Wait until you read the book....you'll find out so much about Tito and her Mother and their influence on her life, he didn't like ballet - he snuck out more than he stayed. It's a great book. Her mom was the mainstay of her life.
hi karenofbethany - i was watching another documentary about margot the other day and realised yet again how central her mother was to her life - i even suspect she left her husband in shanghai mainly to promote her daughter's career - but i'll wait for more when i read the book!
Also, there are two sites: alibris.com and abe.com, both of which have out of print books sometimes at much cheaper rates than Amazon. Needless to say, I have spent a fortune. I found a great biography on Erik Bruhn. Just put in the name of the person and voila! I have many "used" books in excellent condition. Good luck with searching, these little treasures add so much pleasure, don't they?
hi karenofbethany - thanks very much for the pointers to those sites - i usually just think of Amazon but of course there are other sellers as well - so thanks again. i too have spent my fair share on books - i used to have a library, three walls, floor to ceiling, two to three layers thick - i shed a lot when i moved last - though curiously not a single dance book or magazine!
I just finished the book again and I was slightly mistaken. Fonteyn requested to be cremated and her ashes put into Tito's grave, which is located in a pathetic place...but they were placed at the foot of his grave. She has a tiny plain plaque which reads: Margot Fonteyn Arias. Whereas, Nureyev's grave is elaborate...I forget who designed it. That's why they were so perfect for each other. They balanced one another out. I will friend you and we can talk. XO
hi karenofbethany - yes, i've seen photos of rudi's extraordinary tomb in the Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, with its great bronze carpet by set designer Ezio Frigerio - so in contrast with margot's grave - sad in a way but i think she was happy to be buried with tito - he used to attend some performances in his wheelchair in the late 60s and early 70s - sometimes her mother was there too
They both gave their lives' blood for their art, and we are the lucky ones. It's insane that she ended up in a pauper's grave until someone rectified that situation. Insane. Get the book FONTEYN by Meredith Danneman, fantastic. It talks about each and every performance they did together.
hi karenofbethany - when i heard (in a small doco) that fonteyn had been initially buried in a pauper's grave i was more than shocked - i was dumb-founded and upset - she'd given so much pleasure and inspiration to me and countless others over the years - as you say 'insane'. thanks for the pointer to the Meredith Danneman book - i'm off to Amazon! i have all the usual books by keith money and those on the royal ballet. thanks again
What I find interesting also is that in later performances of Giselle, with other ballerinas, Rudi was not half as beautiful, not nuanced at all. The sense of ghostliness, the facial expressions, the hands, etc., are all missing. This is the most beautiful I have ever seen him dance.
@karenofbethany - i agree and there was a easily fluidity to his movement - the hacknied 'pather like' phrase springs to mind. when i saw him (1970-1975, 1978, 1980 {and then the last tour of australia where he did 'moors pavave' - which doesn't count cos he was very ill by then] he had great attack but it was often pushed hard and no longer easy seening. i was at the performance on 'scenes d'amour' in 1973 and when ashton came on and danced a few steps with fonteyn it was most most moving
@karenofbethany - i'm not sure - i'd very much like to have one too - maybe someone will comment where - curiously i've turned up quite a few ballets videos on eBay and amazon.com - i put in alerts and things do comes my way. just a thought, best, nick
Perfecto. They fed off each other. I wish the performances I saw at the MET had all been filmed. Margot's arms I always loved. She was simple and academic without all the Russian fioritude associated with them. Rudy was a born ham and we loved every slice of it. LOVE this post Nick!!Brought back so much joy.
Wait until you read the book....you'll find out so much about Tito and her Mother and their influence on her life, he didn't like ballet - he snuck out more than he stayed. It's a great book. Her mom was the mainstay of her life.
karenofbethany 1 year ago
hi karenofbethany - i was watching another documentary about margot the other day and realised yet again how central her mother was to her life - i even suspect she left her husband in shanghai mainly to promote her daughter's career - but i'll wait for more when i read the book!
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
Also, there are two sites: alibris.com and abe.com, both of which have out of print books sometimes at much cheaper rates than Amazon. Needless to say, I have spent a fortune. I found a great biography on Erik Bruhn. Just put in the name of the person and voila! I have many "used" books in excellent condition. Good luck with searching, these little treasures add so much pleasure, don't they?
karenofbethany 1 year ago
hi karenofbethany - thanks very much for the pointers to those sites - i usually just think of Amazon but of course there are other sellers as well - so thanks again. i too have spent my fair share on books - i used to have a library, three walls, floor to ceiling, two to three layers thick - i shed a lot when i moved last - though curiously not a single dance book or magazine!
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
I just finished the book again and I was slightly mistaken. Fonteyn requested to be cremated and her ashes put into Tito's grave, which is located in a pathetic place...but they were placed at the foot of his grave. She has a tiny plain plaque which reads: Margot Fonteyn Arias. Whereas, Nureyev's grave is elaborate...I forget who designed it. That's why they were so perfect for each other. They balanced one another out. I will friend you and we can talk. XO
karenofbethany 1 year ago
hi karenofbethany - yes, i've seen photos of rudi's extraordinary tomb in the Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, with its great bronze carpet by set designer Ezio Frigerio - so in contrast with margot's grave - sad in a way but i think she was happy to be buried with tito - he used to attend some performances in his wheelchair in the late 60s and early 70s - sometimes her mother was there too
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
They both gave their lives' blood for their art, and we are the lucky ones. It's insane that she ended up in a pauper's grave until someone rectified that situation. Insane. Get the book FONTEYN by Meredith Danneman, fantastic. It talks about each and every performance they did together.
karenofbethany 1 year ago
hi karenofbethany - when i heard (in a small doco) that fonteyn had been initially buried in a pauper's grave i was more than shocked - i was dumb-founded and upset - she'd given so much pleasure and inspiration to me and countless others over the years - as you say 'insane'. thanks for the pointer to the Meredith Danneman book - i'm off to Amazon! i have all the usual books by keith money and those on the royal ballet. thanks again
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
What I find interesting also is that in later performances of Giselle, with other ballerinas, Rudi was not half as beautiful, not nuanced at all. The sense of ghostliness, the facial expressions, the hands, etc., are all missing. This is the most beautiful I have ever seen him dance.
karenofbethany 1 year ago
@karenofbethany - i agree and there was a easily fluidity to his movement - the hacknied 'pather like' phrase springs to mind. when i saw him (1970-1975, 1978, 1980 {and then the last tour of australia where he did 'moors pavave' - which doesn't count cos he was very ill by then] he had great attack but it was often pushed hard and no longer easy seening. i was at the performance on 'scenes d'amour' in 1973 and when ashton came on and danced a few steps with fonteyn it was most most moving
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
Where can one get the entire performance?
karenofbethany 1 year ago
@karenofbethany - i'm not sure - i'd very much like to have one too - maybe someone will comment where - curiously i've turned up quite a few ballets videos on eBay and amazon.com - i put in alerts and things do comes my way. just a thought, best, nick
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
So wonderful to see them dance as one body, one soul. Very special moments. Well done putting all those snippets together! Thank you for posting it!
ai51inn 1 year ago
hi ai51inn
they seem particularly as one in the is early 'giselle' - it kind of defined their partnership
glad you liked it - hope to keep uploading!
best, nick
nickwallacesmith 1 year ago
Spellbinding. Thank you.
glamfakir 2 years ago
a pleasure
nick
nickwallacesmith 2 years ago
Absolutely perfect partonership !
morinoroba 2 years ago
very much so!
nickwallacesmith 2 years ago
Watching this performance always makes me cry! Her arms, his hands...I'm a sucker for his hands! Thank you, great clip.
dats72 2 years ago
and the close-ups allow you to see arms and hands so specifically!
nickwallacesmith 2 years ago
I know! You just made me watch it again. I have ballet-procrastination!
dats72 2 years ago
hey dats72
and you've just made me watch it again!
thanks!
nickwallacesmith 2 years ago
they do feed off each other
and there are so many memorable performances that would have been good to have on film
i think it gave me so much pleasure in putting it together too
and you are right, rudi never does the smaller gesture - big is better for him!
nickwallacesmith 2 years ago
Perfecto. They fed off each other. I wish the performances I saw at the MET had all been filmed. Margot's arms I always loved. She was simple and academic without all the Russian fioritude associated with them. Rudy was a born ham and we loved every slice of it. LOVE this post Nick!!Brought back so much joy.
Qbendanny 2 years ago