zxDaveM Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 The Royal Ballet starts its run of R&Js today, with Johan Kobborg and Alina Cojocaru making a very welcome return to the Covent Garden stage in the lead roles. I have to wait until their performance on Wednesday evening to see them. Me too! Think I'm just about within telescope range! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretN7 Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 . The role of Paris - dear oh dear oh dear. Stepanek was awful - charisma bypass and awkward lifting - bottom sticking out and totally plodding movement - almost laughable. I particularly liked the three harlots - from the distance of the balcony their steps were really well defined. Altogether a smashing performance with the emotional 'fix' I always wish for. But then, I thought Stepanek was brilliant as Paris, really into the character. It takes all sorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 But then, I thought Stepanek was brilliant as Paris, really into the character. It takes all sorts. Me too, I thought Stepanek's Paris was very well judged. To my eyes Alina Cojocaru in Act 3 gave one of those very rare, most memorable performances that you can wait a long time for and that make you feel fresh & powerful emotion in a work you thought you had grown tired of. I thought she was absolutely phenomenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebell Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I completely agree with you too on both counts annamk!! I thought that Stepanek was superb in his portrayal of Paris! But as for Alina...words failed me after her outstanding performance! What an incredible dancer and actress she is-just marvellous. I have seen R and J many times in the last 20 years and many companies but Saturdays performance has to be one of the most memorable for me. Just need to add that I felt the orchestra were in my opinion particularly good on Saturday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebell Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I forgot to say that not only was the performance worth every penny I spent on it but also the 4 and a bit hours I sat in front of the computer in October waiting in the ROH virtual queue to book the tickets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Just need to add that I felt the orchestra were in my opinion particularly good on Saturday! They seemed to appreciate Barry Wordsworth being back in the pit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 I thought the company generally looked fresh and pleased to be back on stage, too. (And I too liked Stepanek's Paris). I also agreed with comments elsewhere that the fight between Tybalt and Romeo looked particularly fierce - but then it did the first time Kobborg ever danced the role, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 James Hay has tweeted that he is debuting as Benvolio on Thursday and lead mandolin on Saturday evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 That's great news for him. Sorry I shan't be able to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 (edited) The RoH website is now showing Ed Watson (replacing originally cast Rupert Pennefather) as Romeo opposite Melissa Hamilton's Juliet (her debut) in the matinee this Sat 10th March. Edited March 7, 2012 by annamk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 Oh. That was unexpected. I hope that wasn't too last-minute a cast change: that's not the sort of thing you want for your debut. Thanks for alerting us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 R&J last night (with Alina/Johan) was magnificent. Though some 'liberties' taken with the choreography, i'm sure MacMillan would have approved, as it added to the emotional mangling we took from such a performance. They used the steps as a pure vehical for the story telling and dragging out of us all, the sensations and feelings of love's abandonment. Superb! The rest of the cast rose to the occasion too - Kristen McNally a playful, vibrant 'harlot' for example - the brooding, spite-ridden Tybalt magnificently played and fenced by Ben Gartside, the teasing, acrobatic Mercutio from late sub Alexander Campbell was a joy, then a sorrow in his protracted death; some of the townsfolk I wouldn't want to get into a fight with! And Olivia Cowley did a mean 'Purple Haze' air guitar on the spare mandolin too! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidW Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I wish I could have seen Alina & Johan last night - I saw them on Saturday and their performance truly moved me. Every step they made added to the story and their Act III moved me to tears. The moment where Alina realises Johan is dead and tries to lift him for a final dance broke my heart. A stunning performance I will not forget for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijosh Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Edward Watson is replacing the injured Rupert Pennefather as partner to the debuting Melissa Hamilton at this Saturday's matinee of Romeo & Juliet.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I approached Romeo and Juliet last night really as a chance to see Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg, but found myself appreciating the ballet more than I have done for a long time, it felt so fresh and exciting. Alina and Johan gave marvellous peformances that I will remember alongside their Manon and Mayerling, they went beyond emotional to almost spiritual, I also really believed in Bennet Gartside, Johannes Stepanek and Alexander Campbell (didn't get a cast change list so was surprised to see him) and Valentino Zuchetti in the mandolin dance, a really special night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 the teasing, acrobatic Mercutio from late sub Alexander Campbell Nooooo!! Don't tell me Cervera's injured, please (Much as I appreciated Campbell in the role a couple of months ago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Nooooo!! Don't tell me Cervera's injured, please (Much as I appreciated Campbell in the role a couple of months ago) The cast change slip said the replacement was due to illness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 We saw the Melissa Hamilton Juliet debut yesterday afternoon. It's a great shame that the performance wasn't with Pennefather as planned because I think the partnership with Edward Watson is no match made in heaven and he has his own challenges as Romeo. Watson has many fans, me included in a lot of roles, but he seems a most ragged dancer as Romeo and the emotional tug he can generate does not compensate. I just looked up what I said about a performance with Lauren Cuthbertson 6 years ago: "Watson I thought had the best of the acting and was fresh, innocent and smitten, but he clearly struggled with some of the lifts (it brought back memories of Cooper and Bussell in a wretched Swan Lake full of quivering legs and arms every time she was lifted) and that just can't be." And so it seemed at yesterdays matinee also - or in the first 2 acts, I'm afraid we left at that point. The person next to us bailed out after the first act - when it all looked very under-rehearsed. Against this backdrop Melissa Hamilton did most well and fully justified being given the role. I look forward to seeing her dance it again in more relaxed circumstances - not with Watson I think. Sorry folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 And so it seemed at yesterdays matinee also - or in the first 2 acts, I'm afraid we left at that point. The person next to us bailed out after the first act - when it all looked very under-rehearsed. Well, I'm afraid you made the wrong decision Bruce, as act 3 was terrific (much better than what had gone before). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Well, I'm afraid you made the wrong decision Bruce, as act 3 was terrific (much better than what had gone before). Well thank goodness it was better! But I know I'm in something of a minority re Watson's Romeo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Indeed thank goodness it got better although I wouldn't know since it was me who bailed at the end of Act 1. I thought Ed Watson was mighty disappointing: his Act 1 solo's were indeed ragged and his partnering was frankly poor. I realise they probably didn't have much time to rehearse together but he is a principal after all, he has danced the role many times before and I would have thought he could have served Melissa better. The awkwardly fumbled lifts cannot have helped her confidence. To be honest I think the two pdd in Act 1 were very disappointing in every respect. Melissa is certainly a beautiful girl and she is fabulous in modern pieces but I fear she needs a stronger technique to carry off the roles she has been given recently: Sugar Plum Fairy and Juliet. As far as her acting is concerned in Act 1 I think she was either overwhelmed by nerves or by Watson's overpowering Romeo since she was not able to project much at all. A pity she only had one show in this run and it wasn't with her originally scheduled partner who might have been a better balance for her, although he too has his challenges with the role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I'm interested to see all of this. I fancy I was at that same performance 6 years ago and I left pretty sure that the all-British Watson/Cuthbertson partnership that many were touting at the time was not going to work out, and it sounds as if some of the reason for that remains extant. Ed Watson has largely cornered the RB market in many highly-charged roles, and rightly so - I still have him in my mind's eye in "My Brother, My Sisters" - but it sounds as if Romeo is not his strong suit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 I'd be interested to know what the height difference is between Watson and Pennefather. The only other time I've seen Hamilton and Watson dance together in pre-existing choreography was again when forced by a cast change due to injury (not Pennefather's that time, although he was her originally scheduled partner) in L'Invitation au Voyage, and I remember observing then that she was uncomfortably tall and leggy for him: on stage, there doesn't appear to be much of a height difference between them. Part of the problem, I think, is that the Royal Ballet suddenly finds itself in a position where it is short (no pun intended) of available Romeos who are both tall and fit. The only alternative would have been to have replaced the announced cast entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Who are the tall men in the Royal Ballet (Nehemiah Kish is one)? A lot of them look rather on the small side especially when you look at how tall many of the women are. I understand that 3 inches are added to their height when they are on pointe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Federico Bonnelli and Thiago Soares are quite tall. There are some taller men in the lower ranks as well, but they, of course, wouldn't be dancing principal roles too often (if at all).. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveclassics Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) A lot of them look rather on the small side especially when you look at how tall many of the women are. I understand that 3 inches are added to their height when they are on pointe I would think it's at least 6 inches when you consider the size of the average foot (or do female ballet dancers have especially dainty ones?). Re the comments on Watson's apparent difficulties with lifts, didn't he have arm surgery some time ago? I do hope this isn't still causing him problems. And now Pennefather is injured too? Does anyone know how seriously? I was looking forward to seeing him in Prince of the Pagodas.... Edited as I am still getting to grips with quotes on this forum. Edited March 14, 2012 by lbeard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share Posted March 23, 2012 Just thought I'd mention there are some (generally, but not always, very expensive) returns for the last 2 performances on the ROH website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share Posted March 23, 2012 By the way, were there any changes to the printed casting on last night's Romeo? I wasn't convinced that everything matched up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingGirl123 Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 On 10th of March I went to watch Cuthbertson and Bonelli and I was just blown away! Lauren Cuthbertson just WAS Juliet. Xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 On 10th of March I went to watch Cuthbertson and Bonelli and I was just blown away! Lauren Cuthbertson just WAS Juliet. Xx I totally agree Stevie....she has long been my favourite Juliet. It is her favourite role, and it shows each time. Bonelli was a very worthy Romeo to her Juliet, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingGirl123 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Yes it was my first time watching the two of them and thought they were outstanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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