Sarasota Ballet at Linbury Theatre and in Ashton Short Works, ROH June 2024

[Bruce Wall]

17 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Looks like they gave up on Liebeslieder Walzer after 1979! Did you mean Agon and Stravinsky Violin Concerto are too big for ROH or do you mean they aren't staged very often, Bruce- they seem to be a good fit for ROH Main Stage. Would love to see Donizetti Variations and Square Dance danced by RB on the ROH Stage. La Source too. 

 

And now, back to Ashton and Sarasota Ballet. 😀 🎭 🎶 

 

The latter.

[Dawnstar]

25 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Might you consider Sunday matinee for the Diverts programme if you recover in time for Sat but not Fri, Dawnstar - have the train services gone back to normal for your route? My route has just started work this weekend; I can get to another station though. 

 

I have rail replacement buses this weekend so I hesitated for a while before deciding to go to the gala & 2 days in a row of rail replacement buses really does not appeal. Also I intend to see the RB's Ashton on Monday & 3 days in a row of travelling to London is too much for me. All this depends on if I recover in time, of course.

[Linnzi5]

7 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Oh, I am so envious. I was supposed to see last night's performance but I'm stuck at home with a heavy cold. I've just had to give up my ticket for tomorrow night & am busy praying that I might be recovered in time for Saturday. I will be so disappointed if I end up not being able to see Sarasota at all, having been looking forward to seeing them since the first visit announcement nearly a year ago.

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear this - I know how excited you were to seeing Sarasota. Having missed a few performances myself recently (due to illness), I know how you feel. I hope both you and @jmhoptonfeel better soon! I had two migraines yesterday so am crossing my fingers I'll be ok for my marathon of Ashtons starting tomorrow evening. 

Hopefully, your cold will be much better by Saturday  

Edited June 5 by Linnzi5

[Blossom]

Just wanted to add that I also missed Jane Pritchard (Curator of Dance, V&A and fabulous speaker on dance history - I hope this does her justice) off my list of first night attendees.

[Silke H]

8 minutes ago, Blossom said:

Just wanted to add that I also missed Jane Pritchard (Curator of Dance, V&A and fabulous speaker on dance history - I hope this does her justice) off my list of first night attendees.

and not to forget lovely Will Tuckett

[Emeralds]

18 minutes ago, Blossom said:

Just wanted to add that I also missed Jane Pritchard (Curator of Dance, V&A and fabulous speaker on dance history - I hope this does her justice) off my list of first night attendees.

Jane Pritchard is a legend! Glad she got to see this incredible company Iain Webb and Margaret Barbieri have nurtured (although I would have been more surprised if she didn't go, unless it was due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances). What Jane doesn't know about ballet history in Britain isn't worth knowing.....

[JNC]

It might not have been such a star studded evening tonight as far as the audience were concerned, but I had stars in my eyes (sorry) this evening.

 

To be honest I didn’t enjoy Dante Sonata. The piece felt over wrought to me and a bit too heavy on symbolism. 
 

valses started off a bit slow for me but I really started to appreciate the choreography and patterns and it’s certainly something I’d appreciate seeing again (lucky me I have another performance). If I’m being a bit harsh I thought some of the dancers looked a bit under polished in this (although there was one girl, not the principal role who really stood out with a really curved Ashton back!) but I still very much liked this piece. 
 

Sinfonettia was my standout by far. Very quirky, a bit Balanchine/Robbins-esque in the first and third sections with some lovely sparkling pairing. The middle movement felt like a totally different ballet (I can’t see the link at all, I’ll read more to find out) and very montones and moon / space landing atmosphere. Not sure how I felt about the “skull caps” but I loved the lifts and turns and it felt very smooth and well executed. Would love to see this again but sadly for me this was my only performance. I hope the Royal Ballet would consider staging this, or failing that bringing back Monotones which was due a main stage outing cancelled by Covid. (I saw Monotones I in the Linbury and liked it!) 

 

Oh and yes - free lovely programmes at the end. This looked to be a purely Sarasota ballet endeavour from a quick glance through, and it was much appreciated. (Why I spent £2 on essentially a folded A2 sheet sold by ROH as the programme I don’t know but I suppose it was only £2 and I didn’t know if the other, much better programme would be forthcoming, I suppose it’s my donation to say thank you for them running this programme and inviting such a brilliant company).

 

So my tip is - don’t buy the £2 paper programme and wait for the lovely informative glossy free programme handed out at the end! 

[LinMM]

Yes I was pleasantly surprised by being given a glossy programme at the end as thought it was just a first night gesture. 

Still digesting the programme but I really liked Dante Sonata! 

Just to add I didn’t eat the glossy programme 🙄

Edited June 5 by LinMM

[bridiem]

1 hour ago, Silke H said:

and not to forget lovely Will Tuckett

 

I didn't see him! I did see Gerald Dowler, and Gail Taphouse, and Alastair Macaulay.

Edited June 5 by bridiem

[JNC]

I’m very glad it wasn’t just a first night gesture! I am a bit confused as to why ROH are bothering to sell their paper programme though?
 

And why it’s handed out at the end - I suppose a nice surprise? Or maybe to ensure only those who have actually got tickets to the show get one as if they were freely available in the Linbury foyer before you couldn’t guarantee that. I’m very pleased, ideally it would have been nice to have it before so I could have read about the works before seeing them but it’s probably the best freebie I’ve received in a very long time so a big thank you to Sarasota ballet! It is actually very informative with lots of nice photos, very nicely produced. 

[bridiem]

Just now, JNC said:

I’m very glad it wasn’t just a first night gesture! I am a bit confused as to why ROH are bothering to sell their paper programme though?
 

And why it’s handed out at the end - I suppose a nice surprise? Or maybe to ensure only those who have actually got tickets to the show get one as if they were freely available in the Linbury foyer before you couldn’t guarantee that. I’m very pleased, ideally it would have been nice to have it before so I could have read about the works before seeing them but it’s probably the best freebie I’ve received in a very long time so a big thank you to Sarasota ballet! It is actually very informative with lots of nice photos, very nicely produced. 

 

Yes - it's possibly the nicest programme I've ever had! And I love the photo of Ashton on the front, with the cut-out silhouette. I found it very moving. And I don't mind at all having paid for the £2 programmes beforehand.

[JNC]

I don’t mind so much as it seems a bit unnecessary, if they’re trying to save paper by not doing cast sheets. It’s £2 so I’m not complaining but it doesn’t add anything to the Sarasota produced programme. It’s a very minor point but I’d like to see RBO taking note and producing better programmes for Linbury works - aside from the Merce Cunningham bill pre pandemic which did have a better programme (not as comprehensive as main stage or Sarasota but still), the ones I’ve seen are all folded paper sheets with scant information. To be fair maybe the market isn’t there given the smaller numbers in the Linbury but it just made me think. 

The overall takeaway though is I’m very pleased O’Hare invited Sarasota ballet and I’m very glad to have seen these works live. I’d like to be proved wrong but it’s probably unlikely I shall see them again (with the exception of Valses later in this run!). I do think they would work on a larger stage to be honest, Valses felt a little boxed in on the Linbury with the set and you could space out Sinfonettia without it looking gappy I think, and or concentrate things into the centre of the main stage. Overall a very nice evening! I’m just imaging the casting for Sinfonettia with the current Royal Ballet would really be something, and Valses as well I could see Naghdi being perfect for the lead lady in that, or Kaneko or Nunez. 

[zxDaveM]

Another evening of unbridled joy, following directly on from last night's joyfest!

I was tempted at the end to go and ask them if they could start the whole programme again from the beginning, right there and then 🥰

[Geoff]

8 hours ago, bridiem said:

I did see Gerald Dowler, and Gail Taphouse, and Alastair Macaulay.

…and Alastair Macaulay’s review then popped up online:

 

https://slippedisc.com/2024/06/alastair-macaulay-sarasota-outdances-royal-ballet-in-ashton/

 

His most interesting comments include (in the circumstances inevitable) compare-and-contrast with RB, which seem fair but one wonders if the regular British critics will dare to do the same. 

[bridiem]

46 minutes ago, Geoff said:

…and Alastair Macaulay’s review then popped up online:

 

https://slippedisc.com/2024/06/alastair-macaulay-sarasota-outdances-royal-ballet-in-ashton/

 

His most interesting comments include (in the circumstances inevitable) compare-and-contrast with RB, which seem fair but one wonders if the regular British critics will dare to do the same. 

 

I think it's a wonderful review, except for the inevitable AM dig at the RB - but I have to say that I do think that the way Sarasota danced Ashton did feel lighter and more natural than the way the RB now tends to dance his work. But I'm sure that's largely a familiarity thing; Sarasota dances Ashton all the time, the RB only occasionally... Anyway this review gives Ashton his due, both generally and in respect of these particular works, in a way that I find extremely pleasing.

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, Geoff said:

…and Alastair Macaulay’s review then popped up online:

 

https://slippedisc.com/2024/06/alastair-macaulay-sarasota-outdances-royal-ballet-in-ashton/

 

His most interesting comments include (in the circumstances inevitable) compare-and-contrast with RB, which seem fair but one wonders if the regular British critics will dare to do the same. 

 

Of course as featured - with more - in Today's Links.  Do come and take a look!

 

 

[MAB]

First time I've totally agreed with an AM review.  What a shame though that he used to be so vicious towards Margaret Barbieri in the past.

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

 

Of course as featured - with more - in Today's Links.  Do come and take a look!

 

 

 

The reviews are really good, and I'm sure there'll be more in the coming days. (One of them mentions Monotones in relation to Sinfonietta, and reminds me that in fact it was created before not after Sinfonietta so my earlier post was incorrect in saying that Sinfonietta prefigured Monotones. In fact they were both/all created within a few years of each other. Ashton on fire in the 1960s too!!).

 

[Henry]

On the first night, I noticed that there were a number of American supporters of Sarasota Ballet in the audience.  They were wearing identity badges.  I suppose that the visit by Sarasota Ballet was only possible through the financial support of such people.  

 

I'd just like to acknowledge their support and give them my heartfelt thanks.  This programme has been a joy! 

[Mary]

I have seen Sinfonietta before in this country..but where and when? racking brains.

I certainly hope to see it coming to a RB triple bill near me soon!

[zxDaveM]

21 minutes ago, Henry said:

On the first night, I noticed that there were a number of American supporters of Sarasota Ballet in the audience.  They were wearing identity badges.  I suppose that the visit by Sarasota Ballet was only possible through the financial support of such people.  

 

I'd just like to acknowledge their support and give them my heartfelt thanks.  This programme has been a joy! 

 

I assume they have been responsible for the delightful gift programme (financially that is) which was a classy, and much appreciated, generous offering to the audience. Makes you love the company even more! 🙂

[JNC]

20 minutes ago, Mary said:

I have seen Sinfonietta before in this country..but where and when? racking brains.

I certainly hope to see it coming to a RB triple bill near me soon!

wholeheartedly agree of the three pieces it’s certainly one I think has a lot of choreographic merit and would look fantastic on the current company (and would work on the main stage no problem). 

[theorist]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more comment on the poor sound quality of the recorded music in the Linbury.

[bangorballetboy]

7 minutes ago, theorist said:

I'm surprised there hasn't been more comment on the poor sound quality of the recorded music in the Linbury.

 

I'd say that most of us have got better things to think about.

[MAB]

42 minutes ago, theorist said:

I'm surprised there hasn't been more comment on the poor sound quality of the recorded music in the Linbury.

 

Maybe not mentioned here but certainly noted by audience members.

[LinMM]

Not as disruptively over loud as Sadlers Wells can sometimes be though! 
 

That’s not to say sound quality is not important though which is why live music is always better where possible but at least I wasn’t having to put my hands over my ears!! 

Edited June 6 by LinMM

[Lindsay]

1 hour ago, bangorballetboy said:

 

I'd say that most of us have got better things to think about.

"What a disgusting, pompous, rude and condescending post."

[bangorballetboy]

1 hour ago, Lindsay said:

"What a disgusting, pompous, rude and condescending post."

 

Not in the slightest.  In the grand scheme of things to comment on from the performance seen, I'd put the quality of the music very, very low down the list.  And, on the basis of the lack of comment on it, it would appear that other think along the same lines.

 

Anyway, thank you for making my decision for me.   Having help to set up this forum many years ago, I'm leaving it because of people like you.

[Richard LH]

8 hours ago, bridiem said:

I think it's a wonderful review, except for the inevitable AM dig at the RB

A dig which I thought totally misplaced and unjustified. The revised RB Cinderella is (largely) a wonderful production.

[Emeralds]

12 hours ago, Mary said:

I have seen Sinfonietta before in this country..but where and when? racking brains.

I certainly hope to see it coming to a RB triple bill near me soon!

The Frederick Ashton Foundation states that Sinfonietta was premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in 1967. Next, there was a reduced Ballet For All staging performed in Wycliffe College, Stroud, in 1978.

 

Subsequently there was a Royal Ballet School performance in 1979 on the ROH stage.  Finally,  there was a production for SWRB (now called BRB) in 1981, staged by Lynn Wallis, on the ROH stage; the first night cast included Doreen Wells, David Ashmole, Stephen Wicks, etc. (I wonder if Iain Webb or Margaret Barbieri - or both of them- danced this version in later performances?) 

 

All those stagings were before my time/before I was allowed to go to ROH and I never saw it (can't wait for the weekend to see it for the first time)   Might you have seen it at Stratford, Stroud or ROH, @Mary? (It's not on the ROH collections database.)

[MAB]

Re Sinfonietta, I'm pretty certain that it (or part of it) was televised, I think students were involved, can't be more specific.  Hopefully I'm jogging someone's memory.

[Jan McNulty]

Is it only me who is wondering why the mainstream press hasn't reviewed Sarasota Ballet celebrating Ashton?

 

I know we've had reviews from big-hitting reviewers but where are the Guardian, Daily Telegraph & Independent to name but 3...

[bridiem]

31 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

Is it only me who is wondering why the mainstream press hasn't reviewed Sarasota Ballet celebrating Ashton?

 

I know we've had reviews from big-hitting reviewers but where are the Guardian, Daily Telegraph & Independent to name but 3...

 

It is strange. Might they cover the gala on Saturday evening?