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No Coronation Gala?

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Henry

Henry

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Should the Royal Ballet have had a Coronation Gala?  Famously on the eve of the 1953 Coronation, there was the gala performance of "Homage to the Queen" with music by Malcolm Arnold, choreography by Frederic Ashton, designs by Oliver Messel.  A very British team.  

 

Is anyone familiar with "Homage to the Queen"?  Would it have been worth re-staging for a 2023 Coronation Gala?  Ballet is not short of Kings and Queens.  Is there anything else that you would have liked to see in the programme?  An extract from Neumeier's "La Dame aux Camellias/Camillas"??  (sorry)

 

It seems a bit on an omission on the part of the Royal Ballet and Opera House.  Still, at least it wasn't decided to do another 3 act McGregor...

 

A link to the programme is here

Homage to the Queen programme, the Coronation Ballet, June 1953 © ROH 1953

 

 

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capybara

capybara

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In fairness, the ROH’s season was set before the Queen died. I believe that they had to cancel this Saturday’s matinee but the fact that The Sleeping Beauty is on on the evening of the Coronation is perhaps indicative of how little leeway there is within the schedule.


I am, however, a little put out to see the wonderful mixed offering from the RB on its various stops on the Japan Tour.

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Ondine

Ondine

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Astonishing to consider the 1953 ballet was composed, designed, choreographed, and rehearsed in a mere ten weeks!

 

I suppose there's a sound commercial reason why programmes designed to get bums on seats in London and Japan differ.  😏

 

https://www.nbs.or.jp/english/news/the-royal-ballet-2023-japan-tour-24-june-2-july.html

 

 

Edited by Ondine
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San Perregrino

San Perregrino

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A Gala would have been fabulous of course.

However, Sleeping Beauty is, in itself, a very royal ballet.

One might hope that, at Saturday evening's performance, the Coronation is acknowledged and that God Save The King is played.

 

I wonder, will this be the moment that the curtains are changed.....?

Edited by PeterS
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Guest oncnp

Guest oncnp

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4 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

The curtains are not being changed at this point in time.

 

At the King's request, I believe (or at least that's what the tour guides are saying)

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Guest oncnp

Guest oncnp

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1 minute ago, Benjamin said:

That’s one good thing. It would be easy because all you would have to change is 2 letters.

 

The King's cypher is quite different so more to it than that

 

image.png.b7edb5dfd78c641d03743b054c3fea1b.png

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bangorballetboy

bangorballetboy

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13 minutes ago, Benjamin said:

That’s one good thing. It would be easy because all you would have to change is 2 letters.

 

That's not right.  The whole cypher (including the crown) would need to change.  It's an awful lot of work!

 

The cypher on the curtains reflects the monarch at the time the curtains were installed (1997 - made under the auspices of the Royal School of Needlework).  There's no need to change that because there has been a change of monarch.  We don't change the post-boxes.  We don't change the gates and fences around Kensington Palace.

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alison

alison

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Let's face it, this Coronation has taken place at relatively short notice: Queen Elizabeth II had about 16 months between her accession and coronation, didn't she?  It would probably have been easier to fit something into the schedule on that scale.  Plus I'm not sure if, in those days, the Royal Opera House had its schedule set in stone as far in advance as it does these days.

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FLOSS

FLOSS

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You can't just throw a gala together as Ross Stretton discovered when he tried to serve up current repertory as gala fare and then tried to excuse his failure  by saying he had not been given enough notice of the event. It is therefore possible that it isn't so much indifference on the part of the company but reluctance on the part of the palace which explains why there is no Coronation Gala. First there is the sorry experience of the Stretton Gala combined with the absence of anyone on the staff  in Bow Street with any experience of arranging a successful celebratory gala of the sort required and the lack of a suitable choreographer to make something new. Wheeldon is in New York at present and  MacGregor is not an obvious choice for a bit of gala fodder is he?  . For many years the standard format for a ROH gala was an hour of opera selected and supervised by John Copley and an hour of ballet selected and arranged by Frederick Ashton  with at least one new work by him in the mix. The limited duration of the gala was deliberate as it took into account what the guests had been doing during the day and what they might be scheduled to do the following day.

 

  

There again it could be that the consensus at the palace is that while it appears acceptable for members of the Royal Family to attend ballet and opera performances in a private capacity without fear of adverse comment from the popular press and the professionally disgruntled who appear on the new right wing media that to do so in the context of a State Gala, which is what a Coronation Gala is, would be to attract charges of elitism and extravagance. Not what anyone wants at a time when there are questions about the cost of the coronation and the palace is doing its best to establish that the whole thing is being done as cheaply as possible by recycling and refurbishing robes, chairs and so on. The Windsor entertainment sounds purgatorial if not hellish.

 

As far as  Homage to the Queen is concerned only one segment of the original Ashton choreography is  said to survive. When the ballet was last danced at Covent Garden in 2006 as part of a programme to mark the late Queen's eightieth birthday David Bintley produced new choreography for the Queen of Earth and her entourage, Michael Corder did the  same for the section for the Queen of Water while Christopher Wheeldon did the same for the Queen of Fire.The ballet ended with the Queen of Air danced to Ashton's choreography.

 

On an entirely different point. I think that the Queen gets a drop of oil on the head by way of being anointed.I imagine that the Guardian has taken its information from official sources  such as the order of service.

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Ondine

Ondine

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7 minutes ago, FLOSS said:

You can't just throw a gala together as Ross Stretton discovered when he tried to serve up current repertory as gala fare and then tried to excuse his failure  by saying he had not been given enough notice of the event. It is therefore possible that it isn't so much indifference on the part of the company but reluctance on the part of the palace which explains why there is no Coronation Gala. First there is the sorry experience of the Stretton Gala combined with the absence of anyone on the staff  in Bow Street with any experience of arranging a successful celebratory gala of the sort required and the lack of a suitable choreographer to make something new. Wheeldon is in New York at present and  MacGregor is not an obvious choice for a bit of gala fodder is he?  . For many years the standard format for a ROH gala was an hour of opera selected and supervised by John Copley and an hour of ballet selected and arranged by Frederick Ashton  with at least one new work by him in the mix. The limited duration of the gala was deliberate as it took into account what the guests had been doing during the day and what they might be scheduled to do the following day.

 

  

There again it could be that the consensus at the palace is that while it appears acceptable for members of the Royal Family to attend ballet and opera performances in a private capacity without fear of adverse comment from the popular press and the professionally disgruntled who appear on the new right wing media that to do so in the context of a State Gala, which is what a Coronation Gala is, would be to attract charges of elitism and extravagance. Not what anyone wants at a time when there are questions about the cost of the coronation and the palace is doing its best to establish that the whole thing is being done as cheaply as possible by recycling and refurbishing robes, chairs and so on. The Windsor entertainment sounds purgatorial if not hellish.

 

As far as  Homage to the Queen is concerned only one segment of the original Ashton choreography is  said to survive. When the ballet was last danced at Covent Garden in 2006 as part of a programme to mark the late Queen's eightieth birthday David Bintley produced new choreography for the Queen of Earth and her entourage, Michael Corder did the  same for the section for the Queen of Water while Christopher Wheeldon did the same for the Queen of Fire.The ballet ended with the Queen of Air danced to Ashton's choreography.

 

On an entirely different point. I think that the Queen gets a drop of oil on the head by way of being anointed.I imagine that the Guardian has taken its information from official sources  such as the order of service.

 

I think in 1953 they threw a whole new ballet together in ten weeks, which was quite a feat, really, Homage to The Queen, and on top on that there was a separate gala where the opera did its bit and the ballet company performed Facade? Which made me smirk.

 

We did discuss this on the 'other' thread, including the revival that wasn't a revival (and the problems on the night).

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Ondine

Ondine

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Can't add to the above post so I'll add here.

 

It appears Homage to The Queen was performed on June 2nd, coronation night, as the coronation ballet. There was a separate gala on June 8th where the opera performed Gloriana.  I'm unsure at which Facade was performed but no doubt further delving will come up with an answer.

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/photos/7302440030

Edited by Ondine
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Sim

Sim

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When I was at the House last night I was on the terrace and showing my friend the costume department. Someone had put cut-out faces of Charles and Diana on the window so we could all see them.  Either someone doesn’t realise that Diana is not going to be Queen, or they are being a bit disrespectful to all.  I’m not sure what they were thinking…maybe it’s supposed to be a joke of some kind?  🤔

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Emeralds

Emeralds

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4 hours ago, Henry said:

Should the Royal Ballet have had a Coronation Gala?  Famously on the eve of the 1953 Coronation, there was the gala performance of "Homage to the Queen" with music by Malcolm Arnold, choreography by Frederic Ashton, designs by Oliver Messel.  A very British team.  

 

Is anyone familiar with "Homage to the Queen"?  Would it have been worth re-staging for a 2023 Coronation Gala?  Ballet is not short of Kings and Queens.  Is there anything else that you would have liked to see in the programme?  An extract from Neumeier's "La Dame aux Camellias/Camillas"??  (sorry)

 

It seems a bit on an omission on the part of the Royal Ballet and Opera House.  Still, at least it wasn't decided to do another 3 act McGregor...

 

A link to the programme is here

Homage to the Queen programme, the Coronation Ballet, June 1953 © ROH 1953

 

 

I would have loved to see a Coronation Gala like the one in 1953. Could always have it a bit later than May 2023 if the schedule is packed.

 

Oh my word- Robert Irving conducted that performance! I saw him conducting NYCB once in the latter part of his career (wonderful playing in that performance). Amazing to think he conducted for the Queen in 1953! 

 

I’ve always been sad that “Homage to the Queen” was never properly preserved (notation and basic black and white film) and revived during silver, golden, diamond and platinum jubilees. My aunt had an old book (now disappeared somewhere) about ballet which showed a photo of Fonteyn posing in releve fourth, turning back, in costume in a pose from the ballet. Even in publicity pictures, Ashton’s use of epaulement was inspired. I don’t remember the boring Instagram shots of neophytes trying to do 190 degree splits nowadays, but the grace and artistry of Fonteyn just turning back while on pointe in fourth position was unforgettable. 

Edited by Emeralds
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bangorballetboy

bangorballetboy

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17 minutes ago, Sim said:

When I was at the House last night I was on the terrace and showing my friend the costume department. Someone had put cut-out faces of Charles and Diana on the window so we could all see them.  Either someone doesn’t realise that Diana is not going to be Queen, or they are being a bit disrespectful to all.  I’m not sure what they were thinking…maybe it’s supposed to be a joke of some kind?  🤔

 

They have been there for years!

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Ondine

Ondine

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19 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

I would have loved to see a Coronation Gala like the one in 1953. Could always have it a bit later than May 2023 if the schedule is packed.

 

Oh my word- Robert Irving conducted that performance! I saw him conducting NYCB once in the latter part of his career (wonderful playing in that performance). Amazing to think he conducted for the Queen in 1953! 

 

I’ve always been sad that “Homage to the Queen” was never properly preserved (notation and basic black and white film) and revived during silver, golden, diamond and platinum jubilees. My aunt had an old book (now disappeared somewhere) about ballet which showed a photo of Fonteyn posing in releve fourth, turning back, in costume in a pose from the ballet. Even in publicity pictures, Ashton’s use of epaulement was inspired. I don’t remember the boring Instagram shots of neophytes trying to do 190 degree splits nowadays, but the grace and artistry of Fonteyn just turning back while on pointe in fourth position was unforgettable. 

 

All your yesterdays here! 

 

 

Fonteyn looking glorious.

 

https://www.vandaimages.com/1000RH0032-Margot-Fonteyn-in-Homage-to-the-Queen-at-the-Royal.html  Very Cecchetti / Ashton!

 

And yet more!

 

https://www.vandaimages.com/preview.asp?image=1000RH0010&itemw=4&itemf=0001&itemstep=1&itemx=2

 

Rosemary Lindsay, Phillip Chatfield, Beryl Grey as Queen of Fire, Alexander Grant as Spirit of Fire, Bryan Ashbridge and Svetlana Beriosova in Homage to the Queen by Sadler's Wells at the Royal Opera House, photo Houston Rogers (1902-70). Choreography by Frederick Ashton (1904-88). Black and white photography. London, England, 1953.

 

And we think some of the recent Cinderella costumes and wigs are OTT? 

 

 

Edited by Ondine
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Emeralds

Emeralds

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2 minutes ago, Ondine said:

 

All your yesterdays here! 

 

 

Fonteyn looking glorious.

 

https://www.vandaimages.com/1000RH0032-Margot-Fonteyn-in-Homage-to-the-Queen-at-the-Royal.html  Very Cecchetti / Ashton!

 

 

That’s the one! Hope all our members can see it. Isn’t that more glorious than any TikTok/Instagram gymnastic feats? Good work, Ondine. 

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MaddieRose

MaddieRose

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I have a Royal Opera House souvenir brochure from the coronation season in 1953. The ballets in repertoire were Homage to the Queen, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, Sylvia, Veneziana (an Andrée Howard ballet), The Shadow (a Cranko work), Les Sylphides, Checkmate, Ballet Imperial and Façade. On the Opera side was Gloriana, Elektra, Wozzeck, Norma, Aida, Il Trovatore, Die Meistersinger, Tristan und Isolde and Rosenkavalier. 
 

Beryl Grey said in her book something along the lines of 'there was so many attendants in Homage to the Queen so the whole company could be on stage in the piece'. They would have to have had many many more attendants in 2023 😂. 

Edited by MaddieRose
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Ondine

Ondine

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An archived fairly in depth piece from @ismeneb on Ashton's lost ballets and it makes you want to weep TBH 1999

 

https://theartsdesk.com/dance/last-dance-why-our-best-ballets-are-slowly-dying 

 

Old ladies with large hatpins are a dying breed too.

 

 

The popularity of the ballets also varies, partly because of the energy of their owners in encouraging their performance. Thus the luckiest recipent from Ashton's will was Michael Somes, with Cinderella (1948) and Symphonic Variations (1947), both sought-after worldwide; the unluckiest recipient was Margot Fonteyn, whose Ondine and Daphnis and Chloe (1951) - Ashton's personal tributes to his muse - are rareties, performed only occasionally at the Royal Ballet.

 

 

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Emeralds

Emeralds

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2 hours ago, Ondine said:

An archived fairly in depth piece from @ismeneb on Ashton's lost ballets and it makes you want to weep TBH 1999

 

https://theartsdesk.com/dance/last-dance-why-our-best-ballets-are-slowly-dying 

 

Old ladies with large hatpins are a dying breed too.

 

 

The popularity of the ballets also varies, partly because of the energy of their owners in encouraging their performance. Thus the luckiest recipent from Ashton's will was Michael Somes, with Cinderella (1948) and Symphonic Variations (1947), both sought-after worldwide; the unluckiest recipient was Margot Fonteyn, whose Ondine and Daphnis and Chloe (1951) - Ashton's personal tributes to his muse - are rareties, performed only occasionally at the Royal Ballet.

 

 

Having watched both performed by RB, my personal opinion is that Daphnis & Chloe, with its stunning score by Ravel (which seems to be “trending” this season with lots of play time on radio recently, a sold out performance at the Proms in August 2022 by the National Youth Orchestra -who did their own singing - which was aired on tv, and quite a few concert performances this season, having been mothballed for some years) is easier to follow as a story and might be popular with audiences with 1) an inspired cast and leads who really gel with the story, 2) publicity and marketing emphasising the concert hall credentials of its score.

 

I like the ballet myself, but it is a bit of a dark horse in terms of popularity and box office performance- I think the more “modern” looking costumes confuse people as to whether it’s meant to be set in ancient times (as the story suggests) and Ravel’s lush music seems to support, or whether it’s a modern reboot, like West Side Story (of Romeo and Juliet). I think of it as a quiet gem- I don’t expect it to set the box office alight, but if it does well and has dancers who appreciate  its history and the choreography, giving inspired performances, then that is wonderful. One for the connoisseurs, I feel. 

 

Ondine is visually an unforgettable icon of twentieth century dance,with Fonteyn herself a megastar and the images of her dancing the solo with her shadow looking very sprite-like or nymph-like, fitting the popular image of the ballerina. The choreography for the title character is beautiful, inspired and unique, and RB has several ballerinas who are obvious candidates to take on Fonteyn’s iconic creation, imho- Hayward (who already danced the solo in the ROH gala in 2019), Lamb, Naghdi, Takada, Osipova. No doubt members might think of others whom they’d also like to see dancing it- Nuñez? O’Sullivan? Choe?

 

The only problem with Ondine is that the rest of the ballet when Ondine herself isn’t on stage can feel like it drags on if not performed with authority and commitment.....mainly because the Henze score is quite twentieth century and quirky which occasionally seems a bit incongruous with its 19th century history (like Two Pigeons and Fille, Ondine was inspired by an earlier original version - the Romantic Era ballet made for Fanny Cerrito which also had a dance with Ondine’s shadow, the original musoí). I think the shadow dance solo and pas de deux for Ondine and Palemon could easily be done as standalone gala excerpts more often. But I’d be happy to see the full length ballet revived and I’d go to a few casts.  😊👍

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