FLOSS Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 (edited) I have to say that I sincerely hope that the company is not contemplating reviving Marguerite and Armand as a means of marking the centenary of Fonteyn's birth as it seems to have become the default Ashton ballet of choice which can be staged when the company feels the need to acknowledge his existence without having to put too much effort into it. Reviving it proves that the company has not entirely forgotten him and it has the added advantage of not being an obscure work as too many of his ballets have become. Indeed it is said to be the most popular of Ashton's works if popularity is gauged by the number of revivals it receives. Now while it may work with a dancer of the stature of Nina Anainshivilli in the cast it often seems like a pale faded thing in performance when it is shown at Covent Garden. I suspect largely because too many of those cast in the work are such well conducted persons so in control of their emotions, so careful with the choreography and so intent on not making mistakes that while they reproduce every movement recorded in the notated text as accurately as they can they fail to breathe life into it because the ardour, passion urgency and desperation which are in the' choreography for both named characters remains trapped there. The dancers are nice, neat, reproduce the movements recorded in the text carefully but the care with which they move belies the emotions they are supposed to be experiencing and are far too small scale to be theatrically or emotionally convincing in the roles allocated to them. ENB claimed to have staged a revival of Les Apparitions In the 1980's but the fact that according to Julie Kavanagh both Ashton and Jean Bedells tried to disassociate themselves from the revival by getting their names removed from the credits speaks volumes as far as I am concerned. The critics came up with all sorts of reasons for the revival's lack of success from the type of fabric used for the costumes; wrong shades used for the costumes; the lighting failing to create the right atmosphere; to the fact that it was a pre-war work and so not in tune with the times.No one seems to have asked themselves the fundamental question which in the case of a piece long out of the repertory is one of great significance which is were the dancers cast in it really suited to their roles ? In this case it seemed to be taken for granted that Markarova who was dancing the Fonteyn role was not miscast and embodied everything that Ashton wanted of the dancer assuming the role. I don't think that anyone asked themselves whether the right dancer had been allocated to the Helpmann role. It seems to me that at a time when even the most demi-character dancer yearns to play the prince casting roles which Ashton created for Helpmann in the in the 1930's is a real problem. A role like the Bridegroom in A Wedding Bouquet is a case in point. It has not been revived in years but Kobborg did not get anywhere near capturing the shifty, seedy, ever vigilant character of a man surrounded by his past in the form of the female guests at his wedding. Roles created on Helpmann relied on his acting abilities, his personality and his sense of theatre rather than his skills as a dancer. I think that if anyone is going to capture the essence of Les Apparitions Ian Webb assisted by his wife will do it. The advantage they have as far as the Ashton repertory is concerned is that for them these revivals are a labour of love rather than obligations imposed on them by inconvenient anniversaries. They obviously liked the man and revere his works and that shows in performance. Birthday Offering seems like an ideal choice to stage as part of the Fonteyn celebration until you remember how badly and unidiomatically it was performed by the senior dancers in 2012. So my selection for a mixed bill would almost certainly come down to Daphnis and Chloe, Symphonic Variations and Nureyev's Kingdom of the Shades with a corps of thirty two Shades descending the ramp. At the Ballet Association meeting yesterday after burbling on about how new works need to be given a second chance Kevin said that they were thinking about how they were going to mark the Fonteyn centenary. He also said that they are "thinking" about Cinderella and the way that was said suggested that the " thinking" might be closely connected with the designs. He was asked why major Ashton works like Daphnis and Chloe are neglected and so much of the Diaghilev repertory is neglected. He muttered something to the effect that Noces could be brought back from time to time.The answer he gave about Daphnis was the cost of staging it. He seemed to think that Ashton was given as much time in the repertory as MacMillan is given. This suggests to me that he seems to equate programming nine performances of Sylvia plus a few of Marguerite and Armand with the marathon which is the current run of Manon.He did mention that he was thinking about staging some of the pre-war Ashton in the refurbished Linbury. But I hate to think what the ticket prices would be like. I hope that no one thinks that I have divulged too much. My comment would be that if you think that some of the major works in the company's historical repertory are in danger of fading into nothingness through neglect perhaps Kevin needs to be told of your concerns. A friend of mine told me that she spoke to him after the meeting and said that in the past works like Song of the Earth and Les Noces had been revived with sufficient frequency to ensure that they were part of the company's collective DNA and the result was that they always came back to the stage looking vibrant and theatrically effective. But neither ballet had looked in robust health when last revived. The corps in Les Noces had lacked the extraordinary collective precision it needs in order to have real impact in performance while the two dancers who emerge from the throng of villagers to dance solos lacked the pin point precision they require. As far as Song is concerned she thought that it had taken until the end of the second run of performances for the ballet to get anywhere near looking as it should. Daphnis like Les Noces costs a lot because of the cost of the musicians required. Daphnis requires the services of a full chorus which is why it is usually heard in the form of a Suite in the concert hall while Les Noces requires four exceptional pianists and some excellent soloists to sing the text. Edited April 13, 2018 by FLOSS 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Just to say that Kevin O'Hare neither burbled nor muttered last night; he spoke clearly, openly, coherently and with great generosity of spirit in respect of his audience, and I am very grateful to him for so doing. I may not always agree with his decisions; but he is AD of the RB, not me. (Which is all to the good.) 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, FLOSS said: . I think that if anyone is going to capture the essence of Les Apparitions Ian Webb assisted by his wife will do it. A minor point perhaps but the name of the ballet is Apparitions. Also, both David Vaughan and John Percival - and others for all I know - made the point that neither Makarova nor Schaufuss was well cast in the revival. Edited April 13, 2018 by Jane S 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 I've only ever seen Helpmann on film. However, judging by the descriptions given in the post by Floss, I would love to see Campbell have a go at something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Resurrecting this topic to point out that Sarasota Ballet has cast guest artist Marcelo Gomes as The Poet in Apparitions. If anybody could pull it off among today’s dancers it is he. https://www.sarasotaballet.org/marcelo-gomes-joins-guest-artist 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 I have a feeling that the RB will be 'doing something' for Margot Fonteyn around the performances of The Firebird next summer. If not that, then what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 (edited) Firebird as opener to year of celebration...then....well my money's on Cinderella in 19/20...Symphonic too...perhaps BRB will team up with RB and do Dante Sonata....and possibly Façade...perhaps smaller pieces in Linbury...solos and/or pdd from Ondine and Sylvia.... Edited August 2, 2018 by Vanartus Typo 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 What lovely suggestions Vanartus. I was only thinking the other day, having re-watched the BBC drama adaptation of her life story from a few years back, that it would make a wonderful subject for a new ballet. A little late to be commissioned for the centenary, but you never know … 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Odyssey said: What lovely suggestions Vanartus. I was only thinking the other day, having re-watched the BBC drama adaptation of her life story from a few years back, that it would make a wonderful subject for a new ballet. A little late to be commissioned for the centenary, but you never know … One for Cathy Marston! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 ...perhaps the Royal should do the Bolshoi “Nureyev” - double homage! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Jeanette I would LOVE to see Apparitions!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Oh by the way reading back on this thread there are some pictures of Fonteyn in Apparitions in the William Chappell book on Fonteyn It was by my bedside for years that book and I have Fonteyns autograph in it!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Hello Jeannette and welcome to the Forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 Thank you, Jan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springbourne3 Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Would love to see ‘La Peri’ (1956) - I have books and books with photos of a very exotic looking Fonteyn in the title role - and would also love to see ‘Façade’ again too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 (edited) On 30/03/2018 at 23:28, Jan McNulty said: Yes, LFB did revive Apparitions. I didn’t see it but IIRC it was panned by the critics. I do remember that the critics felt that both Markarova and Schaufuss were very wrong in the Fonteyn/Helpmann roles. It was a ballet made on the stage of Sadler's Wells, but revived in 1987 at the Coliseum - quite a different space. Possibly a reason that the ballet didn't survive in the rep of the Royal Ballet when it transferred to Covent Garden. I'd love to see it. Edit: just fully reading previous posts and see that FLOSS has expanded on this topic in far fuller form than I just did! Edited August 7, 2018 by Darlex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 On 02/08/2018 at 15:32, Vanartus said: Firebird as opener to year of celebration...then....well my money's on Cinderella in 19/20...Symphonic too...perhaps BRB will team up with RB and do Dante Sonata....and possibly Façade...perhaps smaller pieces in Linbury...solos and/or pdd from Ondine and Sylvia.... Dante Sonata is a fascinating piece in the Ashton canon. I hope it survives in a repertoire somewhere - it's an unusual piece. BRB have done a wonderful job in bringing it back to life, but who knows what will happen to Dante now that Bintley is stepping down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li tai po Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 I was interested to read that Kevin O'Hare was taken to task at The Ballet Association about the paucity of Diaghilev repertoire in the current Royal Ballet programming. 2019 is the centenary of the only two Diaghilev ballets given their world premieres in London, at a time when Paris was devastated by the First World War - Massine's La Boutique Fantasque (5 June 2019) and The Three-Cornered Hat (27 July 2019), both premiered at the Alhambra Theatre. The scenery for The Three-Cornered Hat was painted by Picasso himself in a warehouse in Floral Street, the site of the current Masala Zone restaurant opposite the side entrance of the Royal Opera House. There is a plaque on the wall to commemorate the event of Picasso painting in the workshop. Have a look at it; it is adjacent to the entrance to Masala Zone. These two ballets were mounted at the Royal Opera in 1947 by Massine himself at the invitation of Dame Ninette de Valois and Massine danced the Miller with Margot Fonteyn as his wife. It was a notable success for both dancers. La Boutique Fantasque survived in the Royal repertoire until 1955 and The Three-Cornered Hat until 1956. The Touring Company performed La Boutique Fantasque nearly 200 times in the late 1960s and 1970s with Doreen Wells, Lucette Aldous, Brenda Last, Marion Tait and even Lynn Seymour dancing the Can-Can. BRB under Peter Wright revived The Three-Cornered Hat in the 1990s and I saw it at the Royal Opera House in a triple bill followed by Antony Tudor's Pillar of Fire and Balanchine's Theme and Variations with Miyako Yoshida and Kevin O'Hare, no less. I suppose today's management will regard these ballets as history belonging to the past. When great works are revived well, they prove that the historic audience did not make incorrect judgments about what they were watching - the revivals of Dante Sonata, Sylvia and Miracle in the Gorbals evidence this (and so does the current explosion of Handel opera performances). It seems like a missed opportunity to celebrate two centenaries in one - Fonteyn and the Diaghilev premieres in London. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 Some time ago, I received a 'flier' from the ROH, aimed at raising funds, on which there was mention of a reception for donors on 31st May "in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Margot Fonteyn's birth". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 39 minutes ago, capybara said: Some time ago, I received a 'flier' from the ROH, aimed at raising funds, on which there was mention of a reception for donors on 31st May "in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Margot Fonteyn's birth". Well I'm glad they're doing something; but I hope/assume it won't be just a fundraising opportunity! I look forward to hearing the rest of the plans. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Newman Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 Maybe right after the 31st May Fundraising Reception there could be a special celebration on Opening Night of "Firebird"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 22 hours ago, li tai po said: BRB under Peter Wright revived The Three-Cornered Hat in the 1990s and I saw it at the Royal Opera House in a triple bill followed by Antony Tudor's Pillar of Fire and Balanchine's Theme and Variations with Miyako Yoshida and Kevin O'Hare, no less. I suppose today's management will regard these ballets as history belonging to the past. When great works are revived well, they prove that the historic audience did not make incorrect judgments about what they were watching - the revivals of Dante Sonata, Sylvia and Miracle in the Gorbals evidence this (and so does the current explosion of Handel opera performances). IIRC (I was reading his autobiography only recently), Sir Peter didn't think The Three-Cornered Hat revival had been very effective. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Talking about Fonteyn, I have spent most of this week on Youtube watching the Tony Palmer film about her. I won't post the link on here, as these things have a habit of disappearing from Youtube if they are publicised too much, but a simple search will find it if you are interested. It is two hours and 45 minutes long. I believe a shortened version was shown on tv when it first came out, if I remember correctly? Certainly a lot of the talking heads sections seemed familiar. However, it does have some wonderful clips of her dancing, which I thoroughly enjoyed watching again.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Will Firebird in the summer triple be the 'tribute' to Fonteyn? Hoping for Ondine, Beauty, Symphonic etc. in Autumn 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophoife Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 (edited) On 19/09/2018 at 10:25, li tai po said: La Boutique Fantasque survived in the Royal repertoire until 1955 and The Three-Cornered Hat until 1956...BRB under Peter Wright revived The Three-Cornered Hat in the 1990s and I saw it at the Royal Opera House in a triple bill Le Tricorne or El sombrero de tres picos to give it the music's title certainly survived elsewhere...I have a DVD of POB dancing a Ballets Russes tribute programme from 2009: Le spectre de la rose (Mathias Heymann and Isabelle Ciaravola), Le Tricorne (Marie-Agnès Gillot and José Martinez), L'Après midi d'un Faune (Nicolas Le Riche and Eve Grinsztajn), and Petrouchka (Benjamin Pech (Petrouchka), Clairemarie Osta (Ballerina) and Yann Bridard (the Moor). And wowzas MAG and Martinez!!! Edited November 1, 2018 by Sophoife Weird font sizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulcinella Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Not the Royal Ballet but I notice Ballet Theatre UK have announced a short tour of Margot Fonteyn Centenary Celebrations in May and June next year. No mention of what this consists of. https://www.ballettheatreuk.com/tourdates Scroll down to bottom of the page for tour venues. Unfortunately they are coming nowhere near me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 23 minutes ago, Pulcinella said: Not the Royal Ballet but I notice Ballet Theatre UK have announced a short tour of Margot Fonteyn Centenary Celebrations in May and June next year. No mention of what this consists of. https://www.ballettheatreuk.com/tourdates Scroll down to bottom of the page for tour venues. Unfortunately they are coming nowhere near me. Good for them - they clearly appreciate the significance of the centenary and think it worth marking in a significant way. (Wouldn't it have been nice to have had a similarly-titled bill at the RB?). It will be interesting to see what the Celebrations do consist of. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 (edited) As I have just been looking at the thread regarding Christmas tv , it strikes me a Fonteyn celebration would be a lovely treat. Perhaps the BBC have plans during next year. Edited December 7, 2018 by Odyssey 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted December 8, 2018 Author Share Posted December 8, 2018 I wouldn't hold your breath....but on this occasion I would love to be proved wrong! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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