Two Pigeons

I enjoyed it very much but need to whinge slightly as I missed Sarah Lamb in Diamonds.

I too hope for an extended DVD release.

3 hours ago, capybara said:

 

Brandon and Celine were smiling guests at the unveiling of the portrait and were asked to comment (briefly). It was a nice touch to involve the Company.

I must wash my typing finger with soap.  How on earth could I confuse the Divine Mr Lawrence with anyone so utterly inferior?

Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa.  Sackcloth and ashes here I come!

Shireenah sounds to have been a very refreshing change and a very imaginative appointment.

I do so agree.  I really enjoyed this.  I really liked the artist and their utterly amiable relationship.  Seeing Brandon Lewis and Celine Gittens was a lovely bonus.

The end result is fabulous and I am sure the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is very pleased with it.

18 hours ago, Jane S said:

There is a lot of very interesting background to the making of the programme in a Ballet Association  interview with Desmond Kelly and Marion Tait from 2007.

Thank you so much for posting this interview.  I will now spend the rest of the morning dreaming about Desmond, in his fabulous prime, playing Rudolf.

He would have been just terrific.

Hubby bought me a rare second hand DVD set of this a couple or so years ago.  I am so pleased I asked for it and he found it.  I remember it all happening at time.  I understand that the whole project was far more fraught than was indicated by the filming but the end result was truly inspiring.

My favourite story was that the guy who played Escalus had very little grasp of some of the discipline needed with stage performances.  One day he trotted down to the local Tesco Express, right by Gay Village, in full costume.  Allegedly no one in the locality turned a hair.

P.s.  Please make her a Dame before she does leave.  No one has done more for ballet going throughout the British Isles.

22 minutes ago, RMM1 said:

Surely it will be the 9th October Gala for ballet. 

 

The fuller press release from the BBC says "Katie Derham presents The Royal Opera All Star Gala, recorded in September, will star Aigul Akhmetshina, Charles Castronovo, Gerald Finley, Lisette Oropesa, Sonya Yoncheva, and Vito Priante performing much-loved classics; whilst The Royal Ballet All Star Gala, which was filmed in October and is presented by Anita Rani will reunite the full Royal Ballet Company with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House for the first time in seven months"

 

Also Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes on BBC2.

 

Link here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/christmas-tv-2020

What a shame we couldn't have the gala without Anita Rani.  She added absolutely nothing to the proceedings.

I have been thinking about this programme for a couple of days now.

A year or so ago the venerable member of this forum and keen BRB fan, George C, made the extremely accurate and pertinent observation that with all the attention on Tyrone Singleton and Brandon Lawrence the specific and very valuable contribution of Cesar Morales was being overlooked.

I am beginning to feel that much the same is happening to Matthias Dingman.  He always dances full out with his heart very much on his sleeve.  He is someone else we are lucky to have in the Company.

4 hours ago, SheilaC said:

It's impossible to exaggerate what an important contribution Marion made to SWRB and later BRB. An amazing dramatic dancer with great theatrical presence, no matter what role she was playing. Several years ago I read through 9 years of Dance and Dancers, from late '60s, for some research I was doing on the company that is now Northern Ballet. Of the many patterns of British ballet that I noticed, the most marked was how frequently Marion's performances, in a wide variety of roles, were highly praised. I am convinced that the rich repertory that her company used to boast was partly due to her compelling acting ability so that important dramatic works by Tudor and de Mille were introduced (will we see works by either of these great choreographers on the British stage again?).

As a company coach and assistant director she helped to hold the company together by supporting the director when he had other commitments. BRB is a strong family and Marion's warmth and commitment to the company, her dancers and to fans (she invariably acknowledged you as a friend, unlike others) have been fundamental to that culture.

She will be greatly missed.

Hear, hear Sheila

I have just caught up with this programme.  My first point is to say that every time I hear Carlos talk about the Company, their current travails and his plans for life during and after Covid his genuine and earnest enthusiasm grabs me all over again.  He has ensured that the Company has managed to perform and gave two shows recorded.  I would like to point out that neither has been in their home theatre and I really did wonder how hard was the stage at the Town Hall.  This is not a venue which regularly shows dance performances and I doubt very much that the stage is that springy.  All credit to the four boys in the final work giving it their all.

I found the contributions of the two Counsellors full of hope for the long term future of the Company.  Please Lord they are able to fulfil them.

Finally it was terrific and genuinely inspiring to see Shareen and Linden from Ballet Hoo report back 13 years later.  I remember them both for the original project, especially Linden whom I have never really forgotten.  He is up there in my list of great Tybalts. 

It will come round again.  It always does.

Had I said something like thank the Lord this may have caused offence.  As I do not know of a 'God of the dance', apart from Nijinsky obviously, I thought I would thank its muse.

17 hours ago, alison said:

Even better, then, even if it's not what the TV guide said!

Trust me, you will get used to Sky Arts being less than clear and accurate in their programming.

That being said, thanks to Terpsichore that we have it at all.

Actually it's the later recording with Marianela and Vadim.

Thank you, I would have missed this had it not been mentioned.

I thought this broadcast was totally charming and it was clear how much these young dancers respected Carlos and that they enjoyed this rare coaching opportunity.

If she was it's my fault as I was the original transgressor.

Sorry, that should be Christian 

On 29/08/2020 at 10:42, Jan McNulty said:

 

Absolutely Capybara!  Me too!

 

I think with Pennsylvania Ballet's streamings a couple of the productions must be owned by the company or Angel Corella and these still seem to be available to view if you have the password.  The others were only available for the stated time.  But even that is better than nothing.

 

BRB have just released a clip of Carl Davies talking about his score for Cyrano with a couple of excerpts that look as though they may be from a performance filmed for archive.  I know these films were not done for public consumption but if they are of a reasonable standard (the Stuttgart streamings spring to mind) why could they not be streamed in full, even if behind a paywall?  I would very nearly kill to see Cyrano again.  (Having said that I would very nearly kill to see it back in the rep - I could think of a couple of Cyranos I would like to see from within the current roster...).

Calling Tyrone and Brandon.  We need you both now!  Can I put in an additional request for Matthias as Cristian?

Congratulations indeed!

And there was so much more to her than just her work.

One of the greatest glories of the golden age of Hollywood. 

1 hour ago, Ian Macmillan said:

I'd thought it might be the 1999 reopening show!

If only!

1 hour ago, Bruce Wall said:

Sad news.  I only saw her dance live twice but the memory burns bright.  She was a force of nature.  RIP.  

She was indeed.  I saw her once at a gala hosted by Natalia Makarova in the mid 80s.

Two utterly glorious divas.

What a star!  If only he was more widely known by the British public.