Jan McNulty

Lee, I've discovered that if you hit the forums tab the "about balletco" thread at the top does not appear but it does if you hit the balletcoforum tab. Of course, if someone posts in one of the other threads in this tab then this one will not appear on the front page.

Edit to say that I have just made a liar of myself. I think what I have said above is what happens if you hit the forum tab from one of the other forums.

Edited to say that I have tried my theory and that doesn't work either. The "about" tab has always now reappeared. If it disappears it does reappear if you hit the balletcoforum tab!

BRB have announced the casting for the week of Beauty and the Beast at the Lowry 24-28 January:

http://brb.org.uk/ma...48&tsk=fullcast

24 January 2012 7:30 pm Belle: Elisha Willis

The Beast: Robert Parker

The Wild Girl: Ambra Vallo

The Merchant: Michael O'Hare

The Raven: Joseph Caley

Vanité: Samara Downs

Fière: Victoria Marr

Monsieur Cochon: Jonathan Payn

25 January 2012 2:00 pm Belle: Nao Sakuma

The Beast: Iain Mackay

The Wild Girl: Laëtitia Lo Sardo

The Merchant: Rory Mackay

The Raven: Mathias Dingman

Vanité: Laura Purkiss

Fière: Angela Paul

Monsieur Cochon: Oliver Till

25 January 2012 7:30 pm Belle: Ambra Vallo

The Beast: Tyrone Singleton

The Wild Girl: Angela Paul

The Merchant: Michael O'Hare

The Raven: Tzu-Chao Chou

Vanité: Samara Downs

Fière: Carol-Anne Millar

Monsieur Cochon: Jonathan Payn

26 January 2012 7:30 pm Belle: Elisha Willis

The Beast: Robert Parker

The Wild Girl: Ambra Vallo

The Merchant: Michael O'Hare

The Raven: Joseph Caley

Vanité: Samara Downs

Fière: Victoria Marr

Monsieur Cochon: Jonathan Payn

27 January 2012 7:30 pm Belle: Nao Sakuma

The Beast: Iain Mackay

The Wild Girl: Carol-Anne Millar

The Merchant: Rory Mackay

The Raven: Mathias Dingman

Vanité: Laura Purkiss

Fière: Victoria Marr

Monsieur Cochon: Oliver Till

28 January 2012 2:00 pm Belle: Ambra Vallo

The Beast: Tyrone Singleton

The Wild Girl: Laëtitia Lo Sardo

The Merchant: Michael O'Hare

The Raven: Tzu-Chao Chou

Vanité: Samara Downs

Fière: Carol-Anne Millar

Monsieur Cochon: Jonathan Payn

28 January 2012 7:30 pm Belle: Nao Sakuma

The Beast: Iain Mackay

The Wild Girl: Carol-Anne Millar

The Merchant: Rory Mackay

The Raven: Joseph Caley

Vanité: Laura Purkiss

Fière: Angela Paul

Monsieur Cochon: Oliver Till

Ian - the ROH-based company did tour to the provinces in the 1980s. Although it was before I was a ballet-watcher, friends recalled seeing them in Liverpool in the early 1980s and I certainly saw them in Manchester and Birmingham in the late 80s or early 90s. A friend of mine who was an avid ballet-watcher could detail oodles of performances up-North featuring dancers based at ROH but I was never clear in my mind as to which company it was as by the time I started watching in mid-80s the two Royal companies seemed much more differentiated.

I never saw the ENB triples mooted for touring and sadly the company's production of Manon did so poorly on tour in the Autumn that the mooted visit to Liverpool the following Spring was pulled before anyone even knew it was a possibility!

You are absolutely spot-on about the RB/BRB cross-over rep (and now the RB/ENB crossover) but I fear works such as Mayerling and some still unique one-acters would not sell well in the philistinic north. BRB and ENB both seem to have stopped doing their mixed programmes up-North. I am lucky that I can travel to Birmingham to see BRB's mixed programmes but London is a much more expensive proposition these days.

In respect of the RB being the national company - I'm not sure if that is how they see themselves but I believe it is how most members of the public see them. The company seems to be the one in England that has the most kudos associated with it (whether I agree with that or not).

I don't think the company has appeared outside London since the dance bites initiatives which, I think, was in the mid-90s.

I do not particularly think that the company is elitist. I have to say that my opinion on this has changed in the last couple of years. After ranting and raving for years about ticket prices, when you see the price of some musicals touring the regions and what popstars charge for not very comfortable arenas then the ROH prices (albeit expensive) do not seem that bad! What I could take issue with is a lack of matinees, which means that I have chosen to miss many programmes I would like to have seen because I have chosen not to incur the cost of an overnight stay. Additionally, it is not the RB's issue that it is nearly impossible to get reasonably priced fares on convenient trains from the North West to London (well not from Liverpool anyway!).

We do have three terrific companies that tour extensively in England and sometimes Scottish Ballet cross the border too. Northern Ballet also regularly perform in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast and BRB have just announced in the Friends' newsletter that they are due in Cardiff in the Autumn.

If the RB toured extensively, would they saturate the non-London market with performances? I personally had great reservations about the proposal for ROH North because I did believe it would have an adverse impact on the three main touring companies (the proposal would have nearly doubled the number of ballet performances in the North of England). I agree, however, that it would be nice to see them outside London sometimes.

Meanwhile I shall continue with my support of the touring companies who also provide us with world-class ballet performances.

In respect of the signed point shoes - that could be a nice little earner for any of the companies.

The following details (with a disclaimer that the dates may be subject to change) have been published on the back cover of the Beauty and the Beast programme:

Mixed Programme:

Quarry Hill Leeds 09-18 February

Madame Butterfly:

Leeds 29 Feb - 10 March

Beauty and the Beast:

Edinburgh 15-17 March

Sheffield 20-24 March

Hull 27-31 March

Milton Keynes 17-21 April

Cardiff 24-28 April

I Got Rhythm:

Leeds 23-26 May

Norwich 29 May - 02 June

A fascinating evening has been announced for 1st February. It is a joint "in conversation" event with Opera North about Madame Butterfly. It is being held in the Howard Assembly Rooms at the Grand Theatre in Leeds. Details as shown on Northern Ballet's website are:

Howard Assembly Room, Leeds Grand Theatre

Wednesday 01/02/2012

6.00pm Drinks reception, Emerald Grand Hall

6.30pm – 7.30pm an ‘in conversation’ discussion and performance

Northern Ballet and Opera North come together to present an exclusive, behind-the-scenes, insight into their critically acclaimed forthcoming productions of Madame Butterfly.

Explore the contrast between the opera and the ballet and hear the differing perspectives on the productions from Northern Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Nixon OBE and Opera North’s Music Director, before a performance of short excerpts from their individual adaptations.

Ticket price: £20 includes a pre performance drinks reception.

Sadly, it seems extremely unlikely. The programme for Spring was published on the back of recent programmes and there isn't even a season listed at Sadler's Wells. I'll post the Spring details (as published on the programme) on a separate thread.

Sky Arts spent four weeks with Northern Ballet recently. The resulting documentary is being shown at 1700 on 15th January.

Sky have published some details with photographs and a trailer.

http://www.skyarts.co.uk/dance/article/sky-arts-at-the-northern-ballet/

Northern Ballet are presenting a number of performances of a mixed programme at their bijoux home theatre from 09-18 February 2012.

This description of the evening is on the company website:

"See Northern Ballet up close and personal this February with Perpetual Motion, the Company’s first programme of short dance pieces in their new home.

Scottish Ballet's new Artistic Director Christopher Hampson shows off the dancers' strength with spins, jumps and beats in Perpetuum Mobile taking Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major as its inspiration.

Rhapsody in Blue from Northern Ballet's I Got Rhythm, sees five couples dance to Gershwin's famous music. See the full-length ballet by Artistic Director David Nixon at Leeds Grand Theatre in May, preview it here first.

Glass Canon is a high-energy, mischievous and dynamic dance set to, and inspired by the music of Moishe’s Bagel choreographed by Daniel de Andrade.

Project#1 is Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall's choreographic debut. Set to Dinah Washington and Max Richter’s stirring This bitter earth – On the nature of daylight it is a moving and accomplished piece from a promising young artist."

Here is a link to the booking page: http://northernballet.com/boxoffice/indexa.aspx

There is one matinee on Saturday 18th February. I've seen three of the pieces before and it looks to be a terrific show.

It took me several attempts Ian. In the end I used Gravatar and loaded an image onto that to share. It looked as though it hadn't worked but the next time I logged in to the forums there I was! This is a happy photo (I like how small they are as I am extremely unphotogenic) taken in Dublin in July 2011 when we were there to see BRB.

In respect of anonymity, I don't feel any need for myself!

Re DQF's post - I don't believe the Russians raise their arms between Princes.

Going back to the first post - BRUCE IS PAYING THE FEES for this service for 3 months. This is an extremely generous gesture but obviously cannot continue. I don't know the costs involved in being a member of the IPS community but perhaps a small registration fee for members would cover it - if members were prepared for that to happen. I know the last fund raising effort was not taken forward but everyone has said how much they have missed the forums so perhaps things will be different this time. We have relied on Bruce's generosity for far too long (I know I am a total dork but it had never occurred to me until someone put me straight that someone (Bruce) was incurring not inconsiderable costs to keep the site up and running).

I'm quite happy to stand up and be counted. Are you?

Alison, thanks for the tips and relinking various threads. I took a bag of refreshments with me but had time to eat a light lunch in Cafe Rouge. Although the security men were checking bags and I could see them removing bottle tops they didnt even look in my bags even though one of them was an obvious M&S food hall bag. (I ate them on the train home!).

I read Clement Crisp's article with interest and total agreement but it brings us back to the age-old question about how audiences can be persuaded to go and see something different.

I started watching contemporary dance so started with and still prefer mixed bills (for example) but many of my friends prefer full length story ballets. I can't think of a way of growing an audience that is not going to cost money by starting off with small audiences and building on them. In these financially straitened times I am sure that companies will just not want to take the risk.

Mr Crisp mentioned that Northern Ballet had been touring their Nutcracker but their Christmas production in Leeds is a new version of Beauty and the Beast that seems to have sold very well indeed and, as you will have noticed, that I greatly enjoyed. This production is touring the country in 2012 and will hopefully provide a useful addition to Northern Ballet's family orientated/holiday favourite rep (the others being Christmas Carol, Peter Pan and Nutcracker). David Bintley has introduced us to the delights of his Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast and we should be having his Aladdin within a couple of years. The Royal Ballet has a wonderful catalogue of work to choose from. So we could have a variety of productions on over the festive season but will the non-fanatical audience accept this in the long run or has the Nutcracker "tradition" now become too embedded here, as it is in the States?

I, for one, would like to see many more mixed programmes. These give an opportunity to experiment more with new works and I usually find something to like on a programme whereas with a full evening work it is all to easy to dislike the whole evening. BRB and ENB seem to have given up presenting mixed programmes up-North (indeed ENB seem to have given up presenting them outside London). Northern Ballet are presenting mixed programmes in their own 200-seater theatre in Leeds. How do we persuade people that mixed programmes are satisfying, different and to be encouraged?

Has anyone got any thoughts?

I attended the performance yesterday afternoon (29th December) and, overall, enjoyed the experience.

I started the afternoon in a block towards the back - the final one on the left hand side before you were fully facing the stage. It offered a fine and unrestricted view of the stage, albeit from a long distance away. Over the last 20 years I have only ever seen this production from the front row or no further than three rows back so it was nice to be able to admire the dancing patterns. I found the screen quite useful for watching closeups but didn't feel a huge need to watch it much.

I believe there were more snowflakes than usual but I didn't notice any other changes of the staging in the first act.

I had met a friend in the interval who told me that there was a seat free next to her, so I moved for act 2. She was in the first occupied block at the left hand side of the stage. We were much closer to the action and I didn't need to use binoculars or screen. It did mean, however, that we lost the entire left hand side and back of the set. This was fine for act 2 as most of the action took place on the additional thrust so we didn't lost any of the action. I think there may have been two additional flowers but no other real changes.

It was a fantastic performance. Oh how lucky BRB fans have been that Robert Parker dedicated his career to BRB. His Drosselmeyer yesterday filled the Arena with his gigantic stage presence and charisma. Likewise, James Barton filled the stage with his presence and personality as the Magician's assistant. Arancia Baselga was a delightful Clara, still able to enjoy dolls but gradually entering adult-hood. Yijing Zhang was beautiful and regal as the Snow Fairy.

Chi Cao was absolutely sparkling as the Prince. He made fantastic use of the stage (as did all the company) and his solo in the gpdd was magnificent. His Sugar Plum was the divine Ambra Vallo. Again, I felt that they both reached out into the huge auditorium. For me, the main positive of this venture was seeing how the whole company seemed to relish the size of the stage and make great use of the extra space.

My feelings about the experience are somewhat mixed. I enjoyed the performance from both my seats but I would not have liked to have seen act 1 from my second seat because you missed so much of the stage and would not have seen anything of the tree transformation. I can't see how anyone in the "stalls" could have seen anything much at all. There was no rake and the orchestra must have got in the way. However, if it has brought in some money and persuaded even a few people to go to a performance in a theatre then it has been worthwhile. I agree with Ian that the RAH is a better alternative venue. It would be interesting to see a production specifically designed for the Arena setting.

This was not BRB's first venture into an Arena as some years ago they showed (in successive years) Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. I saw Swan Lake and believe that came over very well in the space used (although not the whole Arena was used).

One final word; I arrived later in the area than anticipated and managed to join my friend in Cafe Rouge. Admittedly she already had a table but the service was fantastic and I was able to enjoy a light lunch and still have plenty of time to get into the Arena and find my seat.

Hi Jean,

I am only there on Thursday matinee. I haven't received an email from you.

I'm glad you can take your own refreshments in. At the Echo Arena they even confiscated a box of biscuits I had bought as a present for someone in hospital! I kicked up such a stink that they agreed to hold them till the end for me and I did get them back eventually!

I've never been to the O2 before. Are you allowed to take your own refreshments or do you have to purchase inside? I will have to make my way straight there from Euston so haven't much opportunity to lunch before hand.

Thanks,

Janet

Merry Christmas everyone.....

John - thanks for the link. What a glorious vision. Very best wishes to Francesca and her family in this venture.

Bruce - I haven't had time to give this much thought but I just wanted to give you my heartfelt thanks for setting up this new forum. I hope everyone who uses this resource will play their part. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

As the saying goes - use it or lose it. I don't want to lose it again.

Very best wishes,

Janet

NORTHERN BALLET - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - LEEDS - DECEMBER 2011

David Nixon has created a new production of Beauty and the Beast for Northern Ballet The world premiere was in Leeds on 17th December and I was privileged to be there. I also saw the performance on 21st December.

Being honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect; the company showed a production about 10 years ago (again by David Nixon) that I didn’t really care for. I am very happy to report that I was absolutely blown away by the new production.

The scenario is reasonably straight forward: An arrogant young prince gets on wrong side of bad tempered fairy and is turned into a beast. The fairy’s sister tells him that all will not be lost if he can find a girl to love him.

A rich merchant needs money to feed and clothe his spendthrift daughters and goes into the woods. The merchant falls foul of the beast by taking a rose for his youngest sweet-natured daughter. While the beast is tormenting him he remembers his daughters and the beast asks for one of them; the merchant agrees in order to escape.

Once home, the merchant explains to his daughters and plans to sacrifice himself. While the family sleep, youngest daughter Beauty decides to sacrifice herself and goes to the beast’s castle. She is initially repulsed by the beast but gradually sees some good in him and starts to bring light back into his life. She has a vision that her father is poorly and the beast agrees to let her go to him. The beast is in despair.

Beauty realises how much she misses the beast and returns to tell him that she loves him. He is transformed back to the Prince, but without his arrogant ways. They marry and live happily ever after.

The score is a selection of pieces by Debussy, Bizet, Poulenc and Glazunov and provides a good framework for the ballet. The costumes are utterly fabulous; they have been designed by David Nixon and Julie Anderson. The costumes, especially the girl’s evoke the 1950s. The beast looks part reptilian, part simian. I am very pleased that it is not a full mask and the facial expressions of the Beast are clear to see. Tim Mitchell has designed the lighting brilliantly. Although the setting is often “dark” the clever use of the lights mean that you can actually see what is going on! Duncan Hayler has designed a surreal set that again fits in cleverly with the action. I fell in love with Beauty’s bower in the Beast’s lair! My one reservation about the set comes from sitting at the side on the first night. There was a tree at the front of the set that hid quite a lot behind it from where I was sitting.

David Nixon has used two dancers for the roles of the Prince and Beast, which allows for some gorgeous and moving choreography where the Beast is remembering how he used to be, how he would like to become and what it would be like for Beauty to be in love with him. I was moved to tears by this section and also in a solo where the Beast realises he has forgotten how to be human. Beauty has come to his lair and the manservant lays a meal out. The Beast can only eat it like an animal, looked on in horror and repulsion by Beauty.

There is a lot of humour in amongst the darkness with the bailiffs section being particular fun. I love the way even the maids are reclaimed by them. The goblins who help the Beast’ manservant have a very stylised movement that is really amusing to watch.

In the scene where Beauty’s family are introduced to the audience we meet her spend-thrift sisters and bankrupt father. The sisters arrive home after a spending spree and more of their friends arrive. This section is almost a comedy of manners the feel of which reminded me of Ashton’ Façade. Of course the friends desert the family when the bailiffs arrive and dismantle the home.

The production ends with a wedding party which takes place in what looks like a large pipe organ. The set is suffused with a warm golden light and the corps has a very attractive celebration dance.

The opening night credits went to Ashley Dixon as the Beast, Martha Leebolt as Beauty and Kenneth Tindall as the Prince. Northern Ballet is a company of strong actor/dancers and these three wonderful artists infused the ballet with meaning. Ashley Dixon was triumphant as the Beast. Hiro Takahashi created a tour-de-force as the Beast’s manservant.

On Wednesday evening an equally superb cast of Ben Mitchell, Pippa Moore and Toby Batley brought a different dynamic to the piece that showed yet again why we balletomanes need repeated viewings.

This is a real entertainment for all the family and I can’t wait to see it again when it is on tour in the Spring.