aren't a good colour for this production anyway and should be changed. I also thought that it was confusing that Mercedes' dress and the Gypsy Queen's dresses were so similar in colour and design.

 

Last night I thought that some of the pointe shoes (Melissa's and someone else's) were very loud, even in the Amphitheatre.

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Last night I thought that some of the pointe shoes (Melissa's and someone else's) were very loud, even in the Amphitheatre.

The ROH acoustic is very strange.  Sounds are often louder in parts of the amphitheatre than they are in the lower areas of the House.  The Makarova production of The Sleeping Beauty had a child Cupid who blew a kiss to demonstrate to the Prince how he should wake Aurora.  I always remember that kiss sounding really loud even in row V of the amphitheatre.  Indeed, it was so loud that I assumed that the House used some sort of amplification but, when I later went on a tour of the House, I was assured that amplification is never used for Royal Ballet or Royal Opera performances.

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Perhaps the more frequest slips are happening because the ballet is more physical than the Royal dancers are used to and they are trying to give in their all in height of leaps, speed of jumps etc?

 

Also I agree that Kitri's entrance should be more spectacular. In the Bolshoi version the music almost stops and everyone is facing upstage and then Kitri explodes onto the scene with a series of those spectacualr backbreaking leaps. In the Royal's production she almost sidles on downstage and give a little hop; very ineffective. Bayadere is similar. In the Bolshoi version Solor jetes on from upstage, covering the stage in 2 or 3 massive leaps. In the Royal version he just comes on downstage with a little hop.

 

Still love the new Royal production of Don Q though and can't wait to see it again next season. However, as the BBC are trying to rediscover their cultural roots an outing on Christmas tv would be very welcome, Lord Hall!!!!

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I was dying to know how Fumi did on her Kitri debut--and am grateful to learn that she did wonderfully. I have never had a chance to see her live but even from the photos I can tell that she is wearing this VERY special aura... Fumi is radiant and sophisticated--yet has warmth which invites people in. In my opinion, she is the most graceful, elegant and charismatic of all the current RH Japan-born female dancers.

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 Fumi is radiant and sophisticated--yet has warmth which invites people in. In my opinion, she is the most graceful, elegant and charismatic of all the current RH Japan-born female dancers.

 

I'd say:

Fumi is radiant and sophisticated--yet has warmth which invites people in. In my opinion, she is the one of the most graceful, elegant and charismatic of all the current RB female dancers.

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Yes, she certainly has something.  I don't usually pay great attention to the corps de ballet as individuals, but I think in her case I was asking who the new Japanese dancer was within days of her starting to perform with the company, so that must say something!

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