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bridiem

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Everything posted by bridiem

  1. bridiem
    The synopsis doesn't explain, and I've always been a bit confused about this too, jmhopton. I thought it was just me!
  2. bridiem
    I'm hardly an eco-warrior, but surely it's a terrible waste of energy/resources etc.
  3. bridiem
    And what is the connection with BalletBoyz??
  4. bridiem
    I agree that no-one does 'raw emotion' quite like Osipova; but I think Lamb was hugely emotional, and that her persona matches Muntagirov's perfectly. They are both beautiful, elegant, honest, pure, stylish and sincere whilst also being tremendously ardent (good word) and intensely emotional. (As well as technically superb, of course.) I find that sometimes a slightly more 'interior' style is even more moving than a very extravert style (and maybe even works better with classical ballet, which requires emotion to be expressed within a very technical framework).
  5. bridiem
    That's now how I experience Ferri at all. I think she has a kind of beauty and melancholy at her core that radiates out through her pliant and superbly expressive body.
  6. bridiem
    I had a similar realisation, penelopesimpson. I felt that Hayward's Manon wasn't so much in love with Des Grieux as with herself - her power and her new found sexuality. So when she was presented with the alternative of riches, there was no hesitation - they were simply an alternative proof of her power. Only in the last act did she relinquish her power - or rather have it viciously torn from her - and in her loss and defeat turn fully to the loving Des Grieux. But by then it was too late. Tremendous performance by Hayward, and although I found Bonelli a little bland in the first and second acts, by the end he was blazing. And I thought Campbell was an excellent Lescaut - terrific dancing, and a convincing portrayal of a controlling, amoral swine.
  7. bridiem
    Back from Lamb/Muntagirov Manon, with Hirano as Lescaut, Mendizabal as Lescaut's Mistress and Avis as Monsieur G.M. A magnificent, heartbreaking performance. Muntagirov danced throughout most beautifully, making the choreography breathe and grow and endowing every step with love, yearning, passion and purity whilst retaining a perfect classical line and conveying every nuance of the story with complete brilliance. Lamb was stunning too - this time, I understood Manon's behaviour and empathised with her situation almost from the outset. With Des Grieux, she suddenly became so aware of her power and sexuality that she thought she could control what was happening - that she could use Monsieur G.M. and then return to the ecstasy of being with Des Grieux. She was naïve rather than amoral; greedy rather than evil. And during his first solo, she devoured Des Grieux with her eyes as he leapt and turned and danced his love for her. Her behaviour with Monsieur G.M. was nothing but a dangerous game, that proved to be fatal. And Hirano - what an incredible Lescaut! This time, I did laugh at the drunken solo, and he made me interested in the character and dominated the stage with his presence. I found his death very shocking and tragic. A flawed character who overreached himself and paid the ultimate price; just like his sister. And Mendizabal was excellent as his Mistress, and very amusing in the pas de deux. I could hardly bear the end. How could this have happened, and to this Des Grieux?! Who wanted only to love and care for Manon, and who was instead betrayed and bereaved. And to Manon, this lovely young girl who misunderstood everything. Such a terrible, tragic waste. Really quite traumatic. And all conveyed through dance of the highest possible quality.
  8. bridiem
    Tamara Rojo is talking at the Royal Academy in London on the evening of Friday14 September as part of their 'Festival of Ideas' - tickets can be booked at https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/event/festival-of-ideas-tamara-rojo
  9. bridiem
    Wow!!
  10. bridiem
    She also has the most beautiful feet and shoes, and her technique is put entirely at the service of telling the story. When you look at dancers now (both female and male) you can see how strong they are both in their bodies and in how they move and present themselves; that wasn't the case in the past, when the aim was to disguise the difficulty of what was being done. I personally regret the trend of recent decades in that respect.
  11. bridiem
    I thought it was very funny. I guess it means KOH, Monica Mason and Lady M, plus others unguessable.
  12. bridiem
    Danses was performed by the RB on the main stage in 2003! So it shouldn't have needed 'reconstructing' at all.
  13. bridiem
    I would support the statement that she 'excelled', simply in the sense that she was excellent. I don't think it always has to have comparative connotations with other people; just with a perceived standard of quality that has been surpassed.
  14. bridiem
    That is interesting, Geoff. But maybe Manon IS louche, knowing and vulgar! Her vulnerability only emerges at the end. I personally think that Osipova's creative flow is still pouring forth.
  15. bridiem
    Could it be a browser issue? The ROH website says: 'Our website is best viewed using the latest version of the following web browsers: Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Apple Safari Internet Explorer Most browsers will automatically update to the latest version that is compatible with your computer. If you use Windows XP, you will not be able to upgrade to the most recent version of Internet Explorer and we recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox instead.' They don't give a phone number for queries/problems, unfortunately - just an email form to fill in. But the number for Customer Services is 020 7304 4000 so perhaps they could help.
  16. bridiem
    I'm afraid that I didn't enjoy this bill much. I thought that Fantastic Beings was much better than 2 years ago - still too long, but visually striking and beautifully danced, so by far the most enjoyable work from my point of view. I found Approximate Sonata very tedious and unilluminating - lots of extensions and stretches from the couples, but conveying (to me) nothing, either through the choreography or the music. And I thought that the black backdrop going up and down periodically and revealing the word 'YES' was so dated and pretentious. However the work did introduce me to Sarah Kundi in the 4th Sonata - I haven't (knowingly) seen her dance before and she was terrific, infusing the steps with her own style and wit. I was pleased to finally see The Cage - I found it very powerful and original and I loved the music, but it was also (inevitably) very unpleasant. I also couldn't help thinking that (even though they're supposed to be insects) if the genders of the participants were reversed, there would - rightly or wrongly - currently be vocal protests about the theme. Katja Khaniukova and Fabian Reimair were tremendous as the Novice and the Man. Playlist (Track 1, 2) just washed over me - it seemed to be nothing more than a few standard elements of ballet vocabulary performed extremely well, often in unison or small groups, by a technically talented group of men to reasonably engaging music. But at least it was an upbeat ending to the afternoon. ENB do look to be in great form - everything was danced with such skill and commitment. But I wouldn't choose to see any of the works again.
  17. bridiem
    Just to say that Kevin O'Hare neither burbled nor muttered last night; he spoke clearly, openly, coherently and with great generosity of spirit in respect of his audience, and I am very grateful to him for so doing. I may not always agree with his decisions; but he is AD of the RB, not me. (Which is all to the good.)
  18. bridiem
    They do both give great performances in their different ways. But Hayward has of course danced not only Sugar Plum but also Aurora, so it's not correct to say that she's 'not cast in classical tutu roles'.
  19. bridiem
    I know Alexander Campbell is guesting in Australia, but I worry that he appears to only be doing Bratfisch in this whole period. (Unless he's involved in the triple bill though not named.) I hope there will be more to keep him busy later in the season. I'm thrilled that Hirano is doing Rudolf.
  20. bridiem
    Thanks for posting this, capybara - lovely to see the speeches, and Polunin's excellent presenting.
  21. bridiem
    Well my father was Irish and most people can't manage either of my names! I don't even expect it nowadays.
  22. bridiem
    I think that to say 'the dress code is now jeans and backpack' is a big exaggeration. The point is that there is no dress code now; as the ROH website says, people can feel free to dress up or down as they wish. Which is as it should be. But I'm also glad that some people do choose to make the effort! So good for you, penelopesimpson. I agree that it's nice to see people who are nicely dressed - it's just not a requirement.
  23. bridiem
    I'm not sure it's age, penelopesimpson. I'm not exactly young, but I'm just not someone who enjoys dressing up. I understand your view, but I think that for some people clothes are a way of expressing pleasure at going somewhere or doing something; for others, they're just not. If I absolutely have to, I do make a bit of an effort; but it causes nothing but stress! And I don't regard going to the ROH (or any other theatre) as somewhere where it's necessary, maybe because I always sit in the Amphi, where I am in no way out of place. (In fact, my sister has very kindly bought tickets for us in the front row of the Stalls Circle for a performance of Swan Lake, and I'm already feeling a bit anxious about being in such elevated surroundings! I won't wear jeans, and I don't want to feel out of place, but I don't want to worry more about my clothes than about the performance!).
  24. bridiem
    Actually I think it's unusual nowadays to see a dancer with lovely-looking feet. I don't know if they use softer shoes now, but it's very unusual to see the beautiful feet and shoes I used to see regularly in my earlier days of ballet-going. Which is a shame, because that's all part of the line of a dancer. None of which means that I think that Osipova's feet look 'wrecked' (if that's all that assoluta meant).
  25. bridiem
    If this is private information to which you somehow have access, perhaps it would be better not to refer to it in public, especially if you are not then willing to explain what you mean.
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