penelopesimpson Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 4 hours ago, Fiz said: I used to love wearing a nice dress to the ROH. It’s a shame. I still do. To hell with everybody else. For me it's a special night and I'm going to do my best to look my best. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Those who were there tonight, do tell: when it came to the overhead lifts in Act II, did Nunez do the "swallow lift" pose as normal, or the lift in arabesque as with Muntagirov the other night? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 6 hours ago, penelopesimpson said: I still do. To hell with everybody else. For me it's a special night and I'm going to do my best to look my best. So would I if we were still able to attend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirley Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 8 hours ago, alison said: Those who were there tonight, do tell: when it came to the overhead lifts in Act II, did Nunez do the "swallow lift" pose as normal, or the lift in arabesque as with Muntagirov the other night? Just curious. They did the "Swallow Lift". It was a wonderful performance. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 To those who want to know ....it's black trousers my black and purple elephant design top BUT with my American apparel ( the ones which stretch a bit with each wash unfortunately) brownish orange jumper on top which may not come off if it's too cold in the ROH. However my main distinguishing feature is the Henry V th haircut which seems to cling closer to my head ( no body at all) with each passing year. Im going this evening as well but will be wearing the same top clothes as the matinee is at 12.30 tomorrow and want to travel light up to London. Hope to see some of you tomorrow afternoon at any rate linda 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 What is a Swallow Lift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted February 9, 2018 Author Share Posted February 9, 2018 I am going to see the debut of Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball tomorrow, so I may bump into some of you at meeting point near the escalator . So very much looking forward to their debut! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 24 minutes ago, Fonty said: What is a Swallow Lift? Here you go. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I am interested to know more... is the swallow lift or lift in arabesque the one traditionally performed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 44 minutes ago, Nina G. said: I am going to see the debut of Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball tomorrow, so I may bump into some of you at meeting point near the escalator . So very much looking forward to their debut! I'm going tomorrow. Where is the meeting point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 14 minutes ago, Odyssey said: I am interested to know more... is the swallow lift or lift in arabesque the one traditionally performed? The Swallow in Britain, the arabesque in Russia, but it may be open to choice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I like the swallow - it seems more ... different ... somehow, indicating her change in nature. An arabesque seems a bit Classical to me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 4 minutes ago, alison said: I like the swallow - it seems more ... different ... somehow, indicating her change in nature. An arabesque seems a bit Classical to me. Agree with this. Last night it was made very clear that Giselle in Act 2 was an ethereal being; Albrecht's futile attempts to catch her became,very clear and the 'Swallow' lift seems to emphasise this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Apologies if I've missed this, but do we know who's dancing Myrtha, Hilarion or Berthe in tomorrow's matinée? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 No. Apparently the Concert Master is more important. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 23 minutes ago, Anna C said: Apologies if I've missed this, but do we know who's dancing Myrtha, Hilarion or Berthe in tomorrow's matinée? Fumi Kaneko has put on social media that she will be Myrtha tomorrow afternoon. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 5 minutes ago, capybara said: Fumi Kaneko has put on social media that she will be Myrtha tomorrow afternoon. Should be good! Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Have a wonderful time, you lucky lot! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Thanks for the picture of the swallow lift. What a gorgeous photo. I tried Googling it, but couldn't seem to find anything other than a firm called Swallow that manufactured lift shafts! I am curious as to why Nunez would do a different lift with a different partner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 31 minutes ago, capybara said: Fumi Kaneko has put on social media that she will be Myrtha tomorrow afternoon. Excellent, I think Myrtha can make or break a Giselle. First ballet of the year for me and I cannot wait . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 31 minutes ago, Fonty said: Thanks for the picture of the swallow lift. What a gorgeous photo. I tried Googling it, but couldn't seem to find anything other than a firm called Swallow that manufactured lift shafts! I am curious as to why Nunez would do a different lift with a different partner. I thought on the night of her 20th anniversary that she might have decided to do the arabesque lift because it's easier, and perhaps didn't want to risk a lift going wrong on such an important night? She had done the swallow lift with Muntagirov previously, so I can only think that might be a reason? Unless he wasn't 100% recovered from his illness yet....although if that were the case you would never know from his performance that night!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailR Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I was just on facebook and up popped a short video of Nunez and Muntagirov in Giselle performing the section containing the swallow lift, not once, but twice ...... just beautiful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VickyPage Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Like every other ballet fan in the uk, I'll be there tonight and tomorrow so hope to join the escalator convention! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 It may be heresy, but I'm afraid I really don't like that video on fb. The long balance in arabesque on pointe, a few seconds in, is more circus than ballet. Nunez appears determined to stay on pointe but seesaws badly with the extended leg going up and down. It destroys all illusion of other worldliness. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Not wanting to divert this thread too much from the excitement of the two debut performances ahead, but I' an fascinated by the image posted earlier of Fonteyn and Nureyev. I wonder if Margot always performed the swallow lift or if Nureyev persuaded her to try the Russian version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Top or bottom of escalator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Wonderful performance by Francesca and Alexander tonight. I think we all knew they had star quality as a couple, but tonight they wrapped it up in a gift box, tied it with a neat bow and presented it on a silver tray to the audience, who responded accordingly. Stunning! 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I'm starting to wonder whether there is a sweepstake going for the most ghoulish Myrtha make-up that dancers can get away with before they are conscripted as an extra for The Walking Dead. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 1 hour ago, ChrisG said: Wonderful performance by Francesca and Alexander tonight. I think we all knew they had star quality as a couple, but tonight they wrapped it up in a gift box, tied it with a neat bow and presented it on a silver tray to the audience, who responded accordingly. Stunning! Seconded! A brilliant performance, the only problem being trying to watch every move and gesture of both Giselle and Albrecht at the same time… I thought that they both danced beautifully, and in Act 1 Hayward really was a Giselle who LOVED dancing – she luxuriated in her movement and filled it with joy. Campbell was an interesting, unusual Albrecht – I got the sense of someone discontented with his ‘real’ life and finding relief in the delightful peasant girl with the laughing eyes; when he realised his duplicity was going to be revealed, he was initially more concerned to protect himself than Giselle, and only when she died did the realisation of what he had done hit him. Hayward moved inexorably from happy flirtatiousness to bewilderment, disbelief and finally desperation and death. I found Act 2 really moving, because I felt that not just Albrecht but also Giselle had changed. She was no longer the blithe young girl of Act 1, or the anguished, betrayed lover; she had grown and matured so that all her focus was on helping Albrecht, on forgiving him, on stepping outside her past pain and (literally) reaching out to him. And he in his turn begged forgiveness, was overcome with the shame and guilt, and knew that in his grief he had found his true self, no longer selfish and discontented but brave and agonisingly clear-sighted. Hayward’s dancing in Act 2 was so light, so quick, so high; and she and Campbell were so well matched physically, technically and in terms of their musical responses. I though Mayara Magri was excellent as Myrtha – strong, powerful and implacable. I loved Fumi Kaneko in the pas de six – such beautiful and expressive dancing. I hope that she gets more and more opportunities. And in Isabella Gasparini I wondered if we were watching a future Giselle. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Overwhelmed... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Forgive me if I gush, but I thought tonight was just sublime. I saw so much Alina in Frankie’s interpretation, when she was flirting with Albrecht in Act one, leaving her hand trailing so he could catch her was just Alina and her tenderness towards Alexander was heartbreaking. Wonderful partnering by Alexander, fabulous Myrtha by Mayara Magri and a brilliant corps of Wilis topped, of course, by Frankie. Words fail me so I hope some our more lucid forum members will help me out. Thought her interpretation of the “mad” scene was perfect and Alexander’s walk down the stage at the end was heartbreaking........ and it’s Yasmine at lunchtime tomorrow, I need to lie down. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyTaylor Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell beyond sublime tonight. They have so much chemistry and the drama and dancing was off the scale. The rest of the cast were superb too. What a night. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyTaylor Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 31 minutes ago, bridiem said: Seconded! A brilliant performance, the only problem being trying to watch every move and gesture of both Giselle and Albrecht at the same time… I thought that they both danced beautifully, and in Act 1 Hayward really was a Giselle who LOVED dancing – she luxuriated in her movement and filled it with joy. Campbell was an interesting, unusual Albrecht – I got the sense of someone discontented with his ‘real’ life and finding relief in the delightful peasant girl with the laughing eyes; when he realised his duplicity was going to be revealed, he was initially more concerned to protect himself than Giselle, and only when she died did the realisation of what he had done hit him. Hayward moved inexorably from happy flirtatiousness to bewilderment, disbelief and finally desperation and death. I found Act 2 really moving, because I felt that not just Albrecht but also Giselle had changed. She was no longer the blithe young girl of Act 1, or the anguished, betrayed lover; she had grown and matured so that all her focus was on helping Albrecht, on forgiving him, on stepping outside her past pain and (literally) reaching out to him. And he in his turn begged forgiveness, was overcome with the shame and guilt, and knew that in his grief he had found his true self, no longer selfish and discontented but brave and agonisingly clear-sighted. Hayward’s dancing in Act 2 was so light, so quick, so high; and she and Campbell were so well matched physically, technically and in terms of their musical responses. I though Mayara Magri was excellent as Myrtha – strong, powerful and implacable. I loved Fumi Kaneko in the pas de six – such beautiful and expressive dancing. I hope that she gets more and more opportunities. And in Isabella Gasparini I wondered if we were watching a future Giselle. How true about trying to watch them both at the same time. I wanted to catch every nuance. I was blown away by their Sleeping Beauty which was on such a different plane in terms of emotional range as well as the dancing.I've been looking forward to this with such anticipation as they are my favourite partnership and it still went beyond expectations. I was lucky enough to be in Row C of the Orch Stalls tonight so able to see all their expressions. Such little things as Alexander's expression change when the 2nd horn echoed in Act 1, and how he managed to go through the range of emotions when his duplicity is discovered which leads to the death of Giselle. As for Francesca, her range is phenomenal for one so relatively inexperienced, both in dance and acting. She floated across the stage in Act 2, her movement and fluidity is so beautiful. We are seeing something really special. I feel privileged. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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