Sim Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Since no-one else seems to be commemorating Margot Fonteyn's centenary, I thought it would be fun/interesting to ask all of you how you would commemorate the occasion if you were the AD of the RB? Which ballets would you revive? Would you commission a new one, and if so, what would it be? What kind of peripheral events would you put on to complement the ballet productions? Is there anything else you would do? Over to you! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) Sleeping Beauty - pure if far from simple. It was the role that made her a legend be it in London or New York (a fact that she acknowledged herself) - and one that played to her enormous strengths. At the Gala opening of this revival in Fonteyn's homage I would love it if the cast might be Naghdi/Ball. Something tells me that she would have been very proud of such potent talents following in; nay reflecting her own musical/balletic/dramatic glory. And, oh, the telling largess of those eyes ... Edited March 23, 2018 by Bruce Wall 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fashionista Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I would certainly agree that Sleeping Beauty should be revived. Ondine also. As Fonteyn was Ashton's "muse", it would possibly be very much a Fonteyn/Ashton celebration. The RB's repertoire is so rich and it is time to revive gems such as Facade, A Wedding Bouquet, Symphonic Variations, Scenes de Ballet. Even more so, whilst they are dancers who were actually coached by Ashton and who were in the company whilst Fonteyn was there. The legacy needs to be handed down "personally" by dancers who understand the essence of the English style. I am aware that one must look forward and nurture new works, but the RB has a wonderful legacy of superb works, and these must not get "lost". And as a "party piece", how about Birthday Offering, aptly named, and whow, they could showcase all the fantastic burgeoning talent they have in the company!!!! 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I agree very much with reviving the works named above. I would also mount a photographic exhibition at the ROH; re-name the Amphi terrace The Fonteyn Terrace; and seek sponsorship to introduce an annual Fonteyn Commission, i.e. one new work every year commissioned/produced in her memory. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I might email RB and ask them 'whether they are able to reveal any of the plans which are, no doubt, being prepared for this important date.' Am I imagining it, or did Nureyev get quite a big celebration of a key anniversary..2003?- including archive film- I would include that as well in a special evening or triple bill. A commission to celebrate Fonteyn such as Ashtons 'Brahms Waltzes in the manner of Isadora Duncan' might be interesting, as I can imagine several dancers I would love to see in Fonteyn roles in one piece- I can just picture it. I would also involve all the British ballet companies -as was done for Macmillan. Do they have any plans, do we know? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Some link with Panama would be good too, though I don't know precisely how that could work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 would love a revival of Ondine, even if I dislike the music. And if KOH needs help in casting the title role i'm sure we'd all be happy to help! Daphnis of course and possibly the third act of Raymonda. Like the idea of Birthday Offering as well. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 She did have a strong connection with Firebird which is on next season's list. Perhaps those performances could be dedicated to her? 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Mary said: Am I imagining it, or did Nureyev get quite a big celebration of a key anniversary..2003?- including archive film- I would include that as well in a special evening or triple bill. You're certainly not imagining it, Mary. There was a specific Nureyev bill, wasn't there? Raymonda, Images of Love (or parts thereof?), ... Fonteyn certainly deserves no less. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) Ondine would be a lovely tribute. So would Marguerite and Armand, and Symphonic Variations, but they were performed recently so I don't know if the RB would want to revive them so soon. It would be nice to have an exhibition of Fonteyn-related memorabilia, but since the museum at White Lodge was closed, I'm not sure if there's a suitable venue. Perhaps the Royal Ballet could coordinate with the Royal Mail to have a commemorative stamp issued. Edited March 23, 2018 by Melody 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Vanartus said: She did have a strong connection with Firebird which is on next season's list. Perhaps those performances could be dedicated to her? That's the least they could do. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) Since Fonteyn was a dancer rather than a choreographer - if a programme were to be set up in her memory - I would like to see something akin to the Erik Bruhn Competition in Canada. (Perhaps the contemporary variations could honour Aston's heritage as well.) I'm sure it would be possible to find money to support a significant prize for participating victor(s) and given Fonteyn's worldwide dance outreach throughout her own very long career such a competition's tentacles could easily reach out around the globe. That said, all of the dedicated (and well worthy) programmes such as have been herein suggested are MAJOR undertakings unto themselves and it would be completely understandable if the Royal Ballet as an institution felt it had enough on their plate(s) to simply maintain the high level of balletic art that they are currently producing. In my book that honours Fonteyn's memory perhaps more than anything else I could think of. Perhaps there is an independent body who would like to/could take this on and simply allow the event to be presented at the Royal Opera House which played such a significant role in Fonteyn's and the Company's (continuing) history. Perhaps it could be a bi-annual initiative as the Bruhn Competition was established to be. Edited March 23, 2018 by Bruce Wall 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I wonder whether the Bolshoi will bring their new Nureyev ballet in 2019 - isn't Fonteyn one of the characters in it? It would be a little embarrassing were the Bolshoi to offer a better tribute to Fonteyn at ROH than the home team :/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) 7 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: I wonder whether the Bolshoi will bring their new Nureyev ballet in 2019 - isn't Fonteyn one of the characters in it? Hasn't this already been established? It would make entire sense. I thought it had assuming all else remains remotely equal from a political perspective. Edited March 23, 2018 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Mary said: Am I imagining it, or did Nureyev get quite a big celebration of a key anniversary..2003?- including archive film- I would include that as well in a special evening or triple bill. 2003 would have been the tenth anniversary of his death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) I can't help thinking that the company has rather overdone the commemoration of the twenty fifth anniversary of MacMillan's death particularly as it now seems to have spilled over into the 2018-2019 season with another revival of Mayerling following so soon after the last one. It would be interesting to know why the company has ignored works like Danses Concertantes, Solitaire and The Four Seasons during the MacMillanfest? I don't want to berate Kevin for failing to acknowledge Fonteyn's centenary until I have evidence that he has in fact done so. Perhaps the apparent failure to pay tribute to Fonteyn in the forthcoming season has more to do with not wanting to celebrate two people in the same season than anything else .Fonteyn was born on the 18th May 1919. It would be perfectly possible for the company to devote much of the 2019-2020 season to repertory associated with her such as Sleeping Beauty. Cinderella, Daphnis and Chloe, Sylvia, Ondine ,Symphonic Variations,a carefully cast Birthday Offering and Nureyev's staging of the Kingdom of the Shades with a full thirty two dancers descending the ramp, as well as some of the early repertory with which she is associated such as A Wedding Bouquet, Façade and perhaps Le Tricorne which received its world premiere in London in July 1919. She was the first member of the company to dance the Miller's wife. As far as the revival of La Bayadere in the 2018=2019 season is concerned it can't be considered an appropriate tribute to Fonteyn as she had no connection with the Markarova production of the ballet. As for Marguerite and Armand while it was created as a vehicle for Fonteyn and Nureyev it has been done to death in recent seasons as it has become the default Ashton ballet of choice. An Ashton ballet which can be staged in any given season in order to demonstrate that "Ashton remains central to the company's repertory and its artistic identity" and that the company has not ignored its founder choreographer as it is still performing his choreography rather than for any obviously compelling artistic reason. Perhaps at this stage those who wish to influence the AD's choice of repertory for the 2019-2020 season should consider sending letters of gentle reminder to him. Edited March 23, 2018 by FLOSS 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 19 minutes ago, FLOSS said: I can't help thinking that the company has rather overdone the commemoration of the twenty fifth anniversary of MacMillan's death particularly as it now seems to have spilled over into the 2018-2019 season with another revival of Mayerling following so soon after the last one. I think the reason for this revival will become evident in time. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Actually, I'm not sure that the best tribute to Fonteyn wouldn't be not to perform Marguerite and Armand, given its ubiquitousness and the tendency to cast pretty much any dancer of significance in it these days, seemingly regardless of suitability. I think I've got the negatives in the above right ... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) I think that I can work out why Mayerling is being revived in the 2019=2020 season but its revival has the effect of placing MacMillan at the centre of the repertory in yet another season and keeping Ashton on its margins . So much for "Ashton being central to the company's repertory and its artistic identity " but then of course his choreography is "heritage" and thus old fashioned rather than living repertory. Presumably the reason for Ashton's marginalisation is that his choreography is demanding and it does not allow a dancer to hide technical defects by acting. In his ballets you can't get away with emoting and sprawling. You have either danced the choreographic text or you have not. Please noet I am not accusing Watson of emoting and sprawling although I have seen other senior dancers do this and get away with it. Edited March 23, 2018 by FLOSS 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 39 minutes ago, FLOSS said: I think that I can work out why Mayerling is being revived in the 2019=2020 season but Kevin O'Hare has said that he wanted to bring Mayerling back so that the 2017 debutantes could re-visit their roles, spend more time in rehearsal and grow their interpretations. It's a good strategy - as long as one or more newcomers also get their chance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanartus Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 36 minutes ago, capybara said: Kevin O'Hare has said that he wanted to bring Mayerling back so that the 2017 debutantes could re-visit their roles, spend more time in rehearsal and grow their interpretations. It's a good strategy - as long as one or more newcomers also get their chance. Hope Hayward gets a chance at Mary Vetsera... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 2 hours ago, capybara said: Kevin O'Hare has said that he wanted to bring Mayerling back so that the 2017 debutantes could re-visit their roles, spend more time in rehearsal and grow their interpretations. It's a good strategy - as long as one or more newcomers also get their chance. And the "oldcomers". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 4 hours ago, FLOSS said: I can't help thinking that the company has rather overdone the commemoration of the twenty fifth anniversary of MacMillan's death particularly as it now seems to have spilled over into the 2018-2019 season with another revival of Mayerling following so soon after the last one. It would be interesting to know why the company has ignored works like Danses Concertantes, Solitaire and The Four Seasons during the MacMillanfest? I don't want to berate Kevin for failing to acknowledge Fonteyn's centenary until I have evidence that he has in fact done so. Perhaps the apparent failure to pay tribute to Fonteyn in the forthcoming season has more to do with not wanting to celebrate two people in the same season than anything else I'd love to think that your suggestions for 2019-2020 would materialise, FLOSS. But in respect of 2018-2019, the press release doesn't mention any particular celebration (apart from Robbins, in passing and clearly not of the same significance for the RB) so I can't see any reason to think that there's some sort of clash of celebrations here. I actually find it quite mystifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Could be a good time to bring back Cinderella! Saw this with Fonteyn and Somes on my first visit to see ballet at the ROH. And it included women playing the sisters. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas Allen Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 I fund it almost mind boggling that the Royal Ballet hasn't already announced how it plans to mark the centenary of Fonteyn's birth. She was, after all, one of the four people most influential in the early years of the company in establishing its style and developing its popularity. My theory is that no-one in the administration remembered about it. My fear is that when someone does realise it what will happen is that a run of performances of a work already scheduled that Fonteyn happened to dance will be "dedicated" to her. What I would like to see happen is a run of performances of a triple bill of works either created for her or in which she achieved particular success - there are loads of works from which to choose - Symphonic, Daphnis, Tricorne, Firebird, Marguerite and Armand, Bayadere Act III, Raymonda and perhaps the film of Salut d'Amour could be shown. Although Fonteyn's birth was in May, I would rather a proper tribute were shown in the autumn than something tokenistic thrown in in the spring or summer. I hope I'm wrong and that the company has something fitting to be announced separately, but I have my fears. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Douglas Allen said: I fund it almost mind boggling that the Royal Ballet hasn't already announced how it plans to mark the centenary of Fonteyn's birth. She was, after all, one of the four people most influential in the early years of the company in establishing its style and developing its popularity. My theory is that no-one in the administration remembered about it. My fear is that when someone does realise it what will happen is that a run of performances of a work already scheduled that Fonteyn happened to dance will be "dedicated" to her. What I would like to see happen is a run of performances of a triple bill of works either created for her or in which she achieved particular success - there are loads of works from which to choose - Symphonic, Daphnis, Tricorne, Firebird, Marguerite and Armand, Bayadere Act III, Raymonda and perhaps the film of Salut d'Amour could be shown. Although Fonteyn's birth was in May, I would rather a proper tribute were shown in the autumn than something tokenistic thrown in in the spring or summer. I hope I'm wrong and that the company has something fitting to be announced separately, but I have my fears. The best I'm hoping for for the day itself is that one of the triple bill performances scheduled for that day is replaced with a gala. Not very satisfactory, but at least it would save some blushes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Given that the 19th May is a Sunday, it would still be possible for the RB to mount a special programme, at accessible prices of course, to honour Fonteyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Except that would make 8 RB shows in a week, and isn't Sunday off-limits for the ballet anyway? One of the scheduled mixed bill shows (can't remember which!) this season has been replaced with an extra Manon, so there is a precedent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Lizbie1 said: Except that would make 8 RB shows in a week, and isn't Sunday off-limits for the ballet anyway? Not for other companies. And one-off galas often seem to be on Sundays. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 48 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said: Not for other companies. And one-off galas often seem to be on Sundays. Sorry, I should have been clearer: I meant the Royal Ballet specifically as that was what was being discussed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 It seems pretty clear to me that the ROH/RB has no interest in marking this anniversary, so the question should be asked would another company be prepared to step in? Fonteyn danced with both BRB (when Sadlers Wells) and ENB but whether those companies have pre-planned commitments on the actual day we have no way of knowing. By the way the date of Fonteyn's birth is 18th May, a Saturday, not the 19th as previously stated. I imagine the impending departure of David Bintley might mean BRB wouldn't choose to involve itself in such a big undertaking but if the company is available, ENB might consider it. There is also the option of arranging an ad hoc gala. Fonteyn performed worldwide and I don't think it is going to be difficult to lure dancers across the globe to contribute, the only difficulty I can envisage is getting permission for them to perform/learn certain Ashton roles for the occasion as I would very much like some of her created roles to be performed, perhaps the shadow dance from Ondine and the pas de deux from Cinderella. The only other problem is funding though it may not be too difficult to find sponsors for what I envisage to be a prestigious occasion. I don't want us to fantasise about what a Fonteyn tribute could look like, I want to hear positive ideas as to how we can make it happen. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assoluta Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 On 3/22/2018 at 16:57, Sim said: Since no-one else seems to be commemorating Margot Fonteyn's centenary, I thought it would be fun/interesting to ask all of you how you would commemorate the occasion if you were the AD of the RB? Which ballets would you revive? Would you commission a new one, and if so, what would it be? What kind of peripheral events would you put on to complement the ballet productions? Is there anything else you would do? It has been an established custom to celebrate anniversaries of outstanding dancers by a gala. I fully expect that a gala devoted to Fonteyn will be duly announced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 26, 2018 Author Share Posted March 26, 2018 I think that she deserves more than a one-off gala. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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