RB Reviews Zelensky reviews Bussell reviews

I just came back from Shanghai. Since Boston Symphony Orchestra's China tour was canceled (Maestro Seiji Ozawa came alone), I suddenly decided to go to Shanghai to see more RB's performances instead. It was May 11, the first day of R&J in Shanghai. After making some appointment related to my work, I found it was hard to get to Shanghai before the performance begin. So I had to give up that night and went to Shanghai by an overnight train.

I directly headed for the Shanghai Grand Theater from the railway station and managed to get 2 tickets (almost the last ones) for the performances on 12 and 14(both by Darcey Bussell and Igor Zelinsky).

Both performances were successful. Shanghai Grand Theater is a new theater with very good facilities, and it's stage is much bigger (I think at least by 30-40%) than Beijing Exhibition Theater. Benefited by the better theater and a little bit better orchestra (conducted by Graham Bond). The movement of the dancers (especially the corps de ballet) was much improved and the fighting scenes were more effective. Liu Shi Ning did very well in his performance as Mercutio on 12, he jumped and turned with such swiftness that finally made me realize why he had been promoted to be a RB soloist.

Principle dancers seemed very tired after the long lasting tour though. I saw Igor sweat heavily even when he was not dancing, and his hands shook when he did a lift. I do think he needs a holiday after the tour.

I went to the theater on May 13 as well and tried to buy a cheap ticket from a scalper but failed. I asked the theater staffs how the other performances were. They told me all performances including 3 Mal Gardee were good and the first R&J by Sylvie / Cope (on May 11) got very favorable reaction.

During one of the intervals, I found Sir Anthony Dowell was just standing a few rows behind me. So I walked to him and talked with him for a while. I told him that I had seen most of their performances in Beijing and came to Shanghai to see more, and I hope the company to come again. He looked very happy about it.