Mary

Many of us have taken issue with Macmillan's portrayal of prostitutes in a certain way many times.....so I don't even mention it any more, but I do agree Indigo, in some ways.

The point is not  that I don't think the subject should be used etc and it is nothing to do with the novel.  It is how Macmillan choreographs these scenes. I agree with Dave that moments are cringe-making- especially horrible old men chasing young girls around the stage, especially- the moment one of them is desperate to escape -and  find it very uncomfortable when some of the audience laugh -are led to laugh- at some of these scenes in the brothel. Macmillan's work is indeed, at times, titillating us - and I think it is very uncomfortable indeed.

But, noone is saying we change his choreography, -are they? - but, that we need some new ballets- I entirely agree with that and have said so recently- more new work please, and some by women please, because some of the attittudes incarnated by some in the rep- especially Macmillan but also Scarlett and others, in my view, have always been unpleasant and are becoming embarassing.

The company were indeed on good form - again- and although I don't have much time today I wanted to single out Alexander Campbell's very good Lescaut and Marcelino Sambe in the three -super- gentlemen, (between Bracewell and Ball I think) as well- and also the marvellous costumes, which add so much to this production in conjuring up a world.

Sorry Sim

 Hope you are better soon. I had flu and missed the whole of Giselle. 

But oh... Francesca Hayward's delicate, fluid perfect lines tonight ! 

Hayward was exquisite.....

I feel very sorry for the man but, it is odd, because the case relates to one specific occasion and yet others who were there were not affected, and presumably neither were the orchestra in previous performances at ROH.

What is the company to do- not perform the work?

-or perhaps make them all wear ear defenders- but is that proven to work? I mean- are we saying Wagner is too dangerous to perform?

How about cancelling The Ring and having lots of ballet instead....

Glad to know I am not alone Richard LH, as that is precisely how I feel about Bernstein- and I still think it an odd choice of triple bill theme.

I might email RB and ask them 'whether they are able to reveal any of the plans which are, no doubt, being prepared for this important date.'

Am I imagining it, or did Nureyev get quite a big celebration of a key anniversary..2003?- including archive film- I would include that as well in a special evening or triple bill.

A commission to celebrate Fonteyn such as Ashtons 'Brahms Waltzes in the manner of Isadora Duncan' might be interesting, as I can imagine several dancers I would love to see in Fonteyn roles in one piece- I can just picture it.

I would also involve all the British ballet companies  -as was done for Macmillan.

Do they have any plans, do we know?

I saw the 'Dream within ..'.in its first run and loved it. Fast and furious, but also beautiful and funny, all at once- innovative too.  It would be such fun to see it paired with Ashton's Dream!

So sorry to have missed BB this time.

I do feel that 3 male contemporary choreographers monopolise the ROH stage (while new women choreographers tend to get the Linbury, if anything.) Some of this mainstream work is found to be- by lots of posters on this forum, not just me - not all that great. Some of it, I feel,  is quite cliched.  So I would like to see some different choreographers given much more main stage time, and I would like more of them to be women. I would hope this could happen, without quotas etc, which don't usually work in my view.

But why it doesn't happen- why we get repeat viewings of not very good pieces like the recent case of Age of Anxiety,-but others spring to mind- instead of a new work, I don't know: I suppose it's mainly financial..but not entirely.

I do hope Ms Morera is better in time for Manon....

Yes, but we have had an awful lot of it. Really, an awful lot! If it was packed into a box and put up in the loft for a while for  a little rest,  it might come out again even more sparkling.....

But it is indeed very welcome that we have other options near Xmas this year - Patineurs for me.

it certainly is quite complex ! For me, though, the whole 'believability factor ' is not important. The play is a romance, it is not meant  to be believeable or realistic and never can be.

Then, the ballet is an interpretation of the play and not exactly the same.

What matters in the ballet most of all is that Leontes comes to his right mind, he repents: Paulina, who represents the principle of truth in this sense, guides him towards this repentance: he mourns, he comes to understand his error- Hermione is 're-born' to him, literally, symbolically. She then, unlike him in Act 1, is able to forgive; she gives the forgiveness he witheld in the trial scene and the choreography mirrors the two scenes to make the point.. Divine forgiveness, redemption, re birth, do triumph at the end, but the cost of the human error, falliblity, wickedness represented by Leontes' jealous madness is the death of their son, not to be forgotten. This death and loss cannot be put right. The statue in the middle of the stage is a good image of this unignorable fact and so I think the ending is right - the wedding celebrations are going on off-stage, but we are not allowed to forget.

For me, all this is clear in the ballet. I agree though, that it might be good to establish Paulina right at the beginning- maybe. I would certainly do some tweaking elsewhere as well, it isn't perfect, but this strong central drama seems to me to be movingly choreographed- and wonderfully danced.

For me, Reece Clarke was an excellent Polixenes, especially in his Act 1 solo where he seemed to model Boneli quite closely- a good thing I mean- with a lovely sinuosity that was what this moment needs.

I agree about Hay being a little tentative at times but I too was very impressed by the beauty of his dancing. Claire Calvert is a different Hermione to the others-more earthy somehow, but her performance moved me greatly last night. and she and Hirano had chemistry didn't they? The music was played superbly last night, and all in all it was my favourite performance of WT apart from the original cast performances.

Hayward and Hay were delightful tonight but Hayward was just- magical- I think was the word someone used: when she glided onstage she was like a being from another, better world. So light, so graceful, so finely balanced, so right at every moment. Quite beautiful.

...for the performers that is!

32 minutes ago, Indigo said:

 

" Within the Golden Hour by Christopher Wheeldon, with new design by Jasper Conran"

A quick search online indicates Jasper Conran has previously done sets & costumes, including for ballet  (I just associate the name with homeware, fashion, eyewear & perfume!).

I hope his new design for Within the Golden Hour does include the costumes, because IIRC, those shorts & belts for the men were not flattering. I don't think the women's costumes were great either.    Although after Erdem's recent designer costume contribution, perhaps I should be careful what I wish for...  

 

I wish we could establish a house rule: 'No vintage underwear'

Thanks RuthE. It is such a shame- once again it sounds as if ENO disappoint and I so much want them to succeed.  But these comments are enough to stop me buying tickets. I feel I've been through this sort of thing once too often........

26 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said:

No sign of any dates or the configuration of the mixed bills that I can see yet...

They are there under the specific Autumn 2018 heading- so SiC with infra and the new Marriot in November is the first one....

I agree about Frankenstein. I could live without it entirely. A shame. But, much -much- to be happy about.

But something for everyone- Don Q..Bayadere...Patineurs...Month in the Country- all favourites of forum members I believe...Winter Dreams? -

Symphony in C!!! Hurray!!!

Great rejoicing.

Was there ever a time when the world could less afford to lose such a sane, intelligent person, someone the world would actually listen to, and indeed the NHS has lost a champion it badly needs.

He will be much missed in Cambridge, a city that is very hard to  impress and not always friendly,  but, the city is very proud of him.

 I once came across him with his wife, buying a hoover, and hung around to see which model they went  for....

3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

I loathed the puff ball skirts in the brothel but I did like the final duet without the mangroves hanging down.

I shall be chuckling over this marvellous sentence all  evening...

I was just thinking the same actually Mab. what are the plans to celebrate Petipa, have I missed something?

Yes- good news I am sure but is it actually supporting BRB as such, or in fact suggesting other companies using this space?