Mary

Yes of course there are many provisos  and questions and not everyone will get help; the situation is still dire...but it should still stave off the very worst. I intend to feel cheered up just for one day.

It is the best news for some time and such a fund should stave off the very worst.

I have sometimes been critical of Ms Rojo, but a very hearty Vote of Thanks and a large bouquet is due on this occasion.

I can  imagine she was highly effective (not an easy person to say No to.)

True,

We'd both enjoy it though...

Yes, I wondered whether they might start again with the film screenings in the Linbury.

it is extremely worrying. Many local theatres were in trouble already and we know there has been a great deal of cutting of funding.

Trying to understand yesterday's announcement- is it the case that theatres may now show film, and their cafes and bars re open ( subject to restrictions)?  I am wondering whether this might help just a little bit - bring in some income.

Not that I relish the idea of theatres becoming cinemas (or ROH finally turning into a gigantic Costa Coffee.)

It was plain to see how happy Dowell was in that coaching session- it must be wonderful to see your young self come again as it were- to see the dance realised again just as it should be.

I watched on my laptop-  I didn't know what to do so just went to ROH website and clicked on Today on the calendar and then on the event, and it said 'Watch now' (I had already paid last week) and it just worked...I didn't have to do anything complicated..(just as well) so not sure why others had to.

How very frustrating and awful to have missed Vadim- I am sure you will be able to watch it soon.

I think he poured all his feelings about the situation into that performance.  It is wonderful to have it saved on film and maybe in  years to come we will look back at it as a moment of light in a dark time.

That is a heart-rending interview. The strain behind the fun antics- a feeling shared I am sure by so many dancers,  and my heart goes out to Vadim and all of them.

10 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

That's not to say the opinions here are invalid, or will be proved wrong. I just think sometimes we get into a downward spiral of negativity about ROH (in particular) which isn't always merited. And we must remember that they are feeling their way with all this - there must necessarily be some trial and error involved.

I think there is truth in that- the result, I know, of some very poor communications from their marketing department in the past which caused justifiable annoyance.  But things have changed, the situation is now very different, and  it might be remembered that the Royal Ballet is not necessarily in charge itself of the public communication aspect  - and that all the other staff and artists and so on are, after all, probably just as hacked off as the rest of us, if not more so.

I had my own criticisms of the first free event, but in justice I can see that it is indeed a very different thing to try to programme a live but audience-less and distancing event,  (with dancers who have not been able to go to class)  -  that people are willing to pay for - in the ROH, - than to make a short film for instagram- just 2 very different things.

However, I still want to see more ballet- and Vadim Muntagirov dancing Ashton will be the best start there could possibly be.

Sorry my post got delayed.

To be fair, McGregor did focus on rebirth and renewal in his piece..I thought appropriately.

It' s all on youtube and the ballet begins 40 mins in.

Or was yesterday. 

We all seem to agree.

I very much support the venture and want to support ROH as much as possible.

It seemed a bit heavy on the sombre songs, indeed - and  why,  if it's possible to have solo singers, is it not possible to have more solo dance? I was a little surprised to see the description of the dance - which was beautiful - as an 'interlude' in the singing. Yes the programme  could do with being a bit more balanced between the art forms next time.

But it was only the first one - hoping for more good things to come.

Thanks oncnp.  That beautiful music, the choregraphy, the dancer combined in an ideal of heavenly beauty. Tears poured down my face.

21 minutes ago, Beryl H said:

I've just read my  E-mail and am confused (my usual state these days), the first one is free, then £4.99 for the remainder, so you can't pay as you go, since the next one is Song of the Earth without the dancing I wouldn't want to see this if they paid me

 

As for the questionnaire, I tried to complete it but came up against a blank page with lots of ticks, nothing more, this happened twice.

Beryl, the 20 June programme also includes Muntagirov dancing Ashton's Dance of the Blessed Spirits  which has been suggested as an item on this thread I think.

I am bewildered myself by much of the online culture we are now living  in, but I created an account and bought a ticket in less than one minute...amazing myself.

To me it is worth 4.99 to see him and I am very happy to give ROH 4.99,  indeed a lot more than that to try to keep going and give Vadim and all the other dancers a chance to perform on the stage again.

Looking forward to news of the next 2 live events on 20 and 27 June - 'a host of ballet' being promised....

It isn't hard to imagine how many of the dancers must be feeling very anxious and sensitive at the moment about their careers, and I can understand any of them feeling anxious about such a programme- in particular not being portrayed in a way they would choose- or, not being portrayed at all - not sure which is worse:  especially when you've been through a huge amount of pain and worry already ( and McRae has had 2 major injuries in a row). However, it's usually better not to say anything in such cases. But I can understand the frustration.

Mine too.................................

It isn't how we want it to be.

But perhaps it' s a start?

At least the performers can perform, and I am sure the very small audience would be immensely apreciative.

I know, Dave- there are so many difficulties.

I suppose I was pondering on future changes that might be a good idea anyway- for me, more and shorter perfomances (less expensive to stage- and getting more people into the theatre per day) would be a good thing in many ways.

Interesting.

Short evenings would make getting home easier too. Those of us who need trains wouldn't be restricted to one or 2 late services. It would 'stagger' the evening and make travel less of a rush which helps with distancing.

The lack of  intervals would lose the theatre the revenue of interval refreshments of course,  but perhaps bars would be closed anyway.

If it's only an hour perhaps they  could have 3 performances in a day with different casts.

 In a more 'flexible ' world maybe more people can go to daytime performances, causing less congestion around rush hour and standard start times.

I would welcome -more frequent- short and intense performances:  it would focus the mind entirely on the reason we are there...

Lots of problems to overcome no doubt but it's good - cheering - to think about how  some changes in the future might actually be for the better in some ways (one can only hope.)

10 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

It never fails to amuse me just how LOUD tiny wrens are!

I agree!

On the other hand my experience of humans is that noise bears v little relation to size....🙂

Our swifts are back today- joy!

They've made it again/ which means the globe's still working..

9 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

 

Sorry about that, Mary ...  It is convoluted I agree ... but there had been no detailed information on it that I had seen.  That's how it came ...  I didn't write it ... I just copied it.  I do feel sorry for them.  They must have been counting on their 80th Anniversary season to fill the coffers to help support their forward work.  I would imagine their very existence may well now be in question.  Of course, ABT has been there before ... and survived.  I wish them well on this challenging occasion.  

 

and many thanks for posting it Bruce.

I only meant a light hearted comment that there was such a lot to take in, most of it entirely obscure to me personally.

I too wish them every possible success in fund-raising.

I got rather lost trying to read through the long description above!..

(cooking classes?)

i loved Marion Tait's contribution to this- so good to see her dancing again. What beautiful poise and serenity she conveys.

I was pleased to see Carlos Acosta feeds the birds too..