Royal Ballet Ashton mixed bills, June 2024

[Blossom]

4 hours ago, LinMM said:

Yes Gabriella told me her dad had come over from Seattle and though had trouble getting tickets went to every performance last week!! 
She said the Company were delighted when they saw just how quickly the tickets had sold initially.   I told her I could only get a restricted view they went so fast but hoped they would come again not too far hence. 
As it was her first time in Europe she was delighted to be in London all like a dream come true for her. 

I met her dad on opening night - he'd managed to drop his things at his hotel then came straight to the ROH. Heard a similar story - and that quite a few parents had come over as well as the Sarasota Ballet supporters, it really was a special occasion for them! Gabriella's dad also had quite an extensive list of things to see in London between performances so I hope he managed to get through some of it.

[Missfrankiecat]

31 minutes ago, Richard LH said:

Yes I thought the same.....it could explain the odd performance that might be judged slightly below par, if we are being super critical.

The reality is that many of them are also doing a lot of international travel to perform at galas and other events in between shows.  I don't think these short performances are particularly taxing but the travel and meet and greets etc must be and distract from ordinary routines which maintain peak fitness and form.

[Fonty]

I am not sure how much I can add to what has already been said about this glorious triple bill. The only one I know I have seen before is The Dream. I may have seen the other two, but if I have it was so long ago I've forgotten. Someone else said they thought the dancing had been a bit ragged in places at a previous performance, but I thought the girls in particular seemed sharp and were giving it their all. I didn't feel that they were struggling with the intricate Ashton steps as I have felt many times in the past, or if they were they were hiding it very well. Plus they managed to look as though they were enjoying it as well. Someone somewhere has been giving some serious coaching, and it showed.

 

If I was to sum up Les Rendezvous in one word, it would be Joyous. It was utterly captivating, I loved every minute of it. I couldn't believe it when the curtain came down. 25 minutes long? It felt like 5 minutes to me. As others have said, the trio were wonderful. The first time I have really seen Sophie Allnatt taking centre stage, and she was fantastic, as were the two men.  Fumi Kaneko was as glorious as she always is, whipping gracefully and speedily through the steps while treating us to beaming smiles. Strangely, Muntagirov seemed a little strained. Even before his slip he didn't look quite as relaxed and assured as he normally does. He is such a wonderful technician, but even he has an off day sometimes I suppose. Of course, it could just be he finds Ashton a real challenge?

 

The Dream is one of my favourites, and I was overjoyed to see it live again. Hayward is brilliant in the Ashton rep. However, I was less sure about Sambe's portrayal of Oberon. Personally, I think the King of the Fairies has to have an air of arrogance about him, and I didn't get that impression at all. Although Steven McCrae wasn't always my first choice in some ballets, he was wonderful in this role with his haughty demeanour. As for Caspar Lench as Puck, well what can I say that hasn't already been said? I couldn't believe he is so young and inexperienced. Not only was his dancing magnificent, but his portrayal was perfect. Was it one of those “A Star is Born” moments? I assume he must be on the shorter side, but I look forward to seeing him grow and develop in the future.

 

Finally, Rhapsody. I don't know much about Magri, as again she isn't one of my first choice dancers when booking, but on this occasion I really enjoyed her performance. However, I got the impression Acri was struggling a little bit at times. If there was a repeated sequence of steps, by the time he got to the second or third repetition he seemed to me to run out of steam a little bit. Also, I don't know how tall Magri is, but she seemed a lot bigger than him physically, which can't have helped.

 

With regard to the triple overall, I thought how lovely it was to see such a variety of movement firmly based on classical ballet. The wonderful arm movements, and above all the twinkling footwork which was always my favourite part when doing dance classes. Sad that modern choreographers seem to reject that, and instead seem to concentrate on “whole body” contortions. Also, with regard to The Dream, his ability to create not only so many different characters, each with their own personal dance style, but to inject wit and humour into it as well. The man was a genius. But we knew that already!

 

I'd better stop now or I shall run out of superlatives.

 

 

 

[LinMM]

The bit in the YouTube video at the point you said Dawnstar are indeed petit jete’s …they are travelling around the room together with changing arms. The grand jete’ is where the legs are straight and is a bigger jump as Lindsay said but petit Jete’s are where the leg is bent from the knee either held in front of you  ( as they were doing) so devants or  held behind you so petit jete’s derrière. 

[oncnp]

Might be more cast changes coming...Cuthbertson has posted on her IG stories a picture of what looks suspiciously  like a positive COVID test

[Balletfanp]

Oh no…. It does….! I would doubt in that case she’ll be clear and able to dance by next Saturday 🙁. And in that case, will Vadim be dancing, assuming he hasn’t caught it from her through rehearsals? I will be terribly disappointed if I have to miss him as Oberon!

[Scheherezade]

4 hours ago, Balletfanp said:

Oh no…. It does….! I would doubt in that case she’ll be clear and able to dance by next Saturday 🙁. And in that case, will Vadim be dancing, assuming he hasn’t caught it from her through rehearsals? I will be terribly disappointed if I have to miss him as Oberon!

Me too!

[art_enthusiast]

12 hours ago, oncnp said:

Might be more cast changes coming...Cuthbertson has posted on her IG stories a picture of what looks suspiciously  like a positive COVID test

Unfortunate to happen on her birthday as well!

[art_enthusiast]

20 hours ago, Lindsay said:

But dare I say it, I think this triple bill may have come too late in the season when the dancers (understandably, after what feels like about a decade of Swan Lakes) are perhaps feeling weary and ready for a break. 

 

Yep, I feel like the timing is a bit strange - and also a bit too many Swan Lakes but then again, understandable due to the need for more funds. I hope it isn't too much of a strain for the company.

[LinMM]

Personally I’m not that keen on these split programmes. It sort of feels that Swan Lake has already been done this season!! 
I suppose it must vary from dancer to dancer but for me there would be something a bit dampening both physically and artistically about having to get into gear for Swan Lake again if already performed some weeks of it earlier in the season. 
Or maybe it’s just this year too many Swan Lakes going on everywhere! 

[Rachelm]

Having loved so much the general rehearsal of the triple last week (three short works version), I have booked a ticket for the 22nd. Unfortunately I can’t get to any Les Rendezvous showings which would have been my preference. But well done Royal Ballet for getting another ticket out of me, you’ve done well this year! I think Manon, The Dream, and Rhapsody have been my highlights. I would agree that I think the dancers, particularly the men that I’ve seen, seem tired and ready for a good break. I often wonder if they have too many commitments outside the RB- galas, teaching, modelling, etc? Or if perhaps the season has just been a particularly taxing one? Ryoichi Hirano as Des Greux has been my favourite male principal performance this season- by a long way.

[Balletfanp]

Cast change just up on the website - Yasmine dancing with Vadim on Saturday in the Dream

[AnticaFiamma]

5 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

Cast change just up on the website - Yasmine dancing with Vadim on Saturday in the Dream

Oooh she's making her debut in the role earlier than expected. She does like a challenge 

[FLOSS]

My only problem with Les Rendezvous is the new designs and lighting plan. I am relieved to see that the park railings have been restored and that the luridly coloured tree which graced the backcloth when the ballet was last redesigned has has disappeared a[omg with the blazers, boaters and polka dot dresses. My problem with the new designs is not the shape of the dresses or the cut of the men's costumes it is the choice of pale pastel shades which make the dancers disappear into the floor when you are in the Amphi. This was particularly marked at the open rehearsal. It was better on Monday night when the stage was better lit. Perhaps someone had put some money in the meter. But who thought it was a good idea to make the whole thing look so elegiac and autumnal ?

 

.There is a photograph of Markova and her partner in the original costumes for Les Rendezvous in the current programme. I don't see much connection between those designs and those provided by Mr Conran except that his designs are approximately the same shape as the original ones were. .

[Balletfanp]

10 minutes ago, AnticaFiamma said:

Oooh she's making her debut in the role earlier than expected. She does like a challenge 

….although I doubt she had much choice!

[OnePigeon]

32 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

Cast change just up on the website - Yasmine dancing with Vadim on Saturday in the Dream

After all my careful planning trying to see the most amount of different dancers for the two dates I’ve booked, it looks like my only Titania is going to be Yasmine Naghdi (poor me 😁).  I’m still sulking about the thwarted pairing of Sambe and Hayward in Rhapsody next week though.

 

I’ve never seen Muntagirov and Naghdi paired together and have often wondered why not as they are both such strong classical dancers.  I’ll be very interested to see them and hope they have enough time to get comfortable with the roles together.

[Nina99]

I’m obviously sorry for Lauren Cuthbertson that she was felled by the dreaded Covid, but I’m very glad that apparently she has not passed it on to Vadim. Funnily enough he did two performances of Swan Lake with Yasmine Naghdi in the 2022 run when Marianela Nunez went down with Covid. They also danced together (very successfully IMO) in Mayerling, although that is very different to The Dream, of course.

So Vadim has a busy week ahead what with The Dream on Saturday, with a different partner, more Swan Lake on Monday, another Les Rendezvous on Wednesday and then off to Rome with Fumi for yet more SL.  Pretty challenging even for him!
 

[LinMM]

Having super strong classical technique is not necessarily what you need for the roles of Oberon and Titania though which is why I’m very interested  to see what both Osipova and Naghdi make of it next week! 
Muntagirov hasn’t had rave reviews for Oberon so far but of course could get better!! It’s quite difficult to project characters from another Realm which is what the cast on Monday did so successfully. 
In Rendezvous the other night it looked like either his knee or ankle gave way …could have been just an awkward landing and nothing to worry about but hope he’s not nursing an injury. Many have said ( not just here) that he seemed a bit under par on Monday so hopefully he will be back on form by next Wednesday. 

[Lucy M]

@LinMM I noticed in the Les Rendezvous rehearsal pics that Fumi uploaded to Instagram a few days ago that Vadim was wearing some sort of support thing (for lack of a better word) on his left knee and wondered the same thing… Hopefully it’s nothing and he’s fine!

[Silke H]

1 hour ago, AnticaFiamma said:

Oooh she's making her debut in the role earlier than expected. She does like a challenge 

I think Yasmine was a gorgeous Titania in Friday's Friends' Rehearsal.

[Silke H]

1 hour ago, OnePigeon said:

I’ve never seen Muntagirov and Naghdi paired together and have often wondered why not as they are both such strong classical dancers.  I’ll be very interested to see them and hope they have enough time to get comfortable with the roles together.

Naghdi and Miuntagirov danced together in Romeo & Juliet but sadly it didn't really work for me.

[OnePigeon]

17 minutes ago, Silke H said:

Naghdi and Miuntagirov danced together in Romeo & Juliet but sadly it didn't really work for me.

That’s interesting and it can often be the case that pairings who should work on paper, often don’t in reality (in ballet and real life).  Fingers crossed they have the right chemistry together on Saturday.

[Fonty]

2 hours ago, FLOSS said:

 My problem with the new designs is not the shape of the dresses or the cut of the men's costumes it is the choice of pale pastel shades which make the dancers disappear into the floor when you are in the Amphi. This was particularly marked at the open rehearsal. It was better on Monday night when the stage was better lit. Perhaps someone had put some money in the meter. But who thought it was a good idea to make the whole thing look so elegiac and autumnal ?

 

 

@FLOSS I have to say that down in the Stalls the costumes didn't look pastel at all.  Admittedly the grey dresses were a pale colour, and a slightly unusual colour for any ballet.  Don't think I have seen many grey ones before, although I did think they were lovely.  But the others were  very strong shades of orange and lilac, together with the white of the two main dancers.  Also, some of the earlier designs for Les Rendezvous show all the ladies in what looks like white , so clearly this is not the first time pale colours have been used.

 

. 

 

 

[bridiem]

4 minutes ago, OnePigeon said:

That’s interesting and it can often be the case that pairings who should work on paper, often don’t in reality (in ballet and real life).  Fingers crossed they have the right chemistry together on Saturday.

 

I agree about R&J, but they were brilliant together in Mayerling.

[JNC]

2 hours ago, OnePigeon said:

I’ve never seen Muntagirov and Naghdi paired together and have often wondered why not as they are both such strong classical dancers.  I’ll be very interested to see them and hope they have enough time to get comfortable with the roles together.

I first saw them for a le Corsaire grand pas for the Fonteyn gala - great!

 

then I saw them in Romeo and Juliet and…I’m sorry to say they have zero chemistry in my opinion. 

 

I also saw them in swan lake (they weren’t meant to be paired but Nunez was ill) and it didn’t work for me as an emotional partnership at all, even though as you say both are technically excellent and classical dancers.

 

I think I’d be happy to see them in something like Tchaikovsky pas de deux together (although to be honest even then I think they’d work better with other partners) but I wouldn’t book to seem them as a pair in a full length together. Given they’ve not really been cast together again since maybe Kevin O’Hare agrees…(but maybe not if they did Mayerling together, which I didn’t see).

[Jamesrhblack]

57 minutes ago, JNC said:

I first saw them for a le Corsaire grand pas for the Fonteyn gala - great!

 

then I saw them in Romeo and Juliet and…I’m sorry to say they have zero chemistry in my opinion. 

 

I also saw them in swan lake (they weren’t meant to be paired but Nunez was ill) and it didn’t work for me as an emotional partnership at all, even though as you say both are technically excellent and classical dancers.

 

I think I’d be happy to see them in something like Tchaikovsky pas de deux together (although to be honest even then I think they’d work better with other partners) but I wouldn’t book to seem them as a pair in a full length together. Given they’ve not really been cast together again since maybe Kevin O’Hare agrees…(but maybe not if they did Mayerling together, which I didn’t see).

 

If my recollection is correct Naghdi danced Vetsera with Muntagirov as a jump in replacing Cuthbertson (?) and, for me, seemed much less well suited to that role than the Larisch she had danced with McRae. All the chemistry the evening I went was between Muntagirov and Kaneko as Larisch.

[Emeralds]

On 11/06/2024 at 16:24, Dawnstar said:

 

I don't think that's the one I mean, at least it didn't look anything like the proper sort of jetes. It's the step done between 20.01 and 20.20 on the Ashton Celebrated Insight video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izwdv0v5m5Q

@Borzoi is correct- those are emboite. Great question Dawnstar 👍-keeping us on our toes (pun unintended)!

[jmhopton]

3 hours ago, Jamesrhblack said:

 

If my recollection is correct Naghdi danced Vetsera with Muntagirov as a jump in replacing Cuthbertson (?) and, for me, seemed much less well suited to that role than the Larisch she had danced with McRae. All the chemistry the evening I went was between Muntagirov and Kaneko as Larisch.

My thoughts exactly Jamesrhblack. The Vadim /Yasmine partnership did nothing for me either in Romeo or Mayerling.  I was really pleased that Kevin didn't continue with the experiment, and started pairing Vadim with Fumi as an alternative to Marianela. He and Fumi were brilliant in Mayerling when Fumi was Larisch. 

[FionaM]

A few observations to respond to comments about the casting of junior male dancers as the lead in Rhapsody.  
 

in any other company … perhaps Acri, Nakao, Jun, Ikarashi would already all be first soloists or principals by virtue of their superior technique.  
 

Of the higher ranked male dancers in the company there are only a handful who have the virtuosity of the above  … in my view those are Corrales, Muntagirov, Sambe, and maybe Sissens.  
 

I’m assuming Cesar Corrales was not cast as he is may not yet be back at this level after his long injury and surgery.  I agree with others that I’d like to see Vadim Muntagirov in this role, but he seems to be needed and/or preferred for Dream and Rendezvous and can’t be in everything (or can he?)

I’ve no idea why Marci Sambe was cast and then replaced.  I haven’t seen enough of Joe Sissens at this level of virtuosity to know if it’s something he could do well.  I thought his Florizel wasn’t as accomplished and comfortable (nor musical) in the technical demands as others in that role. 
 

Injuries have removed past performers McRae and Hay from being cast.  This role is probably history for these dancers now.  Maybe it’s the same story for Valentino Zucchetti who has performed it a number of times, first on tour at the Bolshoi way back in 2011.  
 

Future casts that I can imagine (and I hope some of these are already shadowing the role) … Marco Masciari, Liam Boswell, Giacomo Rovero, Harrison Lee.  

Edited June 13 by FionaM

[LinMM]

I always thought emboite’ was a turning step. At the point in the video that Dawnstar indicated they are not turning just travelling forward in a group with little springs from one foot to the other which I have always known to be petit jete’s!! 
In emboite’ you also spring from one foot to the other but turn the body in the process taking two springs to complete one turn. 
There could be emboite’s performed in this trio piece from Les Rendezvous but would have to watch the whole piece to see! 

[LinMM]

I can see the confusion regarding this step though. I just watched the whole of the trio piece right up to 27 on the video when they leave and did not see an emboite’ as I know it!! 
However if you go onto YouTube you will see emboite demonstrated as the step they do travelling forward round the room albeit with slightly higher held leg in front ….whereas in a petit jete’s the leg is held quite low just above the ankle bone or certainly not above knee height. In this piece in the video the trio almost seem between the two as the leg position is held quite low. 
Sometimes there is a difference in how ballet terms are named between different schools. So maybe it’s just the height of the leg held in bent position as to what decides it’s a petit jete’ or emboite’ but basically it’s a spring from one foot to the other with the leg in bent position!!! 

Sorry to those who care not a jot what this step is called!! 
Although it may not look it its certainly very tiring to do so many as in this Piece! 
 

Edited June 13 by LinMM

[Emeralds]

48 minutes ago, LinMM said:

I always thought emboite’ was a turning step. At the point in the video that Dawnstar indicated they are not turning just travelling forward in a group with little springs from one foot to the other which I have always known to be petit jete’s!! 
In emboite’ you also spring from one foot to the other but turn the body in the process taking two springs to complete one turn. 
There could be emboite’s performed in this trio piece from Les Rendezvous but would have to watch the whole piece to see! 

I thought so too (that emboite was just the turning hops on alternate feet), but after a bit of digging around, it seems that those little hops on alternate feet in attitude devant are also called emboite (I should have paid more attention many years ago to the names instead of relying more on visual demonstration...lol) 

Edited June 13 by Emeralds

[Silke H]

1 hour ago, LinMM said:

I always thought emboite’ was a turning step. At the point in the video that Dawnstar indicated they are not turning just travelling forward in a group with little springs from one foot to the other which I have always known to be petit jete’s!! 
In emboite’ you also spring from one foot to the other but turn the body in the process taking two springs to complete one turn. 
There could be emboite’s performed in this trio piece from Les Rendezvous but would have to watch the whole piece to see! 

@LinMM @Dawnstar @Emeralds - I found this gem of a website: JörgenDance which explains/shows the different versions of Emboîté (and many other steps)