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The Royal Ballet: Mayerling, London, April/May 2017


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I remember the beginning very clearly as the curtain went up and she looked like the (I think) Winterhalter painting of the young Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria with the diamond stars in her hair.

 

Once she stripped off and started hiding behind chairs and waving her feet towards the ceiling my attentioned wandered as the piece just didn't go anywhere.

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On 08/05/2017 at 21:43, Geoff said:

 

Both are highly readable but not wholly reliable. For safer historiography I tend to favour the work of the Gernan-Austrian Brigitte Hamann, who sadly died last year. Probably best known in Britain for her ground-breaking "Hitler's Vienna", she also wrote widely on the Habsburgs, including books translated into English on Sissi and Rudolf.

I have just finished 'The Reluctant Empress' by Brigitte Hamann and can highly recommend it.  I bought it on Amazon, second-hand but a good clean copy, at an incredibly low price .  I also bought 'A Hapsburg Tragedy' by Judith Listowel, a biography of Rudolf which is good but not so well-written.  However, the author's grandfather actually knew Rudolf and this has helped the author in her researches, giving her access to sources not mentioned in many other biographies.

The problem I'm finding is that every book I read about the subject (and I've read quite a few now) lists others as sources.  The amount of literature on Mayerling is amazing and a lot of it is contradictory.  Ms Listowel refers to 'The Facts Behind the Legend' by Dr. Fritz Judtmann so I suppose I shall be looking for that one next!

Incidentally, if anyone would like the Brigitte Hamann book, I would be happy to pass it on as I live in a flat too small for my vast library.  I'm not selling it - just giving it away to anyone who would like it - so p.m. me if interested.  Hapsburg Tragedy will be next, when I've finished it.

 

Linda

 

P.S. I have also just finished a biography of Edward VIIth who knew and admired Rudolf.  In fact he attended a memorial mass in Rudolf's honour at the church in Farm Street, Mayfair, one year after Rudolf's death.  Edward was still Prince of Wales then and he sympathised with his fellow Crown Prince over his position - wanting to get involved in the issues affecting his country but held back by an over-controlling parent and ruler.

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On 07/05/2017 at 23:26, MAB said:

This might help, but there's no suggestion he ever visited Austria.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_"Bay"_Middleton

 

His life revolved around horses, but he was a ladies man and believed to be the natural father of Winston Churchill's wife.

 

He certainly was popular with the ladies who apparently loved his straight-speaking manner, verging on the downright rude at times.  But there's no evidence that he and Elizabeth were lovers.  She went riding with him alone, sometimes for an entire day and this caused considerable gossip and disapproval but he mostly stayed in England and Ireland, taking care of her extensive stables.  He only paid one visit to her on the continent but that was to her mansion at Godollo, in Hungary, where he got into trouble at a local brothel and was consequently arrested.  Instead of slinking home, though, he made a great joke of it and Elizabeth saw the funny side of it too.

 

Even after he married, the Empress continued to correspond with him and was on reasonably good terms with his wife.  But within 2 years of the wedding, he broke his neck racing and all of her letters were destroyed by his widow.

Linda

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When you consider the original cast and what  has happened since there have been  a number of excellent Rudolphs, Marys, Stephanie and Elizabeths but hardly anyone has ever matched Merle Park as Larisch.  I think only Sarah Lamb is in the same class.   Lots of people have been able to dance the part and dance it with spades but hardly anyone had her combination of acting, presence and security of her place in the whole scheme of things.

 

I was a huge fan of Lesley Collier but this was one part where she was totally miscast.   Larisch needs to have something dark about her.  The character is a pimp and a pimp who acts in her own interests.   It takes a special sort of artist to get the dark side over.

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Something else about the real Countess Larisch. She was Sissi's niece. Elizabeth treated her as such although her brother was not married to her mother and showed  her every kindness and arranged her marriage to Count Larisch. I cannot imagine what she was thinking when she introduced Mary to Rudolf. She knew exactly why Mary wanted to meet him. There must have been slightly malicious about her, I can't help but think.

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23 minutes ago, Fiz said:

Something else about the real Countess Larisch. She was Sissi's niece. Elizabeth treated her as such although her brother was not married to her mother and showed  her every kindness and arranged her marriage to Count Larisch. I cannot imagine what she was thinking when she introduced Mary to Rudolf. She knew exactly why Mary wanted to meet him. There must have been slightly malicious about her, I can't help but think.

 

Am I mistaken in recalling that she was to some extent financially dependent on Rudolf? I think that has been given as an explanation for why she acted as go-between/procuress for him.

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5 hours ago, Two Pigeons said:

When you consider the original cast and what  has happened since there have been  a number of excellent Rudolphs, Marys, Stephanie and Elizabeths but hardly anyone has ever matched Merle Park as Larisch.  I think only Sarah Lamb is in the same class.   Lots of people have been able to dance the part and dance it with spades but hardly anyone had her combination of acting, presence and security of her place in the whole scheme of things.

 

I was a huge fan of Lesley Collier but this was one part where she was totally miscast.   Larisch needs to have something dark about her.  The character is a pimp and a pimp who acts in her own interests.   It takes a special sort of artist to get the dark side over.

I rather liked Collier in this: she was rather smug and self satisfied which worked. I agree that Lamb is excellent in this role but also thought Genesia Rosato was outstanding. Very much liked Olivia Cowley this time round too....

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3 hours ago, Fiz said:

Something else about the real Countess Larisch. She was Sissi's niece. Elizabeth treated her as such although her brother was not married to her mother...

 

Thats not quite right; Marie's parents entered into a morganatic marriage the year after she was born.

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21 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Well just starting on my journey to London to see what I fervently hope will not be Ed Watson's last Mayerling.  I am taking flowers just to say thank-you for all the exquisite dancing in three performances.  Feel a bit daft, but there you go!

 

No need to be shy about giving Ed flowers, Penelope. There couldn't be a nicer way of expressing your appreciation for his performances.

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59 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

Well just starting on my journey to London to see what I fervently hope will not be Ed Watson's last Mayerling.

 

Me too, since I shan't be there to see it :(  But I don't hold out much hope.

 

I hope someone who's going will take some photos for the benefit of those of us who won't be there?

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1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said:

Well just starting on my journey to London to see what I fervently hope will not be Ed Watson's last Mayerling.  I am taking flowers just to say thank-you for all the exquisite dancing in three performances.  Feel a bit daft, but there you go!

Believe me, Penelope, he will love it!!   :)

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Apologies if this has already been asked and answered and I've missed it, but I've just seen Act 2 of the Watson/Osipova cast for the third and final time, having also seen each other cast once. Does anyone know why Mary Vetsera's revolver shot in the bedroom scene is faked from offstage when Osipova does it, while the other 3 Marys fire a real shot? On opening night I assumed a real shot failed and was backed up, but it's been done consistently.

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Wow.... I am bowled over by the intensity and sheer passion of Watson and Osipova tonight.  The whole cast was wonderful, but this was their night.  What a way for Ed to say farewell to the role that he has made his own these past years.   Great night at the ballet.  

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11 minutes ago, Sim said:

Wow.... I am bowled over by the intensity and sheer passion of Watson and Osipova tonight.  The whole cast was wonderful, but this was their night.  What a way for Ed to say farewell to the role that he has made his own these past years.   Great night at the ballet.  

 

awesome, awesome. Words fail. If ever  a male dancer deserved a bouquet, Ed Watson did! It looked kind of ridiculous to me, all the women getting flowers and none for him.  Penelope I am so glad you gave him flowers!!!

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Fantastic performance tonight. Having seen all three of their shows this was, for me, the most intense and Edward was much more fearsome and deranged than previously. Natalia does not know the meaning of fear and Frankie is not far behind either, they just "went for it" and it was fabulous. What a great performance from Olivia as well, she showed me she is not out of place with a principal role. Nela was just Nela, wonder why she has not been given a go as Mary. Sorry to gush but I had such a good time tonight.

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Me too! Such a brilliant evening. All the dancers completely inhabit their roles; Watson and Osipova reach new heights and depths. They move beyond performance - that indefinable moment when what is being created is suddenly no longer theatre but a different form of reality. When that happens, time stops.

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Finding myself feeling really sad and bereft after this last performance of Eds. I can't quite believe that this cast wasn't filmed - seems quite ridiculous to me especially now that live screens are such a great way to bring in a new audience and Mayerling is surely the jewel in the crown? The atmos in the Theatre has been electric and I get a real sense that the audience is loving a proper narrative ballet to get their teeeth into after months and months of plotless triples...Mayerling is so beautifully constructed and so satisfying choreo graphically and theatrically - I think the ROH missed a trick in not broadcasting this.

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