A uniique celebration at Westminster Abbey next week, the following from the Abbey's web site:



I plan to attend this and will report back.

Sounds very interesting. I will be interested to hear who will attend.

I chickened out of both Mayerling and the Sleeping Beauty I’m afraid, but the triple bill with a new work by Wayne McGregor was far more tempting. I didn’t go to the opening night but on the night I went the Agon wasn’t that great, though cast changes at the last moment couldn’t have helped.

Of all the fascinating works of Glen Tetley goodness knows why the RB decided to revive Sphinx, it isn’t typical of that choreographers work and needs a strong dramatic trio of dancers to do it justice. Edward Watson of course fitted the bill perfectly with some powerful emoting but the Sphinx herself and Oedipus were underplayed.

It was up to McGregor to save the evening with his new work, Limen. More classical than anything I’ve seen from him before, at its heart was a pas de deux of translucent beauty heart-stoppingly danced by Sarah Lamb and Eric Underwood. They complemented one another perfectly with Lamb looking almost unworldly, a spiritual presence rather than flesh and blood. Danced to an impressive modern score by Kaija Saariaho McGregor moved away from his bankable formula of high energy exertion and showed us more subtlety than I’ve come to expect, as if his choreography is finally emotionally growing up.

Here's what the critics have to say:

The Times
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 905078.ece

The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2009/no ... ill-review

The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/thea ... eview.html

The Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d3dc9a06-caf9 ... abdc0.html

Evening Standard
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/r ... -ballet.do

A quite unwarranted attack from the Telegraph on the dancer Rupert Pennyfather I thought. He may have been somewhat mis-cast in the role, but in a company where the standard of male dancing isn't impressive, I find it odd to single out Pennyfather who is at least adequate (sometimes more) which can't be said of a worrying number of his colleagues.

Clement Crisp reviews Thiago Soares as Rudolf in "Mayerling" in the Financial Times:

Financial Times

Fulsome comments indeed from Mr Crisp about Mayerling, but I can't share his enthusiasm for a work with such a bewildering cast of characters that newcomers to the ballet need a thorough knowledge of the politics of 19th century Austro-Hungary if they are to make any sense of it at all.

What was it Balanchine once said about mothers-in-law in ballet?

Whatever one's feelings about them, R & J and Manon are danced across the globe: to the best of my knowledge Mayerling isn't.

Full article at The Guardian

The ROH is schedulled at el Liceu in Barcelona next July with their Sleeping Beauty

Tamara Rojo will be dancing two performances. Don't want to miss her!!! and neither Alina nor Marianella even if I get ruined!!! and even if Tamara will stop dancng for while in a short as she will be learning on how to manage a company with the management of the National Ballet of Canada.

The Guardian

Sarah Frater reviews a performance of Ashton's "Les Patineurs" and "Tales of Beatrix Potter" in The Evening Standard.

Evening Standard

Clement Crisp in the Financial Times.

Financial Times

Judith Mackrell in The Guardian.

The Guardian

Debra Crane in The Times.

The Times

Ismene Brown in the Arts Desk.

Arts Desk

In The Guardian, Judith Mackrell previews Kenneth MacMillan's "Romeo and Juliet," opening, as she points out, for the 420th time on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at Covent Garden.

The Guardian

At the Tuesday, January 12, 2010 performance of "Romeo and Juliet," Rupert Pennefather substituted for an injured Carlos Acosta in partnering Tamara Rojo. Some reviews of that performamce follow.

Sarah Frater in The Evening Standard.

Evening Standard

Ismene Brown in The Arts Desk.

The Arts Desk

Two more reviews of the opening night of "Romeo and Juliet."

Judith Mackrell in The Guardian.

The Guardian

Sarah Wilkinson in The Stage.

The Stage

Debra Craine in The Times enjoyed the "Romeo and Juliet" casting substitution on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

The Times

In The Independent, Zoe Anderson is more equivocal.

The Independent

For The Independent, Susie Mesure interviews Rupert Pennefather after his unexpected substitution as Romeo to Tamara Rojo's Juliet.

The Independent

In The Telegraph, Mark Monahan compares two "Romeo and Juliet" casts: one headed by Tamara Rojo and Rupert Pennefather; the other by Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg.

The Telegraph

What is it with Mark Monahan and Rupert Pennyfather? This is the second time he has given him a kicking in print in the last couple of months.

Time was when critics maintained a discreet silence over any shortcomings of dancers stepping in to replace an injured colleague, has this basic courtesy now been dropped?