Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev - 'Birthday Offering' Rehearsal (1968)

I love this film of Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev rehearsing in costume 'Birthday Offering' on the stage at Covent Garden with Sir Frederick Ashton.

It was in preparation for a performance of the work for the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth the Second in 1968.

I really enjoyed hearing Sir Fred's comments and corrections and suggestions - the way he went about his business. The way he demonstrates a (beautiful!) porte de bras position.

So interesting how they try to patch together what the choreography should be at certain small moments in the work.

And I love seeing the fun they all could have in the seriousness of an important filmed rehearsal. The way Fred takes Margot's place with Rudi to demonstrate how a particular hold should be - lots of giggling at Rudi's new partner!

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Margot Fonteyn
• Rudolph Nureyev
• 'Birthday Offering'
• Royal Ballet
• ballet
• dance
• Covent Garden. gala

[merrymuskrat]

Birthday Offering was originally created in 1956 as part of the Royal Ballet's Silver Jubilee celebrations, not the Queen's! This is the 1968 revival which showcases Margot and Rudi as the central couple. There are 7 ballerina variations in the original, but in this version I believe Rudi had his own special solo (making 8 variations) as well as the pdd shown here. Birthday Offering is being revived once more by the RB as part of a triple bill in June/July this year.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi merrymuskrat. thanks for the correction – actually as the Royal Opera House states it best on its website - the ballet was ‘specially created by Frederick Ashton to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Sadler's Wells Ballet’ – the royal accolade was yet to come. And thanks for the background on the variations – much appreciated, as was the pointer to the 2012 revival. Cheers, nick

[merrymuskrat]

@nickwallacesmith Yes, you are correct, I was cutting corners a bit! This is a lovely clip btw, a real treasure. Thankyou.

[nickwallacesmith]

hi merrymuskrat - no, you were (happily) getting me the think a bit more precisely about the texts i add to uploads - so thanks for that. glad you like the clip too! cheers

[dreamcatcher75418]

You can tell they're in love. <3

[nickwallacesmith]

hi dreamcatcher75418 - yes, they are very simpatico!

[kenjoneslee]

One word...BORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRing!!!­! This is what made ballet a bad word. The folk like costume on Margot has GOT to GO...way too many distracting clipons and swirly lace ons. The choreography suffers immensely from low creativity. How much genius does it take to choreograph a dozen different repeating SLOW forms of the arabesque. And it's too bad Margot's arabesques is none too breathtaking.

[tutus4life]

is there any full recording of this wonderful ballet? It seems so much fun

[nickwallacesmith]

hi FerocityQueen - yes, the costumes just sparkle - as a birthday offering should do. cheers

[FerocityQueen]

Amazing costumes on even more amazing dancers!!!