ToThePointe Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 It's Valentine's Day on Sunday and so I thought we could all do with spreading some love and sharing what our favourite romantic ballets are! We have just launched Season Three of Open Barre Podcast and the theme is all about love in ballet. You can have a listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/user/openbarre/season-3-episode-1 Brandon and I completely forget to mention Two Pigeons which has to be one of the most 'lovey dovey' (excuse the pun) ballets of all time?! But what do you think? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tebasile Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Swan Lake is more relevant to my romantic history 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Welcome back to the wonderful Open Barre podcast...I've missed you!! I love the banter between the two of you, whilst discussing interesting and serious matters. This was a great opening episode to Season 3...talking about love and romance in ballet just in time for Valentine's Day...! Hmmm...I adore Two Pigeons and think that is one of the most adorable and romantic of ballets. It literally brings a tear of joy every time I watch it. That final pdd embodies everything beautiful about love, including forgiveness. It is perfect. I think I would also mention the 'reconciliation' pdd between Oberon and Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream. Again, it says so much about love and forgiveness. Sir Fred clearly had a deep understanding of these things and his genius was that he was able to convey them through choreography and without a word being spoken. Simply sublime. Other than that, I think you mention in this episode pretty much everything else I would think of. I also love your fantasy ballet TTP...I won't say anything here so I don't spoil it for those who listen, but it brought a huge smile to my face at the end of a hard week. Thank you both! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 La Fille Mal Gardée - real people, real love, and marriage 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 19 minutes ago, alison said: La Fille Mal Gardée - real people, real love, and marriage This is discussed in the podcast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Ah - I'm not up to date yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 34 minutes ago, alison said: Ah - I'm not up to date yet! Don’t worry Alison, it was only released today! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Not heard the new episode yet but for me it's La Fille, it avoids the need for forgiveness shown in Two Pigeons by making sure Colas doesn't fall for Widow Simone 🙂 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 I can't decide between Two Pigeons and Fille... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: I can't decide between Two Pigeons and Fille... That’s a tough one, Jan! 🤔 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said: I can't decide between Two Pigeons and Fille... You and me both, Janet. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 I've not yet listened to the podcast either but I think one of the most romantic ballets I've seen is Don Quixote. I thought Kitri & Basilio had a lovely relationship. (I have seen fewer ballets than the rest of you undoubtedly have so I may be well off the mark in the overall romantic ballet stakes.) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 14 hours ago, jmhopton said: You and me both, Janet. No question for me obviously. Two Pigeons all the time. The clue is in my name! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Loved the podcast. Titanic the ballet! I like my romances complicated so I would be inclined to be more in the Romeo and Juliet camp. I find both A Month in the Country and Onegin incredibly moving. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 (edited) I listened to the podcast today and stick with my choice of La Fille although obviously the level of romance in that will seem like a drop in the ocean once Titanic: The Ballet hits the iceberg stage. I'm not entirely sure how Brandon will be able to be the ship, I foresee trouble with the funnels and his ability to carry more than one person....I think a better solution is the use of the set from Act 1 of Anastasia for the first three acts of Titanic before clearing everything away and having a sea of dry ice and then a ship version of the thing in the Nutcracker that takes them to the Kingdom of the Sweets, which can easily carry Gary Avis as Captain Smith, Vadim as Jack, Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Rose and Beatriz Stix Brunell as the Unsinkable Molly Brown.... Edited February 13, 2021 by Rob S 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Balanchine’s Liebeslieder Walzer. Never gets old. ❤️ 💕 💗 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 3 hours ago, Rob S said: I listened to the podcast today and stick with my choice of La Fille although obviously the level of romance in that will seem like a drop in the ocean once Titanic: The Ballet hits the iceberg stage. I'm not entirely sure how Brandon will be able to be the ship, I foresee trouble with the funnels and his ability to carry more than one person....I think a better solution is the use of the set from Act 1 of Anastasia for the first three acts of Titanic before clearing everything away and having a sea of dry ice and then a ship version of the thing in the Nutcracker that takes them to the Kingdom of the Sweets, which can easily carry Gary Avis as Captain Smith, Vadim as Jack, Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Rose and Beatriz Stix Brunell as the Unsinkable Molly Brown.... Love the overall idea but I don't see Muntagirov as the right type for Jack. He's too naturally princely for a steerage-class passenger! I think I'd cast Matthew Ball or Alexander Campbell. Also Thomas Whitehead for the villainous Cal. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 10 minutes ago, Dawnstar said: Love the overall idea but I don't see Muntagirov as the right type for Jack. He's too naturally princely for a steerage-class passenger! I think I'd cast Matthew Ball or Alexander Campbell. Also Thomas Whitehead for the villainous Cal. Well Vadim wasn't my choice, I'd go for James Hay....but obviously this is going to need about eight different casts for the opening run. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 Having just seen a snippet on IG I'd now like to throw SDB's Hobson's Choice into the mix! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 I don't know how many times I've seen Romeo and Juliet, mostly the Cranko Version, but also MacMillan, Lavrovsky, Maillot, Neumeier, Bigonzetti and many others: In every performance I am moved by the emotional power of Prokofiev's score for the balcony pas de deux. I know the ballet is not "lovey dovey", but I always think this is the most romantic, compelling love music ever written. As for the loving couples, besides Kitri & Basil or Lise & Colas, I also like the story of Moondog and La Capricciosa in "Lady and the Fool". 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 And as you can see from my profile photo, I am still waiting for "Francesca da Rimini", the ballet. 😍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Carlos Acosta has just tweeted "Happy Valentine's Day" with a snippet from Fille! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 By the way, it's nice to remember that Two Pigeons had its premiere on Valentine's Day - 60 years ago today! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 But apparently Mayerling also had its première on Valentine's Day! (1978). Maybe says something about the differing approaches of Ashton and MacMillan to the same subject... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 I think I'd describe all three of MacMillan's major works as passionate rather than romantic in the "lovey-dovey" sense cited in the first post. The only other MacMillans I've seen are Winter Dreams & Concerto so I don't know if he did anything of the sweetly-romantic-happy-ending type (though I'd rather suspect not!). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 5 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: Carlos Acosta has just tweeted "Happy Valentine's Day" with a snippet from Fille! Coincidentally, just finished watching it. It's interesting to see performances from quite a few years ago and see who's still with the Company. I see Laura Morera and Sarah Lamb were two of Lise's friends, Bennet Gartside was a friend of Colas and Steven Mcrae was leading the pony! Now going to watch 2 Pigeons and have a great Ashton day!!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, jmhopton said: Coincidentally, just finished watching it. It's interesting to see performances from quite a few years ago and see who's still with the Company. I see Laura Morera and Sarah Lamb were two of Lise's friends, Bennet Gartside was a friend of Colas and Steven Mcrae was leading the pony! Now going to watch 2 Pigeons and have a great Ashton day!!! I'm watching Two Pigeons now too....just got to the interval so I'm just off to the foyer freezer for some ice cream...remembering two years ago today a couple behind me saying they weren't real pigeons that flew across the window. The pigeons let them know what they thought of that in act 3!😆 Edited February 14, 2021 by Rob S 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToThePointe Posted February 15, 2021 Author Share Posted February 15, 2021 On 13/02/2021 at 19:32, Rob S said: Well Vadim wasn't my choice, I'd go for James Hay....but obviously this is going to need about eight different casts for the opening run. I agree with Dawnstar and Rob S - in many ways I regret choosing Vadim to play Jack and I think Matt Ball has more of that earthy charm needed to be convincing in the role. Thanks for your views - it will really help me when it comes to casting day! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, ToThePointe said: Thanks for your views - it will really help me when it comes to casting day! Anyone know roughly how much a new ballet costs to commission? (Just in case that lottery win comes through) Edited February 15, 2021 by oncnp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 17 minutes ago, oncnp said: Anyone know roughly how much a new ballet costs to commission? (Just in case that lottery win comes through) It depends on the Company and the scale of the production. I would guess, for a large scale scale production in even a mid-sized company you would be looking at a minimum of £500,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 6 hours ago, oncnp said: Anyone know roughly how much a new ballet costs to commission? (Just in case that lottery win comes through) So what ballet do you have in mind, should you win the lottery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob S Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 I'm sure someone will float the idea of sinking your money in to Titanic: The Ballet should you win the lottery 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted February 15, 2021 Share Posted February 15, 2021 How did I forget The Dream with a combination of that wonderful romantic score, fabulous fairies and several estranged couples happily reunited at the end. Just had a great romantic evening watching it. Lockdown does have its occasional uses. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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