Within the Golden Hour / Medusa/ Flight Pattern – The Royal Ballet, Londres / London, Maio / May 2019

(text in English below)

Tive oportunidade de assistir ao ensaio geral de mais esta magnífica produção do The Royal Ballet de Londres. Imediatamente antes do início uma senhora veio apelar aos “Friends” e “Patrons” (os únicos com possibilidade de assistir) para não se esquecerem da Royal Opera House nos seus testamentos!

Foram três bailados:

1- Within the Golden Hour, com coreografia de Christopher Wheeldon, música de Ezzio Bosso e Antonio Vivaldi, guarda roupa de Jasper Conran e luzes de Peter Mumford. Dirigiu o maestro Jonathan Lo.

Num palco vazio, muitos dos solistas do Royal Ballet dançaram uma coreografia moderna de belo efeito com a perfeição habitual neste palco.

2- Medusa, com coreografia de Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, música de Henry Purcell e Olga Wojciechowska, guarda roupa de Olivia Pomp e luzes de Adam Silverman. Dirigiu o maestro Andrew Griffiths.

Uma coreografia muito bonita, numa encenação sóbria mas de belíssimo efeito. Foram bailarinos solistas algumas das estrelas maiores do Royal Ballet, incluindo Natalia Osipova (Medusa), Olivia Cowley (Athena), Ryoichi Hirano (Poseidon) e Matthew Ball (Perseus).

O soprano Natasha Page e o contra-tenor Tim Mead tiveram óptimas prestações, sobretudo o ultimo, que mostrou uma voz de invulgar beleza.

3- Flight Pattern, com coreografia de Crystal Pite, música de Henryk Górecki, guarda-roupa de Nancy Briant e luzes de Tom Visser. Dirigiu o maestro Jonathan Lo.

Kristen McNally e Marcelino Sambé foram dois dos muitos solistas desta coreografia moderna escura e sinistra, em cinzento, com uma magnífica encenação onde, no final, a queda de neve e o palco a encerrar-se lentamente foi apenas um dos muitos efeitos marcantes.

Uma excelente tarde de bailado moderno.

Within the Golden Hour / Medusa / Flight Pattern - The Royal Ballet, London, May 2019

I had the opportunity to see the general rehearsal of this magnificent production of The Royal Ballet in London. Immediately before the beginning a lady came to appeal to the "Friends" and "Patrons" (the only ones who could buy tickets) not to forget the Royal Opera House in their wills!

There were three ballets:

1- Within the Golden Hour, with choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, music by Ezzio Bosso and Antonio Vivaldi, costumes by Jasper Conran and lights by Peter Mumford. Maestro Jonathan Lo directed.

On an empty stage, many of the Royal Ballet's soloists danced a modern choreography of beautiful effect with the usual perfection on this stage.

2- Medusa, with choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, music by Henry Purcell and Olga Wojciechowska, costumes by Olivia Pomp and lights by Adam Silverman. Maestro Andrew Griffiths directed.

A very beautiful choreography, in a sober scenario but with a beautiful effect. Several were soloist dancers some of the Royal Ballet's biggest stars, including Natalia Osipova (Medusa), Olivia Cowley (Athena), Ryoichi Hirano (Poseidon) and Matthew Ball (Perseus).

Soprano Natasha Page and the counter-tenor Tim Mead had excellent performances, especially him, who sang with a voice of unusual beauty.

3- Flight Pattern, with choreography by Crystal Pite, music by Henryk Górecki, costumes by Nancy Briant and lights by Tom Visser. Maestro Jonathan Lo directed.

Kristen McNally and Marcelino Sambé were two of the many soloists of this dark and sinister gray choreography with a magnificent stage where, in the end, the snowfall and the stage closing slowly was just one of many striking effects.

An excellent afternoon of modern ballet.