The Royal Ballet's double bill for May 2012 - Ballo della regina/La Sylphide

[Norman S]

I liked La Sylphide..but if im honest thought it a little light on dance action. A bit too much wistful, wondering around in kilts.Im also not a fan of the rather clumsy "Sylph Ascends into Heaven or whatever" end sequence. I just don't think there's any need for it. It looks crude and amateurish.Sorry, just didn't do it for me.

Ballo however I thought utterly divine and uplifting. Marianella N is so light and looks as if she is having so much fun she just lifts the audience. Wonderful. Big Smile country.

[John Mallinson]

Well, Bournonville isn't MacMillan! and there always is a lot of narrative action in his ballets.

 

I agree that the ascent to sylph heaven looks clumsy. (I assume it was in the original scenario, so is always done.) I think she is missing a baby sylph (sylphette?) at her head and feet. In the current revival, as Clement Crisp commented, she looks like "air-mailed laundry" which I am sure is not the intended effect.

[alison]

Don't forget that his review was of the first night, where I have to admit that the bier did look rather more like a bundle of sheets ready for the wash than anything else.

 

And Norman (welcome, BTW), it is necessary in a way, because Madge has to be able to show James where his actions have led and rub his nose in it, so to speak .

[jmhopton]

I went on Saturday and saw 2 casts; Tamara and David and Steven and Roberta; both were excellent but it was Steven's performance I found the most memorable. Is there any style he can't master? I was captivated with his Colas at the cinema (wonderful to get all those wonderful facial close-ups you miss when you're in the amphi), and though his James was brilliant. Superb dancing and footwork and great acting. Can't wait for next season and Bayadere and Onegin! Incidentally, I too can't understand why the ballet hasn't sold better. It was virtually full for the matinee and quite full for the evening so perhaps word is getting round. Perhaps Ballo is a bit short. it seemed silly to have 18 minutes dancing followed by a 30 minute interval! I thought they could have put something else with it (voices of Spring?) or perhaps another ballet altogether. Flower Festival of Genzamo (?) would be great. Also, didn't the Royal Ballet do Dances from Napoli a few years ago or am I imagining it? If so, I don't think that has been repeated and would be a great accompaniment to Sylphide.

[Bluebird]

Also, didn't the Royal Ballet do Dances from Napoli a few years ago or am I imagining it? If so, I don't think that has been repeated and would be a great accompaniment to Sylphide.

 

You're not imagining it. Napoli divertissements and Rhapsody alternated as companion pieces to La Sylphide, (around 5 years ago?) Not only was it wonderful programming but it was sold as a Mixed Bill so the prices were much lower than they have been for the current run and, if I remember rightly, the auditorium was consequently less empty.

[aileen]

I must confess to having felt a little bit short changed when I arrived at the ROH on Saturday afternoon and saw that there was to be 18 minutes dancing followed by an interval of 30 minutes. An afternoon or an evening at the ballet looks bad value for money when the intervals take up a substantial proportion of the programme. On Saturday there was 90 minutes dancing in total and two intervals of 30 and 25 minutes respectively. I agree that the RB should have programmed another piece to follow Ballo after a pause (not another interval).

[Jan McNulty]

Not that I saw this programme but I would have said that it is the quality not the quantity. I saw Johan Kobborg's production of La Sylhide some years ago and it is a wonderful production of a top notch ballet. He really teased the Bournonville style out of the RB dancers.

[alison]

Can't wait for next season and Bayadere and Onegin!

 

That's the second or third time recently I've seen references to McRae and roles for next year which as far as I'm aware haven't been announced publicly yet. Have I missed something, do some people have private information (in which case, feel free to keep it that way), or are they simply making assumptions?

[aileen]

Janet, whilst I appreciate what you say about quality rather than quantity, having made my way to the ROH (which is not very far away for me) it felt a tiny bit frustrating to be getting up from my seat a bare 20 minutes after I had sat down. As I said above, I very much enjoyed the programme but I think that it should have been lengthened by another short piece. People have previously commented on the high prices for this programme and I, for one, cannot help but be influenced by this when evaluating a programme and its value for money. Perhaps one is not supposed to think of ballet in these terms (and perhaps the RB does not think of its programmes in these terms) but I do and I wonder whether the poor ticket sales reflect the fact that other people do consider value for money when deciding whether or not to book for a production or a performance (matinees can be quite a bit cheaper than evening performances). Whilst not wholly influenced by price it can be a deciding factor for me. I decided not to take my children to see a production last Christmas (I think it was the Beatrix Potter) because of the high prices of the tickets which were available. I'm not particularly interested in seeing PoP but if the tickets had been less expensive I might have booked for it.

[Paul Arrowsmith]

I think the inclusion of a pdd would have balanced the programme better and showed good faith with audiences (the length of intervals at the ROH is cynical in extreme) - but for me on this occasion (Saturday afternoon), Ballo della regina did not rush past in the same blur that it usually does (the music doesn't pause for breath).

 

Rather from the performances of the ensemble and the four soloists there was lots of detail to appreciate that usually gets lost in the torrent.

 

So 18 minutes was quite enough for me.

[Jan McNulty]

Aileen, ENB used to present La Sylphide without any other accompaniment and I was quite satisfied with that. Their production, mounted by Peter Schauffus, was exquisite and started my love of the Bournonville style. Now I very rarely come to London to see RB, mainly because of the overall cost. I found it's cheaper to go to Copenhagen and Paris and now, come to think of it, Munich!

 

All that aside, La Sylphide would be enough for me. I knew nothing about ballet (and possibly still don't) and even less about La Sylphide the first time I saw it but I had got interested in ballet the year before (specifically London Festival Ballet at that time) and just wanted to see as many productions as I could. I fell in love with it then.

 

I agree that the cost has got to be a factor but there again I always try to go for quality and not just quantity.

[alison]

Yet Scottish Ballet paired it with Troy Game (interestingly, placed after Sylphide). I would feel short-changed without something else on the programme, but possibly Ballo is a little too short. (As we've since discovered, it also brings with it the problem that between the two of them they use up most of the company's available ballerinas, with not a lot of leeway left for cast changes unless you cross-cast.)

 

Paul, you have a point, but at the same time if you have the misfortune to be in certain locations on the right-hand side of the building it can take virtually 10 minutes each way just to get round to the recreational areas, shall we say.

[Wulff]

Symphonic Variations is only 18 minutes long, but I have never noticed anyone complaining.

[Paul N]

Symphonic Variations is only 18 minutes long, but I have never noticed anyone complaining.

 

Isn't that because it's perfection?

[bangorballetboy]

...it can take virtually 10 minutes each way just to get round to the recreational areas, shall we say.

 

Or even to get out of the auditorium in some cases!

[alison]

Symphonic Variations is only 18 minutes long, but I have never noticed anyone complaining.

 

The thought occurred to me, too.

[aileen]

I do think that you need long intervals at the ROH because of the size of the auditorium and the lay-out of the communal areas. Shorter intervals could result in unseemly scrambles for the toilets, ice-creams, bars etc which could cause unpleasantness (ladies toilets rage etc) and spoil the atmosphere of the place. They should not be longer than 25 minutes, though.

 

Btw, I'm not complaining about the length of Ballo (or Symphonic Variations which I also love). I just think that it should have been paired with another piece which only required a change of lighting.

[Beryl H]

Funnily enought at the Saturday evening performance an announcement was made that the first interval would only be 25 minutes, I wondered if people had complained, more likely the orchestra wanted to pack up at 9.30pm

 

I liked The Lesson as an opener, which was a complete contrast and longer, I don't mind short evenings as long as they are just that, not short ballets and long intervals, 25 minutes is long enough!

[jmhopton]

As regards my mention of Steven in Bayadere and Onegin next season it is just my wish list rather than any concrete information. I was just so impressed with him in the Fille broadcast and again in Sylphide last Saturday. I just feel he has come on so much as a professional this season, both personally and critically I would be very surprised if he doesn't get a performance in either ballet though of course Onegin casting depends on the Cranko estate. if he does get a chance at Onegin do people think it would be Lensky rather than Onegin? Joan

[alison]

Well, since he danced Lensky last time around, I'd assume that was likely, although you never know with the Cranko estate.

[Sim]

What an amazing performance by Johan tonight in his London debut as James. Truly wonderful. He darted around the stage like a man half his age, and his wonderful Bournonville technique stunned us all by its very lightness of being. Wow, wow, wow. Sarah Lamb wasn't half bad either....a truly ethereal creature.

[zxDaveM]

I finally got to see Johan Kobborg dancing James the other night - and was certainly not disappointed. I really like Johan's dancing whatever he's doing, so had been somewhat bereft when he couldn't do previous runs through injury. This made up for all that. Good as many of the other James' have been, you can see their root source of their performances in the master. The speedy, dazzling feet, the seemingly effortless grace, he appears born to the role. Which of course he is! The Sylph was Sarah Lamb, who is also my favourite Sylph - her whole physical being, from the pale, blonde complexion, to the slight and slender frame, embody the term 'sylph-like'. Her dancing is sublime, and the expressions of glee, of sadness, and the mischievous glint in her eye as she steals James away, are nigh on perfect to my mind - and no one does 'happy Sylph' quite like Sarah! Effie was another debut, for Meaghan Grace Hinkis, who gave us another wonderful performance. Her sad little face at the end of Act 1 as she realised James had run out of the wedding, almost made me get up on the stage to give her a hug!

The gorgeous section in Act 2 where all the Syphs dance for Dance, was superbly led by Claire Calvert (with some lovely dancing as lead Sylphs by Yasmine Naghdi (another young dancer seemingly going places) and Elizabeth Harrod). Genesia Rosato was a flawless Madge, all malevolence and spite, and yet somehow giving us a sense of brokeness. Her forlorn expression over James body as the curtain fell, kept the audience in a spellbound silence for a moment or two, as the tradegy was absorbed.

 

As you may have guessed, this is a ballet I simply love, and seeing it danced this well, an utter joy. The sets are just perfect, the orchestra played well (under Daniel Capps) making for a near perfect out. Oh, and having the delightful aperitif of Ballo della Regina (with a marvelous Laura Morera and Federico Bonelli in the leads) certainly helped the evening off to a flying start. Joy, joy!

[Ian Macmillan]

Sim, Dave: It looks like I missed you both on Thursday night! And whilst I seem to recall that John Kobborg was still recovering from an injury when he first staged 'La Sylphide' back in 2005, I had not appreciated that I was watching his London premiere as James - and very good it was, too. Mrs M knows much more about the Bournonville style etc than I do and she was certainly impressed - but somewhat less so by some of the angles of wrists and hands amongst the girls that passed me by. And is it the Scot in me that remarks on Effie's tartan changes as matters proceed, from her own tartan, to James's, and then to Gurn's? I should really pour scorn on the whole tartan extravaganza, but it's so honestly done, Auld Lang Syne pastiche and all, that it would be churlish to do so.

 

It's a pity we can't get at the ballet.co 'What's happening' archive - perhaps I'm imagining it, but does anyone else recall a discussion back in 2005 on Madge revealing a flash of a white dress or petticoat under her skirt as the final curtain came down? (It did not happen the other night - and all praise to Genesia Rosato, using all her experience as Carabosse to underpin her malevolence.) The question was, I think, who really is Madge; what prior connection has she had with James that causes her obvious distress in the last seconds; or is she simply another Wili, a woman wronged in love?

[Jane S]

 

It's a pity we can't get at the ballet.co 'What's happening' archive - perhaps I'm imagining it, but does anyone else recall a discussion back in 2005 on Madge revealing a flash of a white dress or petticoat under her skirt as the final curtain came down? (It did not happen the other night - and all praise to Genesia Rosato, using all her experience as Carabosse to underpin her malevolence.) The question was, I think, who really is Madge; what prior connection has she had with James that causes her obvious distress in the last seconds; or is she simply another Wili, a woman wronged in love?

 

Here?

 

(Easiest way to get back to old ballet.co.uk stuff is to Google starting with site:ballet.co.uk and then some keywords - Madge Englund in this case)

[Ian Macmillan]

Jane: Many thanks, and good advice for the future, as I'd been trying to gain access via DanceTabs, to no avail. In any event, I see that there was, indeed, a discussion on that flash of white, and on all kind of other incidentals, too. (116 posts in two threads!)

[zxDaveM]

Jane: Many thanks, and good advice for the future, as I'd been trying to gain access via DanceTabs, to no avail. In any event, I see that there was, indeed, a discussion on that flash of white, and on all kind of other incidentals, too. (116 posts in two threads!)

 

As I understand it, there was a deliberate decision NOT to do the flash of white this run. Perhaps the staging team thought it brought in too many distractions, but that's just my guess.

[zxDaveM]

and so on to last night, where we again had Johan Kobborg as James, but this time with partner Alina Cojocaru. Whilst my personal fave Sylph is Sarah Lamb, watching Alina and Johan dance together (in whatever they are performing), even when they don't touch, is like watching one mind in two bodies, and last night no exception. Glorious stuff. Its really sad to think that this may have been the only time we get to see them dance this ballet together - a tragedy in itself.

Madge was glorious portayed by the one and only Kristen McNally (is there ANYthing that young woman can't do!!), Effie by the delicious Emma-Jane Maguire, and Gurn by Jose Martin - who we must surmise have been dancing his last show for the RB, as he was pushed to the forefront at curtain call time by the rest of an appreciative and cheering cast.

The aperitif of Ballo della Regina was utterly fabulously danced by Marianela Nunez and Nehemiah Kish, as they now realy seem to be relishing and having great fun with the choreography. I do hope they keep this piece in the rep! :-) As I do with La Sylphide - and that they give it more oomph publicity wise next time! People really should see it - it is truly a glorious ballet in my opinion.

[Wulff]

I thought that yesterday evening's performance was outstanding in all respects. Marianela was in top form and well partnered by Nehemiah whose solo dancing had an appealing breadth and fluency. The Cojocaru/ Kobborg Sylphide/James was an ideal pairing, she innocently alluring, and he totally under her spell and ready to give up everything for the impossible dream of possessing her. Johan's Bournonville technique is still impeccable with excellent ballon and wonderfully precise batterie and ronds de jambe, and he has complete mastery of the character and the mime.. Kristen McNally's Madge has improved since I last saw her at the dress rehearsal and one subsequent performance, and I think that she now manages to convey fully the thwarted resentment and revengeful malice of the character.

The audience also played its part in being more responsive than at some previous performances which added to the general sense of occasion in the house.

[aileen]

I also thought that last night's performance was terrific. Ballo sparkled more than the previous performance which I had seen. The role of James really requires good acting because there is a lot of "mooning around", yearning etc and Johan really inhabited the character. For me, Alina was more convincing in the role of the Sylph than Tamara had been although, interestingly, both ballerinas were better in the second Act and Tamara was, if anything, slightly better in the death scene. Some of the corps dancing was a little bit ragged. I'm sorry to say that the dancers and the orchestra did not finish together a couple of times. I don't know who was at fault here. The curtain call was quite emotional as you knew that you would probably not see Johan in this ballet (which obviously means so much to him) again and it seemed clear that Jose Martin (who played Gurn) was leaving the Royal Ballet.

 

I think that it's such a shame that this marvellous bill was not more popular. It was a terrific pairing of two very contrasting ballets. I personally love the Sylphide story. It is obviously rooted in folklore and has a universal moral message.

[Nina G.]

I very much enjoyed last night's Double Bill. I thought the Company was superb in Ballo della Regina, so beautifully danced.

 

To watch Alina and Johan dance together in La Sylphide was such a privilege.

I really loved Emma Maguire's "Effie", the role suited her so well. I was also impressed by the lightness of dancing by the Lead Sylph Yasmine Naghdi (her penchee!). She looked so ethereal.

 

Balanchine and Bournonville made a handsome pair

LOVED IT!

[capybara]

Is there anyone who can report on Johan's performance as Madge, please?

[zxDaveM]

Johan's Madge was, as you'd expect, hugely detailed, charismatic and riveting to watch. The character is very hard to pin down and define, and definitely dislikeable for what she is now - witch, yes; 'baddie', most probably; hard done-by, quite possibly. None of the above - another possibility. His playing of her was as a rejected soul from normal society, vengeful, spiteful - but ultimately wracked with doubt, even grief, for the circumstance she set in motion. You really have to know what you're doing to give such a performance.

Sarah Lamb was again a Sylph by nature, creating an almost magnetic force around herself which her James (Dawid Trzensimiech) all but bounces her away whenever he tried to approach, as if he were the same polarity. Meaghan Grace Hinkis is a lovely Effie, all enthusiasm and yearning. Valentino Zucchetti a dynamic and ardent Gurn. In the 2nd act, the lead sylphs were a lovely pair in Yasmine Nagdhi and Beatriz Stix-Brunell, two young dancers definitely worth watching out or, in whatever they are cast in.

[capybara]

Thank you. Would have loved to have seen 'her'.