The Royal Ballet - Sleeping Beauty, Spring 2014

[bangorballetboy]

Then I would be grateful if the moderators could either "un-hide" it or explain to me the reason why they cannot as soon as may be convenient. Thank you

 

I am sure the moderator(s) who is/are dealing with this (not me) will act accordingly once they have finished their deliberation.

[Sim]

Lindsay, if someone reports something to us we then hide  the post that has been reported whilst we decide how to proceed.  We always explain our reasons as soon as we have them.  As most of us work we aren't all able to get onto the forum all the time, so sometimes these things take a little time.

[Lindsay]

Thank you Sim.  I understand which is why I only asked that it should be done as soon as is convenient.

[capybara]

At the Season Preview tonight, Matthew Golding mentioned that he is now dancing Sleeping Beauty with the person (Yuhui Choe) who won the Prix de Lausanne the year he came second.

[Nina G.]

He didn't know her by name?

[capybara]

He didn't know her by name?

No, he didn't mention her name!!!!!

[Ann Williams]

He probably wasn't sure how to pronounce it, Nina G - I'm told the correct way to pronounce Yuhui is 'Shooey'.

 

Not many people know that.

[billboyd]

Heard in context Matthew Golding's words were fine.

[bangorballetboy]

He probably wasn't sure how to pronounce it, Nina G - I'm told the correct way to pronounce Yuhui is 'Shooey'.

 

Not many people know that.

Not even Yuhui Choe, apparently.

[Anna C]

He probably wasn't sure how to pronounce it, Nina G - I'm told the correct way to pronounce Yuhui is 'Shooey'.

 

Not many people know that.

Yuhui's name is pronounced "Yu-fee".

[capybara]

It's fascinating how a post on here with one intention (in this case merely to convey what was an interesting fact) can develop in a way one hadn't anticipated. [This is just a comment, not a criticism!!!!!]

Edited April 4, 2014 by capybara

[mijosh]

Yuhui Choe has now been announced to replace Osipova in next Wednesday's last performance of Sleeping Beauty

[alison]

Disappointing, but hardly a surprise. I couldn't see her doing just the one after she'd missed the other two. But for those people who'd booked multiple Osipova performances, I can understand them not necessarily wanting to see the same replacement cast three times.

[aileen]

Thank goodness Osipova hasn't been cast in Winters Tale.

[alison]

I thought she was, actually, which was why I was expecting her not to make any of her Auroras. Then I checked the website a few days ago and realised I was wrong: I must have been confusing it with the new Marriott.

[Beryl H]

Glad it's been announced, I'm happy to see Yuhui Choe for a second time tonight, but can now hand in Wednesday's ticket, I would have been reluctant before.

[Don Q Fan]

Despite my pique over Osipovas no show and debacle over my comment about replacements I feel I have to comment about last night's perfomance, as not to would be an injustice. Yuhui Choe replaced Osipova last night. Probably one of the best Auroras I have seen. Her Rose Adagio was stellar and rocked the house with huge applause and cheering it was pretty special. The whole show was the perfect antedote to ENB in the afternoon. I think RB should be promoting Choe as her performance certainly outshone Nunez for example. Matthew Golding was ok but lacked the stage presence that Federico Bonelli had the other week and MG nearly dropped Choe in the third fish dive. Helen Crawford's Lilac Fairy was very untidy in one solo and generally lacked authority. Kristen McNally was a good Carabosse and white Cat lovely. Valentino Zucchetti was a flaboyant Bluebird again relishing all the jumps the role demands. Several of the dancers did 4 or 5 different roles the 2 catching my eye were Letitia Stock and Claudia Dean but there were lots of others doubling up on the roles...hats off to them. Although not on the cast sheet Melissa Hamilton appeared as one of Floristan's sisters who were cast as Stix-Brunell and Naghdi not sure who danced with Hamilton and Hristov. The orchestra was super....re the piano music remark someone made isn't that piece usually for a harp but I could see no harp in the pit?

Overall the performance was lovely and Choe excelled as Aurora....I am left wondering if Osipova had danced would she have been a match for Choe?!

[Bluebird]

 white Cat lovely...............................................  Although not on the cast sheet Melissa Hamilton appeared as one of Floristan's sisters who were cast as Stix-Brunell and Naghdi not sure who danced with Hamilton and Hristov. 

 

The White Cat last night was Elsa Goddard who has excelled in this role throughout the run.  Her comic timing is without equal and she's my favourite of all the White Cats I've seen over the years. I would add that she has served the Company consistently over the last 6 or 7 years and it's a pity she hasn't been given more opportunities.

 

As for Florestan and his sisters, the original castsheet listed Hristov, Harrod and Stix-Brunell. There was a cast slip to say that Yasmine Naghdi was replacing Lizzie Harrod but there was no indication that Melissa Hamilton would be replacing Beatriz Stix-Brunell.

 

Finally I would echo Don Q Fan's view of Yuhui Choe's Aurora - an outstanding performance.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Bluebird

[EM12]

I am going to take back everything i have said about Yuhui not being principal material.  Last night she was incredible!! Probably one of the best Rose Adagios i have seen. Yuhui definitely outshone some of the RB's current principals.

[aileen]

Well, I'm sorry that Osipova is injured but the silver lining is that Choe has been able to dance four (or is it five?) Auroras and has been able to relax into, and excel, in the role which non-principals rarely have an opportunity to do as they are only generally cast in one or at best two performances. Somewhere, someone has suggested that certain ballets should be retired for a period of time. Is it ridiculous to suggest that certain principal dancers should be retired from a run of a popular ballet such as Swan Lake or Sleeping Beauty to give other dancers a shot at the role in at least three performances?

[Nina G.]

This SB run has not been an easy one for the Management and dancers alike due to many injuries and illness. Some of the dancers have held this run together and they kept SB going, by standing in/taking over/replacing at short notice/dancing roles they'd barely rehearsed...I do feel sorry for the injured dancers but I congratulate those dancers who have worked twice or trice as hard, often dancing 4 if not 5 roles during one performance.

Well done to them, and to Miss Choe!

[FLOSS]

Some of the casting that we have had this season such as Hay and Hayward in Rhapsody and some of the casts announced for next season show that O'Hare is embarking on developing the company from within. If he continues with this policy then we must accept that not every principal,among those who are established in a particular role, will automatically be cast in every revival of a ballet and that indisposed principals will be replaced by dancers from the lower ranks of the company. I for one shall not complain if the replacements dance as well as Choe and Takada have done during this run of performances.

 

As far as last night's performance is concerned Don Q fan really has said all that needs to be said about it except that Matthew Golding appears to have a problem with the fish dives as something very similar happened during Cuthbertson's second Sleeping Beauty again with the third fish dive.

[alison]

I do feel sorry for the injured dancers but I congratulate those dancers who have worked twice or trice as hard, often dancing 4 if not 5 roles during one performance.

 

And also I imagine bouquets to the hardworking staff behind the scenes who have probably had to deal with quite a ridiculous number of quick costume changes!

[chrischris]

Yeah the physios at the opera house must be knackered at the moment.

[alison]

Overall the performance was lovely and Choe excelled as Aurora....I am left wondering if Osipova had danced would she have been a match for Choe?!

 

Glad you're converted, DQF - I've been wondering that as well, although I must admit that I'd never actually booked tickets for Osipova in the first place.

[Coated]

I think I've finally figured out why there were so many injuries. They decided to go for a live bear in the Winter's Tale which led to increased mauling incidents during rehearsals. It's the only thing that makes sense.

[LinMM]

I agree that Yuhui Choe was lovely as Aurora on sat night some really beautiful dancing from her and would definitely go to see her in the role again.

Leticia Stocks fairy variation stood out for me though all done well.

 

I haven't seen Beauty for a while now and I must say I'm not that keen on this production!! The only costumes I really liked were Aurora's and the ones for the Bluebird variations......but not many of the others and particularly not the Lilac Fairies one.

 

I'm also sure some choreography has been cut from the Vision scene and I found the introduction into this scene bit abrupt (not the dancing though!!) so the feel of it was a bit stark is the best word I think. But this is a production issue the dancing was lovely no probs with that.

I do see what people mean about the garland dance too ......it seems very sort of static to me and that lovely music too......wasted to a large degree.....definitely seen better versions of this!

In the final act in the end I had no idea who was dancing what used to be called Gold and Silver pas de trois that is the two girls. I thought it was supposed to be Stix -Brunell but then decided it wasn't her as the dancer looked too small for her but whoever it was put a lot of joy into it so a good performance and I assumed the other performer was Elizabeth Harrod but maybe it wasn't her after all either!!

Unfortunately didn't like the costumes for this either.

The Bluebird variations were done really well and at last I thought the costumes were quite nice for this!!

I was sitting in row B in the Amphi on sat and a very good view from there(haven't sat in Amphi for a while) just a bit of a nerve wracking walk down to the seat!! Good job there are bars to hold on to. Someone told me they haven't always been there........don't think I would have made it otherwise.......one of the not so good developments of the sixth decade!!

[Nina G.]

The "Gold and Silver" Pas de Trois you refer to is called "Floristan" pas de trois, and "...as the dancer looked too small for her but whoever it was put a lot of joy into it..." was Yasmine Naghdii. The other "sister" was danced by Melissa Hamilton. 

[LinMM]

Thankyou Nina G. I obviously didn't get one of those cast change slips.

 

I have seen Melissa Hamilton before but am not that familiar with her and didn't realise it was her. It was Yasmine then who looked the happier in her role in this pas de trois on this occasion.

[bangorballetboy]

I have seen Melissa Hamilton before but am not that familiar with her and didn't realise it was her.

 

It's possible that she was blonde the last time you saw her!

[aileen]

Melissa is quite a lot taller than Yasmine and in the pas de trois which I saw she was almost as tall as her male partner. I would guess that she is about 5'6 or 5'7 tall.

[A frog]

I don't think anyone's commented on one of the Roberta Marquez performances yet.

If yesterday was anything to go by, if she is being sidelined (and I still don't think she is), it would be an amazingly stupid decision from the management.

 

She was absolute classical perfection, amazing musicality. More than any other dancer in this run, you could actually see her dancing to the music. The only thing that could be construed as an exception were her balances during the Rose Adagio, by far the most confident and graceful I have seen this run, she was never in a rush to be supported by the next prince, holding the balances probably longer than she should have (the music got noticeably slower as it went along and Bennet Gartside decided to skip the last promenade as there was no time for it), but as it was the case for all of them (rather than just the last one as Akane Takada did) the overriding impression was grace and confidence instead of simply showing off (which it undoubtedly still was).

Ryoichi Hirano was a perfectly suited prince for her, and the pairing made for the first time act 2 managed to keep me fully drawn in from beginning to end.

I know some people on these boards sometimes lament how prevalent hyper-extensions are, well she didn't do any when they were uncalled for which overall kept the choreography and performance of one piece.

 

Rapid mentions of James Hay as Florestan and Hikaru Kobayashi as Florine should be added to single them out for praise.

 

The prologue was a bit too shabby for it to be my favourite performance this run (still Takada/Muntagirov), but it definitely ends the series on a high for me.

[Sim]

I agree with you, A Frog.  I haven't seen her Aurora this run, but a friend told me that in her first performance she was lovely, and that her Rose Adagio was the most confident and technically assured she'd seen (and she's seen all casts).  I think Marquez has had quite a patchy time of it here;  her much-vaunted partnership with Ivan Putrov turned sour, and then she was in the wilderness for a while, and now she has Steven McRae.  They are very well matched in all ways and you can see they get on very well both on and off stage, and have a good understanding.  She is my favourite Lise and my favourite Nikiya, and I also very much like her Juliet and her Giselle.  Oh, and Titania,of course.  In the past year she seems to have had a new awakening (like Aurora!) so I do hope to see more of her next year.