SpanCox

Hi, My wife and I have our fifth year anniversary this spring and we are very pleased that Royal Opera House gives our favourite ballet La fille mal gardée in April. The problem is that we need to book accommodation very soon to find a decent priced hotel and ROH releases their tickets to not-friends on the 7 February. Would it be unwise of me to book a not refundable hotel, or can I trust that ROH does not sell out all tickets to their friends? The performance we are thinking of attending is on the evening of Thursday 26 April. Thank you in advance! Thomas Koos

Pamela Moberg: I agree with your opinion on modern ballet, it never really touches me the way a real classic ballet does. I will try to post when i visit something good in Stockholm. Balletmor: Takk! ;) Paul Parish: Thank you, sir! *blush* Ballet truly is what life really should be, wonderful. Best regards, Thomas Koos

I am about to buy some DVD:s of ballets my wife and I really enjoy. We have a great home theatre, which could be perfect for a high class ballet evening. One concern though, as I have understod it all ballet productions are recorded in plain stereo? I can live with only two channels audio, but it has to be two _good_ channels. Is the audio in ballet productions equal to the quality on classical music CD/DVD:s? I understand that there must be better and worse quality productions out there, but maybe you could advise me what _not_ to buy? Subjects of our initial interest would be these: La Fille Mal Gardee (Royal Ballet), The Royal Ballet, Lesley Collier & Michael Coleman Swan Lake - Tchaikovsky (Widescreen), The Royal Swedish Ballet, Nathalie Nordquist & Anders Nordstrom The Nutcracker (Rudolf Nureyev) (5.1/DTS), Merle Park, Rudolf Nureyev & The Royal Ballet or Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker (Royal Ballet), The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House Orchestra & Shirley Laub We would be grateful for any asssisance in this matter. Best regards, Thomas Koos

I will keep an eye open for that one as well. Paris would be nice.

Thank you, I will look up that one immediately! It is very nice, not only to have the suggestions but the background info and facts as well. Best regards Thomas Koos

Thank you for that, I just posted my presentation. Bright stream seems interesting, I can see that Bolshoi gives it this spring, though it is slightly expensive in Russia. Thank you all for the great and quick response to my call. Best regards Thomas Koos

So, this is my official presentation. I can feel the pressure on my shoulders and my heart beats a little bit more intense the it usually does, but let us just carry on with it. My name is Thomas Koos, I am 32 years old and live with my lovely wife in Stockholm, Sweden. I think that my reason for loving ballet as much as I do, is the time machine effect. I visit the ballet, sit down in the red velvet chair and everywhere I look I see people who tried to look at their best this night. That is a good start which is followed by the silence of expectation of the audience. Then, suddely the ballet. Not a single move is neglected, when falling from a chair the only audible noice is the rattle of feet on the floor. It is the single most opposite experience to my everyday life, where it is all about beeing effective, running to trams and closing deals no matter what it takes. No one ever stops to consider "why do we not try to do this as pleasant for everyone else as possible". Ballet is pain hidden behind smiles and a great deal of "let us try to do this as pleasant for the audience as possible"-spirit. I used to dance myself at age 8-12, before an injury ended that. Is there anything else you would like to know, please ask. Oh, if you find any typos, please feel free to keep them. Best regards, Thomas Koos

Hello. This is my first post on this board, please shoot me if this is the wrong forum. I do like ballet a lot, danced from 8-12 before an injury ended that. My wife did not use to appreciate ballet as much as I, she thought it was too stiff and never felt especially touched from it. Until we went to see "La fille mal gardee" last year (Royal Swedish Ballet), that ballet suddenly reached through to her. Since La fille is such an uncommon ballet, I am looking for similar ballets to take her to. What other ballets is there that is sweet, cute and romantic - but not pointed entirely towards kids? Best regards SpanCox