Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season 2015/16: Romeo and Juliet
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A fine production and often beautiful, sometimes a bit cold and lacking in passion
Ballet has always been close to my heart, my first being 'Swan Lake' at 6 years old( opera is more my expertise though). There are so many great ballets out there, 'Giselle' being my personal favourite of the non-Tchaikovsky(all three I love) ballets, and Prokoviev's 'Romeo and Juliet' is one such ballet with gorgeous music (unmistakably Prokoviev too) and a touchingly timeless story that is one of the most justifiably famous in literature.
One is spoilt for choice when it comes to available productions of 'Romeo and Juliet', there are not many but those available are great. The Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn performance from 1966 is as close to perfect a ballet production you can get, and both Alessandra performances especially the 1984 production are wonderful. This 2015 Royal Opera House production has so many great things and there is much to enjoy but at the same time something is missing. It's not in the same league as either of the mentioned productions but it is a good and worthy production on its own. Oh, and it and the joyous 'Le Nozze Di Figaro' the same year (they were broadcast in cinemas fairly close together in date) will wash out the bad taste that was left in our mouths from watching 'Guillaume Tell', excellent musical values but everything else was a disgrace.
To me, the two leads danced solidly but both were a little lacking when it came to the acting. Steven McRae has the boyish charm, the flexibility and the powerful conviction in the dancing steps for Romeo. But not quite the earthiness and pathos. More problematic was Sarah Lamb, she dances with strength and delicacy, it's all very correct, agile and effortless. However, acting-wise for Juliet she is somewhat too cold and lacks the fire and vulnerability for the role, seeming like she's over-thinking and thinking about getting the steps right which is admirable but can stop one from performing completely. She does let herself go later on and is very moving in the famous tragic conclusion and scornful in the earlier parts of the last act.
Chemistry also seemed bland. Even in the balcony scene Pas De Deux, which is exquisitely danced and looks so easy when it actually no easy picnic but one doesn't quite get the sense that they are in love. Tristan Dyer doesn't register that much as Benvolio.
However, there are as has already been said many pleasures. First and foremost the truly magnificent Tybalt of Gary Avis, the charismatic authority is there as well as the sympathetic grace and the terrifying menace that is almost on the same level as his Rothbart (another role he excels in). Alexander Campbell is similarly splendid, his leg work is so nimble and he has the furious passion and sympathetic edge for the role, especially good in the duel and the death scene which are both tense and tear-jerking. Fiar Lawrence, the Nurse and the lovers' parents (particularly Capulet) are also well filled and the Corps De Ballet perform beautifully.
Visually, the costumes are colourful, never overdone or ugly, the lighting is wonderfully delicate and the sets elegant and tasteful. The choreography is clever, humorously witty, tense, sensitively moving and intricate, especially the Pas De Deux, the duel and the ending. The famous Montagues and Capulets scene (or Dance of the Knights) is similarly rousing.
Musically, the orchestral playing is rich in tonal colour, dynamic and succeed in being rousing for the likes of Monatagues and the Capulets and heart-tugging in the Pas De Deux, the humour, tension and pathos of the score in abundance. The conducting accommodates the dancers while bringing the drama of the story out, both of which it does splendidly, noticed no noticeably questionable tempos.
In summary, not quite great on the whole but there are many moments of greatness. 7/10 Bethany Cox
One is spoilt for choice when it comes to available productions of 'Romeo and Juliet', there are not many but those available are great. The Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn performance from 1966 is as close to perfect a ballet production you can get, and both Alessandra performances especially the 1984 production are wonderful. This 2015 Royal Opera House production has so many great things and there is much to enjoy but at the same time something is missing. It's not in the same league as either of the mentioned productions but it is a good and worthy production on its own. Oh, and it and the joyous 'Le Nozze Di Figaro' the same year (they were broadcast in cinemas fairly close together in date) will wash out the bad taste that was left in our mouths from watching 'Guillaume Tell', excellent musical values but everything else was a disgrace.
To me, the two leads danced solidly but both were a little lacking when it came to the acting. Steven McRae has the boyish charm, the flexibility and the powerful conviction in the dancing steps for Romeo. But not quite the earthiness and pathos. More problematic was Sarah Lamb, she dances with strength and delicacy, it's all very correct, agile and effortless. However, acting-wise for Juliet she is somewhat too cold and lacks the fire and vulnerability for the role, seeming like she's over-thinking and thinking about getting the steps right which is admirable but can stop one from performing completely. She does let herself go later on and is very moving in the famous tragic conclusion and scornful in the earlier parts of the last act.
Chemistry also seemed bland. Even in the balcony scene Pas De Deux, which is exquisitely danced and looks so easy when it actually no easy picnic but one doesn't quite get the sense that they are in love. Tristan Dyer doesn't register that much as Benvolio.
However, there are as has already been said many pleasures. First and foremost the truly magnificent Tybalt of Gary Avis, the charismatic authority is there as well as the sympathetic grace and the terrifying menace that is almost on the same level as his Rothbart (another role he excels in). Alexander Campbell is similarly splendid, his leg work is so nimble and he has the furious passion and sympathetic edge for the role, especially good in the duel and the death scene which are both tense and tear-jerking. Fiar Lawrence, the Nurse and the lovers' parents (particularly Capulet) are also well filled and the Corps De Ballet perform beautifully.
Visually, the costumes are colourful, never overdone or ugly, the lighting is wonderfully delicate and the sets elegant and tasteful. The choreography is clever, humorously witty, tense, sensitively moving and intricate, especially the Pas De Deux, the duel and the ending. The famous Montagues and Capulets scene (or Dance of the Knights) is similarly rousing.
Musically, the orchestral playing is rich in tonal colour, dynamic and succeed in being rousing for the likes of Monatagues and the Capulets and heart-tugging in the Pas De Deux, the humour, tension and pathos of the score in abundance. The conducting accommodates the dancers while bringing the drama of the story out, both of which it does splendidly, noticed no noticeably questionable tempos.
In summary, not quite great on the whole but there are many moments of greatness. 7/10 Bethany Cox
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Oct 21, 2017
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