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RB Swan Lake 2 December - some notes


Sonja

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First of all a note on "how to get a ticket" - I have never experienced anything the like before at ROH:

I arrived at 10 to 9 to queue for a day seat - well, there were already 80 people in front of me. At about 10.30 we were told that the evening performance had just been sold out. I wanted to see both performances, so I remained in the queue for the matinee and was lucky enough to get a ticket for it. Returned in both intervals of the matinee to check the queue, and after the performance I ran straight out without even getting my coat back to join in the queue again for returns. There were about 10 people in front of me, but I was determined to wait until 7 to see if there was really no chance of getting in. Someone arrived with two tickets - and was told by opera house staff to go outside again to sell them there! So there was a bit of uproar in the queue - what are we queuing for, if people can just arrive outside and get tickets?? Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got a single ticket (ironically a day seat!) for the evening as well - and the performance was worth the efforts!

Matinee

Deborah Bull - Inaki Urlezaga

I like Debbie Bull - but must admit that like for many others, for me she's more a modern type of dancer than a "swan". She was good, though, and there was some nice rapport between her and Inaki Urlezaga. Inaki surprised me a lot in those two days - he has improved so much since I saw him last time - or maybe it was just the gaiety of Franz in Coppelia that did not suit him that much? He was a very young prince, a bit naive, and feeling soo sorry when realizing he was cheated... Felt like running on stage and telling him: Boy, it's only a performance, you will be alright!

Cast included many of the young/new dancers I had hoped to see: Pas de trois with Marianela Nunez, Rachel Rawlings and Ivan Putrov (?) - they all looked very good. Marianela is one of the very few young dancers who not only seem to consist of "bones", and what an energy and joy she presents! Rachel was very good, too - sometimes a bit out of control in the pirouettes when her partner turned her, so I think this is something Ivan will work on. But boy, his jumps were already amazing! Neapolitan Dance led by Leana Palmer (?) and Justin Meissner - very vivid, full of joy.

Evening

Bussell - Bolle

Darcey was brilliant - I think this must be one of her favourite roles. I loved her soft Odette (wonderful arms and arabesques!), and her Odile was technically brilliant - I cannot remember such a long balance on point - must have been about 10 seconds, and the audience seemed to stop breathing! The fouettés she did without visibly using her arms - she kept them sort of down, to the side (no classical position I would know the name of) and spinned as if it was the easiest thing on earth... Her partner Roberto Bolle looked a bit pale, no special rapport - but he is a good and reliable partner, good looking, with a solid technique. The Pas de trois was like totally different from the matinee - Jaimie Tapper, Belinda Hatley and Johann Persson again a class of their own, making this a sparkling piece within the ballet!

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Sonja, your effort in getting tickets at ROH indeed deserved a real appreciation! No doubt, many ballet buffs have experienced such nightmare at least once in their lifetime.

I first saw the current production of the RB's Swan Lake last month and last Saturday was my second time. Guillem-Cope and Bussell-Bolle made entirely different impressions. But they were all absolutely fantastic.

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Glad you got into the evening Swan Lake, Sonja - I had a hard time getting a ticket, too. And I was absolutely knocked out by Darcey's performance. In fact, I'm still on a high about it.

By the way, have you ever visited the Darcey Bussell site? It's at: http://www.darceybussell.com/

There's a new newsletter up and you have a chance to win a signed pair of Darcey's used pointe shoes. (Mind you, I shouldn't be telling you this, if I want to win them myself!)

Anyway, glad you had such a good time.

- Wendy

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Wendy, thanks for your nice posts - glad you are feeling the same about Darcey's performance! I am still on a high thinking of it - and it was certainly worthwhile the efforts! To me, it seemed she was so happy to be able to perform again, especially as Odile - and wow, what a pas de deux!!

Thanks also for the link to Darcey's website - you need not worry, I NEVER ever win anything (except that ticket for Saturday night, seems like a lottery to me!), but I may try, though... (we could then share the pair, provided both shoes are signed...)

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Saturday night was my first time at the ROH and the first time I'd ever seen the RB, so it was totally wnderful that I got to see Darcey Bussell too. She made everything look so easy. I got my tickets on the net and everyone I spoke to seemed to have done as well - it's a bit of a lottery but quite civilised!

Can anyone recommend the best place to sit in the ROH (for less than £50) as I was in the middle of the top amphitheatre and, while I had a clear view, I felt rather detached from the show. I'm used to smaller theatres, and I don't think I enjoyed the ballet as much as I might have if I'd been closer. I like to feel on the verge of tears when I go to the ballet and I just felt too far away!

Having said that, I did have a fantastic experience. Darcey Bussell is even more of a heroine than she was before!

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Kate, glad you enjoyed Saturday night as much as I did. I found that the day seats (provided you get one...) in the Stalls Circle are a fairly good option - if you don't mind missing about a third of the stage. Generally I like to see full stage, especially in a ballet like Swan Lake - but this time I was very happy to be quite close to the stage. As I am not a frequent visitor to Covent Garden (lack of money, not of interest!), other people's opinions would be very interesting! Maybe you should start a new topic on that?

PS: The Amphitheatre can be VERY far away - I remember I saw one Swan Lake with Viviana Durante and Irek Mukhamedov from there - felt almost like on TV, and I remember I spent at most of the time stuck to my opera glasses...!

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Glad to see everyone enjoyed it as much as I did! I thought the performance was stunning - one of the best Swan Lakes I have ever seen Darcey (if not the best) perform. She also added a few changes - the arms in the fouettés and the changements at the end of the pdd in Act 3.

Have you had a go at the competition Sonja? I'm lucky I have a pair of Darcey's old shoes so I think I'll exempt myself. No point in being greedy eh!

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Hi Shirley, yes, I did enter the competition - not the direct way, as I cannot send emails from Internet (using netscape), but I tried and sent a direct mail to the address given on Darcey's website - hope that will count, although I never have won anything so far...!

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Guest Intuviel

Sonja, the position you describe for Bussell's fouettes sounds like demi~seconde arrondis. If her arms were rounded, it's arrondis, but if they were elongated (wrists a bit "up" or "out"), then it's allonge.

smile.gif

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~Intuviel~

Balletica

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Hi

First time I've ever posted anywhere, and Sat

2-Dec-2000 (Matinee) was my first ever Ballet.

I went as part of a family group to celebrate my Father's 75th birthday, so perhaps its fair to say that I was under some duress to attend. But, having done so I am so glad.

Wow, I was enthralled by the whole event; by the music, the set, the costumes, and the dancing was (to my very untrained eyes) sublime. And, thanks to the programme I knew the story, so I could apprectiate the drama unfolding before me.

Anyway, I still have such a good feel about it (many thanks to all the performers, musicians, and stage hands etc) that I wanted to share it with you.

Thank you for allowing me the time and space.

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