Carlos Acosta’s recent production of Don Quixote for the Royal Ballet is full of energy, sparkle and exhilarating dancing. Even though it is from the classic Marius Petipa tradition, I didn’t know this ballet and wasn’t sure what to expect. How do you ‘balletise’ Cervantes’ 17th Century blockbuster? In some ways it is a bit like Le Corsaire with flamenco and gypsies instead of pirates: the thinnest of plots, but huge fun and an excuse for some great dancing. (more…)
February 26, 2019
Don Quixote, The Royal Ballet, live cinema relay 19th February – Susanna Reece reviews
Posted by susiecrow under reviews | Tags: Akane Takada, Alexander Campbell, Carlos Acosta, Cervantes, Christopher Saunders, Don Quixote, Gary Avis, Kevin O'Hare, live cinema relay, Ludwig Minkus, Marius Petipa, Martin Yates, Philip Mosley, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Susanna Reece, Susie Crow, The Royal Ballet, Tim Hatley |Leave a Comment
December 31, 2015
The Language of the Soul: photographs by Rick Guest
Posted by susiecrow under What's happening | Tags: Christopher Wheeldon, dance photography, Edward Watson, Kevin O'Hare, Liam Scarlett, Marianela Nuñez, Melissa Hamilton, Nehemiah Kish, Olivia Pomp, Rick Guest, Sarah Lamb, Sergei Polunin, Steven McRae, Tamara Rojo, The Hospital Club Gallery, The Language of the Soul, Wayne McGregor, Zenaida Yanowsky |1 Comment
The Language of the Soul by photographer Rick Guest features images from his 2014 Exhibition at The Hospital Club Gallery, as well as many more in the series. Working in collaboration with stylist Olivia Pomp, and featuring such luminary dancers as Edward Watson, Tamara Rojo, Marianela Nuñez, Steven McRae, Sarah Lamb, Sergei Polunin, Zenaida Yanowsky, Nehemiah Kish and Melissa Hamilton, it also includes portraits of Wayne McGregor, Kevin O’Hare, Liam Scarlett and Christopher Wheeldon. With a foreword by Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet, this book is in a limited first run of 1000 copies, exquisitely printed by PUSH Print, and is in a large format, 300mm x 370mm.
Rick Guest writes:
“Ballet as an art form has always been a collaborative medium, whereby composers, orchestras, choreographers, dancers, artists and impresarios have come together to create something new, something greater than the individual elements. With this in mind, I have deliberately turned away from using photography to document dance as it’s staged for the audience, as important as that is. Instead, I have concentrated on the bringing together of three separate disciplines, that of photography, fashion and dance, in an attempt to create something new and singular.
Away from the constraints of stage, role and costume, the dancers are able to demonstrate their breathtaking capabilities in an uninhibited atmosphere, one that ultimately leads to a purer portrait of the dancers themselves. These images aim to illustrate the key tenets of balletic technique; balance, strength and poise. They are lit and photographed to enhance each dancers’ power and beauty, both physical and emotional, and the images are infused with a fashion edge that is at the same time evocative and playful.”
The Language of the Soul is available from the 15th December 2015 from rg-books.com
Further work can be viewed at rg-dance.com
February 9, 2014
Royal Ballet: Rhapsody and Gloria, Saturday 8 February 2014, evening performance at the Royal Opera House
Posted by susiecrow under reviews | Tags: Carlos Acosta, Frederick Ashton, Gloria, Kenneth MacMillan, Kevin O'Hare, Rhapsody, Royal Opera House, Ryoichi Hirano, Sarah Lamb, Tetractys - the art of fugue, The Royal Ballet, Valentino Zucchetti |Leave a Comment
When Kevin O’Hare stepped in front of the curtain, I expected bad news, and it was: Natalia Osipova had mild concussion following “a collision of heads” during the afternoon performance; Thiago Soares was off too, and so was Tetractys – the art of fugue. Cue for groans from the audience, followed by a round of applause from some of the more expensive seats when we were promised a refund of a third of the ticket price, and told that the bars would stay open for longer than usual. And so the triple bill became a double bill, of Rhapsody and Gloria. Nevertheless, this was an opportunity for the Royal Ballet to showcase the work of two of the company’s most important directors and to demonstrate an understanding of two very different, yet very English, choreographic styles. (more…)