alymer

Just a minor point:  Opus19/The Dreamer has been seen at Covent Garden,  New York City ballet brought it shortly after it was premiered in 1979 with the original cast - Patricia McBride and a somewhat disengaged Baryshnikov who announced his departure from NYCB not long afterwards to direct American Ballet Theatre,  It entered the Royal Ballet repertoire in the 1986-87 season.  Cynthia Harvey danced the McBride role and I guess it was Dowell in the principal male role, though I have no memory of him.  I do however recall Harvey being quite lovely in the ballet.  I think that it lasted only one season - but I can't be sure of that.

It's charming and funny with a big, romantic role for Dr Coppelius who was originally played by Petit himself.  I certainly don't remember it as dark or unsuitable for children, although it's perhaps a little sophisticated.

Is anyone interested in old dance magazines?  I have a set of Dance & Dancers, complete except for one or two early editions, which I would be happy to pass to a good home.  The magazine began publishing in 1950 and ran until 1993.  It would have to be collected from central London as it's too heavy to post. Any takers?  If so please send me a private message. There are also a couple of less complete sets if anyone is interested.

I think she had to pay for her own shoes out of that princely sum, and these cost around 6s 6p a pair. Not to mention a taxi home after the show. Rambert paid her 10s 6p a performance which just covered those expenses.

Don't think I would take Kchessinska's autobiography as entirely reliable though, entertaining as it is.

Clearly not!

Was it in fact the balcony scene from MacMillan's Romeo? About that time Fonteyn was dancing George Skibine's Romeo and Juliet pas de deux which is danced to the Tchaikovsky overture. I certainly remember seeing her dance it with what was then called the Royal Ballet New Group.

Brenda Last OBE.

The style of the picture is familiar. I think it's an American photographer who has published at least one book, but I can't for the life of me remember his name.

So how do I explain why watching Nunez and Acosta in the final pdd reduces me to tears?

Because Ashton was a genius who could say more about love in a pas de deux than most poets, painters or writers in history. And because Nunez and Acosta trust the choreographer and use all their considerable talents to simply convey his message.