Jump to content

bridiem

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    4,202

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by bridiem

  1. bridiem
    I can never keep count anyway, so I wouldn't know if someone had done 32 or not. As long as they keep to the music, keep performing, and keep doing something that looks vaguely spectacular (if you see what I mean), that's enough (plenty in fact) for me.
  2. bridiem
    I did assume that they were the height of fashion, given the amount of publicity given to Erdem; their gorgeousness or otherwise is of course a matter of taste! (Fashion does have this bizarre habit of going round and round in circles; I did indeed think of my late beloved mother when I saw what they were wearing. And I don't think she would have thought her underwear either comfortable or suitable for wearing on stage.)
  3. bridiem
    Oh and I thought Humphrey Burton was terrific! Really interesting and illuminating about Bernstein and the music. All the interviews were good in fact, and they really get the crème de la crème! together for these screenings! One of the reasons they're so enjoyable. (Costumes notwithstanding...).
  4. bridiem
    Back from the screening in Brixton. I also enjoyed Yugen most - I think the music is absolutely thrilling, I found the sets very effective in their dignity and simplicity, and the choreography was comparatively gentle and at times almost beautiful. Though I was a bit disappointed in that it seemed a bit too restrained for the music and subject matter, and perhaps rather repetitive, as if McGregor had run out of ideas at times. But my sister loved it, and she has excellent judgement! I'm seeing it live at the ROH next week so I will see if it looks different there. I wonder if the angle and shots of the filming might have been a bit unhelpful. I didn't much like the costumes (I don't think that purple and red go together, and they looked quite tatty, too much like contemporary sleepwear). The Age of Anxiety is a perplexing work. Very ambitious but also strikes me as the work of someone very young (I know Scarlett is comparatively young, but mounting major works at the ROH is a mature activity!). I agree with Vanartus that the ROH probably isn't the right venue for it (as with Acosta's Carmen). Beautiful designs and wonderful performances, but I neither understood nor cared about any of the characters and the theme/s didn't resonate with me at all. I found it very difficult to watch Corybantic Games because the costumes were so dire. If the designer is keen on underwear, that's his own business; but to dress the dancers in this way was an appalling failure of judgement on his part, and on the part of Wheeldon for allowing it. The women's costumes were particularly repellent (and also unsuitable, with trailing ribbons spoiling whatever line may have been aimed at). How the dancers managed to maintain their dignity I don't know, but they did - they were all outstanding, especially Tierney Heap who was sensational in the last movement. I found it difficult to assess the choreography in these circumstances, but I loved the music. (And, since I have been particularly negative in the paragraph above, I will add my full name in accordance with Forum rules!). Bridie Macmahon
  5. bridiem
    But it's part of the coming season, bbb, so why would at least the intention to mark it not have been announced even if the details had not been decided? Normally the announcement of the coming season would include every possible newsworthy or interesting facet of what's being planned - these announcements are as much about publicity etc as they are about the basic information. And given the detail with which companies do have to plan in advance, May next year is not far away. But I hope you're right and that plans will be announced in due course.
  6. bridiem
    The cast list showed Montes, and the change slip included him replacing Emerton, so I assumed it was just a double notification that it was Montes dancing. But was the change slip wrong and should have said Emerton replaced Montes?! I'm afraid I wouldn't know either of them by sight.
  7. bridiem
    On Tuesday evening the cast sheet was wrong (it still listed Sambé) - I queried it in the first interval and was told that there were no further changes from the printed list, and when I insisted that it wasn't Sambé dancing I was advised to ask someone else. The second person told me that there were some cast change slips on a ledge in the Amphi bar area and I eventually managed to get one. So if I hadn't known already that it wasn't Sambé dancing, I'd have been none the wiser.
  8. bridiem
    I'd love to think that your suggestions for 2019-2020 would materialise, FLOSS. But in respect of 2018-2019, the press release doesn't mention any particular celebration (apart from Robbins, in passing and clearly not of the same significance for the RB) so I can't see any reason to think that there's some sort of clash of celebrations here. I actually find it quite mystifying.
  9. bridiem
    Some link with Panama would be good too, though I don't know precisely how that could work.
  10. bridiem
    I agree very much with reviving the works named above. I would also mount a photographic exhibition at the ROH; re-name the Amphi terrace The Fonteyn Terrace; and seek sponsorship to introduce an annual Fonteyn Commission, i.e. one new work every year commissioned/produced in her memory.
  11. bridiem
    I think that's very true, capybara. Given that there are never going to be that many new (and revivals of new) works in a season, having 3 people who are all given some sort of priority is far too much. And I personally don't think that any of them really justify the status by the works, much as I've enjoyed some of the works by all of them.
  12. bridiem
    So do most articles anywhere! People seem to take their bile out in these usually anonymous comments sections.
  13. bridiem
    If women want to choreograph but are being prevented from doing so, that should be rectified. If a work by a woman is good enough, it should be presented. Other than that, all I care about is the quality of the work, not the gender of its creator. And I don't think that talented choreographers (or any creative people in any art form) should think about presenting material 'in the right way' or adapting it 'for today's audiences'. Artists will inevitably be influenced in various ways by the times in which they live, but other than that they must be free to create and then be judged purely on the quality of their work.
  14. bridiem
    Well now you mention it... Seriously, I think it's a whole lot more than a vehicle for lovely dancing. As is Swan Lake; and La Sylphide. The only full-length work I can think of that could be so described is Jewels; and even there, there are hints, and mysteries, and glances, and thoughts...
  15. bridiem
    I would have thought that casting announcements were an opportunity to help to 'create' stars too. Dancers deserve to be 'promoted' to the public.
  16. bridiem
    Thanks Mary, that's really helpful. I did think that Paulina was almost a Lilac Fairy type figure. I didn't notice the mirroring of the choreography and I think perhaps the programme notes led me to expect a 'happier' ending. But I would now like to see it again with greater understanding! Too late for the moment unfortunately.
  17. bridiem
    Yes, I did get the cast sheet, Richard LH - what I meant was that none of that was evident (to me) from what I saw on stage. But then it wouldn't be the first ballet where relationships are only understandable by reading the programme first. And yes, I wondered that about Hermione/the statue etc. I suppose I should read the play...
  18. bridiem
    Yes, that's very true - I remember thinking first time round that he was the collateral damage in all this. But I do think the ending as a whole could have been more fleshed out, and more danced.
  19. bridiem
    I agree with every word of this, JohnS! And I enjoyed this ballet much more than last time round (on its debut run). I think at least partly because I did my homework this time (i.e. made sure I knew the plot in advance) and really concentrated (last time, it was 10 days after my mother's death so I had no spare energy for concentration on ballet). I still have some small quibbles, partly related to the plot (which may be Shakespeare's 'fault' rather than Wheeldon's! I don't know the play) and partly I think to the ballet: e.g. to me, it's not clear who Paulina is or what relationship she has with Leontes, and why she is in a position to play such a pivotal role; it's not clear that Antigonus dies, let alone that he's killed by the (not very obvious) bear; it's not clear why Polixenes should care about Florizel and Perdita getting together (i.e. the relationship between Polixenes and Florizel is not obvious - there's no indication that F is anything other than of the same social status as Perdita); in the last Act, it's not clear if Paulina has told Hermione about Perdita before she sees/recognises her (and if not why not?!); and I found the ending a bit too downbeat - surely in a ballet, Leontes, Hermione and Perdita should DANCE together to celebrate their reunion, rather than just posing and then leaving the stage? However, I did find the whole work moving, beautiful visually (I LOVED the ships/storms!), and interesting choreographically (though there were still times when the steps looked as if they were deliberately clever rather than a real response to the music). The music I found a bit patchy - sometimes very atmospheric, sometimes too bland/nothing and just an accompaniment without either moving anything on or describing it. I thought the performances were magnificent, all of them - absolutely agree with JohnS. (I see that only the named roles are shown in the cast list - isn't there normally also an entry for corps dancers as appropriate? e.g. Members of the Court, Villagers etc - artists of the Royal Ballet? Seems mean not even to mention them when they're on stage a lot of the time.)
  20. bridiem
    I really want to see Hirano as Rudolf. And as many roles as feasible during the season for Campbell and Hay! But there's really an embarrassment of riches in all ranks and both genders at the RB at the moment, so I'm sure it's going to be nearly as challenging for KOH et al to do the casting as it will be for us to choose who to see! (He could always post on the Forum if he wanted any advice. )
  21. bridiem
    2018 is the 25th anniversary of Tombeaux - I would have loved it to have been scheduled again.
  22. bridiem
    Thanks, bbb! We were posting at the same time.
  23. bridiem
    Well the first Mayerling is on 8 October, which I don't think is much later than usual is it?
  24. bridiem
    Delighted to see The Firebird, Symphony in C, Flight Pattern, Les Patineurs and Asphodel Meadows. And that The Two Pigeons is back. Always pleased to see Mayerling and R&J. Surprised no Swan Lake, but as Alison says maybe that's to wait and see how it's bedded down in year 1. The new Marriott work sounds interesting, but I hope not relying too heavily on film footage etc which can be very effective but can also be distracting - depends how it's used. I think a little of Don Q goes a long way, so I'm not thrilled to see it back. And ditto re La Bayadere, in fact, although obviously the Shades Act is wonderful so I will look forward to seeing it again. I was a little disappointed when I first saw the lists, but now I'm contemplating the actual performances - with the brilliant dancers we currently have - I can't wait!
  25. bridiem
    Not sure how that constitutes 'full length'! Seems a bit strange to premiere a work before it's complete. (But by the time it's shown in London the following season, it will be complete.)
×
×
  • Create New...