Ballet - excited and nervous

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I love live theatre....... ballet, opera, music both classical and modern, musicals.... haven't been since before Covid. Last saw Swan Lake at ROH a good few years ago and it was a fairly traditional version, but very enjoyable. While I can agree that knowing the plot line can be helpful, sometimes I think it's good not to know. When I went to the musical Miss Saigon with my favourite sister-in-law and niece, neither knew the story or that it was based on Madam Butterfly. Their shock at the final scene and the tears that flowed were so emotional, and both said they were glad they didn't know it was coming.
crazyH enjoy your outing, take the precautions already advised re sweets and water, but most of all enjoy, and I hope this will be the first of more visits to a wonderful medium.

All culture is for everybody, MayBeMaw

Of course it is, but how many more people go to pantomimes than to the opera, to the cinema and not to the RSC, to pop concerts and not the Festival Hall?
Like it or not, classical music, opera, ballet and the theatre have a “highbrow” image which I totally refute - but that doesn’t negate it.
That is why it was so nice to see an audience of families , of children and grannies, young women out with their girl friends
and couples young and old last Sunday. Not a stuffed shirt among them!

All culture is for everybody, MayBeMaw.

My son is taking my granddaughter (age 9) to The Nutcracker at the the Coliseum (English National Ballet) the day before Christmas Eve. I said it will be full of little girls in party dresses, and he says she has got a hers ready. My DIL doesn’t like ballet, so she’s staying at home with the boy, who just couldn’t sit still through a long performance.

Wasnt The Nutcracker magical? I too saw it at The Hippodrome, (last Sunday ) and and unlike your audience, everyone behaved perfectly. We were asked NOT to video and I saw nobody trying to and (bonus) being a matinee I had children in front of me in the next TWO rows so I got a wonderful view (rear circle- I always go up as I am.only 5'2")
My grandson was not in it this year (he danced one of the children 3 years ago) but I still loved it.
What I like about The Nutcracker and maybe Swan Lake and of course the Matthew Bourne ballets, is that they are very democratic - not "posh" high culture, but for everybody.

I went to my first ballet 2 weeks ago, The Nutcracker at the hippodrome.
A very large man sat in front of my daughter and proceeded to sit on a child's booster seat provided by the theatre. My daughter asked very politely if he wouldn't use the booster as she couldn't see. In a very loud voice he announced he had piles.
The lady in front of me decided to video it on her mobile holding it directly in front of my head to get the best view! I did speak with her.
Aside from that we had a lovely time and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I saw Swan Lake once at the Royal Festival Hall and it was absolutely magical. I’m sure you will have a wonderful time! Perhaps some bottled water would be a good idea to prevent coughing; I usually take one to any theatre trip just in case!

The only throat/cough sweets that really stop me coughing are Ricola. They used to be available at Holland and Barrett but I haven’t been near the shop since Feb. 2020. I wouldn’t go to cinema or theatre or a funeral without a packet in my bag.

Just wear a visor, take a straw and a bottle of water. Put a mask in your bag in case the ushers insist on it, but if you tell them that you have asthma and find masks constricting, they are likely to agree that you can wear a visor.

It's a beautiful ballet crazy have some tissues handy and sit back and enjoy.

How I envy you. I went to ballet lessons until I was fifteen and had to leave because we moved to the country. Have loved ballet ever since.
We were in in Italy in 1951 and my husband took me to La Scala on our fifth wedding anniversary.
Years ago Sky Arts had many televised many ballet performances and I recorded them on DVD and have never tired of watching them.

And, I've got my Covid Pass as well ?

Thanks again - Dottygran, that made me laugh ???

Take Pholcodine tickly cough medicine it works a treat.

I hope your ballet goes ahead. I had booked to go to York for a tribute show next month, but it has now been resceduled for July 22. I am so disappointed. I had booked two nights in an hotel too

The costumes depend which production you see - they aren’t all the same. Ballet costumes are more consistent than those for opera, though. You can be pretty sure that Odette (the Swan Queen) will wear a white tutu, and Odile her alter ego will wear a black one.

I’ve been to ballet all my life - feel almost envious of you going for the first time, seeing it with fresh eyes. I hope you love it. The music is gorgeous.

Go and enjoy, as some have said to your water or some quiet sweets to suck. i am going to see Scottish ballet perform The Nutcracker after Christmas and can't wait. The costumes for Swan Lake are brilliant as is the dancing. I saw it with the Moscow Ballet and it was stunning.

Oh look, I got your name wrong CrazyH - and I can't edit it - must have been thinking about the Osmonds in the 70s............

Crazyhorse, when I read the title I thought you had taken up ballet! And that you were really excited about it - had visions of us all joining you in our leotards at the barre doing stretches - as if (certainly in my case) HAHAHAHA. Nearest I ever get to ballet is careering round the living room with 4 YO DGD - she very gracefully, me not so much, crooning the theme from the dying swan. Dear Lord, Mr Dot has it on video somewhere - I look like Max Wall in my leggings and slippers

We go to the ballet (pre Covid) several times a year. We saw Swan Lake a few weeks ago. These are all performed by Russian Touring Companies.
I tend to wear comfortable clothes. No eating or drinking is allowed. However I always have a small box of sweets just in case I get a tickly throat. No rustling of sweet papers.
I hope you enjoy the performance.

As a fellow asthmatic I find that throat sweets are good for stopping a tickly throat - the kind that are like boiled sweets.

Before moving to France we regularly went to the ballet and, depending upon finances, we either sat in Grand Tier at Covent Garden or stood behind the stalls. Once the house lights dim I like to prepare myself and hope that everyone around me stops talking. At one performance two seats along the row were occupied by a different couple during each act. I don't think they were that interested in the dance but I guess it gave them something to talk about with their friends and colleagues.

Standing was good because there was room to fidget, a nice padded rail to lean on and look over at the people in the stalls who had paid at least 10 times the price we paid to stand.

I hope that you enjoy Swan Lake crazyH and that you get to see more ballets in future.

Enjoy Swan Lake, crazyH, what a lovely present. Maybe try sucking some Strepsils, I am sure other throat lozenges are available!

It's handy to have your vaccine status on the NHS App on your phone, you can also print off a paper copy. We had to show ours to attend a BBC Scotland live recording of The Big Scottish Book Group in our local concert hall. We also used it, along with several other documents, for travel to US and to attend theatre there. We had to show it to enter the food court in Dublin Airport. It shows your double vaccination status and dates, but not the booster.
Enjoy your special outing with your DD.

You will have a wonderful time! I love ballet. Wear whatever you like.

I love the ballet. Have seen Swan Lake and several others over the years but now that we've left London I doubt that I'll go again. You will LOVE it CrazyH it's magical!

I'm asthmatic too so I take my inhaler, a drink, and some boiled sweets. And now of course a face mask. Try to get an aisle seat not too far from the loos so that you don't have to walk too far which might make you wheezy. And just wear whatever you feel comfortable in, layers are good as it could get rather warm. Whenever I went to the ROH or Saddlers Wells I liked to wear something smart or dressy, the location seemed to demand it!

Have a wonderful time.

How lovely. I'm so envious. However, I fully appreciate your anxiety as I was in a similar (but slightly different) position myself. The tips are already mostly here. Take plenty of water and sip away periodically even when not desperately required. Sucky sweets are helpful if they usually work for you. Attire is unimportant cosmetically. Wear what you are comfortable in and probably lairs where you can peel off and on at leisure in keeping with your own comfort zone. I so hope it proves to be a wonderful and unforgettable occasion for you. Good luck.