'La Valse' (1958) - Sir Frederick Ashton for the Royal Ballet

[Firestarjude]

Interesting to see some of the comments on the choreography--people who saw this ballet live tell me something's probably been lost in the transfer to video. The "dancing on the edge of a volcano" atmosphere is SUBTLE, and it comes across more in the perfume and electricity of a live performance. It would probably be difficult to find an entire corps de ballet today who could pull it off, but the effect would be more profound than anything black draperies and melodramatic acting could achieve.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi Firestarjude - yes that's very interesting what you say - i must say having a seen many ashton works in the theatre, this work seemed to lack a centre - i understand it's a ballet for the corps but even so - but yes i can really imagine it having the necessary fizz in the theatre which lift it out of the seeming mundane in film. cheers!

[SuperJacob1989]

a bit disapointed tbh, not how i would of designed/choreographed La Valse AT ALL! to me it seemed the dancers were takin the piss out of the music. Its a dark macarbe story of tragic romance and i didnt get that from this production. granted its the 50's blablabla but i guess i have a required taste. LOVE LA VALSE!! thanks for posting =]

[nickwallacesmith]

hi SuperJacob1989 - interesting what you say about the music supposing to be dark and macabre - i only know it from this context - from what ashton's done here it's something quite different. but you are right there's something in the music that's not all froth and champagne. best, nick

[balletnut]

Actually, I've got this DVD.

I was extremely honoured to see 'Marguerite & Armand' (obviously with Fonteyn & Nureyev) from Sir Fred's box at the Garden.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi balletnut - lucky you! i used to see it quite a lot as a kid in london in the early 70s - it was one thing that fonteyn could continue doing at that stage of her career - precious memories

[balletnut]

Anything by Ashton is sublime.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi balletnut - absolutely - i met him a few times as a kid living in london - he signed his book 'frederick ashton: a choreographer and his ballets' - it was raining and he said 'you book will need a mackintosh to keep it dry'. ashton premiers were really looked forward to with the greatest anticipation - wish i'd been older to really apprecite these events

[opensecret51]

Thank you Nick ....very unique Ballet I enjoyed very much !

[nickwallacesmith]

hi opensecret51 - glad you enjoyed it - it's something you don't see round veru much so i thought uploading would be good - interesting to see something for corps de ballet rather than with principles

[nickwallacesmith]

me again opensecret51 - and seeing anything rare by ashton is good!

[sweetaliena]

Léonide Massine was a composer? Who knew...

It's a very interesting piece.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi sweetaliena - sorry - my mind was obviously somewhere else! Maurice Ravel! Thanks for the correction