Spirit of Cornwall - 2005
| The Mousehole Cat |
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| Britten on the Beach |
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| Tristan & Isolde |
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A unique programme of three ballets choreographed for the Company. The programme was one of the biggest challenges Duchy Ballet has yet undertaken necessitating visits to the United States (work combined with holiday and much pleasure) and long discussions over the appropriate music for the ballets and the style of design and costumes.
The result was a spectacular achievement. Three contrasting ballets which reflect the Cornish affinity with the sea and its legends.
THE MOUSEHOLE CAT
First seen in 2003, the ballet was recreated by Terence Etheridge who also starred as Tom Bawcock. It was danced with great verve by its young cast and graced by a sinuous Chika Temma as Mowzer and Zhanat Atymateyev as the commanding Storm Cat.
A special performance for 5 year olds was a resounding success introducing a whole new audience to ballets (See news story).
The music for The Mousehole Cat was composed by Ian Hughes. Sadly Ian did not live to see this revival. In early 2004 he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. In the ensuing months he bore himself with great courage and dignity but lost the unequal battle in the autumn. Ian is buried in Cornish soil overlooking the sea in Feock churchyard, amidst the countryside he had come to love.
BRITTEN ON THE BEACH
This was one of two ballets by guest choreographer Alun Jones. Danced to the joyous “Matinees and Soirees Musicales” of Benjamin Britten, the company learnt to dance “comedy” as the ballet took a tongue-in-cheek look at the burgeoning tourist industry of the 1930s and parodied the end-of-pier entertainment. A simple set design and excellent lighting provided the sunny atmosphere brought to a close when a heavy shower clears the beach and the promenade
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TRISTAN & ISOLDE
A heart-rending one act dramatic ballet danced to Wagner’s “Prelude and Liebestod”, the ballet is an extended pas de deux with other principal characters and a chorus representing the ebb and flow of the sea. Our guest artists were Sarah Comstock and Jason Cox from the USA which enabled Alun Jones to work creatively with them before their arrival in Cornwall. The ballet showed the giving of the love potion to Tristan and Isolde and the dreadful consequences which ensue. This is undoubtedly the most mature and dramatic work which Duchy Ballet has staged. The interpretation by the principals was extremely moving and they were ably supported by the other characters and the chorus danced by the full-time students of the Dance College of Cornwall who joined Duchy Ballet for the production.
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