# Post Ballet Videos and Discoveries!



## Huilunsoittaja

The Seasons shall be revived as a ballet and not just as a symphonic work! I know it!

There is so much potential of choreography, plot, and visuals:


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## Marsilius

I too would love to see a performance of The Seasons. The difficulty lies in programming it, I think: at around 35-40 minutes in total length, it doesn't really even make up half a programme. Perhaps if someone choreographed one or both of Glazunov's Concert Waltzes they could be added to make up half an evening's eventainment, but you'd still be well short of a full evening in the theatre.


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## sharik

http://mariinskylabel.com/products/prokofiev-romeo-juliet-blu-ray-dvd?variant=873581921


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## Biwa

Last weekend I went to see Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for the first time. The first act was a little slow, but overall it was delightfully magical. Much better than I expected with beautiful costumes & sets and video images were nicely incorporated. I loved the humorous scenes, especially the 3rd act.


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## Zhdanov

*Schedrin* - The Little Humpbacked Horse _(chor. Ratmansky)_






https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2011/4/6/1_1900










https://hdcollection.biz/the-little-humpbacked-horse-2014-st-petersburg-sd.html


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## jegreenwood

Zhdanov said:


> *Schedrin* - The Little Humpbacked Horse _(chor. Ratmansky)_
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2011/4/6/1_1900
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://hdcollection.biz/the-little-humpbacked-horse-2014-st-petersburg-sd.html


Big Ratmansky fan. Waiting for his Sleeping Beauty to show up on video.


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## Rogerx

Roberto Bolle at his very best.


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## Marsilius

Biwa said:


> Last weekend I went to see Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for the first time. The first act was a little slow, but overall it was delightfully magical. Much better than I expected with beautiful costumes & sets and video images were nicely incorporated. I loved the humorous scenes, especially the 3rd act.


I too have seen it live at the Royal Opera House. To be honest, however, I think it works even better on Blu-ray/DVD where camera close-ups make the striking visuals far more interesting. If you have already seen the Blu-ray/DVD, the theatrical performance can fall a little flat and seem something of an anticlimax.


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## Marsilius

Rogerx said:


> Roberto Bolle at his very best.


I don't know what the La Scala _Tchaikovsky Gala_ looks like on DVD, but - unusually for BelAir Classiques whose Blu-ray discs are often technically superb - on Blu-ray it suffers very badly from the well-known juddering image effect. That's particularly in evidence whenever a camera tracks a soloist moving quickly and laterally across the stage while other dancers remain stationary in the background.

There are, as you say, some excellent Bolle performances here, though I don't think he does himself any favours by adopting an apparent _de haut en bas_ attitude as he swans around the stage after the curtain call drinking champagne.


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## 89Koechel

Well, I have a nice, 1970s-era performance of Stravinsky's "Petrouchka", with Rudolf Nureyev. It IS remarkable, and maybe I can find a way to upload it.


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## Rogerx

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20

Margot Fonteyn & Rudolf Nureyev

Wiener Symphoniker & Mitglieder des Balletts der Wiener Staatsoper, John Lanchbery

We had a wonderful evening watching this.


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## jegreenwood

Rogerx said:


> Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20
> 
> Margot Fonteyn & Rudolf Nureyev
> 
> Wiener Symphoniker & Mitglieder des Balletts der Wiener Staatsoper, John Lanchbery
> 
> We had a wonderful evening watching this.


I have them doing R&J. That performance was actually released as a movie in theatres.

Next Saturday marks my return to live ballet. Because of some Covid-related scheduling adjustments and my screw-up on changing dates, I have to see _Serenade _twice this fall. Pity me. 

On a semi-related note, has anyone else heard the Herold/Lanchberry recording of _La Fille Mal Garde_?









The vinyl has been on the TAS Super Disc list since I started reading it in the 80's. I got the CD as part of the Decca Analogue box. Worth tracking down.


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## Marsilius

Please correct me if I'm wrong (I may well be!), but I thought that Lanchbery [with just one R, by the way] only recorded a disc of - admittedly substantial - excerpts of _La fille mal gardée_. The single-disc CD that I have (Decca 430 196-2) is billed as such and runs to just 50'46". A later Decca recording (430 849-2) featuring the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge contains almost twice as much music (94'44") and so runs onto a second CD. Its completeness makes it, for me, the preferable purchase of the two, even though Lanchbery, as the original re-arranger of the score, has a strong claim on our interest.

Incidentally, the full Bonynge recording may also be found on the recent Decca set of his complete ballet recordings (485 0781) - a superb collection of 45 CDs at a competitive price. If that appeals, I'd order now as it's described as being a "limited edition".


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## Rogerx

^^^^^^^^

you mean this one?










:angel:


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## Marsilius

That's the one. It's a fabulous set.


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## Rogerx

Due for release on 24th Sep 2021

This looks interesting.


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> Please correct me if I'm wrong (I may well be!), but I thought that Lanchbery [with just one R, by the way] only recorded a disc of - admittedly substantial - excerpts of _La fille mal gardée_. The single-disc CD that I have (Decca 430 196-2) is billed as such and runs to just 50'46". A later Decca recording (430 849-2) featuring the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge contains almost twice as much music (94'44") and so runs onto a second CD. Its completeness makes it, for me, the preferable purchase of the two, even though Lanchbery, as the original re-arranger of the score, has a strong claim on our interest.
> 
> Incidentally, the full Bonynge recording may also be found on the recent Decca set of his complete ballet recordings (485 0781) - a superb collection of 45 CDs at a competitive price. If that appeals, I'd order now as it's described as being a "limited edition".


It is a single LP-length recording. I'm away from home, so I can't check what else is on the CD. What makes it stand out is the incredibly natural sound. There appear to have been quite a number of audiophile releases over the years, but the version in the Decca analogue box satisfies my ears.


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## Marsilius

jegreenwood said:


> It is a single LP-length recording. I'm away from home, so I can't check what else is on the CD. What makes it stand out is the incredibly natural sound. There appear to have been quite a number of audiophile releases over the years, but the version in the Decca analogue box satisfies my ears.


As I suspected, I wasn't quite correct in one respect in my original post. The 1983 recording of the score _in full_ was actually performed, as it had been on the original 1960s excerpts disc, by John Lanchbery and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. [As such, I'm afraid that it won't, after all, be found in that wonderful Bonynge complete ballets box set!] Mea culpa...

Meanwhile, I've been looking at copies of the original 1960s Lanchbery LP's cover as posted on Ebay, where the disc can be bought for from anything from £20 to £250 - though quite why the latter is so highly (over?)valued isn't explained! All of them are described as discs of excerpts. I think, therefore, that that was all that was issued at the time - probably because (1) as a new ballet (even if to old music), Decca weren't confident that there'd be a market for a complete recorded performance, (2) at a length of more than 90 minutes, a recording of the full-length ballet would have needed to be issued on two LPs, which would have both deterred any potential buyers whose interest in a new work was marginal and once again made the whole thing a dodgier commercial prospect from Decca's point of view.

Only by the early 1980s was it clear, I suspect, that LFMG had become a popular mainstay of the Royal Ballet's repertoire and that there was a market for a full recorded performance. While I agree that the sound of the 1960s analogue disc is excellent, the later 1980s digital recording trumps it, in my view, if only because it gives us the ballet in its complete form.


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> As I suspected, I wasn't quite correct in one respect in my original post. The 1983 recording of the score _in full_ was actually performed, as it had been on the original 1960s excerpts disc, by John Lanchbery and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. [As such, I'm afraid that it won't, after all, be found in that wonderful Bonynge complete ballets box set!] Mea culpa...
> 
> Meanwhile, I've been looking at copies of the original 1960s Lanchbery LP's cover as posted on Ebay, where the disc can be bought for from anything from £20 to £250 - though quite why the latter is so highly (over?)valued isn't explained! All of them are described as discs of excerpts. I think, therefore, that that was all that was issued at the time - probably because (1) as a new ballet (even if to old music), Decca weren't confident that there'd be a market for a complete recorded performance, (2) at a length of more than 90 minutes, a recording of the full-length ballet would have needed to be issued on two LPs, which would have both deterred any potential buyers whose interest in a new work was marginal and once again made the whole thing a dodgier commercial prospect from Decca's point of view.
> 
> Only by the early 1980s was it clear, I suspect, that LFMG had become a popular mainstay of the Royal Ballet's repertoire and that there was a market for a full recorded performance. While I agree that the sound of the 1960s analogue disc is excellent, the later 1980s digital recording trumps it, in my view, if only because it gives us the ballet in its complete form.


It seems Decca has re-released the earlier _La Fille_ on vinyl for $26. I got mine as part of the Decca Analogue box for 30 pounds at an HMV closeout sale. As it makes up half of one disc of the 50 disc set, I paid 30p for it.


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## Rogerx

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64

Carlos Acosta (Romeo) & Tamara Rojo (Juliet), José Martín (Mercutio) &
Thiago Soares (Tybalt)

Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Boris Gruzin

Watched this beauty last night .


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## Rogerx

Adam: Giselle

Laëtitia Pujol (Giselle), Nicolas Le Riche (Albrecht), Marie-Agnès
Gillot (Myrtha) & Wilfried Romoli (Hilarion)

Orchestra, Ballet and First Dancers of the Opéra National de Paris,
Paul Connelly


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## Rogerx

Lovenskjold: La Sylphide

Lis Jeppesen, Nikolaj Hübbe, Sorella Englund, Morten Munksdorf,
Ann-Kristein Hauge, Kirsten Simone, Anne Marie Vessel

Royal Danish Ballet Company, Poul Jorgensen

We had a wonderful evening. Hot chocolate milk with cream comfy chair and this great ballet.


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## Rogerx

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet

Yasmine Naghdi, Matthew Ball, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Pavel Sorokin


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## Rogerx

Pas d'École - Demonstrations of the Paris Opera Ballet School; the School of Dreams

Paris Opera Ballet School

2 DVD Videos

Region: All

Due for release on 26th Nov 2021

Looks very interesting:angel:


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## jegreenwood

Rogerx said:


> Due for release on 24th Sep 2021
> 
> This looks interesting.


My copy arrives today.


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## Rogerx

jegreenwood said:


> My copy arrives today.


That will be hours of pleasure I am sure .:angel:


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## Marsilius

The only possible disappointment in that Royal Ballet box may be the 2013 performance of Carlos Acosta's production of _Don Quixote_ - for reasons explained at length here http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Jun14/Minkus_Quixote_OABD7143D.htm. Perhaps Acosta, too, has come to share those reservations, for I see that only eight years later he is currently working on a new DQ production that will be unveiled at Birmingham Royal Ballet next year. It will presumably be very different - or else what's the point of doing it? I've already booked tickets.


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## Rogerx

4: Martin Schläpfer ( saw parts on the Mezzo channel, now I ordered it)



> Wiener Staatsballett
> 
> Mahler, Live' is a dialogue between two outstanding ballets, the world premiere of '4' by Martin Schläpfer and Hans van Manen's icon of dance history 'Live'. The new director of the Vienna State Ballet Martin Schläpfer not only presents his first own program at the Vienna State Opera with the premiere 'Mahler, Live' but also introduce himself as choreographer with his world premiere '4' to Gustav Mahler's 4th Symphony. The result is a great ballet for the entire ensemble, which is preceded by an icon of dance history at the opening of the evening, with Hans van Manen's 'Live'. Hans van Manen's 'Live' is the first video ballet in dance history and a masterful puzzle game with the mechanisms of perception. First performed in Amsterdam in 1979, 'Live' has so far been danced exclusively by Het Nationale Ballett. With this new production in Vienna, Hans van Manen entrusts his work to another company for the first time. 'The ballet evening Mahler, live at the Vienna State Opera is already writing dance history' (Kurier), // 'A sensational start. The Viennese have undoubtedly drawn a lucky draw.' (Süddeutsche Zeitung).


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## Rogerx

Third Practice

Choreography & Concept Tero Saarinen
Music Claudio Monteverdi

Casting

Helsinki Baroque Orchestra
Tero Saarinen (Choreography)
Tero Saarinen Company (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
Topi Lehtipuu (Tenor)

Recording: March 6 2021 - Helsinki
Director: Thomas Freundlich
Duration: 01:07

Tero Saarinen's new magnum opus explores radical shifts in values and perspectives. Claudio Monteverdi's revolutionary, breathtakingly beautiful madrigals are incarnated by twelve dancers and musicians, plus tenor Topi Lehtipuu and virtual soprano Núria Rial. TSC and Helsinki Baroque Orchestra join forces to create a gripping contemporary fusion of dance, live music, opera and design.

From the Mezzo Channel


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## Marsilius

Rogerx said:


> ...and virtual soprano Núria Rial...
> 
> From the Mezzo Channel


I confess that I'm primarily a ballet fan, although I'll happily listen to an opera too when in the mood, but I'm mystified by the words above. Perhaps describing a soprano as _virtual_ is some sort of technical term, like mezzo-soprano - but in that case I bet I'm not the only one who doesn't know that. As it is, by using such obscure or positively ambiguous language, the copywriter leaves us to speculate at will...

Does the term _virtual_ soprano mean that Ms Rial recorded her contribution remotely from a location separate from the rest of them because of Covid and so she wasn't _really_ there? Maybe her contribution was as a hologram?

Alternatively, perhaps she was _virtually_ in the studio but hadn't quite made it because she'd missed the bus?

Or maybe we are invited to think that she's _virtually_ a soprano - but not quite one because her range doesn't encompass the highest notes? Ms Rial is undoubtedly a very fine artist, so we can certainly discount at least this last one, but my point is that poor choice of words - if only the selection of ones that have obscure specialist meanings (which, in any case, I suspect isn't the case on this occasion) - can easily mystify the reader.


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## Rogerx

The Little Mermaid

Czech National Ballet

This new ballet production of Czech National Ballet, based on the famous fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen is, delivered by the National Theatre Orchestra, choreographed by Jan Kodet and directed by the acclaimed SKUTR tandem (Martin Kukučka and Lukáš Trpišovský) - who won numerous awards, including the Grand Prix and the Audience Prize at the FIST international festival in Belgrade - with a new composition by Czech contemporary composer Zbyněk Matějů.

DVD Picture: 16:9 - NTSC

2017

Arrived yesterday


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## Rogerx

Teatro Alla Scala Ballet Box

Due for release on 12th Nov 2021


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## Dorsetmike

Clog dance from La fille mal gardée


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## Marsilius

I see that the La Scala box, showcased a couple of posts above, is on Amazon pre-order for just over £50 - the same price, unusually, for both Blu-ray and DVD versions - which is something of a good deal. The Roberto Bolle/Misty Copeland pairing in _Romeo and Juliet_ works very well, I think, but Leonid Sarafanov and Natalia Osipova just don't seem to generate much in the way of personal chemistry as Basilio and Kitri in _Don Quixote_. Timofej Andrijashenko stars in both _The sleeping beauty_ and _Le corsaire_; in the former his partner is Polina Semionova and in the latter it's Nicoletta Manni. I've previously written full reviews of four of them for MusicWeb International and you can find them here:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2018/Jun/Prokofiev_Romeo_743604.htm

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/Jan/Tchaikovsky-sleeping-756104.htm

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/May/Minkus_Quixote_735804.htm

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/Jun/Adam-Corsaire-756208.htm

I freely admit to finding _The lover's garden_ an altogether insipid production and have never finished - let alone reviewed - it.


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## Rogerx

Marsilius said:


> I see that the La Scala box, showcased a couple of posts above, is on Amazon pre-order for just over *£50 - the same price, unusually, for both Blu-ray and DVD versions - which is something of a good deal.* The Roberto Bolle/Misty Copeland pairing in _Romeo and Juliet_ works very well, I think, but Leonid Sarafanov and Natalia Osipova just don't seem to generate much in the way of personal chemistry as Basilio and Kitri in _Don Quixote_. Timofej Andrijashenko stars in both _The sleeping beauty_ and _Le corsaire_; in the former his partner is Polina Semionova and in the latter it's Nicoletta Manni. I've previously written full reviews of four of them for MusicWeb International and you can find them here:
> 
> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2018/Jun/Prokofiev_Romeo_743604.htm
> 
> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/Jan/Tchaikovsky-sleeping-756104.htm
> 
> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/May/Minkus_Quixote_735804.htm
> 
> http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2021/Jun/Adam-Corsaire-756208.htm
> 
> I freely admit to finding _The lover's garden_ an altogether insipid production and have never finished - let alone reviewed - it.


Euro price 81.00 wherever I buy I have to pay tax too.


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## Rogerx

Romeo & Juliet by Goyo Montero, Teatro Real, Compañía Nacional De Danza.
I recorded tis one from the Mezzo channel.

Tuesday, November 23 at 20:30 on Mezzo
Saturday, November 27 at 10:35 on Mezzo
Monday, November 29 at 09:00 on Mezzo


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## Rogerx

Casse-Noisette au royaume de l'hiver

Casse-Noisette au royaume de l'hiver
Chorégraphie & mise en scène: Petr Zuska
Livret: Petr Zuska adapté de Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann

Orchestre du Théâtre National de Prague
Direction musicale: Václav Zahradník, Sergej Poluektov
Décors: Pavel Svoboda
Costumes: Alexandra Grusková
Création Lumières: Daniel Tesař
Animation: Šimon Koudela, Karel Mařík

Avec
TOI: Klára Jelínková
MOI: Štěpán Pechar
Mère: Miho Ogimoto
Père: Giovanni Rotolo
Saint Nicholas: Marek Svobodník
Ange: Magdaléna Matějková
Diable: Ondřej Vinklát
Mademoiselle Casse-Noisette: Andrea Kramešová
Le Roi des souris: Francesco Scarpato
L'étoile: Nikola Márová

Le Ballet National de République Tchèque
&
L'Ecole préparatoire du Ballet National de République Tchèque

http://mmediatv.com/film/1842

Recorded this from The Mezzo channel 
.


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## Rogerx

Bodas de sangre (coreografía: Antonio Gades) Compañía Antonio Gades

From Spain


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## Rogerx

Matthew Bourne's Romeo + Juliet

Filmed live at Sadler's Wells for Sky and screened in cinemas worldwide

DVD / Blu-ray release follows simultaneous digital release of four Bourne screen performances in May 2020

Illuminations is delighted to announce the release of Matthew Bourne's Romeo + Juliet on DVD and Blu-ray on 25th August 2020. Following 35 sell-out UK and international performances, the DVD and Blu-ray follows the release of download and streaming versions in May 2020.

Matthew Bourne's Romeo + Juliet is a celebration of youthful energy, talent and creativity both on and off stage. Entering their fourth decade as a company, this New Adventures production is an urgent and brutal drama directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon.

Set in 'The Verona Institute' in the not-too-distant future and mysteriously confined against their will by a society that seeks to divide and crush their youthful spirits, Shakespreare's two young lovers must follow their hearts as they risk everything to be together.

'A timeless story about repressed emotions and teenage discovery is no better told than by the young', said Matthew Bourne. Inspired by this as well as the company's ambition to support the next generation of on-screen talent, Matthew Bourne's Romeo + Juliet features the finest emerging male and female dancers from around the UK.

Bursting with youth, vitality and Bourne's trademark storytelling, six young cast members were chosen for each theatre venue following a nationwide audition tour to perform with the New Adventures company. This film includes the London cast recorded at Sadler's Wells in addition to two of Bourne's most talented rising stars, Paris Fitzpatrick who plays Romeo and Cordelia Braithwaite as Juliet, both of whom give heartbreaking performances in the title roles.

Alongside Bourne's direction and choreography, design is by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Phil Groothuis and new orchestrations of the Prokofiev score by Terry Davies, played live by the New Adventures Orchestra.

The DVD and Blu-ray include the brand new film, The Making of Romeo + Juliet, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with cast members, Paris Fitzpatrick, Cordelia Braithwaite, and Daisy May Kemp.; Associate Artistic Director, Etta Murfitt; Young Associate Choreographer, Arielle Smith; and Matthew Bourne himself.

121 minutes

25 August 2020

Audio Language: English

Subtitles: English (Extras only)

We watched this last night


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## SanAntone

*José Limon* - _The Moor´s Pavane_


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## Rogerx

MEDUSA - Complete Ballet (Natalia Osipova - Royal Ballet)
Wonderful.


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## Rogerx

La Fresque - choreography by Angelin Preljocaj

Angelin Preljocaj (Stage Direction)
Ballet Preljocaj (INTERPRETE)

Program

La Fresque (The Painting on the Wall)
Angelin Preljocaj, choreography
After the chinese traditional fairy, The Painting on the Wall

Recording: June 17 2017 - La Criée, Théâtre national de Marseille
Director: François-René Martin
Duration: 01:11


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## jegreenwood

This from the only Preljocaj I've seen live. Except the Mahler, which was canned.

Entrance of the seven dwarves.


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## jegreenwood

From the Royal Ballet box set - _Don Quixote_






Watched the video last night.


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## Marsilius

I have reviewed _La fresque_ (see three posts above) for MusicWeb International. If you are interested, see here http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Aug/Fresque_NBD0094V.htm


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## Rogerx

Special Tribute to Marius Petipa, Mariinsky Theater

Casting

Marius Petipa - George Balanchine - Konstantin Keichel (Stage Direction)
Mariinsky Ballet (INTERPRETE)

Recording: March 11 2018 - Mariinsky Theatre | St Petersburg
Director: François-René Martin
Duration: 02:00


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## Rogerx

For the festive season:

https://www.stingray.com/nl/entertainment/brava

ICE DANCE SPECIAL

27 TO 30 DECEMBER

ICE DANCE: NUTCRACKER 2011
MONDAY, DECEMBER 27 | 21:00

ICE DANCE: CINDERELLA 2008
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28 | 21:00

ICE DANCE: SWAN LAKE (2015)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29 | 21:00

ICE DANCE: SLEEPING BEAUTY 2013
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30 | 21:00


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## Rogerx

Swan Lake by the Bolshoi ballet

Netherlands : Europe/Amsterdam

Dance
Swan Lake by the Bolshoi ballet
Next broadcasts Saturday, December 25 at 10:40 on Mezzo

Casting

Youri Grigorovitch (Stage Direction)
Bolshoi Ballet (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
Youri Grigorovitch (INTERPRETE)

Program

Swan Lake
Music Piotr Tchaikovsky
Choreography Yuri Grigorovich (2001 version)
Scenes in choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov,Alexander Gorsky used

Recording: January 25 2015 - Théâtre du Bolchoï de Moscou
Director: Vincent Bataillon
Duration: 02:04

Seen last night.


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## jegreenwood

Rogerx said:


> Swan Lake by the Bolshoi ballet
> 
> Netherlands : Europe/Amsterdam
> 
> Dance
> Swan Lake by the Bolshoi ballet
> Next broadcasts Saturday, December 25 at 10:40 on Mezzo
> 
> Casting
> 
> Youri Grigorovitch (Stage Direction)
> Bolshoi Ballet (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
> Youri Grigorovitch (INTERPRETE)
> 
> Program
> 
> Swan Lake
> Music Piotr Tchaikovsky
> Choreography Yuri Grigorovich (2001 version)
> Scenes in choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov,Alexander Gorsky used
> 
> Recording: January 25 2015 - Théâtre du Bolchoï de Moscou
> Director: Vincent Bataillon
> Duration: 02:04
> 
> Seen last night.


I watched the Royal Ballet production on Friday. (In lieu of _Nutcracker_.)


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## Rogerx

'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' by Christophe Wheeldon

Program

Alice's adventures in Wonderland
Christopher Wheeldon (choreography)
Joby Talbot (music)

Recording: January 1 2017 - Royal Opera House | London
Director: Jonathan Haswell
Duration: 02:06

Royal Opera House Orchestra
Koen Kessels (Conductor)
Royal Ballet (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
Christopher Wheeldon (Choreography)
Lauren Cuthbertson (Danseur)


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## jegreenwood

Rogerx said:


> 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' by Christophe Wheeldon
> 
> Program
> 
> Alice's adventures in Wonderland
> Christopher Wheeldon (choreography)
> Joby Talbot (music)
> 
> Recording: January 1 2017 - Royal Opera House | London
> Director: Jonathan Haswell
> Duration: 02:06
> 
> Royal Opera House Orchestra
> Koen Kessels (Conductor)
> Royal Ballet (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
> Christopher Wheeldon (Choreography)
> Lauren Cuthbertson (Danseur)


That's in my Royal Ballet box, and I'm looking forward to it. I saw their _Winter's Tale_ at the ROH and liked it a lot, especially the second half.


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## Rogerx

Manon's story by K. MacMillan, Palais Garnier, Paris

Casting

Kenneth MacMillan (Stage Direction)
Etoiles, Premiers Danseurs et Corps de Ballet de l'Opéra national de Paris (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
Aurélie Dupont (INTERPRETE)
ROBERTO BOLLE (INTERPRETE)

Recording: May 18 2015 - Opéra national de Paris | Palais Garnier
Director: Cédric Klapisch
Duration: 02:04


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## Rogerx

Program

The Nutcracker
Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky (music)
Helgi Tomasson (choreography)

Casting

San Francisco Ballet Orchestra
Martin West (Conductor)
San Francisco Ballet (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
Helgi Tomasson (Choreography)

Recording: January 1 2007 - San Francisco Ballet
Director: Matthew Diamond
Duration: 01:33

Was a joy watching.


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## Rogerx

Good news if you can receive the Brava / Stingray channel!!


DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
FRIDAYS IN JANUARY

Every Friday evening in January, Stingray Classica premieres an impressive documentary. On January 7, Stingray Classica broadcasts ‘Heavenly Voices – The legacy of Farinelli’, a revealing film about the castrato voice in seventeenth and eighteenth-century music. On January 14, Stingray Classica shows ‘Music in the air’, shedding light on the historical relation between classical music and television. On January 21, the German composer and conductor Hans Zender (1936-2019) reflects on his distinguished career in ‘Thinking with your senses’. Stingray Classica’s documentary special comes to a close on January 28 with ‘Dance on screen’, which explores how twentieth-century modern media have influence the development of dance, and vice versa.


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## Rogerx

*First one last night.*



'Heavenly Voices - The legacy of Farinelli',

Every Friday evening in January, Stingray Classica premieres an impressive documentary. On January 7, Stingray Classica broadcasts 'Heavenly Voices - The legacy of Farinelli', a revealing film about the castrato voice in seventeenth and eighteenth-century music. On January 14, Stingray Classica shows 'Music in the air', shedding light on the historical relation between classical music and television. On January 21, the German composer and conductor Hans Zender (1936-2019) reflects on his distinguished career in 'Thinking with your senses'. Stingray Classica's documentary special comes to a close on January 28 with 'Dance on screen', which explores how twentieth-century modern media have influence the development of dance, and vice versa.


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## Rogerx

Coppelia by Sergey Vikharev, Bolshoi Ballet

Program

Coppelia
Ballet in three acts
Libretto by Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Leon
after the stories by Ernst Theodore Amadeus Hoffmann
Music, Léo Delibes
Choreography, Marius Petipa and Enrico Cecchetti
Staging and new choreographic versionn Sergei Vikhare

Recording: June 10 2018 - Bolshoi Theatre | Moscow
Director: Julien Isabelle
Duration: 01:39
What a joy watching it.


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## jegreenwood

Rogerx said:


> Coppelia by Sergey Vikharev, Bolshoi Ballet
> 
> Program
> 
> Coppelia
> Ballet in three acts
> Libretto by Charles Nuitter and Arthur Saint-Leon
> after the stories by Ernst Theodore Amadeus Hoffmann
> Music, Léo Delibes
> Choreography, Marius Petipa and Enrico Cecchetti
> Staging and new choreographic versionn Sergei Vikhare
> 
> Recording: June 10 2018 - Bolshoi Theatre | Moscow
> Director: Julien Isabelle
> Duration: 01:39
> What a joy watching it.


I took my grandniece to see that three years ago. It was her second ballet after _Nutcracker_. She loved it. I'm hoping that I'll be able to take two grandnieces to see _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ this spring.


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## Rogerx

La Dame de Pique （Queen of Spades）
From Pushkin's novel.

Choreographer Roland Petit.
Music Peter Tchaikovsky. 
Nikolay Tsiskaridze as Hermann
Ilze Liepa as the Countess

Bolshoi Theatre Moscow 2005


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## Marsilius

Re. the Coppelia DVD referred to a couple of posts back: here, for anyone interested, is the review of it that I wrote a few years ago for Musicweb International.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2019/Jun/Delibes_Coppelia_BAC463.htm


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## Rogerx

Clowns de Hofesh Shechter

Program

Clowns

Directed, choreographed and composed by Hofesh Shechter

Hofesh Shechter Company (COMPAGNIE DE BALLET)
Hofesh Shechter (Choreography)

Recording: January 1 2018 - Rivoli Ballroom, London

For me a new discovery bit modern.


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## jegreenwood

Last night I watched “La Fille Mal Gardee” from the Royal Ballet box. It was the Ashton staging of course, with Osipova as Lise. Music credited to Herold, but really written by just about everybody. I’d never seen it before, and from the opening with the dancing chickens, I was charmed. American Ballet Theater has this production in its repertoire, and the next time they bring it to NYC (or if my timing is right, when I’m in London) I will definitely catch it live. It would be nice to bring some young’ns along with me.


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## Marsilius

That particular production is a delight, with Osipova giving a memorably enjoyable performance as the wayward daughter. I have reviewed the DVD of an earlier - and also excellent - Royal Ballet production starring Marianela Nunez and Carlos Acosta: HÉROLD La Fille opus Arte OA0992D [RM]: Classical DVD Reviews - August 2008 MusicWeb-International. There is also, however, a DVD of the original cast, headed by Nadia Nerina, David Blair and Stanley Holden, performing it for (black and white) TV shortly after its premiere and I have reviewed it here: REVIEW: HEROLD La fille mal gardée - ICA Classics ICAD5088 [RMay]: Classical Music Reviews - January 2013 MusicWeb-International. That one is most definitely worth watching too, not just for historical value but for some fabulous performances.


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> That particular production is a delight, with Osipova giving a memorably enjoyable performance as the wayward daughter. I have reviewed the DVD of an earlier - and also excellent - Royal Ballet production starring Marianela Nunez and Carlos Acosta: HÉROLD La Fille opus Arte OA0992D [RM]: Classical DVD Reviews - August 2008 MusicWeb-International. There is also, however, a DVD of the original cast, headed by Nadia Nerina, David Blair and Stanley Holden, performing it for (black and white) TV shortly after its premiere and I have reviewed it here: REVIEW: HEROLD La fille mal gardée - ICA Classics ICAD5088 [RMay]: Classical Music Reviews - January 2013 MusicWeb-International. That one is most definitely worth watching too, not just for historical value but for some fabulous performances.


I watched the Clog Dance from the Nunez version, and it was better. I was actually a bit disappointed by the Clog Dance in the later version. I had never seen it before and after watching, I wondered what it generated so much enthusiasm. So I ordered the Nunez version.


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## Becca

If you can find video of a Royal Ballet performance of La Fille from the early 1980s with Lesley Collier and Michael Coleman, conducted by John Lanchbery, it is well worth watching.


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## Marsilius

Here is the clog dance performed by its originator Stanley Holden, filmed virtually immediately after its first performance as mentioned in my post above. How do you think it compares? 




Incidentally, it used to be the case that performances in Russia (and possibly elsewhere, for all I know) used to avoid casting a man in the role of the mother - aversion to transvestism? - though I think that's changed now. Ashton always specified that the mother's role should be played by a man in women's clothes.


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## Marsilius

Becca said:


> If you can find video of a Royal Ballet performance of La Fille from the early 1980s with Lesley Collier and Michael Coleman, conducted by John Lanchbery, it is well worth watching.


Michael Coleman is still performing. I saw him last night at the Bristol Hippodrome where English National Ballet were performing _Raymonda. _He played Field Marshal Belasyse, a non-dancing role that involved a lot of walking around the stage. He does the same sort of thing in ENB‘s production of _Le Corsaire. _I hope that he’s enjoying these less taxing - but no doubt still rewarding - roles in the twilight of his career.


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> Here is the clog dance performed by its originator Stanley Holden, filmed virtually immediately after its first performance as mentioned in my post above. How do you think it compares?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Incidentally, it used to be the case that performances in Russia (and possibly elsewhere, for all I know) used to avoid casting a man in the role of the mother - aversion to transvestism? - though I think that's changed now. Ashton always specified that the mother's role should be played by a man in women's clothes.


Just wonderful! Th experience is different due to the fact this is from a film, not a stage performance. In this instance I think the close-ups work well.


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## jegreenwood

Yesterday I watched Ashton's _Rhapsody. _Some vey fleet footsteps set to Rachmaninov's famous score. And the _pas de deux _was lovely. McCrae and Osipova again. Next up is _The Two Pigeons._

I wish the box included more Ashton. Maybe a disc with _The Dream_ and _Symphonic Variations._ I've seen each one live once.

Edit - I see there is a disc with that pairing (along with _Marguerite and Armand_ already in the box).


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## Marsilius

Do let us know what you think of _The two pigeons. _Even though your own preference seems to be for abstract, rather than narrative, ballets, I suspect that you’ll enjoy it if only as a fluffy bit of fun - and the last minute or so is a real _coup de theatre._


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> Do let us know what you think of _The two pigeons. _Even though your own preference seems to be for abstract, rather than narrative, ballets, I suspect that you’ll enjoy it if only as a fluffy bit of fun - and the last minute or so is a real _coup de theatre._


I think I've grown to appreciate narrative ballet somewhat more. The Royal Ballet box helped. There's just less of it in NYC, which is dominated by NYCB. American Ballet Theater offers them, mostly during a June/July residence, but their fall residence does not have very many.

I've only attend Royal Ballet live a few times. I did see _Winter's Tale._ I had mixed feelings about the first act but loved the rest.


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## Becca

Marsilius said:


> Do let us know what you think of _The two pigeons. _Even though your own preference seems to be for abstract, rather than narrative, ballets, I suspect that you’ll enjoy it if only as a fluffy bit of fun - and the last minute or so is a real _coup de theatre._


Many years ago I saw the Royal Ballet touring company do _The two Pigeons_ at the Edinburgh Festical and it was delightful.  Quite recently I saw a video of it and found it ok but not nearly as interesting, definitely not one of Ashton's better story works. What I would like to see again is his _A Month in the Country_ set to some Chopin concertante works (Fantasia on Polish Airs, etc.), the only one I have seen being with Lynn Seymour, Anthony Dowell and Marguerite Porter from the 1980s (?)


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## jegreenwood

_A Month in the Country _was on the same Covent Garden program as _Symphonic Variations._ I don’t recall the performers. It would have meant less to me at the time. The third work was _Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora_. That one did not work for me.


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## Becca

jegreenwood said:


> _A Month in the Country _was on the same Covent Garden program as _Symphonic Variations._ I don’t recall the performers. It would have meant less to me at the time. The third work was _Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora_. That one did not work for me.


I can easily understand why you might have felt that way about the _Five Brahms Waltzes..._


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## Becca

Here is an interesting video showing Frederick Ashton rehearsing the pas de deux from _The Dream_...




(It is part 1 of a 5 part video, follow the links)


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## Becca

And here is the performance of _A Month in the Country_ with Dowell, Seymour et.al.




(It is also a 5 part video, apparently copied from VHS)


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## jegreenwood

Becca said:


> Many years ago I saw the Royal Ballet touring company do _The two Pigeons_ at the Edinburgh Festical and it was delightful. Quite recently I saw a video of it and found it ok but not nearly as interesting, definitely not one of Ashton's better story works. What I would like to see again is his _A Month in the Country_ set to some Chopin concertante works (Fantasia on Polish Airs, etc.), the only one I have seen being with Lynn Seymour, Anthony Dowell and Marguerite Porter from the 1980s (?)


I have had far less exposure to Ashton's work than you or Marsilius. But I tend to agree with you about The Two Pigeons. It wasn't the plot that bothered me - after all, I enjoyed Sylvia. I didn't find the choreography exciting. And I was not sold on Lauren Cuthebertson's acting. She performs Juliet, Alice, and Hermione on three upcoming discs, so I will have several more opportunities to assess her work.


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## Marsilius

I hope that your Royal Ballet box contains Ashton‘s _Enigma variations. _i loved it - as you will be able to tell from the review I wrote for MusicWeb International Concerto Enigma OPUS ARTE Blu-ray OABD7272D [RMay] Classical Music Reviews: October 2020 - MusicWeb-International


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## Becca

Marsilius said:


> I hope that your Royal Ballet box contains Ashton‘s _Enigma variations. _i loved it - as you will be able to tell from the review I wrote for MusicWeb International Concerto Enigma OPUS ARTE Blu-ray OABD7272D [RMay] Classical Music Reviews: October 2020 - MusicWeb-International


_Enigma Variations_ is the one major Ashton ballet (at least post WWII) that I haven't seen, but would love to.


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> I hope that your Royal Ballet box contains Ashton‘s _Enigma variations. _i loved it - as you will be able to tell from the review I wrote for MusicWeb International Concerto Enigma OPUS ARTE Blu-ray OABD7272D [RMay] Classical Music Reviews: October 2020 - MusicWeb-International


Unfortunately, not. My remaining Ashton disc is The Ashton Celebration disc.

But the disc you linked to does have one work I've seen and liked: _Concerto. _I was thinking about it recently after seeing, for the second time, Ratmansky's wonderful _Concerto DSCH_ to the same score. He's done some great work at NYCB. I've also seen several of his story ballets, _Cinderella_ (I believe it's his second staging), _Sleeping Beauty, _and the New York premiere of _Anna Karenina _with the Mariinsky, conducted by Gergiev. (Didn't care for the last.)

This spring I will see his _Pictures at an Exhibition_ for the third time. I am looking forward to it.


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## jegreenwood

The Nunez _La Fille_ arrived today. Looking forward to checking it out.

In the meanwhile I watched the Royal Ballet 2009 video of _The Nutcracker_ from the box set. I found it frustrating. It's not a favorite ballet of mine, and I've seen the Balanchine version as many times as I need to. (I did enjoy Mark Morris' _The Hard Nut_ a few years back as a change of pace.)

I might have enjoyed the Royal Ballet version, but the busy, busy camerawork drove me crazy. I couldn't follow the dance, especially in the first half. The second half was considerably better.


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## Marsilius

My own _Nutcracker _of choice is the DVD of the San Francisco Ballet. Astounding scene in the _Waltz of the snowflakes - _perhaps someone who's seen it performed live will confirm whether the SFB production is always that lavish with the "snow" or whether it was just done that way for the DVD?!


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## jegreenwood

We have a cable station in the U.S., Ovation, which broadcasts a different version of the _Nutcracker_ each week.


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## Marsilius

I saw _The nutcracker _at the Birmingham (UK) Hippodrome this evening. We’re told that a million pounds has been spent on giving new life to Sir Peter Wright’s Birmingham Royal Ballet production (very different to his Royal Ballet production in London) - and the investment shows. All the sets are quite splendid and the waltz of the snowflakes scene is now up there with San Francisco. If you go to only one UK _Nutcracker_, it should be this one.


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## jegreenwood

Marsilius said:


> I saw _The nutcracker _at the Birmingham (UK) Hippodrome this evening. We’re told that a million pounds has been spent on giving new life to Sir Peter Wright’s Birmingham Royal Ballet production (very different to his Royal Ballet production in London) - and the investment shows. All the sets are quite splendid and the waltz of the snowflakes scene is now up there with San Francisco. If you go to only one UK _Nutcracker_, it should be this one.


I'm on the other side of the pond, unfortunately.


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## jegreenwood

Continuing with my Ashton education, I watched La Valse, Meditation, Voices of Spring, and Monotones Sunday night. I enjoyed the first three. Instead of moving on to Marguerite and Armond, I took a pause and watched Balanchine's La Valse (one of the few NYCB performances commercially available and of recent vintage). Balanchine's version of course uses additional music. I liked the design and the excitement of the Ashton version, especially during the opening portions, but I preferred Balanchine's more catastrophic conclusion.

I couldn't get into Monotones. It definitely have the feel of the '60s (and brought back memories of some very bad performance art I watched in the '70s). I then read Alastair Macaulay's enthusiastic review of a performance by ABT as well as the MusicWeb review of the disc, so I will give it another chance. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever become a fan of the music.

Coming up - MacMillan - Romeo and Mayerling


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## Marsilius

As you will have noticed, when I wrote that MusicWeb review back in 2013 Tamara Rojo was about to leave the Royal Ballet to take over running English National Ballet. Now, this very month, she is leaving them to take over San Francisco Ballet - our loss, your definite gain.


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