First, how trim Irek looked – he’s leaner than he’s been for a while, and his landings were feather soft!

Second, the overwhelming disappointment that we wouldn’t be seeing Viviana – the evening was definitely not the better for that omission.

Third, how shabby the Coli looks next to the newly refurbished ROH – and how hot and sticky it was. But how much better the sightlines are!

On to some details.

Irek’s introduction - very Irek, very charming and very sincere despite his playing to the crowd. His brief tribute to Lesley Collier was straight from the heart, as were his remarks about Viviana and MacMillan. It felt a bit like a Tom Jones concert in our area of the Upper Circle, though – a lot of squealing middle-aged women! Perhaps Irek has a future as a variety compere when his dancing days are done?

I think I’ll gloss over the Sabre dance for the Arts Educational lot. It was a fair example of its genre, performed to the standards that I would expect, and I applaud the motives that put this and the last number in the programme. Can’t really say much more than that.

The tarantella by Balanchine was a nice bit of froth – makes a change from the usual Gala fare, and Irek performed it with panache and some hints of his old prowess – he didn’t push himself too far, but gave us a handful of impressive jumps and beats. His partner, Isabella Milewska, was less assured (and seemed to have double-jointed feet!), but Irek guided her through it well. He is without a doubt a superb partner – there are never any dodgy moments or even any ugly/awkward-looking moments in his lifts or lowerings of his ballerinas. They are securely and gracefully held, turned, displayed and put back down again!

Fearful Symmetries was quite a treat – I like what I’ve seen of this work, and Mara Galeazzi is always a joy to watch. She and Adam Cooper danced well together, but were eclipsed for me by my memories of Irek and Leanne (IIRC) in the ROH opening gala – Mara and Adam just didn’t have the same impact.

The high spot of the evening, without a doubt, was Tamara Rojo’s Giselle. A magical performance, she really did seem not of this world. So musical, so melting, so ethereal, and so damn good! She was beautifully accompanied – was the conductor the same man who accompanied Sylvie’s Giselle last month? The orchestra was fabulous in this too. I didn’t feel that Slawomir Wozniak lived up to Tamara, really, here – I would have liked to see Irek in this number (that would have shown us that he isn’t ready to retire, too!). I am now determined to see Tamara’s Giselle at the ROH next year.

Irek and Altynai were lovely in the Tuckett/Armstrong piece – very Cyd and Gene (but Irek’s partnering skills make him more of a Fred than a Gene, even if his physique is more Gene than Fred). A nicely-judged, nicely-performed number.

“Sita” by Darshan Singh Bhuller went on far too long. Mara and Irek performed it well enough (but not perfectly – they lacked the Torvill and Dean synchronisation that might have lifted it up from the rather dull to the quite impressive) but about a third of the length would have been just fine.

Miyako was stunning in Daphnis and Chloe (has anyone ever seen this all the way through? And why was Stuart Cassidy dressed in cutoff cricket whites?) although Stuart Cassidy was a little one-dimensional. I would have liked to see Irek dance with Miyako too…

Irek’s “Four Horsemen” was super. It could have done with more rehearsal – I would have liked the men to have been better synchronised – but it was a clever little piece, nicely choreographed and performed. With good support and guidance, I think Irek could have a future as a producer of new works – certainly of new editions of old works, and possibly of new ballets as well. I was pleased to see Daria Klimentova, having heard so much about her – I’d like to see her in the classics now.

The Spartacus was a disappointment. Adam Cooper looked very uncomfortable and did not handle Tamara Rojo at all well – he really struggled with the lifts, and his “groin-splitting” jumps were just not up to the job either. Not a patch on Irek! I couldn’t really work out where this piece came from either – I thought I recognised parts at least of it as belonging to Crassus and Aegina, but I wasn’t quite sure.

Finally, Zorba – well, that was an entertainment. Nothing more to say, really, except that Slawomir Wozniak (speaking of Torvill and Dean, did anyone else spot the Chris Dean resemblance here?) did some really fantastic grand allegro, and Irek I think could have done more than he did…

Overall thoughts? A fun evening, with some great moments, quite a lot of good moments and one or two rather poor ones. I felt that Irek didn’t go out with the bang that I at least had hoped for, but I was glad I was there.

I too enjoyed Giselle, but the piece I liked most was Sita. Last year at the Wells he danced it with Asylmuratova and it looked a bit stiff and restrained but with Mara Galeazzi.. er wow! Reverent, spiritual and sexual dance all rolled up.

The Four Horsman was fun and I'm glad you liked Daria - she was spot on last night - lovely technique and sense of fun.. as had the boys.

I also thought the star of the show - apart from Irek - was Tamara Rojo who was just stunning!! Booked to see her in Don Quixote this morning - she's just amazing.

The comment earlier about there being a Tom Jones concert atmosphere was very apt. It actually occurred to me at the end that I really should have bought some knickers to throw at Irek. I'm just so pleased that Irek should now be in no doubt that even if the RB really did treat him badly, the British ballet going public still love him very much indeed.

Readers never cease to amaze at times!

1 I agree with Bruce about Sita. It is a most testing piece - and it was brave of Irek to have done it. I thought he and Mara looked terrific. While Dharshan Singh Bullar, the choreographer, had been merciless at rehearsal, I think he can be pleased with the outcome.

2 Four Horsemen was good fun. Irek sees it as a test-run for a full-length piece. On last night's showing it has real potential; the boys gave it their all and Daria has such an attractive stage presence. I found the use of pointe in her tango with Irek quite mesmerising.
Hopefully we may see it again at the Royal Variety Performance.

3 I disagree with Anneliese about Spartacus (yes it was Crassus and Aegina). Irek took the view that while Adam and Tamara would not give the same account of the choreography as dancers from the Bolshoi, the results would be pretty interesting to see. I found them pretty persuasive.

4 Worth saying too that Isabella Milewska had only 24 hours to rehearse the Tarantella with Irek. To my mind it was a spirited and creditable account

5 What shone through the night was Irek's generosity to the audience and to his fellow performers. There was a real sense of a baton passing to a new generation in the way he shared the limelight with Slawomir Wozniak in Zorba, the closing piece. Irek is a most exceptional man; a gifted performer, a fine teacher, and a natural leader. Hopefully we will have the fruits of his work for many years to come.

I don't think Fearful Symmetries quite works as a pas de deux. I think the extract we saw needs to be seen in the middle of a big company staging of the whole piece - and with the stage design and everything - to make its full impact. Still, it was good to see it as we may not be seeing it again for a while - if ever.

Would it have been SUCH a struggle to bring back Mayerling? Adam Cooper can do it too - and they are the only two, shamefully!

I thought last night was a real fun programme, and I especially enjoyed Four Horsemen. The updates on here have been most illuminating and helpful - so thank you!

It's obvious Irek will dance again, but equally obviously not in London ... anyone know where?

I also still hope that he may fetch up at the Wells again before he hangs up his shoes for ever. But the future will, I am sure, hold many wonderful things for him. This country is privileged to have him here and I hope he will stay and bring his extraordinary talents to our world of ballet.

I thought the idea was that you throw what you have with you...

Sita was my highlight too - very languid and sexy and fascinating to watch. I'm interested to see what else comes out of Darsha Singh Bhuller.

Rojo is the loveliest Giselle. What I love about her in this role is the confidence she projects. And Yoshida makes me long for more Ashton this season and for her to dance all of it!

Four Horsemen was a wonderful piece for the guys and I was impressed with the tango, Irek's choreography and Klimentova especially after loads of Giselles and Juliets. I did miss the humour though at the end - maybe I blinked. What was the laughter with the rose? And what on earth happened with the lighting at the end?

Spartacus - not as impressed. I was so excited to see Rojo and Cooper in this - never thought I'd see the two of them pair up - but I guess I didn't find the choreography very engaging. The ending was a bit of an anti-climax.

I agree about how selfless Irek seemed, shoving Mara in front to take the applause for herself after Sita, and ushering the little kids to take bows too at the end.

What happened to Durante by the way? I didn't quite catch what Irek said apart from her going to Italy.

And did anyone go to the party afterwards? Gosh I was tempted but there's no way for me to get back home in the early hours of the morning.

However, that's part of the peril of the freelance life - paid work has to take priority!

I suppose, looking for a silver lining, we did get the Balanchine Tarantella which we otherwise probably wouldn't have had. I rather liked this and Irek's dancing was amazingly deft and energetic - he had a lot of fun with this and as an admirer of his comic gifts, I valued the chance to see him in something so lighthearted.

Re the thoughts about Spartacus. The only good moments in that whole ballet are Irek's solos and the one pdd with the wife.. .the rest of the choreography is, to my mind, really awful.

Crassus does a lot of jumps — lots of jumps but the groin-splitting ones were reserved for the Spartacus character.

I have all of Irek's peformances from the Bolshoi series and without a doubt Grigorovich's choreography is uninspired and pedestrian with lots of posturing and big goose-steps...even in Romeo and Juliet. So the comments about the gala's performance of the pdd between Crassus and his mistress are not unexpected.

In reading Brendan's gala diary, it didn't sound as if Adam had a lot of time for rehearsal?

Thinking again about the Spartacus excerpt, I felt that Tamara did better than Adam - she brought something to the role of Aegina. Adam just looked uncomfortable. I knew that the "groin-splitter" jumps were Spartacus, not Crassus, but Adam appeared to attempt them a couple of times towards the end of the excerpt.

Also delightful to see Yoshida as Chloe again - again, beautiful dancing - even if Daphnis had nothing to do but stand around for quite a lot of it .

Very sorry that Durante couldn't be present - I'd have loved to have seen them together again, but needs must, I suppose.

Must confess I was hugely disappointed that she was unable to make it and would have liked to have seen a farewell performance of Mayerling with Durante at the ROH.......