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Leeds
439# Leeds Grand
By Oliver Davies on Mon, 20 July 2009 at 11:38:53 AM
Absolutely wonderful. Thank you.
438# Leeds 4th June
By Jean & friends on Thu, 16 July 2009 at 08:02:04 AM
We thought the middle dance was absolutely brilliant, but we were not very keen on the first, it was a bit long, and we found the last dance unutterably depressing, the music was painful and we thought it would never end!I was very disappointed as I have seen some really good things in the past.The dancers were very expressive, but I would not want to see it again, middle part excluded. Sorry!
Jean
433# Leeds
By Anna Craven on Mon, 29 June 2009 at 06:29:22 AM
I saw your performance in Leeds recently (4 June) - it was excellent. Many years ago I had not been impressed by the standard of dance and presentation of the Rambert company.
I particularly appreciated the live music/dedicated composition/singers - it makes a huge difference to performance overall (any company). There is something second hand about using recordings - no give and take between performers (musicians and dancers).
best wishes and thanks to all for the performance.
426# Eternal Light
By Adam White on Fri, 19 June 2009 at 06:31:18 AM
Hi,
I thought \'Eternal Light\' was one of the most sublimely beautiful experiences I\'ve ever had. My friend and I wrote to Howard Goodall (the composer) and said that this music is a work of genius. He graciously replied that he was, \'...most touched by the compliment \'. Did you know he wrote the theme music to Black Adder, Mr Bean and the Catherine Tate Show, amongst others? What a diverse talent! Here\'s his website in case you want to pass on your opinions. http://www.howardgoodall.co.uk/. He seems a down-to-earth and genuine chap.
Back to the dancing. I can\'t believe some of the negative comments in this blog - I mean, what planet are they on? Even though I thought the music was extraordinary and brilliant, the dancing and choreography were even better. I\'ll never forget the three performances, so different but all exceptional. I loved \'Infinity\' with it\'s loud, ringing, heart beat-like accompanying music and dynamic, harsh choreography. I have never seen a dance work that had sinister elements to it quite like that; fantastic! Hush was whimsical and amusing and Eternal light just magical. The dancers are wonderfully gifted and the choreography exceptional. The style of dance was different from The Northern Ballet Theatre (which I\'m used to) - more fluid and innovative maybe (I\'m struggling with my loyalties here). The costume design (especially for Infinity) was superb. I could have watched the three works several times over. Thank you to the Rambert Dance Company for an emotionally ravishing experience.
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424# Eternal Light
By Roy and Kay Ward on Tue, 16 June 2009 at 03:55:24 PM
Seen at Leeds recently. Absolutely fantastic. One of the most dramatic and moving dance spectacles that we have seen. The music by Howard Goodall was breathtakingly beautiful and we have now ordered the CD.
The other two dances were also great and altogether it was an evening of dance that we shall treasure for a long time.
423# Not enough narrative
By Nick P on Tue, 16 June 2009 at 11:20:33 AM
I agree somewhat with SJN.
Whilst the middle performance was excellent with great characterisation I found that the first and last pieces in the performance lacked any narrative.
This made it very difficult to follow what was going on and whilst I'm sure the dancers are exceedingly proficient these sets perhaps didn't highlight this to best effect.
I felt the choreography was weak overall and in places quite repetative.
Sadly a bit of a disappointment.
421# Eternal Light - Leeds
By Martina on Tue, 16 June 2009 at 02:54:06 AM
Thank you for such a beautiful performance in Leeds. I had been excited about the performance for a long time having bought the tickets months ago and also dragged my Mother along who has never seen Rambert before. She was very impressed and I was just as amazed as I have been during previous performances. I even bought the Eternal Light - A Requiem CD and have listened to it a million times over. Thank you again x
420# Eternal light Leeds
By Kay on Mon, 15 June 2009 at 11:21:54 AM
Beautiful, poetic and a treat for the eyes and ears!
How do they do it?! Everything was magical-the music, the dancers, the costumes and the sets for all 3 pieces.
I was transfixed. I wanted to see requiem again, straight away!
The friends that came with me all felt as though we had had a magical night. Thank you
Kay
419# Eternal Light programe
By I.W. on Mon, 15 June 2009 at 08:54:29 AM
Three one act ballets. Two concerned life and death with a little gem, Hush, sandwiched in the middle. Eternal Life did not grab my attention from the start. As it progressed I did find the combination of Howard Goodalls\' beautiful Requiem,the singing and dancing very moving but I also found the yo-yo-ing effect of the crosses an unnecessary distraction.
Christopher Bruces\' Hush was a pure joy.
No working out who was doing what to whom and why? Mother,father and the kids danced their socks off. Pure entertainment and that ,strangely enough, is one very good reason that I go to the theatre. Infinity, I could have done without , you did well to drop it from the matinee. Technically, I am sure critics will have given it a thumbs up but I am not a critic though I have followed ballet for about 60 years. I found it unsettling. I found the subject distasteful. Surely we see enough death and violence every time we switch on the news without it being portrayed as a form of art on stage.
This is not a criticism of the dancers they are, without any doubt, quite brilliant. I do, however question the make up of the evening programme.
417# Eternal Light tour
By Jim and Lindsay on Mon, 15 June 2009 at 08:01:34 AM
This is simply to say thank you on behalf of both myself and my wife for a wonderfully uplifting night. It's impossible to single out Eternal Light:a Requiem, Hush or Infinity for special mention. They were all breathtaking.
This is the second time we have seen the Company and I personally am not easily 'wowed' or overwhelmed but I could barely drive away from the theatre such was the impact on me emotionally. We are dealing with some terrible personal news at the moment. My wife's younger sister has just had major surgery. She is being very positive but the prognosis is grim. We are all coming to grips with it.
It was therefore with some trepidation that I took a closer look at the programme as we settled into our seats last night at the Grand in Leeds. Suffice to say we had no need for apprehension. In particular my wife felt it was a 'healing experience'.
I'm not a ballet afficionado and can't wax lyrical about the technical expertise of it all but to us it was faultless and such an expression of the best of being human. The dancing, the imagery, the lighting, the music, the simplicity.
My wife has reminded me to tell you that amid her hoops of joy when it was time to applaud she really wanted to shriek 'Thank you' at the top of her voice. That goes for both of us.
At an extremely sensitive time, all of those young dancers, designers, choreographers, whom we don't know and who will never know us, touched our lives.
There will be many people in this audience and others who you influence and continue to do so. They won't all send emails.
So this one is for all of them.
Please, if you can, find a way to let the Company know how powerful and empowering they all are, simply by doing what they love.
Thank you,
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