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Lord Byron
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« on: 12:15:48, 04-06-2007 » |
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Darcey Bussell's Farewell – Live
Friday 8 June
9.00-10.30pm BBC TWO (Schedule addition 23 May)
Darcey Bussell steps down as the Royal Ballet's Principal Guest Artist today following an 18-year career with the company. Britain's most famous ballerina of the current generation takes her final steps in Mahler's Song Of The Earth, choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan.
In celebration of her legacy and unique talent, BBC Two broadcasts a special 90-minute programme, live from the Paul Hamlyn Hall. Presenter Martha Kearney looks back over a highly successful 20-year dancing career and Jonathan Cope, one of Darcey's dancing partners, joins her backstage with exclusive, behind-the-scenes interviews with friends and colleagues in addition to archive material showing highlights of legendary performances.
The concluding part of the programme goes live to the Royal Opera House to bring television audiences highlights of Darcey's final performance with the Royal Ballet in Sir Kenneth Macmillan's Song Of The Earth.
Macmillan's powerful Song Of The Earth was written to Mahler's great song cycle and is the closing piece of the evening's mixed programme. The work evokes the journey of life over six phases and the concluding episode danced by Darcey Bussell is entitled The Farewell, with which she brings to a close her career with the Royal Ballet. Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in this concluding programme to the Royal Ballet's 2006/7 season.
Performance highlights of Darcey's career are reflected during the programme with special filmed footage from Sir Frederick Ashton's classic ballet Sylvia, alongside highlights from two works by Sir Kenneth Macmillan: his one-act ballet Elite Syncopations and Prince Of The Pagodas, in which the role of the Princess Rose was specially created for Bussell. The programme includes contributions from friends and colleagues, giving their own insights and anecdotes of Darcey's performing career.
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« Last Edit: 01:16:41, 05-06-2007 by John W »
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eruanto
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« Reply #1 on: 12:43:47, 04-06-2007 » |
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Surprisingly substantial as this is for one of your posts, Byron (although I suspect copious use was made of Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V), did you not care to notice BobbyZ's thread on the same subject, "Song of the Earth"?? There's no excuse - it's in the Opera House which you must have seen to post this.   |
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John W
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« Reply #2 on: 13:20:12, 04-06-2007 » |
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did you not care to notice BobbyZ's thread on the same subject, "Song of the Earth"?? There's no excuse - it's in the Opera House which you must have seen to post this. Hmmm, our Lord does often offer himself as a prime candidate for training in Forum Use and Etiquette, including use of upper case key for capitals, proper grammar, reviewing previous thread titles, checking BBC programme names ....... a very useful document which hasn't been written yet but draft chapters are included in forum messages, somewhere ......  |
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« Last Edit: 01:17:28, 05-06-2007 by John W »
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Lord Byron
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« Reply #3 on: 13:25:42, 04-06-2007 » |
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Surprisingly substantial as this is for one of your posts, Byron (although I suspect copious use was made of Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V), did you not care to notice BobbyZ's thread on the same subject, "Song of the Earth"?? There's no excuse - it's in the Opera House which you must have seen to post this. where does the royal ballet perform ?...oh yes... the royal OPERA HOUSE |
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eruanto
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« Reply #4 on: 14:16:07, 04-06-2007 » |
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Lord Byron
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« Reply #5 on: 14:23:31, 04-06-2007 » |
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chav
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #6 on: 14:43:53, 04-06-2007 » |
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Are you a Darcey fan, Lord Byron? I have mixed feelings myself, but I shall certainly watch.
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Lord Byron
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« Reply #7 on: 15:03:30, 04-06-2007 » |
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I have seen her dance.
It is worth the high priced ticket.
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #8 on: 15:33:05, 04-06-2007 » |
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So have I, many times. But I have also seen Fonteyn.
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Lord Byron
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« Reply #9 on: 16:13:52, 04-06-2007 » |
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cool
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eruanto
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« Reply #10 on: 16:53:37, 04-06-2007 » |
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #11 on: 17:40:10, 04-06-2007 » |
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Checking my programmes, I've seen Darcey 21 times spanning from 1995 to last season, when she stood down as a company principal ballerina and I think she's making a very wise decision to go out whilst still at the top. The past few years have seen her suffer a few injuries, including a bone spur injury which caused her to be out for several months, missing a big new production of Sleeping Beauty, but she was wonderful in Les Biches and Pavane (a role created for her) in the last performances I saw. Her favourite role, and signature role as far as I was concerned, was Juliet. Having watched this from the side seats in the orchestral circle, it's possible to appreciate not just how well she danced the steps, but how well she acted the role. Other highlights were The Prince of the Pagodas (Princess Rose) and Mr Worldly-Wise (Mistress Truth-on-Toe) - roles created for her - and fantastic pyrotechnics in Bayadère and Swan Lake.
There are others in the wings ready to take their turn - the Royal Ballet has a number of extremely talented young dancers - Alina Cojacaru and Marianela Nuñez being my predictions for the next 'big thing', but noticeably few young British dancers coming through. Most of the company have Spanish/ South American origins: of the Principal Ballerinas this season only Darcey is UK born; of the First Soloists, only three were born here - Belinda Hatley and Isabel McMeekan have been dancing at the RB for a long time and are unlikely to be promoted to Principals - plus Lauren Cuthbertson, who could well be the best bet for promotion. Why, when Darcey Bussell has been such a high profile dancer, are there so few young British dancers coming through the system?
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #12 on: 18:15:22, 04-06-2007 » |
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I was under the impression that Alina Cojocaru had been the next big thing for some time - a wonderful dancer. I think many people think of her as the star.
Of the British dancers, I've always liked Bethany Keating, but she doesn't seem to get as many opportunities as I've felt she deserved, and is still a soloist, as is Natasha Oughtred, another good one.
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #13 on: 18:22:29, 04-06-2007 » |
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I think there are a number of Soloists or First Soloists who have been waiting for their big break for some time. I saw a documentary, can't think where, and a number of artists were interviewed from across the spectrum. Laura Morera has been a soloist since 2002 and has covered big roles when dancers have become injured, but she was clearly frustrated at not being able to break through - they see dancers like Cojacaru (who, I agree, has been a star attraction for some time amongst those who know their ballet) and Nuñez gain promotion quite quickly - and she voiced her fears that her face 'doesn't fit'.
I wonder if the reason for the lack of many young British dancers coming through, despite Darcey's presence, is down to the fact that Darcey isn't a typical English dancer?
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #14 on: 19:01:42, 04-06-2007 » |
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There's a series of four tiny (3-minute!) programmes about Darcey starting tonight at 7.55 on Channel 4.
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« Last Edit: 01:15:47, 05-06-2007 by John W »
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