Fonty Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 2 hours ago, San Perregrino said: the seats available included stalls circle standing which is almost unheard of !! Not for Friday they didn't, I always check. At least not when I looked yesterday, and earlier this week not for the Saturdays either. Unless, of course there were one or two with restricted views. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 2 hours 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. 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. 1 hour ago, Emeralds said: @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. Emeralds and Fonty, same suspicion here. And the same anti-Ashton bias in the emails I receive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aruna S Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 2 minutes ago, Scheherezade said: Emeralds and Fonty, same suspicion here. And the same anti-Ashton bias in the emails I receive. Positively Machiavellian😤 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 A cast change has just appeared on the website for the Five Brahms Waltzes tonight, Pajdak replacing Magri. I hope Magri's not picked up an injury, given she's due to do not only one more Rhapsody tomorrow but also the extra SL next week. 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 2 hours ago, Fonty said: 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. I'm not sure new McGregor sells that well, does it ? Earlier this season The Dante Project sales were really poor. It seems these days that only Swan Lake and the like can be guaranteed to sell out - even at very high ticket prices. At least the Rendezvous Ashton triple sold well so hopefully it's not Ashton that is unappealing ? I'd have considered going to more than the matinee tomorrow if Les Rendezvous had been programmed again. Live arts in general are having a hard time. On the opera side I know that some performances of La Boheme earlier this season were "papered". People are careful how they spend their money and there are many more places to spend it than there were in the heyday of ballet popularity. I feel the Autumn season programming is going to be a real test for the ballet side of the RoH. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 On 19/06/2024 at 23:49, MAB said: The ballet was celebrating Shakespeare's quarter centenary and the premiere was early April so ballet magazines for the next couple of months would probably carry illustrations. I have found lots of pictures of the dancers in various books but only Covent Garden Books No 15 carries a picture of the set design. although just a sketch it seems to confirm my memory of the original set taking up more stage space than now. Dance & Dancers' review of the opening night has 14 photographs, none of them showing the set - but Peter Williams writes 'Henry Bardon's setting is very detailed and elaborate - it really is a wood where anything could happen and it is as elaborate as an opera production ... the fairies did not fly [but] we were given so many different levels that a moments it seemed that some of the dancers were in fact taking to the air.' He confirms, as someone has already said, that there was a front gauze for the entire performarmance, and also mentions that the decor had a central tree, and that Titania'a bower was 'tucked away at the back of the stage' and couldn't be seen properly by the greater part of the audience. Another critic describes the decor as 'darkly scintillating like a plate of glace fruits' and another as 'very sombre'. D&D thinks both setting and costumes were strongly influenced by Lila de Nobili - both Bardon and David Walker were among her students. 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 19 minutes ago, annamk said: At least the Rendezvous Ashton triple sold well so hopefully it's not Ashton that is unappealing ? This is something that ROH/RBO should be exploring: why has this programme sold so much better than the other? Is it casting, or timing, or even that there is more interest than we might have suspected in Les Rendezvous specifically? Or perhaps people prefer a named single ballet to "Short Works"? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 13 hours ago, alison said: 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. As someone who would really like to see Lamb in the role, that's disappointing to hear that she should have been filmed in it. It feels like there aren't that many videos available of Lamb in general, especially as some of the lead roles she's been filmed in aren't available on DVD (Juliet, SPF, Alice). 3 hours ago, LinMM said: 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!! I wonder if it's because Ophelia is a lot less demanding a role than Titania & she's gradually winding down now she's in her 40s? When I saw the piece for the first time on Tuesday I rather felt it could have been any couple having a traumatic break up rather than very specifically Hamlet & Ophelia. 2 hours ago, LinMM said: 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!! I thought at first it was pre-recorded music, when music started but the orchestra weren't playing. It wasn't until the curtain came up & I could see the end of the piano (from my seat most of the piano plus pianist weren't visible) that I realised what was going on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 I have a feeling from stories about this ballet ( Hamlet) that Ashton didn’t give it that much attention…it was a gala piece. He apparently told Wayne Eagling to “chuck Margot around a bit as Nureyev would do” and Margot was about 57 at this point! Now I know both Ashton and Nureyev had great respect for her so reading between the lines it was Ashtons way of saying just make it all look a bit dramatic and of course Margot was the expert at thwarted love she could make you feel her loss and anguish really easily!! Im not sure Ashton wouldn’t be a bit surprised that this Piece has outlived him! As long as you get a charismatic Hamlet though it still sort of works. Id much rather have the Dante Sonata though. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 37 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: I rather felt it could have been any couple having a traumatic break up rather than very specifically Hamlet & Ophelia. I think that the intensity of this piece played out rather better in the intimacy of the Linbury, although I should be better able to make a direct comparison after seeing Hayward and Bracewell tonight. Did anyone else notice Sarah Chatto on Tuesday night, by the way? 38 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: Is it casting, or timing, or even that there is more interest than we might have suspected in Les Rendezvous specifically? Or perhaps people prefer a named single ballet to "Short Works"? If people are making a choice as to which Ashton bill to see - and let’s be honest, balletomanes apart, that’s most people - I would imagine that they would go for a named single ballet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelm Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, Dawnstar said: A cast change has just appeared on the website for the Five Brahms Waltzes tonight, Pajdak replacing Magri. I hope Magri's not picked up an injury, given she's due to do not only one more Rhapsody tomorrow but also the extra SL next week. I do very much hope she is ok. I was so looking forward to seeing her in Rhapsody tomorrow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 48 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: This is something that ROH/RBO should be exploring: why has this programme sold so much better than the other? Is it casting, or timing, or even that there is more interest than we might have suspected in Les Rendezvous specifically? Or perhaps people prefer a named single ballet to "Short Works"? The descriptions of the short works didn't exactly wet my appetite. Personally, I thought all of them sounded better suited to the more intimate surroundings of the Linbury. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady emily Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 (edited) Seems so strange that the short works bill has sold so poorly and yet I haven't received any discount codes for it. And yet I received endless reminders about discount codes for Winter's Tale. Checked how Saturday night is selling (when I am going, and just for another perspective I had no interest in seeing the short works version, and only bought another ticket because I wanted to see Jun in Rhapsody and The Dream again), because there is something about rows of empty seats that really puts a damper on a performance for me, and have noticed that in the last day-ish the stalls have filled up. The result of Friday rush or papering? Edited June 21 by lady emily 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 3 minutes ago, lady emily said: Seems so strange that the short works bill has sold so poorly and yet I haven't received any discount codes for it. And yet I received endless reminders about discount codes for Winter’s Tale. Strange indeed. I haven’t received any discount codes either but then I never do. 3 minutes ago, lady emily said: have noticed that in the last day-ish the stalls have filled up. The result of Friday rush or papering? I would say papering. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, Dawnstar said: A cast change has just appeared on the website for the Five Brahms Waltzes tonight, Pajdak replacing Magri. I hope Magri's not picked up an injury, given she's due to do not only one more Rhapsody tomorrow but also the extra SL next week. Ahhhhhhhh that's incredibly annoying!! The main reason for me going tomorrow afternoon was to see Romany's 'one' performance...and I didn't go on Tuesday because Mayara was dancing tonight and I really needed a night off from the travel after work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 23 minutes ago, lady emily said: Checked how Saturday night is selling (when I am going, and just for another perspective I had no interest in seeing the short works version, and only bought another ticket because I wanted to see Jun in Rhapsody and The Dream again), because there is something about rows of empty seats that really puts a damper on a performance for me, and have noticed that in the last day-ish the stalls have filled up. The result of Friday rush or papering? To the best of my knowledge - and I do Friday rush a lot - it never includes any stalls seats. Admittedly I didn't actually look for the Ashton performances today, because I was busy getting a ticket each for the last 2 SLs of the season, but I would be very surprised if the rush seats were anything other than the standard side stalls circle, balcony standing and back of amphitheatre seats. Some sort of "private" discount to various favoured groups seems a lot more likely. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 (edited) 37 minutes ago, lady emily said: Seems so strange that the short works bill has sold so poorly and yet I haven't received any discount codes for it. And yet I received endless reminders about discount codes for Winter's Tale. Checked how Saturday night is selling (when I am going, and just for another perspective I had no interest in seeing the short works version, and only bought another ticket because I wanted to see Jun in Rhapsody and The Dream again), because there is something about rows of empty seats that really puts a damper on a performance for me, and have noticed that in the last day-ish the stalls have filled up. The result of Friday rush or papering? My young relative who qualifies for Young ROH says RBO/ROH has just offered Young ROH discounts for seats above £30 (except boxes) for the Friday and Saturday performances- asked if I was going. So that's one reason (hopefully, rather than giving them away for free) why the stalls seats are filling up. I suppose that's one way to get youngsters interested in Ashton ballets! Would have been better if they also offered a discount code (like the 40% off for Winter's Tale and Different Drummer) for everyone over 25- with over 360 seats (not counting standing places) to sell before curtain up in less than 5 hours, they're not going to be able to find that many under 26s with £30 to spend who are free to drop everything and head to Central London at such short notice, especially with college, A level and GCSE exams in full swing. My relative has booked a ticket for Saturday. Edited June 21 by Emeralds 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelm Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 28 minutes ago, lady emily said: Seems so strange that the short works bill has sold so poorly and yet I haven't received any discount codes for it. And yet I received endless reminders about discount codes for Winter's Tale. Checked how Saturday night is selling (when I am going, and just for another perspective I had no interest in seeing the short works version, and only bought another ticket because I wanted to see Jun in Rhapsody and The Dream again), because there is something about rows of empty seats that really puts a damper on a performance for me, and have noticed that in the last day-ish the stalls have filled up. The result of Friday rush or papering? What is papering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emeralds Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 37 minutes ago, Fonty said: The descriptions of the short works didn't exactly wet my appetite. Personally, I thought all of them sounded better suited to the more intimate surroundings of the Linbury. Now that you mention it, Fonty, I think FBWITMOID would work well on the Linbury stage- the piano goes on the stage and doesn't require the front few rows to be removed for a piano. Am probably being just me, but I loved the orchestra playing the music by Delius and Liszt live for TWTTPG and for Hamlet and Ophelia (no obvious wrong notes there), and the orchestra won't fit in Linbury Theatre, unfortunately. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady emily Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 17 minutes ago, Emeralds said: with over 360 seats (not counting standing places) to sell before curtain up in less than 5 hours Somewhat a random question but is there a shortcut to see precisely how many tickets are left (when above 100) to a performance? Or are you just counting what you see on the screen and/or estimating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 8 minutes ago, Emeralds said: Now that you mention it, Fonty, I think FBWITMOID would work well on the Linbury stage- the piano goes on the stage and doesn't require the front few rows to be removed for a piano. Am probably being just me, but I loved the orchestra playing the music by Delius and Liszt live for TWTTPG and for Hamlet and Ophelia (no obvious wrong notes there), and the orchestra won't fit in Linbury Theatre, unfortunately. The Linbury stage is, IMO, too small for 5BW. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Most A levels and GCSE exams are now finished ….a few final ones today though. I imagine most young people just finished exams will head to the beach this weekend rather than central London lol!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 22 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said: The Linbury stage is, IMO, too small for 5BW. I must confess I have never actually been to anything in the Linbury, and of course I have never seen 5BW. To be honest it was the Isadora Duncan piece that really put me off. It just isn't my thing, and coupled with the fact I knew nothing at all about the other short works, meant I plumped for the triple instead. It is the lure of The Dream that is tempting me out again, and I just wish I could have seen more of those. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 4 hours ago, Dawnstar said: A cast change has just appeared on the website for the Five Brahms Waltzes tonight, Pajdak replacing Magri. I hope Magri's not picked up an injury, given she's due to do not only one more Rhapsody tomorrow but also the extra SL next week. I'd forgotten she was doing the extra Swan Lake. I'm hoping it's just to give her a rest and so she can concentrate on the other works. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 BRB performed 5BW some years ago and then principal Molly Smolen made it really special for me. If circumstances had permitted I would love to have seen it again. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, Rachelm said: What is papering? Giving away free - or virtually so. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 25 minutes ago, alison said: I'd forgotten she was doing the extra Swan Lake. I'm hoping it's just to give her a rest and so she can concentrate on the other works. I picked up an extra Friday rush ticket today in order to see her with Ball in SL next week, hence I'm really hoping she's not injured! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 (edited) Mayara has just posted on IG that she has a rib joint strain but is still hoping to do Rhapsody tomorrow Edited June 21 by Rob S 3 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelm Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Just now, Rob S said: Mayara has just posted on IG that she has a rib joint strain but is still hoping to do Rhapsody tomorrow I’ve literally just seen it- thank you. Fingers crossed for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Oh dear, that does not sound good. @Rob S did she say anything about whether or not she's likely to be able to do SL? Not having Instagram I can't see her post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 5 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Oh dear, that does not sound good. @Rob S did she say anything about whether or not she's likely to be able to do SL? Not having Instagram I can't see her post. She didn’t mention SL, only that she’s gutted about tonight and hoping to dance tomorrow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Thanks. I'll be spending the next 6 days obsessively checking the ROH website while keeping everything crossed then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Rib strains can be very painful though and make it difficult to breathe if very bad. Hope she just has a mild one and is better soon. There are certain lifts in Rhapsody which I can imagine being painful if have a rib strain 😬 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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