Dance transmissions on TV you'd like to see again

[penelopesimpson]

South Bank Show Mayerling please.

 

I don't know about supposedly 'slagging off' the BBC.  I think they get a lot of comment because most people care a lot about it as an entity, and it has taken so many wrong steps over the past handful of years.  Whilst it's remit is not necessarily to follow public opinion, it does need to remain in touch with the majority of its potential audience, the more so because it is publicly funded.  It's wearying wokeness, its ability to inevitably back the wrong horse in matters of national importance, its ludicrously high salaries to staff, has left it vulnerable to its critics.  Above all, it's tin-ear to criticism, whether justified or not, simply enrages people.  It should stop relentlessly chasing the youth market and monopolising local radio, retrench and do what its good at which was, or used to be, making programmes for an audience whose values it understood.  

 

I call the ROH out when it takes the taxpayers shilling with one hand, whilst simultaneously preventing the public from purchasing tickets for high-profile events with the other.  If there was no public funding involved, ROH could charge whatever it likes for Kaufmann and Netrebko and restrict tickets to Friends.

 

The BBC is in difficult times but as another poster has said, this could be their moment.  Whilst ITV are wittering about it being too dangerous for the dumbed-down duo that are Schofield and Willoughby to get out of bed, the BBC needs to step up and be there come rain or shine when the nation is in crisis mode.  

Edited March 17, 2020 by penelopesimpson

[stucha]

10 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

South Bank Show Mayerling please.

 

This programme is available on youtube in 4 parts.

 

Just type in the above words.

 

I'm  sure this has been mentioned several times 

[loveclassics]

On 17/03/2020 at 10:43, Rachelm said:

There are so many documentaries I would love to see again, particularly the special on Alina Cojocaru. I think there was another for her partnership with Johan Kobborg too. But any Royal Ballet documentaries would be most welcome.

 

I saw it and it was enough to put them off Kobborg for life!  He came across as a total bighead and hardly mentioned her except in reference to his own career.  I ended up feeling sorry for her which I'm sure was not the original intention.

 

Linda

[Jan McNulty]

10 hours ago, loveclassics said:

I saw it and it was enough to put them off Kobborg for life!  He came across as a total bighead and hardly mentioned her except in reference to his own career.  I ended up feeling sorry for her which I'm sure was not the original intention.

 

Linda

 

Is that the Southbank Show one?  Seeing how much they were dashing all over the world for guest performances made me wonder how they could still give of their best to their "home" company.  I had loved JK since I had seen him dance with a group from RDB at the Harrogate International Festival (in Schaufuss' Hamlet) and then in Copenhagen.  I'm afraid I lost a lot of interest after that programme.

[capybara]

On the TODAY programme this morning, Tony Hall announced Culture in Quarantine. He was bit vague but it certainly sounded as if the BBC was planning to delve into its lockers in something like the way we have been hoping.

[Fonty]

Perhaps we should bombard him with requests, then?  

[Mary]

Speaking to an elderly relative far away,  and in difficult circumstances, last night to check he was able to get shopping ( not really at the moment)- he suddenly said 'Oh but there was a wonderful ballet on i player- it completely took my mind off things- so uplifting'

'What, Mayerling,' I said,  surprised - 'a bit dark!'

 

But it had very much cheered him up and we had a good discussion about it.

[David]

On 16/03/2020 at 19:34, Fonty said:

How tenuous a connection to dance do you mean?  I can think of lots of programmes I would love to see, but not much dancing in them.

 

 

I have been brooding about this!

 

It is a difficult question because different programmes will conjure up different associations for different people. Thus I cherish the Agony and Ecstasy series, not because of on the beastliness of Derek Deane that attracted so much attention at the time but because it is the only record I have on film of the lovely Daria Klimentová and her all too brief, incredible partnership with Vadim Muntagirov at the ENB before she retired and he returned to his natural home with the RB, and also of course included the young Laurretta Summerscales.

 

Similarly the early documentaries about the Ballet Russes contain interviews with legendary dancers, including for example Marc Platov who went on to Hollywood and under his real name Marc Platt, to star with Rita Hayworth amongst others in a lovely film ‘Tonight and Every Night’, roughly based on the story of the Windmill Theatre which had a profound influence on me in my early teens because it resonated so powerfully with my memories of the Blitz in London and the Theatre itself that was a familiar sight for me in my childhood. He also appeared as one of the 7 brothers (only 6 in the dance sequences!) in ”Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” He died 5yrs ago aged 100ys after a highly successful career as a writer and producer but these documentaries are the only record I have on film of his early days with the Ballet Russes.

 

My recorder failed me dammit for the closing gala of the ROH when Darcey put the House to sleep as the Lilac Fairy but my recording of the re-opening Gala is very special because the second half includes precious performances unavailable on commercial recordings by Irek Mukhamedov and Deborah Bull amongst others. The documentary ‘Riot at the Rite’ has Zenaida Yanowsky in an incredible performance of Rite of Spring.  (Incidentally, isn’t there a recording of her dancing Swan Lake somewhere out there? It used to play regularly in the window of the ROH shop reproaching me for my failure to obtain a recording of it).

 

But less obviously there is much else. For example I treasure the BBC relay of An American in Paris that as a family we saw many times and also the Proms semi-staged performance of Oklahoma coz they both included Robert Fairchild who as far as I know doesn’t appear as a dancer on any commercial recording.

 

I could list similar recordings in the fields of music and theatre. My point is that it is not just the content, rare indeed unique as it often is, but also the associations that make these broadcasts so important to us, reminding us of dancers and events that matter to us and giving us reason to fight for their re-release!   

Edited March 19, 2020 by David

[alison]

37 minutes ago, David said:

The documentary ‘Riot at the Rite’ has Zenaida Yanowsky in an incredible performance of Rite of Spring.  (Incidentally, isn’t there a recording of her dancing Swan Lake somewhere out there? It used to play regularly in the window of the ROH shop reproaching me for my failure to obtain a recording of it).

 

She featured in one of the cinema relays of the Dowell production, together with Nehemiah Kish, I think it was.  I'm not sure whether a commercial DVD was made of it.

[David]

So presumbly it was never broadcast on TV. Than explains why I have never been able to get my greedy hands on it. Thank you Alison.

[Fonty]

Great post @David  Incidentally, I adore the dance scenes in 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.  But I have my own copy of that, as it has been shown on tv many times.  

 

I really enjoyed the Agony and the Ecstasy series as well, and would be very happy to see a repeat of that.  Another series I loved was the Ballet Hoo! one with the BRB.  Very uplifting.

 

Now, could anyone sit through the entire series of The House, the ROH documentary again?  I only saw bits of it at the time, as I was away.  I saw an excerpt of it recently, but I can't remember which programme I was watching!  

[bridiem]

Just now, Fonty said:

Great post @David  Incidentally, I adore the dance scenes in 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.  But I have my own copy of that, as it has been shown on tv many times.  

 

I really enjoyed the Agony and the Ecstasy series as well, and would be very happy to see a repeat of that.  Another series I loved was the Ballet Hoo! one with the BRB.  Very uplifting.

 

Now, could anyone sit through the entire series of The House, the ROH documentary again?  I only saw bits of it at the time, as I was away.  I saw an excerpt of it recently, but I can't remember which programme I was watching!  

 

Yes, Ballet Hoo! was terrific.

 

I recently watched all the episodes of The House online, after being reminded of it on this forum. It was quite gobsmacking! Also gripping.

[Fonty]

2 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

Yes, Ballet Hoo! was terrific.

 

I recently watched all the episodes of The House online, after being reminded of it on this forum. It was quite gobsmacking! Also gripping.

 

I must have missed that reminder.   I am out of the UK so much, it is annoying when I hear about great stuff that has been and gone (assuming it has gone?) I am still miffed that i missed the entire series of This Life when it was on iplayer.  However, that is part of the discussion on the other thread. 🙂

[Rob S]

All of the episodes of The House are available on YouTube 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Rob S

[bridiem]

8 minutes ago, Rob S said:

All of the episodes of The House are available on YouTube 

 

Yes, that was how I watched it. I'm sure it won't be shown on TV again - far too damning!

[Rob S]

11 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

Yes, that was how I watched it. I'm sure it won't be shown on TV again - far too damning!

Or rather too out of date. I assume things are far better there now 

[alison]

Different, certainly.

[Fonty]

I don't think I would want to watch the whole thing, especially on Youtube.

[alison]

I'd like to see the Deborah Bull programme, The Dancer's Body, or whatever it was called.  I recorded it, but my tapes were faulty and I got audio print-through from I think a previous programme I'd had on there.  Plus all my VHS tapes are in storage, anyway  

[Diandri]

Back in the 1990's Leire Ortueta danced Will Tuckett's Rime of the Ancient Mariner; I have hazy memories of it, but I remember I loved it. Can't recall if it was BBC or not, but it was a made for TV production. 

 

The other BBC footage I'd like to have a second look at is the 3D footage of Beryl Grey dancing the Black Swan pdd I saw a few years ago. She was sensational & clearly much underrated in the RB's history.

[Balletfanp]

On 19/03/2020 at 12:01, David said:

 

I have been brooding about this!

 

It is a difficult question because different programmes will conjure up different associations for different people. Thus I cherish the Agony and Ecstasy series, not because of on the beastliness of Derek Deane that attracted so much attention at the time but because it is the only record I have on film of the lovely Daria Klimentová and her all too brief, incredible partnership with Vadim Muntagirov at the ENB before she retired and he returned to his natural home with the RB, and also of course included the young Laurretta Summerscales.

All three episodes of that series used to be available on YouTube, but now only the episode with Muntagirov and Klimentova remains:

 

https://youtu.be/RFU4CBO8D_k

 

Still a fascinating watch, and important to me as that episode reawakened my lapsed interest in ballet and I’ve never looked back since. The interaction between Muntagirov, Klimentova and Deane was riveting and I was really desperate for them to be a success by the end - and of course they were, big time! So interesting, as well, rewatching it, to compare the shy, diffident boy Vadim was then, to the hugely successful and admired artist he is today - but still modest.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Balletfanp

[loveclassics]

On 19/03/2020 at 09:36, Jan McNulty said:

 

Is that the Southbank Show one?  Seeing how much they were dashing all over the world for guest performances made me wonder how they could still give of their best to their "home" company.  I had loved JK since I had seen him dance with a group from RDB at the Harrogate International Festival (in Schaufuss' Hamlet) and then in Copenhagen.  I'm afraid I lost a lot of interest after that programme.

Yes that's the one. I'm glad she (Alina) has found a new home in ENB but I still think it's a great shame that she chose to follow him and leave the RB.  Nothing wrong with ENB particularly under Rojo's re-vitalising leadership but it doesn't quite have the international reputation of the country's flagship company.  But that's a bit academic at the moment.

Edited March 22, 2020 by loveclassics
clarity

[Bravissima35]

I would like to see more of the South Bank Shows from the 90's where there ones on Darcey Bussell and Vivana Durante and another one on Irek Mukhamadov.   Loved watching them. 

[Lynette H]

Does anyone recall William Tuckett's The Sandman, a film made for Channel 4 (If I remember correctly). Very creepy and atmospheric . Based on the E.T.A Hoffman storey.  It was made in 2000 and had a terrific cast (Mukhamedov, Rojo, Yanowsky and I think Adam Cooper too. )

 

I haven'y found much trace of it, but the memory of it has lingered nevertheless. 

[Jeannette]

Dare I suggest...

The 24 July  1970 Gala-tribute to Sir Frederick Ashton, upon his retirement as A.D., featuring numerous rare & well-known excerpts of the great choreographer’s ballets...from Capriol Suite (1930) to Lament of the Waves (1970). The program featured Fonteyn/Nureyev in a scene from Apparitions, among other treasures. Even if an archived film may be scratchy or in black&white, this would be a joy to rewatch. 

[alison]

22 hours ago, Lynette H said:

Does anyone recall William Tuckett's The Sandman, a film made for Channel 4 (If I remember correctly). Very creepy and atmospheric . Based on the E.T.A Hoffman storey.  It was made in 2000 and had a terrific cast (Mukhamedov, Rojo, Yanowsky and I think Adam Cooper too. )

 

I haven'y found much trace of it, but the memory of it has lingered nevertheless. 

 

I have it on tape, I think.  But it's in storage    (how fed up I am with those words!)

[penelopesimpson]

On 22/03/2020 at 02:23, loveclassics said:

Yes that's the one. I'm glad she (Alina) has found a new home in ENB but I still think it's a great shame that she chose to follow him and leave the RB.  Nothing wrong with ENB particularly under Rojo's re-vitalising leadership but it doesn't quite have the international reputation of the country's flagship company.  But that's a bit academic at the moment.

SO  share your view, Love Classics.  Alina is in a class of her own and should be dancing with the premier company on the premier stage in London. 

 

I have no idea what went on but it was clear from the shameful way their last performance went unmarked by management that relations had soured.  I am not sure Alina could have stayed and not just because of her relationship with Kobborg.  They had been casting this couple less and less over the preceding two years, so much so that I had written to RB about it, and I think her face no longer fitted.  I cannot remember if they left before or after Polunin but perhaps it could all have been different for both of them if RB had paired them up.  She was certainly needed because after so many retirements, RB was short on star power ballerinas.

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

SO  share your view, Love Classics.  Alina is in a class of her own and should be dancing with the premier company on the premier stage in London. 

 

I have no idea what went on but it was clear from the shameful way their last performance went unmarked by management that relations had soured.  I am not sure Alina could have stayed and not just because of her relationship with Kobborg.  They had been casting this couple less and less over the preceding two years, so much so that I had written to RB about it, and I think her face no longer fitted.  I cannot remember if they left before or after Polunin but perhaps it could all have been different for both of them if RB had paired them up.  She was certainly needed because after so many retirements, RB was short on star power ballerinas.

 

If I remember correctly, Polunin walked out on the RB while rehearsing The Dream with Cojocaru during the last year of Mason's directorship, 2012. I think Cojocaru and Kobborg left at the end of the first year of O'Hare's directorship (don't forget Kobborg fancied himself as Mason's replacement). We never know what goes on behind the scenes. If their last show went unmarked, it could have been because it was their wish. Perhaps they wanted to prove a point against the management - we will never know. With all the talent at the RB now and then, you could say thank goodness that they made space at the top. Btw - have you ever seen that footage of Sibley rehearsing Cojocaru? 

[loveclassics]

I do remember reading in the press that Kobborg was really let down by the Royal Opera , not the ballet company.  He was announced as providing the choregraphy for a new opera production, then suddenly there was a change of heart at the top and a different choreographer was picked.  I believe he may have felt that the RB should have fought harder for him.

 

After his retirement Anthony Dowell said he had regrets at not fighting harder for the ballet company when he was AD but the opera always came first at the ROH.  The politics at the Opera House is hard for outsiders to understand as was mentioned in both in Jeremy Isaac's book about his time there ("Never mind the Moon") and Mary Allen's A House Divided.  I'd quote from these but I gave them away as part of my de-cluttering project.

 

Linda

[David]

11 hours ago, loveclassics said:

I do remember reading in the press that Kobborg was really let down by the Royal Opera , not the ballet company.  He was announced as providing the choregraphy for a new opera production, then suddenly there was a change of heart at the top and a different choreographer was picked.  I believe he may have felt that the RB should have fought harder for him.

 

 

The opera was Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable and Kobborg was asked to choreograph the key ghostly nuns scene but was replaced I believe because the the Director Laurent Pelly objected. I don't know how JK would have approached it but what we got was like a Carry On take on a Hammer film which had the entire audience tittering on the night I was there. That was one blu-ray I wasn't going to buy!

[Bluebird]

My memory is different from yours, David.  I’m pretty sure Kobborg was supposed to choreograph the ballet scenes in Verdi’s Les Vêpres Siciliennes. 

Edited to add an item from the Dancing Times: https://www.dancing-times.co.uk/kobborg_leaves_les_vepres_siciliennes/

Edited March 26, 2020 by Bluebird

[penelopesimpson]

20 hours ago, Darlex said:

 

If I remember correctly, Polunin walked out on the RB while rehearsing The Dream with Cojocaru during the last year of Mason's directorship, 2012. I think Cojocaru and Kobborg left at the end of the first year of O'Hare's directorship (don't forget Kobborg fancied himself as Mason's replacement). We never know what goes on behind the scenes. If their last show went unmarked, it could have been because it was their wish. Perhaps they wanted to prove a point against the management - we will never know. With all the talent at the RB now and then, you could say thank goodness that they made space at the top. Btw - have you ever seen that footage of Sibley rehearsing Cojocaru? 

Cojocaru and Kobborg have made it clear in interviews that they thought their departure was badly handled.  In any case, this is about more than Management favourites - there is surely a duty to fans?  We are not sheep taking our cue from a Management as to which artiste is in or out.  If you had been there that night you would have seen for yourself the strength of feeling.  A rare misstep from KOH who appeared petty.

 

i must take issue with your view of the succession.  Losing an internationally acclaimed star, for many of us the greatest ballerina of her generation, surely merits more than a ‘thank goodness she’s gone?’  I love our new cadre of Principals whose journey to the top it has been a privilege to watch, but their accession did not mean we had to use an established star.  Using your method, Bonelli should have gone years ago, and Acosta certainly overstayed his welcome, ditto Galeazzi and Yanowsky and Rojo all older than Cojocaru.  And what is Nunez thinking of cluttering up the Principals dressing room when there is fresh meat available.  As for Morera, well, taxi for her.

 

Grrh

[Jan McNulty]

1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said:

Cojocaru and Kobborg have made it clear in interviews that they thought their departure was badly handled.  In any case, this is about more than Management favourites - there is surely a duty to fans?  We are not sheep taking our cue from a Management as to which artiste is in or out.  If you had been there that night you would have seen for yourself the strength of feeling.  A rare misstep from KOH who appeared petty.

 

i must take issue with your view of the succession.  Losing an internationally acclaimed star, for many of us the greatest ballerina of her generation, surely merits more than a ‘thank goodness she’s gone?’  I love our new cadre of Principals whose journey to the top it has been a privilege to watch, but their accession did not mean we had to use an established star.  Using your method, Bonelli should have gone years ago, and Acosta certainly overstayed his welcome, ditto Galeazzi and Yanowsky and Rojo all older than Cojocaru.  And what is Nunez thinking of cluttering up the Principals dressing room when there is fresh meat available.  As for Morera, well, taxi for her.

 

Grrh

 

Darlex is right.  None of us know what went on behind the scenes.

 

I know of 2 senior dancers at BRB a couple of years ago who left without valedictory performances at their own request.  While fans may have wanted to applaud them they preferred just to move on to their new lives.