Mary

Can't wait.

Is the casting currently as shown on the ROH website? I have looked before at the big screen behind the bar in the 'coffee bar' but never seen any cast changes up there...is that where to look?

The photos on the ROH website reminded me that Jonathan Cope was in Winter Dreams in 2010-  Is he coaching for this bill I wonder.

I am wondering, too if I will be able to stay for the 3rd piece- but hoping it is The Concert last, the one I could most bear to miss.

I plan to quickly nip down to Somerset House first to watch the skating to get in the mood for Patineurs- can't wait! Is there a thread yet? - starts tonight! Hurray for a change from Nutcracker ( fabulous as it is. )

10.15 in fact Beryl? we hope!

Turning up at your London station after the ballet to find no train home! I see the trains are in quite a mess tonight and feel for people who have had a day out in town, been to the Nutcracker or a show ...it was nearly me! Hope they all get home safely.

David, I know what you mean -  the trailer put me off- and it is an opera I know and love.

Don't tell me, let me guess- it's all about Tchaikovsky being 'tormented'-yes?

Of course! There could never be any sense of  joy in composing such divine music could there- and no doubt his -I am sure- 'repressed'- gay identity is a terrible agony etc because in the arts these days noone is ever 'glad to be gay' as we used to sing.

I realise Tchaikovsky's life was difficult in many ways, but the complexity just gets reduced down to stock concepts in this kind of production, and  why does the biography always have to take over the actual work he wrote?

Academic anyway:  I can't afford it!

1 hour ago, FLOSS said:

If you were cynical you might think that the entire "Open Up" project was only ever intended to give the illusion of accessibility to those not already in the know about ballet and opera while the management was actually trying to restore its pre-war exclusivity based on the ability to pay.

I think a lot of us have said the same- we must be a terribly cynical bunch........either that or it's the sad truth.

I am not sure who could be deceived though- unless the absurd notion of 'footfall'- I think it's called - is in play- which apparently gives an institution some credit from the Arts Council just for people traipsing through even when they are not engaging at all with what it actually does.

Are we sure of the order of performance of the three pieces? another thing that is often confusing on the website is that the order for mixed bills is shown differently in different sections..I would assume this is the best and most sensible order- but -?

(I am hoping to sneak in an extra visit but might not be able to stay for the concert, assuming and hoping it is last, on one occasion)

I had no intention of going to the live screening, - but of course having read the Forum comments a small voice was saying- 'Why weren't you there?' and I managed to get to an encore this afternoon- oh was it worth it! Marcelino Sambe just on fire, I so enjoyed his performance.  One thing I don't like about the production is the 'joining in the diverts' aspect, but , with his enthusiastic energy twice that of anyone on stage he reconciled me even to that. He and Anna Rose O' Sullivan were lovely together, such chemistry- I can't wait to see them again.

As for Muntarigov and Nunez- what can one say, perfection in every possible way. They looked so happy, it was impossible not to smile back. I sometimes think Vadim is one of those rare dancers so brilliant, so assured in technique that he makes it look very easy, and a small minority of  viewers make the mistake of believing him...and under rate his brilliance.

They just glided through the grand pas as if it was a walk in the park. But, the incredible technique underlying that was really awesome.

Thanks again Forum for making me go. Tears of joy! -  and I must stock up on waterproof mascara for the live performance coming soon!

9 hours ago, ninamargaret said:

I've just watched the RB version with Collier and Dowell and have now seen this in action! Even Lesley Collier looked a little apprehensive. Fascinating to see people like Johnathon Cope and Christopher Saunders in the Arab Dance. Well worth a watch, even with the rather unattractive costumes.

I knew I'd seen it somewhere..but I gave my DVD away, -alas, must get it again. Which year is that one, ninamargaret?

Yes I am one of many who used to go to both opera and ballet, regularly, but I now only go to opera about once a year because I can't afford it any longer and had to choose: and luckily my favourite art form is the cheaper one...  But Romeo and Juliet  prices mark the watershed for me now- I can't  afford my amphi ballet seats regularly any more. 

I am guessing from other postings on this forum that there are very many people in the same boat.

???

Bring back the days when we just -er-watched some  telly...😄

21 minutes ago, capybara said:

I’d no idea that this was happening and don’t understand how I missed it. Does one now need to trawl through every single day on the ROH website or is there a special page for ‘pop up ‘ events that I haven’t discovered?

I know what you mean- I am getting confused ( getting??) and finding it hard to keep up.

I just had a good look round the website:

If you go to the main What's On page and scroll down, there are columns for each type of event- on the right hand side there are the ballet studio live events under 'Functions' ( odd word.)

They are all booked up- I am not sure when booking opened for these- was it at the same time as Insights?

Yes be careful- they might have the bright idea of putting the live performance in the Linbury for the super rich at hundreds of pounds per ticket and screening it to the rest of us in the opera house for £17........

Yes, Jennings puts it very well I think, on this occasion.

Agree Nogoat that Symphony in C is the purest possible setting of dance to music and hence the intensity of the thrill and agree Darlex ...I now realise thanks to you what it is about McGregor's work I find so cold..that it 'could be set to any music or none'. Yes...often there seems to be v little 'setting to' and little structure ... Exception..Woolf Works-some of.

So that is the key difference for me..

Akane Takada has indeed shone and sparkled recently in Bayadere and now Infra- what a contrast. I have always liked her but she does seem to have suddenly burst into a ball of flame- it happens.

The scrim and screen things were really awful- AGAIN. How many more times will we have to put up with such things? I would start a thread listing all the ballets where they have been used to the detriment of the view of half the audience- but life is too short-it's a long list.

I did hugely enjoy the evening.

I do agree with  BristolBillyBob and others who have queried the general approach, and use of various media in Unknown Soldier.

I found the testimony of the real people very deeply moving and it made me cry. But sadly, I was crying for this and not because of the dance.

Whereas Infra- surely the best of McGregor and feeling very pertinent after struggling with Kings Cross and the underground while not feeling v well - made me feel, just through dance (one could lose the cartoons-really- they do not add much after the first minute in my view) yes, it feels like that!

And the simply SUBLIME Symphony in C - makes one cry just for the beauty for dance. Every second and every gesture is honed to produce an effect with music and dance in perfect harmony, encompassing joy, laughter, solemnity,  love-  building to an amazing climax and ending - snip- on the crest of the wave,  with no overdoing it, no longeurs. It is an organic whole,  perfect, one of the wonders of civiisation. A  miraculous thing.

In totally different ways, two pieces that  say so much with dance.

But, for me, the Marriot really did not work as DANCE. I've seen much worse things but...

It is not a theme to take lightly. The reality of the suffering and deaths in WW1 was very far from beautiful: it was the ugliest thing imaginable. I realise the film clip was the state funeral of the Unknown Soldier. but most soldiers just sank into filthy mud.  I thought of Wilfred Owen- 'these who die as cattle'. It was not noble and uplifting.

My grandfather was gassed in the trenches and died 2 years later having slowly choked to death. It was nasty, horrible, grim, painful and sordid.

Women were not mainly just  floating around in pretty pastel frocks- they were working in factories, nursing etc- ( see ENB triple bill!)-

So to me the piece- clearly well intentioned and beautifully danced-  rang false. Maybe that is why even the lovely Naghdi and Ball in a nice pas de deux could not quite bring the piece to life? I don't know but it just didn't catch fire for me at all.

But what a company- I am constantly amazed by them and so thrilled to have the chance to see them on a regular basis: a privilege.

I so much enjoyed the triple bill tonight- the great joy of seeing Symphony in C- but also, of seeing the company shine in 3 such different pieces, with so many really wonderful and individual dancers. It was a great effort to get there, but so very much worth it.

All I want for Christmas is - Muntagirov as Siegfried 🙂

2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

The "noise" is part of the music!

That's what I used to tell my Dad.........

Hurray!

Agreed.

But for portraying the ghostly dead, how about - Giselle - 'the original'?

Anyway I much look forward to seeing the 'writhing around in Speedos' and how that works by comparison....

That was a nice way to start the day, thanks Xandra. I like the photos of each stage from tracksuit to stage-ready Gamzatti: beautiful.

1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said:

I think what grates most about the price rises at ROH is the feeling that someone has looked for opportunities to squeeze a few quid more out of us at every stage of the process: buy your Romeo and Juliet tickets for £21 (against £14 for last year's Giselle and, I think, Manon); then if you need to re-sell one it's £4 (not £2); get there and buy a programme for £8 (not £7); buy a glass of champagne in the interval for £15 (against, IIRC, £12).

 

I know that price rises are inevitable in the long run, but imposing them all at once and at the same time as the flashy Open Up Big Reveal may have been a mistake.

Yes- at every level, it is true, I am sorry to say.

House wine no longer available by the bottle ( used to be a good option for a group of us).

Even when they sent you a survey to complete it was with the possibility of winning some tickets...now the survey is 2 questions  and no possible prize....

Is that a West End show, Blossom??