capybara Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 This is now being shown with the name Untouchable. From the interview with Beatriz Styx-Brunell in yesterday's Links it look as if there is some interesting casting focused on the many talented younger men in the Company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Is there more than one cast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton22 Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Is there more than one cast? I don't know for sure, but my sense is that there is one cast with dancers able to cover the roles of others. From what I saw of it at the Insight Evening on Friday it doesn't look like it presents much risk of injury to the dancers, although I suppose the Osi/Tetractys head collision situation could happen in any piece. Based on the portion we saw on Friday it looks like Hofesh has just forced the ballet dancers to come over to his style completely rather than doing something more interesting and creating a version of Hofesh that makes the most of what ballet dancers can do (I am not a McGregor fan, but he does at least do this when he creates work on ballet companies); but perhaps the final result will prove me wrong. We shall see on Friday. By the way, the piece wasn't finished on Friday and he was still choreographing the section he showed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 A dancer who is in this ballet said last night that there is only one cast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 There's a substantial feature on this by Debra Craine in today's Times 2 - as ever, behind the paywall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Is there a story to this ballet? I'm going on Friday and I do struggle if I am both trying to 'get' what a ballet is about as well as enjoy the dancing. Any info would be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton22 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Is there a story to this ballet? I'm going on Friday and I do struggle if I am both trying to 'get' what a ballet is about as well as enjoy the dancing. Any info would be good. Apparently: "It's about man against the world, about the structures we form and whether we are in control of them. Whether our animalistic urges control us." Whatever that means. So, no, I don't think there is a story to this ballet. The movement shown at the Insight Evening looked quite primitive and vaguely "Rite of Springy" in a way. The Balanchine, and, especially, the MacMIllan will be sublime; so even if Hofesh's effort is indigestible the evening will be worthwhile. Song of the Earth on its own is worth the ticket price. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 It does sound fairly "standard" Shechter stuff, from what I've seen of his work. We shall see ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 The Times said it would be 25 minutes long, and the music is for string and percussion (lots) with a Middle Eastern feel, just thinking it would be good if the ROH would put the running times up, I had an Email and everything was TBA or TBC. The Balanchine is worth the price of the ticket for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Thanks Barton22 that should be enough info to get me through it and my expectations for the Hofesh are now nicely lowered so I'll probably enjoy it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTL Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 It would be helpful to have running times up on the ROH website, they must have an idea by now whether they'll be paying overtime! "The Four Temperaments" lasts about half an hour and "Song of the Earth" just over an hour, if I recall previous runs correctly, so I'm anticipating a three-hour evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barton22 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) It would be helpful to have running times up on the ROH website, they must have an idea by now whether they'll be paying overtime! "The Four Temperaments" lasts about half an hour and "Song of the Earth" just over an hour, if I recall previous runs correctly, so I'm anticipating a three-hour evening. I think there is a stage rehearsal today and so after that they may have a better idea of running time for Hofesh. It may have been difficult for them to say until now because the choreography was still being finished this week. I have heard it is roughly half an hour, though. Confirmed there is only one cast. Also, in case it is of interest, thinking back to last Friday Hofesh said the cast was 13 men and 7 women (I am pretty sure I am remembering the numbers right). No principals. The three men dancing the section he showed on Friday were Matt Ball, James Hay and Luca Acri. Calvin Richardson was also there but didn't get to do more than shadow the other three. I believe he was there because the section was still being choreographed and in case Hofesh decided to pull in another dancer. I suspect it was also useful for another dancer to learn this section as a cover in case of injury. It was interesting to hear Hofesh talking about how he chose the cast in the Q&A. He mentioned that he started by watching a large group of dancers over a few days and Matt was one he immediately discounted as being far too princely ever to be suitable for his work. By the third day he was sure he wanted Matt to be involved as Matt had done such an extraordinary job of adapting to Hofesh's style and it seemed clear that Matt was a favourite. Edited March 25, 2015 by barton22 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 By the third day he was sure he wanted Matt to be involved as Matt had done such an extraordinary job of adapting to Hofesh's style and it seemed clear that Matt was a favourite. Hofesh Shechter is not the only one who appreciates Matthew Ball's qualities!!!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I really enjoyed the Insight Evening. Hofesh Shechter may have wanted certain dancers but as this is a Triple Bill some of those dancers are involved in "Four Temperaments" and "Song of the Earth" thus not available. He probably had to make a selection out of the dancers who were not fully taken rehearsing 4T and Song. It must be a nightmare to juggle their rehearsal schedules! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I can't believe that there is only one cast. I hope that there are fully rehearsed understudies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I also heard there is only one cast Aileen. As I am sure you know creating a new ballet is time consuming and "Untouchable" is sandwiched between 4T and Song, it must be "problematic" re. availability of dancers. I wonder if 4T and Song have 2 casts? (they must have covers). I guess Pat Neary had her first pick of 4T dancers, followed by the dancers selected to dance in "Song". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillykins Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 It sounds as if we are going to experience a really good evening. Thank you for any info re Untouchable. I am really looking forward to it. As I mentioned before I often find modern approach to ballet difficult to enjoy. At 79 I forgive myself and try to keep up with the times. I was amazed at how excited I was at the Insight and would have loved to get up and join in. Not sensible using walking stick. There was so much enthusiasm by choreographer and dancers. I wonder do they really enjoy it? As the demands of classical ballet cause so many injuries these days is Shecters style safer or more taxing? I have not seen his work previously. So looking forward to an evening of contrasts. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 The RB does have over 90 dancers, Nina. It's very risky to have only one cast, unless there are understudies who can step in at short notice. Personally, I'm pleased that it seems as if it won't be the usual 'McGregor dancers' and that some other dancers are getting a chance to create a new piece of work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 The word is that Shechter 'auditioned' only Soloists, First Artists and Artists - presumably because everyone else was fully occupied elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 The word is that Shechter 'auditioned' only Soloists, First Artists and Artists - presumably because everyone else was fully occupied elsewhere. All the works of his that I've seen are social and non-hierarchichal and favour group work. This sounds as if it's going to be similar, in other words Principals would be irrelevant. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 That's rather what I'd assumed, anyway. I don't think I would have expected many of the lower ranks to be being used in 4Ts and Song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 That's rather what I'd assumed, anyway. I don't think I would have expected many of the lower ranks to be being used in 4Ts and Song. This is starting to sound like a cleverly thought out triple bill. Hopefully I won't have to eat my words, I rather like Shechter and have all available digits crossed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Illumination about Shechter's attitude to the company in this extract from an interview with Mark Monahan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 It would be helpful to have running times up on the ROH website, they must have an idea by now whether they'll be paying overtime! "The Four Temperaments" lasts about half an hour and "Song of the Earth" just over an hour, if I recall previous runs correctly, so I'm anticipating a three-hour evening. On the website now. New HS is 30 minutes so a three hour show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTL Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Thanks BBB. Glad to see that they intend to keep the intervals to 20 minutes each. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Hoping I'm on the LH side of the amphi, then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 John: BBC London News had just run a short feature - roughly on "shock horror at the Royal Ballet" lines and oblivious to some years of Wayne McGregor there - and "social, non-hierarchical and favours group work" looks to be about right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 (edited) The brief item Ian refers to can be found 19 minutes into last night's BBC London News. You'll have to watch it this afternoon, however, as it seems it will only be available until 7pm tonight. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05gwnqk/bbc-london-news-26032015 Edited March 27, 2015 by Bluebird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks so for this, ian. I found the item following your kindly proscribed one - i.e., on the loss of the 'porter's bench' in London - fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 He's on Radio 4, Front Row, right now. I'll be interested to see reactions here to the music volume - should anyone think it rather loud, it seems he'd have preferred it louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 The quietist thing of his that I've heard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 John, do you have a time machine, or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Wouldn't that be dandy! Was at the general rehearsal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now