Mary

I don't think we can say we know there is no problem.

How do we know there aren't people who feel unwelcome, sidelined, that it is 'not for them'? -amongst whom may be many who would get a lot out of it, and  with a lot to contribute.

I was very lucky to have music at home and to be taken to the ballet. But what if you never get any kind of exposure to really good music, say? More and more children do not and it is a great shame. This is a more general point, but I don't think it is just about personal choice. Of course there is always that and it should be respected. But for it really to be a choice rather than just  -well-  what you have been left with - you need some kind of chances and education.

I think that's right Lizbie1.

Noone runs a small dance company to get rich and in these days of very severe cuts in the arts, how hard it must be, so the Ballet Black people must think there is a real need for their existence. I am not sure that I as a white non-dancer, know better than they do.

Ballet Black exists as a company to provide more dance role models for young black people, - they are a fantastic company I have often very much enjoyed watching.

It is interesting to read their website and ponder other peoples expereinces.

..or is it a yoga purist who doesn't do yoga with a goat? (those who didn't see this bizarre news piece,  goat yoga is apparently a trend...)(Has the world gone stark, staring mad?)

Anyway, Mayerling....

I don't think anyone has mentioned Gary Avis yet have they? always such a pleasure in that small but very telling role of Bay Middleton.

35 minutes ago, Timmie said:

the frequency of attendance of regular customers might need to reduce”

- is not the same as 'reduce the frequency of performances they can attend'

Anyway- just someone garbling some text- shows they were not thinking at all.

45 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

I would like to reassure you that it is categorically not our objective to reduce the frequency of performances that members can attend. 

It is probably just that the author of the letter at ROH can't write English but...in fact, the offensive statement was about ROH seeking to reduce ticket sales to regulars. Not  the same as reducing the number of times they CAN attend. So possibly this is a deliberate twisting.

But -

'reduce the frequency of performances they can attend' doesn't make sense ( meaning presumably reduce the number) . So possibly it is just incompetent writing.

What do they mean by Members? Do they mean Friends?

The second part is just cut and paste from the official response.

It took 3 seconds to cobble together some gobbledygook. That is not really good enough.

2 minutes ago, Sim said:

have talked in a post above about the superb Larisch of Sarah Lamb.  That, and Francesca Hayward's beautifully nuanced Princess Stephanie, were the only two aspects of last night that moved me in any way.  

I would add Alexander Campbell's Bratfisch- the tragic second solo.

There were a few fumbles- hardly surprising is it? At one point her hair seemed to get tangled up with Hirano's shirt buttons and I guess her wig might have been in danger of coming off ( sorry, suppressed chortle).

But they rescued things with that amazing skill all these dancers show and which always amazes me.

Hirano clearly was giving it his best- his partnering was very good especially considering how difficult it must be, as others have said,  to  give an extra perfomance, with a diffferent partner, a demanding partner, in the hardest role imaginable on the  first night of the season. Hats off to Hirano.  There might have been a shade of chilliness from Osipova- hard to say, but if so  I can't see why it was justified.  I  was pleased for Hirano that he got a good reception from the audience.

Overall I can't say the whole performance really quite came together for me but am still pondering why. It is not at all my favourite ballet so perhaps just needs tos be extra convincing to make me forget my reservations about the work.

The amphi cloakroom is to the side of the amphi bar, nearest the top of the escalator.

You show your ticket at a new door at the start of the amphi corridor. I asked them if they would be checking tickets after each interval, and they said Yes- but in fact they didn't....

On the plus side, it is really good to have a choice of places to sit, or wander around, to wait for one's friend before a performance. The spaces are light and airy.

It is fun spotting well known faces in the ground floor coffee shop.

On the other hand I was sorry to see so MUCH space given over to a public coffee bar.

The new shop is spacious and pleasant but it is very sad to see such a reduction in the selection of dvds and books.

The amphi bar looks nice but I agree with all who have pointed out the beige carpet will soon look dirty....It is mainly a corridor now. Good that the shorter, narrower bar has made more space, so it is less of a crush in the interval. But not so good that the bar is reduced by about 60%-not so good if you want to get a drink anyway..and fewer seats, so there will be competition for those.

Good to have an amphi cloakroom.  The loos were all in good order, and were being carefully checked when I was there early.

I was happy to see the re furbished terrace looking nice, though it is a shame to have lost nearly half of it to the restaurant.

On the whole I quite like what they have done but, the overwhelming feeling of being in ( a very grand)  Benugo when you come in what they now call Main Entrance feels like a shame to me.  I would take  a new person in the old Bow St doors.

Are they really not going to have a box office???

Better had!

Anyone else notice how fantastic Corrales was- something very good to look forward to this year....

7 minutes ago, Sim said:

 we can say hello if you are about on the terrace on the amphi level....there is usually a large crowd there.  

surely you mean 'Level 5', Sim.....

Sounds like a multi-storey car park doesn't it- I hope it doesn't catch on and everyone goes on referring to the amphi!

Sorry to be so useless. it's the 3rd picture in the link in Janet's post.

I am not a twitter user..I just clicked on the link above, and it showed 'more images' or something, and it was there..I can't find it now!

What a lovely picture of Matthew Ball with Kevin O'Hare. Quite moving.

A friend has just sent me a link to a piece about Mr Ball in The Times with some super photos. I guess it will be in Links later.

I used to think a lot about 'suitability' of dancers for roles but now I try not to, or to comment on it speculatively - the only thing to do, is to comment on the actual performance they give- the only thing that counts.

I have just speed-read the presentation aove and recommend others not to look at it if you have just had your dinner.

Such gems as:

 one finding was that increasing the price of poor quality seats would make the better seats more attractive

But I don't think  most of us are upset about the details of the percentage rises or whatever- isn't it the attitude that has been revealed that has really caused annoyance? It is to me.

At least I won't have to stuff an M&S sandwich and a flask up my jumper any more.

(I used to think it was a bit unfair to take in food but not any more....)

But no security checks is worrying. What on earth is the thinking behind it?

I suspect the core audience they want to 'reduce' (Orwellian use of the word) is one used to thinking the arts are for all of us, and that we all own the opera house and our national arts companies.

We don't give them enough money, perhaps because we think we pay for it already and it belongs to us all as a nation.

ROH and others perhaps want- are driven to need- audiences who expect to pay extra for everything because they have not grown up with this philosophy.

This old core audience with its outmoded views, as it says on page 387 of the report: ' unfortunately are benefiting from increased life expectancy due to advances in life science and social care, but this is expected to reduce in future.'

(I made that bit up , or did I )

Lookig forward to hearing what you think about Ignite, Janet. Inspired by a fantastic painting.

King Dances, I know is spectacular- especially the end.

Really looking forward to this programme at Sadlers Wells.

How very very sad and depressing.

I'm afraid this confirms exactly what some people has been saying on the forum about Open Up for a while.

I have felt for a while that my Friends membership is a bit pointless as the benefits seem now so small, the price so very steep...and a sort of 'unloved feeling' has been developing .  No doubt basic level Friends are the sort of people who are to be first up against the wall in the purges.

Anyone else seen this? Have another chance to go and wondering, is it worth it?

(Maybe if we want to remember what was really uniquely marvellous about Nureyev,  we would be better off browsing youtube for an hour or so. I also have 2 documentaries on dvd already ....)

Like- just got a bargain-thanks Alison.

Don't like at all- that they are having to sell off tickets so very cheaply. A very great shame for BRB - what is going wrong here....(that said, I do think 31 Oct, like 5 Nov can be a difficult day as people often have social events-or their children do.)