A few of us had noted programs in both Paris and London that seemed very interesting, and thought it might be fun to turn it into a get-together for Ballet Talkers if there is interest.

Here are the performances I’m intending to see:

April 20 (matinee and/or evening) – POB school show. http://www.operadeparis.fr/Saison-2007-200...cle.asp?Id=1132. Interesting to me for the Leo Staats Soir de Fête – once a POB staple, now not often seen.

April 21 – Nureyev/Balanchine/Forsythe http://www.operadeparis.fr/Saison-2007-200...cle.asp?Id=1131. Raymond, 4 Ts and Artifact Suite. I was deeply impressed with Artifact (a lot said from someone who’s ambivalent about Forsythe) when SFB did it – I would like to see how POB does it.

On April 22, there is either the same program at the Opera or Sleeping Beauty in London. My choice is personal; if Ansanelli is dancing Aurora, I’m going to London. If she isn’t, I’ll stay in Paris another day.

April 23, 25 – London – Serenade/New Brandstrup Ballet/Homage to the Queen. http://info.royaloperahouse.org/AfcStyle/D...llet20078%2Epdf

There is also another Beauty on April 26.

Nuts and Bolts:

This isn’t a group tour – we’re not traveling together, rather meeting at the destinations, so we can do things together but you also can come and go as you please. Make your own travel arrangements; I’m happy to offer advice as long as you realize I’m not a travel agent but I’m happy to share whatever bargain hunting tips I can offer (Priceline, Priceline, Priceline!)

I think it would be great to schedule one or two meals together in both London and Paris, and I hope some of the local contingents in both cities will join us (and suggest good places to eat).

I will most likely be getting press tickets but if enough people go it may make sense to purchase tickets as a group for savings.

Schedule:

I’m hemmed in to this schedule by the Kirov season at City Center, but feel free to arrive in Paris earlier or stay longer in London as suits you.

West Coasters – be forewarned this is around the time of the New Works Festival at SFB and the Laugh out Loud Festival at PNB. Check your calendars.

Who’d like to join us?

Preliminary attendees

Leigh Witchel
Helene
Estelle (at least in Paris)

Well, I'll be around Ox, but am tempted to come to Paris as an old friend has relocated there. Leigh, I'll be in touch! I'm hesitant to say a full yes right now because it might be a busy time work-wise.

You know I'd join you in a heart beat. But in MAY, Leigh; May; I'll be there MAY 1st! Aaagh!

Giannina

Well, Giannina, that's term time, so I'll be here and no doubt making trips to London quite often!

Seriously, there's quite a few London regulars on these boards... so you just gotta let us know!

My sister and I are also planning to make this trip, though we're intending to hit London first in order to get to Ghent for Dialogues of the Carmelites before heading to Paris.

Wonderful - I hope your schedule works out!

To answer some people who wrote to me off-board, please do not worry about being unable to commit yet. Schedules change and this is quite far out. Think of this more as an invitation to save those dates with further concrete planning to be done in the months ahead.

I think I'll be in London again in May as well Giannina

To bump this topic briefly, the Royal Ballet has given advance casting to friends and 4/22 is not Ansanelli, so I'm projecting another day in Paris (rah) and going to London on 4/23

Well, I'll be in Paris, and will attend the school performance on april 20th If I can get tickets. For London, I think I will make my mind according to availability of these eurostar tickets sold as" nasty prices" tickets.

Oh I forgot about the Paris leg of this... need to investigate; it coincides rather closely with some key term dates... hmmm..... Leigh, you're such a bad (good) influence!

A bump because the London booking period for these programs opens on December 5. If you know you are going; I'd buy tickets early - choice seating sells out promptly. The best bargain for the able bodied is standing in the Stalls Circle, but it really means standing.

Could some of the Londoners chime in on the ins and outs of buying tickets?

Nuts and bolts -

Flights -

Obviously people will come from different places; I only have checked NYC fares. Unfortunately, fares jump up for shoulder season rates at the end of March. Right now NYC-PAR; LON-NYC runs no less than $620 for Air India and $710 for Continental. It will probably fluctuate some and there may be a sale, but it probably won't drop precipitously.

A word of caution on hotels -

I have not had bad stays in either city, but my main desires are a bright uncluttered room, Internet access and a fitness center and I'm more than willing to sacrifice local flavor and character and stay in a soulless chain to get it. Hence, Priceline. In Europe, independent hotels vary wildly in quality from wonderful to fleabag. The more you know the better off you are and price usually denotes quality. I've gotten great deals on Priceline but you have to know what you are doing.

Right now, I will recommend using Booking.org or a hotel website directly to make a booking that is cancelable without penalty that leaves you free to change your plans or find a better deal.

I did a quick peek on Hotwire from 4/23-7 to get a sense of rates. They're not rock-bottom (my guess is that they'll go down) - around $145 for 3 star hotels, $170 for 4 star (that's really not luxurious, more like comfortable chain such as the Hilton or Millennium). Those rates will be lower on Priceline.

Paris Hotels are less expensive (3* hotels around $100) but they could possibly be small independent hotels that I would be cautious about booking opaquely. The range of possible quality is great.

Getting from Paris to London -

I think the Eurostar is the best combination of price and city-to-city convenience; non-flexible tickets are $98 right now.

More as we get closer.

I should have checked to see if it was possible to get an early morning (6am-ish) flight from NYC to Paris before I bought a ticket to "Wozzeck," but I'm going to have to give up either the Kirov Balanchine program on the 18th or the opera, and I'm tending toward skipping the Kirov and heading straight to Europe from the West Coast, since I'll be seeing 4-5 ballet performances over the next week. (There's also the opening night of ENO's "The Merry Widow" on 24 April. Decisions, decisions...)

The whole thing sounds quite lovely and I wish you all the best of luck.

It gets worse -- I thought the school performance was on Sunday, 20 April in the afternoon. But it's actually the same time as Wozzeck. It's closing night for both

Hey!

You didn't hallucinate that Helene. They deleted the Sunday performances, and I have the same problem with the Kirov.

I'm going to look seriously at the calendar tonight. Maybe we need to juggle dates.

Very disappointing.

Sleeping Beauty plays in London on 29 March (1:30pm), then the 3, 8, 10, 16, 18 of April, and May 5 (mat), 9, 10 (mat), 14.

The Nureyev/Balanchine/Forsythe Program plays on April 4, 5, 8, 11, 15, 17, 21-24, 27-29 and on May 3, 4 (mat), 6, 8-9.

The Serenade/Brandstrup/Homage to the Queen program plays 23, 25, 29 April, and May 1, 6, 8.

The POB School Performances are on 12-14 April, and 19 April.

It is possible to do SB, POB Triple Bill, POB School:

Any of the following:

SB: 10 April
Nureyev/Balanchine/Forsythe: 11 April
POB School: 12-14
Nureyev/Balanchine/Forsythe: 15 April
SB: 16 April

(I dont know when you're heading back for the Kirov)

or:

RB Triple Bill: 1 May
POB Triple Bill: 3, 4 May (mat)
Back to London: SB 5 May (mat) and Triple Bill 6 May

There's no way to get in all four without overlapping the Kirov in NYC.

I'm thinking regretfully about forgoing the school performance and seeing them in Washington DC, especially if they are bringing Soir de Fete in June for the Proteges program.

Here's what I'm thinking now:

4/23 London Serenade/New Brandstrup/Homage
4/24 same
4/25 London no performance
4/26 Paris - Mats Ek new work
4/27 Balanchine/Forsythe/Nureyev mixed bill
4/28 Paris same
4/29 London Sleeping Beauty (Ansanelli)
4/30 home
(5/1 start all over again and head to SF for new works. . .)

Some or all of that may work.

Has anyone else booked their RB tickets? I've booked the 23rd.... I've also booked both Sleeping Beauty's on the 26th... but might change these IF I can get to Paris... It's during term time and I don't know yet what my work schedule is going to be at the time... so I'm going to have to hold out... If need be, is it possible to get day tickets for POB?

I wonder if the change of schedule at the Paris Opera has something to do with the technician's strikes: many performances have been cancelled, and it probably costed quite a lot of money...

Leigh, it unfortunately sounds unlikely that we can meet (we have to be in Lyon on April 26 for a wedding and a baptism, so if we can go to Paris it will probably be around the 19th or the 12th...)

Here's the latest for me. Apologies for the changes - they wouldn't have happened if POB hadn't altered its schedule.

4/23 London Serenade/New Brandstrup/Homage
4/24 same
4/25 Ghent - Royal Ballet of Flanders Stravinsky Triple Bill
4/26 Paris - Mats Ek new work
4/27 Balanchine/Forsythe/Nureyev mixed bill
4/28 Paris same
4/29 London Sleeping Beauty (Ansanelli)
4/30 home
(5/1 start all over again and head to SF for new works. . .)

I have not yet bought my ticket, but will soon. I know Helene is also going, with small variations in schedule (an extra night in Ghent, etc.)

Sorry to make you all crazy and I hope some of you can join or meet us.

The scary thing is that's 10 nights at the theater in 12 days (including SF). Packing is going to be a feat of genius.

My schedule is:

4/23: London-Serenade/New Brandstrup/Homage
4/24: Antwerp-La Sonnambula
4/25-4/26: Ghent-Stravinsky Triple Bill
4/27: Paris-Triple Bill (matinee), Le Prisonnier (evening)
4/28: Paris-Triple Bill
4/29: London-Sleeping Beauty
4/30: Home

5/1: not to SF

Alea Jacta est.

I've bought my transatlantic ticket, and will buy the intraeurope train tickets in a few days.

Tip for anyone planning train travel - the one-way prices at http://www.thalys.com - the main site for the Thalys train - are far more (double) the prices on the Belgian Rail site (http://www.b-rail.be) where a Thalys one way ticket Brussels-Paris is 25 Euros if purchased well in advance.

Anyone got good tips on getting Eurostar tickets cheaper?

Estelle, I'm so sorry our schedules don't mesh.

Leigh,

The cheapest Eurostar tickets are the ones sold in France as "Nasty price tickets". It's 77 euros for both your first ticket and your return tickets. These tickets can't be refunded, and you can't change them.


Here's a link to the french website where you can buy them. I can't the site in English on my computer, I don't know why..
http://www.eurostar.com/FR/fr/leisure/late.../NastyPrice.jsp

My flights are arranged, and I've been able to order tickets through various websites with one exception: Paris Opera Ballet for the 27 April matinee. I already have a ticket in hand for the 28 April performance. When I ordered them, neither matinee (27 Apr/4 May) were available through the website. Lately, the 4 May matinee has been added to the list.

I hope that there is a 27 Apr matinee, and that it hasn't been cancelled or re-scheduled like the school performance.

I hope that BT on Tour will be able to send someone for Alexandra Ansanelli's Juliet on June 12th. Given her proclivity for drama and abandonment, she can be expected to go right to the edge with this role. I just hope Watson is ready for it!

I hope so too Haglund! In spite of my dislike for this ballet I would love to see Ansanelli's Juliet.

Well, I won't be on tour, but I'm hoping to see a series of RB Juliet debuts in June (Ansanelli, Lamb, and Nunez).

I'm on a different schedule, and since my traveling companion is a musician and lover of modern dance, the itinerary is an interdisciplinary compromise. Though I couldn't talk my sister into going to see Sleeping Beauty more than once, given the price of tickets at Covent Garden, I did convince her that ordering the POB twice was prudent just in case of a strike at the Opéra.

4/09 - London - Carlos in Cuba (Carlos Acosta & Danza Contemporanea de Cuba)
4/10 - London - R.Strauss, Beethoven (Philharmonia Orchestra)
4/11 - London - Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet)
4/12 - Brussels - Medée (La Monnaie)
4/13 - Ghent - Dialogues des Carmélites (Vlaamse Opera)
4/14 - Paris - École de danse
4/15 - Paris - POB triple bill
4/16 - Paris - Death in Venice (Hamburg Ballet)
4/17 - Paris - POB triple bill
4/18 - Paris - Sylvie Guillem & Akram Khan

Planes, trains and hotels are set. My only complaint is having to stand in line to pick up our London show tickets, while the Belgian and French tickets came by mail. Much more convenient.

LOL I sincerely there won't be any strickes when you're in !

Would the Londoners and the Parisians like to get together for dinner or lunch while Helene and I are there?

We'd love to. Just PM or email me and I'll try to set something up. The locals get to help decide where to eat!

Have a great time - I'm so jealous! I busted my ballet budget this year so I'll just have to stay home and read your posts. I'm looking forward to them!

PM ! See you soon

Updating -

Volcanohunter - if you have net access, I hope you'll report in on what you're seeing!

Dinners - given the intersection of schedules, it looks like the best days to meet are Wednesday April 23 in London and Monday April 28 in Paris. In both cases Helene and I are going to a 7:30 pm performance and I could eat before or after depending on restaurant hours. Helene? In the infinite wisdom and cooperative spirit of the press office of the Paris Opera Ballet they have given me exactly one out of three requests I made. Because it is "not possible" to see the Ek program at the premiere on the 26th, I will see it on the 28th and miss a second viewing of the triple bill. Thank you, press office. So, on the 28th I'll be at the Garnier for the Ek program while Helene will be at the Bastille. I'm going to delegate here - Ami, would you care to help arrange a place to eat in London and suggest a time - Cygneblanc, would you do the same for Paris?

Hotel and stuff: Yes, it's more expensive than it was, but there are still lucky bargains out there, especially in London if your nerves can take using Priceline or Hotwire. Amazingly enough, for April 21-25, Hotwire had a 3* hotel in their Kensington area (which is larger than the actual area) for $62 a night. Dollars. Not pounds. I was torn about accepting it (you don't know what hotel you have until you pay for it, and it's non-refundable) but the need to economize on all the travel won out and I steeled myself for four nights in an aging flophouse. Happy ending - it was the Holiday Inn Express Earls Court which is a new hotel and gets good ratings on Tripadvisor. Basic and a bit farther out than I prefer, but for $62 a night, I am not complaining.

Helene and I both booked our Belgium and France hotels on Booking.com, which has very competitive rates and the bookings are fully cancelable (a nice change from Priceline). I'd rather stay at a more modest hotel in the Marais than farther out in a nicer place. Another good trick is that shopathome.com gives a 12% cash rebate on Booking.com bookings - that just about offsets the drop in the dollar. Almost.

Neither Hotwire nor Priceline are giving me any bargain of that kind for April 29 in London. I would rather stay closer in, so I am still bidding.

Yes, I'll organise, not a problem! I guess it would be best if folks pm-d me to confirm they'd like to come? And... I'm thinking if we choose somewhere close (last time I made Leigh walk a marathon in the heat!), 6pm should be okay?

I'll post a few suggestions here by the end of the week to see if folks have thoughts, but if not, I'll decide by veto.

Regarding the 26th, Leigh (and others): I have been assigned to covering a student workshop that day, and thus my two RB/Sleeping Beauty tickets (Lamb and Putrov) are up for grabs. They are up in the Heavens, but in good view (Amphi P45 and 46). £15 each, if anyone is interested just drop me a PM.

Looking forward to it!

P.S. Haglund's: I'll be at Ansanelli's Juliet!

If the group seems as if it will be large, can I put in a request for 5:30 for a comfort margin? (Better to have time to talk, get lost, be late, etc)

If it's just a few of us, 6pm close by should be fine.

And thank you!

Yup, 5:30 is fine!

OK, I can try to arrange something. If we settle for Monday 28th, I'm afraid we'll have to go after your performances, because I won't be able to leave my work before 7 PM, unless we can go for lunch. And it's not easy to find a restaurant where you can have diner before 7 PM.

For the ones who are interested, please PM me with what you wish to eat or not, when you're available, and the area you're staying in.

Otherwise, maybe sunday for a late lunch ?

See you soon!

Just a reminder for folks to contact me, via PM, if they'd like to meet for dinner in London next Weds, 23 April, around 5:30 pm in Covent Garden!

It seems we have a small group, and thanks for the suggestions. I'll list a few below. If no one voices a preference, I'll pick a place! I'll try to have everything sorted by Friday evening (GMT), so that those travelling have the information to hand.

One place I always enjoy is Sapori - it's somewhat zany, quite busy usually, with an eclectic Italian staff... I've always enjoyed my food there as well (but I'm vegetarian, so I won't speak for the larger menu)
http://www.toptable.co.uk/venues/restaurants/?id=38

A place that has just recently opened is Masala Zone. I've not eaten there, but I've eaten at the 'nicer' restaurants (when my parents visit!) associated with it - Chutney Mary's and Veeraswamy.
http://www.masalazone.com

And there's a Wagamama's - again, I love it for its veggie food - but I won't speak to the rest of the menu!
http://www.masalazone.com/

As has been recommended:
Johnston's in the Strand Palace hotel:
http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk/restaurants.asp

And the Real Greek, which apparently is real good, but without super-comfy seating.
http://www.therealgreek.com/therealgreek/m...Spring_2007.pdf

I'm game for anything on the list, and I'm happy with vegetarian.

For Paris, our performance starts at 2:30, and I'm guessing we'll be out between 4:45-5:15. I have an 8pm opera on Sunday night, but I'd be happy to have a meal after the afternoon performance on the 27th (Sunday), or after the performance on the 28th. (I'm sure Leigh and I can find a way to graze to tide us over.) As long as there's a Metro stop near the restaurant, both Leigh and I should be able to convene.

OK, I checked things out, and it looks like the best thing would be to meet on sunday after the triple bill performance and before Helene's evening in Garnier.

I suggest we meet at either the Clément (http://www.chezclement.com) or the Hyppo restaurant (shttp://www.hippopotamus.fr) on sunday 27 th at about 5.30 PM. It's not easy to find a restaurant where you can eat a late lunch or an early dinner in Paris, and much less on a sunday.

Both are near Garnier, near from a metro station and easy to find. Otherwise, there are also a lot restaurants in the Bastille area for a late diner on Monday.

If the majority can't choose, I think I will pick the Clement ! It would be great if things could be sorted tonight !

I'd be happy to do either. If I had a preference, it would be whichever would be the more relaxed and interfere less with family and/or work plans.

Helene, it will be definively more relaxed on Sunday. For the ones who plan to attend, please send me a PM so I can give you my details if they're needed. See you soon!

Friends, apologies for posting this late, as I didn't have computer access earlier this weekend. I've decided on Sapori for dinner on Weds, booking is for 5:30, in my name (Ami). If I'm late, please start! One thing I've learned is that when you really want the trains to be on time, things will work against you!

Sapori is at 43 Drury Lane. If you know where the ballerina statue is across from the ROH, Sapori is at the other end of that pedestrian walkway. 2 minutes from ROH. If you need better directions, let me know!

Many thanks cygneblanc and ami!

Leigh flies today, and I on Tuesday. I can't believe this is here already!

Having just returned from my travels, my brain is still too foggy to deal with choreography.

Sticking for now with the Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty, I generally liked the production, though I still think it's a mistake to combine the sixth fairy and the Lilac Fairy. IMO Rudolf Nureyev and Peter Wright were correct in keeping them separate. I disliked Christopher Wheeldon's Garland Dance intensely. In my head I could hear my non-dancer mother expressing her frequent frustration with choreographic treatments of 3/4 time: "Why can't they just waltz?" Wheeldon's choreography is too clever by half, and his attempts at maneuvering dancers into complex floor patterns struck me as extremely laboured. I'm also not sure what to do about Ashton's Act 2 solo for the Prince. I've now seen a number of dancers attempt it, and no one's come remotely close to matching the phenomenal control, line and phrasing of Anthony Dowell, captured on film some 40 years ago. Comparing that film with performances of the solo nowadays, I question the standard belief in ever-rising technical standards among male dancers.

On the performance side, the dancers who most impressed me were Yuhui Choe, Gillian Revie, Myriam Ould-Braham, Alessio Carbone, Wilfried Romoli, Delphine Moussin, Stéphane Phavorin, Hélène Bouchet, Alexandre Riabko and Ivan Urban.

Most disappointing: Alexandra Ansanelli and Emilie Cozette.