Mary

42 minutes ago, Bruce Wall said:

How glorious to see James Hay back in such breath-taking shape.  There can't have been too many other dancers whose stunning lyrical line - always wafting THROUGH the music - is consistently pinpointed by such a miraculous port de bras.  Such a gift for us all.  

....how could I have neglected to say- what a long overdue feast of wonderful James Hay:  he is a dancer I could watch all day  long for his musicality, understated lyrical style, lovely lines,  and marvellous use of his eyes.

The most fascinating set of reviews for ages, - especially the very great disagreement about the Tanowitz piece. I need to see it again now to work out whether I think it was brilliant or awful! but at least it related to ballet,

whereas the Toonga was nothing to do with ballet,  and it's inexplicable, vague aggression was just unpleasant to me. As others have said, it did feel a bit like Pite - but her very skilful pieces, which I don't much like personally,  have a clear purpose and effect.

I felt that the dancers in this piece should have had the opportunity to shine in something that was some form of ballet- I wonder if anyone asked them.

I am glad I am not alone in thinking the costumes for Prima - which I liked a lot - were a disaster which positively hampered the dancers and the piece.   I know the days of Nureyev wielding scissors may be over, but surely RB would listen to these fine Principals saying, 'I cannot dance in this clown ensemble'?

I did find it interesting to see the new pieces, on the whole.

We all agree on Diamonds anyway.

28 minutes ago, Jamesrhblack said:

Calvin Richardson was truly superb as Des Grieux,

Agree entirely.

Luca  Acri made it quite humorous actually with use of hand gestures etc, pretending to gaze admiringly at the non existent lady and  presenting his shadow partner for applause at the end.

Disappointing of course, but, - unusual!

To reply to your earlier question, Fonty I think all the pieces in part 2 were new or new  to the RB- and as the gala was about 60 years of the Friends, (rather than 60 years of the RB) and the Friends sponsor new work, as Kevin O'Hare reminded us, I think you could say that was fair enough as one third of the programme.

Mr Pouffer's work was certainly fluffy but very enjoyable I thought- featuring very fast footwork which suited Steve McRae - and he and Osipova seemed to be enjoying themselves. Not classical perhaps, but it was definitely dance and not grovelling on the floor!

An aside- there were some quotations from Friends displayed on a screen at the start and one of them  (by one of our own Moderators?) - that Fille was a Masterpiece that makes one smile from beginning to end-  I entirely agreed with !

The snippet we saw only made me long to see the whole ballet.

5 minutes ago, capybara said:

I've just been to the ROH website for another purpose and see that these performances have the strapline:  A dazzling showcase

Elsewhere, there is reference to the RB's dazzling Principals

Hmmmm......................

They dazzle me!

17 minutes ago, Fiona said:

Well, I am heartbroken that it won't be Reece Clarke as the male lead in Diamonds, and Anna Rose O'Sullivan will not be dancing the Fille Mal Gardee pdd!  (I had hopes she had time for a quick change before the new work she's in.)

Clarke tonight and Sat mat?

Meaghan Grace Hinkis injured today so poor Acri had to dance on his own! 

Much to enjoy at the rehearsal ..if ov erall a slightly odd programme. The criteria for choice of works were unclear to me. 

I did like the symmetry of having 2 pieces for four dancers- one male one female - and enjoyed both. Diamonds is a glorious celebration of classical ballet that makes me cry. But perhaps not the obvious choice for RB.

I agree it is all a bit of a mix. ..

Did I imagine it or did I read an article about Kent county council being perilously  close to bankruptcy? In which case it seems surprising.

PM sent...

But I think the original post did not object to Ek, but to Ek basing a work on Rite of Spring: the sentiment was not 'Oh no, Mats Ek!' or 'Oh no- modern works!'

it was, - correct me if I am wrong- 'Oh no, another modern choreographer using Rite of Spring- '

You can disagree with that too, of course, but it is a different point.

So pleased about Penguin Cafe- I've been wanting to take 2 young relatives to that for ages- great!

8 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

I've been mulling over what makes Muntagirov's portrayal so shattering, and it might partly be because there's a variation on the casting-against-type principle going on. The Royal Ballet's most "princely" dancer is playing MacMillan's subversion of the classical ballet prince. Seeing Muntagirov of all dancers go from the somewhat familiar physical glamour of the first scenes to the shattered wreck of the last act - when else have we seen him put on open view the degree of physical exertion required? - was extraordinarily powerful.

 

But as well as that, he acted and danced like his life depended on it. For my money he's the best male dancer I've seen live (my memory doesn't go back as far as some others'!) and the RB is very, very lucky to have him.

I entirely agree- this puts it so well.

It's a terribly painful ballet to watch anyway, but seeing Vadim Muntagirov, of all people, turning into a  broken wreck was exceedingly distressing.  Hardly an enjoyable experience in that sense but just overwhelmingly powerful and cathartic - like the King Lear of ballet.

I feel intensely lucky and thrilled to have followed Muntagirov's career and excited to see what he does next.  At a time when we grieve for the loss of regular contact with the Russian companies this is a huge compensation and it seems to me that  in Muntagirov we now see combined the best of the Russian and English style, the serenely strong classical perfection and the intensity of dramatic expressiveness.

What a dancer.

I have never been so moved by Mayerling.

Vadim Muntagirov re wrote the script!

Not unusual for galas I know, not to give a full programme- but the rehearsal insight did perhaps give a slightly misleading impression of what's coming and it did make me start to wonder whether I really want to go - taking into account all the usual boring things ( expense, travel etc). 

It would be nice to be reassured and enticed.

I was wondering whether there would be any Friends there who have been Friends for the whole 60 years. I manage about a third of that,  and am sure many can easily beat that record.

Thanks for these reviews - I can just picture Brandon Lawrence in this role= perfect. It will have to stay a mental picture as chances of getting to Birmingham were nil. Maybe some other day.

Does anyone have any photos?

However I think he might be in the film of Don Q  -is he? - so will renew efforts to see that  - somewhere...

I have the leaflet with Cope and Rojo in a stunning Mayerling pas de deux moment pinned by my desk- it is a fantastic image. Cope was my all-time favourite in the role.

When he retired so prematurely, Rojo bemoaned the fact that their partnership would not be able to grow to its full potential- I remember it well and they were indeed a great, very dramatic and powerful pair.

My sympathies Alison- I had a similar VERY frustrating and annoying experience in Friends' booking, , and also use Firefox, so......

I really do NOT understand though why it only works with some browsers..... and how on earth is one supposed to know beforehand?  Many people really don't even think aout what browser they have - and even if we were forewarned,  it could change, no doubt, every time.

Thanks- shame the Picturehouse website went down this evening..I seem doomed in my attempts to see this after missing it at Sadlers, but won't give up.....

I recommend the Channel 4 film A Night with Handel, which I remember finding very inspiring when I was getting into Handel opera years ago- it features many of the most thrilling arias given modern contexts, to show how they dramatise psychological situations- and is really well filmed, narrated by Handel's biographer Jonathan Keates and of course with some great singers including Sarah Connolly. I think you can still get the DVD.

I'm a Friend - sadly not a Young Friend- and I hadn't booked, and I did get the email...

I don't drive so get especially angry.

But yes indeed- this is hardly helping to reduce motor traffic is it!

5 hours ago, SheilaC said:

Yes. The LNER was renationalised and, while not perfect, is efficient. It's just come out as the most successful of all the train companies (not a high bar!) and now there are more passengers using it than before the pandemic- a vote of confidence.

The other train company I use, TransPennine Express, while not so bad as Avanti, is a nightmare. Trains are cancelled without warning, other than a sign against every train journey on the website that it might be cancelled. In the end I didn't dare booking for an evening performance of the brilliant NB triple in Leeds as there was no guarantee I could get home (presumably if you are warned to check before travelling the company isn't then obliged to take you home by bus or taxi if the last train is cancelled). And when I went to Liverpool to see ENB the direct train to Newcastle was cancelled- as were all the subsequent direct trains.

I've just got back from a journey using 3 train companies- Thameslink/LNER and the so called train company Transpennine 'express' ha ha!-

to see an elderly relative in Lincolnshire- which was, not urgent exactly, but important, and my time was limited. LNER was rather good, indeed.

I got to Doncaster to find- NO Transpennine trains at all for 4 hrs, and no replacement bus either..I  had no option but to take a taxi which cost a lot of money. Returning today- the same- both the trains I could have used were cancelled at the  last minute. It is a complete disgrace. Can't call it a service at all.

How on earth people manage in the area I do not know -I spoke to some hapless passengers at the station who said it has been like this for weeks.. they have all my sympathy and I am writing to complain.

 Not exactly an invitation then, really?

Nor is it really much of an 'event' to see me having a glass of wine

😀

Made me laugh anyway, very welcome at the moment!