Mary

I agree it's a shame that we have a triple bill in which all three pieces are in a style that does not suit the classical virtues of some the best dancers in the company.

Personally I would much have preferred a more varied triple bill.

I do agree.

I recommended several friends and family to look at the R&J segment of the BBC Shakespeare 400,  programme and had such an unexpectedly enthusiastic response from a lot of non-balletomanes.

It seems to me Naghdi/Ball have the capacity to reach an audience- they have  a presence.

There seem to be very varied opinions on this piece. Mark Monahan in The Telegraph was really scathing and gave it one star. It's disappointing to hear that there's a tavern scene with harlots. Is this really necessary?

Necessary? It used to be compulsory.....:-)

Just saw Cast 2 and thought Nunez/Gartside were marvellously expressive and human in their roles- especially the reconciliation pas de deux in Act 3 which was far the best performance of this I have seen. It was immensely moving, as they seemed to struggle to come to terms with what had happened, and both brought a depth of experience, a maturity, a quality of understatement to the piece that was very wonderful to watch.

Muntagirov was a very soulful Florizel, and Stix Brunell a dainty Perdita, and once again I thoroughly enjoyed the music, narrative drive, many very good performances and -for a wonder on a Bank Holiday Saturday- the very quiet and very appreciative audience.

I wonder, is the running order of the triple bill definitely fixed?

The Obsidian (?) Invitation/Golden Hour triple bill us  the first production I haven't booked for for some time. But there are tickets left and some of the casting might be very interesting to see.. but...but....

Has anyone else seen English Touring Opera's Don Giovanni?

I was very impressed.  It was in an English version that mostly worked very well, and with no surtitles but very clear diction from nearly all the singers I could just focus on the singing with no distractions- what a welcome change.

ETO do a fantastic job taking good productions round the country- sometimes just a few planks and a sheet or two but this is one of their bigger productions and really well staged. I do recommend it even to non- opera lovers.

Just sat down to watch Naghdi /Ball clip on this freezing wet Monday morning while doing the laundry and waiting for my shopping to be delivered: it made me cry so much I will have to tell the Waitrose man I have a cold! :-)

They are beautiful together, perfectly matched, I love the way her facial expressions are perfectly suited to the dancing throughout-very difficult to do and she avoids getting her smile fixed into a rictus as can happen.

Full marks.

Saw him dancing with Lamb the other day, also in Romeo and Juliet earlier this season...

I love Act 2 and enjoy every minute of it- the more dancing the better, it is super dancing and a lovely spectacle as well..

I  have always admired Bennet Gartside. He is one of those dancers you immediately think of in certain roles,  for example. Prince Gremin in Onegin. He was far the best Hilarion I have seen.  Dancers such as him ( and Yanowsky and Morera and many more)  are the real backbone of the RB. One or two passing stars are lovely to see but, having so many very accomplished dance actors is what gives RB it's distinctive character, for me. Winter's Tale shows them off so well as it is an ensemble piece. It is not just a vehicle for 2 dancers.

I am looking forward very much  to seeing his Leontes again.

I agree Penelope that this is a really fine ballet. It is such a coherent work: everything works together to tell the story in a powerful way.

I really liked it in the first run but this time it seemed to move more smoothly, and I wondered whether there had been a few small cuts in act 1, with a little less of the statues scene. I shall watch the dvd to try to work it out.

At times it is really disturbing, whch is perhaps how it should be, but the contrast between the two worlds is portrayed brilliantly in the contrasting sets, colours and music and dancing. The explosion of light and joy in Act 2 was tremendous.

All the -original- cast, I agree were superb.  Cuthbertson the picture of noble innocence, Watson's terrifingly tortured moves projecting inner agony into the auditorium as noone else can,  Yanowsky an imperious Paulina-with those incredible wrists and feet she uses to point accusingly at Leontes- Bonelli conjuring up an exotic prince in his  passionate solo in Act 1, Mc Rae and Lamb  exciting in the Act 2 pas de deux, Gartside the sober and sensible adult in a mad world.. Again I admired the way each dancer's particular style was woven into the making of the piece.

The music for me is a big part of the success, as it actually mirrors the action and character as it should do, and is interesting, lyrical and very rhythmic, with such an interesting range of effects, eg the hissing sound evoking the jealous fits of Leontes.  ( I so much prefer it to the pounding electronic sounds used by some other choreographers.)

The effects all worked very smoothly with no statues jerking or wobbles. Again I loved the projection of sea ships.

I recall complaining about the awful cut and colour of McRae's trousers last time ( and I was not alone) and they did Muntagirov no favours eiher- this time, they had been altered to something more normal. ( or did I imagine it?)

To crown it all, Gary Avis popping up again, this time resplendent in an orange kilt, orchestrating the revels in his inimitable style.

I am looking forward to the other cast and would watch it many times.

For me it was a good audience- quiet! and where I was sitting they seemed entirely involved in the ballet, saving thier very warm applause for the end.

I thought I recognised Ovcharenko- he played Nureyev in Dance to Freedom didn't he.

Wonderful face.

I should be very interested to hear what these two ballets are like,  they look very intriguing, ( if not outstandingly jolly).

Well yes, I have given up trying to book casts for Bolshoi as it only leads to disappointment, so I had booked 'blind'. Anyway they are all  good and one sometimes get a great surprise.

Although I had hoped to see Chudin in that black velvet outfit again.:-)

First performance tonight of the first revival, with the original cast. I am looking forward to it and was just looking for some rehearsal photos on the forum..have I missed a thread?

Yes, quite right.

It is a shame DQ fan didn't see it, as perhaps an expert eye could tell how much was different about this new production. It is not a ballet I know inside out.

It did seem a bit over -stuffed with set pieces, as if they had thrown in Uncle Tom Cobley and all.. Act 1 told the Kitri/Basilio story and worked really well, I thought, but Act 2 -part from the really beautiful vision scene- seemed to go off on some strange detours -and Act 3 also worked well as the proper traditional wedding procession/grand pas setting.

I did find one or two of the diversions in act 2 went on a bit. Possibly the long dresses didn't help here as one couldn't see all that much of what was going on under all the flounces!

Trying to compare it in my mind with the RB version seen a while back I thought the RB was much more coherent and tightly structured, created more believeable charcters in Kitri and Basilio, and involved the audience in their story more effectively;  also the RB mock suicide routine I thought was much clearer and more entertaining.

.

But for spectacular jumps and lifts the Bolshoi dancing was on another plane....and DQs vision was ethereal and lovely in sparkling pale blue and white, as against the RB weird garish tropical colours which many people did not enjoy...

Timmie, if you are looking for an evening of tasteful restraint, or a perfectly crafted piece of choreography , full of subtle and nuanced acting- stay at home.

But, if you want to see a tremendous spectacle, on a stage crammed with colour and action, with some frankly unbelieveable dancing:  athletic, lively, fun- by some of the best dancers in the world- roll up.

I shall be rolling up,

Indeed. At the live screening today- there were TWO 25 minute intervals. Then, 5 minutes into Act 3 and Chudin is beginning an amazing solo- very loud prolonged rustling behind me- let's get the sandwiches out! Crisps! Foil crinkling noises,  munching...

It just beggars belief really.

Absolutely agree.

I do go to ballet with friends but they are not ballet maniacs like me...so it's hugely enjoyable  to be able to communicate with other people who realise ballet's proper importance:-)  and know so much about it. I too hurry home to log on after a performance,even in the small hours and half asleep, to share the joy-or occasionally the pain- with the BF community.

Thank you very much all moderators.

Krysanova was sensational, and it was great to see Chudin in a starring role, he is such an exciting dancer and was flawless today.

It was the fastest and most athletic dancing I've possibly ever seen: how they kept it up, heaven knows.

I'm feeling rather sad it's the last of the season -how it has brightened up many Sunday afternoons-but it's been a marvellous season - can't wait for the next one.

The trailer is gorgeous! Can't see it often enough. ......anyway, new season announcemenet to come on 25th April.,  they said.

Agree it made me want to see Scarlett dance again.

Agree about applause in act 2- such a shame to break the spell, and I especially dislike loud applause at the point of Hilarion's death  (-especially when it is Bennet Gartside who fully deserves to be saved too.......)

Having just seen Nunez and Muntagirov's Giselle, -they are surely Marguerite and Armand.

Last year I wrote that  Muntagirov in Fille was the best male dancing I saw all year- if I see anything better than his Albrecht in 2016- I shall be surprised.

He was sublime.

Nunez 's performance was so moving and technically impressive; the whole cast acted consistently in the way the that makes us love them so -compared to the great Russian companies. The corps have been perfectly together and very powerful in every performance I've seen ( 5).

What a moving and wonderful evening.

The pas de six! The best I have seen, no question. In time, landing perfectly, lovely arms, together, expressive, joyful and buoyant. All of them were excellent. Campbell's marvellous solo, Choe- her fairy-like delicacy reminding me of Miyako Yoshida at times; the grace and perfect lines of Naghdi and Hayward and the super jumping of Acri and Sambe- wow ! Let's  have it again please.

Enjoyed today's matinee very much -  Cuthbertson/Bonelli.

Cuthbertson's acting was very affecting.

I didn't find Bonelli as moving, lovely as he is to watch-and his solo was perfection- but whereas McRae really did imbue the leaps with feeling of despair, to me  Boneli just did beautiful leaps.

Once again the corps were on top form. Completely in tune, precise, with soft arms- they just looked terrific.

The pas de six did not seem as good as at my last viewing. Naghdi was a treat once again-such lovely arms- with the ever-buoyant Sambe making his characteristic huge jumps and perfect-almost- landings.

I am afraid  the other chaps did not quite manage to land without mishap.

On 26 Feb I was exceedingly impressed by Helen Crawford's Myrtha. Today, I reflected how very hard this role is- so very exposed, such hard steps , in a really long solo, and nowhere to hide. I think this and the Lilac Fairy are the 2 roles that have been least satisfactorily performed in the last few years at RB. Claire Calvert certainly had the stage presence and the haughty, frozen demeanour, but possibly nerves had affected some of the tricker balances.

Bennet Gartside was an excellent Hilarion- a rather thankless role really- inflecting his rather limited scenes with convincing emotion.

It was great to have Gary Avis, swishing his cloak as only he can, as the Duke.

All in all though this is still a really good run of Giselle with the orchestra -so good to have Barry Wordworth back- on super form

Excellent performance last night- taking it all-in-all I don't think I've seen a better RB Giselle.

The corps were on top form, together, precise and dramatic in Act 2. A really good pas de six-Ball-in particular, with especially his noble arms-Takada, Hay, Harrod,Hinkis, Donnelly.

Helen Crawford was a convincing Myrtha, (and I remember some rather weak and sloppy ones in the last RB run.)

McRae's increasingly despairing leaps as he was danced to death were a highlight. He and Salenko look very good together. She strongly contrasted the two acts very effectively, and danced with passion.

A really superb evening.