This was shown on British Television years ago and I have not seen it on RU-vid yet. I hope this gives an idea of what a great Aurora Fonteyn was and what a great company the RB was in those days.
hi Carles03 - hope you are well, as i am I have found out a little more about this footage: Margot Fonteyn in Act 1 ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ [Degamo production, directed and written by Keith Money, produced by Adrian Gaye and Keith Money. [1970]]. Keith Money's film was shot when Fonteyn was 50 (1968 or 1969), and she's dancing here with the touring section of the RB on a Sunday in Bournemouth, hence the small stage. The first Prince is David Wall. Money was unable to raise the money to film the entire ballet and years later this Act was found it in his barn. The commentator is Guardian dance critic Judith Mackrell.
Thank you John, and sorry for taking so long to respond. Yes, there were articles in the press and dance magazines about this project when it was first shown on television. Thank you for taking the time to write them down! The ballerina talking about Fonteyn is Fiona Chadwick, in case it does not say in the documentary... I hope you enjoyed it!!
no problem - i am quite busy these days and sometimes take time to get back to people :) i don't recall whether Fiona Chadwick's name is mentioned (i think so) but i knew her by sight. i loved it! thanks so much for sharing.
Believe it or not, I still have a original glossy magazine article with pictures and an article in it of Fonteyn at 50 - A highly treasured souvenir. This video brings back the magic of Christmas ballet broadcasts as they used to be on BBC and I was lucky to see the actual 'Fonteyn at 50' 'Beauty' when it was shown on TV.. Ugly consumerism now seems to inhibit the broadcast of such wonderful performances. Fonteyn beats all of the 'BGT', 'XFactor', 'I'm a Celebrity' 'Strictly' and 'Love Island' hype hands down. Thanks for posting on RU-vid.
I can only agree with you. I wish I had seen Fonteyn dancing... I fell in love with ballet when I saw her in Romeo and Juliet with Nureyev on Spanish television, when art was still shown on TV. Thanks for your comment!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to upload this.Worth watching for the commentary at the beginning alone.Fonteyn as usual a joy to watch and such a treat to see her in colour in this performance :)
I can only imagine what the rest of Act 1 (let alone the Prologue and Acts 2 & 3) looked like. I guess this is the time period when RB really got known for its exceptional corps work because they are flawless. I don't understand why so many people reviewing a Fonteyn performance feel compelled to add a qualifier (like "good technician *for her time*"). Not that anyone here has, but it's not an infrequent occurrence around the virtual dance world). She was a great technician and a dramatic artist like no other. This will sound like an odd counter mark to refer you to, but at 11:08 she transitions from the arabesque (she bourreed forward into it) and then changes character mood, and the way the steps define the character just at 11:08. Her attack is so delightfully brisk at that point it looks like she's been shot out of a cannon. So, in a very few measures and because of strong connection to character and music, she goes from regal princess appearing at her birthday festival, regal princess posing with perfect classical lines to vivacious 16yo princess ready to meet 'n' greet her guests. And we haven't even gotten to the opening arpeggios of the Rose yet! Thanks for retrieving and posting this, it's a treasure. My area dance department (U of Utah) managed to resurrect a water-damaged (but still playable) video of Helen Tamiris and we probably all know the story of the original Black Swan score being reclaimed from the basement of Harvard (I think Harvard)'s music archive. Next time I get asked to catalogue what music and dance a facility owns, I will do so gleefully! Again, thanks for posting!
minissa2009 those pas de chats are a treasure. The speed in which she could keep up with the music all,the while in control,of her positions was admirable.
I so agree-to my mind her technique is incredible what she doesn't do is great exaggeration-the steps are the steps and done to the tempo of the music. Everything understated -great geographical sense of the stage and where she iis. And of course superlative characterization and those balances.!
I can answer the question why the recent most viewer who may be stayed perhaps working beside ballet has ton of negative comment toward these talents,from the view as a dancer. For the last half century,ballet technique was well developed,improved.these technique that how to show our dancing very clearly on stage which all we were looking for and have pursued,even for now still going to improve. But in the moment,Most of dancers seem lost the fact they are dancing.male dancers has begun to show how our pirouettes are clean and how can move acrobatic movement,how much big jump they can do perhaps to put 10pitouettes insert whole over3,4majors of music, to compare with others as how we are talented as a dancer.eventually,their techniques proportions are well improved. It's my personal opinion but,In the last 50,60years, ballet seems going to transforme into Sports nor dancing anymore. Most of dancers who currently dancing on stage are probably not thinking about how their steps are musically made for,what was the history background,Its manners and customs in the period,music theories.reading musics how to research to make nice dance on stage by myself(well,prob some are studied at the school,and someone can read music,perhaps play instrument but i meant more further knowledges as an artist on this time).because required skills for dancers are just move as directors,Choreographers want. For such a dancers,can't admit the dancers like Fontene(and many others too in old school)dancing principal rolls. Because from their perspective,They can see them as only they r a bad dancer.and can't see no more further. i used to be like that when i was young 20th.I always had thought how many pitouette i can turn,How many big jumps i can do onstage.and I used to feel bored when i see Nureyev's performances when i saw these in my young period . But after I atleast gained "techniques" and keep dancing on stage,I feel bored and miserable myself.of course I'm trying to make myself more nicer looking,techniques more than today as a dancer,but last 7,8years. I presume there r more important things exist to make stage nicer beyond pursue only technique. I don't have no mind to criticize other dancers who are dancing in current period,I'm also a part of so but, It will be more nicer if they also could have more wider and various view,and perspectives.
Exquisite and truly theatrical, unlike the banal gymnastic displays in current fashion. Fonteyn and Ulanova, both of them a prima ballerina assoluta, had an uncanny ability to convey youth when in their maturity. And the long shot of the Lilac Fairy in the last moments took one back to the magic of the eighteenth century tales which were once a beloved staple of a little girl's childhood.
My favorite Aurora is Alla Sizova, and I prefer her even in the truncated film version. Between 1958 and 1961, she learned and performed _14 major roles!_ I can’t even imagine that as being possible! Nureyev said that the only thing that could have tempted him to go back to the Soviet Union was Sizova, which is an incredible admission, especially as they didn’t get along at all. Everyone has to suspend their critical faculties to really enjoy classical ballet because, as in opera, the plots can be extremely silly. The gorgeous music and costumes help, but I cannot suspend judgement enough to really enjoy Fonteyn at this age; it doesn’t matter how “perfect” she appears to be, a 40-50 year old as Aurora is just plain silly. Just because one _can_ do something, it doesn’t follow that one _should,_ and I’ve always felt really sorry for all of the wonderful young ballerinas of the Royal Ballet who never really got to shine due to the necessity of the pay Fonteyn earned to waste on her idiotic husband.
Sizova was a glorious ballerina. It's a pity the filmed version with her in it has so many important parts cut out (ie the Bluebird variations). She later moved to the US for a time and taught at the Kirov Academy before moving back to Russia and a rather sad end to her life.
I’m sorry , but even when you compare her with members of the corps , you can see the stiffness in her legs and in her right arm , especially during the ‘balances’ where it was visibly shaking prior to it being held by a suitor - Fonteyn was an incredible dancer in her time , but she could not pull off Aurora at 50 when it’s obvious she’s in pain and the wide smile only hides the pain she was clearly in. Stepping down so younger ballerinas could experience their own opening nights would have been a mercy to Fonteyn and to up and coming ballerinas - one word , greed , springs to mind : whether that was hers or her husband’s, we cannot know , but there’s a reason ballerinas retire at around 40 and this film merely illustrates why that should remain the case .
Sorry but completely disagree with you. Just checked out many other rose adagios on youtube and Fonteyn is easily the best - the only one who can act/dance 16 - the rest just go through the motions.
How true I don't see any stiffness at all-in fact she is extremely supple and the balances are rock solid. Look at some of the Russian performances ludicrous balance sequence!!
" greed , springs to mind : whether that was hers or her husband’s, we cannot know" As far as I know, she had to take care of her husband who was in wheelchair, could not even eat himself, it must have cost a lot.
Completely disagree. Thank goodness she continued to dance. More people got to see her. There is more film of her. I find her to encompass believability in the role more than other dancers who seem very robotic to me.
