sylvia

I've seen the B&S on CNN and they said they were very upset for the first couple days (the misery this controversy has wrought over not one but 2 pairs makes me so angry). But they're quite adamant that they had the more difficult and artistic program and felt they deserved to win. As for S&P, I've read they're going to be on the cover of TIME magazine so I guess we have another month or two of this to swallow.

I've just heard myself - a very WOW moment! So S&P and B&S will be co-Olympic champions. I'm happy for Sale and Pelletier - I truely think they deserve it. And I really hope this is a step in removing the shadow over Bereznaya and Sikharulidze - it would be a crime if they were remembered for this controversy rather than the champion skaters that they are. As for the judging, it doesn't solve a thing but to quote Sue Davies (BBC commentator) the one good thing to come out of all of this is that the judging well be more scrutinised than ever before. [ February 15, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

Excellent competition! I set my alarm for 3:45am to watch it live (semi live?) and again and 8am (I'm a very sleepy head today) but it was well worth it. Top 3 were near perfect and top 8 were very admirable - not something you can always say at Olympic skating with wrecked nerves rampant. I couldn't believe the number of 3 jump combinations that were done - looks like a new standard has been set. Yagudin - I thought he was brilliant. His jumps were effortless, spins were beautiful, footwork again very complex and fun to watch. Very safe and smart for skipping the 2nd triple axel. He seemed to tire a little near the end and slow down - unsurprising given the number of jumps, altitude etc, etc. I don't think it's his best long program (that ol' movie music again. Tosca's my favourite) and the ending was a bit of an anti-climax but it was still so well choreographed with moments of such beauty. I loved those 2 backward bends onto his hand with the other arm in the air. I wasn't too sure what he was during after though - trying to climb out a cell or trying to hang himself? The sword fighting was nice but Phillipe Candeloro from 94 is still a vivid memory. In any case it all fit into the music so well, from the jumps to the transitions in the spins. Anyway I can't think of anyone who deserves this more with 4 6.0s!! First man to get more than 1 6.0 in the Olympics! I was jumping up and down with him! And his tears after were so sweet. Plushenko - not bad for a brand new program! I think Carmen is perfect for his talents - much better than the mess he used before. The first 3rd seemed a little empty of steps - just one preparation to jump after another. But that triple axel-half loop-triple flip...wow, where did that come from?! Those wierd hand gestures got in the way a bit and it was a little ragged and jarring in some places but it showed off his youth and energy to perfection. He even managed to fit in a little Michael Jackson moonwalking! No one milks the crowd better than Plushenko! So many what ifs - if he wasn't injured, if he'd had more time with the program, if he hadn't missed the quad-triple in the short. I was really gunning for a showdown between the 2 Russians but oh well (2 years ago I was salivating at the thought of a Yagudin-Kulik-Plushenko-Abt match and look what came of that). I'm positive Yahudin and Plushenko will both be back in Turin. Goebel - I'm so delighted for him. Despite those hunched shoulders his skating was quite lovely to watch. The choreography was light and fun, and his jumps are so effortless. The presentation marks seemed a bit harsh but I think he ended up in the right spot - better jumps than Plushenko but I can't stand the way his arms just hang dead by his sides while he prepares to jump. His spins, footwork and presentation in general is nowhere near the top 2 (yet). I agree what a shame it is that he had the skate of his life and wasn't able to win. Honda - valiant effort. I never figured him to be in the top 4, much less top 2 after the short. His jumps were integrated so well into the steps, and he skates with such sensitivity and feeling. I think he'll turn out to be one of the best artists in the next few years. Abt - I am SO sorry that he's retiring this year. You wouldn't believe he's an old man at 25 with a child, surrounded by so many 20 year old kids. I adore his skating and he conveys such a natural joy for it on ice. Again, his choreography was so beautiful and anyone who skates like that to Rachmaninov wins points from me. Robin Cousins had some issues with his shirt but I liked his costume more than anyone elses. I thought both sets of marks should have been higher than they were - they were much too harsh. I don't know what was going on with the Finnish judge who put him in 10th place (or the Australian one for that matter) but again he's probably in the right spot. Eldredge I only caught a glimpse of but I'm delighted he managed to skate clean after missing the quad. Elvis has never been a favourite - I've really disliked his choices in the last 3 years, so I'm happy he went back to Bruce Lee which was somewhat rousing if a little lacking in interesting choreography. So I wonder who'll be at the World's at Nagano? Yagudin will probably give it a miss but I hope the rest of them make it. [ February 15, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

sorry, double post again. [ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

I feel very strongly that B&S ARE the best in the world at this moment, maybe one of the greats of all time in pairs. Normally when it comes to flow, line, carriage and other criteria for presentation B&S are unparalelled. But when I watched my tape again, I don't think they quite had it that night. Robin Cousins who was commentating kept talking about the 'tension' between them that's isn't normally there in contrast to their short or S&P who were very relaxed. He also talked about things you wouldn't have noticed on tv like speed and edges and said that the Canadians weren't lacking in this respect. I think he thought B&S should have scored lower than S&P on presentation for those reasons. The stumble coupled with 2 very uncomfortable landings should have been more than enough to give the gold to S&P. I do still think that all the connecting steps B&S had was a little better than S&P, more intricate and difficult. But it wasn't skated to its full potential. Better choreography but not better skating is what I think. I can't justify the judging at all. Jeannie, I had a look at S&P as well. I'm sure that Jamie didn't two-foot the throw triple loop. Her free leg comes VERY close to the ice for both throws but I don't think it actually touches it. A two-foot landing would be more serious than Anton's stumble so I think the news and skating forums would have picked it up if it had been the case. Alexei Yagudin was incredible in the men's SP. I think his Winter theme, the choice of music, the choreography make his the best SP EVER! His footwork sequence is gorgeous, incredibly fast and complex. Poor Evgeny. I was really shocked. He was the last person I expected to flub the quad. But he got right back up and the way he skated after you'd never have thought anbthing had happened. His Michael Jackson number looked a lot better. I really enjoyed it for the first time. It felt confident without being cliched. Did he tone it down a little? His costume wasn't quite so garish and it does show off his wonderful lines. His spins are wonderful, and he has the most beauitful line in his camel spin. And while his footwork wasn't as pretty as Yagudin's it was also tremendously difficult. He has to beat Yagudin AND have someone else placed between him and Yagudin to have any hope of gold. And I felt so bad for Todd. He had such an outside shot for a medal I don't think anyone really expected it of him, so all he wanted was to skate clean and have 2 performances to be proud of. Likewise for Stoijko though he's never been a favourite. As for Goebel, what wonderful jumps! He looked so delighted when he finished - could anyone have smiled any harder? He's improved his carriage, though his shoulders are still much too stiff. I liked the choice of music. I can understand the placing though - he seemed a bit slower than the Russians or Honda and his footwork was very average, not interesting or innovative at all. And well done to Takeshi Honda! I certainly didn't expect him to be in 2nd place! I didn't necesarily like his SP. The music cuts were terriblr but then Don Q cuts always sound terribly disjointed. But given the others mistakes I do think he was positioned right. [ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

Sorry, double post [ February 12, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

I'm incredibly disappointed. Right before I saw the delayed broadcast a commercial on eurosport mentioned the 'controversy' over the pairs comp and I knew, I just KNEW that B&S had made mistakes and had won anyway. It's the first time I've seen 'Mediation'. There's a lot I admire about B&S's presentation, their purer, more classical look over S&P, their smooth balletic style, how passionate they can be without being obvious about it. Their unison on the ice is amazing and they have better extensions. I didn't find them as engaging as S&P but I'd definitely give them the higher mark in that respect. But there were too many errors in B&S's program - Anton's stumble being the most obvious. And both of Elena's landings on the throws were poor for this level of skating. S&P were much better technically. So I have a big problem with the 3 judges that tied both pairs in the technical mark. These 3 judges also put B&S ahead on presentation. I also have a problem with the fact that the presentation mark is the deciding factor when a judge ties 2 pairs overall, e.g. 5.8/5.9 for one pair, 5.9/5.8 for the other. I'm really against this. It is after all a sport and I really believe that the technical mark should have more importance. 2 judges did this - tied the 2 pairs with B&S ahead on presentation and S&P ahead technically. So that's 5 1st place ordinals for B&S. 2 judges scored S&P higher on both marks. 2 judges scored S&P higher technically and tied both pairs on presentation. So that's 4 1st place ordinals for S&P. I favoured B&S to win but not like this. The gold medal won't be any good for them - the controversy's going to hang over their heads for a long time. Yahoo for S&Z for going for that quad throw salchow. But the fall seemed to put them off a little - they weren't as clean as they've been in the past. They've improved in their 2nd mark a great deal but I can't figure how some of the judges could mark them the same presentation-wise as S&P. The two just don't compare. And I&Z were fantastic. I would have put them over T&M into 4th. They had so much more energy than T&M who were very rough around the edges and seemed to wilt more and more as the skate went on. I didn't spot B&S's two-footed landing Jeannie but I'll go back and have a look at my tape. This has made me rather gloomy about the ice-dancing. After Bourne & Kraatz won the GP final I thought they'd have a real shot at a medal. Now I have no idea. [ February 12, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

Cargill, that's an extraordinary description of Leaves. I thought Cojocaru and Kobborg were incredible, breath-taking in the central pdd but now I feel like I'm really missing out! I did love the whole of Leaves btw. Am I one of the few who found the sets, the costumes and choreography absolutely mesmerising? I agree though, the similarity between Bach and Leaves detracts from both. And reading the reviews the gimmick may have backfired. The house was as full as it was because of the presence of Guillem (good strategy btw - sell triple bills by sticking her on every night) but the critics must have had their effect as the audience seemed to shrink on every subsequent visit. I liked Beyond Bach a great deal at first but it does admittedly get tedious on repeated viewings. The flatness of the choreography becomes more and more apparent. I was NOT happy at the cut. I felt short-changed when 'Air' failed to materialise. And it didn't help that the dancers looked messier than they had the week before. The night the dancers started dropping out Persson (injured) was replaced by Urlezaga (also injured) who was replaced by both Cervera AND Persson (surprise!). This very last change was not announced which made for some really confusing viewing. Seems that one was doing the partnering while the other did the solos. But it's hard not to see the funny side. We had a good laugh about it afterwards. [ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

I think the Canadians were in 2nd, not because of the tiny fall at the end but because the sbs jumps weren't landed in unison. I don't think they could have deducted for that fall as it isn't part of an element. B&S also position their elements differently - their jumps and throw are placed square to and right in front of the judges whereas everyone else places them on the other side of the rink at an angle so if there are any problems they can't be identified so easily. The presentation marks are more or less even. [ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

I'm really nervous about the long. I just want B&S to skate clean! I have absolutely no faith anymore in their consistency! The Chinese I don't worry about at all. I don't think anyone beats them in terms of mental toughness.

Jeannie, I love the Poles as well. They used to have the best, most inventive lifts in the game until S&P came along. But they weren't on last night. I forget where but they made 2 major errors - probably the jumps and throw which pretty much eliminated any hopes for a medal. And I've been perusuing the skating boards - I'm aghast that the US channels didn't broadcast the Chinese. If they want fireworks then this is where they'll find them.

Eurosport coverage is excellent btw! No fluff pieces to get in the way, unfussy and unbiased commentating. The downside is that it's delayed by about 7 hours but that's ok as I couldn't stay up to watch between 1 and 3am in the morning anyway.

Just finished watching the Pairs short program on Eurosport - I was very impressed! The fact that so many top skaters have to skate early in the draw probably isn't great for them but I get so nervous waiting I'm happy to have all may favourites done all at once. 1st place Bereznaya and Sikharulidze were just breath-taking. Their SP is so lovely and lyrical, they nailed every single element and have such great speed. They had perfect unison and excellent edges througout. My only quibble is their death spiral which isn't as good as some - Elena doesn't get enough arch in her back to get really low on the ice. 2nd Sale and Pelletier were so charismatic and confident in a tango, unafraid to use humour. I love that little moment where Jamie bounces David up and down on the ice. They have absolutely the best most original lifts. What I love about them is the individual touches they put on their elements: the extended death spirals for instance, the way the split twist are caught with Jamie's arms in the air. All the top skaters seem to be in a mad rush to catch up. The sbs triple toe-loops were not in exact unison but this is only in comparison to B&S. Jamie actually slipped and they both collapsed in a heap in the final pose but it was hilarious and almost looked like it was cleverly choreographed! And they got up with so much laughter it didn't matter anyway. I think B&S scored slightly more highly in the technical marks while S&P scored better in the presentation ones. 3rd Shen and Zhao - wow! They have come so far in terms of artistry, though admittedly they're still some distance from the top 2. Their lines are much better, they pay more attention to the use of their arms and upper body. Technically they were fantastic - huge lateral split twist, HUGE throw triple loop. They made a major error in coming out of their side-by-side spins - I think Zhao did an extra rotation! The commentator made an interesting comment on how it was these little things, the basics that seem to let them down. That seems to be the case in top 3 Chinese pairs. I guess it's because the sport is still so new in China - they used to learn off videos! The deduction hurt their technical marks quite a bit - 5.6s I think. Their LP should be really exciting though with a quad salchow throw in the works. 4 Totmianina & Marinin - really strong on the elements but very bland. 5 Ina & Zimmerman - skated to Pink Floyd. This one has really grown on me. Good performance for them but some of the edges weren't very sharp. Jonathan had to really hang to onto his triple toe-loop and there was a problem with unison in their sbs spins. 6 Petrova & Tikhonov - world champions a couple years ago but they've been overtaken by a number of pairs. Really lovely and flowing to Nutcracker but the music's been done to death. Other notables 9 The Zhang & Zhang - I can't believe their only 16 and 17! Every element it was like WOW! A HUGE throw followed immediately by triple toe-loops. If they'd messed up on that throw it would have cost them the jumps as well so I guess it shows how confident the two are. And their lateral split twist was again amazing - she seemed to suspend in the air before rotating. He had so much time he was able to drop his hand before catching her. And again their program had a lot of energy. Personally I would have placed them 7th but they had a tiny error, I forget where. 10 Pang & Tong - Again, technically amazing but the spins are very weak. The music I thought was very staid and slow. The Zhangs in comparison used a very high energy program and really got the crowd behind them. Can't wait for Monday's Pairs LP - I think it's going to be one of the most exciting ever. Out of the top three whoever wins the LP will win the gold. [ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

Oh this is a fun way to get into a Winter Olynpics kinda mood. I'll be watching all the figure skating this year natch. Not to mention rooting for Hong Kong's lone competitor in speed-skating! I've seen her practice in the mall in HK - I don't rate her chances too highly as the rink's only half the size of an Olympic one!

I'm really disappointed for Abitol and Bernadis. I think they had a shot at bronze if they skated clean, especially with they colourful free programme. It's geared more to the audience than the judges and is probably in preparation for the professional career that awaits. I can't see them lasting another 4 years until 2006.

Given it's lukewarm reviews, I'm really glad you enjoyed the triple bill Lolly. I saw the 2nd cast last week. I thought Tamara Rojo and Inaki Urlezaga were nice in Leaves but seemed a little slow in comparison to Alina and Johan. The latter were so fast but didn't seem at all rushed and were so graceful at the same time. And I agree Jonathan Cope was so wonderful and passionate in M&A and I loved Sylvie in it too. I thought two had marvellous chemistry. Took me 3 tries to finally enjoy this ballet!

Well, I like going to the stage door after performances and chatting with the dancers and sometimes they can tell you a bit about what they'll be doing. 2002-3 is the MacMillan season - have you heard some of the ballets to be performed? - Mayerling, Manon, Prince of the Pagodas. Since Adam's danced all these main roles before and RB's so short on male principals (I really can't think of more than a couple dancers at the RB who could dance the Crown Prince in Mayerling) I'm hopeful he'll guest again.

Hope you have a good time Lolly! About summer casting I've heard rumours that Alina's doing 2 (presumably with Kobborg) and Adam Cooper is in talks to return for Onegin as well. Makes me wonder though...if he doesn't who's going to dance with Tamara? I can't think of anyone who could step in and partner her as well as Adam did.

BTW Giannina I'm glad you had a good time here too! I sorta liked Coppen's interpretation but I didn't think it was as powerful as the others. I agree, he's very cute! But I thought he looked too sweet to be mean when he first stepped out in act I. Still that was 2 months ago so he's probably improved - wish I'd seen him again last week. I wonder why he and Tapper were pulled from their performances as Lensky and Tatiana because that would have been really interesting. [ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

I asked the RB about this only last week and they said they'd be putting up dancer biographies and photos on the ROH website soon. The site's really nice - has expanded quite a bit if you haven't been recently. I think both Stepanek and Putrov danced as boys in the corps in the first act and I can name a few others. I went to see Cojocaru and Kobborg on Tuesday, Onegin's Last Night <sniff, sniff> until July. I think they were the best I've ever seen them. The two give such intelligent, well thought-out and yet such passionate readings of Onegin and Tatiana. I think they are less overtly emotional than Adam Cooper and Tamara Rojo, much more subtle and nuanced. And they are the most brilliant dancers. Their partnership reminds me a little of what people say about Guillem and Cope -that the strength of their partnering allows them to take bigger risks. I swear I heard the whole theatre collectively suck in it's breath when they did those huge lighting-fast flying lifts in the mirror pdd. And I don't think there's any question in my mind now that Alina is of the finest dance-actresses in the RB - the range of expressions on her face in any one scene was amazing. I also thought Johan danced the best Act I and II. I don't think anyone else conveyed such self-absorption as he did through his dancing. Everytime he simply extended a leg, he just reeked of it. He really piled it on with the make-up in Act III though - his hair was so grey and he has such huge shadows under his eyes he looked like he'd aged 40 years between acts! Johan Persson was a fabulous Lensky as usual. Gemma Bond has grown on me a little but I still have the same reservations as last time. She's a lovely dancer but looks a little out-classed next to Alina. Lolly, are you going to see Memories? Stepanek dances in Leaves and I think Beyond Bach as well. [ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: sylvia ]

Lolly you're making me wish I'd gone to see Stepanek again too! He seems to be taking on more roles this season - he features in at least 2 ballets in the triple bill. I did catch Cojocaru-Kobborg-Persson-Bond last week. Alina and the two Johans were exceptional, but I have some reservations about Gemma. I think the disparity between her and the others is too huge and is actually a little distracting. Onegin is returning at the end of July - just 6 performances!

Finally! I've been enjoying the long run of Onegins but it's gratifying to have something new for a change. Beyond Bach Beyond Bach is too beautiful to describe. A cathedral-like setting with a huge window looking out into a surreal bright blue sky that fades and becomes bright again. The dancers periodically appear from all over the stage, through doorways, behind columns, and the prettiest picture of all, down a spiral staircase so that the first one sees of the girls are their bare backs. I love one of the quotes given by Stephen Baynes in the programme “When the curtain raises it should be like opening the door to a place which has remained untouched for centuries.” First cast were wonderful all round. Marianela Nunez has come a long way since I first saw her as a snippy Swanhilda. She's obviously grown since adding Kitri and Olga to her repertoire and in this role she displayed a gentleness that I’ve never seen before in her. Is it the first time Nunez has been the lead in first cast because it’s something she fully deserves. Darcey looked completely at home, a picture of serenity, and both dancers were beautifully partnered by Cope and Urlezaga. There is no discernible plot – the ballet is choreographed to the composition of the music. It’s detailed with quiet entrances, beautiful lifts and dancers effortlessly changing from one partner to another - all very pleasing to the eye. Air on a G string was my highlight and was enchanting to listen to and watch. The choreography is seemingly very spare, like the costumes. One quibble I have is the lack of uniformity in the corps, which destroyed the mood for me in some places. The Leaves are Fading Set to pieces by Dvorak, is centred on 4 pas de deux and is about ‘changing love’. I thought it was superb throughout, the standout unsurprisingly being Alina Cojocaru. She attacked her solo with verve and was so fast, but at the same time so expressive and supple and absolutely breathtaking. Her entire body seamlessly made one beautiful shape into another. Her arms were making tiny subtle motions right to the very last lift. She was partnered so well by Kobborg in the second pas de deux but Alina pretty much obliterated any dancer on stage beside her. Also very impressive were Leanne Benjamin and Nathan Coppen in the first pdd, Tamara Rojo and Martin Harvey I liked especially in the third, and Mara Galeazzi and Johan Persson in the fourth. Marguerite and Armand I have to confess that until today I had seen nothing of Marguerite and Armand – not Fonteyn and Nureyev (live nor on video) and I’m probably the only person here who didn’t see it’s last run in the Ashton mixed bill. The compressed, fast-paced format I found a little unsettling. I wasn’t very moved by the ballet apart from the crescendos in the Liszt music, and there were long stretches of choreography that I didn’t find at all compelling. Still Sylvie Guillem was lovely and looked so young from my seat. Her broken walk on pointe is an image that I won’t easily forget. I thought Le Riche’s dancing was tremendous and through him I could easily imagine Nureyev in the role. Looking forward to seeing Cope and Murru in this as well. And a final note, the programme interestingly states that Ashton hadn’t meant it for just Fonteyn and Nureyev – that Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable were understudies. As a triple bill I’m not sure it works too well. Beyond Bach and Leaves are stand out ballets on their own but I think it’s a mistake to put them back to back. They're too similar in mood, both very languid and dreamy. And though I appreciate the ‘remembrance of things past’ thread and the exceptional music that runs through them, I wouldn’t have minded something more contrasting like The Dream/Song of the Earth mixed bill we saw last year.

Regarding the pais skating, this year's Europeans were a little uninspiring. Abitol and Bernadis were at their crowd-pleasing best, skating to a tango that finished with the theme to 'The Adams Family'. They're such a lively and strong pair, I was surprised they didn't up the technical difficulty of their program because it was in all other ways a winner. Petrov and Tikonov looked so nervous and made so many mistakes (surprising for them) they really had no chance. And again, their program was quite forgettable. They lack the grace and emotional connection that compatriots B&S have. I'm not yet pinning any hopes on the winners Totmiamina & Marinin. I think the lack finesse - still a little rough around the edges, skating to West Side Story. I hate to say it but thank goodness the skating world has Sale & Pelletier because once Bereznaia & Sikharulidze (and I'm assuming Abitol and Bernadis) turn professional they're all we have of exceptional skating that's left. It constantly hits me the huge gap there is between the top 2 or 3 pairs and the rest of the field at any time.

I have to admit I was a little unhappy with the results of the ice-dance. I won't comment too much on the technical aspects as I think the top 3 or 4 teams are on a similar technical level anyway. I loved the Italians Fusar-Poli & Margaglio and the Lithuanians Drobiazko & Vanagas. The Italians FD to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" was fast and furious, tremendously difficult and completely engaging. The only complaint I have would be a rather staid middle section. Likewise the Lithuanians's choreography was as usual incredible and fit every note of the music (to a French singer). These two teams really DANCED to the music. The French however...I'd love for someone to explain to me how they got that 6.0 (from the French judge I'm guessing). It was set to parts of Martin Luther King's speech with odd (and dull) elevator type music in the background. The lifts and spins were unoriginal, the choreography repetitive. It did little to show off their technical strengths. There was nothing I could see of their usual genius. They have a few minor highlights such as the the reverse lift where the woman actually lifts the man, but a few highlights do not make a program! I'd echo comments that the judges are going too much on reputation than performance. I wish A&P would go back to 'Carmina Burana', a masterpiece chreographed by Torvill & Deane which they used to win the 2000 Worlds. The problem with 'Martin Luthor King' is that the choreography is supposed to be loaded with meaning (in this case I guess about freedoms, equality, etc, etc). I just don't think this kind of thing works in skating because the themes here are too complicated and when it's done badly the dramatics (which the French definitely have in spades) detract from their technical strengths. I was disappointed when the 1998 Olympic winners Grishuk and Platov won with a similar kind of program - 'Memorial' (to football fans who were killed). Funnily enough I preferred A&P's Romeo and Juliet back then. Now A&P are finally in line for gold and I can't believe they're set to win with this stinker. It's the Canadians Bourne & Kraatz with their Michael Jackson number and the Italians who take the opposite approach and I think are most deserving of medalling in SLC. After their upset win at the Grand Prix finals, I thought B&K had would actually stand a chance at winning gold. But with the kind of marks A&P were awarded they really have none at all. Enough ranting from me. I'd love to hear what others thought about the ice-dancing.

Last night a packed house saw another impeccable performance by both Robert Tewsley and Mara Galeazzi. Tewsley dances more beautifully than anyone I've ever seen. He's incredibly lyrical and light on his feet, his jumps seem weightless and his pirouettes are so fast and don't move a millimetre off mark. His Onegin is so self-absorbed and condescending - in his first pdd with Tatiana it is clear who is dictating the dance. I really hope the RB has room for him to guest again in the near future. Mara was wonderfully passionate from where I was sitting. Her final pdd with Tewlsey was beautifully detailed down to her trembling hands. I think I agree that she makes the transition from young girl to mature woman the best (though not necessarily the best Tatiana - I think it's pretty much even between Rojo, Cojocaru and Galeazzi). I don't think anyone can match Alina Cojocaru in her portrayal of Olga. She's such an incredibly bright presence on stage and outshines nearly everyone in her wake. Her Olga is such an innocent, blissfully unaware of the damage her flirtations will wreak. Ivan Putrov, a promising first soloist, was a fair Lensky. I thought his reactions to Olga's flirting were a little muted - not nearly as harsh as I thought the role called for. But his solo in the moonlight in Act II was still very moving. This solo along with the dancing leading up to the duel is my favourite of all. I also thought the corps also looked in great form last night - some sections had noticeably improved from December. I'd seen so many Onegins last year (I'm not saying how many - it's too embarassing!) I thought maybe I wouldn't be so taken by it all anymore, but no worries. It's still fresh and beautiful and I'm looking forward to Rojo and Cooper's final performance on Saturday, and Cojocaru and Kobborg next week.