Woolf Works

Thankfully, I wake up feeling very much better and manage a late morning walk around the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. As always, I’m so full of admiration for these images and for the photographers who’ve taken them - and the accompanying notes make clear the dedication needed! 

We’ve met up with Simon and Lloyd, who return with us to our hotel to watch the rugby (a rare win for Wales) and - in my case - rest. 

Tonight is the event that’s brought us down to London, and the one thing I didn’t want to miss: Woolf Works in the Royal Opera House. 

Wayne McGregor’s masterpiece premiered in 2015, based on the life and work of Virginia Woolf with the most wonderful score by Max Richter. We have seen it previously in the cinema - one of those excellent live broadcasts from the Royal Opera House - and loved it. But there is nothing that can replace actually being there - and I vow to travel down to London when it is revived. Hence, this has been a long awaited cultural pilgrimage: it doesn’t disappoint. 

The role of the writer is performed by my favourite ballerina, the brilliant Natalie Osipova - a role originally created by the veteran dancer Alessandra Ferri who at 59 is still performing it but sharing this run with Osipova and Nunez. Osipova is, of course, stunning, as is the whole performance. It is both technically perfect and emotionally powerful; I can honestly say I have never felt so totally overwhelmed by a theatrical event and spend much of the time with tears not only in my eyes but streaming down my face. The music - particularly in the first and third sections - is relentlessly emotional and beautiful, and together with set, lighting, costumes and - of course - movement - it makes a perfect whole. 

My main is of one of the many curtain calls against the wave background of the final act. Of course, photography is not allowed, but many of the audience sneak mobile shots at this point as technically the performance is over. The icing on the cake comes when the choreographer McGregor joins the cast on stage and the applause becomes thunderous as we all stand to acknowledge his creative genius (an extra, as the shot is rubbish!) 

To make the evening even more special, we eat in the Balconies restaurant of the Paul Hamlyn Hall - a beautiful structure once housing the flower market (another extra). It’s definitely been an evening to remember. 

Thanks so much for all your kind good wishes - all much appreciated - and apologies for my absence. 

More on the ballet in the link below - and if you’re not familiar with the score, I urge you to hunt it out. It’s absolutely gorgeous. 
https://waynemcgregor.com/productions/woolf-works