Mary

You have said what I was about to say Balletfanp.

The terrible thought that we might lose our wonderful ballet companies is too awful to contemplate. They need our support at the moment.

Looks as if dear Vadim is in danger of hitting his head on the ceiling with those jumps!

Interesting piece, thank you Ian - though it could perhaps have been a little shorter-  and I liked this sentence:

'As we look toward the horizon, perhaps the importance of “Patron Lounges” and glamorous building renovations will wane as we come to realize that theatre exists in the artists that make it, not the buildings that house it. '

Most of my street were out tonight clapping- it was nice to see people and wave and feel heartened. I clapped extra hard for my brother, working on a ward full of virus patients.

How this has made us all think, and remember our priorities.

That doesn't sound too bad Dave....

at the moment it sounds like heaven...

6 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

She's on now!

 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=808507753005188&notif_id=1585220482608585&notif_t=live_video

Thanks

We've got the same bin!

There the resemblance ends....

It's a fascinating subject and I have often observed the lack of correlation between personal feelings in real life,  and performing effectiveness on the stage or on film.

Performers, like all creative artists, must often draw upon a deep inner reservoir of emotion that is not brought into  play in everyday life, and there is also the sheer technical skill that creates the illusion for us ( as dear John Thaw said when asked if he could remember a sad event to make him cry on stage- 'I thought I'd just act')

I saw this in a live screening at the time, and the atmosphere in the cinema was absolutely electric- the most exciting screening, certainly, I have been to.

People were gasping as they staggered out to the bar in the intervals.

(Oh happy memory...)

I agree it is a really excellent perfomance by McRae and indeed Sarah Lamb, and they are superb together.

I do hope we see him back in the autumn.

As for Laura Morera- agree with every word, Two Pigeons.

Excellent- that really went down a treat with a smoked salmon sandwich in the interval. Well, I know- they are a bit expensive, but I thought

I 'd treat myself.

Good choice- Napoli- I wonder what wine would go with that lovely work?

All true but we are in the middle of a disaster...so will forgive, maybe not forget, - and suggest they have a think about these issues , but I still want to support ROH, which as an institution is bigger than the current management or any part of it, and very important to me.

Speaking to an elderly relative far away,  and in difficult circumstances, last night to check he was able to get shopping ( not really at the moment)- he suddenly said 'Oh but there was a wonderful ballet on i player- it completely took my mind off things- so uplifting'

'What, Mayerling,' I said,  surprised - 'a bit dark!'

But it had very much cheered him up and we had a good discussion about it.

1 hour ago, toursenlair said:

For now I am hunkered down with Minkus (my cat)

 perfect name

The forum is a great consolation in troubled times- thanks once again, moderators.

The thread sounds a great idea, yes please.

May I just make a plea to ban all references to the Second World War.....

I can see both sides of the Benno discussion- love the performances I have seen, but agree the role has grown a bit too much and unbalanced the ballet..

I'd like to suggest someone choreographs a new ballet for Benno, and then Siegfried can take his rightful place in Swan Lake..while Benno bounces off to entertain us all in something with a happy ending- just what we all currently need...

🙂

I thought it was absurd to have that notice  about hand washing on the back of the OUT door - it needs to be by the sinks.

I might even email them.

Agree about the tempi JohnS, the same thought passed through my mind more than once- let's pick up the pace just a shade.

But still thought Nunez was beyond praise, so totally in control of every phrase and creating  an equally effective and stunning Odette and Odile with a faultless technique and ravishing lines.

Agree entirely about the 'Nutcracker Buttons' costume which does Benno no favours and clashes with the - utterly beautiful - rest of the sets. I remember commenting on that on the first night- it looked as if he'd rushed in from the Kingdom of the Sweets with a telegram....

A vision of pure beauty with  Nunez and Muntagirov heartbreakingly lovely, Sambe flying more than dancing and  it's such a beautiful production...those sets... those frocks...if .not a perfect one ( the ending) 

1 hour ago, capybara said:

I was struck in the cinema this afternoon that the applause for Robert Clark was far louder and more prolonged than that for any of the dancers -

I have noticed this every single time there has been a solo instrumentalist or singer involved in any dance performance, completely regardless of the quality of their work.

Rather an odd phenomenon, but there will be some explanation in audience psychology!

5 hours ago, Richard LH said:

And  so much emotion! The fact that  ballet can create so much out of  "nothing"  (no defined story, no real set, no props, and just a simple music  accompaniment) is perhaps a useful learning point for today's choreographers. 

100% agree Richard- you have said it exactly!

Our posts crossed bridiem- we had the same reaction evidently! It is rather reassuring to know it isn't just me.

Agree about Bonelli's 'Indian summer' and Morera was just utterly exquisite in DAAG- it was worth the rotten trudge through very cold slush just to see her- but also a fizzing and joyous Campbell, and delicious Hayward, Nunez, Naghdi- what a lovely treat to see them on the stage together. Dances AAG seemed to work better in the live screening funnily enough- I got more involved in it. I agree with all who have said it can drag sometimes; not tonight though.

Sambe was indeed quite outstanding in the Cellist and so was Cuthbertson; I so much wanted to like the piece,  but the style of choreography just leaves me  cold. The wonderful dancers- apart from Sambe who got the best choreography by far apart from the excessive air cello- seemed rather wasted (pretending to be lamps and record players) and I couldn't believe the number of rather ungainly, sometimes absurd,  postures that were achieved in one hour. It seems an odd way to treat such beautiful dancers. I felt du Pre was shown far too much being tugged, heaved, hauled about, and it didn't do justice to her personality or achievement,  in my view.

The score mixing up snippets of music with a sort of film score I also found a bit thin and unsatisfying.

Very unusual for me to leave a RB perfomance feeling disappointed.

A second very intense and moving performance from Nunez in this demanding role in one week- I am very impressed! and it was great to see her rapport with Bolle.  An excellent performance from all concerned and much applause and cheering from a happy audience- drained, but happy I should say..

That curtain call was a memorable one.

Ball and Hayward were perfect- lived up to all the good reviews on this thread and some.

And I must mention Gary Avis's wonderfully deep and subtle performance.

31 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Quite - Onegin checks to make sure they are alone and needs a second opportunity to return the letter because guests intruded the first time.

Yes I think they are meant to be alone: it is not meant to be public humiliation. he keeps picking up the dance whenever anyone comes in.

Also the tearing up of the letter  can be read differently.   It is a very indiscreet letter indeed- it was not at all what a young lady should have been guilty of: writing to a man she hardly knows, and declaring her love- before he has declared any intentions towards her-  unheard of.  If it was seen by her family or someone else, her reputation would be damaged. Onegin is certainly rejecting her, is also surely criticising her forwardness -  and getting rid of the evidence which would reflect badly on her.

 I think the scene is indeed often rather overdone, as a more melodramatic or vicious gesture than it is intended to be.

Certainly he is proud, ( he is obsessed with his own honour) scornful and a little unkind - but he is not just a cruel swine, as that would make her love for him- as Lizbie1 says above- and  his later change of attitude, very implausible.

43 minutes ago, Angela said:

Does anybody remember Adam Cooper

I should say so......