Royal Ballet Ashton mixed bills, June 2024

[MJW]

I'm glad to hear that last night was so great - unfortunately I had to cancel due to illness. Hopefully Saturday afternoon will be a match for and I shall drag myself there no matter what (particularly as its the last performance of the season for me 😄) 

Edited June 20 by MJW

[JNC]

4 hours ago, SheilaC said:

I gather that some of the ballets’ sets and costumes may have been sold to Sarasota but presumably they still have some.

 

Given how lovely the Les Rendezvous costume/set redesign is I don't think this is a barrier (although of course money practically to do it is)...

 

Lovely to read all the comments. Having seen both bills I agree the Les Rendezvous one is the perfect mixture and sequence. Sadly it didn't really work for me casting/dates to do a second of those, so I'm looking forward to my final RB of the Season with Short Works on Saturday, very much looking forward to Osipova/Bracewell as a combination!

[Linnzi5]

11 hours ago, Jake said:

PS - yesterday no one at any point requested my ticket…

In the area I sat in, not only did they look carefully at tickets before entering, one lady was called back rather loudly, as she hadn't shown hers.

[annamk]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

After going through my curtain call photos from last night, I have a couple of minor casting queries. Can anyone recall if Harris Bell was in Les Rendezvous? He's on the cast sheet but I have no recollection of actually seeing him on stage! I tried checking my photos but because of the angle I was at only 3 of the 6 male ensemble are visible & he's not one of them. Also can anyone identify the dancer in the corps de ballet of fairies who is just behind Richardson's right shoulder in the Dream photo I posted I my last post? It would have thought it was Julie Ann Joyner were it not that I heard a couple of months ago that she's left so it obviously can't be.

 

I don't think Harris Bell was dancing last night because I remember looking at the cast sheet in the first interval and being surprised to see his name there. I think it was Luc Foskett.

[Dawnstar]

2 minutes ago, annamk said:

I don't think Harris Bell was dancing last night because I remember looking at the cast sheet in the first interval and being surprised to see his name there. I think it was Luc Foskett.

 

Thanks for the confimation that my dancer recognition isn't completely useless! Foskett is definitely in my curtain call photos so yes, he must have been the substitute in that case.

[Dawnstar]

On 19/06/2024 at 15:38, Emeralds said:

I wasn't born yet when it premiered  but I guess you can say the sets are definitely different- Henry Bardon, as you say, not David Walker, was the original designer. I think (70% sure)  the costumes might be slightly different for the humans and Puck from what I recalled of old photos in a book I saw ages ago. Titania and Oberon's look very similar. I can't find any old pictures of the other characters online to share a link, unfortunately. 

 

I've now had time to check some ballet books & do some Googling but I can't find any photos other than close ups of Sibley & Dowell either.

 

In the course of that searching, I came across a Guardian article from 2016 which was about Sibley & Dowell in The Dream but was illustrated by a photo of Lamb as Titania. I think she'd look perfect for the role & wish she was dancing it this time, so I looked up the ROH performance database to find when she did dance it. Only for it to come up a blank. I've looked at the cast for every performance listed back to 2005 without finding her name. So can anyone recall when she did dance it? I mean, she must have done so at some point if a photo exists of her in it! (The photo is of Titania being carried by Bottom which surely isn't something that would be done as an extract for a gala, in the way the Titania/Oberon pdd might have been.)

[Balletfanp]

I have a feeling Lamb danced Titania in their American tour a few years ago.

[Dawnstar]

So she's only ever danced Titania abroad & never in London? Gosh, that must be frustrating for long term fans.

[oncnp]

13 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

I have a feeling Lamb danced Titania in their American tour a few years ago.

 

She appears to have in 2015 (page 4)

 

{ENTER RELEASE DATE} (roh.org.uk)

[alison]

30 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

In the course of that searching, I came across a Guardian article from 2016 which was about Sibley & Dowell in The Dream but was illustrated by a photo of Lamb as Titania. I think she'd look perfect for the role & wish she was dancing it this time, so I looked up the ROH performance database to find when she did dance it. Only for it to come up a blank. I've looked at the cast for every performance listed back to 2005 without finding her name. So can anyone recall when she did dance it?

 

She never did in the UK: she was scheduled to be the broadcast Titania in 2017, but was replaced by Akane Takada (who was making her debut in the two filmed performances, IIRC).  Lamb only danced it in the USA, I think.

[Linnzi5]

16 minutes ago, JNC said:

 

Given how lovely the Les Rendezvous costume/set redesign is I don't think this is a barrier (although of course money practically to do it is)...

 

Lovely to read all the comments. Having seen both bills I agree the Les Rendezvous one is the perfect mixture and sequence. Sadly it didn't really work for me casting/dates to do a second of those, so I'm looking forward to my final RB of the Season with Short Works on Saturday, very much looking forward to Osipova/Bracewell as a combination!

I'm going again on Saturday and I can't wait! I adored Bracewell's interpretation and thought Osipova was both delicate, sweet and ethereal - she took me by surprise as I didn't expect this from her. As usual, she showed her sense of humour.

 

There were some things about the the cast last night I preferred slightly though. Puck being one and I thought Annette Buvoli was delightful.

 

Previously, I forgot to say how much I liked Zucchetti as Bottom. He was fabulous! I've honestly enjoyed all the casts I've seen, even if I have preferred some to others.

[LinMM]

By coincidence Stephen McRae has just posted pictures of himself on Facebook dancing with four different Titanias one of them being Lamb. 
Maybe you can pinpoint the date from this. 
It’s June 24th 2015 in New York! 

Edited June 20 by LinMM

[jmhopton]

2 hours ago, MJW said:

I'm glad to hear that last night was so great - unfortunately I had to cancel due to illness. Hopefully Saturday afternoon will be a match for and I shall drag myself there no matter what (particularly as its the last performance of the season for me 😄) 

Sorry to hear this, MJW and hope you're OK for Sat.  I know from personal experience how disappointing it is to have to cancel,  especially at the last minute. You missed a fabulous performance,  especially Les Rendezvous . Am completely in awe of Liam Boswell who executed the very tricky pas de trois with style and panache and then 40 minutes later wowed us again with his incredible Puck.  He really earned his flowers. Such a shame Fumi and Vadim have just settled so splendidly in their principal roles when they come to the end of their run. I could have watched Les Rendezvous 3 times as a triple all on its own.

[Emeralds]

10 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

After going through my curtain call photos from last night, I have a couple of minor casting queries. Can anyone recall if Harris Bell was in Les Rendezvous? He's on the cast sheet but I have no recollection of actually seeing him on stage! I tried checking my photos but because of the angle I was at only 3 of the 6 male ensemble are visible & he's not one of them. Also can anyone identify the dancer in the corps de ballet of fairies who is just behind Richardson's right shoulder in the Dream photo I posted I my last post? It would have thought it was Julie Ann Joyner were it not that I heard a couple of months ago that she's left so it obviously can't be.

Hi Dawnstar, Harris Bell danced Les Rendezvous and Rhapsody at the matinee on Sat 15 June (I remembered thinking, "oh we have Harris and Harrison in Les Rendezvous!")- I also have a record  of him in my curtain call photos standing nearest the gate. 

 

Your detailed research into The Dream designs and Titania casting is making me wish Sarah Lamb had been cast as Titania for this run! Hope she can and will be cast to dance Titania in the next run of The Dream at ROH.

Edited June 21 by Emeralds

[San Perregrino]

for those wishing to see more Ashton before the end of the run or anyone who wants to dip their toe into the world of Sir Fred for the first time, the three remaining performances on Friday 21/6, Saturday 22/6 matinee & evening respectively have 698, 594 & 660 seats unsold not including those held back for Friday rush. a total of some 2,000 seats still available.

the Ashton Mixed Bills seem to be of mixed success too.   

[LinMM]

Why would Sarah Lamb not be cast this time….is she injured currently? 

[San Perregrino]

3 minutes ago, LinMM said:

Why would Sarah Lamb not be cast this time….is she injured currently? 

she's cast to dance Ophelia with Cesar Corrales Hamlet this weekend and I'm very much looking forward to it.

Edited June 21 by San Perregrino

[Silke H]

9 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

So she's only ever danced Titania abroad & never in London? Gosh, that must be frustrating for long term fans.

Sarah Lamb was Titania with Steven McRae in NYC (see my photos in the link from 23rd June 2015)

Puck - James Hay, Bottom - Bennet Gartside, Demetrius - Johannes Stepanek, Helena - Itziar Mendizabal, Lysander - Valeri Hristov, Hermia - Christina Arestis
 

Facebook album

[LinMM]

Well I must be losing it!! I saw her in this just last Tuesday!!! So of course she can’t be injured! 
However even stranger now as why would she choose this Ophelia role over Titania ( if she had any choice that is) 

Its a very small part in a strange Piece really …..well danced by both Sarah and Cesar in my view but the audience were definitely a bit cool towards it…..possibly as had overtones of the Winters Tale and Leontes and Hermione performed recently though of course the latter  has more context. 

Id forgotten the context of the Hamlet Ophelia story so difficult in such a short Piece to build up any sense of the whole drama of their relationship and her eventual suicide etc. though the dancing itself is very dramatic!! 
 

Edited June 21 by LinMM

[Fonty]

22 minutes ago, San Perregrino said:

for those wishing to see more Ashton before the end of the run or anyone who wants to dip their toe into the world of Sir Fred for the first time, the three remaining performances on Friday 21/6, Saturday 22/6 matinee & evening respectively have 698, 594 & 660 seats unsold not including those held back for Friday rush. a total of some 2,000 seats still available.

the Ashton Mixed Bills seem to be of mixed success too.   

 

I find this shocking, totally unbelievable. I just cannot understand it.  Given the rave reviews that everyone on here has given it, including me, the only conclusion has to be lack of the right kind of publicity.  Or timing, as I know a lot of people going on holiday at this time of year.  Plus there are masses of other events taking place now.  

 

I have succumbed and bought another ticket for tonight.  It wasn't the casts I would have preferred to see, but I cannot go tomorrow, and at least it will be different to the ones I saw before.  

[bridiem]

2 minutes ago, Fonty said:

I find this shocking, totally unbelievable. I just cannot understand it.  Given the rave reviews that everyone on here has given it, including me, the only conclusion has to be lack of the right kind of publicity.  Or timing, as I know a lot of people going on holiday at this time of year.  Plus there are masses of other events taking place now.  

 

I think that the RB now promotes and presents and believes in itself very much as the company of MacMillan and McGregor. Even the classics are apparently not essential now, let alone Ashton. So, whether consciously or not, the marketing reflects that. And the programming of the last few weeks has really been ridiculous, with far too much repetition and too much in too short a space of time especially coinciding with Sarasota.

[alison]

You mean there's been marketing?  I'm not sure I've seen any.  (I did just see an advert for Tosca on the side of a bus, though - but that's not going to happen for a mixed bill).

 

But yes, a ridiculous logjam of ballet-related events in London, plus a very compact run, as is often the case at the end of the season, means people would need several clones to be able to see everything.  Feast, then famine ...

[Fonty]

14 minutes ago, alison said:

You mean there's been marketing?  I'm not sure I've seen any.

 

But yes, a ridiculous logjam of ballet-related events in London, plus a very compact run, as is often the case at the end of the season, means people would need several clones to be able to see everything.  Feast, then famine ...

 @alison  I did say "the right kind of publicity".    I have received emails which said very little to be honest.  My suspicious mind thinks that maybe they deliberately put Ashton on at the end of the season in summer in order to confirm that he isn't that popular any more.  Then they can say "See, we tried, but it was a failure, so we won't bother in the future."  I don't suppose it ever occurred to them that many people are also interested in sport, for example, which might take up our late afternoons and evenings.    

 

I really find it strange that a new MacGregor seems to play to packed houses, so that information is reaching a potential audience, yet a triple of Ashton ballets that might just as well be new as it has been a good while since they were seen is struggling.  I refuse to believe that the vast majority of people prefer MacG to Ashton, I simply cannot accept that.  A lot of people might perhaps, but vast numbers?  Seems very unlikely to me.  

 

Edited to add when I went on line yesterday to book, I was shocked to see how many seats were available.  It looked as though the stalls were practically empty.  I shall be interested to see how full the theatre is tonight.  

 

 

Edited June 21 by Fonty

[JohnS]

20 hours ago, Nina99 said:

I’m a bit late posting but I felt I had to echo the high praise for last night’s, triple Bill

For my part I don’t think it’s ever late to post and it’s been a joy to catch up on all these posts on the train. Rendezvous has been a fabulous Triple, an absolute delight. But I am also very impressed with the Short Works Triple, in part because I had no idea until Ashton Celebrated just how varied Ashton’s work is, with Hamlet & Ophelia and Sarasota’s Dante Sonata real eye openers. But why do the Brahms Waltzes begin with the curtain down - it just seems a bit unfair not to hear the music clearly from the start when so fabulously played by Kate Shipway?

[bridiem]

10 minutes ago, JohnS said:

For my part I don’t think it’s ever late to post and it’s been a joy to catch up on all these posts on the train. Rendezvous has been a fabulous Triple, an absolute delight. But I am also very impressed with the Short Works Triple, in part because I had no idea until Ashton Celebrated just how varied Ashton’s work is, with Hamlet & Ophelia and Sarasota’s Dante Sonata real eye openers. But why do the Brahms Waltzes begin with the curtain down - it just seems a bit unfair not to hear the music clearly from the start when so fabulously played by Kate Shipway?

 

I hadn't thought about that before, but on reflection maybe it's because Ashton is evoking something happening behind the curtain of the past which is then unveiled for us in the present. 

[Rachelm]

22 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

With the exception of the RBS summer performance, it's the same for me.

Yes, I won’t be booking until Onegin, which I have wanted to see for a very long time.

[San Perregrino]

1 hour ago, San Perregrino said:

for those wishing to see more Ashton before the end of the run or anyone who wants to dip their toe into the world of Sir Fred for the first time, the three remaining performances on Friday 21/6, Saturday 22/6 matinee & evening respectively have 698, 594 & 660 seats unsold not including those held back for Friday rush. a total of some 2,000 seats still available.

the Ashton Mixed Bills seem to be of mixed success too.   

 

the seats available included stalls circle standing which is almost unheard of !!

[Rachelm]

20 minutes ago, JohnS said:

But why do the Brahms Waltzes begin with the curtain down - it just seems a bit unfair not to hear the music clearly from the start when so fabulously played by Kate Shipway?

To me it feels like I’m walking into a house, hear the piano, and stumble across a private moment between pianist and dancer. I quite like it!

 

I’ll be at the matinee tomorrow so will perhaps see you at the stage door, assuming you’re going too? Can’t wait to see this bill again!

[LinMM]

Yes I’d forgotten about the piano playing before curtain goes up in Five Brahms Waltzes and had just a brief moment on Tuesday when I thought surely they haven’t forgotten to raise the curtain!! 

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Silke H said:

Sarah Lamb was Titania with Steven McRae in NYC (see my photos in the link from 23rd June 2015)

Puck - James Hay, Bottom - Bennet Gartside, Demetrius - Johannes Stepanek, Helena - Itziar Mendizabal, Lysander - Valeri Hristov, Hermia - Christina Arestis
 

Facebook album

Would love, love to have seen this exact cast in London! Lovely pictures, @Silke H!

[Emeralds]

55 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 @alison  I did say "the right kind of publicity".    I have received emails which said very little to be honest.  My suspicious mind thinks that maybe they deliberately put Ashton on at the end of the season in summer in order to confirm that he isn't that popular any more.  

@Fonty, like you, I received zero marketing emails or publicity about the Ashton mixed bills although I routinely receive loads about new and old opera productions and about McGregor works, Swan Lakes and Nutcrackers. I did have a horrible sinking feeling as to whether all the Ashton had been squeezed into 18 days in June with the performances competing with each other so that they would have difficulty selling, and that would be management's excuse for keeping Ashton off programming in future, eg only Cinderella and nothing else next year/season while Crystal Pite gets 2 items (1 full length) and Wheeldon gets 5 (1 full length) on the programming. 

Edited June 21 by Emeralds

[JohnS]

46 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I hadn't thought about that before, but on reflection maybe it's because Ashton is evoking something happening behind the curtain of the past which is then unveiled for us in the present. 

Many thanks @bridiem - I can see this but wouldn’t a gauze be just as evocative without muffling the music to the extent it’s unclear whether the performance has started with audience conversations continuing?

[bridiem]

16 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Many thanks @bridiem - I can see this but wouldn’t a gauze be just as evocative without muffling the music to the extent it’s unclear whether the performance has started with audience conversations continuing?

 

I'm not sure; I think that the music being so muffled and then becoming clear is rather effective.