Amidst all the ballyhoo re the NYCB London visit RB opened their latest run of Sleeping Beauty's last night - and this thread is for discussion and views etc

John Ross, effervescent as ever, was at the photoshoot...

Deirdre Chapman as Carabosse

Laura Morera, Valeri Hristov and Victoria Hewitt

Tamara Rojo and Federico Bonelli

Royal Ballet: Sleeping Beauty - Covent Garden, March 2008
Ballet.co Gallery Area
all images © John Ross

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I sometimes think that Sleeping Beauty is too long. Well perhaps not sometimes, more like most times. I'm clearly very ignorant and disrespectful of classical ballet's pinnacle of achievement and I apologise to all - er... sorry. But surely any producer now would limit such lengthy 4-act ambitions on the basis that classicism alone (OK, plus a scant plot), can't really sustain 3 hours. You get to the end and the magnificence of the final pose involving the complete cast and you seem to have been watching the longest grand défilé known to man.

And I say this having seen a stellar cast featuring 8 principals led by Tamara Rojo, who I think is the company's best, and Federico Bonelli - a wonderful classical dancer. Better, I enjoyed it much also, it's just that the enjoyment is dotted around and the endless cavalcade of minor dances does not bridge the gaps.

What thrilled was Rojo's technical brilliance - she balances better than anybody else I know and the Rose Adagio with the four Princes is an unmitigated triumph. You don't get many of those in a lifetime and Rojo is currently at the top of her game. There was some luxury casting in the Bluebirds too with Sarah Lamb looking sharp and at ease, though sadly Yohei Sasaki could not compare and the two looked very unmatched, to nobody's advantage. Marianela Nunez, the most radiant of all the RB principals, did her radiant thing as the Lilac Fairy - in character, and out, she's a dancer you can trust to do good by you I think.

The new/old designs still garner an odd response from me. The Oliver Messel painted backcloths/sets are wonderful, some of the costume colours, as for Catalabutte, also inspire but others are rather twee and uninspiring pastels. More worryingly some of the costumes look poorly made out of inexpensive fabric. I don't recall ever thinking that before about an RB production. Overall though I still don't understand the imperative of Ross Stretton commissioning the 2003 production and Monica Mason spending yet more money again 3 years later, especially when the Dowell production from 1994 could have carried on. A tragic waste of money really.

But Rojo's performance made me glad to be alive and the final closing pose does bring a lump to the throat at the magnificence of the art. Now if we can just get it all down to 3 acts and 2 hours we'd be really motoring.

From her ecstatic entrance, every movement in the Rose Adagio seemed unhurried yet shot through with excitement of youth. The balances were perfect, with a smile and pause for each suitor; in the first set she simply balanced and smiled at the foruth prince (Gary Avis in another memorable cameo) rather than taking his hand.

Her vision was ethereal and wraith like, yet infused with a longing to be awoken which seemed to arouse Johan Kobborg's Prince from torpor to ardour in a moment, leaving him looking dizzy with excitement.

The Aurora of the final pas de deux was already a woman of elegance and grace, glowing and dignified, a true princess.

A really great performance from a star of stars.

The company surrounded her with splendid assurance. Isabel McMeekan was regal and beautiful as the Lilac Fairy. Laura Morera was witty and delightful as Florine and the Enchanted Garden Fairy. Yohei Sasaki was on strong form as the Bluebird.

Mara Galeazzi showed exquisite poise as the Woodland Glade Fairy. Samantha Raine glittered and used her lovely arms to great effect as the Golden Vine Fairy and the first of Florestans sisters.

Victoria Hewitt made a strong impression as a very sweet Countess and was a very elegant Crystal Fountain Fairy. Ageless veterans Genesia Rosato and Elizabeth McGorian were wonderful as ever as the Queen and Carabosse.

I thought the production looked lovely; the lighting levels have definitely risen. The orchestra were superb under Ovsianikov.And sorry Bruce, but I wish it had been longer and included more of the hunting dances!

On the question of length, isn't the basic problem that the story finishes at the end of Act 2? Divertissements and variations can be fitted in nicely to ongoing fairy tales, but once the Prince and Princess have resolved their problems there's no narrative interest left. I know we're all adults and we shouldn't care, but stories still have great power, whether one is six or sixty.

You're right - Iohna was unwell, so Yuhui Choe was the Song Bird, Romany Pajdak a 'friend', and Bethany Keating was the White Cat. There was a change slip at some of the programme selling points, so you must have been unlucky where you picked up your cast sheet.

And no, it wasn't one of Alina's finest hours, unlike Saturday evening, when I thought she was utterly wonderful.

Then recently, somebody sent me a copy of Bussell's 10 greatest ballet moments. One of the items was Durante, dancing the Rose Adagio. On this occasion, the music seemed much quicker, particular for the last part. Durante swept crisply through, with perfect balance. Yes, the tempo slowed slightly for the last 4 supported turns and balances. However, it gave the feeling that the music was building to a majestic crescendo, rather than that sense of "oh no, here comes the difficult bit, slow it right down so that I can get into position".

I'd better not say who I saw, but could it be that Durante was better in this role than some of the current Auroras? Or has the tempo been deliberately slowed down for some reason? I'm sure I've noticed this in other ballets as well, such as R & J.

I started the evening feeling disappointed by the non appearance of Darcey, but ending it being blown away by Viviana. Her balances were perfect and I have rarely seen anyone else come anywhere near it since.